Tagged "rules"

I have resisted adopting ascending Armor Class due solely to my own observations of the evolution of Dungeons and Dragons. In short, "to hit" starts as a number line (Basic¹) then becomes a set of tables hidden in the Dungeon Master's Guide (AD&D), then THAC0 (2E), bonus numbers on a class chart (3E) and finally class based advantages "to hit" disappear (4E and greater). From 4E onward fighters get quasi-magical powers that make them more difficult to play than in previous editions. I consider this bad game design because it increases the complexity of the once simple entry level class and thus raises the barrier to entry for new or casual gamers.