Worst D&D products ever.

[aramis erak]

The opposite of the Best D&D Products thread. The title should make this one self-explainatory.

Here are my picks, in no particular order...

For me, in tiers worst = lowest numbers.

1. AD&D 1E: UA, OA, and FRA
2. AD&D 1E: PHB, DMG
3. AD&D 1E GA
4. AD&D 2e MC__ (binder versions)
5. AD&D 2E PO:C&T, PO:Sk&P, CO:HLC, & CO:Sp&M,
6. Buck Rogers XXV C
7. AD&D 1e WSG DSG DLA
8. AD&D 2e PHBR series
9. AD&D2e PHB, DMG

For what it's worth, the BR XXV C game is AD&D 2 with different races and classes. It's a good setting and a poor execution.
AD&D1, it's not so much bad mechanics, but largely layout, and incoherent feel of mechanics, combined with Gygaxian spew for a number of them.
WSG and DSG had lots of good info, but not great layout, and the new mechanics were good; the writing lacks Gygaxian Spew, but still is pretty boring.
Note that Manual of the Planes is missing from that list: I liked it. It was usefully arranged, lacked Gygaxian Spew...

But in general, the misplaced detail, the general overcomplexity, inconsistency of rolling direction, the Gygaxian Spew are what make AD&D 1e as a line so bad for me.

AD&D 2 lacked most of the Gygaxian Spew mode, was far better looking, MUCH easier to reference, but there its's that it was overcomplex, and self inconsistent, and just generally upped the DM's workload for neither better verisimilitude nor better mechanical play. I liked the 2e setting books for Spelljammer, Dark Sun, Council of Wyrms, Ravenloft, and Birthright...

In general, I've had layout issues with ALL the D&D editions except 4. But 4 didn't feel like D&D to me. Even 5E isn't great - the fonts are too light and the backgrounds too cluttered; this isn't unique to D&D - FFG Star Wars has similar font issues.

 

[aramis erak]

I think 2nd edition psionics being an improvement over 1st edition at all is highly in question. While I think there were a few good ideas, overall, I found 2nd edition psionics to be far more of a pain in the rear than 1st edition.

I found it easier to use, but that meant it also got used, and thus was inherently even more work for the DM.

 

[niklinna]

Y'all missed the WORSTEST D&D product ever.....

CardMaster

Or maybe, unlike me, you all avoided wasting your $20 on it.

This "thing" was sold as a random adventure maker kind of deally. There weren't any reviews on it, or good explanations. It was a boxed set.

It had, cards for monsters and rooms. it even had cardstock room props so you could build the rooms.

You were supposed to take your characters and go through the dungeon in random format.

You flipped over a card, revealing the room.

You then figured out if there was a monster, and revealed the monster card.

You then fought the monster

You then moved to the next room.

Yes folks. I paid $20 for that damn thing. We even tried it for a few hours, just in case there was fun inside we missed. I was wrong. In hindsight, I basically paid $20 for some dice.


This was a AD&D 2e product, back in the day...

Janx

Wait I thought that was Munchkin.

 

[TheLibrarian]

haha. Does 5th edition count? (I joke. Just not my cup of tea.)

More seriously...

• Spellfire (the card game)
• Hero-Builders-Guide-like products that have appear across editions.
• Dragonlance Saga rules