D&D 2E [2e] Which Optional Rules do You Use?

[Marc_C]

I'm currently re-reading 2e (black covers) for the first time since the late 90s.
Didn't recall it had that many optional rules.

Which ones do you like or use?

 

[el-remmen]

Weapon vs. Armor Type (except we did what it suggested not doing, and made it easier by giving all armors three ratings (slashing/piercing/blunt). We kept that into 3E!

We also used a bunch of modified Combat & Tactics optional rules, like Knockdown (also kept into 3E).

 

[delericho]

We always used proficiencies (weapon and non-weapon), individual initiative, and weapon speed adjustments to initiative. To be honest, I'd forgotten those latter two were even optional!

 

[TwoSix]

We used all the Combat and Tactics rules, pretty much, and a lot of the Skills and Powers rules (just not split stats).

Our last 2E campaign was all clerics using the S&M rules, which worked out really, really well.

 

[Musing Mage]

I ran a campaign for 18 years using the Player's Options series... though I did make the mistake early on of allowing almost EVERYTHING... (spoiler alert: It's a bad idea)

That said, the options books do have a lot of interesting features DMs can carefully introduce.

I personally love the combat system presented in the Combat and Tactics book and many of the options presented therein. If I returned to 2nd ed, it would definitely be used.

The Spell point system from the Spells and Magic book isn't bad either, though I ultimately found that while it's great for players, for DMs it's a pain in the rear. I do like the critical hit system for spells, and while it's an extra step slowing down combat a bit, it generates some really fun outcomes.

I also like the character points to some degree. The value of the CP system for character building is arguable, but I love players having a handful of character points to give themselves mulligans in-game for important rolls to increase survivability a little bit. I've considered porting it over to my 1st Ed game in some form.

 

[billd91]

We used the proficiency systems (weapon and non-weapon), individual initiative, complete handbooks, parrying, jogging and running rules, we added a new stat for Perception, and we tried out the subabilities for stats in PO: Skills and Powers (boy, was that a mistake).

I also fiddled with house rules on crits/fumbles, saving throws (particularly ones where the thief didn't suck so badly), and energy draining that presaged some of the ways 3e would ultimately modify it.

 

[wingsandsword]

From the core rules: Individual initiative, weapon speed adjustment to initiative, weapon and nonweapon proficiencies, and exceeding level limits come to mind.

We used the Players Option books, and used Character Points and CP based NWP's as well.

We allowed the subability rules from the Players Option rules. . .but in practice that just made things more munchkin and I cried no tears when that left with 3e.

We allowed weapon mastery and weapon of choice rules from Combat and Tactics.

That's what I can remember off the top of my head, we probably used more, because in practice we used so many optional rules and had so many house rules that AD&D 2e only barely resembled 2e by the time we were done with it, but those were official optional rules I recall that we used as a starting point.

 

[Voadam]

We always used proficiencies (weapon and non-weapon), individual initiative, and weapon speed adjustments to initiative. To be honest, I'd forgotten those latter two were even optional!

These are what I remember using too.

Weapon versus armor was neat and superior to 1e's chart but I felt still too clunky in practice.