The whimsical element of D&D vs AD&D

[Stoat]

Top Ballista?

 

[Mythmere1]

I do think you're seeing a tendency. Only a slight tendency, though.

 

[TerraDave]

Top Ballista?

Ya. I guess if you were looking for a difference you could argue that B/X is lighter. Not necassarily sillier or with more whimsy, just a little less dense, detailed, with slightly broader themes. Lighter.

I also wonder, some of those early classics, like B1 or Castle Amber, or the AD&D throwbacks like Adventureland, are really OD&D adventures and so creatively mix the strange with the less serious elements with the killing the PCs element, sometimes to great effect.

 

[The Shaman]

Someone needs to re-read AD&D spell components.

I always included wacky stuff, but I was also inspired quite a bit by Wormy back in the day.

 

[Hussar]

This is one place where I am in total agreement with many of the people I normally disagree with.

D&D needs more whimsy and silliness in it. I really miss the ridiculous in the published stuff.

 

[thedungeondelver]

Sword +1 (+6 versus gas spores) - In D1 DESCENT INTO THE DEPTHS OF THE EARTH.

That's just for starters.

If you don't think AD&D had whimsy, then...I just don't know what to tell you. It wasn't whimsical like, say, MARY POPPINS - more like TIME BANDITS.

And at any rate, how much whimsy AD&D or any other RPG has is irrespective of the rules. The Dungeon Master provides it depending on his campaign.

 

[Uller]

Compared to the "D&D is SERIOUS buisness" opinion of the books and adventures now, AD&D (both editions) was positively dripping with silliness.

Look at the AD&D PH and DMG. There are comics inside the rulebooks.

I'd also like to point out that the 1e DMG has a random prostitute generation table...maybe it's fair to say AD&D was more "adult" humor?

 

[Diamond Cross]

Actually I think some people are simply misunderstanding things.

A beholder is not whimsical. Neither is a mithral breadknife. A Mithral breadknife is no different than a breadknife of silver or gold.

Now the +2 Backscratcher is a pun, of course, but I've always found it very useful in combat. So I don't really consider it whimsical.

 

[fanboy2000]

A beholder is not whimsical.

Dude, it has a death ray. When you name something "death ray", you are not being serious.

Even if it is truth in advertising.

 

[pawsplay]

For me, at least, AD&D was about the serious side of D&D. Basic D&D was where strange mad things took place - over the top kingdoms and the like.

You mean like adventurers disguised as dire rats by wearing Mickey Mouse hats? That kind of serious?

As for the beholder, how can you take seriously a monster that has one eye that puts people to sleep, and another that disintegrates things at will?