Episode 10: AD&D 2nd Edition Part 1; or, Bioessentialism Gives You a Headache

You come into consciousness, floating in nilspace. You are unsure if you have corporeal form, or any sort of physical extension, for that matter. As far as you know, you are only the sum of your thoughts and mental processes. Before you are able to fully acclimate to this nothing, a voice calls out to you: “Roll 3d6. 11? Ok, that's your Strength score, write that down.” This process repeats five more times, at which point, you emerge fully formed, a 1st level wizard doomed to die in a panic after your one use of Magic Missile is insufficient to kill the hobgoblin.

This episode is the first part of a look at character creation in Advanced Dungeons & Dragons, 2nd Edition, a strange system from a strange time. Mike and Rob begin the descent into this nilspace to examine D&D as it was long ago, to look at what has changed and what has changed less than you'd think. 

This system is a bizarre place, full of weird ability modifiers and confusing racial restrictions. Those racial restrictions give our heroes a fantastic opportunity to criticize race as indicator of abilities, which the game has moved on from in some ways, but not others.

All this and more in Episode 10 of 19 Hits the Dragon! Check it out! Tell your friends! And remember to like, comment, and subscribe! 

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