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<blockquote data-quote="Janx" data-source="post: 4692804" data-attributes="member: 8835">a whole bunch has been said.&nbsp; I guess I'll say what my experience is.I got started in 2e, but we mail ordered the books and initially got 1e PH, and 2e DMG.&nbsp; Figuring out combat was interesting, but it did give me insight into the earlier edition.&nbsp; (We also did send the 1st PH back, after a few sessions and got the right one).In early 1E (as I understand it, the Wilderness Survival Guide introduced THAC0), all the combat was resolved by looking up on tables.&nbsp; If I recall, it was the Armor table that had that data.THAC0 math comes out the same as the table look-ups.&nbsp; BAB comes out the same (per same armor bonus, and to-hit bonus).&nbsp; It's just a different way of expressing it.For me, THAC0 was better than those tables.&nbsp; Doing easy math is easier than looking it up on a table.BAB was better than THAC0, for 2 reasons. Firstly all numbers went UP as they got BETTER.&nbsp; High was good, Low was bad.&nbsp; Much easier for new people to get.Secondly, BAB was better than THAC0, because as a DM, I did not have to disclose extra data to the player, namely the AC, nor did I have to do the THAC0 math for the player so I wouldn't have to disclose the AC.&nbsp; Whereas, with BAB, the player knows all the data he needs to perform the math (BAB + die roll), he tells me what his total was.&nbsp; I do the comparison, and tell him if he hit.Note: I'm not concerned with players figuring out the AC, or anything, just that the initial encounter with a new enemy, the AC should be a secret, and THAC0 gets in the way of that.Also, I'll note, that the players I find that have trouble, are the same ones who don't precalculate their static values by each weapon.In 2e or 3e, I ALWAYS took my base number, and applied any strength and weapon bonuses and wrote it down next to each weapon (as it might be different).&nbsp; I even circled it.&nbsp; This meant, I already had a good chunk of the math down, and the only extra data I needed at attack time was die roll and situational modifiers (which are rarer).The &quot;math is complicated&quot; crowd are the same people who are addding up their BAB, the strength, their magic weapon bonus, their specialization bonus for EVERY attack roll.&nbsp; No matter which system you play, that's going to be moe work.</blockquote>

[QUOTE="Janx, post: 4692804, member: 8835"] a whole bunch has been said. I guess I'll say what my experience is. I got started in 2e, but we mail ordered the books and initially got 1e PH, and 2e DMG. Figuring out combat was interesting, but it did give me insight into the earlier edition. (We also did send the 1st PH back, after a few sessions and got the right one). In early 1E (as I understand it, the Wilderness Survival Guide introduced THAC0), all the combat was resolved by looking up on tables. If I recall, it was the Armor table that had that data. THAC0 math comes out the same as the table look-ups. BAB comes out the same (per same armor bonus, and to-hit bonus). It's just a different way of expressing it. For me, THAC0 was better than those tables. Doing easy math is easier than looking it up on a table. BAB was better than THAC0, for 2 reasons. Firstly all numbers went UP as they got BETTER. High was good, Low was bad. Much easier for new people to get. Secondly, BAB was better than THAC0, because as a DM, I did not have to disclose extra data to the player, namely the AC, nor did I have to do the THAC0 math for the player so I wouldn't have to disclose the AC. Whereas, with BAB, the player knows all the data he needs to perform the math (BAB + die roll), he tells me what his total was. I do the comparison, and tell him if he hit. Note: I'm not concerned with players figuring out the AC, or anything, just that the initial encounter with a new enemy, the AC should be a secret, and THAC0 gets in the way of that. Also, I'll note, that the players I find that have trouble, are the same ones who don't precalculate their static values by each weapon. In 2e or 3e, I ALWAYS took my base number, and applied any strength and weapon bonuses and wrote it down next to each weapon (as it might be different). I even circled it. This meant, I already had a good chunk of the math down, and the only extra data I needed at attack time was die roll and situational modifiers (which are rarer). The "math is complicated" crowd are the same people who are addding up their BAB, the strength, their magic weapon bonus, their specialization bonus for EVERY attack roll. No matter which system you play, that's going to be moe work. [/QUOTE]

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