Going from AD&D to 3.5 or 4.0 What should I expect? - Downloaded from the Wizards Community, all coding removed by Solauren

Going from AD&D to 3.5 or 4.0 What should I expect?

Post/Author/DateTime Post
#1
Drockius
Aug 18, 2010 10:18:44 I'm 23 years old and I've only ever played AD&D. In fact, my group still played AD&D up until about a month ago cause life got in the way for the DM and the other players.

Another group at my LGS has asked if I was interested in starting a campaign and I of course said yes. I asked if we were playing AD&D and they said they were thinking 3.5 or 4.0.

I've read 4.0 and I don't really like it. It reminds me too much of MMORPGs and I stopped playing those for a reason. So if they choose that, I wont bother.

But if they decide to go 3.5, which I haven't read yet, is there anything I can do to adjust for that?
#2
salla
Aug 18, 2010 14:54:51 If you go with 3.5 --
1. Play a spellcaster. Martial characters are useless after 3rd level.
2. Don't get too attached to your character; low-level characters are incredibly fragile, and combats are frequently decided on a single saving throw.
3. The only skill worth putting points in is Use Magic Device. Spells and magic items render every other skill obsolete.
#3
Pashalik_Mons
Aug 18, 2010 15:06:41 If they go with 4th-

Just try it. It is not an MMO, and you will discover this if you try it.

At least you can make some new friends.
#42
uhf
Sep 02, 2010 12:43:03 By asking if I have UMD, you are asking me to define my character by the magic items he uses.

Eliminating this exact issue is a core tenent of 4e and indeed Iron Heroes (the 3.5 version of 4e).

My character is not his magic items. He's more than that. He's better than that. He's above that.

For that matter why don't we just skip to the chase and start by giving me magic items, and I'll build a character to hold them.
#43
Pashalik_Mons
Sep 02, 2010 12:50:03 My problem with saying that 4e feels like a video game is that the people you play with have more influence on whether the game feels like a video game or not.

For instance, dungeons that we have no more reason to traverse than "that is where the gold and monsters are" makes it feel like a video game. Characters power gamed out the ass with a backstory little better than a cardboard cut-out make it feel like a video game. People giving their characters uninventive and/or joke names('Merlin III, because my first two wizards died' or 'Dickcheese McStabsalot, the rogue') make it feel like an MMO. The Dm having his plot all laid out, with no place for the PCs to change anything(other than where he's written their parts, of course) make it feel like a video game. Villains that sit in the dungeon and let PCs sleep two nights in cleared out rooms without making a move make it feel like a video game.

Things that usually get 4e labelled as "like a video game" are things like class balance and the power system, or the relative lack of rules for non-combat situations. While I can and have stood up for these features, even if you hold that all of these can make the game feel like a video game, they have far less impact on it than the people you play with.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
#1 Drockius Aug 18, 2010 10:18:44	I'm 23 years old and I've only ever played AD&D. In fact, my group still played AD&D up until about a month ago cause life got in the way for the DM and the other players. Another group at my LGS has asked if I was interested in starting a campaign and I of course said yes. I asked if we were playing AD&D and they said they were thinking 3.5 or 4.0. I've read 4.0 and I don't really like it. It reminds me too much of MMORPGs and I stopped playing those for a reason. So if they choose that, I wont bother. But if they decide to go 3.5, which I haven't read yet, is there anything I can do to adjust for that?
#2 salla Aug 18, 2010 14:54:51	If you go with 3.5 -- 1. Play a spellcaster. Martial characters are useless after 3rd level. 2. Don't get too attached to your character; low-level characters are incredibly fragile, and combats are frequently decided on a single saving throw. 3. The only skill worth putting points in is Use Magic Device. Spells and magic items render every other skill obsolete.
#3 Pashalik_Mons Aug 18, 2010 15:06:41	If they go with 4th- Just try it. It is not an MMO, and you will discover this if you try it. At least you can make some new friends.
#42 uhf Sep 02, 2010 12:43:03	By asking if I have UMD, you are asking me to define my character by the magic items he uses. Eliminating this exact issue is a core tenent of 4e and indeed Iron Heroes (the 3.5 version of 4e). My character is not his magic items. He's more than that. He's better than that. He's above that. For that matter why don't we just skip to the chase and start by giving me magic items, and I'll build a character to hold them.
#43 Pashalik_Mons Sep 02, 2010 12:50:03	My problem with saying that 4e feels like a video game is that the people you play with have more influence on whether the game feels like a video game or not. For instance, dungeons that we have no more reason to traverse than "that is where the gold and monsters are" makes it feel like a video game. Characters power gamed out the ass with a backstory little better than a cardboard cut-out make it feel like a video game. People giving their characters uninventive and/or joke names('Merlin III, because my first two wizards died' or 'Dickcheese McStabsalot, the rogue') make it feel like an MMO. The Dm having his plot all laid out, with no place for the PCs to change anything(other than where he's written their parts, of course) make it feel like a video game. Villains that sit in the dungeon and let PCs sleep two nights in cleared out rooms without making a move make it feel like a video game. Things that usually get 4e labelled as "like a video game" are things like class balance and the power system, or the relative lack of rules for non-combat situations. While I can and have stood up for these features, even if you hold that all of these can make the game feel like a video game, they have far less impact on it than the people you play with.