TSR Why would anyone want to play 1e?

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

All the charts people says slow any 1e game, never did so in my games, they are very situational, apply very rarely

Saving throws and combat are very situational and apply rarely?

 

[jonesymat]

Saving throws and combat are very situational and apply rarely?

No, but I'm not talking about them. The saving throws and combat charts does not slow my games, they are in the character sheets (and for monsters in my shield)

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

No, but I'm not talking about them. The saving throws and combat charts does not slow my games, they are in the character sheets (and for monsters in my shield)

If it doesn't slow your game at all, that's pretty impressive, but even so, you're playing with specialized tools to smooth over some of the 1Eisms.

I suspect a unified d20 resolution mechanics (i.e. not THAC0) would probably speed things up for you slightly, but as you say, at this point, there's no need for you to do so, since you've adapted and know 1E inside and out.

 

[Mannahnin]

If it doesn't slow your game at all, that's pretty impressive, but even so, you're playing with specialized tools to smooth over some of the 1Eisms.

I suspect a unified d20 resolution mechanics (i.e. not THAC0) would probably speed things up for you slightly, but as you say, at this point, there's no need for you to do so, since you've adapted and know 1E inside and out.

They might, but looking at your sheet to see your THAC0 shouldn't really take longer than looking at your sheet to see your BAB.

For some people doing the math for AAC is slightly faster because there's no subtraction involved, but referencing shouldn't take longer. Still just looking at one spot on the sheet or monster stat block.

 

[Sacrosanct]

They might, but looking at your sheet to see your THAC0 shouldn't really take longer than looking at your sheet to see your BAB.

For some people doing the math for AAC is slightly faster because there's no subtraction involved, but referencing shouldn't take longer. Still just looking at one spot on the sheet or monster stat block.

For me it was actually faster, as I didn't have to look at any modifiers. I looked at what I rolled, and looked at what AC it hit. No math at all since every weapon had it's THAC0 chart next to it with modifiers already figured in.

 

[Lanefan]

For me it was actually faster, as I didn't have to look at any modifiers. I looked at what I rolled, and looked at what AC it hit. No math at all since every weapon had it's THAC0 chart next to it with modifiers already figured in.

Permanent modifiers aren't the problem. For example, if your go-to weapon is a +2 longsword you'll always remember that +2 and if your strength always gives you +1 to hit and +2 damage you'll remember that too.

It's the temporary modifiers that IME slow things down. My lot are always casting Strength spells on their fighter types, which adds a random amount to the recipient's strength score for a while (and, thus, changes their melee to-hit and damage). They also like to have a Cleric cast Prayer sometimes but not all the time, giving caster and nearby allies an extra bonus to their to-hit and damage (and saves). Faerie Fire - another common staple here - gives another to-hit bonus when attacking its recipient. If there's a Bard in the party singing to give a morale bonus that's yet another to-hit modifier. And so on.

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

They might, but looking at your sheet to see your THAC0 shouldn't really take longer than looking at your sheet to see your BAB.

I have just enough players who occasionally want/need to interrogate the math that THAC0 would end up being slower in the long run, but you're right that if you're just putting a single number on the character sheet -- which would kill Gygax if he wasn't already dead -- still amounts to a big times savings for the player.

In any case, it still requires someone, at some point, putting in the time to speed up 1E RAW.

 

[jonesymat]

If it doesn't slow your game at all, that's pretty impressive, but even so, you're playing with specialized tools to smooth over some of the 1Eisms.

I suspect a unified d20 resolution mechanics (i.e. not THAC0) would probably speed things up for you slightly, but as you say, at this point, there's no need for you to do so, since you've adapted and know 1E inside and out.

But a character sheet is a specialized tool? My players they put all the to hit numbers in their weapon line in the sheet (I don't use Thac0, I use the to hit charts). They roll the dice, see the number, look at the sheet and say to me what AC they hit. It is all in the character sheet. Maybe AAC would speed some of this very slight, but even if I use AAC (in the end it is same thing, they are equivalent), I would play 1e instead of 2e, which uses Thac0