When comparing Advanced Dungeons & Dragons 2nd Edition vs Dungeons & Dragons 5th Edition, the Slant community recommends Advanced Dungeons & Dragons 2nd Edition for most people. In the question“What are the best tabletop RPGs?” Advanced Dungeons & Dragons 2nd Edition is ranked 8th while Dungeons & Dragons 5th Edition is ranked 16th. The most important reason people chose Advanced Dungeons & Dragons 2nd Edition is:
Provide an almost endless series of options for the game.
Ranked in these QuestionsQuestion Ranking
Pros
Pro Huge volume of works created for 1e & 2e
Provide an almost endless series of options for the game.
Pro Optional rules
2nd Edition AD&D presents a number of optional rules DMs can implement in their campaigns if they wish. Later books in the line, the Players' Option books and the revised core rulebooks, offered alternate rules to customize games according to preference. Some of these rules were incorporated into 3rd Edition, yet in 2nd, none are necessary to play the game.
Pro Compatible with 1st edition material
AD&D 2nd Edition cleans up and clarifies a lot of the rules, but the core mechanics are the same. Adventure modules, monsters, etc. written for 1st Edition can be used with little or no revision.
Pro The rules give vivid explanation of the game
Since AD&D 2E gives vivid explanation of the game it comes with twists and turns you wouldn't normally see in a regular game of D&D.
Pro Numerous and varied campaign settings
TSR published many fully-developed and well-received game worlds for AD&D 2nd Edition, spanning a variety of fantasy themes. Examples include Dark Sun, Hollow World, Planescape and Spelljammer.
Pro Very challenging
2E causes players to re-think their decisions before engaging in risky behavior. Death can happen at any stage, and there won't be a chain of saving throws to stave off the reaper: You reach 0 HP, you're dead! Much of the focus, then, reverts to problem solving and role playing.
Pro Power is with the DM
Player power is way under 3rd-5th edition. Monster stat blocks small, Great treasures and a huge host of great adventures.
Pro Minimal rules though somewhat clumsy
5th Edition strikes a balance in keeping the rules simple in some areas, confusing and poorly thought out in others, while limiting the creativity of players and any real choice.
Pro Free basic rules PDFs
Wizards of the Coast provides free PDFs containing the complete core mechanical rules of 5th Edition D&D (combat, exploration, spellcasting, etc.) and a selection of iconic character options, monsters, magic items, etc. drawn from the full game. Though short on variety, the basic rules are almost playable and accurate to the full game.
Of course far more is free in older editions as well as cheaper, 5e is by far the most expensive edition, and it is almost as bad as 4th edition.
Pro Slightly encourages character immersion
Few core aspects of 5th Edition exist solely to encourage thinking in-character, including mechanical rewards for good roleplay and detailed character backgrounds with lasting effects in the game.
Pro Bounded accuracy
Bounded Accuracy is a core design ideal of 5th Edition. In short, it means the numbers don't get too big; this lets weak challenges remain relevant for longer, and strong ones become survivable sooner. In practice, it also places more focus on a character's inherent stats and less their class or on magical equipment than has been the case in recent editions, which is a another major downside to 5e.
Pro OGL content
As with other editions of the game, much of the content is released under the Open Game License (OGL) allowing custom modification, extension and alteration of the game.
Pro Advantage rule
Rolls 2d20 chooses best. This dramatically makes all classes feel the same and moves away from distinct, interesting classes.
Pro Lacks granularity
Overuse of lazy balancing systems such as concentration spells and advantage mechanic.
This removes player choices, fun and creativity.
Pro A good mix of the best rules of the previous D&D editions without the worst things
Pro New, popular & growing
This is the most recent edition of the game and is the only one for which official content is being produced. Do not expect to see new official adventures or splatbooks published for any of the older editions of D&D.
Cons
Con Lots of rules that a skilled DM can use to create the optimal experience
Con Core setting does not contain nudity, unlike 1e.
Due to concerns over public perception, for 2nd Edition TSR chose to eliminate mature themes and explicitly "evil" player options; remove references to angels, demons and devils; and otherwise smooth over potentially offensive content in the core game. This deliberate sanitization is easily reversed in personal play.
Con Lack of granularity
Due to the simplicity of the rules, responsibility lies with the GM to govern the game rather than hard and fast rules.
Con Lacks the soul of older versions
Con It's too combat-oriented
It's meant for fight-y campaigns. Way too simple too.
Con Bland classes and races compred to other versions of DnD
Overuse of concentration mechanic, no racial stat modifiers and hardly any differences at all between races and classes, compared to previous editions.
Con Only popular because most people playing it have not tried any other systems.
Only justification for the system is to let critical role bring more people into the hobby. Once players try Warhammer, Vampire or AD&D 2e, they will have no need to return to 5e.
Con Worse mechanics than other versions of DnD
Especially spells, races and classes are dumbed down with lazy attempts to balance them, blocking player creativity.
Con Too shallow
Easy to learn, but not much to the game overall. Limited character depth and customization.
Con Very unbalanced
Thieves and Rangers are pretty much useless.
Con Casters are more powerful than noncasters
Con Almost no published material for 5e
WoTC has been super lazy since 3,5 and even that had only a third of the material available that TSR published for AD&D 2e.
Is is sad that WoTC after 7 years has not supported 5e or other versions better.
This is a great reason to look into 2e or 3,5e systems instead of 5e.