Opinions: d20 3rd ed.

[Bandigerbolls]

I'm polling you old-schoolers to help create a better collection of house rules.

What did you like about the editions 3 and 3.5 that you considered improvements to the game?

[The Red Priest]

They... they... they.. uh .. they uh.. umm..


Yeah.. and this me making my saving throw!

[Bandigerbolls]

I'm expecting the answer to be "not much", but that should make it easy to pick something...

[Meepo]

Honestly, outside of the OGL itself, I'm really struggling. It's not bitterness talking, but rather I view most of these "improvements" as nothing more than lateral moves. Does having descending AC really make a difference? Or having universal XP charts? Or so many multiclassing options that they border on insanity? I may have thought so back in 2000 or 2001 but after years and years of contrasting and comparing, I see no real improvement, but change for the sake of change.

These are the sort of things we accepted 30 years ago and if they were fun then, why change? At least, that's my opinion...

[artikid]

Lots.
Most things did not come out right in the end but I think were moves in the right direction.

On top of my head:
Ascending AC
Unified experience table
Universal, unified Multi-classing rules
Removal of level limits for non-humans
A Special ability for humans
Removal of weapon vs armor attack modifiers
Removal of differemt damage rolls versus different size enemy
1d20+ modifiers versus difficulty universal (almost) mechanic
Monster stats and monster characters

Notable Failures:
Attacks of opportunity
Prestige classes
Too many Feats

obviously YMMV
artikid

[Magnus]

I take a couple of things from 3e/d20. I the way saving throws are done as three types and i give player characters a bonus on saving throws depending on type of save and attribute bonus. I find saves as written in S&W to simple for my tastes . I regularly modify big bad monster encounters with extra hit dice or a level or two of a spell casting class. I have a set of Pazio's critical and fumble card decks which i like to use, the spell criticals and fumble results have a nice old school vibe to them. And i reserve the right to borrow the odd spell or monster should the desire appeal.

[JoeMac]

Lots.
Most things did not come out right in the end but I think were moves in the right direction.

On top of my head:
Ascending AC
Unified experience table
Universal, unified Multi-classing rules
Removal of level limits for non-humans
A Special ability for humans
Removal of weapon vs armor attack modifiers
Removal of differemt damage rolls versus different size enemy
1d20+ modifiers versus difficulty universal (almost) mechanic
Monster stats and monster characters

artikid

Hey! Who let this guy in here?! Someone check his ID!















Just poking fun.

[JoeMac]

My answer: I can hang with ascending AC, actually, and the saving throw system doesn't bother me a bit. (Edit: for example, if one were to treat fortitude as Str and Con, reflex as Int and Dex, and will as Wis and Cha, for the purpose of save bonuses....)

Everything else is a steaming heap of dung.

[Fitz]

The two things that really did it for me was the ascending AC system and the unified d20 roll-for-anything mechanics. They simplified D&D enormously.

Then they went and added a whole lot of crap that complicated it all again. Hey-ho.

[Coleston]

The two things that really did it for me was the ascending AC system and the unified d20 roll-for-anything mechanics. They simplified D&D enormously.

Then they went and added a whole lot of crap that complicated it all again. Hey-ho.

I agree. Personally - and this goes with your "unified d20 roll-for-anything mechanics" - I also find the three saving throws to be a solid mechanic that consolidates all of the various other in a way that make good sense to me conceptually.