Probably 5th edition. The rules are relatively simple but not restrictive, they're easy to learn, and you make a character in two or three minutes once you know how to do it.
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All stars fade. Some stars forever fall. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Homebrew (Mostly Outdated):Magic Items,Monsters,Spells,Subclasses ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- If there was no light, people wouldn't fear the dark.
If you are looking to play an older edition of D&D I would recommend 3.5 (or 1e Pathfinder). It has lots of math due to floating modifiers, but is easier to learn than 1st or 2nd edition AD&D.
Do you really want to learn THAC0? Really really? Do you want to play in editions where "Elf" was a class? Do you want to see Druids above level 9 compete with the rest of the world to earn their next title with only 1 Arch Druid (maxxed at level 14, if I remember correctly)?
If you really do want to go back to some of the archaic rulesets, I would encourage looking at the "D&D Rules Cyclopedia" on DriveThruRPG. For $10 you can see how far this game has come without delving into a lot of additional books from AD&D or 3rd (3.5) or 4th. Just take a look at the basics and you'll see the foundation that all the others were built on. This includes the manuals from the three early boxed editions and is insightful into what 5e accomplished and streamlined.
I still have a friend that ONLY plays D&D (and doesn't recognize anything after the iconic D&D Player's Handbook and DM's Guide). And it is challenging to go back and play this way. Beware the Maths! I mean, it's doable, but it's not as enjoyable.
AD&D has the best lore and settings by far, but the ruleset is completely unpalatable to me now. I prefer 3rd ed's ruleset over all others, but I'd advise heavily restricting sourcebooks. You don't need a hundred prestige classes and a hundred more feats. Allow the PHBs, a handful of the Complete X books and maybe a setting sourcebook and that's plenty.
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Want to start playing but don't have anyone to play with? You can try these options: [link].
If you're primarily interested in stories and highly flavored settings, then AD&D/2E had some of the best material available. However, the rules were complicated and cumbersome.
If you're more interested in an easier system to learn and play, I thought that 3E was one of the most straightforward (excluding the current 5E system). Quite a bit of number crunching, but most of it was fairly intuitive and straightforward. My biggest disappointment with 3E was that all the numbers tended to take away from some of the roleplaying aspects.
Both would contend to be my favorite edition for very different reasons; 2E had better roleplaying opportunity but 3E had cleaner/clearer dice rolling. Currently, enjoying 5E quite a bit since it does a decent job combining the best of the two.
I'm thinking of trying AD&D and 3.5e. I started reading through the 3.5 PHB (and the Psionics Handbook. I wish there were something like that for 5e) and there's some stuff I'm really liking. AD&D will come after that.
I think old folk like myself like 1e and 2e not necessarily because they were good. It was the best edition for the time and the majority of us had a blast playing. I can admit that 5e has possibly a better rule set but I haven't had the same level of fun that I did in 1e.
Maybe because I'm old and have old person issues spoiling my fun.
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"Sooner or later, your Players are going to smash your railroad into a sandbox."
-Vedexent
"real life is a super high CR."
-OboeLauren
"............anybody got any potatoes? We could drop a potato in each hole an' see which ones get viciously mauled by horrible monsters?"
I'm considering playing one of the older editions (I've only played 5e) so far, so I wanted to see what everyone's favorite editions are and why.
5, easy to find people to play with, regardless of what the rules say.
Guide to the Five Factions (PWYW)
Deck of Decks
Probably 5th edition. The rules are relatively simple but not restrictive, they're easy to learn, and you make a character in two or three minutes once you know how to do it.
All stars fade. Some stars forever fall.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Homebrew (Mostly Outdated): Magic Items, Monsters, Spells, Subclasses
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
If there was no light, people wouldn't fear the dark.
The current one. That's always my answer. 2nd, 3.x, 5th, 7th edition? Whatever is current.
If you are looking to play an older edition of D&D I would recommend 3.5 (or 1e Pathfinder). It has lots of math due to floating modifiers, but is easier to learn than 1st or 2nd edition AD&D.
She/Her Player and Dungeon Master
4e is my favorite, followed by 3.5 and 5e.
"Meddle not in the affairs of dragons, for thou art crunchy and taste good with ketchup."
Characters for Tenebris Sine Fine
RoughCoronet's Greater Wills
Do you really want to learn THAC0? Really really? Do you want to play in editions where "Elf" was a class? Do you want to see Druids above level 9 compete with the rest of the world to earn their next title with only 1 Arch Druid (maxxed at level 14, if I remember correctly)?
If you really do want to go back to some of the archaic rulesets, I would encourage looking at the "D&D Rules Cyclopedia" on DriveThruRPG. For $10 you can see how far this game has come without delving into a lot of additional books from AD&D or 3rd (3.5) or 4th. Just take a look at the basics and you'll see the foundation that all the others were built on. This includes the manuals from the three early boxed editions and is insightful into what 5e accomplished and streamlined.
I still have a friend that ONLY plays D&D (and doesn't recognize anything after the iconic D&D Player's Handbook and DM's Guide). And it is challenging to go back and play this way. Beware the Maths! I mean, it's doable, but it's not as enjoyable.
AD&D has the best lore and settings by far, but the ruleset is completely unpalatable to me now. I prefer 3rd ed's ruleset over all others, but I'd advise heavily restricting sourcebooks. You don't need a hundred prestige classes and a hundred more feats. Allow the PHBs, a handful of the Complete X books and maybe a setting sourcebook and that's plenty.
Want to start playing but don't have anyone to play with? You can try these options: [link].
If you're primarily interested in stories and highly flavored settings, then AD&D/2E had some of the best material available. However, the rules were complicated and cumbersome.
If you're more interested in an easier system to learn and play, I thought that 3E was one of the most straightforward (excluding the current 5E system). Quite a bit of number crunching, but most of it was fairly intuitive and straightforward. My biggest disappointment with 3E was that all the numbers tended to take away from some of the roleplaying aspects.
Both would contend to be my favorite edition for very different reasons; 2E had better roleplaying opportunity but 3E had cleaner/clearer dice rolling. Currently, enjoying 5E quite a bit since it does a decent job combining the best of the two.
I think my favorite is AD&D (the first edition of it).
But I am an ornery old-schooler, and while we're at it, you kids get off my lawn.
WOTC lies. We know that WOTC lies. WOTC knows that we know that WOTC lies. We know that WOTC knows that we know that WOTC lies. And still they lie.
Because of the above (a paraphrase from Orwell) I no longer post to the forums -- PM me if you need help or anything.
Yeah, get of that old man’s lawn. And stay off my lawn too!
(2e, but we regularly mixed stuff from both editions, they were very compatible.)
Creating Epic Boons on DDB
DDB Buyers' Guide
Hardcovers, DDB & You
Content Troubleshooting
Adventurers these days don't know how good they've got it with their "short rests" and "d6 hit point wizards".
Back in our day, we had to walk all the way to the dungeons...up hill. Both ways!
I'm thinking of trying AD&D and 3.5e. I started reading through the 3.5 PHB (and the Psionics Handbook. I wish there were something like that for 5e) and there's some stuff I'm really liking. AD&D will come after that.
And map every hex on the way, and randomly encounter things like wyverns and mantiocres.
WOTC lies. We know that WOTC lies. WOTC knows that we know that WOTC lies. We know that WOTC knows that we know that WOTC lies. And still they lie.
Because of the above (a paraphrase from Orwell) I no longer post to the forums -- PM me if you need help or anything.
I think old folk like myself like 1e and 2e not necessarily because they were good. It was the best edition for the time and the majority of us had a blast playing. I can admit that 5e has possibly a better rule set but I haven't had the same level of fun that I did in 1e.
Maybe because I'm old and have old person issues spoiling my fun.
"Sooner or later, your Players are going to smash your railroad into a sandbox."
-Vedexent
"real life is a super high CR."
-OboeLauren
"............anybody got any potatoes? We could drop a potato in each hole an' see which ones get viciously mauled by horrible monsters?"
-Ilyara Thundertale
No poll? Boo.