D&D 1E Getting a 1E/2E feel from 5E

[Barantor]

First thing I did was run several adventures with just the Basic 5E rules (free ones you get on WotC site). This gave a very basic game that was easy for players to pick up. I ran it with my kids and then once with some adults.

I would expand that idea by taking away most of the archetypes and limiting classes to their 'base' or generic archetype. Druid would be circle of land, ranger hunter, paladin oath of faith, etc.

Go back to Greyhawk. Use only races and subraces that fit in that setting. It was the default and Forgotten Realms has added many since it's introduction.

Take out short rests. For abilities that require short rests to recharge, set a 3 or 2 a day limit instead and only allow long rests.

You could take away advantage and disadvantage if you wanted to have hard mode, but I haven't played with the numbers enough to tell how much that changes things.

 

[lowkey13]

*Deleted by user*

 

[Green1]

First thing I did was run several adventures with just the Basic 5E rules (free ones you get on WotC site). This gave a very basic game that was easy for players to pick up. I ran it with my kids and then once with some adults.

I would expand that idea by taking away most of the archetypes and limiting classes to their 'base' or generic archetype. Druid would be circle of land, ranger hunter, paladin oath of faith, etc.

Go back to Greyhawk. Use only races and subraces that fit in that setting. It was the default and Forgotten Realms has added many since it's introduction.

Take out short rests. For abilities that require short rests to recharge, set a 3 or 2 a day limit instead and only allow long rests.

You could take away advantage and disadvantage if you wanted to have hard mode, but I haven't played with the numbers enough to tell how much that changes things.

I would keep the advances 5e made with advantage/disadvantage. Otherwise, you would need to go with situational modifiers because some things to do are easier than others. Adv/Disadv. is just a good system. You wouldn't go back to thac0, would you? It is that good of an advance to DnD.

I really approve of eliminating short rest for abilities and going with times per day. So much so, that should be a rule in 5e.

 

[JiffyPopTart]

1. 1st level wizards only get a single spell slot.

2. Saves vs. spells are not influenced by the spellcasting attribute of the caster, instead are based on the CR of the creature.

3. Magic items out the wazoo.

4. Tighter alignment restrictions.

5. Fighters should be tweaked to become fairly useless at double-digit levels. Paladins and Rangers should be superior to fighters in almost every way.

6. Players cannot pick character class, but must instead roll their attributes first to see which class they can attain.

7. Limit demi-humans to lower levels than humans of the same class.

8. (if you want to emulate 2e) Rename demons and devils as baatezu and taanari.

9. Different XP advancement milestones for each class.

10. Remove the section in most save-or-X spells that lets those affected make a new save every round.

This quick list is just off the top of my head....*

DS

* Yes, it was supposed to be kinda snarky. I kinda don't see the point to converting 5e back to older editions when the older editions already exist with tons of supplements. A different question might be "What should I steal from 5e and add to my 1e/2e game?" if you prefer the older editions.

 

[Wulfgar76]

My group has done exactly this.

We are all grognards who grew up on 1e/2e and we very much wanted a more gritty, swingy, dangerous game than off the shelf 5th edition.
We wanted low level characters to feel fragile, and mid level characters to feel less like Superheroes and more like Adventurers. We wanted character death to be a real possibility.
Here are most of the changes we implemented:

1. New Death Rules - characters now die at -10 HP, death saves still exist, you lose 1d6 hp if you fail one.
2. Realistic Resting - a long rest only gives back half your HD, and no HP.
3. No Feats, No Multiclassing - subclasses still exist
4. More save or die - on both sides of the screen
5. Set HP after 10th level - HP maximum increases by 2/level after 10th (3 for 'warrior' classes), no additional Hit Dice after 10th

 

[Sacrosanct]

Most everything given was mechanical in nature, but really, all you have to do is stress:

Interaction and exploration are equally as important, and takes up as much game time, as combat. Exploration can easily be 1/2 of the session by itself.
Just because there's an encounter, doesn't mean you have to fight it. In fact, avoiding combat is preferred.
Minis are unnecessary, and if used at all, usually only for marching order or large complex battles. Even then, only in general locations. Grids are not used.
One of the players will be mapping the dungeon him or herself for the party
Player skill can override character skill. I.e., how a player describes their PC doing things can make skill rolls unnecessary.

 

[Psikerlord#]

If you were to attempt making 5E more like 1E or 2E what changes would you make?

Simple ones that come to mind . . .

Slower healing, perhaps 1hp/level per long rest
No feats
Remove automatic stat increases

Anything else anyone can think of?

Track negative hp, instead of healing from zero. This also discourages the whack-a-mole effect.

 

[Psikerlord#]

I would keep the advances 5e made with advantage/disadvantage. Otherwise, you would need to go with situational modifiers because some things to do are easier than others. Adv/Disadv. is just a good system. You wouldn't go back to thac0, would you? It is that good of an advance to DnD.

I really approve of eliminating short rest for abilities and going with times per day. So much so, that should be a rule in 5e.

I agree the 2/day (assuming 2 short rests over 6-8 encounters/day) instead of short rest should appear in an Unearthed Arcana.

 

[IgnatiusJ.Reilly]

Some things not already mentioned:


1. Deal with cantrips.

2. Arcane/Divine divide among spells.

3. No casting in armor for Arcane casters.

4. Possibly deal with Ritual Casting.

5. Throw out the concentration mechanic.

 

[aramis erak]

If you were to attempt making 5E more like 1E or 2E what changes would you make?

Simple ones that come to mind . . .

Slower healing, perhaps 1hp/level per long rest
No feats
Remove automatic stat increases

Anything else anyone can think of?

The only one I'd change is the healing rates.

I've played enough 2E to realize the variety of bizzarre crap thrown in in various splats that basically equate to feats. Including the late 2E Players' Option system...