Tabletop RPG · since 1977 · #20 most discussed

AD&D

The original advanced fantasy game of dungeon delving and wilderness exploration, with classes, levels, and experience earned from treasure.

Old-school (OSR)Fantasyd20classesdungeon crawlhexcrawlXP for treasurehigh lethalityCampaignsNeeds a GM

5.8

Geek rating

From 10 firsthand play reports in 4 r/rpg threads. The threads alone average 6.4.

Player rating— / 10

No visitor ratings yet.

Discussion7.2 / 10

318 r/rpg posts named it, October 2023 to October 2026.

Rules weight

Heavy. Hype 3.2 for its age.

Have you played it?

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What players say

At the table

Firsthand reports cover both 1e and 2e, from a handful of tables. Several groups enjoyed long campaigns while finding the rules uneven. One commenter says 1e was played differently at nearly every table.

What works

A 1e Hyboria campaign ran 2.5 years with a consistent, reliable group, and the GM started it again with a new one. (thread)
One 2e table has "a good thing going" and expects to play into next year, with little rules friction for the wizard and elf fighter. (thread)
A commenter returned to 2e after modern systems left them dissatisfied, valuing its large body of material and its compatibility with OSR content. (thread)
GM-side rules (disease, infravision, movement, spell limits) were applied only when they came up, so players needed little rules knowledge. They still felt the world was open and consistent. (thread)
Tables could add, drop or swap supplements and house rules freely. (thread)

What tables struggle with

Mixed resolution (d6 for secret doors, percentile thief skills, d20 roll-under abilities, d20 roll-over attacks) felt inconsistent and tiresome to one GM. Others find it workable. (thread)
The druid felt awkward, the dwarf fighter/thief was hard to level, and the same GM houseruled natural healing and hit points as "meat points." (thread)
For kids, 2e means cross-referencing tables, tracking weapon speeds and remembering when to roll high or low. (thread)
Practice drifts. Some tables skipped reaction tables or mixed in Dragon Magazine content, and one commenter says that in play you freestyle and roll as seems appropriate. (thread)
Players who want to understand a mechanic before building a character around it clash with the GM-facing design. (thread)

Who it suits

GMs who are comfortable adjudicating and freestyling, and who like adding or dropping supplements.
Players and GMs who find the jank charming, or who want the large back catalog.
Kids' groups, if a capable adult guides them through the tables.

In players' words

"the system is definitely kind of grating on me despite the good vibes" (thread)
"I find the degree of "jank" in 2e reasonable and charming." (thread)
"Players feel like they can do anything." (thread)

The threads behind it

Each thread is rated for the play it describes, from the firsthand reports in it. Load one here or read it on Reddit.

6.5

Player Light / GM Heavy games like AD&D 1e

The thread is mostly about finding modern games that copy AD&D 1e's light player rules and heavy GM rules, with many Traveller and Kevin Crawford recommendations. The few firsthand AD&D reports are positive about the world feeling open but consistent at the OP's table, while others say the rules were uneven and tables freestyled or skipped parts. 4 firsthand · 31 comments

Open on Reddit

6.5

Drop-in replacement for AD&D 2E/For Gold & Glory?

The thread is mostly a search for a replacement system. The firsthand play reports of AD&D 2E (including the OP's retroclone, For Gold & Glory) say the table has a good campaign going, but the mechanics are janky enough to grate. One commenter finds that jank charming and went back to 2E after trying more modern systems. 3 firsthand · 35 comments

Open on Reddit

5.5

Start playing with kids - age - System suggestion (AD&D 2nd, Pathfinder 1st or newer)

The thread is mostly about other kid-friendly systems such as Mausritter, Hero Kids, Shadowdark, No Thank You Evil and 5e. Only two comments touch real AD&D play: one person who learned it as a 9-10 year old, and one who found 2e fiddly for kids. 2 firsthand · 60 comments

Open on Reddit

7.5

If I wanted to play a 5E style heroic high fantasy game, but did not want to use 5E rules, Pathfinder rules, or any derivative rules from previous editions of D&D/AD&D (including OSR), what game would you recommend?

The thread is mostly recommendations for non-D&D heroic fantasy systems, with almost no discussion of playing AD&D. The one firsthand report is a GM who ran a 1st Edition AD&D Hyboria campaign for 2.5 years with a consistent group and has started the same campaign again with a new group. 1 firsthand · 166 comments

Open on Reddit