TSR Why would anyone want to play 1e?

[Moving Pictures]

Ugggghhhh. I will accept for some people who aren't very good at maths this is actuallyfaster (it's a fundamentally different method not addition with an extra operation as subtraction is) but there is a limit to the speed you can get if you actively need to consult with a table. I can approve of the Rolemaster method (if you're going to use a table make it actually interesting and nuanced in ways you almost can't with dice) but that's just replacing addition with looking things up.

I don't know if it's so slow as to make things problematic.

This leads to a side-discussion on preparation - let's say I have four different potential rolls to hit for the group. I know they're going to be, I dunno, going up against twelve zombies and a wight or something. It's not hard to write down the required to hits ahead of time and be done with it.

I occasionally look at the table(s).... usually when I've just had a player level up and change their fighter-level equivalents, juuuust to check my math. Part of that is that I spent the better part of a decade doing a different formula using the old "lower-is-better" AC of 1e/2e, and I'm still not 100 per cent muscle (or is it neuron) memory on the 10+AC-F formula I use now.

Although this thread is gonna probably be the kick in the pants I need to get better at it.

 

[Voadam]

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.

Adding a +3 bonus is finding the THAC0 roll result on the chart and then counting over three places in the right direction.

That last part is still math

 

[Voadam]

Basically, THAC0 is more effort at the front end, but less effort once that's figured out.

Having the specific character chart with all modifiers already thrown in is more effort at the front end and less effort once that work is done.

Such charts can be equally easily done with both THAC0 and ascending AC. Ascending AC is generally easier to do the math in your head though so the chart is not as much of a benefit compared with THAC0.