Questions from a newbye.

[Flecha]

Hi everybody!

Ok, so I already got the Player's Handbook and the Monsters & Treasure books some time ago after the good reviews I read about the game. I always loved the old days of DAD, and knowing there were a game that brought them back with a rules-light version of D20, it sounded perfect.

Rest asured, I'm a compulsive rpg buyer, so I haven't been able to get to read the C&C books until... well, in the next few days. After all I've heard about the game, I'm seriously thinking of turning to it for all my fantasy playing, but tthere's so many impressive D20 books out there that I really need to know how compatible the C&C system is with them. So I'd like to ask if any of you have tried succesfully (or not) with the next products:

1.- Forgotten Realms, my favorite fantasy campaign ever.

2.- Midnight, from Fantasy Flight Games, a very interesting proposal.

3.- A Game of Thrones RPG, a game I own and plan to play, of course.

In addition, my C&C PHB is the first version, not the second. Are there substantial changes? Should I get the second?

Thanks everyone, and we'll see here posting -or playing C&C.

[irda ranger]

Flecha wrote:
Hi everybody!

Hi!

Flecha wrote:
1.- Forgotten Realms, my favorite fantasy campaign ever.

This is the only part of your post that I am qualified to answer.

FR was originally written by Ed Greenwood back in the days of pre-3.x D&D. C&C is largely compatible with pre-3.x adventures. Ergo, C&C would work just fine with FR.

To the extent that FR would "change", it would returning to its pre-R. A. Salvatore roots, and that can only be a good thing. All the races and classes you need are available.

As for adapting any published materials, you should pick up the free (optional) multi-classing rules which came with Yggsburgh (they're a free download on the Troll's site). Any (N)PC who is a spellcasting Bard, Paladin or Ranger should probably pick up a couple levels in Illusionist, Cleric or Druid (as appropriate) to allow for that.

One thing that FR really got into in AD&D 2e and D&D 3.x was the "sub-races" explosion. I would highly encourage you to adopt the stance that the difference between sub-races are cosmetic, historical and cultural, and not anything which is expressed in rules. Only changes which are "mandatory" should be expressed in rules (e.g., Drow would have darkvision like Dwarves, not Low-light vision like their surface kin).

Many things can be explained away without changing the rules. Ghostwise halfling "telepathy" is acutally a very complex and subtle language of hand gestures (which most people simply did not notice them doing) which allow them to communicate without "speaking." Similarly any formerly "innate" powers of spellcasting are really wide-spread multiclassing (e.g., thanks to the Drow Academies, every Drow has at least one level of Illusionist or Cleric). The races and classes are well-balanced as is, and should not be changed too much.
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Check out my Iron C&C House Rules: The Tombs of Akrasia

[Dristram]

Flecha wrote:
1.- Forgotten Realms, my favorite fantasy campaign ever.

2.- Midnight, from Fantasy Flight Games, a very interesting proposal.

3.- A Game of Thrones RPG, a game I own and plan to play, of course.

This is not going to help in answering your question. But seriously check out Troll Lord Games setting Erde, or Aihrde. The background and current state of the setting is awesome! Plus, most of the adventures published for C&C are based in Aihrde.

My opinion on using those setting though is that if you are okay with just using them for their setting information (background vs. rules stuff), then C&C can be used just fine.

Quote:
In addition, my C&C PHB is the first version, not the second. Are there substantial changes? Should I get the second?

The 2nd printing is not needed as long as you get the errata. But the 2nd printing is a bit better organized and some small changes and clarifications have been added, so I've found the 2nd printing definitely useful. If you have the money to pick up the 2nd printing, I say do it. If you don't, I say don't worry about it.

[Treebore]

Get the second printing if you like C&C, the format/layout is waaaaaaayyy better.

As for its compatibility, yes, relatively easily, since most of what your talking about is fluff. Mechanics are going to require a lot of thought on your part, if your going from 3E, which with Midnight and Game of Thrones you have to. You will have to decide what you want to keep and what can be left behind.

If you want to implement feats I have a simple way for you to use them if you wish.

Skills are easy, just say it is a class/race skill if you want them to have it.

If you decide to give C&C a go feel free to come back and ask for advice on how to convert/change things to your liking.

Also check out the stickied on line resources thread, in particula cncplayer.net and Travellers website.

[Nifelhein]

Hey there Flecha, welcome to the crusade!

I bought the PHB 2nd pritning a while back and just ordered the Monster & Treasure book today, i don't know how different the books are but I already heard a 3rd printing won't be long, seems the current print run might be running out.
As to your questions, I have tried C&C as a player until now and will use it for any classic style game i want to play, so whenever people want to play D&D and i am to GM, C&C is the game, period. On the conversions, use of material, anything prior to 3.X is an easy and fast thing, maybe not even calling for any pre-sessions trouble, 3.X changes things with its feats and pwoer curve, not to say the multiclass system is different and prestige classes are not a concept C&C emulates.

But you can emulate feats with the SIEGE engine easily enough, at least the most interesting of them can, the others I would say are a much welcome loss of complexity, PrC can be done as a setting tool instead of a system category, becoming a bladesinger could easily be an adventure by itself but there aren't any ready made mechanics to cover that, you can change class progression and grant benefits to them though, not that big a deal anyway.

I am not gonan discuss all of your list, but mainly the second one: Midnight. I am a huge fan of the setting and also admin to the www.againsttheshadow.org fansite (which you should go to if you already don't have an account and know of it) and currently I am working and debating some ideas on how to convert the setting to C&C with phadeout, also a poster here and there.

We have had some issues coming up, specifically that Midnight has magic available to all through feats and that C&C has no clear tools to emulate that for us, and spell energy, currently we are considering to make the availability in some ways, all tied to XP cost and with less spellcasting prowess than the channeler will have.

You are welcome to AtS and out C&C conversion if you want, thoughts and help is always welcome there.
Cheers,

Nif.

PS: Are you brazilian? (I am) your nick surely seems to point to that...
_________________
"We cannot live only for ourselves. A thousand fibers connect us with our fellow men; and among those fibers, as sympathetic threads, our actions run as causes, and they come back to us as effects." - Attributed to Herman Melville.

[Flecha]

Hi again!

Thanks for your answers. I really have high expectations on this system.

irda ranger wrote:
FR was originally written by Ed Greenwood back in the days of pre-3.x D&D. C&C is largely compatible with pre-3.x adventures. Ergo, C&C would work just fine with FR.

To the extent that FR would "change", it would returning to its pre-R. A. Salvatore roots, and that can only be a good thing. All the races and classes you need are available.

That's great, because I loved the TSR books while I don't like the WotC ones much. The old had a charm that the new ones have lost completely in its sofistication. Some time ago I found a term in internet that I took for myself, that perfectly describes the uglyness of DAD under the WotC banner: "Dungeonpunk". On the contrary, C&C looks like the old DAD, and I love to recover my old Realms.

Dristram wrote:
This is not going to help in answering your question. But seriously check out Troll Lord Games setting Erde, or Aihrde. The background and current state of the setting is awesome! Plus, most of the adventures published for C&C are based in Aihrde.

Thanks, everything helps! Of course I'm very interested in trying Erde, but I prefer to wait for the C&C version, of course!

Treebore wrote:
If you want to implement feats I have a simple way for you to use them if you wish.

Skills are easy, just say it is a class/race skill if you want them to have it.

If you decide to give C&C a go feel free to come back and ask for advice on how to convert/change things to your liking.

Thanks a lot, I'll surely do!

Nifelhein wrote:
I am not gonan discuss all of your list, but mainly the second one: Midnight. I am a huge fan of the setting and also admin to the againsttheshadow fansite (which you should go to if you already don't have an account and know of it) and currently I am working and debating some ideas on how to convert the setting to C&C with phadeout, also a poster here and there.

We have had some issues coming up, specifically that Midnight has magic available to all through feats and that C&C has no clear tools to emulate that for us, and spell energy, currently we are considering to make the availability in some ways, all tied to XP cost and with less spellcasting prowess than the channeler will have.

You are welcome to AtS and out C&C conversion if you want, thoughts and help is always welcome there.

Great! I find the setting just FASCINATING. And I'm totally interested in playing under C&C, so now I have TWO reasons to join. We'll meet there!
Finally, I'm getting the 2nd printing of the PHB. Along with the CKG... And maybe the first Castle Zagyg book. Gues it's highly recommended, right?
And Goodman Games do some adventures, too! Wow!

[Nifelhein]

The CKG isn't ou yet, most sxay the game is already complete without it, but we are really hopign it will come out someday, it just seems not anytime soon.
_________________
"We cannot live only for ourselves. A thousand fibers connect us with our fellow men; and among those fibers, as sympathetic threads, our actions run as causes, and they come back to us as effects." - Attributed to Herman Melville.

[Tadhg]

Flecha wrote:
Hi everybody!

Greetings Flecha and welcome!

Enjoy the game!!!
_________________
Count Rhuveinus - Lejendary Keeper of Castle Franqueforte

"Enjoy a 'world' where the fantastic is fact and magic really works!" ~ Gary Gygax

"By the pricking of my thumbs, Something wicked this way comes:" - Macbeth

[artemis wands]

Hey, you stole my thread name! But welcome to the Crusade anyway.

I have to second what everyone here has already said. I've tinkering with converting the old Council Of Wyrms setting to C&C, as well as developing a homebrew world for more standard fare.

I haven't had the chance to run or play C&C yet, but I've read the rules twice, and can assure you it's compatible with just about any pre-3.x material you've got. And converting from 3.x isn't too difficult, either.

Good luck, and keep us informed!
_________________
"I didn't play Dungeon & Dragons all those years without learning something about courage."

[Flecha]

Nifelhein wrote:
The CKG isn't ou yet, most sxay the game is already complete without it, but we are really hopign it will come out someday, it just seems not anytime soon.

Well, the game doesn't almost sound complete withouth the CKG, but... I was aware that is was said to be complete already.

By the way, I'm not from Brazil, but from Spain. Spanish and portuguese are, of course quite similar. My nick is my (second) surname and means "arrow"; I don't know for sure, but I'd bet it's the same as in portuguese.

Rhuvein wrote:
Greetings Flecha and welcome!

Enjoy the game!!!

Thanks for the enthusiastic greetings.

artemis wands wrote:
I have to second what everyone here has already said. I've tinkering with converting the old Council Of Wyrms setting to C&C, as well as developing a homebrew world for more standard fare.

Well, every conversion that is made to the system, I'm very interested in. Perhaps it could be done a database or webpage or something where word of all conversions ever done to C&C are gathered... And there are many settings waiting to be rescued... to the nicer system that C&C is! Any suggestions for such a feat?

[Nifelhein]

Hey Flecha!

Flecha wrote:
Well, the game doesn't almost sound complete withouth the CKG, but... I was aware that is was said to be complete already.

By the way, I'm not from Brazil, but from Spain. Spanish and portuguese are, of course quite similar. My nick is my (second) surname and means "arrow"; I don't know for sure, but I'd bet it's the same as in portuguese.

Yes, two similar languages and the word is actually written the same in both and has the samee meaning, a not so common thing. Good surname btw, you must now earn to use a bow.
_________________
"We cannot live only for ourselves. A thousand fibers connect us with our fellow men; and among those fibers, as sympathetic threads, our actions run as causes, and they come back to us as effects." - Attributed to Herman Melville.