Advanced Dungeons & Dragons 2nd Edition vs Swords & Wizardry

Compare Advanced Dungeons & Dragons 2nd Edition and Swords & Wizardry side by side. See differences in complexity, dice, genre, and more.

	Advanced Dungeons & Dragons 2nd Edition	Swords & Wizardry
Genre	Fantasy	Fantasy
Tags	Character Building, Classic Fantasy, Crunchy, Descending AC, Dungeon Crawl, Random Tables, Tactical, Vancian Casting	Classic Fantasy, Dungeon Crawl, Deadly, Vancian Casting, Hexcrawl, Random Tables, Resource Management, Sandbox, Domain Management, Strong GM Support
Core Mechanic	Roll 1d20 to attack and meet or exceed THAC0 minus the target’s descending Armor Class. Ability and proficiency checks roll a d20 against an appropriate score. Spellcasters choose spells to memorize before casting.	Roll a d20 with attack modifiers and meet the target number for the chosen Armor Class system. Ascending Armor Class allows a direct roll against AC; descending Armor Class uses attack tables. Saving throws use a single class-based d20 target number with bonuses against particular hazards.
Dice	d20	d20
Complexity	High	Medium
Availability	Paid	Paid
Runnability	4 of 5 book tools	4 of 5 book tools
License	All Rights Reserved	Swords & Wizardry Compatibility-Statement License (CSL)
Third-Party Publishing	Not yet researched	Commercial publishing allowed — Swords & Wizardry Compatibility-Statement License
Summary only, not legal advice. Check current terms before publishing.
Publisher	TSR, Inc.	Mythmere Games
Year	1995	2023
Languages	English	English, German
Best For	Groups who want referee-led fantasy campaigns with class-and-level characters, prepared spells, optional proficiencies, and detailed combat procedures.	Groups seeking dangerous dungeon expeditions and open wilderness campaigns. Higher-level characters can establish strongholds and govern surrounding settlements.
Highlights	THAC0 expresses attack chances as a single target-number calculation against descending Armor Class. Parallel PHB and DMG organization and a DMG index covering both books make rules topics easier to locate. Optional proficiencies add chosen weapon and nonweapon capabilities to class-based characters.	One class-based saving throw target replaces separate hazard categories. Treasure grants experience points, rewarding successful expeditions even when monsters are avoided. Stronghold construction and settlement taxes support campaigns that grow into territorial rule.
Considerations	Core rules remain split between the Player’s Handbook and Dungeon Master Guide, including DM-only procedures. Descending Armor Class, initiative modifiers, and special combat procedures require reference beyond a basic d20 roll. Optional proficiency rules increase character choices and exception handling.	Low starting hit points and death below zero make early combat dangerous. Damage during casting interrupts a prepared spell and expends it. Nonhuman ancestry restricts available classes and level advancement.