Is it possible that 2nd edition could make a very popular come back?

[BlueBlackRed]

With D&D Next/5e frequently described as version 2.75, have you considered maybe switching to D&D Next/5e?

What we will play is very up in the air.
5E depends on the finished product. There is a level of mistrust in our group with WotC.
Anything having to do with 3E is 50/50. We have one player who is pretty against it, but he can be reasoned with.
Any other OSR type game is unlikely due to money, and time to read yet another rulebook.

I would like to give E6 a shot.

 

[Henry]

I think there needs to be a separation between the campaign material for 2E, which was phenomenal, and the rules core, which in my opinion was a rehash of 1E with a lot of stuff that was popular to many gamers cut out and re-added. A lot of gamers i've met over the years frequently mishmashed 1e and 2e together in that time period, which really doesnt happen much any more.

 

[Mistwell]

After 4E gutted the Realms and didn't bother to fill the hollowed out shell with anything of note, 5E would have to pull out all the stops to reel me back in as a customer. As it stands, I plan to use 1E/2E FR material, but not with D&D.

Have you watched Salvatore and Greenwood's comments on what happened with 4e, and how he had no say in it, and how he has all the say over steering that ship back again? Check it out, starting at 11:40:

[video=youtube_share;aLf1hBUr9M4]http://youtu.be/aLf1hBUr9M4?t=11m44s[/video]

I think you might enjoy it. They brought back some guys who were working on it back in the 80s, they're trying to bring back a more classic feel to it, a level of joy and innocence and mystery, more heroic, and an end to cataclysmic events.

 

[billd91]

I think there needs to be a separation between the campaign material for 2E, which was phenomenal, and the rules core, which in my opinion was a rehash of 1E with a lot of stuff that was popular to many gamers cut out and re-added. A lot of gamers i've met over the years frequently mishmashed 1e and 2e together in that time period, which really doesnt happen much any more.

Of course the rules were mostly a rehash of 1e. They were meant to be a clean-up of the 1e rules integrating a lot of the materials that showed up in other sources after the initial 1e core books.

 

[Herobizkit]

I'll just chime in by adding that, while 2e had a wealth of amazing material, the system itself is still too wonky compared to the elegance of d20.

I will say that Bards have never been better than as presented in 2e... and then they made a Bard's Handbook... *slobbers*

... and remember when it was possible to play Clerics with NO access to Healing spells? Weren't they priceless?

 

[Giltonio_Santos]

As much as I'd want it, as a 2E fan, I don't see this happening.

That said, D&D Next is a solid option for a game that feels like 2E, while also incorporating modern design sensibilities. It's light on rules, skills are a lot like old nonweapon proficiency rules and the flat mat also helps. Right now, I do miss our beloved multiclassing rules, but I expect it to be a module, and Unearthed Arcana rules for gestalt characters could easily be ported as well.

Cheers,

 

[Celestian]

Like I said - don't let data get in the way of an anecdote! You might be in danger of veering towards something resembling accuracy, and we wouldn't want that!

But based on anecdotes, 0% of me plays 2E. Proof!

Snide/rude comments aside do you have a complete list of sites you build these stats from? The blurb at the top doesn't mention the sites I visit and most of the discussion there hardly touches the "top" games in these charts.

Data is only good as the sources and variables. I wouldn't get to high on that horse.

 

[Celestian]

With D&D Next/5e frequently described as version 2.75, have you considered maybe switching to D&D Next/5e?

I really don't see the similarities myself. 5e is just 3e+. Class advancement/stats/combat... all 3e.

 

[Yora]

While 2nd Edition has some improvements over 1st, I don't really see it making a big comback.

People will play retroclones, which are either based on 1st edition or got revised math so the different between 1st and 2nd edition became irrelevant; or 3rd Ed./Pathfinder, or 5th Ed.

I don't really know who the people would be to play 2nd Edition reprints.

I think 2nd Ed. is better than 1st Ed, but Castles & Crusades is better than 2nd Ed.

 

[Zardnaar]

There is also not a vast amount of 2nd ed retroclones and it doesn't seem that popular compared to 1st ed in OSR circles. I like it better than 1st ed but oh well and I probably agree about Castles and Crusades.