D&D 2E Huh. AD&D 2e is my favorite D&D

[Ralif Redhammer]

100% this. The revised book, even when it first came out and had the black binding, just looked weird. I have the POD now and even the font feels off to me. But those books that came out in 89 really had a nice look to them

Not going to lie, part of it is nostalgia. But I do think the art on the whole in the 89 versions is better.

Hmm, let me think of how many books I was bringing back in the early 90s for my Dark Sun game... PHB, DMG, Monstrous Compendium (with assorted monsters added from appendices), Dark Sun box, Dragon Kings, Complete Fighter's (for combat rules and various stuff you could do with proficiencies), Complete Wizard's (for spells), Complete Psionics, The Will & The Way, Earth Air Fire and Water, Thri-kreen of Athas, Complete Gladiator's, and likely an adventure (Dragon's Crown!) too. I don't think I had Elves of Athas or Dune Traders at the time, and Defilers & Preservers wasn't out yet.

Quite a lot to carry in a bag you put on the packet holder on your bike.

Oof! Yeah, there was a ton to carry. It wasn't until 5e that I finally had enough of that and told people if they wanted me to DM a game, it was going to be at my place.

One of the things I liked about becmi was that I only had to take the one book into school. With 2e, I think I was taking the core 3 of PHB, MM, and DMG.

The conciseness of B/X and BECMI really nailed the essentials, and most days I wish D&D could get back to it somehow.

 

[Bedrockgames]

Not going to lie, part of it is nostalgia. But I do think the art on the whole in the 89 versions is better.

the 95 book to me looked messy and the colors felt very odd. With 89 book it just seemed the arts design was a lot stronger

 

[Zardnaar]

the 95 book to me looked messy and the colors felt very odd. With 89 book it just seemed the arts design was a lot stronger

I like the 95 book layout prefer 89 cover and interior color plates.

 

[Zardnaar]

Well game kicked off last night. 6 players beers were cracked as well so had 2. DMs drink for free coukd get used to that.

Session 0 finished off and into the mire. No combat so far mostly exploration and a bit of RP. One PC encountered a click of smothering vua sone drapes.

 

[Mark Hope]

Does anyone use much of the stuff from the High Level DM Option book? I never gave it much thought but on a revisit found there was quite a bit that could add some colour and class features for post-name level play. Particularly interesting for players not interested in the domain game and looking for continued class development at high levels.

 

[Zardnaar]

Does anyone use much of the stuff from the High Level DM Option book? I never gave it much thought but on a revisit found there was quite a bit that could add some colour and class features for post-name level play. Particularly interesting for players not interested in the domain game and looking for continued class development at high levels.

As DM it gas sone proto templates for monsters. They're useful.

Otherwise it's fairly useless book. It's got some good advice for high level games as well tbf. Maybe world building but that may be Spells and Magic.

 

[PHATsakk43]

The clarification for a lot of spells and magic items in the game is extremely useful. The spell dueling minigame is also good and isn't really restricted to high levels. The standardized methodology for magic item research is also good, but this is pretty specific for actual high-level play. It expands and clarifies what is in both the DMG and Book of Artifacts on this topic.

I didn't buy it back in the 90s because I figured it was all based on 20-40th level play. There is enough in there that its probably one of the better of the optional core rules books. PO:S&M is the best of the bunch, with DMO:HLC and PO:C&T tied. I get very little use today from PO:S&P, but I and my table loved it in 1995.