Vigilance said:
And my point is that no, they weren't.
Three core classes were removed from 3.5 that were present in 3.0?
The Cleric spell list was massively overhauled?
A race was taken away?
You were attempting to say that "1e", by which you meant 1e and 2e lasted 20 years, while 3e, 3.5 and 4e constitute 3 editions in 7 years and you're flat wrong.
So you're saying the minimum mechanical conversion between 1st and 2nd edition isnt' simliar to 3.0 and 3.5? Hell, you must've had a lot of different experiences than I did.
Am I saying there were NO Changes? Not at all. The core mechanics though? Not a lot of changes going on there.
Here's some from 1st to 2nd.
Advanced Dungeons & Dragons 1st Edition to 2nd Edition
Half-orcs were removed from the Player's Handbook, although they would be again made a playable race in supplements such as the Complete Book of Humanoids.
Character classes were grouped into one of four groups: Warrior (Fighter, Paladin, Ranger), Wizard (Mage, Specialist Wizard), Priest (Cleric, Druid), and Rogue (Thief, Bard).
Assassins and Monks (from Players Handbook) and Barbarians and Cavaliers (from Unearthed Arcana), were removed from the game as character classes. Later supplements would introduce "kits" bearing the names of these classes and/or optional classes from sources such as Complete Book of Barbarians.
"Magic-users" were renamed "mages".
Illusionists were made into a subtype of the Wizard class, along with new classes specializing in the other seven schools of magic (which were first introduced in Dragonlance Adventures).
Bards were made a normal character class, rather than the multiple-classed character that they had been, although they still possessed elements of fighters, thieves, and mages.
Proficiencies were officially supported in the Player's Handbook and many supplements, rather than being the optional add-on found in a handful of 1st Edition supplements.
Attack matrices were renamed "THAC0" (To Hit Armor Class 0) and the table printed only once in the Dungeon Master's Guide was reprinted in the second edition Player's Handbook and Dungeon Master's Guide.
References to "segments" (individual units of time representing one phase of initiative, or 6 seconds of game-time [simulated time]) were removed from the game; instead, actions were given an "Initiative Modifier". "Melee rounds" were unchanged, representing one minute of game-time, with a "turn" representing ten rounds (ten minutes). An optional alternative where one "melee round" represents 12-15 seconds of "game-time" was presented in the "Player's Option: Combat and Tactics" book, first of the so-called 2.5 Edition.
Priest spells were organized into themed "spheres" that were similar to the wizard spell schools that had been introduced in Dragonlance Adventures, with access to spheres being determined by the priest's class and deity.
Descriptions of artifacts (unique magic items) were removed from the Dungeon Master's Guide.
Many utilities, including tables for random generation of dungeons, were removed from the Dungeon Master's Guide.
The weight of coins was changed from 1/10 lb. each to 1/50 lb. each, making the carrying of large numbers of coins out of an adventure site much less of an impediment.
Exchange rates for the low-valued coins were doubled; it now took only 100 copper pieces or 10 silver pieces to make one gold piece.
The hardcover Monster Manual was initially replaced by the looseleaf binder-format Monstrous Compendium; the Monstrous Compendium would eventually be replaced by the hardcover Monstrous Manual.
Dragons were increased in strength and power to make the title monsters of the game a more serious challenge to players.
Fiendish and angelic creatures (demons, devils, daemons, devas, solars, etc.) were removed from the game, as were spells that allowed such creatures to be summoned or controlled. These creatures would later be renamed and modified in the Monstrous Compendium supplement on the Outer Planes.
Here's some from 3.0 to 3.5.
Dungeons & Dragons 3rd Edition to 3.5 Edition
This revision was intentionally a small one (hence the name change of only "half an edition"), small enough so that the basic rules are nearly identical and many monsters / items are compatible (or even unchanged) between those editions. In fact, some players, disliking some changes 3.5 made, use some 3e rules as house rules. Official errata for many of the most popular books are available for download as D&D v.3.5 Accessory Update Booklet.
[edit] Major changes
The ranger class receives more skill points and new class abilities, though fewer hit points.
Druids can cast summon nature's ally spells spontaneously, just like the cleric's spontaneous casting. Their abilities were also reworked and animal companions were improved.
Weapon sizes work differently: there are now smaller and bigger versions of weapons for smaller and larger creatures.
Damage reduction no longer depends on the enhancement bonus of a weapon, but rather on its material (e.g. cold iron), magical enhancement, magical alignment, or some combination thereof. DR ratings were reduced to 5, 10, 15, or 20 from a range of much higher numbers (e.g. the iron golem went from 50/+3 to 15/adamantine).
New spells and numerous changes to existing spells.
New feats and numerous changes to existing feats.
Monsters gain feats and skills the same way as PCs, usually resulting in more skill points and feats for every monster.
The favored class for gnomes was changed to bard.
Some high-end monsters (notably the balor and pit fiend) were altered to make them more powerful and thus warrant higher Challenge Ratings.
Many new core prestige classes.
[edit] Minor changes
The ranger and bard receive more skill points per level.
Different rate of gaining new abilities for almost all the classes.
Bards do not suffer arcane spell failure when wearing light armor.
Some player races gain Weapon Familiarity, which allows them to treat exotic racial weapons as martial for proficiency purposes.
Sorcerers and bards can change known spells infrequently.
There are no longer skills exclusive to certain classes.
Some skills changed and a few were folded together: for example, Wilderness Lore and Intuit Direction are now Survival.
[edit] Changes to the core books
In addition to rule changes, the core books themselves underwent changes.
The chapter on combat (chapter 8) in the Player's Handbook was modified to increase focus on grid-based movement and combat.
In the chapter order of the Dungeon Master's Guide was completely changed, and many prestige classes were added. Some magic item traits were changed as well, though they generally remained the same.
The Monster Manual's monster entries changed slightly. In particular, the attack line was split into Attack and Full Attack entries. Also, most monsters gained an enhanced version as an example of advancement, with more Hit Dice, a template, or class levels. All of the monsters that the writers thought could be used as player races gained instructions on how to use them as such.
Another... point of comparrision. How many 3.5 books state on the cover, Compatible with 3.0 and 3.5 rules. I'm not saying that 2nd ed was famous for it, but at least one, Greyhawk Adventures, had that on the cover no? For 3.0 to 3.5, the Fiend Folio may quality, but it didn't boldly announce itself as such.
