06-05-2009, 08:48 AM
I have played D&D on and off for around 14 years or so. I have played using 2nd, 3rd, and 4th editions (no I never played 1st ed).
2nd edition is ok I just hate that nothing is standardized with it. A +1 or a -1 to thaco might both be good or both be bad depending on the wording of the description for it. Thaco you need to roll above a number for, BUT non-weapon proficiencies you had to roll under a number for. 2nd edition is probably less challenging than 3rd edition for new players though.
3rd edition was pretty nice. The only thing I really didn't like about it was the 999999 rules for various combat situations and other crap. Plus they took out called shots the bastards. 3rd Edition can be very challenging for new players.
4th edition I hated. Every charcter is the same. The classes really aren't that different. BUT, it is by far the easiest edition of D&D for new players to learn.
So if you just want to run a simple game and you don't care to much about characters and rules then run 4th ed D&D. If you are all rules lawyers then you would want to run 3rd ed D&D. If you fall somewhere in between then run 2nd ed D&D.
Our local gaming group here is burnt out on D&D. We tried using the BESM (Big Eye Small Mouth)gaming system but it was actually not complicated enough and wasn't balanced enough for our tastes. Were not going to use GURPS or CHAMPIONS. GURPS has way to many books to read through. CHAMPIONS you can do anything with but the book for it is basically an encyclopedia. So it is way to complicated. What we're more than likely going to use for our next game is the M&M 2nd edition (Mutants and Masterminds) gaming system. It is a D20 system too and since we played a ton of 3rd ed D&D it isn't to new or complicated for our less rules savvy players. D20 is the open IP system that is the basis for 3rd edition D&D. So A LOT of gaming companies made various versions of their gaming systems for D20 since it was free after all. Mutants and Masterminds seems open enough to do just about anything with and it is not logarithmically complicated like champions.
2nd edition is ok I just hate that nothing is standardized with it. A +1 or a -1 to thaco might both be good or both be bad depending on the wording of the description for it. Thaco you need to roll above a number for, BUT non-weapon proficiencies you had to roll under a number for. 2nd edition is probably less challenging than 3rd edition for new players though.
3rd edition was pretty nice. The only thing I really didn't like about it was the 999999 rules for various combat situations and other crap. Plus they took out called shots the bastards. 3rd Edition can be very challenging for new players.
4th edition I hated. Every charcter is the same. The classes really aren't that different. BUT, it is by far the easiest edition of D&D for new players to learn.
So if you just want to run a simple game and you don't care to much about characters and rules then run 4th ed D&D. If you are all rules lawyers then you would want to run 3rd ed D&D. If you fall somewhere in between then run 2nd ed D&D.
Our local gaming group here is burnt out on D&D. We tried using the BESM (Big Eye Small Mouth)gaming system but it was actually not complicated enough and wasn't balanced enough for our tastes. Were not going to use GURPS or CHAMPIONS. GURPS has way to many books to read through. CHAMPIONS you can do anything with but the book for it is basically an encyclopedia. So it is way to complicated. What we're more than likely going to use for our next game is the M&M 2nd edition (Mutants and Masterminds) gaming system. It is a D20 system too and since we played a ton of 3rd ed D&D it isn't to new or complicated for our less rules savvy players. D20 is the open IP system that is the basis for 3rd edition D&D. So A LOT of gaming companies made various versions of their gaming systems for D20 since it was free after all. Mutants and Masterminds seems open enough to do just about anything with and it is not logarithmically complicated like champions.
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You can take Alabama Man to the bowling alley, where he drinks heavily and chews tobacco!
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When wife asks him where he's been, just use the action button and Alabama Man busts her lip open!
"Shut up, Bitch!"
"Wow!"
BEATS HIS WIFE AND SLEEPS IT OFF, A-LA-BA-MA MAN!
HE'S QUICK, HE'S STRONG, HE'S ACTIVE!
You can take Alabama Man to the bowling alley, where he drinks heavily and chews tobacco!
HE CAN BOWL, HE CAN DRINK, HE CAN DRINK SOME MORE, ALA-BA-MA-MAN!
When wife asks him where he's been, just use the action button and Alabama Man busts her lip open!
"Shut up, Bitch!"
"Wow!"
BEATS HIS WIFE AND SLEEPS IT OFF, A-LA-BA-MA MAN!