The difference between Ad&d 1st and 2nd edition?

[MerricB]

Oh, no, I didn't mean to imply a new game! (There are some unpublished games but I believe he was reworking them to use LA as a base). I meant so far as based on the entire publishing history of Gygax.

(If there ever is another printing of LA in the near or far there's always the possibility of a co-writer re-organizing the rules, etc, just like somebody could perhaps publish AD&D 1e by taking the rules as a base and re-organizing them).

Although I WISH Gary was still alive.

You and me both.

As a grammatical point, you could delete the "so far" and it'd be a lot more accurate.

As far as philosophy of the game (such as game play styles, etc.) goes, it really isn't fair to measure 1st and 2nd edition by themselves.

Very, very true. The game of D&D has always been changing.

Cheers!

 

[Weiley31]

Why not grab a used 1E PHB and a 1E DMG (plus perhaps the Unearthed Arcana) from ebay and find out for yourself? Should be available for under $ 10 for all if you're not too concerned with condition.

That's what i did. I started with 2E too, and found the 1E DMG a very interesting read. It's a classic.

You can also get For Gold and Glory as well incase Ebay doesn't help out too much or what not. It's pretty much 2E, a retroclone though, and I've heard its pretty much verbatim/closest to actual DND 2E. Even combines the DMG and MM of 2E with it.

DriveThruRPG

www.drivethrurpg.com

The PDF is free. So with this+whatever other 2E books you want (I suggest a number of the Leatherette+Historical Reference books+the actual 2E MM) and your pretty much good to go on anything 2E related/running it.

 

[aramis erak]

And I can never really forgive it for turning the original prestige class into a wimpy rogue-wizard with a guitar. The beguiler concept is okay, but it works better as a dedicated caster than as a sideline to a skill-based hybrid character whose spells compete with his own class abilities.

The first two Bard concepts (both in TSR's magazines) were not prestige classes; Gary apparently didn't like them, but knew the fans did, so nerfed the one he chose by making it a prestige class...

I much prefer the 2E Bard, even though it's a walk away from both OE versions and the AD&D 1E version, and from both the Jonngleur and Minstrel, and totally not based upon the historic Celtic Bards...

 

[aramis erak]

For me, the question of the differences is that there are several subeditions...
AD&D1E pre-UA
AD&D1E w/UA
AD&D1E w/UA and OA/WSG/DSG (adding NWPs)
AD&D2E no supps
AD&D2E with the class splats (PHBR series)
AD&D2E using PO:S&P & PO:C&T... feels like different edition entirely - 12 attributes, point building, customized classes, NWPs, a combat system that looks like the precursor to 3E...

Each has a different feel when the GM isn't ignoring the rules.

And, to be honest, when I tried going back to AD&D2E, I no longer enjoyed it.
But I hhave since used Cyclopedia + Gazetteers + PC-series... and did enjoy it. Switching to 3E was a mistake in that campaign.

 

[Weiley31]

AD&D2E with the class splats (PHBR series)

This is pretty much gonna be the path for me when I eventually get around to attempting to play AD&D2E. 2.5E just seems too much for me despite the options it presents. Plus the HR books and Complete Book of Necromancers.

I just have to get used to the fact that the edition is Rolling Under and not Rolling Equal to or Above

I would honestly love it if there was a way to play 2E with the D20 format we're all used too.

 

[John R Davis]

For me, the difference is that I played first edition but I never played second edition.

I'm not sure that really adds much to the discussion, I'm afraid.

Exactly the same for me. Skipped 2nd entirely.

Can't remember why?

 

[aramis erak]

This is pretty much gonna be the path for me when I eventually get around to attempting to play AD&D2E. 2.5E just seems too much for me despite the options it presents. Plus the HR books and Complete Book of Necromancers.

I just have to get used to the fact that the edition is Rolling Under and not Rolling Equal to or Above

I would honestly love it if there was a way to play 2E with the D20 format we're all used too.

Not exactly. All editions are roll high in combat.
It's only NWPs and thief/bard/ranger/monk/assassin skills that are percentile.

2E's biggest "innovation" in thief/bard/ranger/monk skills is that they're not from a value at level x table, but are base at first level, plus points at first to up desired ones, then smaller points totals each level thereafter.

One can, however, simply make the rolls 1d20+ attribute for 21+ for those NWPs...

 

[James Gasik]

Both dragons and giants were given a boost in power in comparison to their 1e equivalents.

Debatable, I have a friend who misses 1e dragon breath doing damage equal to the dragon's hit points. I think he's mad, but there you go.

 

[TerraDave]

And it rises from the grave!

I wrote a really good reply in this thread 12 years ago. If I do say so myself.

 

[Hex08]

1E confused the hell out of me as a child but I played it and loved it. 2E gave me, along with Vampire: The Masquerade, some of the best games I have ever been a part of. I also spent WAY more money on 2E than 1E.

Edition debates will always rise from the dead!!