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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Korgoth" data-source="post: 4673144" data-attributes="member: 49613">Broken? I wouldn't say that. The core of 2E is basically like the core of 1E, but with some of the later optional material (aspects of Unearthed Arcana and the Survival Guides) thrown in.The only thing I think is broken in the 2E core is the ability to add your damage bonus from high Strength to thrown weapons. Specifically, daggers and especially darts. Someone with super-high strength (hard to get, but it happens) with dart specialization is basically a machinegun. So I'd either disallow all Str mods to thrown weapons or just to very light thrown weapons (thus an axe lets you take advantage of your strenght in a way that a dart doesn't... seems fair to me).2E was unlike previous editions in that it experienced true "supplement bloat", probably a first in the annals of role playing gamedom. I'm not talking about adventures (which were relatively few for 2E and usually not any good) or campaign settings (numerous for 2E and pretty good)... I'm talking about the infamous "splatbooks"... the Complete Fighter's Handbook, etc. ad nauseam. Some of that stuff seemed poorly thought out.Then toward the end of the run, when TSR was moving toward its ultimate implosion, you get these "Player's Option" things that were probably well-intentioned... a bunch of powers and options you could use to basically mix and match class abilities, etc. To me, that's the worst of D&D... fiddly, min-maxy, power-gamey, and overall attempting to expand play possibilities and solve rules issues with yet more rules. IMO, a decadent product line from a decadent time. But I'm a diehard "less is more" type with D&D rules.Basically, if you stick with the core of 2E, you'll have a game that plays like 1E except with most of the flavor stripped out and some of the more confusing rules issues (like initiative) reorganized and simplified.Now, if you don't know what I mean when I say that it plays like 1E... ? Basically, consider 3.5 without skills (maybe) and feats, and monster statblocks that are only about 60% - 20% the length of 3.5 statblocks. Saving throws depend not on the spell level or the caster's stats but solely on the guy making the throw. Whether you roll to do everything, i.e. "skill rollery" (a signature of New School gaming) , depended on whether you used the "Nonweapon Proficiencies" that may be either a breath of fresh modern air or the worst idea ever depending on who you ask.I'd say 2E is a transition game between Old School and New School.</blockquote>

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