Castles & Crusades: Player's Handbook

[Dragonhelm]

I got the monster and the Players book. I think the lack of skill system is what kinda bugs me about the C&C system.

That bugs me too, but it isn't too hard to port in a skill system. The d20 skill system can be used easily enough, or you could port in non-weapon proficiencies too.

The beauty of C&C is that you can customize it.

 

[Henry]

Hehe, so I guess you are getting a copy then?

Scarily enough, probably yes. It would be nicer for me if it came before Christmas, but heck, it's only $20.00.

 

[Frostmarrow]

That bugs me too, but it isn't too hard to port in a skill system. The d20 skill system can be used easily enough, or you could port in non-weapon proficiencies too.

The beauty of C&C is that you can customize it.

That would be odd... It would be like trying to get rid of the d20 skill system for D&D.

-Does C&C have secondary skills or an equivalent of that?

 

[Henry]

That would be odd... It would be like trying to get rid of the d20 skill system for D&D.

-Does C&C have secondary skills or an equivalent of that?

Not in the core book - just the SEIGE system for figuring out what you can do.

 

[Akrasia]

That would be odd... It would be like trying to get rid of the d20 skill system for D&D.

-Does C&C have secondary skills or an equivalent of that?

Gygax's Castle Zagyg: Yggsburgh includes a skill system.

The SIEGE system can act like a very nice simple 'skill bundle' system IME (a character with a Dex prime is skilled in 'dexterity-related' tasks).

 

[JoeGKushner]

Gygax's Castle Zagyg: Yggsburgh includes a skill system.

Buying a $40 setting/adventure sourcebook for a skill system might not sit too well with some.

 

[Frostmarrow]

Gygax's Castle Zagyg: Yggsburgh includes a skill system.

The SIEGE system can act like a very nice simple 'skill bundle' system IME (a character with a Dex prime is skilled in 'dexterity-related' tasks).

I'm familiar with SIEGE, I own the box set. I was just curious if the old secondary skill system was implemented in any form. That is the d100 roll to determine if you are a cobbler or tanner or what. Really, I'm not fond of skill systems in the first place but it's nice to have a CV for a character's past.

I found the SIEGE system to be convoluted and unnecessary complex. I mean, you already have stats so why bother? It's like saying "I'm strong-STRONG". What's wrong with just "strong"?

 

[Henry]

I was just curious if the old secondary skill system was implemented in any form.

Nope.

I found the SIEGE system to be convoluted and unnecessary complex. I mean, you already have stats so why bother? It's like saying "I'm strong-STRONG". What's wrong with just "strong"?

Well, to think of it another way, just think of it as "core skills." Your strength is the same no matter what, but if the strength-related task is a "core skill", you get a +6 bonus. Makes it ten times easier for players to rationalize and remember.

 

[radferth]

I'm familiar with SIEGE, I own the box set. I was just curious if the old secondary skill system was implemented in any form. That is the d100 roll to determine if you are a cobbler or tanner or what. Really, I'm not fond of skill systems in the first place but it's nice to have a CV for a character's past.

I found the SIEGE system to be convoluted and unnecessary complex. I mean, you already have stats so why bother? It's like saying "I'm strong-STRONG". What's wrong with just "strong"?

There is not a table for background skills like the secondary skill chart in 1st ed. I would definitely consider porting that over wholesale, or I might just go with the system I used when I DMed 2nd ed, in which I just told characters to wrote down any special skills their characters had, subject to DM approval. I do think they really made the siege engine explanation way more complex than needed. They just could have said most tasks have a base DC of 18 plus the level of the adversary. You must equal this DC on a roll of d20 + level + ability modifier + 6 if it is a primary ability. The way they explain it involves several more steps, but that is what it boils down to. I think they were trying to make it so that the things affected by primary ability would be the equivalent of favored class skills and favored saves. Things you are trained in. I guess they could have explained it better, but there it is.

As to Castle Zagyg, it has an interesting tack-on skill system (pay this amount of xp for this skill package) and multiclass system that strikes me as a cross between 1-2 ed and third ed. Both are fine, but don't buy the book just for these. Using 1st or 2nd ed multiclassing works just fine, and the siege system would support just about any skill system you would care to port in.

 

[Dragonhelm]

As to Castle Zagyg, it has an interesting tack-on skill system (pay this amount of xp for this skill package) and multiclass system that strikes me as a cross between 1-2 ed and third ed. Both are fine, but don't buy the book just for these. Using 1st or 2nd ed multiclassing works just fine, and the siege system would support just about any skill system you would care to port in.

How does multiclassing work in Castle Zagyg?