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Lucius
Seeker
98 Posts |
 Posted - 29 Aug 2004 : 15:46:52
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I've been reading through the 2nd edition rules for sometime now, after discovering the Realms through Baldur's Gate. After finishing the players handbook, I've realised I really don't like the rules system for 2nd edition AD&D. It seems to much of a memory game. I have, on the other hand, heard good things about the 3rd edition of D&D, especially from Neverwinter NIghts players.
As I'm currently restricted on the amount of money I can spend, I've been wondering if it's recommended to run a 3rd edition game instead. If this is the case, I'll have to wait to buy the 3 main books. Therefore shall I continue with my reading of the 2nd edition forgotten realms campaign pack, or shelf it and buy the 3rd as soon as possible? Is there much difference in background between 2nd and 3rd edition, or is it just the rules?
I'm tempted to continue reading the campaign pack until I get my hands on the current edition, but I don't want to if it will only be a waste of time. Any comments?
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Edited by - Alaundo on 14 Sep 2004 13:45:05
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Maglubiyet
Acolyte
USA
22 Posts |
Posted - 29 Aug 2004 : 16:11:07
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I would continue reading the campaign pack but wait until you can get your hands on 3e rules to play. The background material is similar and will give you a good history of the FR.
2e D&D will give you some difficulties if you're trying to start a campaign with no materials. There was no Monster Manual -- everything was scattered among dozens of Monstrous Manual Compendia. And all of the rules to personalize the classes are distributed throughout half a dozen manuals.
3e, in contrast, is very succinctly laid out in only three books. I thought I was done with D&D until they published this version. Now I'm in heaven!
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Lysander
Learned Scribe
USA
183 Posts |
Posted - 29 Aug 2004 : 16:54:38
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quote:
Originally posted by Lucius
I've been reading through the 2nd edition rules for sometime now, after discovering the Realms through Baldur's Gate. After finishing the players handbook, I've realised I really don't like the rules system for 2nd edition AD&D. It seems to much of a memory game. I have, on the other hand, heard good things about the 3rd edition of D&D, especially from Neverwinter NIghts players.
As I'm currently restricted on the amount of money I can spend, I've been wondering if it's recommended to run a 3rd edition game instead. If this is the case, I'll have to wait to buy the 3 main books. Therefore shall I continue with my reading of the 2nd edition forgotten realms campaign pack, or shelf it and buy the 3rd as soon as possible? Is there much difference in background between 2nd and 3rd edition, or is it just the rules?
I'm tempted to continue reading the campaign pack until I get my hands on the current edition, but I don't want to if it will only be a waste of time. Any comments?
3.XE (that is, Third and Third-and-a-Half Editions) is indeed a different system than 2E. Depending on how much materials of 2E you have might influence your decision - but, at the same time, don't stick with something you don't like. I'm not sure what or how much you have - if you have the Realms boxed set, it still is worth it to read it through, and familiarize yourself with the setting. There is a FR Campaign Setting book (3.0E) and Player's Guide to FR (3.5E) that build on the setting material you might already have (I don't know about the PGtFR - I don't have that book). No matter which rules-set you use (and you can use the FRCS and PGtFR in 2E, just remembering that you have to modify them back.) you will need a Player's Handbook, DM's Guide, and Monster Manual.
quote:
Originally posted by Maglubiyet
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2e D&D will give you some difficulties if you're trying to start a campaign with no materials. There was no Monster Manual -- everything was scattered among dozens of Monstrous Manual Compendia. And all of the rules to personalize the classes are distributed throughout half a dozen manuals.
3e, in contrast, is very succinctly laid out in only three books. I thought I was done with D&D until they published this version. Now I'm in heaven!
Actually, there is a 2E monster manual (Monstrous Manual, mine Copyright 1993), but aside from that, everything you said applies to both 2E and 3.xE - everything you "really" need is the PHB, DMG, and MM, no matter whether it's OD&D*, 1, 2, or 3.xE. It'd be very difficult to start a FR campaign with nothing but the FRCS, as well  .
(* As far as I remember, there's no MM for OD&D, just player and DM books.) |
Lysander
Defender of the Second Edition
Moderator, Project Gemengan, Worlds of D&D |
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Wooly Rupert
Master of Mischief
USA
36804 Posts |
Posted - 29 Aug 2004 : 17:41:36
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The first thing to keep in mind is that it doesn't matter what edition it is -- 1st, 2nd, or 3.x -- much of the actual lore remains the same. Sure, some things have changed here and there, but for the most part, the lore remains the same, regardless of the edition.
I myself got the old grey box (the 1st edition Campaign Set) about a month before the 2nd edition Forgotten Realms Campaign Setting came out. Both were still worthy of being read. There was duplicate information, sure, but there was also stuff that they didn't convert over when they changed editions. As I recall, in other areas, the 1E source had more info than the 2E source.
Another thing to keep in mind is that there are various ways to get the most for your gaming dollar. Various on-line stores sell brand new game stuff at a discount, and there's always eBay, which is my preferred source for gaming material. |
Candlekeep Forums Moderator
Candlekeep - The Library of Forgotten Realms Lore
http://www.candlekeep.com -- Candlekeep Forum Code of Conduct
I am the Giant Space Hamster of Ill Omen!  |
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Arivia
Great Reader
Canada
2965 Posts |
Posted - 30 Aug 2004 : 06:27:49
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quote:
Originally posted by Lucius
I've been reading through the 2nd edition rules for sometime now, after discovering the Realms through Baldur's Gate. After finishing the players handbook, I've realised I really don't like the rules system for 2nd edition AD&D. It seems to much of a memory game. I have, on the other hand, heard good things about the 3rd edition of D&D, especially from Neverwinter NIghts players.
As I'm currently restricted on the amount of money I can spend, I've been wondering if it's recommended to run a 3rd edition game instead. If this is the case, I'll have to wait to buy the 3 main books. Therefore shall I continue with my reading of the 2nd edition forgotten realms campaign pack, or shelf it and buy the 3rd as soon as possible? Is there much difference in background between 2nd and 3rd edition, or is it just the rules?
I'm tempted to continue reading the campaign pack until I get my hands on the current edition, but I don't want to if it will only be a waste of time. Any comments?
Obligatory link to the SRD.
The rules are the main difference. |
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Bookwyrm
Great Reader
USA
4740 Posts |
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Talwyn
Learned Scribe
Australia
222 Posts |
Posted - 30 Aug 2004 : 06:58:44
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Thanks for the link Bookwyrm, although I have to say that i much prefer to have a book in my hand that to have to scroll through various PDF files, much quicker to turn a few pages by hand than wait for the net to download them.
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Over the centuries, mankind has tried many ways of combating the forces of evil...prayer, fasting, good works and so on.
Up until Doom, no one seemed to have thought about the double-barrel shotgun.
EAT LEADEN DEATH DEMON!
Terry Pratchett
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The Sage
Procrastinator Most High
Australia
31774 Posts |
Posted - 30 Aug 2004 : 13:07:40
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quote:
Originally posted by Wooly Rupert
As I recall, in other areas, the 1E source had more info than the 2E source.
That is indeed the case. It's part of the reason why I still keep the older 1e FR material within arm's reach. I sometimes refer to the 2e Grand Tour of the Realms tome, but it's not as informative with regard to some regions of the western lands as is the 1e DM's Guide.
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Candlekeep Forums Moderator
Candlekeep - The Library of Forgotten Realms Lore
http://www.candlekeep.com -- Candlekeep Forum Code of Conduct
Scribe for the Candlekeep Compendium -- Volume IX now available (Oct 2007)
"So Saith Ed" -- the collected Candlekeep replies of Ed Greenwood
Zhoth'ilam Folio -- The Electronic Misadventures of a Rambling Sage |
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Mystery_Man
Senior Scribe
USA
455 Posts |
Posted - 30 Aug 2004 : 15:13:51
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For those SRD buffs out there (like me) who like variety here's a link to a file in "chm" for you.
http://www.andargor.com/
"chm" is built like a windows help file and this particular version is fully searchable. I highly recomend it.
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Karesch
Learned Scribe
Canada
199 Posts |
Posted - 31 Aug 2004 : 23:34:14
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I've got the big grey box and a skinnier grey box from AD&D, and they're full of useful lore, 3E isn't as lore heavy as the first and second editions were, (if you read through some of the threads on here, you'll soon learn our woes on this) however, for playability, I think 3.X is the best. Alot of the books are more straight forwardly laid out, the first three core books are all you really need to get started, as you can get all the lore you need from here most likely. As was stated before, Ebay is your best bet for getting books and such. I picked up a set of all three core books for the wife, for something like $20-25US, and another $8 in shipping fees. So all in all, it was a buy 1, get two free deal, and they were mint. There wasn't a bend, fold, crease, or mark in any of the books. I'd suggest going there for your purchases, you always see 3.0 books going for cheap cheap cheap.
K |
Knowledge is power... power corrupts... knowledge corrupts? hmm...
Death is only frightening to those who haven't died yet... |
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kahonen
Senior Scribe
United Kingdom
358 Posts |
Posted - 01 Sep 2004 : 12:09:02
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quote:
Originally posted by Lucius
I've been reading through the 2nd edition rules for sometime now, after discovering the Realms through Baldur's Gate. After finishing the players handbook, I've realised I really don't like the rules system for 2nd edition AD&D. It seems to much of a memory game
What do you mean by "a memory game"? |
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Lysander
Learned Scribe
USA
183 Posts |
Posted - 01 Sep 2004 : 17:33:54
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quote:
Originally posted by kahonen
quote:
Originally posted by Lucius
I've been reading through the 2nd edition rules for sometime now, after discovering the Realms through Baldur's Gate. After finishing the players handbook, I've realised I really don't like the rules system for 2nd edition AD&D. It seems to much of a memory game
What do you mean by "a memory game"?
I'm only hazarding a guess, but it would be that 2E isn't dependant on miniatures the way 3.xE started to be. |
Lysander
Defender of the Second Edition
Moderator, Project Gemengan, Worlds of D&D |
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Wooly Rupert
Master of Mischief
USA
36804 Posts |
Posted - 01 Sep 2004 : 19:16:54
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I think that the reference to 2E being a memory game is more a reference to the way the rules were written, and the fact that you had to remember differing systems. "To hit, roll higher than this number, to make an ability check, roll under this number..."
Things like that, and all the differing charts for each class, made it more of a memory game -- if nothing else, then for trying to remember what page what chart was on. |
Candlekeep Forums Moderator
Candlekeep - The Library of Forgotten Realms Lore
http://www.candlekeep.com -- Candlekeep Forum Code of Conduct
I am the Giant Space Hamster of Ill Omen! |
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Dungeons and Dragons 3rd Edition
