Castles & Crusades

Last updated

Castles & Crusades
Castles n Crusades PHB7.jpg
The Castles & Crusades Player's Handbook, 7th Edition
Designers Stephen Chenault, Davis Chenault, Mac Golden, Robert Doyel, Mark Sandy, Todd Gray, James M. Ward
Publishers Troll Lord Games
Publication2004
Genres Fantasy
SystemsSIEGE Engine, modified d20 System

Castles & Crusades (C&C) is a fantasy role-playing game published in 2004 by Troll Lord Games based upon a stripped-down variant of the d20 System by Wizards of the Coast. The game system is designed to emulate the play of earlier editions of the Dungeons & Dragons game while keeping the unified mechanics of the d20 System.

Contents

History

Box cover for Castles & Crusades Collectors Edition Cncboxedset.jpg
Box cover for Castles & Crusades Collectors Edition

The game's name comes from the Castle & Crusade Society, founded in the pre-Dungeons & Dragons era by Gary Gygax. [1] The title is in homage to the role-playing industry's birth.

The game was first released in 2004 in a boxed edition containing three digest-sized booklets, dice, and a crayon. It featured artwork by artist Peter Bradley of a knight on horseback. [2] The reason for the box set was to have something on hand for sale at Gen Con in August 2004 as the finished Players Handbook was still four months away. [3] A boxed set was chosen for its resemblance to the earliest versions of Dungeons & Dragons, [4] which could be found, depending upon printing, in either a woodgrain box or a white one. As a promotion through the company's website, the first 300 copies were signed and numbered by the designers.

In December 2004, the first printing of the Players Handbook was released. [5] Since that time, the Players Handbook has seen additional reprints. The companion volume, Monsters & Treasure, was released in 2005. The Castle Keeper's Guide was published in 2010.

The company launched a Kickstarter for the Adventurer's Backpack in October 2016 as a major rules expansion. [6]

System

Castles & Crusades's game mechanics are based on the d20 system, designed by Wizards of the Coast. The system has been modified to create a simplified version of the game. The alignment system, attributes, and hit points systems were retained. [7] Most of the core classes and races are similar to those found in Dungeons & Dragons, though with some modifications, and some new classes were added while others were dropped. The highly intricate system of skills and feats found in Dungeons & Dragons 3rd edition was discarded, replaced by what the designers call the "Siege Engine", intended as an extremely easy game mechanic with universal applications. The game is compliant with the terms of the Open Game License. The game was later nominated for a 2005 ENnie Award for Best d20 Game. [8]

The Siege Engine works on an attribute check system. A character's attributes are divided into primary and secondary attributes. Checks made against primary attributes have a base Challenge Base (or target number; abbreviated "CB") of 12, while secondary attributes have a CB of 18. The game's referee, the Castle Keeper, adds a challenge level (usually from 1-10, depending on task difficulty) to the CB and the resulting number, the challenge class or CC, is the final target number required to succeed at a check. The player adds the character's level, any attribute bonuses and class bonuses to the roll of a twenty-sided die. If the result after bonuses equals or exceeds the challenge class, the player succeeds. [9] Except for combat, the Siege Engine is used for anything that requires a check in the game. [1]

While the first two printings of the Players Handbook were virtually identical with the exception of a change in font for the headers, the third printing introduced a replacement barbarian class. The 4th printing introduced an expansion to the illusionist written by James M. Ward that allowed the illusionist to heal others. The current printing introduces a streamlined replacement to the game's encumbrance rules for faster play.

Setting

The core books of the game are generic with regard to setting. While players can set the adventure in any setting they wish, some settings have been published for the game.

Aihrde
Once named Erde, Aihrde is Troll Lord Games' home setting. Originally a setting for use with Dungeons & Dragons, a summary of the setting was originally available in the World of Aihrde Folio. Books like The Free City of Eskadia expand on the setting by covering sections in more detail. A full campaign setting, The Codex of Aihrde, was released in 2015. [10]
Bluffside
Troll Lord Games' second setting for Castles & Crusades, Bluffside is a conversion and expansion of an earlier product released by Thunderhead Games. Bluffside is designed to be placed anywhere the player desires in their existing campaign, or it can be used as a campaign setting on its own. [11]
Haunted Highlands
Troll Lord Games' third setting for Castles & Crusades, introduced with the "DB" series of adventures. [12]
Inzae
Troll Lord Games' gritty, realistic setting for Castles & Crusades, introduced with the "I" series of adventures. [13]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Gary Gygax</span> American game designer and author (1938–2008)

Ernest Gary Gygax was an American game designer and author best known for co-creating the pioneering tabletop role-playing game Dungeons & Dragons (D&D) with Dave Arneson.

<i>Tunnels & Trolls</i> Tabletop fantasy role-playing game

Tunnels & Trolls is a fantasy role-playing game designed by Ken St. Andre and first published in 1975 by Flying Buffalo. The second modern role-playing game published, it was written by Ken St. Andre to be a more accessible alternative to Dungeons & Dragons and is suitable for solitaire, group, and play-by-mail gameplay.

The d20 System is a role-playing game system published in 2000 by Wizards of the Coast, originally developed for the 3rd edition of Dungeons & Dragons. The system is named after the 20-sided dice which are central to the core mechanics of many actions in the game.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Blackmoor (campaign setting)</span> Dungeons & Dragons fictional campaign setting

Blackmoor is a fantasy role-playing game campaign setting generally associated with the game Dungeons & Dragons. It originated in the early 1970s as the personal setting of Dave Arneson, the co-creator of Dungeons & Dragons, as an early testing ground for what would become D&D.

Open gaming is a movement within the tabletop role-playing game (RPG) industry with superficial similarities to the open source software movement. The key aspect is that copyright holders license their works under public copyright licenses that permit others to make copies or create derivative works of the game.

<i>d20 Modern</i>

d20 Modern is a modern fantasy role-playing game system designed by Bill Slavicsek, Jeff Grubb, Rich Redman, and Charles Ryan. The system's core rulebook was published by Wizards of the Coast on November 1, 2002; by 2006, ten additional supplements were released. The game is based on the d20 System and the Dungeons & Dragons 3rd Edition ruleset. It includes various campaign settings along with the tools to build campaigns in modern/contemporary settings.

Several different editions of the Dungeons & Dragons (D&D) fantasy role-playing game have been produced since 1974. The current publisher of D&D, Wizards of the Coast, produces new materials only for the most current edition of the game. However, many D&D fans continue to play older versions of the game and some third-party companies continue to publish materials compatible with these older editions.

<i>Lejendary Adventure</i> Tabletop role-playing game

Lejendary Adventure is a role-playing game created by Gary Gygax, the co-creator of Dungeons & Dragons (D&D) and creator of Advanced Dungeons & Dragons (AD&D).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Judges Guild</span> Role playing game publisher

Judges Guild is a game publisher that has been active since 1976. The company created and sold many role-playing game supplements, periodicals and related materials. During the late 1970s and early 1980s the company was one of the leading publishers of Dungeons & Dragons related materials. Its flagship product, City State of the Invincible Overlord, was the first published RPG supplement to feature a fully developed city environment. The supplement was followed closely by numerous ancillary cities, maps, and other materials published by Judges Guild.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">History of role-playing games</span> Aspect of history

The history of role-playing games begins with an earlier tradition of role-playing, which combined with the rulesets of fantasy wargames in the 1970s to give rise to the modern role-playing game. A role-playing game (RPG) is a type of game in which the participants assume the roles of characters and collaboratively create stories. Traditionally all the participants but one take on characters and determine the actions of their characters based on their characterization and the actions succeed or fail according to a system of rules and guidelines, and one of the participants takes on the role of game master who narrates the story, plays all the non-player characters and determine the challenge rating and the outcome of various actions. Within the rules, the participants may improvise freely; their choices shape the direction and outcome of the games.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Character creation</span> Process of defining a game character

Character creation is the process of defining a player character in a role-playing game. The result of character creation is a direct characterization that is recorded on a character sheet. This may include a representation of the character's physical, mental, psychological, and social attributes and skills in terms of the specific game's mechanics. It may also include informal descriptions of the character's physical appearance, personality, personal back-story ("background"), and possessions. Games with a fantasy setting may include traits such as race, class, or species. Character creation is the first step taken by the players in preparation for a game.

James Michael Ward is an American game designer and fantasy author who worked for TSR, Inc. for more than 20 years.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Troll Lord Games</span> Game publisher

Troll Lord Games is an American publisher of role-playing games, The Crusader magazine and other board/dice/card games.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tabletop role-playing game</span> Form of role-playing game using speech

A tabletop role-playing game, also known as a pen-and-paper role-playing game, is a classification for a role-playing game (RPG) in which the participants describe their characters' actions through speech, and sometimes movements. Participants determine the actions of their characters based on their characterization, and the actions succeed or fail according to a set formal system of rules and guidelines, usually containing Dice-Rolling. Within the rules, players have the freedom to improvise; their choices shape the direction and outcome of the game.

Dungeons & Dragons retro-clones are fantasy role-playing games that emulate earlier editions of Dungeons & Dragons (D&D) no longer supported by Wizards of the Coast. They are made possible by the release of later editions' rules in a System Reference Document under the terms of the Open Game License, which allow the use of much of the proprietary terminology of D&D that might otherwise collectively constitute copyright infringement. However, per the license, these games lack the brand names Dungeons & Dragons, D&D, and all the other trademarks associated with those brands.

<i>Dungeons & Dragons Miniatures Game</i>

The Dungeons & Dragons Miniatures Game is a collectible miniatures game played with pre-painted, plastic miniature figures based on characters and monsters from the Dungeons & Dragons game. The figures are 30mm in scale. Produced by Wizards of the Coast, the Dungeons & Dragons Miniatures line is composed of 20 loosely themed sets that were released roughly every four months since the line was launched in 2003 until its cancellation in 2011.

Free RPG Day is an annual promotional event by the Tabletop role-playing game industry. The event rules are fairly simple: participating publishers provide special free copies of games to participating game stores; the game store agrees to provide one free game to any person who requests a free game on Free RPG Day.

Stephen Chenault is a game designer who has worked primarily on role-playing games. He is also the co-founder and CEO of Troll Lord Games.

Davis Chenault is a game designer who has worked primarily on role-playing games.

References

  1. 1 2 Helton, Christopher (May 18, 2014). "Looking Back And Looking Forward: Castles & Crusades From Troll Lord Games". Bleeding Cool. Retrieved April 12, 2018.
  2. ↑ Chenault, Davis; Golden, Mac (2004). Castles & Crusades: A Guide & Rules System for Fantasy Role Playing (Collector's ed.). Little Rock, AR: Troll Lord Games.
  3. ↑ Chenault, Stephen (2014). Castles & Crusades Black Box Collector's Edition. Little Rock, AR: Troll Lord Games.
  4. ↑ ONeill, John (August 13, 2013). "The Exploding World of Castles and Crusades". Black Gate. Retrieved April 12, 2018. Troll Lord's recent Castles and Crusades releases get my highest recommendation.
  5. ↑ Chenault, Davis; Golden, Mac (2004). Castles & Crusades Player's Handbook (First Printing ed.). Little Rock, AR: Troll Lord Games. ISBN   9781931275606.
  6. ↑ https://www.blackgate.com/2016/11/03/castles-crusades-expands/
  7. ↑ Chenault, Davis; Golden, Mac (2017). Castles & Crusades Player's Handbook (7th Printing ed.). Little Rock, AR: Troll Lord Games. pp. 17–57. ISBN   978-1944135515.
  8. ↑ "ENnies 2005 Noms and Winners". ENNies 2005 Nom and Winners. ENNies. Archived from the original on January 13, 2014. Retrieved April 12, 2018.
  9. ↑ Chenault, Davis; Golden, Mac (2017). Castles & Crusades Player's Handbook (7th Printing ed.). Little Rock, AR: Troll Lord Games. p. 16. ISBN   978-1944135515.
  10. ↑ Chenault, Stephen (2015). Codex of Aihrde. Little Rock, AR: Troll Lord Games. ISBN   978-1936822416.
  11. ↑ Govreau, James; Bennett, Curtis; Troman, Andrew; Quinn, Jeff; Bailey, Warren; et al. (2013). Bluffside: City on the Edge (2 ed.). Little Rock, AR: Troll Lord Games. ISBN   978-1936822560.
  12. ↑ Chrostofferson, Casey W. (2013). Player's Guide to the Haunted Highlands. Little Rock, AR: Troll Lord Games. ISBN   978-1936822690.
  13. ↑ Chenault, Davis (2016). Inzae: Observations, Notes and Commentary of Fodius the Fishmonger (Deceased) on the World and People. Little Rock, AR: Troll Lord Games. ISBN   978-1944135157.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.