Grendel_Khan
Hero
Sorry if this is off-topic but I'm curious what's been more appealing to your group about DCC compared to Basic D&D? Is it a system/mechanical thing or something else?
Failed Campaigns
Sorry if this is off-topic but I'm curious what's been more appealing to your group about DCC compared to Basic D&D? Is it a system/mechanical thing or something else?
Ath-kethin
Elder Thing
Well, DCC is based off the original D&D from 1974, same as Basic is, and it does the whole race-as-class bit as well, so it's very similar in many ways. But there are big differences too - fighters and dwarves, for example, get to try out different actions called Mighty Deeds, with a separate mechanic that encourages out-of-the-box thinking and maneuvers.
The magic system is also different, and each spellcaster casts every spell differently from other casters. Wizards and elves also have the option to have patrons, which provide different spell choices and can even be invoked/summoned in person, though that tends not to be a very good idea.
It manages to retain much of Basic's simplicity, but hybridizes it with aspects of 3e (Fortitude, Reflex, and Will saving throws for example, as well as ascending AC and attack bonuses). It's super flexible and easy to adapt, as well, though of all the systems I've played over the years it's the one I modify the least.
Maybe that's because they just let wizards use freaking swords if they want and I don't have to houserule it.
Grendel_Khan
Hero
Every time I watch a LotR movie and Gandalf pulls out his sword a part of me says, Hey D&D, you see what I’m seeing?
Those differences all sound great, especially the magic/patron stuff. The Dying Earth Kickstarter that just wrapped had me thinking I should check out DCC, so I was curious how much it diverged. Appreciate the rundown.
Ath-kethin
Elder Thing
In the interest of letting this thread get back to its point, we can drop it here. But definitely check out DCC - it's a hoot and an awesome game.
And I'm looking forward to getting my 2 box sets' worth of Dying Earth material next year
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MGibster
Legend
There are a lot of reasons a campaign can fail and a strong dislike for the rules can be one of them. I tried running a game of Rogue Trader, produced by Fantasy Flight Games but based on the Games Workshop Warhammer 40,000 property, and after a few sessions we abandoned it. We liked the setting, the scenarios were were running were fine, but the rules were universally despised and we unanimously decided to play something different. Seriously, we hated those rules.
LoganRan
Explorer
This is The Way.
MGibster
Legend
I've been playing for a few decades now and campaigns have failed for several reasons. I'm going to avoid reasons revolving around everyone moving away, work schedules changing, or starting families.
Blue Planet: I tried running a Blue Planet campaign around 2005 or so. The concept was that PCs were members of a University of Texas funded expedition to explore the planet Poseidon, and, if possible, to look into what happened to the previous expedition the university sent out which went missing. I gave everyone a monthly income based on their occupation with STEM PCs (doctors, engineers, etc., etc.) making more than other occupations. One player decided to make a private investigator, which was fine as security was needed and they were looking for missing people. I assigned the PC a monthly income that was at the midpoint for the party as a whole and that's when the problems started.
The player argued that the book says PIs make anywhere between 100-300 credits per day so his pay should be considerably higher. I pointed out that the book notes that PIs don't have steady employment so that 100-300 per day doesn't actually reflect their monthly average. With this job you're in the employ of an organization and are getting a steady paycheck and your character is actually making a pretty good living. He was like a dog with a bone and just wouldn't let it go finally saying, "I don't know why my character would even leave Earth for Poseidon." I told him it was his responsibility to come up with a reason why his character would leave Earth but at the end of the day it soured me to the campaign and I decided not to run it. It's the only campaign I've had that failed after character generation but before game play.
Blue Planet: I tried running a Blue Planet campaign around 2005 or so. The concept was that PCs were members of a University of Texas funded expedition to explore the planet Poseidon, and, if possible, to look into what happened to the previous expedition the university sent out which went missing. I gave everyone a monthly income based on their occupation with STEM PCs (doctors, engineers, etc., etc.) making more than other occupations. One player decided to make a private investigator, which was fine as security was needed and they were looking for missing people. I assigned the PC a monthly income that was at the midpoint for the party as a whole and that's when the problems started.
The player argued that the book says PIs make anywhere between 100-300 credits per day so his pay should be considerably higher. I pointed out that the book notes that PIs don't have steady employment so that 100-300 per day doesn't actually reflect their monthly average. With this job you're in the employ of an organization and are getting a steady paycheck and your character is actually making a pretty good living. He was like a dog with a bone and just wouldn't let it go finally saying, "I don't know why my character would even leave Earth for Poseidon." I told him it was his responsibility to come up with a reason why his character would leave Earth but at the end of the day it soured me to the campaign and I decided not to run it. It's the only campaign I've had that failed after character generation but before game play.
Curse of Strahd: So I had a campaign come to an unceremonious end as well. I'll be as general as possible as not to spoil anything. The PCs were exploring an abandoned area when they figure out they were being spied upon and the PCs first reaction was to set upon this person and kill them. It left a bad tastes in my mouth and I ended the campaign stating that they all became evil and are lost in Ravenloft. I just didn't want to deal with that kind of game play.
Savage Worlds: While I don't meticulously plan out campaigns, I do know what the bad guys are going to do unless the PCs interfere with their plans in some way. I do have a particular concept in mind though. I was using Savage Worlds to run a Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles game set about 50 years in the future. The PCs were mutants and their master was Raphael (Leonardo and Michelangelo were dead and Donatello was in another dimension). I was basing the game more off the comic book so I expected it to be somewhat violent but one of the basic goals of the PCs was to advance mutant rights. On the second or third session the PCs were participating in an illegal mutant fighting ring when the police show up to put a stop to it. The PCs proceeded to kill several police officers. Since this was all caught on camera, news outlets internationally had footage of the PCs killing police officers and any hope of them helping to advance mutant rights was right out the window. Within two sessions I had them escaping to another dimension and we went on to play something else. We weren't all on the same page so far as the campaign concept went.
R_J_K75
Legend
Ive never scrapped a campaign because the players made some "poor" decisions that I remember. I just rolled with it and came up with another story line, goal, antagonist. Sometimes its organic and happens on the spot or I'll end the current session and give it thought until the next game. If anything sometimes Im more culpible as the DM of derailing things by setting hopping mid campaign. I remember one player always used to say, "Looks like Rob got a new book"! Usually works out with a decent group of players because I run ny session zeros pretty loose and vague so we arent tied to any single facet of what we agreed on.
We have 3 DMs in a group of 5 now so were switching off every 2-4 sessions in a 5E Ravenloft game. This way no one person has to shoulder the DM burnden full time. Working out good, fun and no one really knows whats coming next. I think this is helping to keep the campaign fresh and from ending unexpededly. Im playing a cleric of Thor; I always use my bonus action in combet to drink my flagon.
MGibster
Legend
Murdering the police officers fundamentally changed the nature of the campaign and I just didn't know what I could do to get it back on track short of just ignoring their actions. I'm not going to argue that they did something wrong, just that they moved the game in a direction I didn't want to follow.
dragoner
KosmicRPG.com
Not sure about favorite, though I had a Traveller campaign where the players were doing some shady stuff, and when the people came around to investigate, they ambushed and killed them in their ship parked on the tarmac with an Imperial Naval Base next door. I was like uh ... so the Marines arrive?
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