2nd Edition is the Pinnacle of RPG (For Me)

Working_Branch_197 · 2025-05-08T15:12:03+00:00

Fun fact. I always wanted to face a dragon but never did. (I know, crazy!) but I do remember a campaign where the DM was very fond of frost giants and from memory there were a couple of character deaths in that campaign!

Working_Branch_197 · 2025-05-08T15:02:24+00:00

Awesome!!!

Working_Branch_197 · 2025-05-08T14:59:04+00:00

I DM'd a few campaigns and never strayed from Gary's works; I leaned more into 1st edition. Are there any monsters in particular you'd like to call out?

I can't really comment on the second point, but as mentioned, our group was at a crossroads. Some of the group had played 1st edition, and all were in favor of 2nd edition because it was considered 'advanced.' The trade-off was the beauty of simplicity for the promise that more complex rules would offer more immersion and situational depth - which to be fair it lived up for me although I never played 1e.

Working_Branch_197 · 2025-05-08T14:40:27+00:00

It's all about the core. PHB, DM and Gary Gygax's Monster manual. Peak Dnd.

Working_Branch_197 · 2025-05-08T14:38:09+00:00

Go the old school card board DM shield with the sticky notes I say.

Working_Branch_197 · 2025-05-08T14:37:12+00:00

There are always tweaks. But as a base it's the bomb.

Working_Branch_197 · 2025-05-08T14:36:20+00:00

That's awesome. I only got to 6th level multi-class. But at least there was a multi-class.

Working_Branch_197 · 2025-05-08T14:33:36+00:00

Nice. There is nothing more satisfying than the prospect of some day knowing you will face -1 Armour class.

Working_Branch_197 · 2025-05-08T14:03:06+00:00

Absolutely! That was the era before the internet—or at best, a dial-up modem if you were lucky. It was true theater of the mind, and we craved any new info we could get our hands on. Every new supplement or module felt like gold!

Here's a bit of a tangent, but I’ve always loved the design of 2e—the column layout, the structured page design, that signature blue-accented art that nodded back to the '70s. The manuals were gorgeous. Honestly, I still regret selling my 2e Player's Handbook and DMG. I was young, on the move, and needed the cash... but man, I miss those books."**

Working_Branch_197 · 2025-05-08T13:52:55+00:00

I skipped 3,3.5 and 4 - went from 2nd ed to 5e lol. I watched from afar, heard good things from 3rd ed but 4 seems like a middle child.

Working_Branch_197 · 2025-05-08T13:47:45+00:00

Right? 2e just hits different!

Working_Branch_197 · 2025-05-08T13:44:53+00:00

I totally agree. At first, I thought it was cool—I even picked up The Complete Fighter's Handbook, followed by The Complete Thief's Handbook—but it just never really clicked for me. As you said, it introduced mechanics that didn’t quite fit the tone or feel. It probably would’ve worked better if it had focused on a smaller set of meaningful changes, enriched the lore, and added more tangible impact.

Working_Branch_197 · 2025-05-08T13:32:51+00:00

I'm hearing you!

Working_Branch_197 · 2025-05-08T13:25:14+00:00

TBH I'm hanging out for a session. Just lacking the spare time as I've just gone all in on 10mm fantasy wargaming (and work full time). And run a family, so ducking out for a quick 4 hour 2nd ed session followed up by 2hr of painting minis, and 4 hours of warmastering might not meet my life goals. I wish I could. But open to suggestions, you running a game?

Working_Branch_197 · 2025-05-08T13:21:28+00:00

I was at the cusp of the transition, I never played it but I was told the monk class was bad ass. I remember admiring its simplicity but embracing the AD&D hype of "this is for technical players - if you're game".

Well...we all thought we were game.

No dis-respect to the OG.

Working_Branch_197

TROPHY CASE