OD&D Mixing OD&D with 4E: Witness the Folly!

[Lanefan]

For the 4E lovers, if you were going to houserule OD&D, and if you could only use three elements from 4th Edition, which three would you choose? What three rules, classes, races, monsters, dice mechanics, weapons, or features would you use to convert your OD&D game into the Best Game Evar?

1. Allow most races to advance unlimited in most classes (but no Dwarven wizards, thank you).
2. Make Magic-users and Clerics work like Sorcerors - still have slots-by-level but no pre-memorization.
3. Throw in lots of 4e monsters (with h.p. scaled to 0e standards).

For the 4E haters, if you were going to houserule OD&D in such a way as to make it absolutely and completely unplayable on any level, which three would you choose? What three components of 4E would destroy all that you love about OD&D forever? Remember, you have to limit yourself to only three elements of the 4E game, such as rules, classes, races, monsters, dice mechanics, weapons, or features.

1. Hit points: remove randomization and give 1st-level PCs far too many.
2. Add in all the picky-picky movement rules and chessboard tactics.
3. Add in all the speed-ups: 6-hour full-heal resting, at-will and per-encounter abilities all over the place, no useful summoning, etc.

Lanefan

 

[pweent]

1. Action points. We used to smack people for fudging their rolls, and now they want to make it LEGAL?

Just to point out: It's 3e action points that let you cheat your die rolls. 4e action points by default let you take an extra action on your turn.

And as much as I'd love to participate in the basic question, I think I have to fall in with "Keep your chocolate out of my peanut butter!" I can't really see any elements of 4e that I'd incorporate into old D&D that aren't already 3.x rules (max HP at first level, etc.). I love the healing surges mechanic, but it is not an easily transplantable subsystem.