[A]t its core, the AD&D game is very simple. A character has only three key attributes to worry about: class, race, and level. Most of the other characteristics are window dressing, designed to help visualize the player character and make role-playing easier. Combat is resolved with a few quick dice rolls. Magic spells are self-contained units involving no more record-keeping than a simple list. A few special abilities let characters and monsters break the rules now and then in interesting ways.
The companion to simplicity is flexibility. Because the rules (or "systems" as we often call them) are simple, they can be bent in numerous ways without breaking.
Consider, for example, a player who announces that his PC is scooping up some dirt to fling in his opponent's face, hoping to blind him. The DM has several options on how to handle this. He might rule that the attack is a called shot and impose the standard -1 initiative penalty and -4 attack penalty to the action. Or he might allow a normal attack roll but give the victim a saving throw vs. breath weapon to shut or shield his eyes before the dirt blinds him. Either approach is valid; the choice is primarily one of personal preference. And the game can easily accommodate either, or both.
These two features combine to create an outstanding atmosphere for heroic fantasy. The action is fast-paced and anything is possible--two prime qualifications for epic adventure. The characters have clearly defined roles in the struggle between good and evil.
