The 4th Edition D&Der, inheriting the 2nd Edition burden

To be quite honest I really don't care if someone wants to play FATAL ( I sure as Hell don't), 3rd edition D&D, Castles and Crusades, Lamentations of the Flame Princess or something in-between. As I've expressed here and elsewhere on the web. Not my cup of tea to rain on someone else's parade for their gaming fun.

Enter the ass-hattery of the anti-2e crowd. Suffice of to say my opinion of them is as high as a kobold in good standing, which is to say not much. And now that leaves the abuse that's sure to come your way. I only react in this, best defense with these clowns is a good offense.

With that said I feel a strange kinship now with the 4th edition D&D fans now. Around 4 years as a print run for the "current edition/in print version" of D&D is not that long at all, in fact it's shockingly short. Wow, the shortest run of all of them.  4th edition takes the mantle of whipping boy for editions of D&D.

I however am not going to golf clap at the funeral ala grognard style. Your game might not have been my game, but I have a good deal of sympathy for you. My best advice. Go on the offensive. When grognards tell your game sucks, point out the flaws of 1st edition AD&D or which there are many, don't let them fool you. Stuff like initiative, horrible organization of the rules, psionics and the like there is plenty of fodder there.

Am I promoting edition wars? Some might see it as so, but I like to point out that most of us 2e folks are generally live and let live in this, that is until most of us got on line and encounter the rabid neck beards (look at definition #6) then we learned real quick. Want proof? There are folks online who actually believe that Terrible Trouble at Tragidore is representative of 2nd edition module quality.

Meanwhile never laying eyes on the run of Dungeon from issues #18-81, which rank with some of the best modules all time (yes I said it). Modules like Iron Orb of the Druegar, Mud Sorcerers Tomb, and Kingdom of the Ghouls are insanely great.

If you stay the course for your favored edition then by all means do so, and don't let anyone tell you any different. Your game is not my game, but I cannot help feel a kinship, your edition is now going to be the least supported out of all of them:

• 0e, Basic, 1st and 2nd are more or less interchangeable despite what the grogs think.
• 3rd had a mountain of material for it during its run and Pathfinder can easily be substituted.
• That leaves 4th on its own island...

I say this in the end because it looks like 5th edition is going back to its root (allegedly).

In closing its going to be a lonely road, but if it's your course steer it: "Second star to the right... and straight on until morning."*

(* Yes I know it's from Peter and Wendy.)