I have fond memories of D&D games in my adolescence and would like to try and rescue that feeling. I remember playing in a version of AD&D, with 2 core books (maybe it had a monster book but my group didnt have it). Ive never bought any D&D books... oops! actualy Ive bought 3rd edition core but sold them soon after some quick games - didnt like it, dont know xactly why.

  So could you guys suggest what I should buy? I heard there´re 2 versions of AD&D, one old and one new (from '95?), which one would you suggest and why? Is it easy to find nowadays?

  Oh and, I heard there are modern versions of the old D&D, somthing totally different from AD&D. Is it good?
 
  Thanks!

OK, if you think you'd prefer pre-3E D&D here's two places to start with: take a glance at OSRIC and Labyrinth Lord.

They both use the OGL and SRD as a springboard to essentially restate the rules of two old versions of D&D - they are essentially the same games, only using original descriptions and text drawn from the OGL to avoid violating copyright.

OSRIC is a restatement of the rules for 1st edition AD&D, which aside from a small number of features is quite close to 2nd edition AD&D. It sounds like you played one or the other back in the day.

Labyrinth Lord is a restatement of "B/X" or "Moldvay/Cook" D&D - the rules published in the Basic and Expert sets that came out in 1981. It is somewhat closer to OD&D (the original white booklets from 1974) than it is to AD&D.

I would also suggest picking up a copy of the "Rules Cyclopedia" as well. That is the complete set of rules for Basic D&D all compiled for you.

You can get that as a book at Amazon.. Or cheaper as a pdf at a place like DriveThruRPG or RPGNow.com

To clear up a point of confusion in the OP: the two versions of AD&D are 1e, which was originally published in 1977-79, and 2e, which was published circa 1989. Each was expanded with additional books during their respective lifetimes--you'll find people like me who think of "real" 1e as being just the Monster Manual, Player's Handbook, and DMG. Others embrace stuff like Fiend Folio, Monster Manual II, Unearthed Arcana, Dungeon & Wilderness Survival Guides, and Oriental Adventures. Personally the only stuff I'd consider adding to the core are the FF, MMII, and OA.

2e apparently rationalized and clarified the original AD&D core and rolled in some of the stuff from the later books. It also took out stuff like demons & devils. I've read some people saying that 2e started to look like a proto-3e after a number of supplements and options had been released, but I really don't know about that.

For "modern" versions, you have choices that run the gamut from re-written versions of the old games, such as Labyrinth Lord and Osric, through various re-engineered versions like Basic Fantasy (free) and Castles & Crusades (commercial).

Quote from: Elliot WilenI've read some people saying that 2e started to look like a proto-3e after a number of supplements and options had been released, but I really don't know about that.

The use of Weapon Proficiencies to gain combat maneuvers and styles introduced in the Fighter's Handbook was a major precursor to the Feats system.

The Priest's Handbook presaged the introduction of domain powers in 3E, though in 2E they replaced the Turning ability, rather than adding to it.

The Rogues Handbook introduced the Lone Wolf rules that allowed on to create much more flexible character builds.  This was eventually replaced by the Player's Option: Skills & Powers book, which allowed one to build much more distinctive character if you wanted, but it was clunky and kind of awful.  The combo of feats, multiclassing, and prestige classes introduced in 3E was the conceptual heir of the Skills & Powers book, but much more elegant in design.

Labyrinth Lord, BFRP, and OSRIC are all free.  PDFs of the Rules Cyclopedia and the AD&D core books are inexpensive.  So it should be easy to check out these systems yourself.

Personally, I prefer Basic/Expert D&D (recreated as Labyrinth Lord), the RC, and BFRP over AD&D (and thus OSRIC).  

C&C is a game that streamlines and 'updates' 1e AD&D, and is worth looking at IMO.  I believe that the 'quickstart' rules are free.

My subjective opinion:

- Original D&D (1974). Can't really comment for lack of first-hand experience, but I'd say it's a rather minimalist game as seen with a present-day eye. Might be your choice if you want the most "freeform-like" edition of D&D, or if you've already played some other editions and found that you have a craving for really old-school really-retro gaming. Based on what I've read elsewhere, it might also be a really good system with which to introduce roleplaying games to small children (age 6-ish).

- Dungeons and Dragons Basic and Expert sets (1977-81). Again, not much personal knowledge, but AFAIK they're not all that different from the first books of the Mentzer set, nor from OD&D.

- Mentzer set (1983-85). I consider it a milestone. Rules are lighter than in AD&D (even though some things like weapon specialisation eventually go against this tendency). Elf, Dwarf and Halfling are "classes", Fighter, Thief Cleric and Magic User are all humans. Druids, Paladins (and Knights and Avengers) are not something you start as, but a sort of "prestige class" you grow into. The later books deal mainly with high-level play, addressing issues that have gone largely unaddressed in any other edition before or ever since. Rules and tables for running your own kingdom, questing for immortality, etc.. Last book of the series, Immortals is practically a different game with a different ruleset: the PC's have just become gods, the universe is their playground, what next?

- Rules Cyclopedia (1991). Basically identical to the Mentzer series with minor changes, only in one single volume and easier-to-use layout. Includes the Warmachine system for conducting large-scale battles.

- AD&D 1st edition (1977).  Probably the best-known one. A bit heavier on rules than Mentzer, but still pretty light, especially compared to 3E. Race and class are two separate things.

- AD&D 2nd edition (1989). The core of the edition (PHB, DMG, MM) is 95% identical to the core of 1E, so you can run adventure modules written in one system using the other. While there are more spells, spellcasting is a bit bland  (or at least requires housework to spice it up), since clerics/druids and wizards/illusionists no longer have separate spell lists, and the mechanics implemented to replace those (spell spheres and specialists) are pretty meh.
The real difference starts with the additional publications. First, all the Complete Whateverclass/whateverrace books and the accompanying kits (think of them as 3E templates but for your class rather than for your race). Some of them better, some of them worse, but if you can get them cheap (or you get that large pdf file that's known to all good D&D copryight pirates), they're worth looking through and cherry-picking things.
Then there are the settings and the huge volume of splatbooks and module for them. Financially, they were one of the factors contributing to TSR's bankruptcy, but they were a blessing for player. I mean, sure, Greyhawk is great, but you also had Forgotten Realms, Dragonlance, Spelljammer, Dark Sun, Ravenloft, Planescape, Birthright, etc. etc. - some of them going pretty far from Ye Olde Engoland Traditionale High Fantasy -, and while nobody likes ALL of them, you're bound to find something that appeal to you.
Then there were the Player's Option books which, as someone alluded to it earlier, started taking the game in 3E direction. I strongly suggest you keep your distance.

Modern stuff:

Castles & Crusades - No real personal experience, but it's basically the core mechanics of 3E stripped down and given a more old-school feel. Some people love it, some people hate it.

OSRIC - For all practical purposed, identical to 1E AD&D. It's not really meant to be used for gaming, rather it's a "legal trick" to allow people to publish 1E material and sell them for money without violating WotC's intellectual property. But if you want to play 1E and can't get your hand on the PHB, you could just read OSRIC instead. Free.

BFRPG - One guy's personal reinterpretation of the old editions, using some mechanical things from the new ones. No personal play experience yet, but I  hear it's good. Free.

Labyrinth Lord - as stated by others, an OSRIC-like restatement for the older versions.

Melan's Sword and Sorcery system, if it ever gets translated into English - Kind of like Castles and Crusades, but with different mechanics. Light on rules, I really like it as a player even if I'd rather use something closer to AD&D as a DM, because ascending AC is just heresy. Free, but I think not quite publicly available yet, and you need to speak Hungarian.

Mazes and Minotaurs - Okay, this is not really Dungeons and Dragons in any way, but it's free and totally worth checking out. It's a joke, tribute, thought experiment and completely playable game system in one. The basic premise is "Okay, so let's suppose that instead of European medieval/renaissance/Tolkien fantasy, Gary Gygax and Dave Arneson got inspired by Greek Mythology and Ray Harryhousen movies. What would have early RPGs looked like?" Then it goes and actually creates this hypothetical early RPG system. Or, in fact, two RPG systems, since just as there's D&D and AD&D, so is there M&M and Revised M&M.


EDIT: Forward... to Adventure! - And of course this is better than the rest of them together, but only if I get a modship or at least something shiny.

Quote from: PremierMelan's Sword and Sorcery system, if it ever gets translated into English - Kind of like Castles and Crusades, but with different mechanics. Light on rules, I really like it as a player even if I'd rather use something closer to AD&D as a DM, because ascending AC is just heresy. Free, but I think not quite publically available yet, and you need to speak Hungarian.

Okay, Melan has to get to work and translate this into English. Forget school/work/social life. Just do it.

Quote from: HaffrungOkay, Melan has to get to work and translate this into English. Forget school/work/social life. Just do it.

Yes, I'm curious about this as well.  I knew that he was at one point running a heavily house-ruled version of the 'nostalgia box set' version of C&C.  I'd be interested to see what that turned into.
:cool:

Very good summary Premier, but you left out "Forward... to Adventure!"

RPGPundit

This "Mutant Future" rpg(in the Labyrinth Lord website) seems to be AD&D-esque rules used for a post-apocalyptic sci-fi/fantasy setting, somewhat akin to an old-school Gamma World or even a Buck Rogers XXVc-
Although the page mentions Mutant Future is not meant to be a direct clone of a particular classic game (most probably referring to Gamma World), but more like a loose inspiration.

Coming out this Summer. Looks like I will be snatching this one:

http://www.goblinoidgames.com/mutantfuture.htm

If you ask me, the D&D Rules Cyclopedia is worth its weight in gold, but only if the gold is coated in platinum and handed to you by dancing bears.  I'm exaggerating of course, but the truth is simple: it's a damn good value, page for page.  It's still just BECMI, so if that line and its standards (elves/halflings/dwarves as a class, etc.) don't bake your biscuit, you'll have a good system but a damn good DM's resource.

My favorite system for these type shenanigans, however, is Castles & Crusades, which has been (in my opinion) best described by someone as being "exactly how I mis-remember playing AD&D".

I routinely combine the two to form a fighting force of unstoppable magnitude.

BECMI/Rules Cyclopledia for the win!

QUESTION: Anyhow, regarding Castles and Crusades, did the Castle Keeper's Guide ever come out for that?

Quote from: Lancer...
QUESTION: Anyhow, regarding Castles and Crusades, did the Castle Keeper's Guide ever come out for that?

Not yet.  It's been on the backburner for 3 years now ...

Dr Rotwang! said what I tried to say with far more eloquence.
:shakespeare: