D&D 2E Tips? Haven't DMed D&D since 2E

[cmad1977]

I use 25s (Very Difficult) and 30s (Nearly Impossible), but mostly at level 11-20. Occasionally there may be a DC 25 at low level for something incredibly difficult like an epically obscure bit of historical knowledge.

In my Tier IV Runelords game the STR 28 Barbarian-20 auto passes DC 28 Athletics checks, and the Rogue-17 has something like an auto 27 Reliable Talent on some stuff; I like telling them "Yeah that was a 25 so you auto-pass" - I like how this (a) makes them feel cool and (b) actually speeds up game play.

Yes.
General tip not necessarily limited to 5e:
Don’t look for ways to make your players not be a awesome.

 

[iserith]

With the discussion of 2e, I feel very much obligated to tell you something I learned the hard way years ago:

Forget what you know about other game systems when trying to learn a new one. Try to read the rules with fresh eyes without making assumptions. Examine everything you do and ask: "Am I doing this because it is supported by the game I'm playing right now or is it because I picked up this habit while playing/running some other game in the past?" If you find it's the latter, drop that habit as quickly as possible and replace it, if necessary, with an approach that suits the game you're playing.

Do this and your games will be a lot smoother. The system won't fight you, and terrible approaches from the old days won't find their way into the 21st century.