gideon_thorne said:
This, despite being told many times, that this assessment is incorrect. Read a couple pages back and you'll find the actual market that TLG is going for. One without which no hobby survives.
Even with OD&D, the original creators expected people to house rule the game. Once again, the oft held criticism holds no merit. These same original creators will also tell folks, and have repeatedly, that AD&D was written for the sole purpose of having a common set of rules to be used at conventions and tournaments. And thats it.
I'm playing or running 4 different C&C games, each with its own house rules, etc...
I played in several 3E games at the same time, they each had their own house rules.
I played in many 2E, 1E, and OD&D games, and they all had their own house rules.
So whats the difference?
To go even further, I have played in various Paladium Fantasy, RIFTS, GURPS, Traveller, Pendragon, Chivalry and Sorcery, MERP, and Rolemaster games. Everyone had their own house rules.
So, to me, house rules are an expected part of RPG's.
What separates C&C from the rest, is those house rules are expected, allowed for, and are able to work easily when imported into C&C.
Want the 3E feat system, but no AoO? Easily done. Want the skill system from 3E, Paladium Fanatasy, or some other RPG you like better? Easy to do.
C&C is completely playable on its own, even skills are in there, just the fact that you use your own judgement to do what makes sense seems to scare some people. Fine, incorporate a system you like from another game, or simply say everyone can have 10 skills, give a write up of the skills or show me what source the skill is taken from. Skills will be modified by class level and applicable stat, and whether its Prime or not.
There, you have a skill system.
So C&C is not "3E lite", its a rules lite RPG period. One that also allows for you to house rule and complicate it up to a level that is exactly the degree you want. Make what you want of it, If you can't make it into something you like play something else that fits your style better.