Dungeon Crawl Classics: Charisma

The Dungeon Crawl Classics RPG renames three of the six traditional Dungeons and Dragons attributes, keeps two, and jettisons one, replacing it with a new attribute, Luck.

The jettisoned attribute? Charisma.

I understand that DCCRPG is its' own game, and I can't expect everything I like about Dungeons and Dragons to appear in that new game, but there's something about the absence of a Charisma that is unsettling me.

Wisdom is one of the renamed attributes, and has been called Personality. Perhaps Goodman's intention is to merge Wisdom and Charisma into that new Personality attribute. However, there are no rules in the DCCRPG beta for the effects of Personality on encounter checks or the retention of henchmen or hirelings.

The only effect that Personality has is that it modifies the spell-casting power of Clerics and improves Willpower checks.

Perhaps i'm one of the few old-schoolers who promotes the use of henchmen and hirelings. To me, the inclusion of henchmen, hirelings and followers is an integral part of emulating the tales of Conan, Fafhrd and the Gray Mouser, and other classic sword and sorcery tales.Source URL: http://idontwanttobeanythingotherthanme.blogspot.com/search/label/dccrpg
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Dungeon Crawl Classics: Funky Dice

I finally broke down and picked up a d7 on my way home from work on Friday.

I visited the Sentry Box, where my inquiry about d7's was greeted with empty stares. Fortunately, after searching the counter, me and the staff found one (that's right, just one) d7, along with a d14 and d16, all in a mixed bowl of dice. I didn't purchase either the d14 and d16, as they were expensive and were un-inked crystal dice. I'm not a big fan of crystal dice.

One of the odder complaints about Dungeon Crawl Classics is unhappiness with the introduction of the new funky dice. Funky d3, d5, d7, d14, d16, d24 and d30 dice are planned additions, to be used along side the usual random generator suspects. Not sure why the complaints, other than perceptions that the funky dice are a money-grab.

Of the new dice being added to DCC, only the purchase of the d7 is really necessary. The rest are easily emulated, either by using existing dice, or by adding a control die.

The d3? Roll a d6 and divide by 2, rounding up to the next higher whole number.

Same with the d5: roll a d10, divide by two, and round up.

The d14, d16 and d24 can be emulated by rolling a d7, d8 or d12 in conjunction with a d6 control die. Simply add 7, 8 or 12, respectively, if the d6 comes up odd.

As for the d30, roll a d10 and d6 control die, and add 10 if the control comes up 3 or 4, and 20 if the control comes up 5 or 6.

You can generate most any DCC funky dice range using the existing dice and the d7. But there is one die that we still need, that DCC does not even consider a use for. The d9.

The d2, d3, d4, d5, d6, d7 and d8 are already represented, or can be emulated by rolling a single existing die. But we have no d9. Now I know you can generate a d9 range by using two d6, one as a control die and one as a d3, but it's nice to be able to roll a single die to generate a range, where possible. I was mentioning my desire for a d9 on Jeff's Gameblog, and magic pointed me to shapeways, which has a d9 on its site.

The only prohibitive aspect of this d9 is the price. I nearly swallowed my tongue when I found out the d7 at Sentry Box was $5.00. The d9 is priced at over $8.30, and that does not include shipping. When you consider the price, two d6 to emulate a d9 doesn't seem like such a bad idea.

Still, it would be neat to have a d9 in my arsenal.Source URL: http://idontwanttobeanythingotherthanme.blogspot.com/search/label/dccrpg
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Dungeon Crawl Classics: Cover

Trampier is a hard act to follow.

His cover of the ADnD Players Handbook is so iconic (and not just to the millions of players who grew up with the DnD game in the period 1978 to 1983) that all the subsequent illustrations pale in comparison.

Even though TSR eventually replaced the original cover of the Players Handbook, Trampier's illustration transcended all the covers that came later, and the original cover has spawned endless homages, parodies and imitators.

Dungeon Crawl Classics RPG has it's work cut out for it, then, in trying to come up with the look for the Dungeon Crawl Classics RPG. In order to be successful, they need to attract four groups of gamers. One, the old-school gamers who are still playing pre-third edition DnD. Two, d20 gamers who want to try an old-school system that is in-print. Three, Pathfinder and 4E gamers that are aching for something a little more unpredictable. And four, lapsed gamers who are nearing middle age and want to relive the magic of those halcyon days of ADnD.

The last group is the most important for Goodman Games. Why? Because the other three have built-in biases about what they want or need from a game. The lapsed gamers though, they will be walking into a game-store, looking for something that immediately reminds them of the games they played in their youth.

Which is why the decision on a cover for DCC RPG is so important. Those lapsed gamers will see Hackmaster and a plethora of other games, with homages to the original Trampier cover, and be drawn to them for nostalgic reasons.

I'm sure you can see where i'm heading here.

I really like Doug Kovacs' illustrations. He's a talented artist. I particularly like his illustrations on pages 51, 55, 61, 77 and 91. But the cover illustration for Dungeon Crawl Classics doesn't say Dungeon Crawl, or Classics, at least not to me.

And before you think that I want to see another imitation of Tramp's Players Handbook cover, let me assure you that I don't. The original Tramp cover has been re-done too many times. However, this Roslof illustration fits the Dungeon Crawl Classics moniker much better. It shows a party engaging in a dungeon crawl. And it showcases the four classic characters; fighter, magic-user, cleric and thief. The poster also used the old DnD font, which some think apes the trade-dress of original DnD too closely, but would certainly catch my attention if I was a nostalgic lapsed gamer, looking to re-engage in an beloved past-time, or introduce it to my children.

And finally, if that Roslof illustration doesn't match your vision of what the front cover of a Dungeon Crawl Classics game should look like, let me suggest another great Tramp illustration, that has not been overdone but would serve as fodder for an apt homage and alternate cover for DCC RPG.Source URL: http://idontwanttobeanythingotherthanme.blogspot.com/search/label/dccrpg
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Dungeon Crawl Classics: Cartoons

One of my favorite things about the original ADnD rulebooks and Dragon magazines was the inclusion of humorous cartoons (mostly by Will McLean) poking fun at the tropes and conventions of the game.



Chuck Whelon is credited with the cartoons in the beta version of Dungeon Crawl Classics RPG. His cartoons are every bit as much fun as those of Will McLean. You can find Chuck Whelon's blog, where he publishes the cartoons that are to be included in DCC RPG, here.


I'm glad the Goodman Games has decided to include some cartoon humor in their DCC rulebook.
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Dungeon Crawl Classics: Magic Cards

About four months ago, Sully of A Pack Of Gnolls posted this sample DnD spell card. I thought, and still think, that cards for magic spells is a great idea.

Fast forward to June 2011, and the beta release of Dungeon Crawl Classics RPG. The magic system in DCC RPG just begs for a spell card system, with the name, an illustration and effects of each spell printed on the front of a card. The spell card can be flipped face-down when the magic user fails her casting roll, signifying that the spell is no longer available.

My suggestion to Goodman Games is that they reduce and tighten up the range of spell effects so that each spell description and effects can be printed on the front of the card.

Perhaps the initial offering of magic cards can be for first to third level spells, and the range of results be limited to results between 12 and 25 (since a roll of one to eleven means failure, we don't need that range printed on each of the cards).Source URL: http://idontwanttobeanythingotherthanme.blogspot.com/search/label/dccrpg
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Dungeon Crawl Classics: Character Generator

Several others have already posted this awesome Dungeon Crawl Classics Role Playing Game character generator. I'm posting it here again simply because it will be easier for me to find later on.


This is a great little tool to use to generate random characters for DCC RPG. I will probably allow the players to designate one of the four characters so generated to be their character, with the other three acting as henchmen.


Now, I just need to finish my "henchmen shall be splintered!" rules to accompany DCC RPG and i'll be good to give this game a spin!
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