and I am no Dragon
Dungeons and Dragons Third Edition (D&D 3e) classes share many qualities with the Advanced Dungeons and Dragons Second Edition (AD&D 2e) classes that preceded them but there are many noticeable differences. Chief among these differences is the way that classes advance in level. In D&D 3e all classes advance on a single chart which allows… Continue reading Learning to Play Advanced Dungeons and Dragons 2nd Edition: Player Character Classes (PH pgs 35 – 63)
One of the big changes that Advanced Dungeons and Dragons Second Edition (AD&D 2e) made was changing the way that we thought about classes. Advanced Dungeons and Dragons First Edition (AD&D 1e) had classes and sub-classes, but these were streamlined choices. For example, you could play a Cleric or a specialized version of the cleric… Continue reading The Impact of ADnD 2e Classes on DnD 5e
It has been argued that Advanced Dungeons and Dragons Second Edition (AD&D 2e) was a reaction to the criticisms Advanced Dungeons and Dragons First Edition (AD&D 1e) faced from both within the hobby and from outside it. While the introduction and first chapter hinted at those criticisms it is in this chapter where we begin… Continue reading Learning to Play Advanced Dungeons and Dragons Second Edition: Player Character Races (PH 26 – 33)
Level restrictions and class limitations were always concepts that eluded me when I played Dungeons & Dragons Third Edition (D&D 3e) and that I imagine tend to be even more alien for players who have begun with Dungeons & Dragons Fifth Edition (D&D 5e). For us the demi-human races have always been unfettered. So when… Continue reading Class Restrictions and Level Limits in Advanced Dungeons and Dragons Second Edition
At the beginning of Chapter 2: Player Character Races the Player's Handbook has a curious passage . . . After creating your character's ability scores, you must select a player character race. This is not a race in the true sense of the word: caucasian, black, asian, etc. It is actually a fantasy species for… Continue reading Why did Advanced Dungeons and Dragons Continue to Use the Term ‘Race?’
When I started playing Dungeons & Dragons (D&D) the standard method for creating ability scores in my area was to roll four six-sided die (4d6), dropping the lowest die result, and totaling the remaining dice. We were then allowed to arrange these scores however we desired to create the characters that we wanted to play.… Continue reading Learning to Play Advanced Dungeons and Dragons 2nd Edition: Player Character Ability Scores (PH pgs 18 – 25)
System shock is an interesting idea for someone who comes to Advanced Dungeons and Dragons Second Edition (AD&D 2e) from a Dungeons & Dragons Third Edition (D&D 3e) perspective. The basic idea of system shock is that sometimes the body goes through some act that is so traumatic that the shock to the system could… Continue reading System Shock in Advanced Dungeons and Dragons Second Edition
