Castles&Crusades: Is this "The One"?

[GothmogIV]

That's unfortunate. What game are they so invested in? And: are you the GM? If you are...
I am fortunate in that I've been playing with the same idiots friends for decades now, so we take turns being GMs, and we are willing to experiment with different systems.

 

[Micah Sweet]

Agreed. It was my getting off point as well.

Taking the core game to Lv20 knowing full well it plays best 1-12, distancing it from D&D (not needed since under Creative Commons, right?), and continuing to refuse to innovate even a tiny bit really makes the newer version a downgrade in every way for me.

Super stoked about ACKS 2E ATM, so expecting that to replace C&C as my OSR "go to".

ACKS II is my go-to OSR game. There's little to nothing you can't do in a fantasy RPG with it.

 

[CleverNickName]

About 2 weeks ago, I made a serious push to get my group to consider Castles & Crusades for its next campaign. I would say this is the third time it's been shot down - this time in so definite terms that I don't think I will ever bring it up again.

Bummer...sorry to hear that.

I don't know if it's an option you're considering or not, but if you are looking for a different group to play C&C with, there is a small but energetic group of gamers on Roll20 who run Castles & Crusades. If you set up a C&C game and solicit players there, you'll get plenty of players before you know it--folks who know the system and are excited to play it.

 

[Micah Sweet]

Man, I woul

I can't go as far as @Jd Smith1 but I do think he is making an interesting point. Hackmaster 5e is very different from early D&D (and current D&D). It does keep a lot of the D&Disms: like the core 4 classes being primary, similar races, 6 attributes plus looks, levels.
It changes a lot too. The biggest element for me is how combat is changed. Per second combat, opposed d20p, different weapon properties that impact things (die penetration, reach, variable shield damage, possible jab speed), spells are lower powered but you get one for each level etc.
The above and Knockbacks, threshold of pain checks, shield breakage and maneuvers all make combat a lot more dynamic and more complicated compared to any OSR game.
I can't see myself throwing 20 goblins at a party in Hackmaster, but I probably would at a mid-level group in OSRIC/AD&D or similar.

Still while very different, I do concede that it can be seen as an evolution of AD&D because they are playing with a lot of the same vibes.
--
I never did pick up Castles & Crusades. Almost did many times. But back around 2009 I ended up just diving into OSRIC and picking up old AD&D books.
I'm got a copy of DCC a couple months ago, and I am looking at DragonSlayer (Greg was at Phantasm and we spoke at some length - HighFell is a very interesting megadungeon).

Reading DCC mostly just made me want to run Hackmaster, which I didn't really expect.

Man, I would play either version of Hackmaster (I have both) if I could. Too many games, not enough players who like old school playstyles.

 

[GothmogIV]

Because we play online, VTT support is desirable.

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

About 2 weeks ago, I made a serious push to get my group to consider Castles & Crusades for its next campaign. I would say this is the third time it's been shot down - this time in so definite terms that I don't think I will ever bring it up again.

That's a shame. Castles & Crusades is really fun, especially once the players get their hands on the multiclassing rules. While still retaining the AD&D vibe, you can really fine-tune your character archetype. My group had a ranger who cast cleric spells (she served the goddess of the hearth and protected her village), a ranger who cast druid spells (who was more of a wilderness adventurer), a hybrid dwarf druid-barbarian, etc.

 

[Retreater]

That's unfortunate. What game are they so invested in?

I think it's 5e (or a variant) or nothing. Anything resembling OSR is too underpowered. And they don't want to learn anything not based on D&D.

 

[GothmogIV]

I think it's 5e (or a variant) or nothing. Anything resembling OSR is too underpowered. And they don't want to learn anything not based on D&D.

T R A S H! Have you tried having a meltdown? That always works for me. Throw things!