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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Snarf Zagyg" data-source="post: 9729995" data-attributes="member: 7023840">So a few quick responses to the comments, and why I stand by my earlier post about why UA was such a sea change.1. Obviously, different tables played differently. There were all sorts of house rules. But Method V was the first printed rule in D&D in an official book that specified that you choose you class first, then you rolled your abilities for that class. Even if your table didn't use it (or even know of it), this was the introduction of the idea that you choose your class first. Even with other concepts (including 4d6k1, arrange) you couldn't choose a class first, because you might not hit the required minimums, or what you rolled even when you arranged it, might not fit certain classes.2. A lot of tables didn't incorporate the AD&D weapon proficiency system (they were coming from 0E). But for those who did, here is a brief refresher-If you were a fighter, you started with 4. You gained one every three levels. The wording of the rule is unclear, but it was common for many people I played with to choose two or three weapons at the beginning and leave the remaining slots open (in case they found a magic weapon of another type). Otherwise, they'd have to wait for fourth level to use it. Why does this matter? Yes, by the tables long swords were more common. But they weren't ALL OF THEM. There were some countervailing issues-a. Modules. It would be a shame if you got Blackrazor, Whelm, and Wave ... (bastard sword, hammer, trident) and everyone is like, "Oops, not long swords!" There's a weird sprinkling of awesome weapons in modules, and they aren't all long swords.b. Random, man. Yes, swords had their own category (III.G). But ... there were other weapons sprinkled in the other tables (some were in the miscellaneous tables, III.E.1.-5*, and some were in the Rods, Staves, and Wands table, III.D), and one table is all the other weapons, some of which are cool (the HOLY TRINITY). But yes, let's say you are going random, and you reasonably assume that 70% of magic swords are long swords. But 20% are broad swords. You luck out and find a Holy Avenger. Or Vorpal Weapon. Or Sword of Dancing. Or you find a two-handed sword of life stealing. Suddenly, you might want to switch up your sword game. ........UNTIL UA. Why? Because fighters and rangers were going to specialize. And that meant deciding that you were using two proficiencies to specialize (three if its a bow), then another slot for double specialization in a melee weapon.So that's three slots. You get +3/+3 and more attacks (let's ignore bows for now). If you find a different weapon in the future, in order to use it .... you have to burn THREE proficiency slots to get to where you where.So fighter or ranger wants to have bow and double weapon specialization. That's six slots. That's all their slots until level 10. That means that if they find any other weapon, they can first become proficient at it at level 10.Which is a difference. If you're playing a fighter or ranger and using the specialization rules, you go from "easily using new weapons" to "designing your character to use one or two specific weapons, period." Because specialization is such a massive martial advantage. *Fun-ish fact- there are three magic tridents in the miscellaneous item table (four if you count the cursed one ... GYGAX!!!!). All of them are magic weapons. One is fighter only, but the other two? They are C-F-T, useable by Clerics and Thieves.  .... Clerics and Thieves can't use tridents.</blockquote>

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