Gygax's Canting Crew: Opinions?

[JacktheRabbit]

I glanced at the book the other day when I stopped in at my favorite gaming store.

I have to say that the font was just huge for the price of the book. Since I normally shy away from urban based campaigns I doubt I would ever buy this book. At it stands just glancing through it I do not see enough material within to justify such a high price.

 

[Dungeon Master]

Let me first say that own a copy of Canting Crew and have had quite some time to read through it.

Canting Crew is a supplement for Game Masters to flesh out their thieves guilds, especially if you were to run a campaign surrounding the underworld of big cities. I can't see running a game where everyone makes innuendo checks to converse with various thieves, that would get old real fast.

I think it gives a lot more background and chrunchy bits for the DM when the PC's encounter or have to find a a guild leader. The language that would be used is detailed in this book. Its a nice source of information for common/english to thieves cant.

I also thought the PRC section contained some nice classes for the DM, especially when running large city adventures.

Does Canting Crew contain mondo d20 rules, no it dosen't; and yes it is designed for both Lejendary Adventures and d20 D&D in mind but rules light. Call Canting Crew a game/campaign supplement. I'm currently putting the finishing touches on my next campaign and found this book very useful when designing the guild encounter near the middle of the campaign.

Its classic Gygax in my opining and well worth the money, but then I see the total value of the book in the content that it provides me.

 

[Grazzt]

Dungeon Master
Freelance game designer/writer for Gary Gygax

Wouldnt have anything to do with the favorable review would it?

Actually- I have seen the book and it does look pretty good actually. Definintely worth having if you're into thieves and such.

 

[Butholios]

My understanding is that the cant isn't used just by thieves, but by many in the lower classes period.

Huh, so those poor unwashed commoners (no Int bonus, 2 skill points per level) are blowing a whole level's skill points to pick up this language? I guess if it's a city dominated by rogues, that makes sense. In any other situation, I'm not so sure.

 

[Samurai]

Interesting comments here...

I was one of those that disliked the book. I hang around RPG.net much more than here, but I do read both forums. ENWorld is too much of a D20 fanboy hangout for me though, and there is not much variety of interests and opinions when it comes to games... Just my honest opinion, not a slam at anyone.

In fact, I play a lot of D&D and D20. I own many of the books, and I play regularly. But I also enjoy a broad range of games besides D20/ D&D. That doesn't mean I "have it in for D20", just that there is a whole range of other games out there that those "too lazy to learn any other system" will probably never discover, and that is sad...

 

[Hand of Evil]

I have seen it and read bits and pieces but have yet to pick it up (other games) but have liked what I have read.

I think the book's subject is something that has been missing in D&D and takes a look into creating and running a criminal gang.

As I said I have yet to pick up the book, mostly due to price, it does come across as being a bit much for content.

As for Gygax - I have met him (once) at GenCon and found him to be a very nice person, I read his post here and find his comments interesting, and sometimes enlighting. The bash is sour grapes, on the lines of those that can't do; teach - a weak yell in the dark saying that if I did this it would be so much better. I have found that most of those that rip Gygax fall into this group.

 

[enrious]

Huh, so those poor unwashed commoners (no Int bonus, 2 skill points per level) are blowing a whole level's skill points to pick up this language? I guess if it's a city dominated by rogues, that makes sense. In any other situation, I'm not so sure.

Ignore artificial game rules for a minute and use common sense.

If lower class people interact and use such languages on a daily basis, and such a language would be used to increase the odds of staying alive or eating for that day, they would learn parts or corruptions of it.

It doesn't have to be the full cant (and indeed, I rather doubt the entire cant is present in the book) but close enough so that those who can speak "proper" cant can interact with those who don't speak "proper" cant.

This being in addition to low-level Common.

I would think that portions of the lower class commoner lexicon would consist of part Common, part cant, and perhaps part of some other jargon common to that area.

 

[Morrus]

I hang around RPG.net much more than here, but I do read both forums. ENWorld is too much of a D20 fanboy hangout for me though, and there is not much variety of interests and opinions when it comes to games... Just my honest opinion, not a slam at anyone.

In fact, I play a lot of D&D and D20. I own many of the books, and I play regularly. But I also enjoy a broad range of games besides D20/ D&D. That doesn't mean I "have it in for D20", just that there is a whole range of other games out there that those "too lazy to learn any other system" will probably never discover, and that is sad...

Talk about a thread hijack...

That's the whole idea. Just like a Star Wars site is a hangout for Star Wars fans or Knitting Pattern site is a hangout for... well, people who knit.

Back to the subject at hand, though - I haven't seen the book, but I'm getting the impression it's more of a semi-historical textbook than a game supplement. I'll probably glance through it if I come across it, because I do love city-based games, but I'm kind of a mechanics-preferring type of guy.

 

[Samurai]

Talk about a thread hijack...

That's the whole idea. Just like a Star Wars site is a hangout for Star Wars fans or Knitting Pattern site is a hangout for... well, people who knit.

Back to the subject at hand, though - I haven't seen the book, but I'm getting the impression it's more of a semi-historical textbook than a game supplement. I'll probably glance through it if I come across it, because I do love city-based games, but I'm kind of a mechanics-preferring type of guy.

LOL, stick'em up, this is a hijacking!

Sorry, but the first knee-jerk response up there about RPG.net being full of D20 haters is wrong, and sort of rubbed me the wrong way. I'll agree that the site, and thus the people on it, are less focused on D20 and more on RPGs in general, and that means you will have some people who like D20, some who don't, and many who like it but like plenty of other stuff too (like me).

Yes, the book is more historically focused than many sourcebooks. But tons of pages that are simply a glossary of terms is of little use to me. There is no way I'd memorize all of it, and I wouldn't expect my players to ever actually use it in the game. At most, a word or 2 for flavor in a sentance is all I'd ever use, if that. The city info seems of more use, but it is not extraordinary. IMHO, there is not enough "good stuff" in the book to be worth it to me.

(There, an honest review from an RPG.netter... happy? )

 

[enrious]

Yes, the book is more historically focused than many sourcebooks. But tons of pages that are simply a glossary of terms is of little use to me. There is no way I'd memorize all of it, and I wouldn't expect my players to ever actually use it in the game. At most, a word or 2 for flavor in a sentance is all I'd ever use, if that. The city info seems of more use, but it is not extraordinary. IMHO, there is not enough "good stuff" in the book to be worth it to me.

(There, an honest review from an RPG.netter... happy? )

Well, at least that's a review I can live with, FWIW.