Uniting the Editions, Part 3 - Poll

[Mokona]

Monte Cook's poll from Uniting the Editions, Part 3.

Monte talks about "Although we don't currently see universal consensus on this, it seems likely that there are a handful of things from prior editions that we don't want to bring forward into a new iteration of D&D. Not everything about every version of the game was absolutely golden."

Vote, in this poll, for rules systems that you and your friends would probably or most likely use if they were included as optional sidebars in D&D 5th edition...

 

[TarionzCousin]

For example, it would be difficult to imagine that THAC0 would make a comeback.

What? Oh, 5E, you break my heart.

 

[Mokona]

A few of the options cover more than one outcome.

I voted for Action Points but I was voting for Eberron's "add +1d6 to my attack roll". I was not voting for 4e "make one turn take longer than normal every other fight". Sometimes you just really need to turn a miss into a hit.

I voted for Critical Hits but I think PCs should be the only ones allowed to crit. As game designers, like Monte, have mentioned: crits against PCs are very difficult to handle "well" (with the rules).

I voted for Magic Missiles That Never Miss because variety is the spice of life. Some spells automatically hit, some spells require an attack roll, and some spells have a saving throw.

I voted for Morale Rules but I think they should only apply to NPCs.

I voted for Saving Throws but you should never have a Saving Throw and an Attack Roll at the same time. One or the other for each spell.

 

[billd91]

I voted for Action points, Critical Hits, Feats, Magic Missiles that never miss, Morale rules, Saving Throws, Skills, Weapon Speed, and Weapon vs Armor tables.

We use Action points in Pathfinder and when we started using them in 3.5 they definitely lead to an improvement of play at table. Giving the PCs a regulated way to "break the rules" when they feel it's time to do so was very helpful to them in achieving heroic ways. I don't like the 4e version of action points, however. Far too limited in their utility.

I'd like to see a return of 2e morale ratings and rules for NPCs and monsters. At the worst, they're another stat to help characterize a monster in a quick and easy fashion even if you don't use the rule for the creature to fail morale and run.

I very much prefer saving throws to static defenses. They work in conjunction with action points very well. Plus, it puts the defense and any reroll mechanics (like luck feats) in the player's hands which is better than putting them in the DM's hands as attack rolls.

I voted for weapon speeds because I think 3e gave up too much ground to the heavier end of weapons (and that includes spells) with respect to damage and effect without bringing in their drawbacks that they tend to be slower to bring to bear. Daggers need more lovin' compared to the greataxe in some situations. Same with magic missile compared to encounter-ending save or sit spells.

I voted for weapon vs armor tables because heavy bludgeoning weapons need some lovin' too. Who takes a mace if they have a better weapon proficiency available? But back in 1e, that mace did better against armored enemies than several other more common weapons like long swords. I don't see a need for a terribly detailed table, but a weapon property that makes it better for punching through higher armor values would be welcome in my book.

 

[howandwhy99]

Just me for lots of bonus types, racial level limits, and THAC0 then?

EDIT: (I skipped the first eight)

 

[Neonchameleon]

I'm amused Non-Vancian Magic is currently outscoring Vancian Magic

 

[Astrosicebear]

Go Go Crit Fumbles!

 

[Scribble]

I think keeping saving throws would be a mistake. 4e style attacker always rolls to hit works really well.

 

[kitsune9]

Interesting, the two most wanted things so far is critical hits and skills.

 

[KidSnide]

Interesting, the two most wanted things so far is critical hits and skills.

That's not surprising to me.

Skills (in whatever form) are the primary way of differentiating characters in a non-combat capacity.

Critical hits (again, in whatever form) are fairly uncontroversial way of adding fun swinginess to combat and letting the players feel awesome.

There are more important game elements (well, more important than critical hits) further down the list like Vancian and non-Vancian magic, but there are some strong differing opinions on those rules elements. Feats are also popular as a means of character differentiation, but there are plenty of folks who didn't like how they developed (once you started having over a hundred to choose from) and we've seen other methods of in-combat character differentiation like powers, talent trees and other selectable class abilities.

-KS