Which edition would best fit my playing style?

[thecasualoblivion]

I'm a 4E enthusiast, so I'll give a few comments in favor of it:

It can achieve all of the goals you laid out with a minimum of hassle. While there are only 8 classes in the core PHB, there are multiple ways to play these classes which makes for more options than you see at first glance. Out of combat abilities and activities are robust once you get a feel for how such things fit into the 4E system.

The issue with 4E in your case, and why I recommended 2E on your poll is that 4E involves some serious culture shock(saying that it is different from what you're used to is an understatement) and there is a significant learning curve to starting out. This learning curve disappears after a while, even to the point of not requiring the books anymore(3E never managed that), but it is there.

You mention houseruling, and 4E houseruling deserves a comment. Classes are built on powers, of which you get a few to choose from at most levels all the way up to 30. Creating new classes means creating a lot of powers. When looking at the system as a whole, it is both easy and difficult to houserule. The core system and philosohpies are very robust, and its very simple to create new things that conform to the core system/philosophy. On the other hand, the core system is so robust and specific that it is incredibly painful and messy to deviate from it. In other words, 4E is easy to add to, but difficult to change.

 

[pawsplay]

I like varied, weird and interesting classes, races and monsters.

With this in mind, and with the other requirements you've listed, I am going to strongly recommend Talislanta, 4th edition. It has perhaps more magic than you were looking for, but it's relatively low-powered. The Omni System on which it is based is very simply and fast, and the world is one of the most imaginative, weird, and fun places ever put in print.

My second suggestion would be GURPS 4e. While designing new races and "classes" will take a little time, it's not much compared to many other games. And with GURPS Fantasy and/or Banestorm, you can cut down prep time considerably by using pre-made templates. With the basic combat system, it's essentially a rules-lite. Probably too lite, actually; the advanced system is very robust and not very complex once you get used to it, and uses a hex map.

My third suggestion would be Fudge. Just dial the options you like, and let your gut and a few fudge dice guide the rest. This is a great option for an approach that uses more narration than rolls.

 

[JeffB]

I'd take a look at OD&D or its clone (Swords & Wizardry). Although both games are a bit less polished than later reiterrations of D&D, they do rely solely on six-sided dice .

This is not true- OD&D requires other dice besides d6 as does S&W.

 

[jdrakeh]

This is not true- OD&D requires other dice besides d6 as does S&W.

My bad. You're right. OD&D uses six-sided dice and percentile dice, by default (twenty-sided dice are presented as an option, as well) and some other stragglers for random charts (that, as the rules indicate, can be emulated with six-sided dice). S&W, upon a closer look, uses the optional d20-based combat rules from OD&D. I obviously errored in assuming that it cleaved closely to the default OD&D rules. Still, I feel it's correct to say that OD&D uses predominantly six-sided dice.

 

[Remathilis]

Basic Fantasy Role-Playing Game seems to me the best of the list. However E6 which is just a sawn off version of 3E , would be a zero cost version if you have the 3e rules.

The problem is the OP wanted a system for limited time resources and it was my impression E6 is time-intensive, esp getting everything to fit.

It also doesn't fix certain other complaint (looking up things constantly, for example).

 

[Delta]

My bad. You're right. OD&D uses six-sided dice and percentile dice, by default (twenty-sided dice are presented as an option, as well).

Uh, what? That doesn't match what I see in my copy of OD&D at all.

 

[tenkar]

OD&D (Original D&D) and BD&D (Basic D&D) are different things. BD&D failed to make your list, though it is what I would recommend for you first. It's essentially a more coherent OD&D with polyhedral dice added to the mix and a fairly detailed setting (via the GAZ supplements). You might want to look into Labyrinth Lord, which is a 'clone' of BD&D and its various incarnations.

Failing the ability to procure BD&D or Labyrinth Lord, I'd take a look at OD&D or its clone (Swords & Wizardry). Although both games are a bit less polished than later reiterrations of D&D, they do rely primarily on six-sided dice (which I like) and require little (if any) rule book reference during play. Also, this is the system that Greyhawk was originally designed for.

Neither OD&D or BD&D (or LL) fits what the OP desires... flexibility of classes and races. The 3 classes in OD&D and the races as classes in BD&D leave one with little variation. I do think LL is a nicely polished product and can be had in PDF for free (procurement should not be an issue) so the OP can decide if it fills his needs.

EDIT: The random encounter charts required anything from a D4 to a D12 in OD&D. Damage was d6 based tho. I think it is safe to say OD&D expected a full set of poly dice at the table (at least in the DM's hands).

 

[jdrakeh]

Neither OD&D or BD&D (or LL) fits what the OP desires... flexibility of classes and races. The 3 classes in OD&D and the races as classes in BD&D leave one with little variation. I do think LL is a nicely polished product and can be had in PDF for free (procurement should not be an issue) so the OP can decide if it fills his needs.

There are more than three classes in OD&D, but you have to grab Supplements 1 & 2 for the rules. That said, this is the only requirement of the OP that OD&D and BD&D don't fill, while several other recommendations in this thread fall flat on multiple requirements (notably for rule density, easy prep, etc). He could do far worse than OD&D or BD&D.

 

[tenkar]

Yes, that more-or-less what I'm looking for: a unified and flexible task mechanic as in 3E combined with the earlier editions' feel, flavor, simplicity, ease of play, and greater reliance on narrative play.

I guess I was unclear about the variation/possibilities thing (blame sleep deprivation for that!). What I meant was that I wanted some options to play with, more along the lines of the 2E "Book of Humanoids" and less along the lines of 3E's splat/crunch explosion (too many options is a problem as well, especially during character creation).

That kind of rules out OD&D and BD&D, although one of the retro clones built on the OGL might suit the OP's desire. As PDFs of most of the retro clones are free he can cheaply see if any fit his tastes.

If nothing else the retro clones are generally an easier read and better organized then the rules they are trying to clone.

 

[thecasualoblivion]

Yes, that more-or-less what I'm looking for: a unified and flexible task mechanic as in 3E combined with the earlier editions' feel, flavor, simplicity, ease of play, and greater reliance on narrative play.

I guess I was unclear about the variation/possibilities thing (blame sleep deprivation for that!). What I meant was that I wanted some options to play with, more along the lines of the 2E "Book of Humanoids" and less along the lines of 3E's splat/crunch explosion (too many options is a problem as well, especially during character creation).

That kind of rules out OD&D and BD&D, although one of the retro clones built on the OGL might suit the OP's desire. As PDFs of most of the retro clones are free he can cheaply see if any fit his tastes.

If nothing else the retro clones are generally an easier read and better organized then the rules they are trying to clone.

One could argue that 4E can accomplish this as well. I would recommend avoiding things like Martial Power and Adventurer's Vault if you are trying to avoid "crunch explosion" as those books certainly qualify. The core books are short on magical items though, so Adventurer's Vault is hard to ignore, though you did mention a low to mid-magic game. Adding more options while avoiding crunch explosion would be more along the lines of Players Handbook II next march than things like Martial Power.