AD&D 2E AD&D 2e without the verbiage?

[The Soloist]

Has anyone attempted a condensed version of AD&D 2e, reducing the text to rules only, a bit like Shadowdark?

 

[mikeburke]

I have done exactly that. I use it to run at the table. Still runs to 81 pages lol but in my defense that includes NWPs and some other stuff I’ve folded in from dragon articles for my game.

 

[mikeburke]

that cover all the optional rules too. There’s definitely a simpler version of 2e underneath it all that I’m sure could be nipped and tucked into maybe 30 page

 

[TiQuinn]

Has anyone attempted a condensed version of AD&D 2e, reducing the text to rules only, a bit like Shadowdark?

I’d love to see this.

 

[darjr]

that cover all the optional rules too. There’s definitely a simpler version of 2e underneath it all that I’m sure could be nipped and tucked into maybe 30 page

this sounds awesome. Any chance you could go the OSRIC route with it?

 

[mikeburke]

this sounds awesome. Any chance you could go the OSRIC route with it?

I’m not a lawyer. Is Matt Finch available pro bono?

I do think 2e is the undeserved “red-headed stepchild” of the OSR and would love to do my bit to fix that.

 

[darjr]

I’m not a lawyer. Is Matt Finch available pro bono?

He's kinda busy at the moment.

 

[Sacrosanct]

Has anyone attempted a condensed version of AD&D 2e, reducing the text to rules only, a bit like Shadowdark?

Working on something similar, actually. The threads recently about 1e, the fighter, and problems with RAW got me thinking. That, and every week I’m part of a group of games played at a local bar/store and I see most people want to play shadowdark over ADnD because it’s so much easier to play, and I think ADnD has a lot to offer that gets missed because of the complexity of learning and teaching it. I’ve noticed most osr games are retroclones with some of the rules cleaned up or omitted but that’s it. I’m not aware of one that factors in all the ADnD rules that we all ignored. They were unwieldy, messy, and just plain painful at times. So why would a retroclone incorporate them? Because they reinforced an intended playstyle and balance. For example, the fighter was a really good class and not underpowered compared to a magic user when you factored in all those rules that mitigated casters (spell interruption, casting times, initiative, etc.)

I’m not saying I’m working on a retroclone that brings back all those rules. People would hate them like we hated them back then lol. There is a reason they were ignored. But instead, streamline 1e and 2e as much as possible (like I did to 5e with Bugbears and Borderlands), and bring those ignored rules back into the game conceptually, but not with the same headaches or confusion. Still working out what that looks like. Got some ideas. Instead of a billion ways to penalize the caster, cuz who likes penalties, give some additional benefits for martials. Like having a class feature that allows them an opportunity to interrupt a spell being cast within their current weapon range. Same net effect of spell interruption—fighters are more effective than people played because we ignored half of those rules, but now the intent is back, just in a more player friendly incarnation. The goal is to replicate the feel of ADnD while making it much more intuitive and user friendly.

 

[The Soloist]

Working on something similar, actually. The threads recently about 1e, the fighter, and problems with RAW got me thinking. That, and every week I’m part of a group of games played at a local bar/store and I see most people want to play shadowdark over ADnD because it’s so much easier to play, and I think ADnD has a lot to offer that gets missed because of the complexity of learning and teaching it. I’ve noticed most osr games are retroclones with some of the rules cleaned up or omitted but that’s it. I’m not aware of one that factors in all the ADnD rules that we all ignored. They were unwieldy, messy, and just plain painful at times. So why would a retroclone incorporate them? Because they reinforced an intended playstyle and balance. For example, the fighter was a really good class and not underpowered compared to a magic user when you factored in all those rules that mitigated casters (spell interruption, casting times, initiative, etc.)

I’m not saying I’m working on a retroclone that brings back all those rules. People would hate them like we hated them back then lol. There is a reason they were ignored. But instead, streamline 1e and 2e as much as possible (like I did to 5e with Bugbears and Borderlands), and bring those ignored rules back into the game conceptually, but not with the same headaches or confusion. Still working out what that looks like. Got some ideas. Instead of a billion ways to penalize the caster, cuz who likes penalties, give some additional benefits for martials. Like having a class feature that allows them an opportunity to interrupt a spell being cast within their current weapon range. Same net effect of spell interruption—fighters are more effective than people played because we ignored half of those rules, but now the intent is back, just in a more player friendly incarnation. The goal is to replicate the feel of ADnD while making it much more intuitive and user friendly.

Here are my solo rules for AD&D2e, I run 4 characters, not 6-8 like in the 80s:

- Fighter: 2 consecutive melee attacks per round, with the same weapon, level 1. This does not apply to ranger or paladin.

• Thief: 2 consecutive melee attacks per round, but with a short and a small weapon, at level 1.
• Thief: All skills begin at 50% (climb wall stays the same) and gain +2% for each level after the first. Quality of locks and traps impose % penalties. Some may require more than one success.
• Magic-Users, with high intelligence get the same bonus spells as Cleric of high wisdom.
• Death: At 0 HP, a character survives 2 rounds + 1 round per Constitution bonus.
• Natural Healing (sleep in a safe place): 2 + Con bonus + 1 per level.

 

[The Soloist]

The only retro-clone of 2e I could find is For Gold & Glory. It's good but it is still too wordy for my taste.

https://www.drivethrurpg.com/fr/product/156530/for-gold-glory