Hi guys,

I used to play D&D back in Jr. High. I grew up on the 1st Ed. AD&D. I recently had the urge to pick up some of the original modules from back then and update them to the modern rules. What I need to know is: Which version should I update them too? I'm so confused that there seem to be about 3 or 4 different versions. Which one is everyone playing?

I've given up on D&D and went to Pathfinder. In many ways, they are cleaner rules IMO. Many call it D&D 3.75.

D&D 3.5 was probably my favorite of the true D&D versions. Cleaned up rules from 3.0 and less confusing combat and skill system (due to the d20 system from 3.0).

D&D 4.0 was good for dungeon crawls and games involving lots of combat. You could still roleplay with it, but the mechanics within the system weren't there. The GM could make up house rules but that takes time and effort which many GMs don't have. I did like how thematic each class could be within a combat and spellcasters weren't 1-shot wonders and fighter A wasn't the same as fighter B.

D&D 5.0 has come out. I know some have begun to play it and I've made a character in it. It kept some of the 4.0 ideas, added RP mechanics back in, but I can't speak for gameplay.

Hope that helps.

A lot of the classic D&D modules have already been converted to 3.0, 3.5, and 4.0 (?). You could save yourself trouble and grab one of those to run it. Also, there were several adventures published for 3.5 that revisited those modules that people know and love. They were usually called Return to... and were solid products. I ran both Return to the Temple of Elemental Evil and Return to Castle Greyhawk. My group and I all had a blast with each.

If you want the fun of the process of converting and rewriting the old modules (no sarcasm intended, I get that this is fun for some folks), I would recommend getting the 5.0 rules and writing them up for that. This would probably get the most attention for players who want to give the 5.0 rules a shot. A lot of players that I've talked to skipped 4.0, but would be willing to try 5.0.

To me, Pathfinder is like D&D with superheros or demigod characters. That's fun sometimes. The big draw for Pathfinder for me is that it seems to be very well-supported right now, and I haven't seen anything that says that's going to change anytime soon. Paizo was able to come in and fill the gap that 4.0 left with a solid and beautiful game that satisfies its players.

_________________
- Andy Koehler

"During times of universal deceit, telling the truth becomes a revolutionary act." - George Orwell