Home Game 1

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Blutimate
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Home Game 1

Post by Blutimate »

Hail all,

I was intrigued by this RPG when ai heard about it several years ago, but at that point I was not gaming like I had been in my college years. Fast forward and now I host a small (4-6) rpg group in Cypress, Texas and we take turns judging/GMing games and it is always GM choice for system and setting. We have played Shadowrun, 5E, Pathfinder, Marvel Heroes (but a homebrew rule system), CyberPunk, and Dark Conspiracy. Despite the relatively varied list, many of our games become mechanic driven - "oh, your character failed his perception check, you get hit by <insert sniper fire, magical cougar, or band of junkies/kobolds here>.

Well, I ran Sailors of the Starless Seas last night after listening to a ton of episodes of the SpellBurn podcast (thank you SO much, your examples clarified so many rules!).

The party learned fear very early but powered through so much. In the sea, the level 1 cleric used Second Sight/burned luck to avoid the hazard, and we had 8 level 1s for the big bad. He almost killed 3 party members, but the body count stayed at around 6 out of 16. I chose to use the hook to send the characters on a potential new quest.

After 5 hours, I am hooked. The group liked it; however I can tell that many are simply not used to theater of the mind or thinking through situations. One character in particular kept trying to roll his way through the puzzles with cleric spells. I think it is so tragic that D&D and its many related systems have stifled the imaginations of my group! This game gives me hope for a cure.

I only had this opportunity to sub for the current GM who is running 5E. I shall return with my own adventure and plan on running several games of DCC at OwlCon 2016.

Thank you for this game. I will get mileage out of it!
David Rose

P.S. Look for me at OwlCon if you are attending and say hello
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Max_The_Judge
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Re: Home Game 1

Post by Max_The_Judge »

Sweet! Glad you're enjoying the game. How would you compare it to 5E?
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Blutimate
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Re: Home Game 1

Post by Blutimate »

There are some definite differences between DCC and 5E. This game moves faster, for sure, and has a little less "player choice" when it comes to player design. Now, to me, that isn't a bad thing. I'm not a big believer that there should be thousands of skills, feats, spells, and classes to draw me into a game. This game provides me options through spell design, the mighty deeds system, and the patrons/deities that can impact the game world.
In addition, the story relies heavily on dice rolls and player actions to develop (your friend died, care to find a way to revive him? It isn't a spell you can cast...).

To get my overall thoughts on 5E, please see my other thread on the subject.

One of my buddies believes that this game is "swingy" and relies heavily on random chance. I really don't know of any game involving dice that does not, and failing a roll in other games just means you miss a turn. I like the slim chance that something catastrophic can happen, things that actually place importance on each turn and each roll. Every combat that drags on presents more opportunities for failure, so it creates an environment where the players view hazards as hazards and monsters as dangerous.

Love it. This is my go-to fantasy setting for the foreseeable future.

David
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GnomeBoy
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Re: Home Game 1

Post by GnomeBoy »

Blutimate wrote: This game ... has a little less "player choice" when it comes to player design.
Another way to put that is that is has *more* choice, because you're limited by imagination not how many feats, etc. are in the book(s).
...
Gnome Boy • DCC playtester @ DDC 35 Feb '11. • Beta DL 2111, 7AM PT, 8 June 11.
Playing RPGs since '77 • Quasi-occasional member of the Legion of 8th-Level Fighters.

Link: Here Be 100+ DCC Monsters

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Shingen
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Re: Home Game 1

Post by Shingen »

GnomeBoy wrote:
Blutimate wrote: This game ... has a little less "player choice" when it comes to player design.
Another way to put that is that is has *more* choice, because you're limited by imagination not how many feats, etc. are in the book(s).
This echoes something I noticed in Pathfinder, 4e, etc - that when everything has a rule, people only look at what they are allowed to do within the rules. Players look at the list of feats and powers then shrug if it doesn't work in the particular situation. Taking those out opens up quite a bit of creativity for the player. Then you can reward it with die steps or bonuses, and it is just as good as a feat but more flexible.
SILAS, L, Ostler, S14, A13, S12, P11, I14, L5, AC11, HP3, Staff +1 1d4+1, Init 1, R +1, F0, W0, 10' Chain, Bridle, Path of the bear (Melee damage rolls), Com +1

PERCIVAL, N, Halfling dyer, S12, A10, S9, P13, I6, L12, AC10, HP2, Staff +0 1d4, Init 0, R0, F0, W+1, Small sack, 3 yards fabric, Righteous heart (Turn unholy checks), Com

DERVOS, N, Corn Farmer, S13, A8, S8, P12, I13, L13, AC9, HP 1, Pitchfork +1 1d8+2, Init -1, R-1, F-1, W0, Waterskin, hen, Path of the bear (Melee damage rolls) (+1) Com +1

EIBUR, C, Potato Farmer, S8, A7, S12, P11, I13, L7, AC 9, HP 2, Pitchfork -1 1d8-1, Init -1, R-1, F0, W0, Torch, Goat, Struck by lightning (Reflex saving throws) Com +1
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Blutimate
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Re: Home Game 1

Post by Blutimate »

GnomeBoy wrote:
Blutimate wrote: This game ... has a little less "player choice" when it comes to player design.
Another way to put that is that is has *more* choice, because you're limited by imagination not how many feats, etc. are in the book(s).
Yeah, this is what I meant, but stated more eloquently. I'd rather create a character that gets incrementally better at doing really amazing things that draw me in rather than building a character that will one day do the amazing things I want him to do by following a skill track. We just wrapped up a 5E adventure I have been participating in. I never was able to achieve the character design I wanted; however, I could play that character fully realized in DCC as a level 1 thief.
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catseye yellow
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Re: Home Game 1

Post by catseye yellow »

Blutimate wrote:
GnomeBoy wrote:
Blutimate wrote: This game ... has a little less "player choice" when it comes to player design.
Another way to put that is that is has *more* choice, because you're limited by imagination not how many feats, etc. are in the book(s).
Yeah, this is what I meant, but stated more eloquently. I'd rather create a character that gets incrementally better at doing really amazing things that draw me in rather than building a character that will one day do the amazing things I want him to do by following a skill track. We just wrapped up a 5E adventure I have been participating in. I never was able to achieve the character design I wanted; however, I could play that character fully realized in DCC as a level 1 thief.
same here. as a 2nd lvl thief i did epic stuff and yet i was afraid every step of the way.
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