tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7487871339000666216.post4493877424765530115..comments2024-03-28T09:41:39.187-04:00Comments on GROGNARDIA: DCC RPG and MeJames Maliszewskihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00341941102398271464noreply@blogger.comBlogger39125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7487871339000666216.post-65028327102038724642012-06-18T04:48:41.148-04:002012-06-18T04:48:41.148-04:00Wasting loads of sketchy 1st level characters just...Wasting loads of sketchy 1st level characters just beacuse it's more "realistic" or "hardcore" that way? I just don't get it either...<br /><br />Recently we played a session of Anomalous Subsurface Enviroment using Labyrinth Lord rules. The module lagged behind my expectations a lot (killing robots in a room, then lion-headed generic monsters in another isn't my idea of a grand adventure), and decimating clueless losers as adventurers was just tedious. Watching one sucker buying the farm after another in various senseless accidents may be fun in a parodistic way and for a very short while, but the joke gets old real fast.l fnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7487871339000666216.post-17187571591537242922012-06-15T11:01:41.644-04:002012-06-15T11:01:41.644-04:00First off, thank you for the kind words, James. I...First off, thank you for the kind words, James. I'm having a blast as well. <br /><br />In response to the comments, it seems that critics of DCC generally focus on one part of the game (the funnel), and completely ignore all the other cool stuff it brings to the table. The funnel happens once per campaign. After that, your 1st level PCs (forged in blood and not min maxed like a tax form) have an arsenal of coolness at their disposal: mighty deeds of arms, mercurial magic, patrons, a "burnable" luck stat, sub class differentiation due to alignment, spellburn, corruption, crit charts, fumble charts, spell duels and counter-spells, divine aid, etc, etc.<br /><br />As for the dice, they are completely optional. All of the funky dice can be replicated with regular polyhedrals or you could use one of the ten bazillion die rollers available online. Many also complain that the dice are just a gimmick. In a way, they are, but really, aren't all polyhedral dice a gimmick? Nevertheless, the funky dice in DCC are used for what they call the dice chain. This is another tool for the Judge to modify die rolls. For example, a particularly advantageous situation may move you up the die chain (e.g. from a d20 to a d24), while a disadvantage may cause you to move down the chain (d20 to a d16).<br /><br />I agree that DCC isn't for everyone, but I get tired of people dismissing it outright because of the dice or the funnel. Give the game a try and see what you think. Don't like the funnel? Start PCs at first level. Don't like the dice, use your old dice or one of the online tools.Shawn Sanfordnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7487871339000666216.post-37636707516509417362012-06-15T10:53:55.326-04:002012-06-15T10:53:55.326-04:00Funky dice, exploding dice, whatever they're c...Funky dice, exploding dice, whatever they're called: <br />d3, d5, d7, d14, d16, d24 and d30. Why are these needed? Seems like more added novelty for the sake of adding novelty.<br /><br /><br />I disagree with you about the D20 skill system. The game is explicitly advertised as being a D20 encounter system. In other words, skills are not class based like 1E D&D.<br /><br /><br />The beauty of AD&D was the fact that (if you were going by the rules), only certain classes could roll for skills which they had. A fighter could not roll on the thief's climb table - which meant he was forced to use player intuition and role-play to get past such challenges. There was no cheese or cop-out where he could say, "well I'll just roll the die this time", like you can do in DCC. DCC may suggest you use player skill first, but they haven't outright banned dice rolling for certain skill tasks as they did in 1E for certain classes. There's an enormous difference there.GaelicVigilnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7487871339000666216.post-40938672079038763722012-06-15T10:37:14.697-04:002012-06-15T10:37:14.697-04:00How COOL would it be, James, if Petty Gods was DCC...How COOL would it be, James, if Petty Gods was DCCRPG compatible? <br /><br />It could be the perfect synergy. <br /><br />Those tables involving "Invoke Patron" (on page 322) would totally rock when combined with the tone you've shared from Petty Gods.<br /><br />Wow.jonchappellnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7487871339000666216.post-73546705491455232202012-06-15T09:00:17.902-04:002012-06-15T09:00:17.902-04:00Unfortunately my gaming group hated the 0-level fu...Unfortunately my gaming group hated the 0-level funnel and don't want to play DCC again. :(<br /><br /><br />While it is an interesting approach (and fun to GM IMO), I think it gives players new to the game the idea that being low powered cannon fodder is what the game is all about. If I ever get a chance to run it again I think I will just have them make up one or two first level characters and go from there.Keith Stricklandnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7487871339000666216.post-11445838680153081472012-06-15T02:01:17.914-04:002012-06-15T02:01:17.914-04:00DCC RPG does not use an exploding dice mechanic.
...DCC RPG does not use an exploding dice mechanic.<br /><br /><br />DCC RPG does not have a d20-based skills system. The skills chapter is only 2 pages long to deliberately highlight that skills are based on player decision-making, not dice-rolling.<br /><br /><br />Check out an actual session at a local con or game store. I think you'll find the game plays very differently than you think!DCC RPG fannoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7487871339000666216.post-11596750619727964242012-06-14T22:25:27.061-04:002012-06-14T22:25:27.061-04:00yep!my kind of game!!yep!my kind of game!!andre correanoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7487871339000666216.post-76600753933731856432012-06-14T22:16:47.231-04:002012-06-14T22:16:47.231-04:00when running the playtest for DCC, I had a blast. ...when running the playtest for DCC, I had a blast. I didn't know how my players would like it, we played up to level 3 and then got side tracked by something else (Encounter Critical possibly) and never returned. The other day, my most "new school" player said, "What was that game we played? I had 4 PCs and two died in the first 30 minutes? Yeah, that game was so cool!" So I guess I will be looking for a copy of DCC!JJnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7487871339000666216.post-53705143604086180742012-06-14T20:46:41.610-04:002012-06-14T20:46:41.610-04:00I'm not without experience in this arena.
An...I'm not without experience in this arena.<br /><br /><br />Anything I can do to help?<br /><br /><br />Unknown and Petty Gods are the foundation of my campaign.Legion McRaenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7487871339000666216.post-38410291198333417552012-06-14T20:07:57.092-04:002012-06-14T20:07:57.092-04:00Well...I would have to say you opinion is just tha...Well...I would have to say you opinion is just that: opinion. Nothing you have said shows any faults with the system. Just things you "Don't like" or Weird".<br /><br />Personal preferences doesn't mean their is fault within the system.blackstonenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7487871339000666216.post-27079771693664544542012-06-14T20:07:11.368-04:002012-06-14T20:07:11.368-04:00Meh. I admire them for creating a vision and stic...Meh. I admire them for creating a vision and sticking to it, it's just not a vision I care to play in anymore.<br /><br />To me, if you want to point up a flaw in newer school D&D (from 3.0 on, really), the problem isn't too powerful characters at lower levels, it's the fact that after several levels the PCs begin to resemble Greek gods in terms of power (and capriciousness, but that's for another comment). In most of the old school games I've played of D&D back in the day or more recently, 1st Level characters are underpowered, as I'm afraid that a lot of "old-school" GMs I run into these days seem to think running Old School D&D means that a Call of Cthulhu game breaks out in the middle of a 1980's era dungeon crawl.<br /><br />The start at Level 0 thing is a cutesy, one-time maybe thing as an option (and I have gone there before, for one shots, primarily)...would I want to go there, or run a game where I have to tell the players that there's an even or better chance you're going to die in your first adventure but that's good because that's how your real characters are forged? My players would be firing me as a GM and planning on running a newer version of D&D, or another system rather than play this.<br /><br />Between this and the having to pay Lou Zocchi blood money for his heavily overrated (and overpriced) dice? I'm out on this, however gorgeous the book is.Stuart Dollarhttp://www.facebook.com/people/Stuart-Dollar/100000246202373noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7487871339000666216.post-22004395564188395852012-06-14T18:23:07.824-04:002012-06-14T18:23:07.824-04:00I really wanted to like DCC when I first saw it. ...I really wanted to like DCC when I first saw it. It seemed to hearken to everything I love about Appendix N gaming, but after delving into the rules a bit, things started to bother me.<br /><br /><br />Things like the new abilities (luck as an ability? What happened to the dice as an arbitrator of luck?), weird exploding dice mechanic (still don't really get that), incomplete list of content (too much world-building overhead) , and worst of all it's a D20 based system. Calling DCC a game that hearkens back to the old-school and still relegating all non-combat encounters to dice rolls really is a deal-breaker. Player skill over character skill is the very heart of classic D&D, why, oh why did they decide to go with the terrible D20 skill system???<br /><br /><br />I also don't really like the "gauntlet" thing or whatever they're calling it. Why must I spend my first gaming session killing characters off for no other reason than an excuse to call this game, "really hardcore!". What's wrong with simply rolling a character and playing him? If he dies, he dies. Roll up another. Not hard folks...<br /><br /><br />It seems there is simply too much here that adds to the old-school game for no real good reason. I don't like games that do that. I hated Castles & Crusades for turning classic D&D into a D20 system (read: character skill) too.<br /><br /><br />Now, Stars Without Number - there's a game to be proud of for living up to 1E's name.GaelicVigilnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7487871339000666216.post-84816549723028973952012-06-14T18:15:33.900-04:002012-06-14T18:15:33.900-04:00Thanks for the shout out about the character gener...Thanks for the shout out about the character generator James.Just checked my logs: 10,000+ plucky peasants created since you linked. Grognardia gamers are active gamers. <br /> :)PurpleSorcererhttp://twitter.com/PurpleSorcerernoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7487871339000666216.post-86124230644563318352012-06-14T16:20:05.623-04:002012-06-14T16:20:05.623-04:00I am going to try and get DCC this weekend during ...I am going to try and get DCC this weekend during free RPG day at my FLGS. I really love the tone and I look forward to playing it at some point.Matthew Schmidtnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7487871339000666216.post-24248709349451805492012-06-14T16:06:07.533-04:002012-06-14T16:06:07.533-04:00How can you miss something that's never been o...How can you miss something that's never been out? :)<br /><br />It's next in line after Dwimmermount. I'm sorry it's taken so long, but this will be a freebie, which means it'll always get bumped by work for which I and anyone else involved are remunerated. Finding a way to get this out without spending any money is harder than you'd think.James Maliszewskihttp://grognardia.blogspot.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7487871339000666216.post-57406993463436911292012-06-14T16:01:38.184-04:002012-06-14T16:01:38.184-04:00I miss Petty Gods.I miss Petty Gods.Legion McRaenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7487871339000666216.post-74544247120527423072012-06-14T16:01:20.391-04:002012-06-14T16:01:20.391-04:00TestifyTestifyLegion McRaenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7487871339000666216.post-16658255704874396772012-06-14T15:47:44.069-04:002012-06-14T15:47:44.069-04:00It sounds like a low level 1st édition Warhammer F...It sounds like a low level 1st édition Warhammer FRPG game...Porphyre77noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7487871339000666216.post-16155348594239976332012-06-14T15:47:39.880-04:002012-06-14T15:47:39.880-04:00There may be more in store, since I began a new ca...There may be more in store, since I began a new campaign last weekend, but I want to wait till the second session to see if it "takes" before committing to reporting about them.James Maliszewskihttp://grognardia.blogspot.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7487871339000666216.post-91013672034945244142012-06-14T15:43:24.965-04:002012-06-14T15:43:24.965-04:00Sometimes, you gotta let go.Sometimes, you gotta let go.KosherInfidelnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7487871339000666216.post-39258073922316662692012-06-14T14:50:36.940-04:002012-06-14T14:50:36.940-04:00Wow, I've never branched from OD&D much. (...Wow, I've never branched from OD&D much. (Have never needed to, I've enjoyed it so much.) This is probably the only tidbit about another game system that tempts me to pretty much even buy another system.<br />I like the flavorful, simple backgrounds you outlined above.<br />That concept of having 4 characters steers away from the video game mentality, to a degree, where even if you die a lot, you never really die. (Reminds me of DM'ing and watching playes play humanoids from "GAZ10: Orcs of Thar." PCs had to be really resourceful, and appreciate all the tidbits of equipment they could get.)JTrithennoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7487871339000666216.post-1311669419297776842012-06-14T14:47:46.680-04:002012-06-14T14:47:46.680-04:00 Honestly, you are less than 10 pages of rules fro... Honestly, you are less than 10 pages of rules from playing DCC. Just overlay them on b/x, toss out the few B/X differences and follow the character generation of DCC and the funnel. The twist on magic (unpredictable), pc development (survival of the meekest) and local (medieval fantasy adventures are nearby) is well worth it. XP is a snap.xdpaulnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7487871339000666216.post-55575371005144939782012-06-14T14:40:01.688-04:002012-06-14T14:40:01.688-04:00 Have you played it? It plays nothing like Paranoi... Have you played it? It plays nothing like Paranoia. The characters aren't disposable like that. I'll put it this way: in Paranoia, when Bob 3 gets his mandatory ceremonial clearance badge caught in the paper shredder, misidentified by the Computer as confidential, and pulped, it's funny. <br /><br />In DCC when Blisters the leprous halfling dies trying to silence an ogre's guard sheep, he gets his name carved in stone by the village mayor/stonemason. <br /><br />Okay, its funny...but it's <i>meaningful.</i>xdpaulnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7487871339000666216.post-65622035943019542812012-06-14T14:39:27.254-04:002012-06-14T14:39:27.254-04:00I agree the easy adaptability of adventures to oth...I agree the easy adaptability of adventures to other 'old school' systems is a real plus, because the focus of future releases is all on adventures, not additional rulebooks. And as you note, the adventures are strong (I really liked "Doom of the Savage Kings" as well), with a very cool vibe.Jon Marrnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7487871339000666216.post-29110920791256788452012-06-14T14:36:19.731-04:002012-06-14T14:36:19.731-04:00I miss your Dwimmermount posts.I miss your Dwimmermount posts.Guestnoreply@blogger.com