* * * Wizards Community Thread * * * -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- Thread : Wanting to Get Into 2nd Edition Started at 07-19-07 03:28 AM by BEASTMAN_5000 Visit at http://forums.gleemax.com/showthread.php?t=889242 -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- [Post 1] Author : BEASTMAN_5000 Date : 07-19-07 03:28 AM Thread Title : Wanting to Get Into 2nd Edition I'm part of the younger generation whose D&D experience has revolved entirely around the 3.x edition of the game. I'm starting to want to switch over to the older 2nd edition. Mainly because it seems simpler, and also because the tone and flavor of the game just sounds like it would feel much more "D&D." My question, though, is what books should I get. I mean, obviously the core three, but I'm also wondering which version of those I should buy. As in, is there that big of a difference between the original 2nd edition Players Handbook and the revised 1995(?) version? And which version is better, if one even is? -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- [Post 2] Author : WizO_Paradox Date : 07-19-07 04:11 AM Thread Title : Re: Wanting to Get Into 2nd Edition D&D was never "simple", so 2nd edition isn't "simpler". And the "tone and flavor" is how well the DM presents the world. :) -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- [Post 3] Author : jackschmidt Date : 07-19-07 04:41 AM Thread Title : Re: Wanting to Get Into 2nd Edition 2nd Edition is not simpler. If you want simple, you should go back to Basic D&D and work your way from there. -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- [Post 4] Author : NorthsDefender Date : 07-19-07 06:38 AM Thread Title : Re: Wanting to Get Into 2nd Edition I think what he means is less rule intensive and I think he got a point there. Having played both version, I also think that the rules provided are essentiell for the flavor and 3.X smells a bit like a computer game with ist modular build-up. As far as I know there are no major differences between the revised and the original 2nd Ed version, but theres another thread further elaborating this point at the board. What you might need is a campaign setting. :rolleyes: -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- [Post 5] Author : shadzar Date : 07-19-07 06:51 AM Thread Title : Re: Wanting to Get Into 2nd Edition i woudl suggest by starting here. the main things you need are the core, but others are all optional. http://home.flash.net/~brenfrow/dd1/dd1.htm make sure the book says its compatible with 2nd edition not just for 1st. i always loved the brown/splat books because they gave me, as a DM, ideas. and ideas are always better than rules. but pretty much it would depend on what you want out of the books as to which youw ould want. do you prefer statistics, descriptions, or everything? -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- [Post 6] Author : shadzar Date : 07-19-07 06:53 AM Thread Title : Re: Wanting to Get Into 2nd Edition D&D was never "simple", so 2nd edition isn't "simpler". And the "tone and flavor" is how well the DM presents the world. :) flavor has a lot to do with the "rules" as well. i agree with the earlier post that 3.x seems like a step towards a tabletop video game rather than what D&D used to be. too many things are rules heavy, where older editions left it up to the DM to interpret, which is what a homebrew world would need anyway. -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- [Post 7] Author : Handsome Stranger Date : 07-19-07 08:03 AM Thread Title : Re: Wanting to Get Into 2nd Edition Dragonsfoot is always a good reference for genuine D&D of any flavor. If you want to go 2e, the big difference between the printings is generally taken to be simple print quality. Everyone I know who's bought the later, shiny black version seems to complain that they're cheap and fall apart easily. I'm also told they've got more errata somehow. I've got more 2e stuff than I can shake a stick at, especially since 1/2 Price Books started selling the brown books for $3.98. What would I build a campaign with? Core, CFHB, CTHB, a setting, probably the DM blue books, maybe a couple others depending on where it went. Most of the brown books are safe as long as you use them as "flavor text." What would I avoid at all costs? Complete Book of Elves. What would I use as kindling? Skills and Powers. Good luck, and welcome to AD&D, -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- [Post 8] Author : Wiseblood Date : 07-19-07 09:11 AM Thread Title : Re: Wanting to Get Into 2nd Edition flavor has a lot to do with the "rules" as well. i agree with the earlier post that 3.x seems like a step towards a tabletop video game rather than what D&D used to be. too many things are rules heavy, where older editions left it up to the DM to interpret, which is what a homebrew world would need anyway. I'm with shadzar here. "Tone and Flavor" are very different from 2e to 3e if you sit behind the DM screen. Less, but not by much if you are a player. -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- [Post 9] Author : tankschmidt Date : 07-19-07 09:20 AM Thread Title : Re: Wanting to Get Into 2nd Edition Mainly because it seems simpler, and also because the tone and flavor of the game just sounds like it would feel much more "D&D." Wholeheartedly agreed. My question, though, is what books should I get. I mean, obviously the core three, but I'm also wondering which version of those I should buy. As in, is there that big of a difference between the original 2nd edition Players Handbook and the revised 1995(?) version? And which version is better, if one even is? Most of the books are available for cheap online, so you are looking at a minimal investment. There's really no difference between the 1989 PHB and the 1995 PHB besides some errata and a new cover. I think TSR just cranked out a new revision to make a couple bucks. If you are looking for simplicity, I'd avoid the Players' Option series (Skills and Powers and Combat and Tactics); my group still complains about how C&T slowed down combat. You might take a bit of flak from the folks here and on Dragonsfoot.org for choosing 2nd edition AD&D over 1st edition or Mentzer D&D, but it might be a good choice for you. D&D has all sorts of things you might not be used to: races as classes, different hit dice for certain classes, etc. I also find that more people play 2nd edition AD&D than any other out of print version of the game. The nice thing about 2nd edition is that it's very backwards compatible, and once you get some experience, you can run 1st edition adventures (which are vastly superior) with little conversion. As for books, I'd start out with the Big Three and go from there. If you'd like non-standard races in your game, the Complete Book of Humanoids has got you covered. If you like specialty priests in the Forgotten Realms setting, I recommend Faits and Avatars and Powers and Pantheons. If you have powergaming players, I might skip over the Complete series for classes and races; some of those kits could get pretty cheesy. It all depends on the way you want to go. Good luck. And I think you'll find AD&D a step closer to what the game was meant to be. -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- [Post 10] Author : Varl Date : 07-19-07 09:42 AM Thread Title : Re: Wanting to Get Into 2nd Edition Everyone summed up pretty well what to do if you're interested in trying 2e. One of my favorite reasons why I enjoy 2e the most is it's easy to run the adventures, and the game overall, when the rules aren't getting in the way. Backward compatibility with 1e is also great. -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- [Post 11] Author : shadzar Date : 07-19-07 02:03 PM Thread Title : Re: Wanting to Get Into 2nd Edition Everyone summed up pretty well what to do if you're interested in trying 2e. One of my favorite reasons why I enjoy 2e the most is it's easy to run the adventures, and the game overall, when the rules aren't getting in the way. Backward compatibility with 1e is also great. and forwards, or multi compatible in the case some were written with both 1e and 2e in mind and say so on the cover. -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- [Post 12] Author : RobertFisher Date : 07-19-07 02:08 PM Thread Title : Re: Wanting to Get Into 2nd Edition There was indeed a time when D&D was simpler. I've come to prefer the old D&D Basic & Expert Sets over any other edition of D&D or AD&D. No one can seriously say that game is not significantly simpler than many other editions. (After all, there were the Companion, Master, & Immortal Sets; plus a whole raft of Gazatteers.) If you stick to the core books & don't use any of the optional rules, AD&D2e is only marginally more complex than Expert D&D. Again, much simpler than other editions. (Most especially, much simpler than AD&D2e with all the optional rules & all the supplements.) The changes between the original & revised printings of the 2e core books were never noticed in play by anyone I knew, so feel free to pick up whichever you can find for the best price in the best condition. -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- [Post 13] Author : khyron1144 Date : 07-19-07 10:48 PM Thread Title : Re: Wanting to Get Into 2nd Edition " What would I avoid at all costs? Complete Book of Elves. What would I use as kindling? Skills and Powers. Good luck, and welcome to AD&D, I actually like both CBOE and PO:S&P. Skills & Powers can be quite interesting although, there are certain aspects I would probably not use. I like the race and class customization systems, it could be a bit overpowered in the hands of a true min-maxer but so can straight-up 3d6 straight down the line and nothing from outside the PHB games. I don't use the Subabilities system because it is a bit overpowering and needlessly complicating. I am ambivalent about character points as luck points. I don't like a lot of the NWP revision, but I love that Wizards can finally become proficient in swords, if they want to give up something along the way to do it. -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- [Post 14] Author : BEASTMAN_5000 Date : 07-21-07 10:45 PM Thread Title : Re: Wanting to Get Into 2nd Edition Awesome. Thanks everybody. Yeah, I meant less rules-intensive when I said simpler. I think I'm gonna try and buy the books this weekend and jump right in. Hopefully it'll be cool. Love, The Beastman -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- [Post 15] Author : LEMARQUEZ Date : 07-22-07 02:42 PM Thread Title : Re: Wanting to Get Into 2nd Edition Those readers in this thread who are interested in starting a 2nd Edition campaign may want to check out the following items currently at auction on E-Bay: 2nd Edition Core Rulebooks: http://cm.ebay.com/cm/ck/1065-29296-2357-0?uid=4424399&site=0&ver=LCA080805&item=300133244502&lk=URL Large Lot of 2nd Edition Supplements: http://cm.ebay.com/cm/ck/1065-29296-2357-0?uid=4424399&site=0&ver=LCA080805&item=300133246089&lk=URL L. E. Marquez -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- Downloaded from Wizards Community (http://forums.gleemax.com) at 05-10-08 08:23 AM.