mmbutter wrote:The Adventurer's Backpack (when it comes out) will have a bunch of new classes. These might work better in your game world.
I will have to check that out! I'll look for it so I can see about picking it up!
Penny-Whistle wrote:
Sorry to hear it isn't working for you.
Lots of good stuff in that whole post, Penny. The one thing I want to reply to though, is that I wouldn't say it's not working for me... I would say that I can see that I will need to do a LOT of work to modify it into my setting. But the basic rules are solid, it's just about me trying to figure out how to make things work the way I want them to.
It's worth noting that my wife is not only a player, but a co-GM who helps toss out ideas, suggestions, story ideas she'd like to see happen, and how she'd like the world to be. It just happens (probably not coincidentally) that our views are mostly lockstep. So, to be clear, it isn't just what *I* want. Two of us are working towards the same goal. The third doesn't care as long as he gets to kill stuff.
Aergraith wrote:
Sorry if you already mentioned it, but what game are you using?
I haven't said, because I don't want to "advertise a different product," but here's a hint, it's a very SAVAGE game that takes place on any number of different WORLDS.
The problem with the game we're using is two-fold: 1) Despite what they tell you, it's a fairly complicated game. C&C is easy to pick up and play. SW uses handfuls of every die in the standard polyhedral set, so you won't be surprised when I tell you that a lot of time is spent with the players saying, "Okay, for this I roll d12 and d6, right? Or, no, I think my skill in that is d10, so d10 and d6. I think. Right?" [Shows me character sheet for confirmation].
Another problem is monsters. Instead of four or five important stats total, you have all five attributes, an number of skills, all of the required derived stats (at least three, sometimes four), and their special abilities. This is for even the lowliest goblin.
Another problem is that the game is designed for combat. It doesn't use hit points, and most monsters are either in combat, out of combat, or dead. This sounds great in theory. You can also have allies on your side, and have major battles. We've had several massive battles where three players with four allies each take on nearly double the number of opponents. Great fun! Sorta. It's great fun if you can sort out all the dice to use! Every monster has different dice combinations. The overall effect is... there's a lot to remember and do. It slows you down a lot.
The other problem, though, is that we do basically enjoy the game, warts and all... but it uses a very different set of assumptions than C&C (and other OGL-based games), and our game uses most of those tropes. As a result, it's kinda broken.
So, on a lark, I made a game that played to its strengths and ran them through a one-shot. They loved it and asked if they could have that as the next setting when this campaign is done. I enjoyed it, too, and said sure! But the problem is that SW is pretty much always the same... they'll play similar characters because it's what they like (he likes to kill stuff, she likes to sneak around). And that means they'll use the same special abilities. They focus on the same stats. They'll essentially play what we're already playing all over again, and we'll just basically do a repeat of the first game.
I get bored playing the same thing all the time. I like to mix it up and use different games and different systems. So I thought it would be nice to switch this game over to C&C (as it has a lot of OGL tropes already) and that way when we finish it, we can switch back to SW with a setting that works better with those rules.
Aergraith wrote:If you like the simplicity of C&C, and want to use the core mechanics in your game, maybe use something like the Crusader's Companion to build your own classes. Something like the Black Libram of Nartarus would be a good source of more S&S style spells. Yes, you'd be on your own documenting your own system differences, but most "setting-less" systems are the same: more flexibility in exchange for the gamemaster having to make up everything.
I have the Black Libram... that's a great book! Of course, the spells are designed to be added to the existing classes rather than adding a new class, so it's just a question of which classes I'm using.
Crusader's Companion is a good option, too. I should look through it and see what other options are available.
There is always stocking up on Good Berries too and going for more support (buff/debuff) type stuff and playing as missile or second-line support though it can be boring at moments. 
