Thanks for the look Jeff. We started in 2012 w/ Sailors on the Starless Sea (#67). Our fav modules: The People of the Pit, Fate's Fell Hand , Beyond the Black Gate, Doom of the Savage Kings, The One Who Watches From Below. There are Free Basic rules, and you can get the charts in a separate PDF.
I've only been running DCC for a couple months but this video is probably the best summary of DCC that I've seen yet. Really well done. Nice work. Lastly DCC is awesome play it.
Finally got around to start looking at this game which is so ubiquitous in the last decade of dnd revolution. Another great and honest review by the gaming gang.
Thanks Jeff for this review. I am considering picking this up now to integrate some of the ideas into my current OSR game. It looks like a solid set of rules.
Nice overview.....Never played DCC but may give it a chance. Been missing a lot of your live streams cause my work has me working 12 hour shifts, but hopefully things will even out soon.
@@Thegaminggang i've been loving it. DCC on it is very impressive and well made, but so almost everything else. Community is amazing. Do you plan on having some VTT play on the channel some day?
Man, the artist list is phenomenal. How far do they go down the "magic corrupts" rabbit hole here? I have like WHFRP in mind, where a bad roll means extra arms or a permanent trip to the some other dimension, but I get the feeling it's more of a slow creep toward corruption in this one? The very detailed spell system, having to roll for your spells and all these other effects, makes magic kind of different and interesting. And sort of making "stunts" standard for fighters makes it more likely to be used, I've heard people sometimes say that some stunt systems sort of wind up being ignored so maybe this would encourage more dynamic combat. Thanks for the glimpse :)
Oh, DCC magic can definitely warp you and cause strange things. Kinda like WFRP. Each spell has it's own misfire result (on a roll of 1) and, depending on spell level and character ability, there are three ascending tiers of Corruption charts. One of which you'll be directed to. It happens immediately, for good or bad (or a mix), but some of the lesser stuff wears off after awhile. There is also a "Mercurial Magic" table you use every time you learn a new spell (your Luck stat helps push towards good results on it). The effect is something added to that spell for that character every time they cast it, although there is a 41-60 range in the middle of the d100 table which leaves it as-is. Of course, DCC is quite modular so you could always cut out selective bits, if you didn't want to use them, without breaking anything. Good flexible toolbox for picking and choosing if need be. I also really appreciate the roll-to-cast system for it's soft limit on the quantity of spells you can cast each day. Fail too badly on a cast roll and you can't cast that spell anymore that day, but do well enough and you don't lose it (yet). Factors even more of that risk-reward gamble into decision making. I got sick of D&D/OSR's rote Vancian magic and it's hard limits long ago and the DCC magic system is an excellent, and most importantly fun, overhaul.
@@NefariousKoel Yeah, it's fun when people play around with different approaches to magic. Refreshing, especially if you can slot it into something you're already using to spice things up. Thanks for the information!
In my opinion, DMs are not storytellers (and a roleplaying game is not best played as a storytelling game. If you want to play a storytelling game, there are games designed as storytelling games that do that much better). A GM places challenges in front of the players, the players try to solve the challenges, and after you are done playing, then you can tell the story (or stories) about what happened at the table. As a byproduct of play, a story may emerge. It occurred to me recently that, at some time in the past (maybe around 3rd edition of D&D?), professional writers took over the design and adventure making of D&D; as opposed to the original D&D material which was written by a shoe repairman and a security guard, and other wargaming hobbyists. Sometime around then the game became about telling stories (which is just what you would expect a writer to be interested in) rather than the exploration of maps by PCs and combat with fierce creatures to obtain treasure [in a hexcrawl or a dungeon delve]. Video game influences (which are much linier or like chose your own adventures) also began to influence TTRPG design [for the worse in my opinion]. Modules began to be written as movement from plot point to plot point, rather than allowing characters to roam around in the sandbox pursuing their own ideas and motivations. It seems like this was around the time that the term "railroading" arose and was used as a derogatory term by those of us who had grown up playing the open world/sandbox type of campaign to describe these ‘plot driven’ 'straightjackets' type of adventures. The linked videos are a great example of this point of view (which I agree with): ruclips.net/video/4c9BoqE-jeY/видео.html and ruclips.net/video/PIQpVNbLwuE/видео.html The story is what happens at [or away from] the table AFTER they game is finished for the evening, when tales are told of what happened during the game. When I hear GMs, game designers and others talking about the three-act structure, overlaid by the Shakespearian five act structure, and then talking about the realization moment in screenplays [coming at approximately page 80], and the climax of the story, and [heaven help us] the denouement, etc., etc., I know that I am listening to someone who likely learned to play after the rise of the 'storytelling/video game' type of adventure. Back in 1974, when age 10 to 25 year old 'kids' were putting together their D&D worlds and building sandboxes for others to play in, we/they had little formal education about story structure and the like [and wouldn't have thought about using it in the design of a 'dungeon' or wilderness adventure anyway], but we/they knew enough to create challenges for players to overcome, which creates the environment for conflict (which is critical to drama), and with players having created motivated characters who were seeking fame and fortune, and were placed in such a sandbox environment, they organically created story through play. Look at things like the Judges Guild materials from the late 70s. They are filled with locations, creatures, NPCs, random tables and such and not plot points, a main narrative, etc. A DM is not a storyteller and RPGs are best used as role playing games, and not storytelling games.
It's not terrible, but overhyped and too clunky for our tastes. We tried it for a couple months and decided to ditch it for other games, though we've pulled a couple mechanics from it.
Thanks for the look Jeff. We started in 2012 w/ Sailors on the Starless Sea (#67). Our fav modules: The People of the Pit, Fate's Fell Hand , Beyond the Black Gate, Doom of the Savage Kings, The One Who Watches From Below. There are Free Basic rules, and you can get the charts in a separate PDF.
I've only been running DCC for a couple months but this video is probably the best summary of DCC that I've seen yet. Really well done. Nice work. Lastly DCC is awesome play it.
Glad you enjoyed it!
Love DCC. Rules are light to keep the game flow rolling forward, relying on the Judge to make decisions.
Great review.
Finally got around to start looking at this game which is so ubiquitous in the last decade of dnd revolution. Another great and honest review by the gaming gang.
Thanks Jeff for this review. I am considering picking this up now to integrate some of the ideas into my current OSR game. It looks like a solid set of rules.
Go for it!
been trying to find the right osr type game for me and my players, thanks for the overview! dcc is vying for the top spot now, I think
Glad I could help! There's a free quickstart PDF if you'd like to dip your toes in. ~ Jeff
Excellent review. I love the look and feel of DCC.
Nice overview.....Never played DCC but may give it a chance. Been missing a lot of your live streams cause my work has me working 12 hour shifts, but hopefully things will even out soon.
think its worth noting.. DCC is now available for FoundryVTT for those virtual gamers out there
Yes it is! If I remember right it's $19.99. On a side note, Foundry really is an impressive VTT.
@@Thegaminggang i've been loving it. DCC on it is very impressive and well made, but so almost everything else. Community is amazing. Do you plan on having some VTT play on the channel some day?
We'll just have to see. I never say never. ~ Jeff
Thanks for the review, I like the art in this.
My favorite DnD book ever
Man, the artist list is phenomenal. How far do they go down the "magic corrupts" rabbit hole here? I have like WHFRP in mind, where a bad roll means extra arms or a permanent trip to the some other dimension, but I get the feeling it's more of a slow creep toward corruption in this one? The very detailed spell system, having to roll for your spells and all these other effects, makes magic kind of different and interesting. And sort of making "stunts" standard for fighters makes it more likely to be used, I've heard people sometimes say that some stunt systems sort of wind up being ignored so maybe this would encourage more dynamic combat. Thanks for the glimpse :)
Oh, DCC magic can definitely warp you and cause strange things. Kinda like WFRP. Each spell has it's own misfire result (on a roll of 1) and, depending on spell level and character ability, there are three ascending tiers of Corruption charts. One of which you'll be directed to. It happens immediately, for good or bad (or a mix), but some of the lesser stuff wears off after awhile. There is also a "Mercurial Magic" table you use every time you learn a new spell (your Luck stat helps push towards good results on it). The effect is something added to that spell for that character every time they cast it, although there is a 41-60 range in the middle of the d100 table which leaves it as-is. Of course, DCC is quite modular so you could always cut out selective bits, if you didn't want to use them, without breaking anything. Good flexible toolbox for picking and choosing if need be.
I also really appreciate the roll-to-cast system for it's soft limit on the quantity of spells you can cast each day. Fail too badly on a cast roll and you can't cast that spell anymore that day, but do well enough and you don't lose it (yet). Factors even more of that risk-reward gamble into decision making. I got sick of D&D/OSR's rote Vancian magic and it's hard limits long ago and the DCC magic system is an excellent, and most importantly fun, overhaul.
@@NefariousKoel Yeah, it's fun when people play around with different approaches to magic. Refreshing, especially if you can slot it into something you're already using to spice things up. Thanks for the information!
In my opinion, DMs are not storytellers (and a roleplaying game is not best played as a storytelling game. If you want to play a storytelling game, there are games designed as storytelling games that do that much better). A GM places challenges in front of the players, the players try to solve the challenges, and after you are done playing, then you can tell the story (or stories) about what happened at the table. As a byproduct of play, a story may emerge.
It occurred to me recently that, at some time in the past (maybe around 3rd edition of D&D?), professional writers took over the design and adventure making of D&D; as opposed to the original D&D material which was written by a shoe repairman and a security guard, and other wargaming hobbyists. Sometime around then the game became about telling stories (which is just what you would expect a writer to be interested in) rather than the exploration of maps by PCs and combat with fierce creatures to obtain treasure [in a hexcrawl or a dungeon delve]. Video game influences (which are much linier or like chose your own adventures) also began to influence TTRPG design [for the worse in my opinion]. Modules began to be written as movement from plot point to plot point, rather than allowing characters to roam around in the sandbox pursuing their own ideas and motivations. It seems like this was around the time that the term "railroading" arose and was used as a derogatory term by those of us who had grown up playing the open world/sandbox type of campaign to describe these ‘plot driven’ 'straightjackets' type of adventures. The linked videos are a great example of this point of view (which I agree with): ruclips.net/video/4c9BoqE-jeY/видео.html and ruclips.net/video/PIQpVNbLwuE/видео.html
The story is what happens at [or away from] the table AFTER they game is finished for the evening, when tales are told of what happened during the game. When I hear GMs, game designers and others talking about the three-act structure, overlaid by the Shakespearian five act structure, and then talking about the realization moment in screenplays [coming at approximately page 80], and the climax of the story, and [heaven help us] the denouement, etc., etc., I know that I am listening to someone who likely learned to play after the rise of the 'storytelling/video game' type of adventure.
Back in 1974, when age 10 to 25 year old 'kids' were putting together their D&D worlds and building sandboxes for others to play in, we/they had little formal education about story structure and the like [and wouldn't have thought about using it in the design of a 'dungeon' or wilderness adventure anyway], but we/they knew enough to create challenges for players to overcome, which creates the environment for conflict (which is critical to drama), and with players having created motivated characters who were seeking fame and fortune, and were placed in such a sandbox environment, they organically created story through play. Look at things like the Judges Guild materials from the late 70s. They are filled with locations, creatures, NPCs, random tables and such and not plot points, a main narrative, etc. A DM is not a storyteller and RPGs are best used as role playing games, and not storytelling games.
Goodman Games Website tells me that it can't send to my address. Says it's not a valid address. WTF?!
I don`t see to be stories in it, only instructions and other things. Probably I have to buy it to see it my self. I am sorry if I offended someone.
There are two starter adventures in the $1.99 quickstart rules PDF but not in the core rulebook.
The standard core rulebook I have does have 2 short adventures at the back
It's not terrible, but overhyped and too clunky for our tastes. We tried it for a couple months and decided to ditch it for other games, though we've pulled a couple mechanics from it.