Well I was one of the play testers for C&C and our group actively plays it. It isn't so much d20 lite as AD&D done OGl
Ken
What C&C is, is a character-drive roleplaying experience where the CK (thats the word for DM), allowing epic adventuring with an easy-to-use and modify system. It's backwards compatible with previous versions of D&D, and uses some of the things you've gotten to know from the newest version.
You really should check out this review, which does an excellent job of stating what the game is:
http://www.enworld.org/reviews.php?do=review&reviewid=2082201
Nice avatar Serleran Serleran :)
Ken
It's actually a very cool OGL system. The beauty of it is that you can easily (sometimes on the fly while DMing) convert OD&D, AD&D or D20/3E adventures into C&C. That fact makes it very easy to use resources throughout several editions of D&D. Something that really is worth thinking about. It also plays much faster than 3E since it lacks such things as PrCs or Feats/Skills as they are presented in D&D (There are abilities though but they are class specific).
Overall I can really recommend C&C. And given the price of the PHB its worth a try even if you are not really sure about it.
We have been playing C&C since it was released, and have loved it. It puts a lot more control back in the DMs(CKs) hand. It plays a lot faster than 3E and uses consistant mechanics than earlier editions. House rules are easy to add to customize the game to individual tastes.
I absolutely recommend giving C&C a try. Game play is significantly speeded up by removing all the wargame-ish/tactical rules such as Attacks of Opportunity. The Siege Engine task resolution system streamlines ability checks and saving throws, eliminating the need for a clunky skill/feat system, and the character classes are well balanced.
As mentioned, it is simple to port in anything from any edition of D&D, giving the CK a vast wealth of resources to draw from. And the simplicity of the rules allow for on-the-fly game mastering; something not easy to do in the current edition of D&D.
Regards,
V
C&C is a wonderful system. I am playing it since it came out, and I have dumped my 3e core books (luckily the only ones I bought!)
The best thing about C&C is that it lets me use ALL the material I have of Classic D&D and AD&D. It is really a breeze to adapt the SIEGE engine to the old rules system. I am now playing with a SIEGEd Rules Cyclopedia book. I almost forgot how nice it was to play a game that YOU control!
Cheers,
Antonio
C&C is a great game. While I still extensivly play v3.5, Castles & Crusades is a great way to qucikly get newbies into fantasy RPGing. The BEST aspect of C&C (IMO) is the fact that you don't neccessarily have to be a newbie to enjoy this game. While the rules are fairly "lite" and extrememly similar to OAD&D, C&C carries all of the modern convieniences of d20 gaming. Simply put, Castles & Crusades is the modern version of old-school D&D.
As presented C&C is a great system by itself. Inventive DMs can easily add additional depth to the system without imbalancing the game. If you are a DM (or in the case of C&C, a "CK") who likes tinkering with rules, this is your game! If you hate tinkering, C&C is your game!
Another great (and I mean spectacular) aspect of C&C is DM prep time. C&C IS THE GAME FOR DMs who are short on prep time. The mechanics are easy to understand, and creating encounters, traps, and the like are super-streamlined, without having to reference the entire 3.5 line of books.
Castles & Crusades is simple, and elegant with the best aspects of modern D&D gaming, while remaining very true to the game that originally inspired us all.
.............................Omote
FPQ
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All the luxury of 3E with none of the difficult mechanics to fumble around with. It will even be a better game with the revised edition where all the typos and grammar have been corrected. Even better, the MM and DMG are directly portable with a little work and the price is VERY nice. It is great to see a OGL that is actually a step away from 3E.