Yeah, I agree that the funnel of DCC is overstated. It really is an Appendix N type of game. I really wish the convo about DCC was more like "Step 1: Roll your unfortunate villagers. Step 2: play through this funnel to show how they became un-villager. Step 3: Play DCC."
It reminds me a lot of the discussion around MHR and character creation. People complained loud and often that MHR doesn't have character creation rules. But they're objectively wrong. It does, in fact, have character creation rules...some players simply bounced off those character creation rules. Doesn't stop them from banging on and on and on and on and on about it. The 0-level funnel shows you the extreme edge of DCC. That's the worst it will ever be. From there on you're playing a tough badass...but you still have to deal with the whims of fate (the dice).
If someone doesn't like randomness, they shouldn't play a game with randomness. If they don't like character death, they shouldn't play a game with character death. It's not for everyone. It's not meant to be. People should just accept that and let those who do enjoy it have fun without some feeling the need to bang on and on and on about how it sucks. Things you don't like exist. They get to exist. And other people get to like them. (I know I'm quoting you, but this last bit isn't directed at you. Just venting general frustration.)
The DCC funnel is no more than one session. It's not supposed to dominate the game. It's a lot of fun seeing who will survive, and it's rarely what you assume. DCC is a game full of randomness, but after the funnel, clever play can help. But it certainly not a forgiving game. I'm having fun with my elf who has abysmal stats, and is somehow surviving. (My elves never survive the funnel so I'm pleased with my first one.
)
It really does seem like the ultimate in "play to see what happens" style of game. You can stack the odds as much as you like, but it's still down to the dice.
On the other hand, I also really enjoy spending time crafting characters I want. I have characters made that'll never get used but I had fun creating them.
I think character creation is all but its own separate hobby at this point. Connected, but not necessarily. Like collecting and painting minis. Collecting and building terrain. Etc. It's a cool thing to do sometimes. But there's not necessarily any connection between that and the games as actually played. Like 5E. Just because you built some power gaming monstrosity doesn't mean the DM will let it into their game.
I have played and GMed games where death is pretty much off the table, and those have been very satisfying.
I can't imagine how that would be satisfying. If you're making a character in a fantasy adventure game where the characters do dangerous things...death is always a possibility. If there's no risks, there's no rewards. It immediately devolves into "I'm so awesome". Pass.
I don't think it's fair to paint players who actually want their characters to survive as entitled, or wanting to be "the star."
I think it's absolutely fair. I watch it happen constantly at the table on an almost weekly basis. Some player has sunk hours into crafting some Mary Sue character and an absurdly overly complicated backstory and wants the DM to spin a yarn around their Mary Sue...repeatedly telling the PC how awesome they are and never suffer so much as a hang nail. That's not my jam.
There's a myriad of ways to play rpgs and I don't believe DCC should be used to teach players to embrace random character creation and death.
No. Not teach. But you definitely learn who is who from running one. You see rather quickly if a player is okay with risk and death and who's not. Helps you form the next group so you can run a proper DCC game without complaints.
