Should WoTC Bring back Classic D&D?

[Ds Da Man]

I don't know if they should "bring it back", but maybe a print of the basic rules, touched up, just as a keepsake-type thing would be cool. Maybe a 2E PHB remake, also.

 

[Philotomy Jurament]

There is C&C and Hackmaster, but one isn't very good (combining all the bad bits of 3.x and earlier versions) and the other isn't a serious game, really.

Nice troll. :\

 

[Ridley's Cohort]

The D&D Basic Game is as simple to learn and play as the classic basic D&D games. It makes a great gift for the young teenagers in your life.

Yup. OD&D for the 21st century already exists. And if you do not like the one available, you could easily make one on the fly by using only simplified rules from the PHB -- it would hardly be difficult.

The base rules are not a problem for any DM skilled enough to run a decent OD&D game. The real issue is the supplements. It does not make sense for WotC to splinter its market this way. Converting 3e material into something sensible in your OD&D style game is not really any more difficult than converty OD&D material into something sensible in your OD&D style game.

 

[James Heard]

If I want to play an older version of D&D I just have to open a box and start playing. I still have several boxes of notes and old adventures too. What could WOTC possibly give to me in AD&D/Basic D&D that I don't already possess or could create fairly easily myself these days? For that matter, what's to prevent a 3rd party publisher from designing a older D&D knockoff (*cough*Palladium*cough*) and running with it? Seriously, there's several decades of material available, hundreds of magazines, what more could you add?

Oh, a new edition. That's right. Oh.

 

[Maggan]

"Yes", but only if they cater to my every whim when it comes to including artwork, rules and setting information.

And since every gamer feels the same, then "no", since they couldn't please a majority of us if they did.

At least, that's my take on it.

/M

 

[diaglo]

imo (for PKitty's sake) i think WotC should replace d02 with their older line.

i agree about the fragmentation.

that is why i advocate bringing back OD&D(1974) only.

 

[Valdur]

I think I see a pattern starting to emerge here....

I admit that y'all are right about this--it would be a really bad business decision to reprint B/X. But you have to admit that it would be really cool for fanboys .


Call it temporary insanity, call it blinded by fanboy enthusiasm.

I was getting frustrated with finding 5 copies of the Moldvay/Cook rules in clean condition for my players. My copies are worn after years of use and have a lot of sentimental value. This has made me reluctant to photocopy my set, but I guess I can just copy one page at a time rather than disassembling to scan or run thru a document feeder.

Thank you for entertaining my crazy idea.

 

[Remathilis]

We all have our moments of insanity.

I really DID consider converting the RC to d20. My design notes included...

Returning to the old stat system (13-15 +1, 16-7 +2, 18 +3)
Simplfying the skillset into 10 or so broad skills, which are Max-ranks/half-skilled by class.
Classes: Fighter, Cleric, Magic-User, Thief, Elf (like duskblade), Dwarf (slightly different than fighter), Halfling (similar to ranger), Mystic (monk). PrC-like classes for avenger, knight, paladin, druid, bard, and some special demi-humans.
Upwards AC, Three Saves.
Limited Feat Use, mostly using the system to represent combat styles/Wpn mastery
Stripped Spell Lists

However, I realized there is no real point to going backwards with D&D, so I abandoned the project.

 

[ShinHakkaider]

No way, No how, Hell no.

 

[JVisgaitis]

Good grief no. We've made progress since then, and all you'd accomplish is splitting the market, which is what happened when AD&D and D&D were on the market together.

Not only that, but the split from 3.0 to 3.5 was bad enough. I wouldn't mind seeing either PDFs or a one shot classics edition, but I certainly wouldn't like to see a new and supported line.