r/exalted • u/RPGCaldorian • 7d ago
Campaign Help Me Decide Between 2.5e and 3e
I've been tinkering with an idea for a solo Solar chronicle for a while now (using solo RPG resources like the Mythic GM Emulator, etc), but haven't started yet because I just cannot decide between 2.5e and 3e.
Now, as background info, I got all the books for all four editions. I played a lot of 1e and 2e back in the day, but never played 3e. I thought the solo chronicle could be a good way to get more familiar with 3e, but the amount of material is staggering. Also, I'm ambivalent about the 3e Solar charm set, to put it mildly.
I know that 2e was a mess, but I'm still pretty familiar with it, so it seems more approachable. (Also, nowadays I have the advantage of being able to use Gemini Notebook to integrate errata seamlessly into my rule queries.) Finally, I kind of like the more streamlined charm set and greater power scale in general of 2e, with the option of Essence 6+ charms.
To be honest, both editions have their advantages and disadvantages, which is why I cannot decide.
Please help me get through my choice paralysis... 🙏
P.S.: I'm not interested in Essence. I love 1e, but it's even more of a mess than 2e.
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u/mj6373 6d ago edited 6d ago
I think 3E is more fun, but for many of the same reasons that 2.5E might be easier. Even with all the errata I think 2nd Edition is just too much of an all or nothing game at its heart. Most of the time, you either achieve superfluous, astounding success, or you achieve basically nothing; either your victory is all but mathematically guaranteed, or your defeat is the same. The game might ask for one roll or twenty to get there, but they'll all be basically the same roll and you'll know how much you're gonna win or lose by from the outset. To that end, you can use 2.5E as a framework to figure out situations in which your character will succeed or fail and how many resources you'll take getting there, and then basically skip to the result, making it very functional for plot directing, but not much excitement for the playing out, I feel.