1. Give em high stats. 18,17,16,15,14,13 and make sure to allow one reroll for exceptional strength. I played lots of great characters with lower stats in 2e, but this isn't the time or place for that. If your players have low stats they'll feel severely underpowered.
2. Make sure to use kits from the handbooks as this will make up for the lack of customization in 2e.
3. I would use the players option: Combat and Tactics rules for weapon mastery as well as the other weapon related proficiencies. This will make warrior classes more interesting. I would also houserule using Int for bonus mage spells for single class mages to give them more to do. Multi-class characters don't need this benefit.
4. Do not use level limits, and instead balance out humans by giving them an extra weapon and nonweapon proficiency.
5. Use a well esteblished campaign setting. I love making my own, but I felt the strongest characteristic of 2e was how well the fluff was written in campaigns like Forgotten Realms, Ravenloft, Planescape and Dark Sun. This is one area I feel that no other edition of any RPG compares.
6. Once in a while allow the purchase of magical items to mitagate the lack of crafting in 2e. I wouldn't over do it though.
Anyways, thats all I got for now. Good luck!
