Advanced Dungeons & Dragons 2nd Edition vs White Box: FMAG

Compare Advanced Dungeons & Dragons 2nd Edition and White Box: FMAG side by side. See differences in complexity, dice, genre, and more.

	Advanced Dungeons & Dragons 2nd Edition	White Box: FMAG
Genre	Fantasy	Fantasy
Tags	Character Building, Classic Fantasy, Crunchy, Descending AC, Dungeon Crawl, Random Tables, Tactical, Vancian Casting	Rules-Light, Classic Fantasy, Dungeon Crawl, Deadly, Hackable, Beginner-Friendly, Random Character Creation, Vancian Casting, Descending AC, Hexcrawl
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 d20 + modifiers against a target number derived from the defender's Armor Class (descending AC by default, ascending AC optional). Attribute modifiers are compressed to −1, 0, or +1. Each class has a single saving throw number that improves with level. Side-based initiative is rolled each round on d6.
Dice	d20	d20
Complexity	High	Very Low
Availability	Paid	Free core rules
Runnability	4 of 5 book tools	2 of 5 book tools
License	All Rights Reserved	OGL 1.0a
Third-Party Publishing	Not yet researched	Not yet researched
Publisher	TSR, Inc.	Seattle Hill Games
Year	1995	2016
Languages	English	English
Best For	Groups who want referee-led fantasy campaigns with class-and-level characters, prepared spells, optional proficiencies, and detailed combat procedures.	Groups wanting the simplest possible version of original D&D: four classes, compressed modifiers, and intentional rules gaps that invite house rules and Referee creativity.
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.	Attribute modifiers compressed to −1/0/+1 keeps math fast and reduces stat dependency. Complete game in 143 pages including monsters, treasure, spells, and wilderness/dungeon procedures. A free PDF and a low-cost print edition make it one of the most accessible OSR games. Intentional rules gaps and a blank House Rules page explicitly invite customization.
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.	Four classes (three without the optional Thief) limits character variety. No formal skill system: the Referee adjudicates all non-combat actions. Level tables cap at 10, requiring house rules for extended campaigns.