Best RPG Maker version for customization?

[cookiedetective]

OK I'm wondering which version of RPG Maker is best for/ allows complete customization for graphics. I'm perfectly capable of, and would much rather create the graphics myself. I mean character icons, sprites, backgrounds, etc. My friend hasn't used any of the newer ones so she isn't entirely sure which can even do that, (and I haven't tried using any of them for like 14 years), so I'm kinda a bit behind, but I'd still love to give it a go.

[neoVictrix]

You can technically do that with all of them, it's more a matter of the size at which you want to make the artwork (and of course your target platform and such). MV is 48px x 48px, VX Ace was 32px x 32px, so on and so on.

I'd imagine vector art would scale better between the engines than pixel art.

[Maxim]

All of them allow you to modify graphics to a certain extent, but the older RPG Makers can be limited. With that said, You can't go wrong with either RPG Maker MV or VX Ace. You can modify the majority (if not all) of the graphical assets to your own stuff.

[Iguana Guy]

Both VXace and MV use .png files as their base so either one works. The advantage for a newbie to custom making stuff would go to VXace because the images are not as large to work with. Disadvantage falls in that there is no SV actor bases to work with included in VX Ace if you needed those. But VXace being around a bit longer sure gives it several DLCs from which to glean materials for making stuff with. Personally I am using MV and customizing a lot of assetts for my own, I just resize VXace DLC stuff if I want to use something in MV. Owning both programs can allow you to do that too.

[Rowan]

MV = Best Customization
VX Ace = Most Stable
2000/2003 = Most User Friendly

That's simply my opinion though.

[Archeia]

MV = more resource sensitive and requires smart handling of resources from the User. But is technically the strongest among all of them. Yanfly is active and remade battle engine melody. 48x48 tile grid that can be changed with some plugins.

VXA = most stable and fun. Has Luna Engine if you want to easily modify UI by just changing parameters. Strong SV scripts from Theo Allen and Dr. Yami. Static 32x32.

[Fellstrike Games]

Archeia nailed it. I use both and agree 100%. I'm not using Luna Engine, but I have gone through it, and it's an excellent tool for both beginners and experienced users. You can find it right here on Steam too!
https://store.steampowered.com/app/325504/RPG_Maker_VX_Ace__Luna_Engine/
The one advantage VX Ace still has over MV is that there is far more content and revised/edited community scripts that will allow you to do more in terms of overall design variety (MV is catching up tho), but you can only publish natively to Windows with VX Ace. Take a look at what I have done with this VX Ace game I made on Steam, if you want to see what's possible with some extra work:

https://store.steampowered.com/app/340500/The_Warriorlock/
I don't know how to show this example to you without it appearing as a shameless, yet relevant plug, so feel free to friendly flame me in the forums. So many f's!