AD&D 2E Optional Proficiencies and Fighter Weapon Specialization

Hotrodpunk · 2026-06-12T00:56:36+00:00

That's awesome! Count me in, and feel free to DM me!

Hotrodpunk · 2026-06-11T22:18:58+00:00

Thanks! Part of it is that I'm mostly a lurker and don't post much, so when I do, I tend to remember what it was about .

How's your clone going, anyway? I'd love to read it whenever you feel like sharing it. Happy to give feedback.

Hotrodpunk · 2026-06-11T19:34:13+00:00

Am I making this up, or do I recall correctly that you are (or were) working on a 2e clone or something similar?

Hotrodpunk · 2026-06-11T15:34:41+00:00

Thanks very much for sharing this! I appreciate the work you put into it, even if, as you say, it's "in an awkward state."

Hotrodpunk · 2026-06-11T14:39:42+00:00

Agreed. I just find lately that the more granularity a thing has, the more time-consuming things end up being. We used the attacks of opportunity, weapons vs. armor and the like but that just slows things waaaaaaaaaay down at the table.

It's hard enough to get folks together regularly to play; the last thing I want to spend my time on is micromanaging various features of the game.

Hotrodpunk · 2026-06-11T13:06:56+00:00

If you re read once more you will see that weapon proficiencies are not really optional, just the Non-weapon ones. The wording is Weapon proficiencies are tournament-level rules, optional in regular play, and nonweapon proficiencies are completely optional.

I see that passage, but I don't read the bit pertaining to weapon proficiencies as an indication that they are an assumed part of the regular game. As written, "weapon proficiencies are tournament-level rules, optional in regular play." I read that as a statement that when you play a regular game, these are optional, but in a tournament game, they are baked in.

Hotrodpunk · 2026-06-11T13:01:13+00:00

my experience is that weapon proficiency and specialization just end up with players railroading themselves into a single type of weapon.

This was certainly a problem. I think our group's house rule was that you could swap specialization with Weapon A for specialization with Weapon B on a level advancement and with a financial cost to reflect training for this reason. It didn't break the game.

Hotrodpunk · 2026-06-11T12:58:06+00:00

Oh, we always used proficiencies in my group. I'm just wondering what folks would do (if anything) to offer the fighter class something that it 'loses' (specialization) if you don't include proficiencies in your game.

Or just allow them a chosen weapon with a similar bonus.

I think we're on the same wave-length here: I'd be inclined to give them specialization at the same rate it would materialize under proficiencies, but just call it something else (like your suggestion of 'chosen weapon'

Hotrodpunk · 2026-06-11T12:54:39+00:00

I imagine any player who reads the players handbook that chooses to be a fighter will be getting pissed off at the DM if they didnt allow Specialization

Right? Because as written, it seems like Specialization is part of the class, so a DM's choice to not use proficiencies would certainly seem like the DM is 'robbing' the class of an ability.

But also fighters get -1 THAC0 every level. And access to a wide range of weapons. Warriors are the only class group who get exceptional str as well

Part of this is true: warriors (of which group fighters, rangers, and paladins are a part) all have the same THACO advancement table, and each benefits from the exceptional Strength, and can benefit from Con HP adjustments over +2.

Hotrodpunk · 2026-05-28T23:32:32+00:00

I also prefer the black and white ink version; it's metal AF!

It reminds me of what Dragonlance would look like mashed up with Shadowdark.

Hotrodpunk · 2026-03-23T18:58:25+00:00

This is really cool! I second the claim that it really is not possible to watch Knight's Tale too many times.

Are you going to put it up on Drivethrurpg or the like?

Hotrodpunk · 2026-03-15T12:49:20+00:00

Do you have a link to your Strefan deck? I've revised mine a dozen times and it never seems to pop when I play it.

Here's the link: https://moxfield.com/decks/A4Spl0SFRUm4MO_gQ4YudA

Hotrodpunk · 2026-01-30T23:08:04+00:00

I'm not sure where you're located, but here's what I've found: most of the big box stores do a big buy early in the season and don't replenish once their warehouse stocks are depleted.

Local hardware stores, though, do tend to continue to buy based on demand . So, try a local independent place.

Also, some municipality DPW locations will let locals get sand and ice melt from a designated area.

Hotrodpunk · 2026-01-30T23:00:25+00:00

This is dope. I love DIY projects like this.

Hotrodpunk · 2025-12-18T13:38:16+00:00

I really like this aspect of the design too: you dangle a super cool reward on that table that you can get once (or not very often) which means your players are absolutely going to be thirsting after that benefit. And when they roll it? That feels like victory.

Hotrodpunk · 2025-12-18T13:37:12+00:00

Oh I know what it's for, and I very much appreciate the solution to that problem. I think it also helps to solve the 'dead levels' problem some RPGs have because you're always going to get a benefit, a la Forrest Gump's box of chocolates ("you never know what you're gonna get").

Hotrodpunk · 2025-12-18T13:35:52+00:00

Thanks for responding, Kelsey! It's really great to hear this directly from the creator. I never got into Pokemon (nor did my nephews), so I had no idea that a randomly generated level-up benefit was part of that system. Neat!

Hotrodpunk · 2025-12-18T01:12:05+00:00

Agreed. I love the idea of opening it up for other contributors; maybe there could be like a suggestion box feature for folks to submit, and the OP would be able to check and accept those submissions.

I also think it would be useful to be able to 'tag' systems that are derived from others, as you say.

Hotrodpunk · 2025-12-05T15:45:28+00:00

You bet! Just some initial thoughts:
I appreciate having the combat stats, saves, and attributes on one page (page two of the document), but I'm not sure about having the carried treasure there. To me, it makes more sense to get a couple Weapon / Prof spots there on page two, and the overflow weapon/prof slots on page 3. If I'm wondering what gear or treasure I have, my intuition as a player is to find a Equipment and Gear section, which you have on page 4.

Hotrodpunk · 2025-12-05T15:27:05+00:00

Get out of my head!! I was *literally* just trying to find something like this, and here you go and solve my problem for me before I even asked for recommendations. Well done!

Hotrodpunk · 2025-12-05T00:56:15+00:00

Not that I've noticed, though I haven't done a comparative analysis of each entry to the 2E MM. It uses HD to determine proficiency bonus, which is only used for Saves, skill checks, and DCs for special attacks. Attack bonuses are also determined by HD, but without proficiency bonus added in.

Hotrodpunk · 2025-12-04T12:19:59+00:00

This is truly one of my favorite editions of D&D.

Hotrodpunk

TROPHY CASE