I've had something on my mind for awhile and it's really annoying me to a certain point. Yea, this is a rant post, so if you don't want to read it you don't have to, just blowing off some steam.

[img]graemlins/rant.gif[/img] *click*

As most of you know, I am a big fan and an active player of PnP Dungeons and Dragons and I have been for 6 years. I had an absolute blast playing second edition, best modules and the game was simple with monsters that still posed as a challenge. Recently though, things have gotten so complicated to the point where I am ready to throw some of the books out the window.

For the last three years, I have tried as hard as I can to enjoy some decent 3rd edition D&D, just trying to enjoy the game itself but Monte Cook and his crew have completely sucked the fun out of Dungeons and Dragons for me. Three years ago, a new edition comes out, but there is a problem, there are no modules, no adventures coming out. During that time, I thought it to be pretty odd why there weren't, but then I find out.

He made the mistake of telling Wizards of the Coast and Sword and Sorcery Studios he was coming out with another edition (3.5) the same year! So little to no modules were produced, then Dungeon Magazine cuts down their number of modules every month from 5 every two months to 2 every two months. And there's no guarantee that they'll even be in my character's level range, everyone's sending in letters saying how mad they are but they don't seem to care any.

More books are being put out for the newest edition so getting 3rd edition was a complete waste all in itself and still nothing comes out and it's been 5 months since that day. I'll admit, when I first tried out 3rd edition, I thought it was a great way to upgrade D&D, but there is too much crap to memorize. Creating a character goes from being 20 minutes to nearly an hour and converting 2nd edition modules over to third is nearly impossible because it's so time consuming. They left out 3/4 of the monsters out of the handbook that resided in the old ones. Nothing, not the Gith, not the Drow, the majority of the best villians are nowhere to be found.

And he removes some of the best spells or changes them for the worst in the game. Wish is no longer around, Time Stop is worthless because unlike what you can do beforehand, you can no longer even touch your opponent because that could help win a battle. Poisons, poisons cannot kill you, only cause attribute damage?

Curse you Monte Cook and crew!

*click*

Now, I shall burn my 3rd edition books and return to the great fun that was 2nd edition, excuse me :D

<font size=1>The following was a rant by Marcus Gangrell, this was not made to insult anyone or challenge their opinions, this was only posted to let off some well deserved steam.</font>

Gangrell, I could *not* agree more. A friend of mine is going to start a campagin, using 3.5 rules, and I'm sort of considering not doing it because I'm that indignant about it. It looks to me like a shameless ploy to cheat people out of their money.
I understand some of the rules needed fixing, but any DM worth their salt can do that without the aid of another $30 book. If *I* don't like a rule, I change it. I don't need WoTC to "help" me. They say the rules are guidelines... so don't go updating it like they're not.

Agreed totally. I was out of the PnP area for about 2/3 years so by the time I finally picked up some 3E manuals 3.5 was already out. It's a scam and I refuse to buy them.

They won't get another $30 after half a year of playing. Old rules are still really playable and the best I've found so far is sort of mixing old and new. My dm has bought 3.5 dm stuff when he started so he tells me how it works/what to do sometimes

Well I have learned that depending on what D&D edition one learned from is the one most likely to appeal. I started out with 1E and when 2E came out neither I nor my friends picked up on it. We thought it was a waste of time and money. Not only were rules out and out changed or modified, but also a ton of new books along with a whole new world was now offered. This required us to spend money we didn't have on new rules and a new world and we were adamant that TSR wasn't going to get anymore of our cash. This also resulted in Greyhawk being shelved and Ferun (spelling?) now the official setting of all modules and support. Coupled with Judges Guild going under, the P&P world we knew was no more. Essentially we gave up playing, though, to be fair and balanced, a great deal of our moving on had to do with changes in jobs, location, marriage, and family. Over the years we still have gotten together and play an adventure or two of 1E but nothing like in the past.

So, I have had a lot of years of D&D P&P under my belt. This past Christmas vacation I had my first chance to play about 5 days straight of 3E rules and my conclusion... I love it! The DM was absolutely excellent. I find 3E far surperior to 1E (can't speak for 2E obviously). As for Monte and his stance on 3E and 3.5E well then go over to www.montecook.com and read his official position on the making and publishing of 3.5. He has some real issues with WotCoast because he feels it wasn't necessary. I am not a defender of Monte Cook in the least, but as far as I know his Unearthed Arcana World setting is based on what ever WotCoast say the rules are. He came up with his own world while using the open license d20 system.

Speaking of the d20. I love this system as well. There are a lot of cool worlds and modules from many excellent publishers out there. To name a few: Necromancer Games who will be publishing Judges Guild's brand new redition of their classic City State of the Invincible Overlord and their Wilderlands Campaign setting, White Wolf (who does the Scarred Lands), Green Ronin Publishers, and many, many others. Though I have to admit some of the best games I have ever played in were ones designed by DMs.

In conclusion I agree with philip in that often the best system is mixed. Since one as DM calls the shots then one can modify as one sees fit as long as game balance isn't sacrificed and one's players are aware of this. For example, the DM I played under is stanchly opposed to the Sorceror class seeing it as being unbalancing for game play. Fair enough, and we play on. Just my 2 cents worth.

I still play 2nd edition w/players options as far as PnP goes. I have been forced to dabble in 3ed rules so I can ply/make NWN modules but thanks tothe game manual, the NWn Grimoire and the Open Source ruleset I haven't had to buy any 3rd edition books. 3ed isnt a bad system per se but I prefer 2nd for many reasons.
Thanks goodness for the old cd-rom core rules package. My 2nd editon books hardly ever get used becasue I can just print up the relevant pages on a player by player basis and use the DM tools and books on disk rather than in the actual books.

I will be second editon gaming for many years to come, WOTC be damned!

Cheers... I was raised on 2E, but I can't find any 2E books, which is a shame. I'd DM 2E if I had them ::has a terrible memory and can no longer instantly figure out if a hit is made, based on AC and THAC0.. Now it takes several seconds (Carry the three...)::. It's been that long::. Ah well. I just make my own rules when needed, like I said before. But it's the principle, the defiant spirit of it all! ::nod nod::