What of each edition do you like?

BECMI is my favorite...it would be easier to list the things that I don't like about it. Which are the lack of multiclassing and the wonky dice mechanics (THAC0, save throws.) Everything else, I'm 100% satisfied with.

So if we could somehow combine BECMI with the d20 dice mechanic and the multiclassing of 3rd Edition, without bringing along any of the cheese (spiked chain-wielding warforged sorcerer/monks, for example), we would have a game that is close to perfect IMO. I would cheerfully buy every single book they publish.
 
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OD&D - the "make this game your own" openness of it. The simplicity. The "let's roll and play right now" aspect of it. The play's the thing.

D&D - Simplicity. Clear boundaries. Excellent introduction to gaming. Progressive learning curve from box to box. Mystara. The Gazetteers. Karameikos.

1st ed - The ease to run it. The Gygaxian feel. The medieval component one can strongly taste in its fantasy. The encyclopedia feel to the core books. The "DM to DM" tone of the DMG. Greyhawk and Forgotten Realms. The titles for each character level. The wacky moments of magic-wielding experimentation in game sessions. The deadly dungeons. The shared experience of the classic modules. Temple of Elemental Evil FTW.

2nd ed - The settings. Spelljammer. Ravenloft. Planescape. Dark Sun. Birthright.

3rd ed - The character customisation. The versatility of the game system. The Feat system. The single XP chart. The gazillion settings, variants and supplements: the mega buffet for campaign and ruleset building. The OGL. The EL/CR system. The NPC Classes. The Prestige Classes. The "d20, always up=good" mechanic. The "return to the dungeon" design philosophy.

4E - The cleanliness of the system. The coherence of it all. The Monster roles.
 

OD&D - simplicity
BECMI - tiered levels, immortals
1E - Gygaxian eccentricity. The 1e DMG and Deities & Demigods are two of my favorite RPG books of all time. The DMG is the ultimate Gygax book, like a spilling forth of his wildly wonderful mind. Also, first Forgotten Realms box set and "clean" Greenwoodian Realmsian feel.
2E - Planescape, Dark Sun, Spelljammer. Loved fantasy space battles.
3E - d20 mechanic. Options, options, options. Modules.
4E - streamlined, cinematic. Points of light default setting. New cosmology seems promising.
 

1E - Also, first Forgotten Realms box set and "clean" Greenwoodian Realmsian feel.


seconded.

Basic/Expert - my start, great introduction to the hobby. B2, X1 etc.
AD&D - Everything, especially the modules. and what mercurius said above.
2nd Edition - More FR, better Ravenloft, and PLANESCAPE!
3rd edition - Just about everything except alot of splats.
 

1e - DMG, lots of ideas and suggestions, lots of completely bewildering tables and appendices of stuff not at all essential but great for generating ideas, Oriental Adventures, iconic modules heavy on crunch but light on fluff (making them very adaptable for different campaigns)

2e - fixing surprise determination, specialty clerics, specialist wizards, Al-Qadim, thief skill customization, non-weapon proficiencies given structure

3e - separation of combat manuevers and skills, restoration of half-orcs and monks, systematic resolution of tasks, systematic development of monsters, substantial improvement of multiclassing (caster levels excepted), reformation of saving throws

4e - ritual system for general utility spells, idea of racial feats, idea of encounter-level powers
 

1e

Dragonlance Adventures hardcover.
Unearthed Arcana.
DMG.

2e

Arms & Equipment Guide
Forgotten Realms Adventures Hardback
Aurora's Whole Realms Catalogue
From the Ashes
Ivid the Undying
Marklands
Iuz the Evil

3e

Forgotten Realms Campaign Sourcebook
Miniatures Handbook

4e

All three core books rock even if they are printed on crappy paper with awful binding and runny ink and an amateurish layout... the content rocks!
 

AD&D1e: Inspirational. Especially the DMG.

AD&D2e: I liked the idea of specialty priests. I liked the idea of specialist wizards. I like that it can serve as a compromise between classic D&D and AD&D1e.

D&D3e: I admire the engineering feat that it was. I like the idea of replacing restrictions with consequences. I liked it’s multiclassing.

(I’m listing classic D&D here, because I don’t really feel like I fully appreciated it until I came back to it.)

Classic B/X D&D: It’s just about the perfect D&D for me. Enough mechanics, but not too much. Pretty close to the original, but tidier. PCs pretty much max out by 9th to 14th level. Race-classes.

BECM/RC: I really like the idea of the War Machine and domain rules. Some good stuff to steal for a B/X game.

OD&D: The utter simplicity. I mean, it’s not simple to understand, but spell descriptions, stat blocks, and monster descriptions are right to the point and leave it up to you to fill in the details however you wish.

D&D4e: I like the idea of at-will, per-encounter, daily, and rituals. I like the idea of the even more unified mechanic. I like the idea of level being more directly a bonus.

Edit: D&D3.5e: I love the 3.5 UA.
 
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In the order I played them (roughly):

Holmes Basic: The Tower of Zenopus (this introductory adventure is small, of course, but packs a lot of inspirational material into the space, much of which can be expanded; e.g. the sea cave with the pirates, the evil wizard, the ruined catacombs, et cetera). The "skull mountain" illustration of a sample dungeon cross section, completed with the "domed city" and "the pit." The unique combat rules (Dex-based initiative, etc.) The very OD&D-like stat bonuses and approach to class/race. The strong class-based approach (i.e. no skill system). Actually, Holmes is a very cool little edition. It's even better with the addition of the Holmes Companion, which expands the levels.

AD&D (1e): The Dungeon Masters Guide -- it has *still* never been equalled. The "successful adventuring" section of the Players Handbook. The original PH cover art, and the "city of brass" art on the back of the DMG. The Tramp, Darlene, and Sutherland interior art. Erol Otus art. Gygaxian prose. 1e will always hold a special place in my gaming affections, and it's still the edition that screams "THIS IS D&D" to me. Still very class-based (i.e. no detailed skill systems, until the NWP stuff was grafted on, but I don't use those). Still a big emphasis on player skill (vs. PC skills). Fast combat; you could run *big* battles with little fuss. Minis optional. Awesome published adventures like the D and G series, S1, S4, the EX series, et cetera.

Classic B/X D&D: A great adaptation or the original game, taking it in a slightly different direction, but still true to the spirit of the older rules. Simpler, cleaner, and an awful lot of game packed into a small package. Classic artwork (both cover and interior). If you want a set of D&D rules that you just "sit down and play" without worrying about lots of complications, interpretations, or house-rules being needed, this is the go-to edition.

AD&D (2e): I liked the HR (historical reference) series of books. And I like Return to the Tomb of Horrors.

Classic BECM/RC D&D: Very similar to Classic B/X. The Mentzer Basic set is the perfect set for introducing a younger player (especially if you're just giving the game as a gift, rather than bringing the younger player into your group). The War Machine and Siege Machine rules are simple and elegant. The dominion rules are good.

d20/3E: Very nice tactical combat rules when using miniatures. And I love the OGL.

Original D&D (OD&D): At this point in my gaming, OD&D is the perfect edition of D&D. It's very open to interpretation and very easy to house rule/make the game your own. It's strongly class-based, with no added skill systems (indeed, I prefer play with just the original three classes of Fighting Man, Magic User, and Cleric). It's very friendly to the idea of player skill being important, and stats are not as important as later editions. There's a huge amount of game packed into three small booklets, but also a range of supplemental material you can add to your game (almost everything that was present in AD&D). You can play it fast and simple, or more detailed and tactical, and the combat system (based on Chainmail's combat sequence) scales from very basic and mini-less, to tactical/mini-based skirmish, all the way up to full-blown mass combat with minis using Chainmail or Swords & Spells (men:figure ratios of 20:1 or more). Also, adventures like Tegel Manor and Caverns of Thracia. And the great material in The Underworld and Wilderness Adventures, spawning campaigns with underworld mega-dungeons like Castle Greyhawk and wilderness settings like The Wilderlands.

4E: I haven't played this, but have taken a look at the books and read through various sections. Seems to have nice production values and looks like a nicely engineered game system. Rituals are cool.
 

Great topic! I think it's nice to see a thread devoted to difference as a good thing. I'm actually going through something of an edition crisis right now and trying to find what I want to steal from each, so...

BECMI: This is the game I just started after realizing that 4e wasn't for me at this particular time (teaching, full time grad school, baby, etc.). I love just about everything; strangely, my favorite thing is how easy it is to house rule and incorporate stuff from other editions. A great deal more balanced than most people give it credit for, I think.

AD&D 1e/2e: I'm lumping them together as I never really got to play 1e. Fun stuff, and while it gave more character building options than classic d&d, the system wasn't _quite_ as easy to cheese as 3e (not a knock on 3e, though).

3e: Options, options, options, and great rules clarity. The most complicated edition yet, to my mind. This was my baby for a great many years. I liked that this edition spelled a lot of combat stuff out, and while my tastes run the opposite direction now, I appreciate how the classes, prestige classes, and templates really let you have mechanical backing for just about any concept you'd want to play.

4e: A lot like BECMI in some respects. I like the notion of meaningful gains at each level and the uber-heroic/cinematic playstyle that the mechanics encourage. This would probably be my edition right now (and may become so in the near future) if combat didn't take quite so long. Still, good stuff.

Yup. A lot to like about each.
 


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