TSR Why would anyone want to play 1e?

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

But a character sheet is a specialized tool?

A character sheet that essentially recreates a look-up chart from the DMG is a specialized tool, yes. In the decades since AD&D came out, requiring that level of clerical work to run the game has been replaced by faster resolution systems.

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

I've played every version of D&D except for 4E. I know about THAC0.

And yes, I do think the d20 resolution system is faster, but as you say, it's not a problem for you, so it's a fix without a big benefit in your case.

I do think it's noteworthy that most games trying to go for an AD&D feel without being beholden to its system don't use look-up charts for basic resolutions. Gaming "technology" has moved on to other resolution systems since then.

The big exception is Dolmenwood, but Gavin Norman knows he's going to have a large audience coming over from OSE, where -- as a retroclone -- the players are using to-hit and saving throw charts.

 

[mixmastashizz]

We find the look up charts faster than either AAC or THAC0. For the bonuses and minuses you dont even have to do the math... just move your finger left or right.

Plus most character sheets have a spot to put the matrix on there already... so its trivial in my view.

 

[Lanefan]

How much of that is on you, and how much of that is on your players? I'd assume at this point your lot are quite experienced. They can help with the math ....

Oh, they do - but even then the time it takes still accumulates.

 

[Moving Pictures]

All else being equal THAC0, involving subtraction, is always going to be slower than a mathematically equivalent purely additive system like BAB

Curious why you would think adding is faster than subtracting?

 

[Moving Pictures]

We find the look up charts faster than either AAC or THAC0. For the bonuses and minuses you dont even have to do the math... just move your finger left or right.

Plus most character sheets have a spot to put the matrix on there already... so its trivial in my view.

Look-up sheets (matrixes) are nothing more than math. Once you convert the fighter-level equivalent of non-fighter classes, the math become super easy.

Even now, using a "armour starts at 0 and moves up" THAC0-ish approach with 2d10 for rolls, the math is simple: [Roll]>=10+AC-FL where "FL"=attacker's equivalent fighter level.

Before it was, iirc, 20-AC+FL.

 

[Neonchameleon]

Curious why you would think adding is faster than subtracting?

Same reason I think walking forward is faster than walking backwards. It's inherently easier and we do it much more.

 

[Moving Pictures]

Same reason I think walking forward is faster than walking backwards. It's inherently easier and we do it much more.

Maybe this is good old neurodivergent me, but I find it just as easy to add 15 to 8 to get 23 as it is to subtract 8 from 23 and get 15.

 

[Neonchameleon]

Maybe this is good old neurodivergent me, but I find it just as easy to add 15 to 8 to get 23 as it is to subtract 8 from 23 and get 15.

I suspect you don't - but the difference is so trivial you don't notice it. The level of difference is different for different people and with different levels of practice.