Comments on RPG Blog II: The Case For Castles & Crusades

We just started a C&C group made up of a few RPG n...

2009-05-28T01:05:34.492-04:00

We just started a C&C group made up of a few RPG newbies (my wife and teen daughter), a few teen 3.5E players, and their father (a grizzled RPG vet). I am the, uh, Castle Keeper (I still default to DM). We kicked off our collective adventuring career with a rousing four hour session and never had to peek at the anything but the character sheets (plus me consulting my, uh, CK notes). In that time, the characters interviewed a local farmer, discovered a recently excavated dungeon entrance, met the excavators, exterminated most of them, found out the shocking consequences of touching a copper statue placed in a pool of water, came into the possession of two magic keys (use unknown to them), and the intrepid little band managed to create their first enemy. In the afterglow, we all looked at each other and asked with voices filled with hope, "Wow, when can we do this again?" It played much more like AD&D than 3.X IMHO--quick and furious with lots of role-playing and very little rule-playing. Yes, many of the negative comments about the C&C Players Handbook are justified; as a publication, it has some issues (it has some real virtues as well). But the real value of the game is at the gaming table. We are strapping on the swords again this Saturday.

Followed this from discussion on ENWorld. I downl...

2009-04-18T08:38:00.520-04:00

Followed this from discussion on ENWorld. I downloaded the Quick Start yesterday...the Player's Handbook late last night...and am going to my local gaming store this morning to see if theyy have it. I really enjoy the fact they seem to appreciate that..."something" in simplicity of game design, while recognizing the nice bits and commonality d20 affords. The writing really brought me in.

Very nice write up. I like the "feel" of C&C... i...

2008-10-19T20:18:37.002-04:00

Very nice write up. I like the "feel" of C&C... it has the feel that my games had back in the late 80's and early 90's. Heh, and I can houserule the crap out of it if I want to... it bends but hasn't broken yet.

Restless, thanks for the S&W link... downloading as I type this ;)

Understandable. I'm not necessarily approaching t...

2008-10-16T13:22:43.204-04:00

Understandable. I'm not necessarily approaching this from an old-school/3e split, so that's why I keep rolling BFRPG around in my head. However, Swords & Wizardry is tempting me now, and the publication license is far more liberal than the one for BFRPG.

However, this has inspired me to check out the C&C PHB and M&T again. I have them, I just haven't read them in total depth.

One thing in my situation, I hope to run a more "open" campaign that has regular as well as more casual players that don't play every session, or maybe just drop in from time to time. The ability to legally make a digest-sized copy the rules for players (and not just quick start rules) is a major consideration.

@Rich: I feel the same way about C&C being unfinished, though. I know the CKG isn't required to play, but to me it's one of the "trinity" of books. I'd like the options to be there. If I start a campaign with certain options and suddenly the "official" options are different, I'll feel pressure from players to go that way.

Very insightful and persuasive post Zachary. You'v...

2008-10-16T13:09:19.128-04:00

Very insightful and persuasive post Zachary. You've convinced me to give this a try myself. I'm off to the FLGS!

One of the reasons I respect, but don't play more ...

2008-10-15T22:12:54.043-04:00

One of the reasons I respect, but don't play more of Basic Fantasy RPG is a) I got tired of the never-finished product, and b) I don't like how the author tried to put his mark on a few of the "fixes" for the previous editions.

A fantastic question! And I admire the hell out o...

2008-10-15T21:24:33.265-04:00

A fantastic question! And I admire the hell out of Basic Fantasy. If I have any quibbles with it at all, its that C&C seems a little more d20-compatible and ready--more of a baseline, really, and important in bridging that gap between my 3.5 chums and my grognard buddies. I also find it a little more straightforward in parts, and easier to work with. I can readily understand how someone could make a statement like mine based on their own preferences in regards to BF or Labyrinth Lord.

Basic Fantasy is a hell of a resource, though, and sits right on my desktop (along with the solid resources they've put out).

I understand bridging the gap, as well as prep tim...

2008-10-15T16:41:57.477-04:00

I understand bridging the gap, as well as prep time concerns. Why do you choose C&C over Basic Fantasy, though? It offers the same things, albeit in an B/X or AD&D-lite package.

Well said. You hit most of the reasons I enjoy C&...

2008-10-15T10:45:42.187-04:00

Well said. You hit most of the reasons I enjoy C&C. I'm a little worried about Castle Zagyg, but I'll be sticking with the Trolls.

Great place you've got here!

Excellent post! A great case for C&C. I really d...

2008-10-15T07:54:09.122-04:00

Excellent post! A great case for C&C. I really do need to get around to picking this up...