What do the rules have to look like for it to be D&D to you?

[Fifth Element]

Oops... I screwed up. I was assuming this was about what would have to appear in D&D (from this point onward) in order for it to look like D&D.

Not necessarily, it may be my error. You can read the OP the way you did at first; I missed that before.

 

[Ry]

Curious, I didn't think AC was that essential... it reminds me of THAC0. I'd be happy to trade it in for saves (say, DEX / CON mod + Level + 10 ). I'd still think of that game as D&D.

 

[Mustrum_Ridcully]

To me, if it's got this:

5th Level Dwarven Fighter
STR: #, DEX: #, CON #, INT #, WIS #, CHA #
HP: 40

- and all that bold stuff means something important in a game mechanics way, then it's D&D.

Yeah, I think that would be the "essence" of D&D rules.

To have a "usable" system, I'd need more, but if I'd see this three lines, I would know it must be D&D.

 

[Greg K]

Str, Dex, Con, Int, Wis, Cha
To hit Bonus
Damage

Classes (although I am open to them being along the line of rolemaster professions)
Combat: d20 to hit
Magic (not necessariy Vancian)
Saving Throws

Arcane/ Divine Split

The availabiity to use classic fantasy monsters (demons, devils, dragons, giants, orcs, ogres, giants) and the following: Beholders, Mind Flayers, Demon Princes (Demogorgon, Orcus, etc.), Arch Devils (Asmodeus, Geryon, etc.)

 

[howandwhy99]

Classes - Fighter, Magic User, Cleric
Races - Human (human-centric), Elf, Dwarf
Level
Hit Points
Armor Class - target number
Experience Points - your score
Saving Throws - typically invisible, mostly for magic effects
Magic Spells have levels of power; are renewable resources
Ability Scores [attributes] - human-based, usually 6.
Gold Piece monetary system
Encumberance
Equipment Lists
Note taking

 

[Delta]

Add AC, Alignment, Vancian magic.

 

[Li Shenron]

Attack rolls vs AC
Hit points
Saving throws
Vancian magic
Class levels and XP
Wizards, fighters, clerics, rogues
Paladins, druids and rangers (not necessary as a class)
Humans, Dwarves, Elves, Halflings
Medieval weapons and armors
Dungeons
Traps
Turn Undead
Orcs, Ogres, Trolls, Giants, Undead, Dragons, Werewolves, Mind Flayers, Beholders
Fireball, Invisibility, Fly, Scrying, Teleport, Polymorph, Wish (and others)
Daily-based resource management, including the need to rest after a few encounters
Possibility to play with just pen and paper (no map or minis)

...and a certain feeling of wonder!

 

[DragonLancer]

Six stats (Str, Dex, Con, Int, Wis and Cha).
Standard races (Human, Dwarf. Elf, Half Elf, Gnome, Halfling and Half Orc).
Character classes.
HP and AC.
Vancian Magic.
Turn Undead.
XP for defeating monsters and puzzles/traps.
Dungeons.
Faux Medieval Europe.
Tolkien-esqe.

And not the changes that we've heard about for 4E.

 

[Dragonhelm]

PS: Half-Orcs were not a core race of 2nd edition. That was a flaw if you ask me.

That may be a bit subjective, based on when a person started gaming. I started in AD&D 2e, and it doesn't bother me that we don't have them.

Why do you consider this a flaw? Just the lack of a "strong race"?

Monks also didn't appear in the PHB... another design flaw.

The monk as known in 1e/3e really never appeared in 2nd edition. The monk kit in the Complete Priest's Handbook was geared towards clerics. It didn't fit the 1e feel at all.

I don't know that I would call the lack of monks a design flaw so much as a design omission. The game worked just fine without them. That being said, they add some cool flavor.

 

[WayneLigon]

I'm not sure the rules matter. It could look like:

Khezed Ironhammer
Expert [+4] Soldier
Good [+2]* Dwarf
Good [+2] Stonecrafter
Good [+2] Merchant
Poor [-2] Stubborn
Special Move: The Bigger they are, the harder they fall: Good [+2]
Hero Points: 5 Learning Points: 1

and depending on how you ran things, it could still feel like D&D. Shoot, I've used the D&D rules to run campaigns that I think most people would be hard-pressed to say 'that's D&D'. In other words, it's just a name.

Edit note: That, by the way, is a complete character writeup, not an abbreviation, save for the description and equipment.