OSR Which retroclone/OSR game is closest to AD&D 2E?

[Azzy]

For Gold & Glory is the only one that really springs to mind, though I can't vouch for it.

I did a brief look over it, but my take away was that you might as well just use your 2e books if you have them. Maybe a deeper look would uncover ungrades, but it seems to use THAC0, the old-style saving throuws, etc. with no real attempt to use more modern design elements (like ascending AC, universal ability score modifiers, etc.) to enhance the play experience in the same way that some other retroclones have.

 

[JeffB]

I have a large 2E collection (and other editions). I was curious what third parties had done to evolve or improve the core rules.

Ah. I see.

The only retro "clone" IMO to really take the AD&D system and improve/evolve/unify the mechanics of the game is Astonishing Swordsmen & Sorcerers of Hyberborea.

 

[scruffygrognard]

Hi,
I've made a D20 retroclone with 2E in mind. It's available on my website:
Advanced Dungeons & Dragons Resources & Links Page

There's a Player's Handbook, DMG, and Monstrous Manual. It plays much more like 3E or 5E but scales back class abilities to make them more like their AD&D counterparts. I've run a campaign with the rules and one of the best compliments that I had was that it "felt like AD&D without the messy rules."

 

[Tony Vargas]

Which retroclone/OSR game is closest to AD&D 2E?
I think that’s the edition I have most nostalgia for.

5e

 

[Slit518]

Was Labyrinth Lord a 1e clone or a 2e clone?

 

[scruffygrognard]

It's a Moldvay-Basic retroclone with an option to add AD&D elements.

 

[dagger]

Eh .... I'm thinking Morrus wouldn't like it if he's looking for a 2e clone (as opposed to a 1e clone).

If he's looking for a clone of 2e, he definitely won't like AD&D (get it?).

Personally, I think AD&D is a truly amazing retroclone. BUT ... it's more for the type of person who thinks ...

"I really like 1e. Loved it. And I hated 2e. But my favorite part of 1e was after UA was released, and running 1e WITH UA and a lot of Dragon Magazine content."

Basically, AD&D is a total rejection of 2e.

I like both and you can use any material from both on the fly which is amazing. After all these years they pretty much have morphed into one system in my mind.

 

[Tony Vargas]

It is sort of an "alternate universe" version of D&D 2e.

Cute premise. I wonder if they took a careful look at Dangerous Journeys, or if it was more a "what if the EGG of the 70s had kept on writing D&D into the 90s?" as well as hadn't been kicked outta TSR.

 

[Ajax Plunkett]

For Gold & Glory (not just Gold & Glory) is the only 2e retroclone. People saying Hackmaster and Adventures Dark and Deep are flat out wrong.

FG&G is not the most popular retroclone out there, but does have some excellent quality adventure support from the Merciless Merchants. It also is nice because unlike say OSRIC (the only 1e AD&D retroclone), it's all open content, so you could use it as the basis for other games

Though AFAIK, no one has. But basically AD&D is probably the least popular part of the OSR. It's probably 70% OD&D (via S&W), 25% B/X (mostly Labyrinth Lord but also B/X essentials) and 5% the rest

And if you are talking about house ruled systems published as new ones, it's 90% Sword & Wizardry (there are dozens of these), 10% other, with only Adventures Dark & Deep being AD&D based (sort of AD&D 1.75)

Myth and Magic is a 2e clone- and came out before For Gold and Glory

 

[Charlaquin]

Myth and Magic is a 2e clone- and came out before For Gold and Glory

Hey, welcome to the forums! I’m guessing you didn’t notice, but the post you responded to is a few years old. There are lots of other topics to discuss though, with the most active being on the first page of a given subforum.