Month: July 2023

I recently went on a quest that started when I was 12 years old. I have finished reading through every core rulebook, including boxed sets, of D&D from original Dungeons and Dragons to AD&D to Fifth Edition. I have also read the core rulebooks for the equivalent retro clone to get a modern feel for the rules. I have not read Pathfinder as I don’t consider that a retro clone per se. 

Let me break down what I learned.

Before I break down each edition into individual components with a recommendations or not I will go over a few generalizations I discovered.

First up regardless of which ruleset you use the core game has remained largely unchanged since it was first published. Mechanics have been streamlined, new player options have been added, more monsters have been created but for the most part you can pick up and play any edition of D&D and it should feel the same as playing any other version.

Second up is the issue of compatibility. On the surface it would appear as though the different games are not generally compatible. This is not true. You can take a module that was written with BECMI in mind and run it for a 4E game and it would work with minimal effort. You have to convert things like AC, hit dice and bonuses accordingly but those are simple math equations anyone can grasp. 

Third up, all rulebooks whether they be officially published rule sets or retro clones published under the open game license represent the rules as guidelines meant to be broken. They each proclaim the rules are meant to help facilitate the game but ultimately the Dungeon Master always has the final say.

Now let’s dive into the individual editions. I will not be discussing the respective retro clone as it is essentially the same material just presented in a different order. 

Original D&D also known as the White Box set. This is the classic game set that started it all. Now I have only read the core rulebooks here so none of the expansions are discussed here. At it’s core this *IS* D&D. This is the most basic version of the game. It has just 3 classes; Fighter, Mage and Cleric. It has four races; human, elf, hobbit and Dwarf. Beyond that everything you are familiar with is here: ability scores, armor class, saving throws, starting hold, combat rules, initiative, equipment, adventuring, spells, treasure and everything else you come to expect is here. I have play tested this version of the game. While compared to modern versions characters appear weak and prone to death it really does facilitate a more story driven style of play to keep players alive. Combat is considered a last resort. If combat is successful the players are rewarded handsomely. If they fail the adventure is over. 

Some major differences of note. All attack hits roll a d6 for damage. All classes roll a single d6 to determine starting HP. Armor Class is in descending order whereas 0 is good and 20 is bad. The most glaring flaw in the published material is the references back to the Chainmail rule book. It is almost impossible to fully run a game of OD&D without referencing chainmail. Most of these short comings were fixed with the supplements and later editions but I can’t stress how annoying it is to reference a table in chainmail. 

I highly recommend getting a group of players together to experience this version of the game. It’s quite fun playing within the limits this game offers. Mind you this was how D&D was played when it first hit the scene. For several years this was all there was.

Basic D&D. 

This is the first updated version of the game. I read the BX rule books. Essentially this is TSR taking all the different supplements and core books published under OD&D and streamlining everything in a single place. While it does have level limits it has ways to convert characters to be used with AD&D so it’s not a major problem. Consider this an introductory version of the game meant to get your feet wet before plunging you head first into AD&D. Therefore this is the most incomplete version of the game. It plays like an RPG for beginners. This version is not for experienced or advanced players. The limits it places are going to turn those players off. Things like having Dwarves and Elves as classes rather than races limits what a player can do with those archetypes. 

I do not recommend this version of the game to players. It is too bogged down in old school tropes like THAC0 for true newbies and it is far too simple for advanced players.

BECMI.

The next Basic expansion is the Basic Expert Champions Master Immortal set. This was also published as the Rules Cyclopeadia. This version of the game is hard to describe. It relies largely on the same formatting as basic but it has a lot of features reminiscent of AD&D. This is more like a bridge between basic and advanced. It has some unique features that make it worth exploring on its own merits, however. This version caps levels at 36. No other edition has rules for post 20 level characters written into the core rules until you get to the much maligned 4th edition.

I highly recommend giving BECMI a try. This is simple and forgiving enough for truly new players while also having options to keep experienced players happy too. 

Advanced Dungeons and Dragons

This is 1st edition AD&D. This is where the game split into a more complex game streamlined for tournament play. This is the first set that will look familiar to modern gamers as it is the first to feature the 3 core rulebooks: Monster Manual, Players Handbook and Dungeon Master’s Guide. It is easy to convert characters, modules, spells and monsters from OD&D and Basic D&D to AD&D. It is also possible to convert from 1e to newer editions with minimal effort. For that reason alone I highly recommend picking up these books and giving this version a try. This is the version that would be most familiar to players back in the day. 

AD&D 2nd Edition

I am going to keep this short. This *IS* 1st edition. It’s just re-written and reorganized with a few optional rules taken from supplements added in. I do not recommend playing this version of the game. Stick to 1E. 

D&D 3rd Edition

This is the first edition published by new owners Wizards of the Coast. It is also the first edition that uses the now ubiquitous d20 system. There are two versions of this, 3.0 and 3.5. I recommend 3.5 edition. This version plays the most like first edition than any other version. Besides the updated AC system and the modification ability score bonuses this is so streamlined it plays like the ideal version of D&D. This was a pretty good first attempt. It adds things like proficiencies and skills standard. It also revises the way monsters and presented as well as the way NPCs are generated. The DMG from this edition is a treasure to read. 

I recommend 3.5 edition to anyone wanted to get experienced with D&D. This could easily be your “forever” version if you so wish. This is such a perfect system I don’t see why it was even replaced in the first place. 

4th Edition

I don’t talk about 4th edition. I read the rule books and I couldn’t make heads or tails of it. It wasn’t just the new races, modified classes and strange way it presented information, it was also the super powers, short rest, cantrips, minions and so much more that didn’t feel like D&D at all. This was the first edition of D&D I ever experienced that I returned the book to the store. I do not recommend this version at all. Stay away at all costs. 

5th Edition.

As of this writing this is the current edition of the game. Quite simply this is perfect. It takes everything 3.5 did right and improves it tremendously. It only keeps the few good parts of 4e while largely ignoring that edition for the most part. This is D&D done right. I highly recommend playing this version of the game.