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Playtest Group of the Month
(November)

More About Us:

Name: John "Seanchaí" Grose
Residence: Aurora, CO
Age: 28
AD&D experience:16 years
Words to live by: "If you squeeze a bee, it's genitals will pop out."

Name: Brett "The Ice Mage" Paul
Residence: Denver, CO
Age: 30
AD&D experience: 11 years
Classy comment: Mages had always been my favorite class, but with the 3E rules, fighters, clerics and mages get equal billing! (I'm still a lousy thief.)
On the playtest experience: I was very happy to have been chosen to participate in this playtest. I'm even happier that my comments were heard and taken into consideration, helping to shape the future of the D&D game. Overall the new edition is a vast improvement over 2E. The designers managed to streamline the system while adding great flexibility and keeping the AD&D flavor.

Name: Brady Hustad
Residence: Highlands Ranch, CO
Age: 26
AD&D experience: about 7 years give or take (about 14 Years
of gaming experience)
Informed opinion: "Paladins RULE!"
On the playtest experience: For the first time I think in my recollection of gaming, I feel a game has been made at least partially 'by the people for the people.' The playtest process was interesting and fun to be a part of. They would give us material and specific areas to work on, then we would campaign specifically using those things needing looked at. For instance they were wanting feedback on spells, so we played a high-level mage/cleric campaign for a month testing every spell we could get. The highlight of this process is we would put our group feedback together, and then in the next playtext package, we invariably saw changes we suggested. Not all of them, but enough that we know they listened, weighed what we said, and used ideas that they saw merit in.

When we were asked to playtest 3rd Edition I was excited mainly because I was hoping for a system that I would enjoy more on the mechanics end than 2nd edition. Well, I was not disappointed. I think 3rd edition is great! My personal highlights in the system are the new multiclassing rules-these rock!-and class restrictions being lifted so you don't have to break the 'rules' to have unique player characters. The mechanics are not heavy for game play either so they don't become the bogging factor in a night of gaming. All in all, 3rd Edition gets 5 stars from me!

Name: Christian D. Canada
Residence: Littleton, CO
Age:31
AD&D experience: 18 years
Valuable advice: "If it is still moving, fireball it!"
Favorite character class: Mage/ Thief
On the playtest experience: 3E has finally arrived, and about time! Being given the chance to playtest the next generation of D&D, seeing your suggestions actually being taken seriously and used, is about the greatest feeling I've ever had. (well, almost ;-) )

The game mechanics are logical and play well. The attack bonuses are faster to figure than in 1E and 2E, making battles quicker. Character classes that I enjoy are still around and not relegated to the circular file. I like the fact that the D&D development team has kept the rules flexible for all styles of players and DMs and not radically changed the game so that it was unrecognizable. The D&D development team has been great in listening to our concerns as playtesters and fantastic in answering questions (especially Kim Mohan!). Thanks!

Name: Pete Indge
City: Parker, CO
Age: 27
AD&D experience: 15+ years
The British outlook: "Don't you dare ask me for anything . . . we already gave you this country years ago."
Best characters: My favourite characters I've played in earlier editions of D&D were either a dwarven fighter or a transmuter specialist mage. My favourite class in 3E has to be the cleric.
On the playtest experience: When I first moved from England to Denver 18 months ago and started gaming with these guys, I was just glad to be in a group that shared my ideas of a fun game. When they told me that they would be playtesting '3e' I couldn't believe my luck.

Since we received the first batch of materials, over a year ago, and began to rip apart each paragraph like a pack of rabid dogs, the group has kept the same dedication to ensuring the final quality of the new edition and I feel that should be recognised.

Through thick and thin. Tears of laughter, sometimes anger. The bottom line has always been to make sure that the finished product is what we want, and what we think the AD&D community will want, to see, come August 2000.

I would be a liar if I said it has been easy. The biggest problem I've had is communication. You see, I'm English and the rest of the group just don't understand me when I talk. Seriously . . . I've found the biggest problem with change is the urge to hold on to what you know and are used to. Rising above that and viewing things from a much bigger perspective than being a single consumer was, and still is, very challenging.

I do believe that you will appreciate the efforts of *all* the playtesting groups when you finally get your hands on 3e. There's something in it for everyone. Newbies and old-timers, both. "The future's bright . . . the future's 3e . . ."

Name: Raymond H. Holding
Residence: Westminster, CO
Age: 28
AD&D experience: Eight years
Conniving minds want to know: "How light is your purse?"
On the playtest experience: I think the process was well planned and a fair amount of precautions were taken. I've never done playtesting before, but I found it enjoyable. I have a good group to game with, so there weren't any hardships.

Some of the changes in 3E as far as character class and abilities are an improvement, the simplification of combat is a good thing, and the "higher is better" mechanic is on target.

Name: Dana Harrod
Residence: Denver, CO
Age: Not polite to ask but if you must . . . almost 40
AD&D experience: Started with the red box Basic D&D in 1983. Playing D&D/AD&D almost exclusively ever since.
Playing style: I have a fondness for playing thieves and rangers (half-elf prefered race). The campaigns I run tend to have an emphasis on "role" playing rather than "roll" rlaying. I like for the PCs to be able to make a difference in their world, without having the world's events revolve around or depend upon their actions.
On the playtest experience: Having such long history of playing D&D, and watching it evolve over the years, I was quite excited to have a chance to influence that evolution. I think we have a lot of experience among the people in the group, enough that our opinions were hopefully valuable to the WotC team.

I think 3rd edition D&D will astound and amaze those who purchase it, and will please them greatly - old players and new, alike. While still maintaining the time-honored and well accepted "flavor" of D&D, 3E has enough changes in mechanics and style to allow a lot more flexibility in character generation and modifications to game play to justify the new edition. Its nice to know that with WotC's "assimilation" of TSR, the players of the game were not forgotten and that the new guys value our input and really do listen. Thanks to all the WotC playtest team for allowing us to be a part of this project.

Name: Eric B. Scott
Residence: Aurora, CO
Age: 24
AD&D experience: 10 years
Notable quote: "Spork!"
On the playtest experience: I was excited and optimistic that 3rd edition was going to be fun to play. I was particularly enthusiastic about the return of some of the old classes and races and the addition of new ones. The playtest process was a lot of work. It challenged us to be open-minded, creative, and to work together as a team. WotC valued their playtesters and listened to them quite often.

Okay maybe I'm not the smartest one in my group when it comes to thinking logically, and maybe I am the one in the group that enjoys hacking up little weak goblins with my +5 battle ax more then I actually enjoy taking on liches as a 100th-level wizard, but hey, I care about how 3E turned out too. I also try to be as much of a team player as possible so there is at least one person in our group willing to take orders from someone. :) I always try to make our campaigns light-hearted by playing characters that make others laugh-such as the dwarf that was so low in Wisdom that he called every encounter a hill giant, scaring most of the group when he was sent ahead to scout and report his findings. He still was one of the best fighters in the group though if nothing else.

I think 3rd edition is a good system to roleplay, develop a character, and have fun with. I like combat, magic, and skills.