D&D 2E Anyone have numbers for 1/2e monsters?

[DMH]

Has anyone added up the number of monsters that were in 1e, including Dragon? What about 2e?

 

[freyar]

I believe you can work this out using filters in Echohawk's Complete D&D Monster Index. In fact, Echohawk probably knows already; I think he has done number breakdowns like this.

 

[Cleon]

I believe you can work this out using filters in Echohawk's Complete D&D Monster Index. In fact, Echohawk probably knows already; I think he has done number breakdowns like this.

Echohawk's Index has 3187 AD&D entries and 7902 AD&D2 entries.

However, his database lists monsters by source so the actual number will be lower (.e. the MC3 Brontosaurus and the Monstrous Manual Brontosaurus count as two entries even though they are the same beast).

Still, it's enough to give you an idea.

 

[Shade]

Anyone else read "1/2e" as "Half-edition", and think they missed a possible source for conversions?

No? Just me?

 

[DMH]

Yes, just you

That is a lot more first edition monsters than I would have thought existed.

 

[Echohawk]

DMH, those are interesting questions. I'm not sure I've ever worked out how many unique AD&D or AD&D2 creatures were published.

For AD&D, after eliminating the duplicates, I count a total of 1987 unique creatures from all official sources. That includes 181 unique creatures such as demon lords or archdevils, so just 1806 if you're looking for generic critters.

For AD&D2, I'll need to spend some more time eliminating the duplicates to get a total -- 2nd Edition tended to repeat creature a lot more than 1st Edition.

 

[Echohawk]

An hour and a half of counting later, and I make the total for AD&D 2nd Edition 4316, of which 282 are unique creatures, so 4034 generic 2e creatures.

 

[Shade]

Well, that explains why I suddenly feel very tired.

 

[Cleon]

For AD&D, after eliminating the duplicates, I count a total of 1987 unique creatures from all official sources. That includes 181 unique creatures such as demon lords or archdevils, so just 1806 if you're looking for generic critters.

An hour and a half of counting later, and I make the total for AD&D 2nd Edition 4316, of which 282 are unique creatures, so 4034 generic 2e creatures.

Thanks Echohawk, that's very interesting.

So there are 1200 duplicate in 1E and 3586 duplicates in 2E then?

Considering all the repeat customers in the Monstrous Compendiums and other sources it's hardly surprising 2nd Edition had more duplicate monsters.

Well, that explains why I suddenly feel very tired.

No slacking! You can rest when you've finished converting them all.

 

[freyar]

Speaking of finishing them all, what's the latest on how many we have to go? I'm going to miss this when we're done!