The 2e Love Thread

[Varl]

I don't miss any of it because I still run it, minus a few of the weird tables. I do thank 3e for certain (limited) improvements I've chosen to use, so actually, it's more of a 1e/2e/3e hybrid than a true 2e game, rules-wise. I didn't see a need to move on to 3e the day it came out, and I still don't, but that doesn't stop me from having a Pathfinder subscription BABY! Yeah! Adventuring is all good; I just ignore all the 3echanics and get on with the story.

[Michael D Moore]

I still have friends playing up 2e, some things I miss:

- Different class progressions, being two levels ahead of the wizard was fun as a thief.
- Proficiencies since rolling against ability scores was always fun. That and the insane amount of fun a fighter could have with specialisation and such.
- The good memories from past campaigns. Oh so many characters, oh so much fun!

[TGZ101]

My group and I bought the Introduction to AD&D box set as our first game and ended up playing with that rules light version for over 2 years. I think the only other book we bought was a copy of the Monster Manual for our DM to use and the Forgotten Realms box set...which our DM never really used and just made stuff up.

It does seem like characters are competing with each other more than they used to. I remember when inter-party conflict meant hiring a local thief to cover the cleric's room with pitch so he'd think he was blind when he woke up the next morning.

This is actually something that's relatively new to me, as even in 3.X all my groups only played Core only. We were poor high school kids. I didn't even make the switch to 3.5 until I went to college and that's what everyone was using. This is also the time I was introduced to all the splat books. I don't like them and I never have. I'm tired of trying to exploit tons of rules just so I can be a viable party member.

4E, in my opinion, has done a good job of recifying this and I enjoy the new rules. Many people aren't happy with the change and it saddens me to see the community split up so much. In my opinion your character should be defined by roleplaying and background (much as it was in 2E), and not by how many ranks you have in Craft (Corn cob pipes) or Profession (Body Inspector). But please, no one respond to this paragraph. :)

I mostly miss 2E for nostalgia purposes, and miss a time when I could play with close friends who didn't bicker and fight each other. Castles and Crusades is a good throw back, but it's difficult to get people to try something new. I'll also never have a group of friends like my high school pals, who are now scattered across the country.

[Jerry Wright]

kessukoofah wrote:

As sort of a side note, does anyone know of any 2e-3e conversion guides, or if possible the other way around? I have some adventures all written up but i don't know the notation for monsters and stuff.

If you're still interested in the conversion manual, you can download it from WotC in their archives section, under Game Rules/Official D&D Game Rule FAQ Update.

It's at the bottom of the page.

[Jerry Wright]

Arcane Joe wrote:

I love 2ed and it is my system of choice right now and has been for years.

Although I've played characters in several 3ED campaigns, I'll never Dungeon Master D&D using 3rd or 4th Edition rules myself.

What 2ED means to me (and this may sting a little, in fact I'll probably be hated after this...!)

...

I agree with you on every point. But I come from an older school where the GM is responsible for all of that, regardless of the system involved. (We had to be, in the old days...)

I'm very lucky to be a member of a gaming group that has three gamers from the old days along with a new generation of players who learned from us. None of us uses pre-published adventures except on very rare occasions, and we all emphasize role-playing over roll-playing.

I'm spoiled and I know it. As far as 2E is concerned, I prefer 1E with some 2E thrown in, but I have to admit, looking at anything from the pre-WotC days is nostalgic and wonderful.

Not that I'm knocking WotC. I love what 3.5 can add to a 2E game (especially in feats and skills...).

[kessukoofah]

Jerry Wright wrote:

kessukoofah wrote:

As sort of a side note, does anyone know of any 2e-3e conversion guides, or if possible the other way around? I have some adventures all written up but i don't know the notation for monsters and stuff.

If you're still interested in the conversion manual, you can download it from WotC in their archives section, under Game Rules/Official D&D Game Rule FAQ Update.

It's at the bottom of the page.

Thanks a lot!

[B_Wiklund]

2e was what I started with I took a hiatus from gaming and got back into it when 3.5 came out.
The two main things I miss about 2e was the "we don't have rules for everything" and most principally Ravenloft.
Ravenloft was the campaign setting that I Dmed mostly, played occassionally. My brother had the core rule books so the first D&D product I picked up was the Realms of Terror boxed set.
Looking at it was rather silly. The Dark Powers, walls of rats sealing borders of domains, Lord Soth, a theatre floating in the mists due west of Souragne, the Dark Sun domain etc. etc. Good times.

[veector]

Heathansson wrote:

It was nice to have.....

CAMPAIGN SETTINGS!!!!!

HEAR HEAR!!!!!!!

[ArchLich]

kessukoofah wrote:

As sort of a side note, does anyone know of any 2e-3e conversion guides, or if possible the other way around? I have some adventures all written up but i don't know the notation for monsters and stuff.

2E -> 3E Conversion guide can be found at the bottom of the page here.

[roguerouge]

The only thing I miss from 2e was the simplicity of combats, where you're describing everything and it's all imagined. That I liked. Some of the other stuff, not so much, but I'll feel the love vibe and remain quiet about those bits.

[Jal Dorak]

roguerouge wrote:

The only thing I miss from 2e was the simplicity of combats, where you're describing everything and it's all imagined.

Amen! I loved sitting on the couch battling.

[Jal Dorak]

I've been thinking about this for a little while. I'm really keen on ret-conning some elements of 3rd Edition to get a more 2nd Edition feel. Let me know what you guys think:

Set hit points. (1d4, 1d6)=1. (1d8, 1d10)=2. 1d12=3. For conversion of monsters, subtract the difference per Hit Die. For example, an animal would lose 2.5 hit points per Hit Die. Characters would still get maximum hit points at 1st level.

Increase saving throws. All characters get +1 to their good saves and +2 to poor saves at 1st level.

Institute XP penalties for gestalt classing. Limit multiclassing to 3 classes and/or 1 prestige class.

Eliminate attacks of opportunity. They slow the game down, create confusion, and force the use of miniatures more than any other part of the game.

Change flanking to a flat bonus to hit if attacked by more than one attacker in a round.

Change duration of round from 6 seconds to 1 minute. All spell durations are likewise increased (1 round = 1 minute, 1 minute -> 10 minutes, 10 minutes -> 1 hour, 1 hour -> 24 hours.

[Mikaze]

I miss Habitat/Ecology sections in monster entries.(another reason I love Paizo)

I also miss Tony DiTerlizzi, Brom, Clyde Caldwell, and numerous other artists. Especially DiTerlizzi and Brom. No one drew peasant heroes quite like DiTerlizzi.

I really miss looking forward to new Planescape material. I don't miss the Faction War though, because it never happened.