Hoping between systems for fun!
BELT OF SHOCKING GRASP: This simple dark leather belt is inlayed with tracery of silver prevents the wearer from being grabbed. When you are grabbed, the belt deals 3d6 points of electricity damage to the grabbing creatures and force them to let you go (a dexterity save reduces the damage by half and allows them to hold on to you).
Thoughts?
Time for some more Castles and Crusades
Caustic Pop , Level 2 wizard
CT Special R 30 feet D 1 rd./2 lvl.
SV special SR yes Comp V, S
The caster flings a bit of slug slime at a target in range. The caster must succeed with a
ranged touch attack to hit the target. If the target is hit, glob deals 1d4
points of acid damage and then blog splashes at all targets within 30 feet. All targets that fails a Dexterity saving throw are covered in the acid and are dealt 1d4 points of acid damage. For every two caster levels the acid, unless somehow neutralized, lasts an additional round and deals another 1d4 points each round.
The material component for this spell is a ball of slug slime.
Thoughts?
Ok, how about one more system with this spell?
Disrupt Balance , Level 1 wizard
CT Special R 30 feet D 2 rd./ lvl.
SV constitution negates SR yes Comp V, S
When the caster points at a living creature in range, the subtle balances that maintain it are disrupted. The creature begins to melt from the inside out taking 1d2 +1 HP per level of the caster acid damage. At the start of the creatures turn, it makes another saving throw, if it fails the spell continues and it takes damage again.
Thoughts?
Small Healing Word , Level 1 cleric, 2 druid
CT Special R 30 feet D permanent
SV see below SR yes (h) Comp V, S, DF
When the caster points at a living creature in range, the target is healed for 1d4 hit points of damage. No saving throw is needed when the spell is cast by a cleric or druid. A cleric or druid may cast this spell against undead creatures and cause 1d4 hit points damage.
When this spell is cast, the caster may not move in a round, but may attack or cast another spell.
Thoughts?
Product– Adventurer’s Backpack
System-Castles and Crusades
Producer– Troll Lord Games
Price– 19.99 here https://www.drivethrurpg.com/product/234183/Castles–Crusades-The-Adventurers-Backpack?affiliate_id=658618
TL; DR– OPTIONS! 86%
Basics-It’s time for a solid player option book for CnC! This book features TONS of new classes, spells, items, niche rules, and even a complete new magic system. There is even a whole chapter dedicated to backpacks of tools each adventurer would need to do their job. How does it stack up?
Mechanics or Crunch– Ah old school… you provide us with gonzo options and allow the DM to do whatever they want. The problem is, this is pretty rules-light for how some of the crunch works. A perfect example is the warrior priest. That class has Cure Wounds which allows them to heal other characters. Awesome! I love it. But the rules don’t describe: do you roll once per day, or do you roll all hit points and then give them out as you want, or do you spend dice as you go? I could hunt online and find the answer. I don’t want to do that. I just decided and went with it. This is old school, so once the group decides, we roll with it. That’s the bad; the good is this book gives you new character classes, character options like spell casting rangers, paladins,and bards, lots of equipment options, spells, and all sorts of tools adventurers might need to fight evil. It’s not perfect, but the flaws are all part of OSR rules’ light touch. The good is amazing and makes this worth the price. 3.75/5
Theme or Fluff– I would not call this a fluff book, but I do think what is here is done well. It mostly gives you ideas how the new things fit into the fantasy worlds of Castles and Crusades. It’s world-agnostic in a decent way, so you could plug these into any fantasy world and have a fitting character. I would like more, as I want to build out the world and campaign setting, but the book gives you enough that you can find the equivalent in your world and plug and play right away. 4.25/5
Execution– PDF? Yep! Hyperlinked? YES! This book is well done. It’s an old school game, but it’s modern design makes me happy. It’s not perfect – I would like the font to be a bit larger, but this thing has all the things I think a modern book should have. 4.9/5
Summary-My summary of this book comes down to one very specific question-do you want more character options for CnC? If yes, then get the book. It’s not perfect; I think things need another round of writing to fully explain what the writers wanted me to do in some spots, but if you can look past some small issues, you will enjoy this. The fluff is decent. I want more, but it’s not bad. Just not the whole world laid bare. Physically, the book is done well. Links, layout, and text all work well. I’m glad this is in my collection, and I know my players are always happy to have this as a place to get spells, classes, and toys to help them put down evil. 86%
Playing some CnC at my local store and my bard isnt about helping the party. He wants to insult the enemies. I can make this happen!
BELITTLE (CHARISMA): This is the bard’s ability to crush his enemies, punishing them and destroying their drive. A bard can spend his turn riduculing a foe. The foe can make a charisma save to avoid the harsh words. On a failure, the enemy gets a -2 penalty on any action requiring an attribute check, including class ability checks, attacks, saving throws and standard attribute checks. The enemy must be able to see and hear the bard, and must be within 60 feet. The Castle Keeper may rule that certain uses of this ability are infeasible. The bard can use this ability once per day per level, and can maintain the effect for a number of rounds equal to the bard’s level. The bard can take other actions while using this ability, unless the Castle Keeper rules otherwise. As the bard rises in levels, the penalty imparted increases as well. It rises to -3 at 6th
level, -4 at 12th level and -5 at 18th level.
Thoughts?
My brothers are playing Boarderlands, an I saw a character with multiple ethereal arms. Let’s make this happen!
ARMS OF THE GODDESS, Level 1 wizard, cleric, illusionist
CT 1 R see below D 1 min/lvl.
SV n/a SR no Comp V, S
Upon the incantation of this spell, a transparent, set of arms appears and float behind the caster. The arms may hold weapons and make attacks for the caster, but the caster gains no additional actions to make attacks and cast spells in the same action. When caster with this spell casts another spell, reduce the number of CT to cast the spell by 1.
Thoughts?
Ok, something the new school has over the old is wizards and clerics with cantrips that make them a wizard, not a fighter with crappy stats. Let’s fix that!
FORCE PUNCH, Level 0 wizard, illusionist
CT 1 R 50 ft. D Permanent
SV none SR yes Comp V, S, M
A ball of force is throw from the casters extended finger at a single target. The caster must succeed with a ranged touch attack to hit the target. The force punch deals 2 +1 per 2 caster levels damage if it hits.
The material component for this spell is a pebble.
Alright, time to run some games of C and C, and I want some modern in my OSR. Here is spell for the clerics out there.
CHANNEL LIGHT DIVINITY*, Level 1 cleric , 2 druid , 2 illusionist
CT 1 R 30ft. D permanent
SV see below SR yes (h) Comp V, S, DF
When the caster yells a prayer to the heavens, all creatures in the areas are healed for 1d4 hit points of damage. No saving throw is needed when the spell is cast by a cleric or druid. All undead creatures may attempt a wisdom saving throw or take 1d4 hit points damage.
The illusionist version of the spell acts in the same manner with one important exception. The spell recipient of the spell must make an intelligence saving throw. If the creature fails the saving throw, the spell acts normally. If the creature makes the saving throw, the spell fails as the creature realizes that the spell is an illusion. An illusionist cannot cause damage to undead.
The reverse of the spell causes 1d4 hit points damage to living creatures. In those situations, a successful wisdom save indicates half damage if cast by a cleric or druid, or no damage if cast by an illusionist.
Thoughts?
Throat Punch Games 