Advanced Dungeons and Dragons, Second edition has a place in my heart, as my first edition, that filled my eight year old imagination with wonder.

It’s not very good though. I was wondering if an retroclone of second edition, like the many versions of Holmes, Moldvay and BECMI, and like Iron Falcon, would be a fun exercise. Let’s call it Advanced Fantasy Dungeons.

The thing is, second edition was transitional: A shift from high lethality low fantasy dungeon crawl to heroic high fantasy narrative play. What is it’s identity? Does it have an Exandria, a Nentir Vale, a Ptolus, a Ravenloft, an Against the Cult of the Reptile God or a Keep on the Borderlands?

Perhaps not. There was so much of second edition! I think I’m going to try to find it, as an exercise. I think I’m going to initially focus on the primary texts of the PHB and DMG, but also dip into the MM, simply because AD&D stat blocks are one of my favourite things about the edition.

I have an overwhelming feeling that Advanced Fantasy Dungeons will be a lot like fifth edition, because although I’m aiming for a retroclone, it’s still a retroclone of a game that isn’t very good, a transitional game. It’ll need a lot of “in the spirit” decisions, extending decision making to its logical conclusions, and simplifying things unnecessarily complicated.

So, some principles for my initial read through of the PHB, DMG and MM:

• Be intentional with what dice to roll
• Draw optional and new systems to their logical conclusions
• Use these concluded systems to simplify the system overload that’s present in the originals
• Remain in the intent and spirit of the original, and use historical context to help to understand what that intention was
• Excise discrimination
• In the light of the above, consider the role of the expanded product line in the identity of the original

These are very individual design goals, for me. I think I’ll take a break from Infinite Hack for a while to focus on Advanced Fantasy Dungeons, and see what I can draw out of it.

If there’s any interest voiced, I’m happy to write a read-through here on Playful Void, before I start to write up something based on what conclusions I’ve drawn. So like or comment, if you’d like to see that.

Idle Cartulary,

22nd March 2022