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Message: <blockquote data-quote="bolie" data-source="post: 2045815" data-attributes="member: 8312">I understand the zen of rules and how they should be a guide rather than a guard.  I also understand that having lots of rules can feel restricting.  Having a light and free system can be liberating.Also, I've played C&C now for about five weeks.  I gave up on my original character concept (a shapeshifter) that I'd been playing in 3e and went with a Wizard.  I worked with my DM to come up with rules for a shapeshifter, but it was too much work to create from scratch something that existed in 3e, more or less.I'm glad I did.  When I tried to use polymorph as a Wizard, I ran smack into the lack of attributes for monsters.  Yes, you can make up whatever you want.  Yes, you can add HD or whatever if you think it's appropriate for that monster.  But the game provides no guidance.  In 3e, I know whether a Hill Giant is stronger than a Bulette.  Or whatever.  In C&C, I have no idea.  I have to make it up.  I don't get to make it up if I want to, I MUST make it up.  I can't fall back to the Rules as Written because there ain't one.I pointed out several times that the polymorph spell description doesn't mesh with the rules for monsters and the suggestions have either been simplistic to the point of not being useful or wrong.Then there are combat modifiers.  It's +5 to hit prone targets with melee weapons or ranged weapons?  But this table (p.117) is just a sample.  You should obviously come up with your own modifiers.  But 3e has a similar table in the PH (p.151) but it's divided into ranged and melee.  So it's also a guide, but it's more useful because it already makes the very real distinction between ranged and melee combat.On p.46, the rules for casting spells are incomplete.  It isn't clear to me from the text exactly how you cast a spell.  Apparently (looking at Concentration on p.47), you declare your spell on your initiative and, if it's a 1 round spell, it goes off right then.  So can anyone break your concentration?  There are no attacks of opportunity, so I guess not?  But if they did, then how do you handle it?  The book says the CK may allow a concentration check.  Okay... so is there any guidance for when to do so and when not to do so?  If this is an optional rule, how about spelling it out and declaring it optional?  As it is, there is no rule, it's just a suggestion for a rule you can make up.  What would the concentration check DC be?  12/18 + HD of foe or 12/18 + damage taken or 12/18 + spell level?  And what stat do you use?  The book says typically Int or Dex.  Typically?  Uh... so what should it be?  The rules don't say.So a wizard casting a spell in combat immediately begs the questions:  Can someone disrupt his spell?  How?  Can he resist?  How?  None of those answers are given by the rules.  Suggestions are made for how to go about it, but you can't just go with the Rules as Written.  You MUST make something up yourself.Then there's the whole question of how to handle skill checks for racial skills.  If an elf wants to move silently and is not a Rogue or Ranger, how does he do it?  Does he add his level?  Does he add the +2?  Can he move as silently as a Rogue?  I've seen debate and discussion on this and suggestions for how to handle it.  But again, the Rules as Written don't tell you.  You MUST make something up yourself.These questions are not academic since I'm playing an Elf Wizard.  Mythmere and I have come up with some rules for these situations, but, again, we HAD to.  The game didn't have rules.Reading through the PHB, C&C seems to have been intentionally written so that it is incomplete and the DM must fill in the blanks.  This is fine as long as people who buy it understand it.  If you are looking for a game you can play right out of the box, C&C isn't it.  If you constantly make up house rules as you go anyway, then C&C is probably fine for you.  It has some nifty things, like the six saving throws, easy turning undead rules, the SEIGE engine for ad hoc skill rolls, etc...<deep breath>Bolie IV</blockquote>

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