Was Thac0 really that bad?

[amerigoV]

It wasn't just THAC0, it was the whole randomness of the math across the board. You want to roll high to hit, saving throw and damage, but roll low for initiative, to jump across a stream, to pick a picket, or to find a secret door. THAC0 is just the poster-child of the issue.

I mean, how the hell am I to buy loaded dice (and get away with it) if half the time I want to roll high and the other time roll low?

 

[delericho]

I don't think THAC0 was the great evil it is sometimes made out to be, but...

The 3e-style ascending ACs and BAB is just a much better system. There are many things that are a matter of taste; ascending ACs do not fall into this category - they are objectively better.

 

[bouncyhead]

I like the word, I just don't like the fiddliness.

 

[Storminator]

We played 1e, so we never used THAC0, just the look up table. Then I played Hackmaster with some guys that didn't have THAC0 figured out. So roll, compare to THAC0 (*shudder* compare in a non-algorithmic sense. . .), figure out what AC I hit. . . oh wait, I forgot to add my to-hit bonus! So I subtract my bonus from the AC I hit? Or do I just add my bonus to my roll and compare vs THAC0 again?

Nightmare.

PS

 

[Ahnehnois]

Try saying the word "THAC0" out loud to a group of non-gamers, while keeping a straight face. Then try to explain to them what it means.

Yeah, it's that bad.

 

[Giltonio_Santos]

Had no problem with it. BAB is much better.

Cheers,

 

[Bedrockgames]

After playing 2e again, I find I prefer Thac0 because of two reasons: the math is fairly contained and once you have it calculated on your sheet (later ad&d sheets often had a place to do this, there was very little mental calculation in play.

 

[GMforPowergamers]

let me remind you how bad it was,

I have a thac0 of 13. I have a +2 str +2 weapon/+3 vs x or Y, +1 specilization, +2 mastery.

So in most fights my adjusted thac0 is 6, but when I fight X or Y it is 5. when the cleric bless you get a +1 so your thac0 goes down to 5/4. So my thac0 goes down when I get bonuses

Then when I roll a 10, and I have a 6/5/4 thac0 I hit a -4/-5/-6 AC.

I can still do it, but I am not sure I would want to.

 

[bouncyhead]

let me remind you how bad it was,

I have a thac0 of 13. I have a +2 str +2 weapon/+3 vs x or Y, +1 specilization, +2 mastery.

So in most fights my adjusted thac0 is 6, but when I fight X or Y it is 5. when the cleric bless you get a +1 so your thac0 goes down to 5/4. So my thac0 goes down when I get bonuses

Then when I roll a 10, and I have a 6/5/4 thac0 I hit a -4/-5/-6 AC.

I can still do it, but I am not sure I would want to.

The phrase 'adjusted thac0' has made me feel queasy (and nostalgic).

 

[Herschel]

I loved it, and I miss it at times. The reason it worked well is because the values were contained. In the 3E/4E world where values for things have expanded so greatly it appears more unwieldy. It's really no different than now with "okay, I have a +2 to hit from the Warlord, and his defenses are at -2 because of the Wizard" but now it looks a lot cleaner due to the consistency of progressions accross the board on rolls.

The inconsistency of high vs. low was the real culprit and consistency was the winner, not any single item IMO.

Plus BAB is just a stupid acronym.