Is there a big difference between 3e & 3.5e D &D ?

[Jon Miller]

4ed is too video gamy

video games are how they are so that programers can write a generic way to play that many people can enjoy in a balanced/etc manner without a lot of individual imaginative effort

4ed does the same, I mean the gm can change a lot of stuff... but if so why not play something that fits your game better? or that has less rules for the gm to put stuff on top of

JM

[Jon Miller]

personally, I think the answer to 'is this warrior who has '20 experience levels' as strong as this wizard how has '20 experience levels' should be '**** no' in most settings

the fact that in 4ed they are the same, means that I am not too interested in the settings that 4ed works in

JM

[Felch]

So the guy who plays a wizard is supposed to spend his first several levels completely useless, and the fighter is supposed to spend the end of the campaign completely useless.

Sounds like a lot of fun for everybody.

[Jon Miller]

In a computer game, I agree. The level 1 wizard would be useless and the level 20 fighter would be useless, that is why 4ed is good for computer games.

The strong of a PnP RPG is on story though, and there there should be story (That is fun for the participants) for both the level 1 wizard and the level 20 fighter.

JM

[Felch]

So having balanced character classes prevents a story from developing? That's just absurd. The good story should emerge from the role playing experience. The experience should be as fun as possible for everybody involved, whether they're a low level wizard or a high level fighter.

[Jon Miller]

Honestly, the main issue of fighter versus wizard is progression.

I hate that about 3/3.5 too...

The fighter should gain skills in fighting by fighting. Maybe not a new 'ability' though.

A wizard should only gain skill in casting magic missle by casting magic missle though, he shouldn't learn to cast new spells/etc. Those should be acquired... preferibly by toil.

In any high magic world, of course magic should be stronger than fighting.

JM

[Jon Miller]

So having balanced character classes prevents a story from developing? That's just absurd. The good story should emerge from the role playing experience. The experience should be as fun as possible for everybody involved, whether they're a low level wizard or a high level fighter.

It prevents almost every fantasy type story I have ever read from developing...

JM

[Jon Miller]

Even the non-magical heroes (ie Conan/etc) still are very intimated by wizards, and implied to be very very abnormal compared to the rest of society (or even the wizards).

I have a hard time thinking of any setting where wizards and fighters are equal...

JM

[Jon Miller]

One solution is to make magic very very costly... but then this means that the wizard can't do anything...

JM

[The Mad Monk]

Only 1st edition is actual AD&D. The rest is crap.

FTFY

[Jon Miller]

I have never played it, but I think that Traveller is better.

JM

[Felch]

If you want stories, read a book. D&D is a game. Games should be fun for everybody, not tied to some notion of verisimilitude. It's like in Civ, if realism and fun clash, fun should always win.

[Jon Miller]

If I wanted to focus on the game aspect, I wouldn't play an rpg.

RPGs are great for the role playing.

JM

[The Mad Monk]

I have never played it, but I think that Traveller is better.

JM

[Dinner]

Why was there a need for a new edition after the second one? That one worked fine. /grumpyoldman