D&D 2E On AD&D 2E

[Bedrockgames]

On 2E speed of character creation I think it does depend on the class you take. But keep in mind things like NWPs, Kits, etc those are all purely optional mechanics.

 

[PHATsakk43]

There were no such packages in the core books (PHB, DMG, MM). It has always been an issue at my table before I started designing them. Something that 3.0 and 5e did definitely better.

It sorta was, but in an odd location.

The AD&D Core Rules 2.0 kitted out a created character based on their starting gold (which was used to purchase the items at PHB prices) and their class/weapon proficiencies.

It wasn’t the best set of choices, but it worked pretty well.

To the last point as well, Core Rules 2.0 & CR Expansion is probably the best TTRPG software ever created. As a tool set at least. It made the game much more functional. Which is a big part of what I still enjoy 2E over the others.

Someone made an API to pull data from the old program but with a newer front end that wasn’t limited to the fixed pixel count of 640x480 which is pretty small on modern machines. The database for the program was also basically fully extensible (from a game perspective) which allows it to be upgradable to encompass basically anything that was in the game.

 

[rabindranath72]

It sorta was, but in an odd location.

The AD&D Core Rules 2.0 kitted out a created character based on their starting gold (which was used to purchase the items at PHB prices) and their class/weapon proficiencies.

It wasn’t the best set of choices, but it worked pretty well.

To the last point as well, Core Rules 2.0 & CR Expansion is probably the best TTRPG software ever created. As a tool set at least. It made the game much more functional. Which is a big part of what I still enjoy 2E over the others.

Someone made an API to pull data from the old program but with a newer front end that wasn’t limited to the fixed pixel count of 640x480 which is pretty small on modern machines. The database for the program was also basically fully extensible (from a game perspective) which allows it to be upgradable to encompass basically anything that was in the game.

Never used the Core Rules, only the dead-tree version of the rules. It was annoying, also considering the sheer amount of stuff in the PHB. It was way easier in BECMI and (to some extent 1e) to equip a character.

 

[PHATsakk43]

Never used the Core Rules, only the dead-tree version of the rules. It was annoying, also considering the sheer amount of stuff in the PHB. It was way easier in BECMI and (to some extent 1e) to equip a character.

You thought the PHB was a lot?

I don’t think I ever ran a game without the PHB, Arms & Equipment Guide, and Aurora’s Whole Realms Catalog at a minimum.

While I didn’t always use all the stuff in all the splats, the stuff for sale in any source was usually available for sale.

Again, Core Rules 2.0 made this super easy as well. Nearly everything was added by the player base in the early Web 1.0 days (and most is still out there) for basically everything TSR and WotC-era TSR released for importing into the program.

Another fairly neat thing was it made it actually possible to use encumbrance as items had weight and cost built in.

 

[ldvhl]

Encumbrance was a nightmare I didn't touch back in the day. Spreadsheets and other modern tools make it easy though. On me.

 

[Emerikol]

I played a lot of 2e in my time. I think one difference between us was that I got into 1e almost immediately and only played the B in BECMI before that happened. So my playstyle is shaped a lot by Gygaxian gaming philosophy.

 

[Micah Sweet]

I played a lot of 2e in my time. I think one difference between us was that I got into 1e almost immediately and only played the B in BECMI before that happened. So my playstyle is shaped a lot by Gygaxian gaming philosophy.

That's pretty much exactly my history too.

 

[PHATsakk43]

That's pretty much exactly my history too.

I wonder what the demographics of this thread are then.

I’m 45, so basically too young to even remember 1E. I started with a part of a Basic boxed set booklet around 90 or 91, then found a DM who had the RC, but pretty quickly moved into 2E around 1993 and started DMing my own group.

That actually probably only lasted until 1996 or so. I look back at 2E and the TSR game as my personal favorite, but most of my gaming has actually been 5E.

To have actually played 1E (or B/X for that matter) in its heyday, you’re going to probably have to be 55+. I was 9 when 2E came out for instance and born the same year as the original DMG was released.

 

[Emerikol]

I wonder what the demographics of this thread are then.

I’m 45, so basically too young to even remember 1E. I started with a part of a Basic boxed set booklet around 90 or 91, then found a DM who had the RC, but pretty quickly moved into 2E around 1993 and started DMing my own group.

That actually probably only lasted until 1996 or so. I look back at 2E and the TSR game as my personal favorite, but most of my gaming has actually been 5E.

To have actually played 1E (or B/X for that matter) in its heyday, you’re going to probably have to be 55+. I was 9 when 2E came out for instance and born the same year as the original DMG was released.

I'm 56. In 8th grade, 1981-82, I played in someone else's D&D campaign using the basic set. By 1982-83, I was running my own game using 1e AD&D. I ran several campaigns early on but my longest running went probably 16+ years.

 

[TwoSix]

I wonder what the demographics of this thread are then.

I’m 45, so basically too young to even remember 1E. I started with a part of a Basic boxed set booklet around 90 or 91, then found a DM who had the RC, but pretty quickly moved into 2E around 1993 and started DMing my own group.

That actually probably only lasted until 1996 or so. I look back at 2E and the TSR game as my personal favorite, but most of my gaming has actually been 5E.

To have actually played 1E (or B/X for that matter) in its heyday, you’re going to probably have to be 55+. I was 9 when 2E came out for instance and born the same year as the original DMG was released.

I would imagine those of us with fond memories of 2e are primarily in our mid 40s to maybe early 50s. I'm 46, and definitely a 2E kid; my first D&D book (outside of Dragonlance novels) was the 2e PHB I bought back in 1990.

I was a bit of a 2e snob as a teenager, I never bought or used 1e products and have zero nostalgia for the edition.