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Message: <blockquote data-quote="ferratus" data-source="post: 5609897" data-attributes="member: 55966">Easy to RunEase of DM to run a session:  This is definitely going to be probably the biggest YMMV observation, but I don't see anyone talking specifically at what I found difficult, so I'll rant about it anyway.2e has won the last two rounds, but it isn't going to do well here.  The biggest gripes so far?Monster manual layout - Why in gods name aren't the saving throws in the monster stat block?  You make me drag out a the saving throw table out of the DMG whenever I need to know if you resist a sleep spell?   Secondly, can't you have any consistency about how similar monsters work?   I'll never know how a monster works unless I carefully read the combat section and puzzle out a brand new rules mechanic which may or may not make sense. Rules references - It is a good thing that 2e has the best index ever given to the D&D rulebooks, because you have to look up a table for everything.  I loathe the old school movement for making all of these old school clones, and making them the same unwieldy mess that 1e/2e was.   It does not increase enjoyment to stop the game to look something up, and I refuse to memorize rules minutae in order to make the game flow better.   I'll make stuff up first, which may or may not work better than the rule in the book.Spells - Spells are the bane of the DM.  Once again, their effects aren't in the monster entry, so you have to look them up.   Then once you do look them up, they are often vaguely worded and open to the interpretation.  Finally, a DM has the night before to learn how to properly use a spellcasting monster or NPC, so he usually is going to make a hash of it.The solution to all these complaints?   I have to be willing to commit to my memory all the variant rules, spells, and tables that I did between the ages of 12 and 15.   <img src="https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/joypixels/assets/8.0/png/unicode/64/1f642.png" class="smilie smilie--emoji" loading="lazy" width="64" height="64" alt=":)" title="Smile    :)"  data-smilie="1"data-shortname=":)" /><img src="https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/joypixels/assets/8.0/png/unicode/64/1f642.png" class="smilie smilie--emoji" loading="lazy" width="64" height="64" alt=":)" title="Smile    :)"  data-smilie="1"data-shortname=":)" /><img src="https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/joypixels/assets/8.0/png/unicode/64/1f642.png" class="smilie smilie--emoji" loading="lazy" width="64" height="64" alt=":)" title="Smile    :)"  data-smilie="1"data-shortname=":)" /><img src="https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/joypixels/assets/8.0/png/unicode/64/1f642.png" class="smilie smilie--emoji" loading="lazy" width="64" height="64" alt=":)" title="Smile    :)"  data-smilie="1"data-shortname=":)" /> THAT!   I'm an adult now, and I cannot spend the time to memorize rules minutae when later editions came up with practical ideas and unified streamlined mechanics to do the same job.3e for its part, kills the DM with prep work.  An NPC generally takes as much time to make as a PC, even though he might just die from a slay living spell cast by the PC, or by a 10d6 fireball.   Customizing monsters is time consuming pain in the ass unless you ditch the entire rules system that building monsters is based on.   The CR table is needless work to calculate whether something is appropriately difficult to deserve XP.   Near the end of 3e I gave up and simply ran Paizo adventures.  Verdict: 4e is the best edition to be the DM's chair by miles.  3e is okay to run during the session, but buries you in prepwork.   2e has less prepwork, but requires an investment in rules mastery that I'm simply unwilling to commit to.</blockquote>

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