What is your favorite edition of D&D and why?

[CapnZapp]

The current - fourth - edition.

There really isn't much this edition does for the right brain that previous editions didn't, but the left brain is really given a treat.

You get both ease of preparation and balance of play. You get both clean rules as well as much less high-level cheese.

I would not DM any other edition.

 

[pming]

Hiya.

1st edition AD&D, tied with BECMI (Basic Expert Companion Master Immortals).

I like both 1e and "Basic" because it's dirt simple to add, subtract and generally manipulate anything you want without having to worry much about screwing something up elsewhere. I can think about something for 30 seconds and make a decision that isn't likely going to need me to do 7 hours of hard research through a dozen rule books to see if it's gonna screw something up.

Also, it forces creativity "on the fly" from both players and DM's. Without a list of 'feats' or 'combat choices', players start with a blank slate for deciding what they want their characters to do that round. Iv'e found that if you give players a list of 'typical' abilities or combat choices, they almost never consider asking about haveing/doing something 'outside that box'. With 1e and BECMI, players think more in terms of what they want their characters to do, and less on what the rules say their characters can do.

Oh, and both have been out of print for decades...so I *know* I have free reign to do what I want without fear of some game company comming out with some supplement or addition that is going to go contrary to what my table wants or is used to (and then we'd have to make adjustments to ignore the published rules). For us, OOP is a *good thing*.

 

[UngainlyTitan]

4th edition, I like the ease of preparation as DM and I like that character optimisation game has been reduced. I also like the reduced but broader skill set.
That part I think make for a more free form game as does the cleaner mechanics. The session I am involved with are usually run without anyone consulting the rule books and as a player every thing is on the character sheet or the power cards.

 

[Baumi]

4E because it makes my job very easy as GM (easy to use Monsterstats, superb guidelines (page 42, Monsterstats per Level,..) and DDI) and at the same time gives me enough things to fiddle around with my character to keep me interested as a PC (Powers, Feats, etc.).

But for One-Shots I would prefer a version of Basic-D&D/Retro-Clone because of the easy character-generation, the fast combat (you can do more per session) and that everyone can understand the system in minutes. But for long-time play it doesn't give me enough "stuff" (as a GM and Player) too keep me interested.

Hmmm I really think they should do a Basic-4E that is compatible with Standard-4E so you can "upgrade" if you want to change a One-Shot to a full Campaign (the rules are easy enough, the character generation must be easier)..

 

[Aus_Snow]

The current - Pathfinder - edition.

It takes my overall favourite edition and improves upon it. This is D&D in spirit, well and truly.

Excellent rules and writing, great company support (from dedicated, genuine gamers), superb presentation and (for example) binding quality, uses the OGL, will have (currently and foreseeably) unmatched 3rd party support in terms of both quality and range, an uncommonly flexible system, streamlining/neatening/tweaking where needed from the 3e base, and yet still maintains sufficient compatibility with that vast wealth of 3e/d20/OGL material out there, so that that can be used with acceptable ease. . .

Oh yes, and that poor abused buzzword again: fun.

 

[Fallen Seraph]

Oh yes, and that poor abused buzzword again: fun.

That should be the bottom line for every single post in threads like these. Since when you sum it up, that is the important thing, to have fun.

As for myself, the D&D edition I am having the most fun with is 4e. I find beyond the rules stuff that has been spoke about above, with ease of DMing, ease of play and what not. It just speaks to me more as a game then past editions, with the way Powers are viewed, the role of Players and DM, etc. The preview of DMG2 just cemented it even more.

 

[DaveyJones]

OD&D(1974)

1) it has all the elements a wargamer like me can use to spark imagination and creativity. also like wargaming it has sides... aka alignments. roles for each of the players. challenges to overcome in the form of traps or puzzles. a map or dungeon. places to explore with a fog of war included in your mind or on a tabletop.

2) and a ruleset i am familiar with as a player or referee

1+2= fun

 

[Herremann the Wise]

Would have to say 3.x is the favourite. It has close to the correct balance of abstract vs. complexity for the games I like to run. It tightened up what the latter part of 2E was trying to do without over-streamlining/simplifying the game - which is what I feel happened in 4E. The fact that it co-incided with the OGL gave the game a feel that I have not felt since the early 80's and AD&D. While I loved AD&D at the time, I think I would struggle to go back there play-wise - but heh, you never know.

Best Regards
Herremann the Wise

 

[Ant]

OD&D (1974 - Just the 3 Little Brown Books, with a touch of Chainmail, Greyhawk and houserules): Wonderfully free-form with enough rules to give it structure. Disorganised, beautiful and deadly.

3.x is a close second. I love the fact that there are a heap of classes and feats and options. I love the combat tactics and how it works great with minis. And I love that it still feels like D&D.

Alas 4e. I've tried. I've really tried. But in the wise words of Zohan, it is not for me.

 

[Primal]

The current - Pathfinder - edition.

It takes my overall favourite edition and improves upon it. This is D&D in spirit, well and truly.

Excellent rules and writing, great company support (from dedicated, genuine gamers), superb presentation and (for example) binding quality, uses the OGL, will have (currently and foreseeably) unmatched 3rd party support in terms of both quality and range, an uncommonly flexible system, streamlining/neatening/tweaking where needed from the 3e base, and yet still maintains sufficient compatibility with that vast wealth of 3e/d20/OGL material out there, so that that can be used with acceptable ease. . .

Oh yes, and that poor abused buzzword again: fun.

Same here -- I'm finally getting my copy of PF RPG at my FLGS *today*!