Learning to Play Advanced Dungeons and Dragons Second Edition: Player Character Races (PH 26 – 33)

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…

Class Restrictions and Level Limits in Advanced Dungeons and Dragons Second Edition

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…

Why did Advanced Dungeons and Dragons Continue to Use the Term ‘Race?’

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…

Learning to Play Advanced Dungeons and Dragons 2nd Edition: Player Character Ability Scores (PH pgs 18 – 25)

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.…

System Shock in Advanced Dungeons and Dragons Second Edition

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…

Ability Score Restrictions in ADnD 2e

When I began playing Dungeons & Dragons v3.5 Edition (D&D 3.5e) one of the first things that I learned was that my ability scores weren't locked. In fact, there were scheduled intervals when I could add a point to my scores. The D&D 3.5e Player's Handbook states the following: Over time, the ability scores your…

Opening Doors in Advanced Dungeons and Dragons Second Edition was a Gamble

From the Player's Handbook: When a character tries to force a door open, roll a 1d20. If the result is equal to or less than the listed number, the door opens. A character can keep trying to open a door until it finally opens, but each attempt takes time (exactly how much is up to…

Why did D&D 3e Ditch Exceptional Strength?

One of the things that I've been interested in since I began learning Advanced Dungeons and Dragons Second Edition (AD&D 2e) was the idea of exceptional strength that AD&D used throughout both first and second edition. It often seemed like the sort of thing that really made sense to me as it allowed for a…

What does Maximum Strength in ADnD 2e Really Mean?

After finishing the introduction to the Advanced Dungeons and Dragons Second Edition (AD&D 2e) Player's Handbook I've moved on to Chapter 1: Ability Scores. The first ability that the book discusses is strength and there is a curious comment when it comes to a character's ability to perform their 'max press:' ". . . No…

Learning to Play Advanced Dungeons and Dragons 2nd Edition: Welcome to the Game! (PH pgs 1 – 17)

Advanced Dungeons and Dragons Second Edition (AD&D 2e) was a massive, rules-heavy game by the time that it ceased publication at the turn of the millennium. It had a glut of source books, setting guides, alternative rules, and rule expansions that made learning it an intimidating task even for the most motivated players. To help…

Learning to Play Advanced Dungeons & Dragons 2nd Edition

When I first started playing Dungeons and Dragons (D&D) I began, like many other new players in the early 2000s, with Dungeons and Dragons Third Edition (D&D 3e). At the time I started playing there were more than a dozen groups playing role-playing games at our local gaming store. All of them played D&D 3e,…