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Message: <blockquote data-quote="deganawida" data-source="post: 9012819" data-attributes="member: 67836">Oh, it had flavorful classes and races that fit the default zeitgeist of fantasy at the time, amazing experimentation of what fantasy could do and reach, a very hackable system that was mostly transparent, customization out the wazoo, no fear in limited options for the sake of a particular feel or setting, magic items that improved all classes, historical advice in DM books and player handbooks, tins of advice for building characters, campaigns, and settings, phenomenal art that evoked the style of the settings, easy-to-read core books, monsters that fit in the world and which gave context in order to place them, no end to experimentation, a creator’s dream and a hobbyist’s wish come true.There was support for every tier of play and virtually every play style. Adventures ran the gamut. Previous edition stuff was actually supported via supplements (acrobat, assassin, barbarian, cavalier, monk), and new archetypes were added for support. Theater of the Mind play style was the assumed default (OG PHB gives an example of it). No one was afraid to try new things.There was lore EVERYWHERE, and it wasn’t forced onto each world. Rules previously thought unbending were bent to breaking in various campaign worlds. Comics were made. Soundtracks were made. Other fantasy and science fiction and RPGs were regularly reviewed in Dragon (that’s where I first learned of Warcraft, and tge Vlad Tallis novels, as well as how to do a fantasy Indian subcontinent setting). They had novels galore, including at least three mystery novels starring mages in FR.The sheer amount of creativity unleashed during the 2e era is unmatched by anything since. It really was a magical edition, for all the criticism flung at it, both deserved and undeserved (and I did both during that period).There is a magic to classic D&D and 1st edition. There is also a magic to 2nd edition that nothing since has approached.</blockquote>

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