Another thread is discussing playing 2e, 3e, and 4e at the same time, in the sense of multiple ongoing campaigns. And it is indeed an interesting conversation.
But there is another way to play a bunch of editions at the same time, and that is include all the rules from all the editions in the same adventure and just see what happens. That's totally ridiculous, which is partly why my friend and I called it "The Ridiculous Campaign (part 2)" when we ran it way back in July 2009.
The adventure is set in Sigil Prep during a time of great crisis: a curriculum change. There is panic in the streets. Students don't know which textbooks to buy, and the administration is in disarray. The college of wizardry is internally divided, with freshman favoring the change (spamming magic missiles and playing hockey for the first time ever) and seniors protesting while kvetching about crossbows. There is great hope in the college of arts that maybe everyone won't ignore them this time. Besides, last year's warforged production of "How to Succeed at War Without Really Trying" was a surprise hit, and anticipation for "Vecna in Springtime" was rising until the recent hubbub distracted everyone.
Into this violatile situation step unlikely peacemakers, whose customized double-edged feats and single-edged personalities must rise to the challenge. Our cast:
The Hippy and his plant companion Mary. The Jock, who does in fact consider drunken mastery prestigious. The sorcerous Slacker, who would accomplish nothing in life that taking 8 can't solve if he weren't descended from some very disappointed outsider. The MacGyver, who isn't a factotum but probably ought to have been. The Fonz, whose raw roguish cool was instrumental in convincing that college to update the curriculum. The Goth Chick, whose only friends have learned to carry a sack of puppies to counteract her depressing curses. The Sorority Tomboy, who never met a challenge she didn't accept and get angry about. The Activist, who is constantly lending an inspiring word to anyone who doesn't care (everyone). And finally, the Schizophrenic Bookworm/Cheerleader Kelli with an i!. (The exclamation mark is crucial.) Her laboriously researched spells are old school, but her disgustingly enthusiastic cheers are brand new.
The plot eventually leads the party to search for a MacGuffin, called The MacGuffin, lost deep in the Halls of Ancient Curricula. Even finding that place was a challenge, but fortunately a few old 2e graduates working the cafeteria knew where to look. Deep within the halls, past many treacherous 2e and 1e monsters eeking out a meager existence, they finally encounter the truly ancient 0e dragon whose hoard contains the fabled MacGuffin. The party strikes a deal: The McG in exchange for helping the dragon successfully pledge the coolest frat around. He was once the toast of the school, you know. Moments later he transforms into what appears to be the least hip, most unfortunately tweed man ever seen. This could be harder than it first seemed...
Unfortunately, I've forgotten too many details to properly retell the whole story, but let's just say that with proper motivation a dragon of any edition can drink enough booze to impress any frat worth its tense relationship with the dean.
The rules of this mash-up were simple: No translation between the rules of various editions except when absolutely necessary, and when in doubt use rules appropriate to whomever is causing the interaction. All the characters were 6th level, so that the 3.5 and 4e numbers are still in the same ballpark, especially for hit points, and the 3.5 spells haven't gotten too powerful. This process was especially challenging for the 3.5 wizard/4e bard, since I tried to keep several aspects of her character consistent between either form.
Unsurprisingly, the most important mechanical differences were due to AC. Once the game passed into predominately 2e areas and older the PCs were taking off their armor, wearing literal cement shoes, binding themselves -- anything to lower their high armor classes while still letting them trudge forward. Other sources of amusement and chaos included the non-existence of healing surges and the bloodied condition before 4e, bizarre differences between characters of the same species, and grappling that has never made less sense. The largest battle was between the party and a bunch of 1e Irish Deer wielding broken whiskey bottles -- truly a classy affair.
As far as I can tell the moral of this story is that all editions of D&D are awesome, but all editions of D&D at once is awesomest. I can't wait for 5e!
But there is another way to play a bunch of editions at the same time, and that is include all the rules from all the editions in the same adventure and just see what happens. That's totally ridiculous, which is partly why my friend and I called it "The Ridiculous Campaign (part 2)" when we ran it way back in July 2009.
The adventure is set in Sigil Prep during a time of great crisis: a curriculum change. There is panic in the streets. Students don't know which textbooks to buy, and the administration is in disarray. The college of wizardry is internally divided, with freshman favoring the change (spamming magic missiles and playing hockey for the first time ever) and seniors protesting while kvetching about crossbows. There is great hope in the college of arts that maybe everyone won't ignore them this time. Besides, last year's warforged production of "How to Succeed at War Without Really Trying" was a surprise hit, and anticipation for "Vecna in Springtime" was rising until the recent hubbub distracted everyone.
Into this violatile situation step unlikely peacemakers, whose customized double-edged feats and single-edged personalities must rise to the challenge. Our cast:
The Hippy and his plant companion Mary. The Jock, who does in fact consider drunken mastery prestigious. The sorcerous Slacker, who would accomplish nothing in life that taking 8 can't solve if he weren't descended from some very disappointed outsider. The MacGyver, who isn't a factotum but probably ought to have been. The Fonz, whose raw roguish cool was instrumental in convincing that college to update the curriculum. The Goth Chick, whose only friends have learned to carry a sack of puppies to counteract her depressing curses. The Sorority Tomboy, who never met a challenge she didn't accept and get angry about. The Activist, who is constantly lending an inspiring word to anyone who doesn't care (everyone). And finally, the Schizophrenic Bookworm/Cheerleader Kelli with an i!. (The exclamation mark is crucial.) Her laboriously researched spells are old school, but her disgustingly enthusiastic cheers are brand new.
The plot eventually leads the party to search for a MacGuffin, called The MacGuffin, lost deep in the Halls of Ancient Curricula. Even finding that place was a challenge, but fortunately a few old 2e graduates working the cafeteria knew where to look. Deep within the halls, past many treacherous 2e and 1e monsters eeking out a meager existence, they finally encounter the truly ancient 0e dragon whose hoard contains the fabled MacGuffin. The party strikes a deal: The McG in exchange for helping the dragon successfully pledge the coolest frat around. He was once the toast of the school, you know. Moments later he transforms into what appears to be the least hip, most unfortunately tweed man ever seen. This could be harder than it first seemed...
Unfortunately, I've forgotten too many details to properly retell the whole story, but let's just say that with proper motivation a dragon of any edition can drink enough booze to impress any frat worth its tense relationship with the dean.
The rules of this mash-up were simple: No translation between the rules of various editions except when absolutely necessary, and when in doubt use rules appropriate to whomever is causing the interaction. All the characters were 6th level, so that the 3.5 and 4e numbers are still in the same ballpark, especially for hit points, and the 3.5 spells haven't gotten too powerful. This process was especially challenging for the 3.5 wizard/4e bard, since I tried to keep several aspects of her character consistent between either form.
Unsurprisingly, the most important mechanical differences were due to AC. Once the game passed into predominately 2e areas and older the PCs were taking off their armor, wearing literal cement shoes, binding themselves -- anything to lower their high armor classes while still letting them trudge forward. Other sources of amusement and chaos included the non-existence of healing surges and the bloodied condition before 4e, bizarre differences between characters of the same species, and grappling that has never made less sense. The largest battle was between the party and a bunch of 1e Irish Deer wielding broken whiskey bottles -- truly a classy affair.
As far as I can tell the moral of this story is that all editions of D&D are awesome, but all editions of D&D at once is awesomest. I can't wait for 5e!
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