What game best captures "D&D" for you?

[ColonelHardisson]

I think they all capture it.

3.5 just "executes" it the best. I don't consider the rules problems of older editions to be an identifying characteristic of D&D. D&D is, to me, identified by the good games of it without the rules problems and artificial barriers.

Pure laziness motivates me to simply quote Psion and say "me too."

Plus, HackMaster was left off the poll? Come, now...

 

[teitan]

I voted 1e but play 3.5 right now. It is still D&D to me, 3.5 that is but there is just something about rolling up with just 3d6 in order and trying to tackle the tomb of horrors with a party of 8 or 9 that makes my hair stand on end and get goose bumps all over. That's just classic play right there. I like the simplicity of the rules, even in their perceived complexity, it just seems so simple once you learn the rules, no matter how many different mechanics you pull out your butt.

 

[Xyanthon]

I voted 1e AD&D. I like all of them for varying reasons but 1e is my prefered game.

 

[Dragonhelm]

The game that best captures "D&D" for me is the game I'm currently playing D&D with: 3.5.

If I was currently playing only 2nd edition, I'd answer that. Capturing "D&D" is all about how I get together with my friends and play, not the specific mechanics.

I don't think this is a mechanical issue, really. Otherwise, we're all just voting for our favorite system. Getting together with friends is a big part of it, and each of our groups determine how game play feels.

And really, this is a very subjective question. What we call the "D&D feel" largely depends on when we got started in this game. Someone who started with 3e will give a different answer than someone who started in a prior edition.


So I guess my answer is going to be AD&D 2nd edition for a number of reasons. This is the system I started with, so it defined how I looked at D&D. I think the rules are a little better than 1e's, though the two work nicely together. The very feel of the rulebooks, which I can't quantify, feels like D&D to me. Granted, so do AD&D 1e, the Rules Cyclopedia, and other older systems.

As for 3e, it's great mechanically, but it doesn't have the same feel. I'm not sure what the difference is, but it's there.

Since then, we've seen some other systems crop up. True20 and AE are both great, but have the d20 feel and not a D&D feel, if that makes sense. Castles and Crusades, though, did a lot to recapture the AD&D 1e feel. I love the system and the rule books, though I wish it felt more like 2e.

So I guess that 2e will always be what defines D&D for me since it's what I started with. I try to keep the feel of 2e gaming with me no matter the edition I play with.

Now if you'll excuse me, I need to make a saving throw vs. death.

 

[M.L. Martin]

I'm still looking for something with the solid foundation, unity, and flexibility of 3E, but without the feeling of suffocating rigidity, and with the spirit and scope of 2E and Basic.

Matthew L. Martin

 

[kaomera]

I don't think this is a mechanical issue, really.

QFT. I've played almost all of the above, and there have been sessions of each that really captured what "D&D" means to me, as well as those that just don't. Trust me, I really do wish there was a way to distill down exactly what the essence of this game is (for me), or at least get it on paper, but it's really something that has to be experienced, IMHO.

Spoiler

Of course the snarky, non-helpful reply would be: "Anything but 2nd ed."

 

[TheAuldGrump]

Hmmm, for me 'D&D' has always been as much about the settings as the rules. For rules I take 3.5, for settings I take the much maligned 2nd ed.

The Auld Grump

 

[3d6]

I put 3.5. My second choice would be BD&D/Rules Cyclopedia (or anything but any version of AD&D).

 

[jdrakeh]

I would have put an option in there for all.

Technically, "Other" covers that

 

[jdrakeh]

The results of this poll are precisely what I expected them to be on ENWORLD. The same poll on Dragonsfoot would be entirely different

Honestly, such a poll would be largely pointless at Dragonsfoot.