Which D&D Edition Should You Play?

Comments · 2K

• QU

  @Qualimar · 6 years ago

  While this is a great and impartial overview I'd say you skipped over 2nd edition's single biggest draw - highly evocative settings. This was the era of 'Al-Qadim', 'Birthright', 'Planescape' and 'Spelljammer' and the expansion of 'Ravenloft' into a sandbox setting in its own right. You also had the 'green cover' historical settings - 'The Glory of Rome', 'Vikings Campaign Sourcebook' and so on. True many of this could probably be retrofitted to later (or earlier) editions but as someone who cut his teeth on 2e I think they were an enormous amount of the charm of that era.

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• DA

  @davrion · 6 years ago

  I've played every edition (though only some of the retro clones), and I think I have finally settled on.....Call of Cthulhu

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• GO

  @goji7273 · 6 years ago

  I think the OSR community deserves a mention here  - they’re devoted to creating new content compatible with most older editions, be they entirely new games, modules, etc. Since it’s an indie community filled with self-publishing, there’s lots of beautiful weird stuff that would never get published by a bigger company.

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• ED

  @EddieInzauto · 5 years ago

  I’ve only ever played 2E seriously. It’s amazing how the system has evolved and been reinvented over the years.

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• TR

  @tri-ox9508 · 4 years ago

  When I was 12 my best friend to this day introduced me to AD&D. We use that with a little second edition thrown in. Haven’t changed that and we have a blast every time we play. Whatever edition you know, like, and play is your edition.

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• CU

  @culturalrebel · 6 years ago

  <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uKuI-O2WMDQ&amp;t=345">5:45</a>: You could also try Old-School Essentials, which basically <b>is</b> B/X D&amp;D, but which cleans up the editing and makes it significantly easier to get into.

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• JA

  @jamesmaclennan4525 · 6 years ago (edited)

  When i passed my 2nd edition &nbsp;stuff away to a friend &nbsp;it was three piles each over 6 feet tall...yeah there was a lot of 2e

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• GH

  @ghosthand8119 · 6 years ago

  I started with AD&amp;D 1st edition and never progressed beyond it. I even own a old Deities and Demigods book from before they changed it to Legends and Lore. We always took the rules as guidelines and adjusted things for more entertaining game play. As far as I&apos;m concerned you really don&apos;t need more than those books and your imagination.

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• DA

  @danielk6840 · 6 years ago

  We&apos;ve been playing AD&amp;D 2nd Edition so long, we know most of the important rules by heart. So, probably no changing to another AD&amp;D Edition.

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• ST

  @stillmattwest · 5 years ago

  I started my kids on Basic Fantasy, which is an OSR game much like the B/X edition with a few modern touches like ascending AC. Once they had the idea we went to 5E because I figured they&apos;d like the modern experience and more powerful characters. A few months later they asked to go back to Basic Fantasy and we&apos;ve been using it ever since. There is a lot to be said for fast and simple.

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• AL

  @AlexBermann · 6 years ago

  One thing I really like about older editions is the feeling that the world is not there to please you. It was easy to die, death mattered, just getting to where you want to be was a challenge &nbsp;and if you weren&apos;t careful, you would feel the consequences. That didn&apos;t make old editions better because some players really don&apos;t want those elements in their games, but it makes them better for some players.

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• CO

  @corybourn8947 · 6 years ago

  I grew up on Basic and AD&amp;D. Currently playing 3.5 and 5e, but 3.5 is where my heart is at.

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