AD&D Crate — advanced-era D&D Orientation

THAC0, segments, and module codes—notes for tables still speaking advanced-era

AD&D Crate is for referees and players who run advanced classic D&D: attack matrices, morale, henchmen logistics, and the module culture that taught a generation of tables. Orientation and reading lists—we do not invent crates, prices, or drops.

Start with Getting Started, skim the Guides hub, or browse Resources when you need outbound references like D&D editions overview.

What this desk is for

Advanced-era nights stall on the same joints: unclear segments, saving-throw arguments, and module keys nobody can parse mid-delve. We write short habits for those problems—not another PDF wishlist.

Prefer public histories and community scholarship when you need lineage. D&D editions overview and AD&D 2e on Wikipedia are solid starts; Acaeum and Dragonsfoot carry the collector and forum culture.

If a combat loop turns every round into a committee, house-rule the segment or drop it. Fairness beats sacred spreadsheets when the table is bored.

Guides, Glossary, and Resources go deeper. Sibling desks cover OD&D, broader OSR, and later editions when your campaign crosses dialects.

Module-sized prep

One keyed wing, a morale reminder, and two NPC wants—enough for a single advanced-era night.

Matrix vocabulary

Open the glossary when THAC0, segments, or non-weapon proficiencies derail a new player.

Forum doors

Norms and starting doors on the community page—Dragonsfoot-aware, not a Discord phone book.

How we write

Date your campaign logs, henchmen rosters, and module annotations. A guest referee should inherit a key, not a vibe.

Industry catalogs like Dungeon Masters Guild and the DriveThruRPG blog show what people publish. They are not table law. Email [email protected]; see Contact and About.