Castles & Crusades is the SHIZ-NIGHT!

[Omote]

(That means awesome for you 40+ year olds.)

Anyway, there are a lot of discussions up here on the Troll Boards about edition influences, rules clarity versus ambiguity, intent versus writing style, etc. There are people who have been playing C&C since the very beginning, and new Crusaders coming to the forums from time to time to gather data and just check this $#!4 out!

It's important to realize that the C&C game is really made playable by its easily malleable rules that conform to the Castle Keeper, and group for which the players gather. This fact alone has gathered new players and old from across the spectrum of D&D to play. This truly makes C&C the Rosetta Stone of fantasy RPing. I play with or run hardcore v3.X players who have been so critical of the game for 5+ years... yet they still play. There are a few old-school guys who played Basic, 1E, or 2E and came to C&C for the adventure and camaraderie... now they all own C&C books and prefer to play C&C over the older games. One of those guys sold off all of his old D&D rulebooks! I have been lucky enough to bring in two new RPGers into my personal game. Now one of them, a 17 year old kid, runs his own C&C campaign for his friends and family!

When the idea of a new campaign comes up, there is usually a little discussion on about which system we are going to play or run. For over 5 years now (maybe six or more), it's the only game we all play. Different Castle Keepers, applying their own ideas and assets to their games. That's pretty awesome.

I play or run 3 C&C groups comprised of about 18-19 different people. Aside from me, only one has ever come to these message boards to post their thoughts. For these participants, it has always been about the game. Coming to the table and playing with a simple (or stepped up complexity version, depending upon your CK) D&D paper and pencil RPG emulator is what it is ultimately all about. We are all here for the same things; a fun time playing the type of game we love. You don't have to love C&C, but you love the style of game. You know you do.

I have never seen another game do what C&C does... bring people to the table to do what they love. Sure, there are tons of editions, versions, and other fantasy RPGs out there, but whether you are a detractor or a supporter, you know C&C brings people to the table.

A lot of the discussions on this message board come from people who do it THEIR way. And that is OK. With C&C, there is very little that is the right way or the wrong way. Sometimes you may have to take a step back and look at the game you play. Do you want cleaner rules? Sure, go ahead and ask a question on the message boards. Or, like me, go ahead and write your own version of the rules. Neither one of those are the wrong way to do things with C&C.

C&C is not perfect game of white-washed, cold clean rules that are designed for the purpose of having perfect rules. The C&C game, more so than probably many games in the past 20 years is about giving you a framework from which to make the game you want. Can you play C&C by the letter of the written work in the Player's Handbook? Probably, but not a single one of us does that.

I have myself leveled a few harsh critcisms of C&C over the past 14 or so years of which I was involved with it. Yet I still play, and have more players then ever before. It's not perfect that I am looking for, it's playability (subjective) and bringing people to the stories and type of game we love. C&C does that so well.

Respect the game for what it does, and realize that the way you play is not the only way. Whence you embrace that notion, your mind is free to create.

To the Crusade!

~O

[slimykuotoan]

Totally agree here.

I was in fact chatting with a few o' my gaming blokes the o'er night about its malleability. Indeedy, C&C, bees my go to game for fantasy hands down.

We love it by Crom!

[Rigon]

Well said, O, well said.

R-

[pawndream]

I am in complete agreement with everything you said, Omote.

What I really like about C&C is that it distills the core "D&D" experience down to the basics of what makes for a fast, fun, engaging game that moves quickly and efficiently at the table.

I enjoy other flavors of D&D as well, but C&C is currently my favorite game for emulating the core "D&D" experience.

[Revfan]

I am one of the old school D&D 1st edition players getting back into it (after decades of being away).

Over the Thanksgiving holiday, my son (10) "discovered" my OLD D&D stuff... I started playing at his age in 1977 with some of the older kids on my street....

Anyway, I started checking into new versions of the game, and I heard that Pathfinder was pretty good... so I got the books.

Over the Christmas holidays, I read through them and gave em a go with my son.

I wasn't impressed, or should I say, it really wasn't what I was looking for in a RPG... I like more Role-playing with a "magic is rare" feel to the world.... in Pathfinder, a Janitor has more magic than an old school D&D Magic-user....

Anyway,

I asked around on some forums (not this one) and the responses were about 60% saying... "Give C&C a try, it will fit your style nicely".

My books are en-route, so I can't wait to check em out and give it a go...

I'll report back with my findings, but I think I'll be impressed already.

[pawndream]

I am one of the old school D&D 1st edition players getting back into it (after decades of being away).

Anyway,

I asked around on some forums (not this one) and the responses were about 60% saying... "Give C&C a try, it will fit your style nicely".

My books are en-route, so I can't wait to check em out and give it a go...

I'll report back with my findings, but I think I'll be impressed already.

Awesome! Welcome to the Crusade. With your gaming pedigree as it is, I think you will be very pleased with Castles and Crusades. It will give you that old D&D feeling, without all the extra rules bloat getting in the way. Fun. Fast. Efficient.

[Captain_K]

I started in 1979 with ADD in Middle School, played that until 2nd ed.. that was nice, Dragons added odd things like Barbarians, Ninja, and Cavaliers... then the 3Es hit, about when I started again after a long break, it was OK for a while but the feat strings and constant editions and tons of books and more detail, etc etc just ended all RPG for me for some years... then a buddy suggested I try CnC with him.. "Mr Peabody, Can we set the way back machine for 1980?" But it was better than that because a careful mellowing of all that came before created this creature CnC. So I'm with you folks, I love that its ONE book for all and there are NO expectations of major rules changes coming anytime soon, DMs (sorry CKs) need just one more book MT to run a game, maybe two CKG. If they added height and weight tables to PH, then players would never need the CKG (IMHO). Anyway, not to gush, but they have really done a nice job.

But to pat ourselves on the back, we do pretty good helping the game along here. In the old days meeting gamers outside your circles was always great, but owe so rare.. remember, back in the 1980s we were all pre-boards, pre-email, etc.. you RPG you did it live with paper and pencil.

So I lift my goblet of wine to you all and to CnC.

To all you new players enjoy, you have found a home, in the game of CnC and on the boards! One that can last a damn long time!

[Snoring Rock]

Well put Duke Omote! I can add nothing to that. Well put!