2nd Edition Advanced Dungeons and Dragons

[Valkos]

I have been thinking of running a game, probably one of the many modules produced for TSR's Dungeons and Dragons game system.  I do not have a lot of experieince DMing, but the only way to learn is to do, so I wanted to see if anyone would be interested?

Alignments would be any good, races and classes as per the PHB.  All In-Game dice rolls would be made by me, either actually rolling the dice, or using a dice server like Irony.  The only 'dice' you would need to 'roll' are for character creation (using a dice server like Irony).  I'd need to look through the source books I have for 2nd Ed to see what would be allowed.

I would probably like to place it in one of the lighter boards, with sex as a secondary thing, not primary.  If this sounds like something you would be interested in, post here, pm me, or email me (if email, make sure you put somethingin the subject line that I recognize so it doesn't end up in my junk folder  ;D.

[ZK]

Only thing I specialize in the 2nd Edition AD&D is Planescape. As for the regular format. I'm not good with it a lick.

[MasterJedi]

i got a few campaign settings manuals lying around for DND 3.5 if you wanna take a lookie...most popular one right now is eberron followed by forgotten worlds

[ZK]

It's Forgotten Realms, sweetie.

[MasterJedi]

thatsthe one *thanks the hottie sucubus8

[ZK]

But, as I said before. The only AD&D I know is Planescape.

[MasterJedi]

planescape is only 2.0...but i think i have a link for a community 3,5 update to it on my laptop

[Jefepato]

I could go for it.  Personally I prefer 3e, but I know AD&D well enough to play.

[ZK]

I know, what Valkos wants to play is 2nd Edition AD&D, all I said was the only AD&D 2nd Edition game I'm familiar with is Planescape.

[Natalie C. Barney]

I was in the playtest groups for the 2nd Edition and I'd LOVE to play. Would you allow Priests from the Priests Handbook I wouldn't mind a Fighter/Priest (maybe serving the Philosophy of Good or a more Martial Diety) whose a Half-Orc. I don't like the PHB Cleric its more realistic to have specialized clergies with different aspects. Some are softer and some more war like and can use swords and the like. But get fewer spell spheres so balances out. I just don't like the Cleric as is are too broad in power.

[Valkos]

I too do not like the generic clerics as described in the PHB.  A cleric should have a dedicated god/godess, so I will accept any from Faiths and Avatars, Demihuman Deities, Powers and Pantheons, and Forgotten Realms Adventures.  I might also accept the deities listed in the 1st Edition Deities and Demigods, though Major and Minor spheres would need som work.  For spells, I would also accept those listed in Tome of Magic, and Spells and Magic (but not the Players' Options rules listed within).

I will try to have a complete list of the books I have and what I will accept tomorrow, hopefully by suppertime. 

[Muse]

Ooh!  Ooh!  Ooh!  Unless you mean to have more than one plot post a day, I'm in.  Sign me up for either an Forgoten Realms speciality priest or a Complete Book of Elves Bladesinger... 

Probably the first. 

[ZK]

I could do Forgotten Realms, sadly I only have 3rd edition when it comes to D&D.

[Valkos]

I could do Forgotten Realms, sadly I only have 3rd edition when it comes to D&D.

Well, I do not have electronic versions of the books, so if you wanted to play a spellcaster, that could be a problem.  However, if you were thinking of playing a non-spell caster, it shouldn't be a problem. 

[Jefepato]

I do have electronic versions of the books, if they should become necessary for someone.

[ZK]

I was replying to doing the Forgotten Realms game. As for AD&D, I have Planescape. It's basically AD&D, but with Planescape being the Campaign Setting.

[Zaer Darkwail]

I could do Forgotten Realms, sadly I only have 3rd edition when it comes to D&D.

Just as note I have a 3.5 Ed Forgotten Realms game but it is not big jump from 3.0 to 3.5, just some skill changes and change in some spells ;).

[Muse]

True, but we're speaking of Second Edition here, and that is a big leap.  ^_^ 

[ZK]

2nd Edition AD&D is definately a large leap to 3.5 Edition D&D. Consider them two different games with similarities is all. AD&D is still, far most, one of the most complex pen and paper game out there.

[Lirliel]

Are the Baldurs Gate games also AD&D?

[ZK]

Yes, both Baldur's Gate games are 2nd Edition AD&D. Back then when Forgotten Realms was AD&D. As you can compair the two, there are simularities, but, still. There is a larger gap on things... And you know AD&D anything will in fact have three or four times more information in it then the D&D counterpart.

Also, curious as for mentioning Baldur's Gate. Ironically, just before coming back here to check the Forums I was playing Baldur's Gate II: Shadows of Amn.

[Lirliel]

I've got the expansion to BG2 as well TOB ;)

So there not completly the same things.. then you would have to count me out, I only have the games to get reference from..

[Natalie C. Barney]

Well in many ways 2nd Edition is easier IMO. Anyway if I can if I qualify to do so be a Fighter/Priest (Philosophy of Good) thats a half-orc I'm in. Well a philosophy is just as good a source of power as a diety just I have to fight evil and promote good actively with this character, alignment will determine how that happens. I was thinking a pragmatic CG character, you know you can't save or stop all evil just pick the big quests and go after the most evil he or she can sort of character. Plus they should get along with all good faiths and beings as serving a philosophy is religious neutral.

[Jefepato]

Well in many ways 2nd Edition is easier IMO.

I realize you're speaking only of your own opinion, but I'm curious as to what those ways are.

[Natalie C. Barney]

Well the biggest differences are the skills or Non-Weapon Proficiences are just a few major ones they kept it simpler over 3.0/3.5, I know for FIGHTERS and the like its easy too but when you get to Rogues it can be a bit much. The other is the FEAT system it can be rather complex in 2nd Edition you have a high dex and use the right weapons you can just fight two-handed and the like. A fighter doesn't have to worry about much more than later on specializing in a weapon if single classed. And if they wish to fight mounted taking Riding.

The basic combat system is not that hard just the rulebook could have been better written in areas.

[Valkos]

Players Handbook AD&D 2nd Edition
Tome of Magic
Players' Options: Spells and Magic (spells only)
Faiths and Avatars
Demihuman Deities
Powers and Pantheons
Forgotten Realms Adventures
The Complete Book of Gnomes and Halflings
The Complete Book of Dwarves
The Complete Book of Elves
The Complete Bard's Handbook
The Complete Fighter's Handbook
The Complete Priest's Handbook
The Complete Ranger's Handbook
The Complete Thief's Handbook
The Complete Wizard's Handbook
Warriors and Priests of the Realms
Wizards and Rogues of the Realms

Races: those listed in the PHB

Mages: as per PHB or Complete Wizard's Handbook, Wizards and Rogues the Realms

Clerics: as per PHB, Deminhuman Deities, Powers and Pantheons, Faiths and Avatars, Complete Priest's Handbook, and Warriors and Priests of the Realms

If you want to play a race or class from smething other than the above sources, pm me and we'll discuss it.

[Natalie C. Barney]

Players Handbook AD&D 2nd Edition
Tome of Magic
Players' Options: Spells and Magic (spells only)
Faiths and Avatars
Demihuman Deities
Powers and Pantheons
Forgotten Realms Adventures
The Complete Book of Gnomes and Halflings
The Complete Book of Dwarves
The Complete Book of Elves
The Complete Bard's Handbook
The Complete Fighter's Handbook
The Complete Priest's Handbook
The Complete Ranger's Handbook
The Complete Thief's Handbook
The Complete Wizard's Handbook
Warriors and Priests of the Realms
Wizards and Rogues of the Realms

Races: those listed in the PHB

Mages: as per PHB or Complete Wizard's Handbook, Wizards and Rogues the Realms

Clerics: as per PHB, Deminhuman Deities, Powers and Pantheons, Faiths and Avatars, Complete Priest's Handbook, and Warriors and Priests of the Realms

If you want to play a race or class from smething other than the above sources, pm me and we'll discuss it.

Looks fine to me I just have the Player's Handbook and the Priests Handbook, thats enough though. I'll just need someplace to dice roll and can have a character done fast enough. Class and the like will depend on my die rolls naturally.  :-\

[Muse]

First level then?  And Nat-chan will be playing the cleric?  Ohhh...  Decisions, decisions, decisions...  Rehash the old bladesinger that I never got to play to my satisfaction, or dig up my favorite setting/rulebooks of all time... 

Ah-ha!  I know! 

[Natalie C. Barney]

Not sure about classes or races but a multiclass Priest with something else (Fighter) is very likely if not playing a human.

[Valkos]

I won't know what level until I pick the module I want to use.  Part of that decision will be based on how many players want to play.  So far it looks like, Muse, Natalie, Jefepato, and Zulokitty.  Have I missed anyone??

Of tyhose interesteed, who does not have access to the books, either hard copy or electronic?  If you want to play a spellcaster and at least have the PHB, we can work around it according to schools/spheres.  If you want to play something not in the afore-mentioned books, pm me and well see what we can come up with.

For character creation, I am looking at maybe shelving the dice rolls in favor of point buy.  That way people have more options for what they play and the ability to qualify for certain classes/sub-classes.  I'll see what I can find for a point buy system for 2nd ed and post here with my decision.

[Natalie C. Barney]

Whats the matter with dice rolling? I once had a great PC that was average with all stats between 10 and 14 (one 14) and its was fun. Did a half-elven triple class and survived because I never gave up on her. Part of the fun is if you get a low stat what to do with it. Hell I favor rolling in order 4d6 with no re-rolls and see what you can do with the character. I never did get why one low stat or two has to kill a PC.

For example once I ran a cleric with a decent wisdom but an Intelligence of 4 and pretty low in the other stats I pulled her she has a Str 13, Dex 10, Con 13, Int 4, Wis 15 and a Cha 6 and played her as a Barbarian Priestess Kit like the wise woman known for her hearth wisdom and had a homely crone like appearance. But she made it to Level 16 and in single combat of mighty art hurled a demon back to the pit that spawned it (she died as well) gaining great honor among her people.

If nothing else there is always the fameous Big Dumb Person with the BIG Weapon. lol

[Jefepato]

The only real way to make a character is iron-man rolling: 3d6 straight in order.

The problem with this is that it's entirely possible you won't qualify for any class, and you have no choice at all about what you do qualify for.  For the sake of this game it's better that we use point-buy, so we can actually play the classes we want.

(Wild mages, of course, are the best characters in AD&D.)

[Natalie C. Barney]

Then the GM can give a character one stat at 14 so they can be one class. In any case why not use the 3.5 point buy system with maybe the higher end 32 points it gives nice characters but not overly good ones. If you want a simple method.

[Jefepato]

32 points is not high-end, no matter what the book says.  (Besides, the 3e point-buy system is balanced for the 3e stat setup, and 2e stats worked very differently.)

[Natalie C. Barney]

Sure it is you can have a good character with two 12s and four 14's that would be above the norm pretty much. And in any case if you get an 18 it should cost a player that is the maximum potential save for racial adjustments.

With the 2nd Edition rules one could add points I think 40 would be quite good they could have an 18 and still have some extra points for another decent stat. Or just make the 32 points a direct point buy with 1 point per point up to 18. Then 32 points will go farther.

Like an 18 would cost 10 points instead of 18! Want do you want super-characters?

Why not let players choose a point-buy system or a regular 4d6 die roll rerolling 1's keeping the best 3 dice, then assign them. I know this almost always gives a reasonable character but with strengths and weakenesses. And part of the fun is to use what you get for me anyway.

As for your example of no character class you only need a NINE for most of the basic ones, if I had lets say all rolls that are average then you make do. I had one character that was a Fighter/Thief/Wizard half-elf like that. The highest stat I had was a 12 and the lowest a 9 and I made do. And yes he did survive until a dragon ate him. Frankly I find players who think the world ends because average stats or *gasp  :o * only get nothing over a 16 to be kind of pathetic. And you can always give them a substitute for their highest stat of 16 if they are being whiney.

Want to know my favorite character ever he was a 1st Edition Character AL THE SWAMPER who had:

Str 10, Dex 11, Con 11, Int 3, Wis 13 and a Cha 4. He was a cleric with a leperous disease (not contagious) and not bright but still took up arms and magic against evil. He was bandaged, he was falling apart and he was well simple minded but could still fight. Turned out to be a powerful support character and retired to run a monastary famed for healing and the only player to survive the whole campaign without dying. I just did the best with what I had and came up with a nice character. True most are more heroic leveled but sometimes dice are not kind. And I refused a GM intervention to "fix him". They all said he wouldn't survive but he did.

I even had a nice line for casting his turnings: "I AM AL GO BACK TO HELL!" (channeling the full might of his diety the Sun God RA into the foul creatures).

[Jefepato]

14s are not high stats.  In 2nd edition a 14 is barely enough to give you a bonus in some stats.

I didn't say 32 wasn't enough to make a fun character -- it is.  I said it wasn't high-end, and it's not.  (Although it is enough to qualify for quite a few of the "special" classes in 2e, which really helps a lot since they're generally better than the base versions.)

[Natalie C. Barney]

Who needs bonuses? Ok they can be nice I suggest then keep this simple start everyone with an 8 in each stat and give everyone 40 points for a direct point-buy so an 18 would cost 10 points. Allow only one 18 and doing this a character could have all 14's and one stat at 18. Of course they could assign them where they want but I would be hard pressed to find a class someone couldn't qualify for. Ok Paladins might be a bit basic but most other classes or for a multi-class this is a good option.

[Jefepato]

Arguing would be pointless; let's just let our DM decide.  I'm willing to go with pretty much any method of stat generation.

It's a shame we can't use the Complete Book of Humanoids, but I can see why there might be issues with that book.

[Muse]

I think I might have been the cause of the mention of dice rolling.  I once had a very nice charecter concept that I had to abandon and make up a new one on the spot because of the dice I rolled.  Everyone hated the new charecter. 

[Natalie C. Barney]

Well a good DM if a player really wants to be a Paladin will give them the minimum stats to meet it, in most cases thats a 17 for Charisma as an example. But I favor rolling the dice and then do a character concept and the like using what I get. There is an option of doing both methods roll 4d6 dropping the lowest die in order Stegth to Charisma, rerolling 1'sthen give the players a pool of points to add to these as they wish such as 6 points. This way its chance but they can except in unusual cases get one stat where they want it. I still think if you want to be a class like a Paladin it should not be automatic. I also allow swapping two stats with each other to increase the odds of a desired character.

[Zaer Darkwail]

Even tough I do not likely join the game, I advice the minimum stats and rest rolled. Any multiclassed persons have multiple favoured stats but some secondary ones are bit lower but not much.

Fighter favours Strenght and Con as second, so automatic 16 to strenght and minimum 14 whit rolling whit Con would be good measure. But if we speak of Fighter/Wizard, then Int or Str must be 16 and strenght or Inteligence 14 and then Con minimum 12 rolled.

[Muse]

::bounces::  So when do we start? 

[Valkos]

If I read correctly, the following people are interested in joining:

Muse
Zolukitty
Natalie
Jefepato

I'm still looking at which adventure to run, and how it will need to be adjusted to Faerun, Forgotten Realms, 2nd edition AD&D. (both low level adventures I like were originally made for either 1st Edition AD&D, or for the original D&D basic/expert).

Ability scores will be generated using the following method: roll 4d6, drop the lowest.  You will roll this twice for each stat (take the highest of the two, or lowest if you prefer  ;D :P ).  Then assign as you will.  If you cannot get the stats you need for a particular class you want to play, then we will see what we can work out.  DO NOT ROLL YET.  We will be using an offsite dice roller, and I need to see how it will work for what I want.  I should have that figured out before this weekend is up.

If you 4 are still interested, please post so here, and then once I decide on which module/adventure to go with (also by this weekend) I will pm a goddess or two for the board to be setup.

[Jefepato]

Still interested.

[Natalie C. Barney]

YES YES YES!!!  ;D ;D ;D

[Muse]

Most asuredly intrested. 

[ZK]

I only know Planescape and prefer Planescape when it comes to Second Edition AD&D.