Can someone share their experiences with this system?
I am interested in a system besides PF1e or DSA.

>>96170727 (OP)
Castles and Crusades is one of the pre-OSR D&D retroclones, and an early complete game adaption of the 3.5 OGL.
The big problem with it for your purposes is that it is not a build-focused game the way the 3.x lineage of games developed into, so if your players like that aspect of play it will not be a good fit.

>>96170759
What does the game focus on?
What is it like for GMs?
What is the power level?

>>96170765
>What does the game focus on?
Dungeon crawling and questing at low levels, domain play at high levels. Sometimes killing dragons.
>What is it like for GMs?
Same as any other classic D&D-based game. Rewarding tedium, lots of tables to make things easier if you're into that. Simple enough that on the fly reactionary ass-pulling is easy.
>What is the power level?
It's in effect a pre-WotC D&D. So, if you've ever plated an SSI goldbox or black isle Baldur's Gate tame, its that.
You start out as marginally more powerful than a normal ass dude, but by time you hit half way up the level chart you're one of the strongest people in the land.
It came out the same time D&D communities were creating the tiers of play style mapping of levels that are now the rage. If you don't know, its something like this:
1 - 3: Quests for the town
4 - 6: Quests for the county
7 - 10: Quests for the kingdom
11 - 15: Quests for the continent
16+: Quests for the world
The numbers might be off, I've not run D&D-style fantasy in years

>>96170727 (OP)
It's a D20 lite game. You're either going to hate or love that your target number for skills is either 12 or 18.

The best thing it has going for it are the Castle Zagyg modules.

>>96170921
>The best thing it has going for it are the Castle Zagyg modules.
Which were never finished. They managed to get, what, the "Outer Gateworks" and 1 dungeon level done? Out of 30 that Gygax had in his notes?

>>96171037
I think it's a hard game to justify compared to more direct retroclones with the TSR back catalog and all the new stuff that can be used with less conversion than C&C. I feel like, to put on my shill hat, Worlds Without Number, does what C&C sets out to accomplish a bit better.

t. has the core C&C books from roughly 2009

It's 3.5 stripped down of a lot stuff to emulate BX. Props for being one of the firsts but now you got a bunch of others that do the same thing.

>>96171497
It's more like AD&D, between the inclusion of race and class and having cavalier/knight, bard, and monk in that roster.

>>96171115
I like the skills style from WWN more than other games but I still prefer the D&D approach to different classes.

>>96171497
How compatible with 3.5 is it? I think it could be cool to use 3.5's vast bestiary and lists of spells and magic items in a system that's much more approachable and simple.

>>96172248
It'll require conversion. It is more directly compatible with stuff that came before 3e, not sure what the other anon meant about 3.5 It was made in response to 3e, so it has none of the build autism. There's no feats outside of the Castle Keeper's Guide, and even then none of them are as wildly powerful. There are no skills in the core rules either.

>>96170759
>one of the pre-OSR D&D retroclones
C&C is one of the games, very arguably the first game, that launched the OSR

>>96175321
While FLAILSNAILS eventually grew into the OSR, it's not really right to say C&C originated the OSR when the threads that coined the term were about Labyrinth Lord, Swords and Wizardry, OSRIC, and BFRPG.

If you get castles and crusades, I would also recommend amazing adventures as well. It is similar, compatible, and adds some interesting character options. Think of them more as an attempt to make early 3rd edition dnd play more like AD&D rather than a full blown OSR thing.

>>96170759
>Castles and Crusades is one of the pre-OSR D&D retroclones, and an early complete game adaption of the 3.5 OGL.
never-played here
but I was interested and this is just not the case
C&C is the unofficial AD&D 3e, as a reaction to official D&D 3/3.5 leaning heavily into build-faggetory

>>96170727 (OP)
I heard good things about it. Basically it's D&D but if TSR didn't go under and get sold to WOTC. One of the first OSR games before it was really a term.

>>96170727 (OP)
It's a decent system but not an amazing one. The siege engine is clunky and has balance problems.
I do like the people that run the company tho, they are normal people (not retarded ideologues) that actually have a passion for their product.
The go to game to run for a simpler Adnd, but nowadays there's no reason to play it over ACKS.

>>96182811
>The siege engine is clunky and has balance problems.
I haven't read it lately, but are you stuck with the 12/18 DC no matter what your level is in modern versions of C&C?

>>96184741
One of the creators chimed in to RPG.Net of all places to advise that pretty much any adjustment to the DC numbers worked fine.

https://forum.rpg.net/threads/castles-crusades-fixing-saves-and-seige.815277/