Maxperson
Morkus from Orkus
0e to 2e. 3e was the start of the easy street D&D games. The DM could kill PCs, sure, but if giving level appropriate encounters, you had to get unlucky to die at 1st level and once you hit 2nd you had to get very unlucky.At a lot of combat or meatgrinder tables, it was better to not give your character's histories and background unless they made it to a certain level. You'd survive to level 5 or something, then describe your brackground at campfire or a backroom of a tavern.
"Where are you from, Fighter" says Dwarf.
This is what promotes a lot of racial stereotype PCs. Because from 0e-3e, it was a bad idea to invest in a PC's story unless a DM informed you it mattered. Because levels 1-3 were super deadly.