2e: What do I need?

[El Ravager]

I have been reading the following thread and it has kinda gotten me excited to give 2e a run again:

http://www.enworld.org/forum/genera...re-2e-rules-why-red-headed-stepchild-d-d.html

I played it and have fond memories of it but 3e came out soon after we started and switched to that. As such, I have very few books. I know one of the common problems cited with 2e is the bad splat books. My question is, what are the good ones. If I were to start a 2e game, beyond the core 3, what are the essential supplements I should look into getting? What is your ideal set of 2e books to run with, assuming that I am not running one of the published settings.

 

[jdrakeh]

Honestly, you don't really need any books beyond the core three, IMHO (I think AD&D 2e felt more complete in the three core books than any edition other edition did or does). That said, if I had to choose supplements, they'd be setting supplements — starting with the Planescape box set and Domains of Dread hardcover for Ravenloft.

 

[Drkfathr1]

Maybe Tome of Magic, although I don't think I ever had any players that used that one.

Arms and Equipment guide had some nice additional armors, weapons, and gear.

Really though, the only essentials I think you'd need are the PH, the DM's Guide, and the hardbound Monstrous Compendium.

 

[jdrakeh]

. . . and the hardbound Monstrous Compendium.

Ah, yeah, that's worth mentioning. The 3-ring Monstrous Compendium is really. . . er. . . crappy. Pick up the big, black, hardcover instead (in fact, pick up the black hardcovers of all three core books, as they fix some errors and such that appear in earlier printings).

 

[Chainsaw]

Yeah, as jdrakeh said, I can't remember actually feeling like I needed any of the other books, but as I said in another thread, our group had never played 1E, so we had no clue we were missing anything (half-orcs, assassins, psionics, whatever).

Now, in the end, I ended up owning almost all of the Complete series (thanks Grannie!), but we used them mainly for inspiration. We usually used the class creation rules in the DMG guide to build anything non-traditional. Granted, we wouldn't always adhere to their XP rules. Anyway, seems like maybe the Fighter, Thief and Arms/Equipment guides saw alot of use, but it's been a long time.

 

[ravin_raven]

I remember the Complete Wizard standing out as an excellent supplement for several reasons. It had a great break down the various schools, and the lists in the back were seeds for the imagination. Some of the new spells were neat. If it had kits, I don't even remember them.

 

[Mark]

2e: What do I need?

Please, click image . . .

​

 

[Wik]

The Complete Wizard *is* a pretty good book, and I've read it a couple dozen times. The druid book was also nice, as was the gladiator one.

The "Must-haves" for 2e are: the PHB, the DMG, and the Monstrous Compendium. I'd also add Tome of Magic to that list.

On the "good to have" I'd add the Arms and Equipment guide, the World Builder's Guidebook (one of the best books ever made!), and the complete wizard's.

The best thing about 2e, though, is the abundance of settings. Really, shop around and pick out one you like. That's truly where 2e shines over every other edition of D&D. Someone else said it already, but if you like one of the published campaign worlds, chances are pretty good it originated in the 2e era. (really, only Greyhawk, Forgotten Realms, Dragonlance, and Eberron have their origins outside of 2e).

 

[Gentlegamer]

Is that a way-back machine?

 

[justanobody]

Advanced Dungeons & Dragons Archive: Monstrous Manual

Advanced Dungeons & Dragons Archive: Player's Handbook

Advanced Dungeons & Dragons Archive: Dungeon Master Guide

Advanced Dungeons & Dragons Archive: Dungeon Master's Screen

Advanced Dungeons & Dragons Archive: Player Character Record Sheets

Advanced Dungeons & Dragons Archive: Dungeon Master's Design Kit


That is my bare minimum, but I like forms I can photocopy and such hence the last two, and any DM screen can be used since tables are easiest to look up in the DMG and PHB listed.