I got 2E

[Froogleyboy]

I got the 2E books today and I'm ecstatic! I'm used to 3.5 so is there anything that could help me out with it? Also, are there any good resource sites (other then here) for 2E?

[Matthew]

Welcome to Advanced Dungeons & Dragons, Froogleyboy!

Dragonsfoot (http://www.dragonsfoot.org/) is pretty much the biggest AD&D site around.

http://membres.lycos.fr/kingconan/galerie/Larry_Elmore-Dragon_Slayers.jpg

[RagnaroksChosen]

Dragonsfoot is awsome..

As well as 2e!!

[Korivan]

What books did you pick up? Players handbook/dungeon master guide/MM are all necessary. But if you want to custimize things a bit more, look into the Players Option Series. Theres combat and tactics, spells and magic, skills and powers.

Out of the Complete Series, definatly check out Wizards and Huminoids. But be carefull with the Huminoids. Had a friend that fudged dice all the time. DM allowed it and we ended up with a series of overpowered duel/multiclass(forgot which was which) minitor cleric/fighters with a 25 STR, 22 DEX, 20 CON, ?? INT, 18 WIS, ?? CHA. Or Pixie thieves. Oh, and Tome of Magic has chain contingency...nuff said.

[Myshlaevsky]

Welcome to Advanced Dungeons & Dragons, Froogleyboy!

Dragonsfoot (http://www.dragonsfoot.org/) is pretty much the biggest AD&D site around.

http://membres.lycos.fr/kingconan/galerie/Larry_Elmore-Dragon_Slayers.jpg

What a picture, honestly.

[LurkerInPlayground]

I got the 2E books today and I'm ecstatic! I'm used to 3.5 so is there anything that could help me out with it? Also, are there any good resource sites (other then here) for 2E?
Get used to subtracting AC from THAC0?

Of course, it's fairly easy to convert into an ascending AC system instead.

It helps to think of AC as something that hurts your chances of being hit, rather than improving it. Having more of it lowers the target number the other guy has to roll.

[Oracle_Hunter]

And remember: roll your character using 3d6 in order.

If you want to be a wimp about it, you could allow for arrangement

Be sure to read up before you play; AD&D is nothing like 3E. Your character fits on an index card and is lucky to see 5th level, let alone 10th. Plan accordingly.

Yeah, I bet Dragonfoot has a lot better advice than that, but I just had to say something :smallbiggrin:

[Froogleyboy]

And remember: roll your character using 3d6 in order.

If you want to be a wimp about it, you could allow for arrangement

Be sure to read up before you play; AD&D is nothing like 3E. Your character fits on an index card and is lucky to see 5th level, let alone 10th. Plan accordingly.

Yeah, I bet Dragonfoot has a lot better advice than that, but I just had to say something :smallbiggrin:

I've read the book. This is 2e, not AD&D

[Oracle_Hunter]

I've read the book. This is 2e, not AD&D


:confused:

Am I missing an edition somewhere?

[Mikeavelli]

There was 2nd edition D&D, and "AD&D" - which was sort of like a "2.5" version of D&D.

The first books I ever got were the "AD&D" stuff so I'm not entirely sure what the differences between it and D&D 2nd edition were.

[Mushroom Ninja]

Get used to subtracting AC from THAC0?


Ahh, good ol' THAC0, how much fun we used to have.

Remember that in 2E it is really easy to die. Running is a good thing. Also be sure to read the section on saves as they work very differently from 3.X.

Man, I'm getting nostalgic, maybe I'll have to dig up my AD&D books again one of these days.

[Oracle_Hunter]

Are we talking about Advanced Dungeons and Dragons, 2nd Edition (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Editions_of_Dungeons_%26_Dragons#Advanced_Dungeons _.26_Dragons_2nd_edition) or Advanced Dungeons and Dragons (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Editions_of_Dungeons_%26_Dragons#Advanced_Dungeons _.26_Dragons)?

Or is this one of the editions of OD&D (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Editions_of_Dungeons_%26_Dragons#Dungeons_.26_Drag ons)?

Anyhoo, I was talking about AD&D, 2nd Ed. I think Matthew is talking about plain ol' AD&D.

[Lycan 01]

Where did you FIND it? :smallconfused: I can't find 3.5e in any stores, let alone 2e...

[jmbrown]

What version are we talking about here? You've got Dungeons and Dragons (original box set), Basic Dungeons and Dragons (based on the original and Greyhawk supplements), Advanced Dungeons and Dragons followed by Advanced Dungeons and Dragons 2E.

Edit: There's also Expert which is basically the 2nd edition of Basic and is pretty much different from the TSR written AD&D.


Where did you FIND it? I can't find 3.5e in any stores, let alone 2e...

Best place to look for old material is online or at used book stores.

[LurkerInPlayground]

Are we talking about Advanced Dungeons and Dragons, 2nd Edition (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Editions_of_Dungeons_%26_Dragons#Advanced_Dungeons _.26_Dragons_2nd_edition) or Advanced Dungeons and Dragons (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Editions_of_Dungeons_%26_Dragons#Advanced_Dungeons _.26_Dragons)?

Or is this one of the editions of OD&D (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Editions_of_Dungeons_%26_Dragons#Dungeons_.26_Drag ons)?

Anyhoo, I was talking about AD&D, 2nd Ed. I think Matthew is talking about plain ol' AD&D.
Isn't AD&D usually dubbed "1st edition"?

With OD&D generally being edition zero?

[Siosilvar]

There was 2nd edition D&D, and "AD&D" - which was sort of like a "2.5" version of D&D.

The first books I ever got were the "AD&D" stuff so I'm not entirely sure what the differences between it and D&D 2nd edition were.

First there was Dungeons and Dragons (aka 0e).

Then came Advanced Dungeons and Dragons (aka 1e).

2e is AD&D Second Edition.

Then "Advanced" got dropped and we got 3rd edition, then Revised 3rd/3.5.

And now we have 4th edition.

EDIT: Ninja'd. Lurker is correct.

[Oracle_Hunter]

Isn't AD&D usually dubbed "1st edition"?

With OD&D generally being edition zero?
I added OD&D because there were apparently 5 "editions" of it.

I've always thought of AD&D, 2nd as "Second Edition" but the first edition of AD&D (with Assassins and such) is the second "edition" of D&D in the sense that it was a real departure from OD&D.

Of course, this is time-wasting speculation until the answer comes from the OP :smalltongue:

[Froogleyboy]

It is "Second edition Advanced Dungeons and Dragons"

[Oracle_Hunter]

It is "Second edition Advanced Dungeons and Dragons"
Excellent! That's what I was talking about.

aaaaand now I've learned an important piece of nomenclature - don't just say AD&D, specify editions :smallbiggrin:

[sambo.]

i have several boxes full of 1ed and 2ed stuffs.

i doubt i'll ever open them up again.

FOR SALE: 1ed Deities and Demigods (Complete with the Nehwon Mythos! that's right, get the stats for Elric and Stormbringer!)

actually, that's probably the only 1ed book i'll never sell......

[Random832]

There was 2nd edition D&D, and "AD&D" - which was sort of like a "2.5" version of D&D.

No. There's 1st edition AD&D and 2nd edition AD&D. This is as opposed to "Dungeons and Dragons", of which there were something like five versions, in parallel with [not all before] the AD&D editions.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Editions_of_Dungeons_&_Dragons has a timeline.

[magellan]

Get used to subtracting AC from THAC0?

Of course, it's fairly easy to convert into an ascending AC system instead.

It helps to think of AC as something that hurts your chances of being hit, rather than improving it. Having more of it lowers the target number the other guy has to roll.

... and now that we got out of the way wich 2nd ed froogleboy got,

Why would anyone want to do that??? (keeping in mind that one of my main reason to not look at new fangled stuff like 3rd ed is the absence of negative armor class)

[Mushroom Ninja]

Why would anyone want to do that??? (keeping in mind that one of my main reason to not look at new fangled stuff like 3rd ed is the absence of negative armor class)

2e's not a bad system. It can be a lot of fun.

[infinitypanda]

I think what he means is "why would anyone want to have increasing armor class rather than decreasing armor class?"

[LurkerInPlayground]

I think what he means is "why would anyone want to have increasing armor class rather than decreasing armor class?"
It's mostly a matter of preference anyway. Anybody can PM Matthew and I'm sure he'll be pleased to give a lecture on the topic. I recall that he expounded at-length about THAC0 and AC in some other thread.

Personally, I don't find it particularly unintuitive to use one or the other.

2e armor class is a penalty to your chances of being hit. The bigger the number, the bigger your penalty.

With a few exceptions, AC 0 is the rating of the best nonmagical armor that money can buy. It doesn't have any penalty. Magical armor is exotic enough that it laughs in your face and becomes a bonus instead. Hence the sentimentality that some people have for the descending AC.

(There's also the notion from OD&D lovers that there's a limit to how good armor can get. AC 0 is the epitome. Nothing really gets better than that. Armor class is not a limitlessly improvable stat like it is in 3e.)

By contrast, 3e and 4e armor class is a bonus to your chances of being hit. The bigger the number, the bigger your bonus.

[infinitypanda]

I think the issue is that a +1 piece of armor gives a -1 to your armor class, which can tend to be a bit unintuitive to new players.

[magellan]

It's mostly a matter of preference anyway. Anybody can PM Matthew and I'm sure he'll be pleased to give a lecture on the topic. I recall that he expounded at-length about THAC0 and AC in some other thread.

Personally, I don't find it particularly unintuitive to use one or the other.

2e armor class is a penalty to your chances of being hit. The bigger the number, the bigger your penalty.

With a few exceptions, AC 0 is the rating of the best nonmagical armor that money can buy. It doesn't have any penalty. Magical armor is exotic enough that it laughs in your face and becomes a bonus instead. Hence the sentimentality that some people have for the descending AC.

(There's also the notion from OD&D lovers that there's a limit to how good armor can get. AC 0 is the epitome. Nothing really gets better than that. Armor class is not a limitlessly improvable stat like it is in 3e.)

By contrast, 3e and 4e armor class is a bonus to your chances of being hit. The bigger the number, the bigger your bonus.

*chuckles*
Thanks, i know how it works. :)
And all these convoluted "explanations" always give me a grin. "High armor class bad. Low armor class good"
That's it. To me it's as if somebody started "wait, i usually have to roll higher than the target number. Now you ask me for an ability check i need to roll below it? Does that mean i am not superstrong with STR 3?" *explanation1* "What?" *explanation2* "Huh?" *explanation3* "I dont get it."

Edit to add: AC goes from +10 to -10 in AD&D and 9 to -whatever in D&D

[LurkerInPlayground]

*chuckles*
Thanks, i know how it works. :)
And all these convoluted "explanations" always give me a grin. "High armor class bad. Low armor class good"
That's it. To me it's as if somebody started "wait, i usually have to roll higher than the target number. Now you ask me for an ability check i need to roll below it? Does that mean i am not superstrong with STR 3?" *explanation1* "What?" *explanation2* "Huh?" *explanation3* "I dont get it."
In a word. That's accurate. Whether you add a number or subtract a negative number, it's still the same thing.

But then again, I'm not throwing this explanation for your express benefit. Or saying that I particularly cherish these artifacts of old school to-hit mechanisms.

I'm saying that they exist.

Again, it's easy enough to convert one method to another without any real loss other than sentimental value or intuitiveness.

[Random832]

*chuckles*
Thanks, i know how it works. :)
And all these convoluted "explanations" always give me a grin. "High armor class bad. Low armor class good"
That's it. To me it's as if somebody started "wait, i usually have to roll higher than the target number. Now you ask me for an ability check i need to roll below it? Does that mean i am not superstrong with STR 3?" *explanation1* "What?" *explanation2* "Huh?" *explanation3* "I dont get it."

Well, yeah. This is the same fundamental issue.

The design philosophy here is of having the target number written down on the character's sheet (so the target number, then, has to depend directly on the character, and nothing else. anything from somewhere else becomes a modifier.) 2nd edition [i am told] actually broke away from this somewhat by having THAC0 instead of "to hit" numbers for a reasonable range of armor class ratings right on the table.

At the core, any system where you roll dice to determine success/failure is a system of percentages. Each increase to your score (or, in 3rd edition, to your bonus) increases chance of success by 5%.

To put it in terms of real numbers
{table]Score|Check|Bend Bars|Open Doors|DC 5|DC 10|DC 15|DC 20|DC 25
3|15%|0%|10%|75%|50%|25%|0%|0%
4|20%|0%|15%|80%|55%|30%|5%|0%
5|25%|0%|15%|80%|55%|30%|5%|0%
6|30%|0%|20%|85%|60%|35%|10%|0%
7|35%|0%|20%|85%|60%|35%|10%|0%
8|40%|1%|25%|90%|65%|40%|15%|0%
9|45%|1%|25%|90%|65%|40%|15%|0%
10|50%|2%|30%|95%|70%|45%|20%|0%
11|55%|2%|30%|95%|70%|45%|20%|0%
12|60%|4%|35%|100%|75%|50%|25%|0%
13|65%|4%|35%|100%|75%|50%|25%|0%
14|70%|7%|40%|100%|80%|55%|30%|5%
15|75%|7%|40%|100%|80%|55%|30%|5%
16|80%|10%|45%|100%|85%|60%|35%|10%
17|85%|13%|50%|100%|85%|60%|35%|10%
18|90%|16%|55%|100%|90%|65%|40%|15%[/table]

So you have to roll either higher or lower, whatever makes the target number written on the sheet scale more "logically".

In a way it's an anomaly that it's not "THAC0 scales up, attacks roll low".

Percentages brings me to another thing, actually, as a sidenote: 3rd edition still has roll-low percentile rolls. that's how you roll a miss chance. Yes, rolling low is bad for the attacker (who generally rolls it), but you are still comparing the number rolled directly against the number given for it, rather than adding something to it and comparing against another number. You could say "20% miss chance" is "roll d%+80, target number 101", but no-one does that

In 3rd edition, the difference is, part of the modifier comes from the character sheet, part of it comes from the specific circumstances, and the target number changes with the circumstances as well (and it's not always clear what should be a circumstance penalty vs a higher DC)

It'd almost be better if 3rd edition went the _other_ way, actually - with the modifier entirely determined by what is knowable on the character sheet, and everything else being included in the target number. But as it is it's a bit halfway.

[bosssmiley]

And remember: roll your character using 3d6 in order.

If you want to be a wimp about it, you could allow for arrangement

Nah. AD&D2E allows for sissified re-rolling and swapping. The "3d6 in order. No swapping. Fox only. Final Destination." schtick is typically an OD&D or B/X D&D fetish. But then the guys who play OD&D are crazy hardcore man-mountains who eat rocks and p*ss flaming napalm. AD&D players? They're weird stylites who like it when their brains hurt from the complexity. :smallsmile:


Be sure to read up before you play; AD&D is nothing like 3E. Your character fits on an index card and is lucky to see 5th level, let alone 10th. Plan accordingly.

Yep. In AD&D 10th level is high level (some classes get an army as a class feature!). 20th+ is the stuff of Legends and Lore or Dark Sun psionic dragon PC class lunacy.

Now hold still Froogley. It's time to receive your 'Child of Gygax' brand.

[Decoy Lockbox]

What a picture, honestly.

Makes me nostalgic for my 2e/1e books gathering dust in my cabinet. This picture always made me imagine that it was sitting in a picture frame in one of the character's houses to remind him of the good 'ol days with his adventuring buddies, before he hung up his sword, got married and settled down. Maybe one of his buddies gets murdered and he has to investigate, leading to some sort of Dan Brown-esque mystery thriller with secrets hidden in that picture. You know, you could write an entire campaign just based on that photo.

Come to think of it, the art was by far my favorite thing about AD&D. The rules...well, without starting an edition war lets just say I could take 'em or leave 'em. We did a 1.5 year long 1e/2e game a couple of years ago though, which was fun.


And remember: roll your character using 3d6 in order.

If you want to be a wimp about it, you could allow for arrangement

Be sure to read up before you play; AD&D is nothing like 3E. Your character fits on an index card and is lucky to see 5th level, let alone 10th. Plan accordingly.

Yeah, I bet Dragonfoot has a lot better advice than that, but I just had to say something :smallbiggrin:

5th level? What kind of sissy version were you playing :smallbiggrin:
I've seen more character deaths at first - 2nd level than anything else. I saw a friend of mine lose two characters in a single session! He refused to name his next character, because he "didn't want to get attached" in the event of his death.

So just a quick AD&D question for you guys: do you think the game designers knew how overpowered darts where?

[LurkerInPlayground]

Nah. AD&D2E allows for sissified re-rolling and swapping. The "3d6 in order. No swapping. Fox only. Final Destination." schtick is typically an OD&D or B/X D&D fetish. But then the guys who play OD&D are crazy hardcore man-mountains who eat rocks and p*ss flaming napalm. AD&D players? They're weird stylites who like it when their brains hurt from the complexity. :smallsmile:
Guh?
Doesn't that describe 3rd edition enthusiasts on this board?

You also didn't take into account how much my brain hurts when people start talking about morality and the alignment system.

[Akal Saris]

Enjoy it! 2E's a lot of fun - I especially like it when my head hurts from 3.5's endless rules, and I can just play my dwarven fighter with his 2 attacks per round, dealing different damage based on my opponents' size, and that's that, end of story.

I'd take advantage of 2E's multiclass rules if I were you - in some ways they are more fun than 3rd ed's, since you don't have to worry as much about finding PrCs that advance both of your classes simultaneously.

[ken-do-nim]

I'd take advantage of 2E's multiclass rules if I were you - in some ways they are more fun than 3rd ed's, since you don't have to worry as much about finding PrCs that advance both of your classes simultaneously.

AD&D multiclassing is a lot of fun, and with a few simple tweaks, the dual-classing rules are a heck of a lot of fun too. You don't need prestige classes in AD&D (although there is one in 1E: the bard).

[Matthew]

What a picture, honestly.

Heh, heh. First colour plate in the 1989 PHB, gotta love it. :smallbiggrin:



And remember: roll your character using 3d6 in order.

If you want to be a wimp about it, you could allow for arrangement

Be sure to read up before you play; AD&D is nothing like 3E. Your character fits on an index card and is lucky to see 5th level, let alone 10th. Plan accordingly.

Yeah, I bet Dragonfoot has a lot better advice than that, but I just had to say something :smallbiggrin:



I've read the book. This is 2e, not AD&D

The 1977-9 version of AD&D has roll 4d6, drop lowest, arrange to taste as its "Method I"; second edition presented "roll 3d6 in order" as its Method I, primarily because that was the method in Original Dungeons & Dragons and the more contemporary Classic Dungeons & Dragons (which was where David Cook cut his teeth as a designer; the influence on second edition AD&D can be easily perceived).



Are we talking about Advanced Dungeons and Dragons, 2nd Edition (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Editions_of_Dungeons_%26_Dragons#Advanced_Dungeons _.26_Dragons_2nd_edition) or Advanced Dungeons and Dragons (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Editions_of_Dungeons_%26_Dragons#Advanced_Dungeons _.26_Dragons)?

Or is this one of the editions of OD&D (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Editions_of_Dungeons_%26_Dragons#Dungeons_.26_Drag ons)?

Anyhoo, I was talking about AD&D, 2nd Ed. I think Matthew is talking about plain ol' AD&D.



Excellent! That's what I was talking about.

aaaaand now I've learned an important piece of nomenclature - don't just say AD&D, specify editions :smallbiggrin:

Both first and second edition are collectively known as "Advanced Dungeons & Dragons", but some first edition folk prefer to delineate between "AD&D" and "second edition". A handy list:

OD&D (Gygax/Arneson Original D&D, 1974) (http://www.acaeum.com/ddindexes/setpages/setscans/box3rd+.html)
HBD&D (Holmes/Gygax Basic D&D, 1977) (http://www.acaeum.com/ddindexes/setpages/setscans/basic4th.html)
AD&D/OAD&D (Gygax Original Advanced D&D, 1977-1979) (http://www.acaeum.com/ddindexes/setpages/setscans/phb8th.html)
Moldvay B/X (Moldvay/Cook Basic/Expert D&D, 1981) (http://www.acaeum.com/ddindexes/setpages/setscans/basic8th.html)
Mentzer BECMI (Mentzer Basic/Expert/Companion/Master/Immortal, 1983) (http://www.acaeum.com/ddindexes/setpages/setscans/basic12th.html)
AD&D 2e (Cook Advanced D&D, 2nd Edition, 1989) (http://home.flash.net/~brenfrow/dd1/phb2-a.htm)
RC (Allston Rules Cyclopedia, 1991) (http://www.acaeum.com/ddindexes/setpages/setscans/cyclopedia.html)

I was introduced to D&D via "Mentzer" D&D and then "Cook" AD&D, so am probably biased towards amalgamating "1e" and "2e", but on the other hand the design aim of second edition was not to replace its predecessor.



It's mostly a matter of preference anyway. Anybody can PM Matthew and I'm sure he'll be pleased to give a lecture on the topic. I recall that he expounded at-length about THAC0 and AC in some other thread.

'Tis a hobby within a hobby. :smallwink:

[hamlet]

To the OP: Welcome to the Dark Side. We have cookies.:smallsmile:

Things to help you learn/master AD&D 2e? Well, the first one is to read the books from front to back, including all those fiddly things you think you know already cause chances are, you don't, even if you've been playing the game for years already.

The next thing is to put together a character or six, a group, and start playing.

Have fun with it. Go kill a few monsters and revel in the lamentations of the women!

Ok, serious advice now. Seriously.

1. Do not expect from AD&D 2e (or really any D&D prior to the idiot Players' Options garbage) a D20 like experience. You will be dissapointed if you go in looking for D&D 3.5, and frustrated if you look for unifying anything.

2. And this is a very important lesson to learn if you are planning on DMing: balance is not a matter of rules, numbers, systems, challenge ratings, effective levels, charts, or anything found within the books. Balance is the lonely domain and duty of the DM. Do not expect "fairness" to be systematized and categorized by the text and you will be happier for it. If you are the DM, learn that balance is very often a case by case basis. Just because the players trounced a caravan of a dozen orcs last week doesn't mean that they won't, in turn, get trounced by a dozen orcs this week.

3. Kobolds are dangerous. If you see a dozen, be cautious. If you see only one, it's too late.

4. The concept of a "character build" will not take you as far in 2nd edition as it would in later editions. In my experience, while there are definately a lot of mechanical exploits that can get you a little power boost here and there, a more rounded character survives longer and better. On top of that, a character who learns to help use his skills to complement and enhance the skills of his companions and the entire party will benefit.

5. If you are a priest, learn the wonders of the Prayer spell. Then the Divination spell. If you live long enough that is.

6. Enjoy yourself, above all.

EDIT: This made me laugh for a good 15 mintues:

Originally Posted by Oracle_Hunter
And remember: roll your character using 3d6 in order.

If you want to be a wimp about it, you could allow for arrangement

Nah. AD&D2E allows for sissified re-rolling and swapping. The "3d6 in order. No swapping. Fox only. Final Destination." schtick is typically an OD&D or B/X D&D fetish. But then the guys who play OD&D are crazy hardcore man-mountains who eat rocks and p*ss flaming napalm. AD&D players? They're weird stylites who like it when their brains hurt from the complexity.

[jmbrown]

Things to help you learn/master AD&D 2e? Well, the first one is to read the books from front to back, including all those fiddly things you think you know already cause chances are, you don't, even if you've been playing the game for years already.

I can't stress this enough. Up until the 1990s reprints of AD&D 2E, the books were poorly formatted. My old books are full of sentences marked with highlighters with important information that's easy to skip over or otherwise miss.

The reprints of the books (which some fans call 2.5E) are better laid out and include all the variant rules that were scattered throughout other sources. Personally I like the old monster manuals because they were loose sheets of paper prepunched that you could stick in a binder. Whenever a new monster source came out you could add the sheets to your binder.

However, as simple as they are to photocopy and take what sheets you want, I can attest that those things were easy to lose.

[Froogleyboy]

Are there any books I should get?

[Roland St. Jude]

Are there any books I should get?

I'd recommend just playing with the core for a while. PHB, DMG, and the Monstrous Manual (a hard-bound single monster book) or Monstrous Compendium (a multi-part series of three-ring binder punched monsters organized by topic). Those and imagination should serve. If you still want more, there are two other hardcovers of interest: Tome of Magic and Deities and Demigods.

One of the really enjoyable things was the variety of settings. Take a look at all the settings AD&D 2E supports and pick one that interests you. You haven't exhausted the fun possible until you've played through all the settings that interest your group. We particularly enjoyed having a main game in a default-type setting and having side games in Ravenloft, Spelljammer, and Planescape.

Which leads me to my other idea. Pre-made adventures. Seems like there were tons more in the AD&D, especially 2E, era.
I recommend against the "Complete [Class] Handbook" and Players Option series. Or at least really wear out the core rules and optional rules before you reach out to this stuff.

[Froogleyboy]

oh yeah, I forgot to mention. I have the Monstrous Manual instead of the normal monster manual

[Zen Monkey]

Be prepared for a number of changing power levels, if you are used to any sort of third edition games. Wizards are not the all-knowing supercharacters that people often discuss here. A fighter or paladin is pretty much necessary to fill a corridor or doorway and absorb some abuse, rather than just an overlooked class. Clerics make good secondary warriors but are not the war gods that they sometimes become in third. Multiclassing can be very useful at any stage in the game, but requires some patience if you're splitting between two classes that advance slowly.

Personally, I liked the magic system better. Spells were more unique, rather than six different +1 to attribute or -1 to enemy's roll at a given level. Treasure tended to be more unique as well, rather than the prefix-item of-suffixing approach that has become more common now in video/tabletop games.

[hamlet]

I'd recommend just playing with the core for a while. PHB, DMG, and the Monstrous Manual (a hard-bound single monster book) or Monstrous Compendium (a multi-part series of three-ring binder punched monsters organized by topic). Those and imagination should serve. .

Agreed. There's no real way you can "wear out" the core rules in terms of interest once you learn just how far you can stretch things without breaking them.

Other books that are good to have? I'd recommend the Wizards' Spell Compendiums for the DM. Great way to add new stuff and retain a tighter control. The Priest's Spell Compendiums are good too, but much harder to control because of the mechanical nature of priests. Maybe a scroll or something for exotic flair. Magic Item Compendiums is four solid volumes of magic items: some great, some silly, most middle of the road and inspiring.

From the 1st edition AD&D, but almost entirely compatible are the Book of Lairs I and Book of Lairs II. Something like 30 short adventures per book of all level ranges.

Castles Sites. Country Sites. City Sites. Location books that can grow into nice short adventures. Some of them have the seeds for entire campaigns in a few short pages.

If I were the DM, I'd also invest in picking up copies of the Monstrous Compendiums. Each setting had one, or two, sometimes three. Loaded with LOTS of monsteres including some of my favorites like Goblyns and the Doppleganger Plant.

If you're looking for a pre-boxed setting, well, you've come to the right edition.

*Greyhawk (do not get anything other than either the Folio edition (if you can find it) or the World of Greyhawk box from 84, no other will suffice). Low to High Fantasy, settling closer to the mid-low range. Generic, some would say bland, but always a blast and plenty of room for creation.

*Forgotten Realms. Mid to High Fantasy with an element of gonzo kitchen sink lurking behind the scenes. Detractors say it reads like it was created by a teenager. And it was, right up until TSR and WOTC got their claws on it and turned it into the generic dumping ground of ALL D&D for about two decades. If you can't handle the existance of stacks and stacks of idiot supplements (and there are plenty) then limit yourself to the original grey box, or the 2nd edition grey box (a little bigger and with more stuff, but the "time of troubles" fiasco is cannon). Also includes Maztica (ancient Aztec stuff), Kara Tur (Oriental Adventures), and a couple other settings shoehorned into the umbrella.

*DragonLance. High Fantasy. Ignore utterly the pre-made modules. They stink like old cheese when it comes to adventuring. The setting isn't bad at all.

*Birthright/Cerilia. An awesome setting in its own right (sort of a Celtic and Norse mishmash with some elements of Mid-East and Asian thrown in for confusion) but it also gives you the stuff to throw together a nifty game of thrones type campaign involving characters with the blood and birthright (hence the name) of ancient gods and heroes in them.

*Dark Sun/Athas. Post apocalyptic kinda. Things started out ok, but kinda cruddy. Then things got worse. Then got worse again, and again, until there's little left of the world but blasted waste and desert and at least one entire ocean filled with nothing but silt. Ignore everything except for the original boxed set and the Dragon Kings book.

*Kingdoms of Kalamar. Best. Campaign. Setting. Ever. Currently semi-out of print, but pick up a 3rd edition copy of the campaign setting. Marvelous and wonderful.

And of course, that's without bringing up things like Planescape and Spelljammer.