D&D 3 and 3.5
What happened here? There has been a lot of improvements over the past ten years, and a number of disappointments as well.
3.0 was exciting if only because it was a significant change toward the better. The system became more skill-based. I like point-buy systems, and I liked how smarter characters were allowed to purchase more skills. I don't like level / class - based RPGs. I think they're all dinosaurs, all of them, even if they're new.
I remember that the Ranger and the Bard were weak. I do not like collecting power-ups. If a game system provides an ability, that ability should be scalable and re-usable without having to write another custom special rule / power-up. I'm talking class abilities, spells, and feats here. As far as I'm concerned, it's an excuse to sell more books, and I don't like that at all.
Combat took forever because of the multiple attacks per turn, but it was an Open Source role playing system! The rules were available online, and you could sell your own variations of it!
3.5 felt like it came too soon, but maybe it fixed some things. I felt a little betrayed by the sudden and complete replacement of my investment into 3.0. I didn't buy any copies. I had given up on D&D again.
3.0 was exciting if only because it was a significant change toward the better. The system became more skill-based. I like point-buy systems, and I liked how smarter characters were allowed to purchase more skills. I don't like level / class - based RPGs. I think they're all dinosaurs, all of them, even if they're new.
I remember that the Ranger and the Bard were weak. I do not like collecting power-ups. If a game system provides an ability, that ability should be scalable and re-usable without having to write another custom special rule / power-up. I'm talking class abilities, spells, and feats here. As far as I'm concerned, it's an excuse to sell more books, and I don't like that at all.
Combat took forever because of the multiple attacks per turn, but it was an Open Source role playing system! The rules were available online, and you could sell your own variations of it!
3.5 felt like it came too soon, but maybe it fixed some things. I felt a little betrayed by the sudden and complete replacement of my investment into 3.0. I didn't buy any copies. I had given up on D&D again.