Dungeon Crawl Classics: Steal These 7 Rules For D&D From DCC

[@trevorcarskadon]

One that wasn't mentioned has less to do with general rules and has more to do with a subclass for the fighter, the Battle Master. Instead of the superiority dice mechanic instead use the Proficiency die alternate rule in the DMG and merge the Mighty Deeds mechanic in DCC with the Manuevers the fighter gets. You can use the list of Maneuvers in the PHB, but not be constrained on usage before short rest and instead have unlimited use of Maneuvers that instead occasionally fail. This also affects to hit chance much like it does in DCC.

[@wizardsling]

thanks for the idea!

[@pyrix137]

Insert "Why do you just play DCC then?"... I get that sentiment, but i love these videos! As someone that is working on their own homebrew system/hack, they are invaluable for mechanic ideas. Besides, of someone says they "never houserule/homebrew anything, always run RAW." I'm calling BS. Keep up the good work Jim!

[@wizardsling]

thanks!

[@chrisdrury5860]

I really love a lot about DCC. Trying to slowly incorporate the magic rules into my 5e game, and I also love the Mighty Deeds of Arms the fighter has. While the subclasses in 5e work to make fighter cooler, I like Mighty Deeds just a little better. Your steal these rules videos are awesome and jive a lot with how I think about my TTRPG. I would love to see your take on Index Card RPG and DM Scotty's EZD6. Also, do you do this with adventures? Like do you steal certain encounters from modules and place them in other adventures? Wouldn't mind seeing a series where you pillage the best of some old school adventures, like the one you went shopping for, or even your favorite published 5e or third party adventures. Keep up the awesome work!

[@wizardsling]

I actually already did do index card rpg! I'll put EZD6 on the list

[@chrisdrury5860]

How did I miss ICRPG? (Scrolling through that playlist again right now)@@wizardsling

[@UnbeGnomest4381]

Absolutely love DCC, thanks for introducing some of its cooler concepts to your audience. The ubiquitous randomization is such a fun feature, and I love the unpredictable, anything-goes spirit it imparts. One of my favorite experiences with this system was running a fast, chaotic one shot where the players would roll to see which "0th level" monster they'd control - monsters inhabiting a dungeon being raided by low-leveled characters and a small mob of one hit point hirelings. The monsters on the table were low power but asymmetric enough to make it fun. When a player lost their monster, they could roll again until they got an unused result and jump right back in. I'd prepped notecards ahead of time with stats for ease of use. One player who rolled "1d8 bloodthirsty 1 hit point goblins" was absolutely stoked when he rolled a seven. What a system.

[@wizardsling]

nice! sounds like a fun idea

[@yzfool6639]

One correction. No modern RPG has a rule where you die at 0 hit points. D&D gives you MORE hit points or Saves to use after you reach 0 hit points. The funnel system in DCC is the only one that respects hit points, and that rule is dropped after you reach level 1. Most characters are effectively immortal in modern RPGs.

[@wizardsling]

thanks for the comment

[@chrisragner3882]

I am considering the 5e 2024 UA proposal for exhaustion being a one point penalty for all dice rolls with 10 exhaustion levels being death. Using this for my undead energy drain as well. I too have intent on using DCC mechanics to home brew my existing game.

[@wizardsling]

the -1 d20 exhaustion system really is better, isn't it?

[@chrisragner3882]

Not as confusing and it scales well enough. In my world with Arcane Dysphoria, the corruption mechanic from DCC fits nicely!! Add this to a Scrbe subclass Wizard! Very cool flavor dive. Great to use with NPC’s who are not evil aligned but insane! “My book speaks to me!”

[@BMHume]

I'll definitely give the ability score penalty (in addition to an appropriate scar) after being downed a try 👍 I think it will make dire situations much more memorable than in regular 5e.

[@wizardsling]

I agree!

[@beard6295]

I really like a lot of these types of ideas to mod D&D but I always back out because I can't handle keeping track of MORE things as a dm, sadly.

[@wizardsling]

sure, brains get full. I get it :)

[@armorclasshero2103]

Why did you slander dcc like that? There's just as much emphasis on story in dcc as in any other d&d.

[@wizardsling]

No slander intended. All my research pointed to it being grittier and less story focused. But every table is different.

[@JMcMillen]

I think the main difference is that in DCC (and other OSR games) players don't come to the table with a character that has a 10-15 page backstory. It's not about telling each characters personal story or journey. It's the story of how the players fit into the larger world.

[@Naren25]

It's a complement. You don't wanna focus on "storytelling" - that way leads to railroading and GM burnout. Instead, focus on providing hooks, situations, and factions to interact with. Let the players drive the game forward with *their* actions, not some pre-planned plot (yuck)! Story is what happens after. It's the tales your players will tell of their great deeds, narrow escapes, and tragic losses.

[@TwinSteel]

I will like and comment despite you slandering the exhaustion mechanic

[@wizardsling]

Heh. I much prefer the UA version they proposed in the OneDnD playtest

[@TwinSteel]

I like the variety of deficits in the original, including to speed limits - my only(?) issue is that it doesn’t really affect casters that much - I have casters roll to cast (separate house rule), which independently addresses that issue

[@argentumtaibhsear621]

I really like the idea of it but I play 3.5 and haven't come up with my version as of yet.

[@TwinSteel]

@@argentumtaibhsear621 3.5 is my all time love - you could port either the vanilla or UA versions directly in and see how you like it

[@TakaD20]

I like the 5.5E (I don't buy into WotC's marketing slang) mechanics a lot.

[@argentumtaibhsear621]

I didn't even notice the beard.

[@wizardsling]

Heh fair enough

[@Pit_Wizard]

Based on some of your comments, it seems like you're trying to make inferences about old-school style gaming without actually ever having done it yourself. It's not that difficult to play multiple games, and you aren't going to get the same experience by hacking D&D 5e apart and shoving mechanics from other games into it. DCC is pretty easy to run and play, I recommend giving it a shot before you start forming opinions on its mechanics in the context of D&D 5e.

[@wizardsling]

thanks for the comment

[@ricardojuanlopeznaranjo6651]

DCC is as story centered or even more than 5E WoW or Featfinder. Also combat IS fast, furious and desdly, unlike in 5E and Featfinder, where It is a sport for MMORPG players and set in EASY MODE. You can play without using there funnel, and there are backstories in some suplements like Lankhmar. Also DCC is not combat centered, like 5E and Featfinder, and you need player skill and quick Thinking to succeed, instead of min maxing and character building. Last of all, DCC adventures are great, evocative and some of them Epic, where you play héroes against Monsters, evil Wizards or aberrations, in contrast with Featfinder and 5E WoW, where you play superhéroes against villians and menaces perfectly balanced for you to beat them easily with acouple mid to high dice rolls.

[@wizardsling]

thanks for the feedback!

[@tasty_wind4294]

Now figure out a way to shoehorn Zocchi dice into 5e

[@comterrier]

Don't know why my players always want to get drunk, was never fun for me but to try and make it fun I will use the wonky dice... Each drink has actions that it helps and actions it hurts eg. Witch's brew: not great for any charisma checks except for intimidation will saves. Hurt means you use a d16 but instead of d20 if you are making a will save to notice illusions etc. Then you roll d24.

[@wizardsling]

ehh I feel like I've had to explain the visual difference between a d8, d10, and d12 so many times I'm not interested in tossing in a bunch of new dice.

[@TwinSteel]

❤️🥳👍🏿

[@wizardsling]

:)

[@TakaD20]

Bought the DCC paperback for 25 bucks on Amazon two years ago... bargain! Also some - meant to be - constructive criticism: I find the background music in the video a tad bit distracting; it's too loud and repetive for my taste.

[@wizardsling]

thanks!

[@TheActionAce]

I think DCC creating the funnel is a little overhyped. Play Keep on the Borderlands or Against the Cult of the Reptile God with all 1st level characters and tell me those games weren’t funnels 😂

[@tomkerruish2982]

Or Tomb of Horrors...

[@wizardsling]

indeed, i think that's the point, that DCC (and other OSR games with funnels) are trying to recreate how tough those early D&D modules were.

[@mookiewilson4166]

Just play DCC. It’s superior in every way.

[@wizardsling]

the superior game is the one you enjoy the most

[@mookiewilson4166]

@@wizardsling I asked Conan if that’s true and he said “WRONG!!! Dungeon Crawl Classics and Crom laugh at your D&D!”

[@darcyw156]

Algorithm ho!

[@wizardsling]

:)

[@AspelShuyin]

Some of these are not really fun or engaging, they're just punishment.

[@wizardsling]

yep that's how OSR works, as I understand it...

[@cruciblegaminggroup5471]

Punishment or consequences?

[@JMcMillen]

And old AD&D wasn't? Back in the day, AD&D had plenty of monsters with "save or die" special abilities. And lets not forget the rules for getting dropped to zero HP in 1st edition (DMG p82), where if you somehow survived you couldn't do ANYTHING but walk, unencumbered, till you got a full weeks rest. No fighting, spell casting, skills, or special abilities. Sure, an 11+ level cleric with a 17+ wisdom could cast 'Heal' and get you right back up and fighting, but there was no guarantee that there was anyone like that available and by the time you did find one, it would have been quicker to just rest for a week.

[@cruciblegaminggroup5471]

@@JMcMillen 100%. I think that if you played one of those games back in the day or play an OSR style game nowadays there's a tacit agreement to that level of danger to your character.

[@CobaltContrast]

Or steal from pathfinder. 2e literally solves the yoyo up downs of healing.

[@wizardsling]

steal what, specifically? enlighten us.