D&D General What D&D Thing Has Changed The Most

[Reynard]

In my experience? Skill resolution. Having started with 3E, moved to 4E, rhen tried 2E, and then 5E happening...I've seen 4 very different approaches to that basic element of the game, and I know there were more changes prior.

Are 3E, 4E and 5E that different? The numbers have changed and 5E is a little looser, but I feel like the basic structure of skill use is essentially the same between the d20 editions.

 

[jeffh]

Challenge, resource management, tier expectations, and art.

Challenge used to be a cornerstone of the game. Low hit points, dead at zero, properly scary monsters, negative conditions that last, and slow healing.

Resources management used to be a cornerstone of the game. Tracking food, water, light sources, weight carried, ammo, etc. It gave a real sense of grounding in the fiction and world.

Tier expectations used to actually change the way the game was played. You'd go from delving dungeons to exploring wilds to leading armies, to leading kingdoms, to questing for immortality, to actually being an immortal.

The art used to be way more evocative. Characters were shown in fun, funny, silly, and scary positions. Black and white line art filled the pages and kept the costs down.

I was going to make a closely related point. Basically, combat as sport vs combat as war. Early on, most fights were pretty deadly (moreso than modern players are used to, at least) and gave little XP directly, but out of the box thinking and using the environment to your advantage could be incredibly useful with the right GM; meanwhile most XP came from acquiring treasure, and the rules and published adventures didn't really care how. It incentivized a very different playstyle.

 

[Parmandur]

Are 3E, 4E and 5E that different? The numbers have changed and 5E is a little looser, but I feel like the basic structure of skill use is essentially the same between the d20 editions.

One could say that, but only at the point where we could just say that D&D has never changed except for some math details, because it always been an RPG with dice roll adjudication.

3E, 4E, and 5E Skills play very differently, both in character creation and in practice at the table.

 

[DND_Reborn]

Are 3E, 4E and 5E that different? The numbers have changed and 5E is a little looser, but I feel like the basic structure of skill use is essentially the same between the d20 editions.

I agree. For the most part, you have AD&D, B/X-BECMI, and d20 D&D (in whatever version).

 

[soviet]

One could say that, but only at the point where we could just say that D&D has never changed except for some math details, because it always been an RPG with dice roll adjudication.

3E, 4E, and 5E Skills play very differently, both in character creation and in practice at the table.

Well, not really. There are some changes, yes. But compared to the wide spectrum of skill systems in other games, they are very very similar.

 

[Reynard]

3E, 4E, and 5E Skills play very differently, both in character creation and in practice at the table.

Do you mind explaining? I'm not being argumentative or denying your experience. I just haven't found this to be true on anything but the most superficial level and I honestly want to understand why you think so.

 

[Parmandur]

Well, not really. There are some changes, yes. But compared to the wide spectrum of skill systems in other games, they are very very similar.

Talking about D&D and what's changed, not the spectrum of other possibilities.

Do you mind explaining? I'm not being argumentative or denying your experience. I just haven't found this to be true on anything but the most superficial level and I honestly want to understand why you think so.

I'm not entirely sure how to explain it, but calculating skill points in a buying system with a myriad of defined options (some openended!) to try and reach potentially infinite targets is very different than the Proficiency Bonus based system of 5E, and 4E is it's own deal. They all have surface similarities (roll a d20, try to get over a target), but the details really matter here.

And 2E non-weapon proficiencies are a whole other kettle of fish!

 

[Reynard]

Talking about D&D and what's changed, not the spectrum of other possibilities.

I'm not entirely sure how to explain it, but calculating skill points in a buybaystem to try and reach potentially infinite targets is very different than the Proficiency Bonus based system of 5E, and 4E is it's own deal. They all have surface similarities (roll a d20, try to get over a target), but the details really matter here.

And 2E non-weapon proficiencies are a whole other kettle of fish!

Ah. I would call that "character generation has changed" not "the skill system has changed" but I see where you are coming from.

 

[Parmandur]

Ah. I would call that "character generation has changed" not "the skill system has changed" but I see where you are coming from.

Here's maybe a good example: I choose to try and wrestle with an enemy, how does that get adjudicated?

Lord, we spent a lot of time every tike that came up in 3E.

Every. Time. And it came up A LOT.

 

[deganawida]

My answer and opinion : D&D no longer pulls from sources such as myths, legends, or literature, but is now entirely self-referential. Whether that is good or bad is up to an individual’s taste. For myself, I feel as though something precious has been lost in the transition.