what do you like about the older versions, or the versions you started with?

[arjen]

Looking at D&D, form an "old dudes/dudettes" perspective; what do you like about the older versions, or the versions you started with?

Is it the, implied, setting and world: dwarf/elf/halfling, clerics with blunt maces and cure light wounds, wizards with magic missile and fireball, evil orcs and regenerating trolls, chromatic dragons and level draining undead?

Is it the, implied, game experience; xp mostly from treasure not killing monsters; push your luck delving deeper, combat is deadly but avoidable, less/no skill rolls but describe and think yourself out of trouble and roleplay situations.

Is it the character building experience? Do you roll and interpret your character based on rolls and little, game mechanical, choices and fill out the rest in game through action and description? Or do do you build your character with many meaningful choices and skill attribute/feat combinations that will work at the table?

When you chose to run a D&D game old school, regardless of what edition you chose as basis ( you can 'pimp-up' white box or 'OG-style' 5e, equally valid), what are your 'original D&D experience' elements you try to go back to or introduce?

-deadly-ness for PC's

-push your luck

-gp for xp

-original race/class choices

-old setting like Greyhawk, Dragon Lance mabve Forgotten Realms from the Grey Box Era?

-non-human class level limits and classes limited to certain races

-weapon vs armor type adjustments and weapon speed

-different spell lists for different wizard schools (illusionist, mage, necromancer etc.)

-pantheon including "real world" religion gods like Thor and Athena

-science as magic/post apocalypse remnants, sci-fi influence; our fantasy world is Earth a million years in the future

-stat limits based on gender or race

[The Perilous Dreamer]

Feb 9, 2024 10:32:46 GMT -5 arjen said:

Looking at D&D, form an "old dudes/dudettes" perspective; what do you like about the older versions, or the versions you started with?

Is it the, implied, setting and world: dwarf/elf/halfling, clerics with blunt maces and cure light wounds, wizards with magic missile and fireball, evil orcs and regenerating trolls, chromatic dragons and level draining undead?

Is it the, implied, game experience; xp mostly from treasure not killing monsters; push your luck delving deeper, combat is deadly but avoidable, less/no skill rolls but describe and think yourself out of trouble and roleplay situations.

Is it the character building experience? Do you roll and interpret your character based on rolls and little, game mechanical, choices and fill out the rest in game through action and description? Or do do you build your character with many meaningful choices and skill attribute/feat combinations that will work at the table?

When you chose to run a D&D game old school, regardless of what edition you chose as basis ( you can 'pimp-up' white box or 'OG-style' 5e, equally valid), what are your 'original D&D experience' elements you try to go back to or introduce?

-deadly-ness for PC's
-push your luck
-gp for xp
-original race/class choices
-old setting like Greyhawk, Dragon Lance mabve Forgotten Realms from the Grey Box Era?
-non-human class level limits and classes limited to certain races
-weapon vs armor type adjustments and weapon speed
-different spell lists for different wizard schools (illusionist, mage, necromancer etc.)
-pantheon including "real world" religion gods like Thor and Athena
-science as magic/post apocalypse remnants, sci-fi influence; our fantasy world is Earth a million years in the future
-stat limits based on gender or race

Yes, to the first - is it the:
Yes to the second - is it the:
Partially yes, to some parts of the third - is it the:

When I run OD&D, I always keep
- the deadliness for PC's
- death at zero hit points
- roll 1d6 for hit points at first level
- roll stats 1d6 in order, no re-arrangement
- no stat minimums for Fighting-Men, Clerics or Magic-Users
- players take risks, but do not blindly or foolishly push their luck
- GP for XP, well SP for XP since I am currently using a silver standard and gold is rare
- original race and class choices, but open to other as always
- always homebrew open-ended sandbox
- non-human class level limits and classes limited to certain races
- one god, the pagan gods are demons or immortals pretending to be god, all lawful clerics serve the one god
- the world is post apocalyptic thousands of years after the most recent of many apocalypses.
- stat adjustments based on race
- no thieves, playtesting a method for running "thief" abilities by any PC
- and etc.

- For me the character building part is you roll your stats, name the character and select your class. For me it is always human as a player. As an OD&D player, once I do that, the character of the character is set and I know everything I need to know about how he feels and what he believes and how he will react. I know the motivations and goals. Every character is different, but I just know him that quick. It is like a reflex. Then I just play that out through the game.

[hengest]

If I had to pick one thing, it's the "unfinished" feeling of the implied setting. Who knows what's out there? Could be anything, really. 

There was a contest here years ago...the map that won "best map" (I can't remember the contributor's name, I'm afraid...was it Von?) exemplified this pretty clearly, as I remember.

I like a lot of the other stuff listed, but that feeling of being on the verge of discovering something...I like that a lot. More than combat, puzzles, XP, leveling...