I agree with everything except the complexity of DCC. It's different but not more complex than D&D. I'd argue that it is actually less complex in terms of rules to remember and math.
I think there are things that make it feel more complex - like fumble and crit tables, spell failures. DCC lives it’s tables. I think where it’s definitely less complex than D&D is character creation. Definitely greatly simplified. I think what it really comes down to is DCC is more complicated _while_ you’re playing - D&D more so in prep, maybe?
Yeah, I agree. I usually try to sell people on playing DCC because it **feels** less complicated, rules-wise. We end up referencing various tables and spells as we play. But most players in my group copy the tables they need or they flag them in their books, or they print off "grimoires" of their PC's spells for quick reference. Like DND, dcc gets easier as you play more.
Yeah, I've never heard anyone complain that DCC was too complex. There are lots of tables, but they're easy enough to figure out, especially if you get the little charts book. And if you think DCC characters are too weak, you probably haven't played anything above the funnel level. Since 5e has no positive dimensions and isn't really even D&D, it's hard to make comparisons in any case.
In DCC there are no new abilities at every tier for every class. There are no subclasses. There are no racial abilities layered onto all of the above. You learn the abilities of your class once. That's it. I think you've exaggerated the complexity of playing DCC and minimized the complexity of playing 5E. I think think the level of detail on their respective character record sheets speaks volumes, but that's just my opinion.
I have to disagree on the "complexity" note. DCC isn't necessarily more complicated, it's not like you need to memorise tables and tables of stuff, you just roll on them when appropriate. Because ofthat I've found it's actually easier, and theres less crap to always be remembering and less pouring over the character sheet. (But hey I'm more of a rules lite guy anyways so what do I know)
I agree. I’ve been playing RPGs for over 30 years and I didn’t start in D&D so I find learning new systems fun and easy. I think what happens a lot of the time is people say other systems are more complex when they mean different or unfamiliar. Everyone is so used to the d20 d&d system that other systems seem hard because they are different when they may not be any more complex.
DCC is such a blast. I've never been a D&D fan, but DCC does for me what I always felt D&D promised and never delivered. It's one of the only level-based game that I enjoy.
I have been running a DCC campaign for 2 years now. Absolutely the best game on the market. As far as character “customization” you’re limited by your imagination. Goodman Games figures right that there doesn’t have to be a rule for every little detail of the game and just let players have fun. Accordingly, if you want to play a specific type of character, there are many ways to make that happen.
I just started playing in my first DCC game I got good stats for a warrior on my surviving peasant, and he got the birthsign "Raised by Wolves" I kinda misunderstood this, and was like, "Oh cool he was raised by wolves!" So now we have, Bark, the honorable barbarian, dual wielding claws! With a dream to one day contract lycanthropy
@@perryborn2777 I always took the birthsigns as either what star you were born under or the circumstances of your birth. So raised by wolves is LITERALLY you were raised by wolves.
I switched to DCC about a year ago and never looked back. My favorite element is the Luck skill. It is so versatile. Is there an open window to sneak in? Roll me a luck check. Falling over a cliff? Roll a luck check to catch the edge. I have used it so much to react to something random my players have asked.
I recently built out a combat ranger character in 5th edition. In playing I realized my numbers and dice were the same as all the other maxed out players. I started seeing 5th edition as 4th edition and thought screw this. Yesterday I played my first DCC game, it was awesome fun.
complexity? I found DCC to be way easier and refined than the mess of rules and exceptions and expansions that is DND. DCC you buy a book and you are good.
First off...... you dont have to use/play all those extra charts or add on rules that are in the DCC system and you can just play their dungeons/adventures as more straight OSR? Second, the compatibility of DCC with scores of OSR products (and vice versa) including all D&D products before 4th Ed is a huge bonus? Third plus for DCC is how many adventures there actually are for this game from multiple sources, hundreds of them. I have to say that as an old school player I really don't like all the million player options in 5th Ed or having a party of such weird variety of creatures, pathfinder can be just as bad with giving players TOO MUCH variety sometimes? - often you get parties where players are just looking for that Max build rather than just having fun. DCC wins for me every time over 5th Ed, but thats probably because i'm old and knew better times? 🙂 🙂
3.5 D&D strayed too far from what D&D was and 5E didn't fix it after WOTC continued changing it from book to book. DCC less complex and far more fun to play. This is why I love the new ttrpg called: SHADOWDARK combined with SCARLETT HEROES.
Great video and comparison of the two systems! I'm running a DCC campaign right now, plus a shorter adventure in DCC Horror, and it is a lot of wild fun. DCC delivers thrills instead of deep mechanics. But, I have to say, my favorite thing about DCC isn't the system itself, its the adventures. Goodman Games has some of the best writers in the business, like Brandon LaSalle and the legendary Harley Stroh. One could easily run the DCC games in any OSR system and they would be just as fun. A few of their modules have even been converted to 5E, and I recommend them across the board. Their latest module (a boxed set, actually) is called The Music of the Spheres is Chaos, and it features a dungeon map with multiple spinning parts that can move independently of each other. Even better, they do this based on the manipulation of an in-game magic item that the players control. Oh, and by the way, that device also alters the nature of reality inside the dungeon. I've never seen anything like it. Bottom line, while DCC isn't to everyone's taste, it delivers on the gonzo, edge-of-your-seat fun in every adventure. You can't play it expecting it to be 5E because its a totally different kind of game, but its a fun way to run a campaign and I'd recommend people open up their minds and give it a try.
you're absolutely right: it all comes down to play style. also taste! some people will think the art work for DCC sucks. others, like myself, LOVE IT. and the art also informs you about what sort of game play will be brought to the table. // the DCC adventure modules are welllll made, all aiming at entertaining your table. // there is already a lot of comments about complexity. just adding this: the actual rules of DCC take up about maybe 30 to 40 pages in the 500 page book. don't let the size of the book intimidate you. // character customization: there's a ton of material by 3rd party publishers and that's the thing: if you think there's a class missing, a spell, a god ... make up your own! the game encourages you to. and it's fun. make the game your own. + rules lawyering is boring. ;) // Halflings do have jobs in DCC. you roll up occupations for all you characters (zero-level and beyond) and those occupations are actually another good way of making your character more distinguished. // character progression: after running several campaigns with DCC i will say: if your judge (GM) isn't a XP Scrooge you will level up kinda fast actually. yes, the game stays dangerous and deadly. but leveling up gives the players quite a 'power boost' on some levels.
To your DCC critiques (they're valid, but let me defend my fave rpg, okay! :-) : 1. Complexity - I think DCC is less complicated. As both a DM (judge) and a Player, I feel less burdened by the rules when playing DCC. DCC actually LACKS rules on lots of things. The Judge just gets to rule on the fly. (Good if you have a fair Judge; I guess less so if your Judge is an unfair jerkface.) 2. Character creation/depth - the publishers of DCC (both "official" Goodman Games and 3rd party publishers) are constantly putting out new content, which includes many new PC classes and races. Sometimes, new playables are included within published adventures. They also publish new Patrons, spells, magic items, monsters, etc etc all the time. 3. Slow progression - okay, ya got me. PC progression is slowwww. So you know what I do? I simply award more XP per encounter/puzzle/clever action than the DCC Rulebook recommends. Easy. Thanks for posting this video. I enjoyed it as a player/dm of both DCC and DND. Subscribed and liked!
Whilst the progression is slow, the charactersin DCC are much more powerful than their counterparts in D&D. A party of 3rd level DCC characters could take on a D&D 10th level party with the tools accessible to them.
I am really confused, point one against DCC is that the game is really complex, point two is that the character creation in 5E is more complex. DCC has about 110 pages of rules, the rest is spells, judge's rules and a zero level funnel. DCC is not a complex game at all. I am not saying 5E is, but it is more complex than DCC. You are also a little disingenuous regarding your starting characters. Sure, you may have 4 hps with your zero level character, but you also have 4 characters that are zero level. When you advance to first level, you get your 1st level HD as well, so you have a D4 (for zero level) plus a D4 (wizard) to D12 (warrior). This means a first level wizard, could have between 2 (rolled one on each, no STA modifier) to 14 (rolled max on each dice plus STA mod). Spellcasting is superior in DCC as well, no more spell slots, you can cast Magic Missile until the sun burns out (or you fail a roll). In a recent game, my wife's Elf, at first level, rolled a 6 on her magic missile spell, which means she forgot it. The NEXT round, she sacrifice a point of STR so she could cast it again, rolled a 22 (a 19 plus 2 for int and 1 for her level) and hit the BBEG for 35 points! You cannot get that kind of excitement in 5E. Clerical spellcasting is similar, except there is no need to waste spell slots on healing, instead you get a Lay on Hands skill which allows you to cast it as many times as you want, but when can come with disapproval. Besides, if you want perfect customization of characters, play GURPS or Rolemaster.
I think there is something really nuanced about the way DCC works. A level 1 DCC character is more complex to run than a 5e level 1, but that's where it stays. Level 4+ 5e characters start getting way more complex really fast.
I agree! I’ve actually come around on the complexity issue after producing this video. I created another recently. ruclips.net/video/DEjzazgGGMU/видео.html
DCC is and always was better than DND 5e. Luckily now we have three ttrpg systems that fit hand in hand and plays like DCC without the funky dice which are D100 Dungeon Mapping Game with A Solo Adventurers Game book, Shadowdark and Scarlet Heroes.
7:24 that picture brings to me sweet memories. Found it when scavenging in my older brother room, I was like 7 or 8. Found the Red Box, and since then, this image stood in my mind, together with the one of the evil wizard casting magic missile (poor cleric).
Totally adore DCC .The dull, slow "murder math" of 5e had me really burned out. I'd seen all the optimized build gimics and parties were seldom in any danger. An important thing about DCC is that you don't really have a "build". Random stats, random spells...you just kinda gotta go with it. Dwarves all Dwarf Dwarflingly. Elves Elf, Halflings Halfling (and get used as a luck battery). We ended up with some great characters and had wild adventures. Halflings dual wielding in a mad panic are amazing. DCC starting PCS are quite weak but at higher levels they can punch at a 5e Characters level of whupass. Winning feels like wining in DCC because you beat the odds without having flawless control of how you entered into the situation. There is risk. Your PCS can die, or be maimed, or killed when their own wizard goes nova on a failed spell check. Mighty deeds of arms make fighters and Dwarves potentially the most amazing they can be. Getting to roll on a chart or make essentially a custom feat just right for the moment is so far from "I attack". 5e is THE AVENGERS AT REN FAIRE. DCC is utterly bonkers 70's fantasy van art and OG heavy metal fantasy. Part of the way they make that alive is with the weird dice. rather than getting numerical bonuses, you shift up and down the dice chain. In the early days of RPGs that DCC is attempting to capture all the dice were weird. the hobby was new, fresh and a dangerous and bizarre landscape of inspirational weirdness. Goodman games is also really generous with their publishing deals for aspiring authors, they are generous with demos and swag and really want to help the community of players thrive.
Reading the comments I see I’m not the only person who thinks DCC is great. We’ve completely given up 5e to play DCC. Goodman Games makes such amazing products, and guess what!? They will never make a new edition of the rules. So the book you bought will be the only rule book you ever need. Now you can just support adventure creators on various platforms for a dollar or two here and there and run wild with the best rpg system since cypher. P.s. screw Hasbro & WotC
I kindo, hafta....disagree with the point that the funnel makes you feel more attached to the surviving characters. They are the lucky ones and not really the ones I look forward to playing. I have run DCC a couple of times and inevitably the rolled up characters were seen as goofy caricatures not to be taken seriously. You could tell by the names people chose. Banana, Banan 2, Banana3, Rat, P***head, etc. And afterwards the general groaning of "Really? This piece of... survived? Can I roll up a different character?" So no, DCC is not more fun - only if you you like this way of playing. For most people I play with DCC is just nothing to put effort in. And that means for me it is a lot less fun than DnD (or other games I play, believe it or not, not all DnD players exclusively play DnD).
5th ed. Is honestly needlessly bloated with rules and doesn't feel as streamlined as when it first came out. Miss that era, much more magical tbh. DCC, however, feels like that era but it STILL captures that magic to this day
Loved the video. Haven't played any DCC but curious to check it out. I'm old school D&D therefore I'm 1st & 2nd edition. I'm not too fond of the new stuff. I totally agree u level up too fast in 5th edition and u r like superheroes. I like the slow go building of the characters. But yeah, I'm interested in checking out DCC.
Actually you begin with 1 to 4 hit points, NOT 4. And in D&D with the new system of Species, there is NO difference between an orc and a kobold. DCC's rules are much "simpler" in that there are fewer of them compared to D&D. Leaving more to the Judge to decide and less "rules Lawyering".
5e kinda sucks It's way to homogenized for my taste and just seems like it tried to sell itself as something everyone wanted, but in the end it just fell flat to me. Anything was better after the crap show that was 4th edition.
In my opinion DCC is the next evolution in D&D. While simple to understand its random tables allow a more believable magic system. Prefer the old school "Vanceian" magic system DCC has that in the new "Dying Earth" boxed set. In all ways this is a superior product to anything wizards released for a very long while. In DCC it says at the start of the book to use any rules you want to, so in essence character customization is all up to dm fiat. You can do the funnel or not, if you want to make them roll up a char just like d and d go for it, and in fact im using Dcc with Xp progress from the BX rules. Also DCC characters of lvl 10 are about on par with a 5e char of lvl 20+. Dcc characters are about 2 times as dangerous as a 5 e equivalent. So IMO 2 of your reasons why D&D is better are incorrect, however your first point is true, on a base of simplicity, d and d is easier to learn, if only because of the DCC dice chain lol. Its hard enough teaching newbs the dice and they add 5 more
Thanks for commenting! I appreciate your point of view, but the rules of both games give the DM/judge the option to decide which rules to use. Based on the basic published rules, there is more opportunity for character customization in 5e. And as far as leveling up, what you’re saying is true! But the process is slower - you’ll stay at a particular level longer, not gaining the benefits of the next level. BUT, as I said, they’re both great games. And there is freedom to make rules changes.
@@shortreststudios The beauty of all of these systems is that you can run it however you want. Want faster leveling? Give more XP or even level up after each session. Your character wants wings? Quest for it. Your character fights with a bullwhip made of sunshine and flowers? Quest for it. As long as you and your Judge can find a way to bring something into the game anything is possible. You aren't limited by what is in the rules as written.
Completely wrong on the complexity DCC is dead simple. The DM needs to know the game, but its alot of charts mostly. As far as customization in the game... no 5e is a straightjacket compared to DCC. You can craft your character into ANYTHING! its called questing for what you want. This guy is a 5e clown. Go play both before you pass judgement.
I agree with you for the most part, Judd, except for the progress issue. It says right in the rulebook to just toss out tracking XP and have PCs level up based on narrative progress (or however quickly you want to do it). I know one judge who has his players level after every dungeon module/adventure. I tend to go with every other adventure, depending upon their length. I will agree with you, though, that the XP for progress as written is REALLY weird. 10 XP for 1st level (okay, no problemo -- done easily by the end of the funnel, and then some) but 50 XP for 2nd level? No thanks. That's three or four more sessions before the PCs are out of their really fragile phase, which are levels 0 and 1. Now, some people like that and have fun with character deaths, and power to 'em. Not me, though.
I run both 5e and DCC. They're both fun in their own ways. I don't think I have a preference so much as what I'm in the mood to play. DCC is not a terribly complex game as the video makes it out. Yes, it has Deeds and Charts and Mercurial magic that DnD doesn't have, but these aren't particularly difficult concepts to grasp, just different. D&D seems better for longer terms campaign where the story arc is important and tied to PCs, and killing them willy nilly would end that arc. 5th edition does not like for PCs to die. DCC is great for shorter term gonzo stories with wild magic, demon possessing your wizards, cruel gods, and death by critical hit chart decapitation.
I do both as well, and they are simply different animals. And my opinion on has changed about DCC’s complexity. It is MUCH simpler than I originally thought. (I did another video about it.)
I think you are overestimating DCC's complexity, because I'm pretty sure that most fights in DCC take way less time than they do with 5E, even with all the charts. The issue with 5E is that characters can have so many options to chose from each round, you run the risk of players falling victim to analysis paralysis as they try to juggle the best choice of spells/abilities to use that turn (which gets worse and worse as they level up). Even with a simple fighter 5e starts bogging players with tons of options while in DCC (and other OSR games) the fighters big decision is usually limited to whether to hit the monster on his left or his right. Even with spell casters, they're just casting a spell and not having to juggle any special abilities that may go along with it. I also don't think that all those race/class/subclass options in 5e really help with the argument that DCC is more complex. People find so many over the top and flat out broken character builds in 5e, while in DCC the characters are more straightforward and it's more about how the player can carve the character they want from that.
DCC is so much better than 5E. It's growing in popularity, but too many people skip it because of either the dice or a preconceived notion formed in their heads without ever playing it. If you decide to play it, just go online and order some zocchi dice, well worth it!
I’ve played with “regular” polyhedral dice. There’s a little extra math, but not too bad. Although I will be picking up some dice specifically for a game I’ll be running at a con in the spring.
Given the broad range of species, classes, subclasses, feats, backgrounds, etc. available across numerous supplements in addition to the PHB, there are tons of options built in. The same is not true of DCC. Though you CAN certainly customize, it takes more imagination.
DCC is absolutely a better bridge from 2e. Absolutely great game. However, the magic system is pretty bad. Its full page spreads for 1 spells and every spell has different effects. It makes magic unnecessarily difficult and more effort than its worth to play one.
Mmm.. I’m gonna disagree on the magic. For the same reason I initially thought the game itself was more complicated. There are lots of tables to roll on, but it’s actually pretty simple. You roll and you get a result and that’s your outcome. It’s not as complicated as it looks at first blush, and it makes for some fun and interesting consequences.
@@shortreststudios it's just too much. Between the full page spreads and the corruptions, it just feels unnecessary. That and the non-standard dice are my only two complaints of an otherwise great system.
Almost like comparing Apples to Oranges both are fruits but they appeal to different People. I think comparing DCC to a few other OSR games might be interesting. Like the difference between types of apples.
I agree! But a whole lotta people are coming from the D&D perspective including myself, and I think it’s helpful for us to see how other TTRPGs are different and/or similar. It think it might encourage some to branch out and discover all the other great games out there.
Thanks for the info as I just got the recent Humble Bundle. I'm open to house ruling some of these random spell failure rolls. Reminds me of MERP crit tables.
I am an old school player. In my brief contact with 5e, what I noticed was they stay pretty faithful to the basic central mechanic (roll to match a target number, and when in doubt the game master can assign advantage/disadvantage. Elegantly simple) but there are a bazillion feats, each which might be it's own little exception to the rules, and sometimes kinda complicated. And to me all the options in character progression add to complexity: sometimes I just want simplicity in character development. DCC has the simplest character development, and DCC has a few fiddlie subsystems (luck, deeds, etc) but they aren't complicated. In fact, the Mighty Deeds thing (as an example) encapsulates many of the feats that make 5e such a headache to run (so I hear...). That one little--extremely simple, easy to grasp--Deeds mechanic is so smooth and easy to use. It is a delight, and ultra simple. That's just one example. I think the only mechanic in DCC that is, itself, truly complicated, is spell duels. But I don't care: I can hardly wait to witness one of THOSE. Lol
Idk man, I grew up on 3.5e, played 5e later, and just started with DCC, and of the three, DCC is the simplest Edit: And a note on character creation Yes, the options are limited in the book, but that means you get most of your character's specialty from actions they take in the world, and the magic items they acquire through their adventures, much like the classic dungeon crawls of 1st and 2nd edition dnd. Your uniqueness is developed by the cool shit that only your guy will ever have in this world, and it will be earned rather than plotted out for you by a class/subclass
I almost spit out my beer when i heard u say "refined 5e". I mean just look at Wall of Force. Could it be any more vague?. If 5e is refined it's because GMs and players have homebrewed all the holes in the ruleset.
I get what you're saying, but 3.5 had a rule for *everything* and while we loved it for a while, the rules are very noodly, and unless everyone knows at least the majority of the rules that apply to their characters, any one of a number of things can grind a session to a halt (there's a reason the grappling rules from 3e are a meme now). 5e definitely handwaves a lot of things away or leaves them for the DM to decide, declaring "rulings, not rules" but as someone who started out in 3.5, the system largely works the same as it did before but cuts out a lot of the number crunching and makes the relevant rules much easier for an entire group to commit to memory. So all in all, it's certainly more refined than AD&D but not the most refined its ever been, and for many people that's mostly for the best.
I DM for a group of middle schoolers and we do 5E. I'm always trying to explain to them the upside of old school gaming and how 5E makes it hard to get killed but they don't care at all. For one thing, they have all the 5E books. They like their exotic Dragonborn characters and all their abilities. I have the DCC book but I doubt I'll ever get them to switch; although I might get them to just try it for a few sessions or as a side game.
The good thing about many OSR games is that you usually only need to buy a single book to get started, instead of 3 (PHB, DMG, MM). And for those that don't mind reading from a screen, or printing their own book, lower cost PDF's are almost always an option.
Thanks for taking the time to do a pros and cons approach versus just a bashing video you sir earned a SUB. TO be fair not a huge 5E guy right now have played it lots but have moved on to other games to get different experiences.
As a GM, I loved running DCC - alas my players weren't fans. Have just persuaded my table to try out ShadowDatk which is a simpler and more streamlined version.
I mean if you have a party who’s comfortable with the game, imaginative, and good at role playing (even in combat), you can certainly do crazy stuff. But with DCC it’s baked into the rule set, which can loosen everybody up and encourage MORE of it.
If you want a good middle ground it would be in a game like Castles & Crusades. It's more deadly than 5e, it's rules-light (much lighter than 5e), has those classical classes but sub-classes aren't a thing, and magic is more limited than in 5e. Like DCC, C&C PCs are more likely to die with death at -10 regardless of level and you HP caps out without you rolling for new HP once you reach level 11 giving you a flat number to prevent the extremely high HP numbers with 5e PCs in higher levels. 5e is like Pathfinder too in that the feats and subclasses give you the illusion of choice, not actual choice. It is assigning mechanical bits and rules while limiting your imagination to come up with your own choices or ideas. As someone stated, starting with 3e the game became a prison of the character sheet. Where everything boiled down to mechanical options, not creative or inventive ones. It results as well in a lot of class overlap where to create more "choice" 5e ends up giving each class parts of other classes in the many subclass options. So your entire party can make different PCs yet all feel very much the same as a result. Whereas the C&C classes have differences between them with few overlaps. Plus, C&C is compatible with both 5e and DCC simply by altering a couple of monster parts, so you can play it all in one game. It's really a good middle ground between the two and for those who want a more deadly, old-style feel with modern game mechanics and a simplified system it also works really well.
@@shortreststudios the best part is their previous PHB printing is for free on their site in PDF form. It's about fifteen pagers short of the current one but it contains more of the same stuff. Which is kind of the plus side for their system because they don't do editions but printings. So the base rules never change, they just add on to them.
I really like the idea of a ‘character funnel’ that seems like a really fun way to start a campaign! Shame the character building seems so limited. It doesn’t take much to let people feel like they have a lot of control over their build so it’s a shame they felt like they should be so restrictive in that. But I guess that’s the OSR vibe
It’s a lot of fun, and there is more customization available the further you get into the game. My limited experience with the game is that there’s not a lot of customization built in, but some folks who have played it more say there is. I imagine it’s like 5e - it depends a lot on the person running the game.
@@shortreststudios the idea in DCC is that if there is anything you or your character wants you can "quest for it". Just talk over what you want with your Judge and you will likely be able to accomplish whatever it is that you are imagining for your character.
@@shortreststudios Fiasco or example. But I also work on my own system (working title: Heartbleed). Like the names reveal already, I like dilemmas and disasters, but not in the random or outright deadly style of DCC, but as something that tells the other players around the table something about the characters who face such situations.
I think they are hard to compare and I'd even hesitate to call DCC an RPG. It's more a board game with more complex rules. It's an attempt to go back to the wargaming origins of DnD. Personally I'm not a fan. I prefer 5e, for me it's not even a contest.
@@shortreststudios i'm not "trolling" but i'm ironic. Maybe even on a verge of being smug. DCC is much easier and light in comparison to 5e. It's strange to say DCC have a problem of complexety, and iimmediately after give 5e pat on a back for extremely complicated mechanics known for being super-duper nerdy and well... complex ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ P.S. For clarity - i have no preferences here, and not "a fan" of any of this systems, both philosophies are good for appropriate type of game. It's In case you think i'm some sort of hater or something.
Why Every DnD Gamer Must Try Dungeon Crawl Classics Now! 🎲💕⚔️
ruclips.net/video/DEjzazgGGMU/видео.html
I agree with everything except the complexity of DCC. It's different but not more complex than D&D. I'd argue that it is actually less complex in terms of rules to remember and math.
I think there are things that make it feel more complex - like fumble and crit tables, spell failures. DCC lives it’s tables. I think where it’s definitely less complex than D&D is character creation. Definitely greatly simplified. I think what it really comes down to is DCC is more complicated _while_ you’re playing - D&D more so in prep, maybe?
@@shortreststudios yes, nobody is going to memorize all those DCC tables.
Yeah, I agree. I usually try to sell people on playing DCC because it **feels** less complicated, rules-wise. We end up referencing various tables and spells as we play. But most players in my group copy the tables they need or they flag them in their books, or they print off "grimoires" of their PC's spells for quick reference. Like DND, dcc gets easier as you play more.
Yeah, I've never heard anyone complain that DCC was too complex. There are lots of tables, but they're easy enough to figure out, especially if you get the little charts book. And if you think DCC characters are too weak, you probably haven't played anything above the funnel level. Since 5e has no positive dimensions and isn't really even D&D, it's hard to make comparisons in any case.
In DCC there are no new abilities at every tier for every class. There are no subclasses. There are no racial abilities layered onto all of the above. You learn the abilities of your class once. That's it.
I think you've exaggerated the complexity of playing DCC and minimized the complexity of playing 5E. I think think the level of detail on their respective character record sheets speaks volumes, but that's just my opinion.
Any game that isn't giving money to Hasbro/Wizards is good imo.
I have to disagree on the "complexity" note. DCC isn't necessarily more complicated, it's not like you need to memorise tables and tables of stuff, you just roll on them when appropriate. Because ofthat I've found it's actually easier, and theres less crap to always be remembering and less pouring over the character sheet. (But hey I'm more of a rules lite guy anyways so what do I know)
I agree. I’ve been playing RPGs for over 30 years and I didn’t start in D&D so I find learning new systems fun and easy. I think what happens a lot of the time is people say other systems are more complex when they mean different or unfamiliar. Everyone is so used to the d20 d&d system that other systems seem hard because they are different when they may not be any more complex.
DCC is such a blast. I've never been a D&D fan, but DCC does for me what I always felt D&D promised and never delivered. It's one of the only level-based game that I enjoy.
I have been running a DCC campaign for 2 years now. Absolutely the best game on the market. As far as character “customization” you’re limited by your imagination. Goodman Games figures right that there doesn’t have to be a rule for every little detail of the game and just let players have fun. Accordingly, if you want to play a specific type of character, there are many ways to make that happen.
also you have several additional classes in the Crawl! magazines
I just started playing in my first DCC game
I got good stats for a warrior on my surviving peasant, and he got the birthsign "Raised by Wolves"
I kinda misunderstood this, and was like, "Oh cool he was raised by wolves!"
So now we have, Bark, the honorable barbarian, dual wielding claws! With a dream to one day contract lycanthropy
@@perryborn2777 I always took the birthsigns as either what star you were born under or the circumstances of your birth. So raised by wolves is LITERALLY you were raised by wolves.
I switched to DCC about a year ago and never looked back. My favorite element is the Luck skill. It is so versatile. Is there an open window to sneak in? Roll me a luck check. Falling over a cliff? Roll a luck check to catch the edge. I have used it so much to react to something random my players have asked.
I recently built out a combat ranger character in 5th edition. In playing I realized my numbers and dice were the same as all the other maxed out players. I started seeing 5th edition as 4th edition and thought screw this. Yesterday I played my first DCC game, it was awesome fun.
Good video. I do believe you overstate DCC's complexity while underselling 5e's complexity but I like the video
complexity? I found DCC to be way easier and refined than the mess of rules and exceptions and expansions that is DND.
DCC you buy a book and you are good.
First off...... you dont have to use/play all those extra charts or add on rules that are in the DCC system and you can just play their dungeons/adventures as more straight OSR? Second, the compatibility of DCC with scores of OSR products (and vice versa) including all D&D products before 4th Ed is a huge bonus? Third plus for DCC is how many adventures there actually are for this game from multiple sources, hundreds of them. I have to say that as an old school player I really don't like all the million player options in 5th Ed or having a party of such weird variety of creatures, pathfinder can be just as bad with giving players TOO MUCH variety sometimes? - often you get parties where players are just looking for that Max build rather than just having fun. DCC wins for me every time over 5th Ed, but thats probably because i'm old and knew better times? 🙂 🙂
I have a farmer with a hen and 2 HP, good luck farmer Bob!
Haha! That’s awesome!
I am always impressed that lamentations of flame princess rpg has a first level spell ( summon demon) that can go so wrong it destroys the world
I've only played in one DCC one-off session where we ran a character funnel. It was a blast and I would definitely play again if given a chance.
I think the funnel is honestly one of the most fun parts of the game.
5e is not streamlined and refined lol
If you think DCC rules are more complex than dnd, I feel bad for ya.
Having played it a little more I’m starting to come around.
3.5 D&D strayed too far from what D&D was and 5E didn't fix it after WOTC continued changing it from book to book.
DCC less complex and far more fun to play.
This is why I love the new ttrpg called:
SHADOWDARK combined with SCARLETT HEROES.
Shadowdark is a lot of fun!
I absolutely love DCC. After 30 years of RPGs, its like discovering them for the first time again. The magic, the art, it's wonderful!
Me too man. I’m actually working on a new video about why I love it so much.
I can assure you that it almost certainly won't be your strongest character that survives a funnel.
Yeah, that’s usually the one that does first! 🤣
I think the limited Character Customization is acutally a positive for DCC,. and OSE as well.
I think so too, but it’s a matter of taste and what you’re looking for in a TTRPG.
Great video and comparison of the two systems!
I'm running a DCC campaign right now, plus a shorter adventure in DCC Horror, and it is a lot of wild fun. DCC delivers thrills instead of deep mechanics.
But, I have to say, my favorite thing about DCC isn't the system itself, its the adventures. Goodman Games has some of the best writers in the business, like Brandon LaSalle and the legendary Harley Stroh.
One could easily run the DCC games in any OSR system and they would be just as fun. A few of their modules have even been converted to 5E, and I recommend them across the board. Their latest module (a boxed set, actually) is called The Music of the Spheres is Chaos, and it features a dungeon map with multiple spinning parts that can move independently of each other. Even better, they do this based on the manipulation of an in-game magic item that the players control. Oh, and by the way, that device also alters the nature of reality inside the dungeon. I've never seen anything like it.
Bottom line, while DCC isn't to everyone's taste, it delivers on the gonzo, edge-of-your-seat fun in every adventure. You can't play it expecting it to be 5E because its a totally different kind of game, but its a fun way to run a campaign and I'd recommend people open up their minds and give it a try.
you're absolutely right: it all comes down to play style. also taste! some people will think the art work for DCC sucks. others, like myself, LOVE IT. and the art also informs you about what sort of game play will be brought to the table. // the DCC adventure modules are welllll made, all aiming at entertaining your table. // there is already a lot of comments about complexity. just adding this: the actual rules of DCC take up about maybe 30 to 40 pages in the 500 page book. don't let the size of the book intimidate you. // character customization: there's a ton of material by 3rd party publishers and that's the thing: if you think there's a class missing, a spell, a god ... make up your own! the game encourages you to. and it's fun. make the game your own. + rules lawyering is boring. ;) // Halflings do have jobs in DCC. you roll up occupations for all you characters (zero-level and beyond) and those occupations are actually another good way of making your character more distinguished. // character progression: after running several campaigns with DCC i will say: if your judge (GM) isn't a XP Scrooge you will level up kinda fast actually. yes, the game stays dangerous and deadly. but leveling up gives the players quite a 'power boost' on some levels.
Complex?! DCC?! Really?!
pfffff . . .
Yeah man.
Yeah couldn't agree more. DCC isn't complex, it's close to being a B/X clone. Bonkers.
To your DCC critiques (they're valid, but let me defend my fave rpg, okay! :-) :
1. Complexity - I think DCC is less complicated. As both a DM (judge) and a Player, I feel less burdened by the rules when playing DCC. DCC actually LACKS rules on lots of things. The Judge just gets to rule on the fly. (Good if you have a fair Judge; I guess less so if your Judge is an unfair jerkface.)
2. Character creation/depth - the publishers of DCC (both "official" Goodman Games and 3rd party publishers) are constantly putting out new content, which includes many new PC classes and races. Sometimes, new playables are included within published adventures. They also publish new Patrons, spells, magic items, monsters, etc etc all the time.
3. Slow progression - okay, ya got me. PC progression is slowwww. So you know what I do? I simply award more XP per encounter/puzzle/clever action than the DCC Rulebook recommends. Easy.
Thanks for posting this video. I enjoyed it as a player/dm of both DCC and DND. Subscribed and liked!
Thank you so much!
Whilst the progression is slow, the charactersin DCC are much more powerful than their counterparts in D&D. A party of 3rd level DCC characters could take on a D&D 10th level party with the tools accessible to them.
Watching paint dry is more fun than 5ed
I am really confused, point one against DCC is that the game is really complex, point two is that the character creation in 5E is more complex. DCC has about 110 pages of rules, the rest is spells, judge's rules and a zero level funnel. DCC is not a complex game at all. I am not saying 5E is, but it is more complex than DCC.
You are also a little disingenuous regarding your starting characters. Sure, you may have 4 hps with your zero level character, but you also have 4 characters that are zero level. When you advance to first level, you get your 1st level HD as well, so you have a D4 (for zero level) plus a D4 (wizard) to D12 (warrior). This means a first level wizard, could have between 2 (rolled one on each, no STA modifier) to 14 (rolled max on each dice plus STA mod).
Spellcasting is superior in DCC as well, no more spell slots, you can cast Magic Missile until the sun burns out (or you fail a roll). In a recent game, my wife's Elf, at first level, rolled a 6 on her magic missile spell, which means she forgot it. The NEXT round, she sacrifice a point of STR so she could cast it again, rolled a 22 (a 19 plus 2 for int and 1 for her level) and hit the BBEG for 35 points! You cannot get that kind of excitement in 5E.
Clerical spellcasting is similar, except there is no need to waste spell slots on healing, instead you get a Lay on Hands skill which allows you to cast it as many times as you want, but when can come with disapproval.
Besides, if you want perfect customization of characters, play GURPS or Rolemaster.
DCC RPG is the best - it does D&D better than D&D. Don't skip the funnel!
The funnel is a blast!
I think there is something really nuanced about the way DCC works. A level 1 DCC character is more complex to run than a 5e level 1, but that's where it stays. Level 4+ 5e characters start getting way more complex really fast.
I agree! I’ve actually come around on the complexity issue after producing this video. I created another recently.
ruclips.net/video/DEjzazgGGMU/видео.html
DCC is and always was better than DND 5e.
Luckily now we have three ttrpg systems that fit hand in hand and plays like DCC without the funky dice which are D100 Dungeon Mapping Game with
A Solo Adventurers Game book, Shadowdark and
Scarlet Heroes.
7:24 that picture brings to me sweet memories. Found it when scavenging in my older brother room, I was like 7 or 8. Found the Red Box, and since then, this image stood in my mind, together with the one of the evil wizard casting magic missile (poor cleric).
Totally adore DCC .The dull, slow "murder math" of 5e had me really burned out. I'd seen all the optimized build gimics and parties were seldom in any danger. An important thing about DCC is that you don't really have a "build". Random stats, random spells...you just kinda gotta go with it. Dwarves all Dwarf Dwarflingly. Elves Elf, Halflings Halfling (and get used as a luck battery). We ended up with some great characters and had wild adventures. Halflings dual wielding in a mad panic are amazing. DCC starting PCS are quite weak but at higher levels they can punch at a 5e Characters level of whupass.
Winning feels like wining in DCC because you beat the odds without having flawless control of how you entered into the situation. There is risk. Your PCS can die, or be maimed, or killed when their own wizard goes nova on a failed spell check.
Mighty deeds of arms make fighters and Dwarves potentially the most amazing they can be. Getting to roll on a chart or make essentially a custom feat just right for the moment is so far from "I attack".
5e is THE AVENGERS AT REN FAIRE.
DCC is utterly bonkers 70's fantasy van art and OG heavy metal fantasy. Part of the way they make that alive is with the weird dice. rather than getting numerical bonuses, you shift up and down the dice chain. In the early days of RPGs that DCC is attempting to capture all the dice were weird. the hobby was new, fresh and a dangerous and bizarre landscape of inspirational weirdness.
Goodman games is also really generous with their publishing deals for aspiring authors, they are generous with demos and swag and really want to help the community of players thrive.
Reading the comments I see I’m not the only person who thinks DCC is great. We’ve completely given up 5e to play DCC. Goodman Games makes such amazing products, and guess what!? They will never make a new edition of the rules. So the book you bought will be the only rule book you ever need. Now you can just support adventure creators on various platforms for a dollar or two here and there and run wild with the best rpg system since cypher. P.s. screw Hasbro & WotC
I kindo, hafta....disagree with the point that the funnel makes you feel more attached to the surviving characters. They are the lucky ones and not really the ones I look forward to playing. I have run DCC a couple of times and inevitably the rolled up characters were seen as goofy caricatures not to be taken seriously. You could tell by the names people chose. Banana, Banan 2, Banana3, Rat, P***head, etc. And afterwards the general groaning of "Really? This piece of... survived? Can I roll up a different character?"
So no, DCC is not more fun - only if you you like this way of playing. For most people I play with DCC is just nothing to put effort in. And that means for me it is a lot less fun than DnD (or other games I play, believe it or not, not all DnD players exclusively play DnD).
5th ed. Is honestly needlessly bloated with rules and doesn't feel as streamlined as when it first came out. Miss that era, much more magical tbh. DCC, however, feels like that era but it STILL captures that magic to this day
Loved the video. Haven't played any DCC but curious to check it out. I'm old school D&D therefore I'm 1st & 2nd edition. I'm not too fond of the new stuff. I totally agree u level up too fast in 5th edition and u r like superheroes. I like the slow go building of the characters. But yeah, I'm interested in checking out DCC.
It sounds to me like you’d probably like it!
Maybe do a comparison of some of the OSR/OSE games, you help someone who hasn’t had the opportunity to try or collect them
Actually you begin with 1 to 4 hit points, NOT 4. And in D&D with the new system of Species, there is NO difference between an orc and a kobold. DCC's rules are much "simpler" in that there are fewer of them compared to D&D. Leaving more to the Judge to decide and less "rules Lawyering".
This video is almost a year old. So no one knew about the 2024 DnD rules at the time. 4 HP was an estimation.
5e kinda sucks It's way to homogenized for my taste and just seems like it tried to sell itself as something everyone wanted, but in the end it just fell flat to me. Anything was better after the crap show that was 4th edition.
In my opinion DCC is the next evolution in D&D. While simple to understand its random tables allow a more believable magic system. Prefer the old school "Vanceian" magic system DCC has that in the new "Dying Earth" boxed set. In all ways this is a superior product to anything wizards released for a very long while. In DCC it says at the start of the book to use any rules you want to, so in essence character customization is all up to dm fiat. You can do the funnel or not, if you want to make them roll up a char just like d and d go for it, and in fact im using Dcc with Xp progress from the BX rules. Also DCC characters of lvl 10 are about on par with a 5e char of lvl 20+. Dcc characters are about 2 times as dangerous as a 5 e equivalent. So IMO 2 of your reasons why D&D is better are incorrect, however your first point is true, on a base of simplicity, d and d is easier to learn, if only because of the DCC dice chain lol. Its hard enough teaching newbs the dice and they add 5 more
Thanks for commenting! I appreciate your point of view, but the rules of both games give the DM/judge the option to decide which rules to use. Based on the basic published rules, there is more opportunity for character customization in 5e. And as far as leveling up, what you’re saying is true! But the process is slower - you’ll stay at a particular level longer, not gaining the benefits of the next level. BUT, as I said, they’re both great games. And there is freedom to make rules changes.
@@shortreststudios The beauty of all of these systems is that you can run it however you want. Want faster leveling? Give more XP or even level up after each session. Your character wants wings? Quest for it. Your character fights with a bullwhip made of sunshine and flowers? Quest for it. As long as you and your Judge can find a way to bring something into the game anything is possible. You aren't limited by what is in the rules as written.
@@MichaelSpredemann exactly! In fact, I’m actually working on bringing some DCC rules into 5e.
Just don’t bring death saves into DCC.
Lol, did this guy just say DND5E gameplay is streamlined and refined?
Completely wrong on the complexity DCC is dead simple. The DM needs to know the game, but its alot of charts mostly. As far as customization in the game... no 5e is a straightjacket compared to DCC. You can craft your character into ANYTHING! its called questing for what you want. This guy is a 5e clown. Go play both before you pass judgement.
I played both. Just played DCC more afterward.
I agree with you for the most part, Judd, except for the progress issue. It says right in the rulebook to just toss out tracking XP and have PCs level up based on narrative progress (or however quickly you want to do it). I know one judge who has his players level after every dungeon module/adventure. I tend to go with every other adventure, depending upon their length. I will agree with you, though, that the XP for progress as written is REALLY weird. 10 XP for 1st level (okay, no problemo -- done easily by the end of the funnel, and then some) but 50 XP for 2nd level? No thanks. That's three or four more sessions before the PCs are out of their really fragile phase, which are levels 0 and 1. Now, some people like that and have fun with character deaths, and power to 'em. Not me, though.
I do think the ease of character death part of the point of DCC, though. And, for me, part of what makes it fun.
I run both 5e and DCC. They're both fun in their own ways. I don't think I have a preference so much as what I'm in the mood to play. DCC is not a terribly complex game as the video makes it out. Yes, it has Deeds and Charts and Mercurial magic that DnD doesn't have, but these aren't particularly difficult concepts to grasp, just different. D&D seems better for longer terms campaign where the story arc is important and tied to PCs, and killing them willy nilly would end that arc. 5th edition does not like for PCs to die. DCC is great for shorter term gonzo stories with wild magic, demon possessing your wizards, cruel gods, and death by critical hit chart decapitation.
I do both as well, and they are simply different animals. And my opinion on has changed about DCC’s complexity. It is MUCH simpler than I originally thought. (I did another video about it.)
I was going to downvote you but then you referenced Goldeneye lol rock on man. I love it.
I think you are overestimating DCC's complexity, because I'm pretty sure that most fights in DCC take way less time than they do with 5E, even with all the charts. The issue with 5E is that characters can have so many options to chose from each round, you run the risk of players falling victim to analysis paralysis as they try to juggle the best choice of spells/abilities to use that turn (which gets worse and worse as they level up).
Even with a simple fighter 5e starts bogging players with tons of options while in DCC (and other OSR games) the fighters big decision is usually limited to whether to hit the monster on his left or his right. Even with spell casters, they're just casting a spell and not having to juggle any special abilities that may go along with it.
I also don't think that all those race/class/subclass options in 5e really help with the argument that DCC is more complex. People find so many over the top and flat out broken character builds in 5e, while in DCC the characters are more straightforward and it's more about how the player can carve the character they want from that.
I agree.
ruclips.net/video/DEjzazgGGMU/видео.html
One of these games spends millions of dollars on market research and DEI, the other one are a bunch of homebrew nerds. Choice is clear.
Uh, ok.
Finally got a DCC game going with my wife's coworkers, everybody is stoked to keep things going!
It is such an incredibly fun game!
5e is for people who want to Roll/Play. DCC is for people who want to Roleplay.
DCC is so much better than 5E. It's growing in popularity, but too many people skip it because of either the dice or a preconceived notion formed in their heads without ever playing it. If you decide to play it, just go online and order some zocchi dice, well worth it!
I’ve played with “regular” polyhedral dice. There’s a little extra math, but not too bad. Although I will be picking up some dice specifically for a game I’ll be running at a con in the spring.
The more of 5e I play, the more I find I hate it. Dcc is wonderful
DCC is by far my fave fantasy rpg. Glad that it's getting more attention - great video!
Thanks for watching!
Saying 5E has deep character customization is laughable.
Given the broad range of species, classes, subclasses, feats, backgrounds, etc. available across numerous supplements in addition to the PHB, there are tons of options built in. The same is not true of DCC. Though you CAN certainly customize, it takes more imagination.
It is hard to run a boss in 5e. The game is too forgiving to character which my players don't feel much risk.
I agree that’s a big issue. One that DCC definitely deals with.
7:13 all those things are why I will never play 5e, it’s become a mess
DCC is absolutely a better bridge from 2e. Absolutely great game. However, the magic system is pretty bad. Its full page spreads for 1 spells and every spell has different effects. It makes magic unnecessarily difficult and more effort than its worth to play one.
Mmm.. I’m gonna disagree on the magic. For the same reason I initially thought the game itself was more complicated. There are lots of tables to roll on, but it’s actually pretty simple. You roll and you get a result and that’s your outcome. It’s not as complicated as it looks at first blush, and it makes for some fun and interesting consequences.
@@shortreststudios it's just too much. Between the full page spreads and the corruptions, it just feels unnecessary. That and the non-standard dice are my only two complaints of an otherwise great system.
Almost like comparing Apples to Oranges both are fruits but they appeal to different People. I think comparing DCC to a few other OSR games might be interesting. Like the difference between types of apples.
I agree! But a whole lotta people are coming from the D&D perspective including myself, and I think it’s helpful for us to see how other TTRPGs are different and/or similar. It think it might encourage some to branch out and discover all the other great games out there.
Dcc uses ascending armor class you say? So complex 😉
Thanks for the info as I just got the recent Humble Bundle. I'm open to house ruling some of these random spell failure rolls. Reminds me of MERP crit tables.
Those spell fumbles add some fun stuff!
DCC is several times better than 5e.
I love DCC. 5e is lame in my opinion.
I am an old school player. In my brief contact with 5e, what I noticed was they stay pretty faithful to the basic central mechanic (roll to match a target number, and when in doubt the game master can assign advantage/disadvantage. Elegantly simple) but there are a bazillion feats, each which might be it's own little exception to the rules, and sometimes kinda complicated. And to me all the options in character progression add to complexity: sometimes I just want simplicity in character development. DCC has the simplest character development, and DCC has a few fiddlie subsystems (luck, deeds, etc) but they aren't complicated. In fact, the Mighty Deeds thing (as an example) encapsulates many of the feats that make 5e such a headache to run (so I hear...). That one little--extremely simple, easy to grasp--Deeds mechanic is so smooth and easy to use. It is a delight, and ultra simple. That's just one example. I think the only mechanic in DCC that is, itself, truly complicated, is spell duels. But I don't care: I can hardly wait to witness one of THOSE. Lol
DCC is so fun to run
Good video, listened to the whole thing, but man that background music is annoying!
10 minutes is a long time to listen to a 3 second loop
DCC is a total blast. It was what I was looking for, for years!
Get the book, its a bargain and the only one you need.
Idk man, I grew up on 3.5e, played 5e later, and just started with DCC, and of the three, DCC is the simplest
Edit: And a note on character creation
Yes, the options are limited in the book, but that means you get most of your character's specialty from actions they take in the world, and the magic items they acquire through their adventures, much like the classic dungeon crawls of 1st and 2nd edition dnd.
Your uniqueness is developed by the cool shit that only your guy will ever have in this world, and it will be earned rather than plotted out for you by a class/subclass
I almost spit out my beer when i heard u say "refined 5e". I mean just look at Wall of Force. Could it be any more vague?. If 5e is refined it's because GMs and players have homebrewed all the holes in the ruleset.
I get what you're saying, but 3.5 had a rule for *everything* and while we loved it for a while, the rules are very noodly, and unless everyone knows at least the majority of the rules that apply to their characters, any one of a number of things can grind a session to a halt (there's a reason the grappling rules from 3e are a meme now).
5e definitely handwaves a lot of things away or leaves them for the DM to decide, declaring "rulings, not rules" but as someone who started out in 3.5, the system largely works the same as it did before but cuts out a lot of the number crunching and makes the relevant rules much easier for an entire group to commit to memory.
So all in all, it's certainly more refined than AD&D but not the most refined its ever been, and for many people that's mostly for the best.
I DM for a group of middle schoolers and we do 5E. I'm always trying to explain to them the upside of old school gaming and how 5E makes it hard to get killed but they don't care at all. For one thing, they have all the 5E books. They like their exotic Dragonborn characters and all their abilities. I have the DCC book but I doubt I'll ever get them to switch; although I might get them to just try it for a few sessions or as a side game.
The good thing about many OSR games is that you usually only need to buy a single book to get started, instead of 3 (PHB, DMG, MM). And for those that don't mind reading from a screen, or printing their own book, lower cost PDF's are almost always an option.
Thanks for taking the time to do a pros and cons approach versus just a bashing video you sir earned a SUB. TO be fair not a huge 5E guy right now have played it lots but have moved on to other games to get different experiences.
I appreciate that! Great to have you!
As a GM, I loved running DCC - alas my players weren't fans. Have just persuaded my table to try out ShadowDatk which is a simpler and more streamlined version.
I’m looking forward to trying ShadowDark too! I’d love to hear about your experience!
Old School spell casting wasn't very chaotic, except for 2E's Wild Mage!
True. But old school in general was more chaotic, and DCC’s magic leans into that.
DCC is one the best games out there for funny fantasy rpg
5e is good... but it's kinda samey. The lack of chaos and edge cases actually makes it hard to do odd things or crazy roleplay
I mean if you have a party who’s comfortable with the game, imaginative, and good at role playing (even in combat), you can certainly do crazy stuff. But with DCC it’s baked into the rule set, which can loosen everybody up and encourage MORE of it.
If you want a good middle ground it would be in a game like Castles & Crusades. It's more deadly than 5e, it's rules-light (much lighter than 5e), has those classical classes but sub-classes aren't a thing, and magic is more limited than in 5e. Like DCC, C&C PCs are more likely to die with death at -10 regardless of level and you HP caps out without you rolling for new HP once you reach level 11 giving you a flat number to prevent the extremely high HP numbers with 5e PCs in higher levels. 5e is like Pathfinder too in that the feats and subclasses give you the illusion of choice, not actual choice. It is assigning mechanical bits and rules while limiting your imagination to come up with your own choices or ideas. As someone stated, starting with 3e the game became a prison of the character sheet. Where everything boiled down to mechanical options, not creative or inventive ones. It results as well in a lot of class overlap where to create more "choice" 5e ends up giving each class parts of other classes in the many subclass options. So your entire party can make different PCs yet all feel very much the same as a result. Whereas the C&C classes have differences between them with few overlaps. Plus, C&C is compatible with both 5e and DCC simply by altering a couple of monster parts, so you can play it all in one game. It's really a good middle ground between the two and for those who want a more deadly, old-style feel with modern game mechanics and a simplified system it also works really well.
I’ve heard of C&C but never looked at it. I’ll check it out. Thank you for the comment!
@@shortreststudios the best part is their previous PHB printing is for free on their site in PDF form. It's about fifteen pagers short of the current one but it contains more of the same stuff. Which is kind of the plus side for their system because they don't do editions but printings. So the base rules never change, they just add on to them.
I really like the idea of a ‘character funnel’ that seems like a really fun way to start a campaign! Shame the character building seems so limited. It doesn’t take much to let people feel like they have a lot of control over their build so it’s a shame they felt like they should be so restrictive in that. But I guess that’s the OSR vibe
It’s a lot of fun, and there is more customization available the further you get into the game. My limited experience with the game is that there’s not a lot of customization built in, but some folks who have played it more say there is. I imagine it’s like 5e - it depends a lot on the person running the game.
@@shortreststudios awesome! I’ll have to give it a look!
@@shortreststudios the idea in DCC is that if there is anything you or your character wants you can "quest for it". Just talk over what you want with your Judge and you will likely be able to accomplish whatever it is that you are imagining for your character.
DCC and D&D, both are not for me, I prefer systems that are more interested in narrative play.
So what systems do appeal? Love to hear about them!
@@shortreststudios Fiasco or example. But I also work on my own system (working title: Heartbleed). Like the names reveal already, I like dilemmas and disasters, but not in the random or outright deadly style of DCC, but as something that tells the other players around the table something about the characters who face such situations.
I think they are hard to compare and I'd even hesitate to call DCC an RPG. It's more a board game with more complex rules. It's an attempt to go back to the wargaming origins of DnD. Personally I'm not a fan. I prefer 5e, for me it's not even a contest.
Things bad in dcc: complex system, like spellburn - for nerds.
Good things in 5e: multiclasses, builds, subclasses, feats - not for nerds.
I’d like to give you the benefit of the doubt here, but it feels like you’re just trolling, TBH.
@@shortreststudios i'm not "trolling" but i'm ironic. Maybe even on a verge of being smug. DCC is much easier and light in comparison to 5e. It's strange to say DCC have a problem of complexety, and iimmediately after give 5e pat on a back for extremely complicated mechanics known for being super-duper nerdy and well... complex ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
P.S. For clarity - i have no preferences here, and not "a fan" of any of this systems, both philosophies are good for appropriate type of game. It's In case you think i'm some sort of hater or something.