original box set D&D
Holmes
Moldway/Cook
mentzer / RC
AD&D
AD&D 2nd edition
3.0
3.5
Or something else entirely ?
However, I haven't actually had an active campaign for more than 5 years now.
The fact that I live in a country almost totally devoid of roleplayers, with a different language, might have something to do with that... I could get by fine in Japanese as a player, but introducing the game to people and then DM'ing in Japanese is a little beyond me, I think.So, I potter along, supporting all you guys who are still playing, and enjoying what I always liked the most anyway - the books, the maps, and the excellent ideas we share with each other here on the Internet.
The only thing I borrowed from AD&D at the time was the alignment system. I also liked that in AD&D there is a differentiation between race and class - but I found that the Gazetteers and the Creature Crucibles rather fixed that.
If I run it will be B/E/C/M/I/Cyclopeadia - though I have toyed with the idea of using it for Chivalry and Sorcery (I picked up the 3rd Ed checp before it sank again, but have never used them).
My group is having a blast, too. I just recently ran Rahasia (B1-9 compilation version) as a 3.5 adventure. Lotsa fun.
I must admit that I occasionally miss the simplicity of OD&D when it comes to adventure preparation.
R.A.
I'm an OD&D fan who never touched AD&D and although pessimistic at first, i compleletly embraced the d20 system to my Mystara campaigns.
Until the release of third edition the Rules Cyclopedia was my favorite D&D product, ever. It also was the definitive version of the Known World that I used in my campaigns for a while.
Now, back to the topic. If I ever DM standard D&D again it will in the Known World with the 3.5 rules set (or fourth edition if that's out by then...yeah, I have no plans on DMing any time soon).
So I guess my answer is 3.5. :P
Although now you can pick up cheap ESD's of the AD&D 2nd edition ...... hmmm.
Nah, I'm too old to change! ;)
I was convinced to change to 3e and have never regretted it. With a few modifications I find it captures Mystara well. We now use 3.5 but without a few base classes (Sorcerer and Bard) and with alignments replaced by Spheres.
I have DM'd for many years in Mystara. Currently, I have DM'd for the last 15 years (real-time) mostly with my brothers as the playing group (usually 5 or 6 of us at a session, as we can fit them in about 1 time a month); they're still around level 5, as the party has gotten killed off a couple of times.
I have barely cracked a 3.5E DM book this last week, though I know a little of the rules, and borrow ideas from Dragon magazines. I, too, like the simplicity of fewer rules, and, ideally, story over mechanics (at least, realistically-aligned game mechanics that try to account for EVERYTHING).
Thanks, Thorf, for helping support our passion and love of Mystara, despite not being able to play. I have really enjoyed the discussions on the board, and your maps of late.
I use Old D&D rules (though I like the term 'Classic D&D' better), like Thorf, using the Rules Cyclopedia (we have about 4 copies for the group), and several house rules.
Careful. What people usually mean by OD&D - the original, 1974 version - is *not* the Basic Set rules most of us grew up on, it's a very different animal. The first version of D&D that was (in my view, at least) recognizably the same system that later got compiled into the Rules Cyclopedia came out in 1981, and is thus actually newer than AD&D; it is not the original version by any stretch of the imagination.
(In terms of the first post in this thread, the Cyclopedia version is "Mentzer / RC", the '81 version I mentioned is ""Moldway/Cook", and what people usually mean by OD&D is "Original boxed set D&D" - three maddeningly vague little white or beige booklets.)
Just 'cause I mostly use products from the last two years doesn't mean I don't know my history ;) .
Or something else entirely ?
We're using a set of rules built off the 3.5e SRD called "Wizards and Warriors." It has the core classes so we can play the classic DnD modules without too much DM conversion. Right now we're playing X4/X5 (Master of the Desert Nomads) and the party is really doing well.
Take a look and enjoy.
http://home.psknet.com/allenr/Dark_Coast.html
--Ray.
If I ever run a standard Mystara campaign again, it would probably be with Castles & Crusades. As was mentioned elsewhere, C&C is an excellent bridge between BECMD&D and D&D ver3.5.
For Mystara games, what version do you use ?
Usually AD&D 2e, though recently almost only rule-less or rule-light PbeM games. I would use OD&D-RC for non-human based games, though (especially Sea People or Wee Folk campaigns).
For Mystara games, what version do you use ?
QUOTE]
I running two campaigns at the moment. The first started under 3.0, but is evolving into 3.5. ie if a 3.5 version of a feat, PrC class comes out then we change to the 3.5 version.
The second campaign has been 3.5 from the off. I've actually only run the one adventure so far - the party is based in Glantri but they will be going to the Hollow World.
Gary
For Mystara games, what version do you use ?
I'm using the 3.5 rules, although in the past I have used Menzter/RC, GURPS, and MasterBook/TORG aswell.
My application of 3.5 is very rules light though. I currently dont use PrCs, combat is abstract and skill rules are used only as guidelines (though the skill system itself is brilliant IMO).
James: I am really looking forward to HackMaster Mystara. (But you already knew that didn't you? :P )
Gary: Want to share your conversions? What conversions have you done for HW so far?
Håvard
Gary: Want to share your conversions? What conversions have you done for HW so far?
Haven't done much yet! At the moment, I'm currently looking at the benefits certain races get for cultural bias etc. (such as the Azcans getting 2 Hit Dice at 1st level and +1 hp per level - probably replace that with a free Toughness feat and +2 Con or the Improved Toughness feat instead).
I'm also thinking of using the Weapon Groups variant rule from Unearthed Arcana in a modified form to represent cultural weapons and armour.
I'll check my notes to see what I've got so far, and post them in new thread.
Gary
GW