D&D

[Hera]

3.5 has its flaws but it was the best of all the systems.  4 is...ugh.  JJ Abrams bad.  MMO terms in D&D?  No just no.

[Snowfire]

3.5 has its flaws but it was the best of all the systems.  4 is...ugh.  JJ Abrams bad.  MMO terms in D&D?  No just no.

Now that, I'm afraid, I'm going to argue. The general consensus I've been finding across boards and societies is that 3.5 is good, but Pathfinder is better. A theory to which I subscribe quite heavily considering almost every game I have run since Pathfinder hit the shelves has used the Pathfinder ruleset augmented by converted 3.5 expansion books.

For me (going system wide here) it goes: Amber DRPG, Houses of the Blooded, Pathfinder-Eclipse Phase-Shadowrun (2nd ed), Battletech-Rogue Trader/Black Crusade, 3.5, White Wolf in general, at least a dozen other systems that I could not name off the top of my head, and then 4.0 sitting somewhere under a pile of flaming socks.

But your second point I'll definitely agree with - to a point. Some things about 4.0, the reactive defenses mainly (this not being from experience of playing, but being told about them) sound reasonable. Of course, then there's fifth Ed. Which is....yeah I don't think anyone's really quite sure what on earth WotC is planning at this point. Possibly not even the designers...

[Kheren]

My friends and I still play but we play 3.5  While 4 has its ups and downs 3.5 is still in my mind the best RPG system ever and also the most fun.

I certainly beg to differ.

- Each and every iteration of D&D AD&D and such have you limited to predefined classes with very little options to branch out except with, again, predefined subclasses... same with the player races"... and none to create from scratch something entirely new and different. Now, how about a system that would let you create in every detail (attributes, advantages, disadvantages, quirks, perks, personality fleshed out, equipement and spells even) your own unique character ?

- Every iteration of D&D had balance problems; at one point or another , mages were too powerful; scenarios heavily favored the warrior type; Elves had tremendous advantages over the "younger races;" a lot of races were so OP that they were forbidden to players.  Now, how about a system ensuring that every character made, PC and NPC, are perfectly balanced to one another in game terms? (in playing terms, it is of course only up to the player)

-Every iteration of D&D is the same thing; medieval fantasy, mostly the western a-la-Tolkien variant. Now, how about a system where you could use the same rules, the same way in any kind of setting you could ever imagine? So well in fact, that you could mix a knight with a ninja, a cowboy, a mutant, a vampire, a psionicist, a robot and a space alien or whatever you can imagine... all perfectly balanced to one another?

Well this system does exist (now in it's 4th Edition as well) and it is NOT D&D, sorry.

It is called GURPS (for Generic Universal Role-Playing System). The name says it all. No more buying and learning a different set of rulebooks each time you want to switch from Fantasy to Sci-Fi to Western to WWII... or one crazy setting a-la-Rift with all of them together! One system and then, your only limit is your imagination.

Oh and all of it with only three standard 6-sided dice. No costly set of complicated dice to buy and use!

Of course, D&D has its qualities and charm. But best RPG system ever? To me, the best system ever and the most fun is the one that allow me full creative freedom,  be it as GM or as player.

You can make a perfect Star Trek RPG out of it in no time btw.

[Sorripto]

Half the fun of D&D is the dice of different kinds and shapes.  Not to mention it takes a lot of roleplaying creativity to get through a scenario that favors warriors if all you have is a paladin or cleric as your fighter.

[Kheren]

Which can always be done with a system that allows you to play exactly what you want whatever it is anyway Even more if your seven paladins are all distinctively different and not part of the nameless army of the faceless clones form a one format class system hehe

As for the dice well if you like to complicate things for the sake of it... and pay extra for it...