Quote Originally Posted by Pollip View Post
I'm coming from the same background as OP, meaning I started with 3rd edition, but I'll be DMing my first 2nd Ed. game in a few days.

My biggest worry right now is that I'll end up killing everyone's characters. Characters have so little health in 2nd ed., and there isn't that stop-gap of 0 to -9 HP. It seems like a much deadlier game to me, which is fine, but I have some friends that are new to roleplaying, and I don't want to turn them off to it by killing them unfairly.

What can I do to keep the game challenging, but not have an immediate TPK?
Actually, there is that stopgap between 0 and -9. It's an optional rule in the PHB called "At Death's Door" but it was de facto core pretty much since the beginning.

As for avoiding a TPK, as a new DM in the system, you will probably end up causing one by accident. Hell, veteran DM's do it from time to time. Things can get ugly real fast.

The best advice I can give you is not to fudge the game, but to, when it happens, admit that you made a mistake and offer to the group to backtrack if neccessary or otherwise "fix" it. Say the monsters take the players captive instead of killing them, or some other group has swooped in to rescue them. Or simply say "oops, my bad, that was tougher than I thought it'd be, let's backtrack there."

Don't be afraid to admit you made a mistake. You won't be perfect, don't try to be.