Castles & Crusades Players Handbook 7th Printing is a role playing game supplement published by Troll Lord Games. This is one of the core rulebooks for Castles & Crusades and, as such, is covered by the Open Game License with some parts considered to be Open Game Content as a result.
The supplement is available as a PDF from DriveThruRPG for $20 and the book is available with two different covers; there is no difference between the books other than the cover. It is also available in printed form from sites such as Amazon. The PDF is the version reviewed although it was purchased at a reduced price thanks to a special bundle. The PDF has 194 pages, with two pages being the front and rear covers, five the front matter, three the Table of Contents, one the Open Game License and one the character sheet.
Where Roll Playing and Role Playing Meet is a note from the publisher about what makes a good role playing game.
The Introduction starts with what a role playing game is, what’s needed to play and that having fun is the most important part. This is short and doesn’t go into a lot of depth, and most will be familiar to anyone who has played an RPG before.
Creating the Character is the process for generating a new character. The process is gone over briefly, including overviews of what the different classes do. The attributes are then covered; C&C has the six familiar to anyone who has played D&D and lots of derived games. These are Strength, Dexterity, Constitution, Intelligence, Wisdom and Charisma. Some of these are primary and some are secondary, depending on a number of factors. C&C’s base method for generating attributes is one of the older ones; roll 3d6 six times and then assign the results to the preferred attributes. This means both abysmal and superb attribute scores are possible. Attribute checks are done by rolling d20 and adding attribute and level modifiers if the attribute is a class ability. The method is called the SIEGE engine (which runs a lot of TLG’s games) and is explained in more detail in the Castle Keeper’s section.
Classes are described next, and they should be largely familiar in general to most D&D and derived game players. The basics of how classes are described are then covered, with an armour, shield and helm reference table, before moving onto the classes themselves. Each class has an overview, details on any special abilities, which includes spellcasting, and a level advancement table. Of the classes, only the knight stands out as being unusual; the others are standard to common for fantasy games, though the illusionist is a bit different to how such might normally be treated. Each has experience and abilities up to 12th level, with only broad strokes after that (the Castle Keeper’s Guide has more detail for high-level characters, from 13th to 24th, followed by mostly broad strokes again). The classes are Assassin, Barbarian, Bard, Cleric, Druid, Fighter, Illusionist, Knight, Monk, Paladin, Ranger, Rogue and Wizard.
Races has some standard fantasy ones; dwarf, elf, gnome, half-elf, halfling, half-orc and human. Each race is given an overview, followed by description, personality, racial affinities, environment, racial traits and abilities and game details; size, movement, typical classes, attribute modifiers and class modifiers. Each of these follows a pretty standard fantasy portrayal.
Completing the Character starts with their persona and appearance, which are down to the player and can make a character more distinctive. Alignment looks at good and evil then law and chaos before moving onto the standard nine alignments with their descriptions.
Equipment starts with some guidelines on selecting starting equipment before moving onto how much money a character starts with, which is determined by a random roll based on their class. This is then followed by lists of equipment and services broken down into different categories. Each table has the equipment, cost, weight and encumbrance value, with some tables also having one or more of damage, range, AC and capacity; most items only have some of the possible values. Some items also have notes. The equipment is broken down into pretty standard categories; helms, armours, shields, weapons, missile & ranged weapons, transport & tack, equipment, clothing and provisions & lodging. There are no details beyond what’s in the tables and their notes. Encumbrance is how much a character can carry, which is determined by their Strength, and equipment has an Encumbrance Value, rather than a weight. There are details for coming up with an EV on the fly and the effects of trying to carry more. Finally, there are details on expert weapons and armour, superior quality non-magical equipment.
Magic starts with a list of the important terms related to magic that players and Castle Keeper’s need to be familiar with; most should be familiar to those who have played D&D and derived games. It then moves onto the nature of magic and the classes that can cast spells; Clerics, Druids, Illusionists and Wizards. Next, it looks at the differences between how these classes cast spells, which should be broadly familiar. Clerics and druids cast divine magic that is granted to them by a deity or powerful entity or elemental force. Clerics generally get their magic from deities; druids are more varied.
Wizards and illusionists use arcane magic gained from ancient knowledge that is passed down, though the two classes, unlike clerics and druids who share many spells, have few spells in common as the two forms of arcane magic are substantially different. Wizards create and give form, or enhance and alter form. Illusionists alter perception of form and reality. Illusions are described as being every but as real to the recipient as a physical creation; they can even heal characters.
Wizards and illusionists do prepare spells in the same way. Each day, they memorise the spells they plant to cast that day. They require access to a spell book and sufficient light in which to read, as well as 8 hours of sleep and rest in order to prepare spells. Interruptions add an hour to the needed time. Each spell also requires 15 minutes to prepare. However, spells prepared and not used do not need learning again; they remain in memory until used or abandoned. Clerics and druids prepare spells in a similar way to wizards and illusionists; the difference is they pray to a god to memorise a spell, instead of referring to a spell book.
There are a number of ways for wizards and illusionists to learn new spells; one is automatically gained on gaining a level, spells can be deciphered from other spell books and scrolls and they may research new spells. There is also some information on illusion magic, as its treatment is a bit different to the norm, especially when it comes to healing. Clerics and druids automatically know all existing spells of a level when they can cast them, but they can also research new spells.
Casters must maintain concentration whilst casting a spell; if it is broken, the spell is lost from their prepared spells without being cast. Spells can also be cast from scrolls, as long as they of high enough level to cast the spell.
This is followed by the spell descriptions in alphabetical order; many of the spells should be familiar in one form or another to those who have played D&D and derived games; perhaps the main exception is, as mentioned, the handling of illusion spells, especially when it comes to healing.
The Castle Keeper & the Game is the second section of the book and covers rules for the Castle Keeper – the GameMaster – though there is also a dedicated Castle Keeper’s Guide. This section provides the basic details on running the game, whilst the Castle Keeper’s Guide provides extra options. This is essentially all one chapter instead of being divided into separate chapters like the players’ section of the book.
It starts off by looking at style and mood of play, and how dice should not always be used to determine the results if good roleplaying is done, but that there may be problems here and the CK needs to be aware of it. It’s also important to be careful of events that do not include the entire party, as these can be difficult, as well as boring for uninvolved players. The scale of the game, from a single adventure to a campaign is looked at, and why the CK must maintain certain levels of consistency. The CK and the players need to play a game they all agree to play, or some will be disappointed if it’s not what they were expecting. It looks at the primary areas of adventure, which are dungeon, overland, city and planar, and their differences, as well as different kinds of encounters, from planned to random to spur of the moment.
It follows on with advice on handling combat, including single combat, traps and riddles, which can be tricky, especially riddles, non-player characters and terrain. How conflict is resolved is looked at, which doesn’t have to be combat or involve violence and then it explains that rules are guidelines and can and should be adjusted as needed, before moving onto attribute checks, when to use them and how to determine their challenge class, challenge base and challenge level. The challenge class is determined by the attribute required; whether a primary or secondary attribute is used alters things. The challenge base is either 12 or 18, depending on whether the attribute is primary or secondary. The challenge level is the difficulty and modifies this. Each attribute is then covered with examples of how and when it could be used. Saving throws are essentially attribute checks to resist damage, and what type of damage each attribute is used for is covered, followed by descriptions of the types.
Combat then covers the basics of the combat round, along with a glossary of terms related to combat. Surprise, initiative, actions in combat, including non-lethal and multiple actions and moving are looked at. Melee and ranged combat are also covered, along with unarmed combat and different methods in that. How armour class is determined, along with the effect that armour, shields and helms have, is looked at, along with magic, dexterity and unusual circumstances. Different types of actions in a combat round are next, followed by how hit points are calculated, the different types of hit dice and what happens once 0 hp is reached and then passed.
It then looks at the different types of damage. Weapon damage is caused by weapons and magic damage by magic, naturally enough, and are handled generally similarly. It’s noted that damage caused by illusions can be real. Subdual damage is damage that is generally not fatal and is normally caused by unarmed combat, but weapons can be used to cause subdual damage, though a portion is still fatal damage. Falling is the final type of damage and it is naturally caused by falling, using the additional die every 10′ and maxing out at 10 dice method common to D&D and derived games.
Turning Undead looks at how clerics and paladins can turn undead so that they flee, how many they can effect, how they can destroy undead if their level is sufficiently greater than that of the undead affected, how evil clerics can instead control undead and that paladins turn undead less effectively than clerics.
Rewards looks at experience points, which are awarded for monsters defeated or overcome, possibly awarding it for non-magical treasure, awarding it for magic items that are kept and used – in other words, no getting xp then selling them – story xp for completing an adventure successfully and role playing xp for good role playing. Levels are gained by getting xp and reaching the target for the next level; characters must then train for a number of weeks equal to the new level before getting the benefits. Treasure looks at what might be considered treasure.
Movement, a fairly abstract necessity, spell resistance, the ability to shrug off spells, and the concept of different languages are looked at next. Following this is vision, with the areas illuminated by different light sources and different types of vision. Deepvision is the ability to see in darkness, twilight vision works in starlight, moonlight and other low-light conditions, darkvision is similar to deepvision and works with no light at all and dusk vision allows certain creatures to see in starlight and moonlight like a human would at dusk. Time looks at the round, which is ten seconds, and the minute, which is six rounds. This is primarily for combat timekeeping.
The Adventuring Party explains the need for a well-rounded adventuring party covering necessary skills and looks at each individual class and what they offer. Finally, there is an example of play.
Appendix: Optional Rules has details on multi-classing characters, whereby a character has access to benefits from two or three classes, and how to deal with this, including things such as armour, experience and hit points, and class and a half, where the character has a primary class and a few benefits from a second, dealt with similarly.
Castles & Crusades Players Handbook 7th Printing in Review
The PDF is bookmarked, but not as deeply as it could be. The Table of Contents is to less depth and is hyperlinked. Given the length of the book, and that it lacks an index, which is really useful in a core supplement, navigation could be better. The text maintains a two-column format and appeared to be mostly free of errors. There are a variety of colour illustrations, up to full page in size. Presentation is decent.
The Castle Keeper and the Game section could perhaps have been organised a bit better; it lacks what are essentially chapters in the players’ section, meaning that there is a distinct lack of divisions. This, combined with the lack of full bookmarking, an in-depth table of contents or any index, makes navigating the CK’s section harder than it should be.
This book isn’t by and of itself enough to play the game; at the very least, something like Monsters & Treasure is needed, for this supplement lacks any such. However, it is possibly to play with just the Players Handbook and Monsters & Treasure; the Castle Keeper’s Guide isn’t essential, as this supplement contains the rules the CK needs to run a game; the Castle Keeper’s Guide just has more options.
The game, overall, is a development of older-style games using some of the more modern options, though it should be noted that this is nowhere near as forgiving a game as, say D&D 5E. Characters can and will die more easily, especially if they approach encounters as if they are 5E ones expecting to steamroll anything they fight, or expect to heal serious wounds or recover spells with a nap after a fight. Characters have more options than would be seen in older games and those close to such; they do have special abilities, other than such as thieving skills, turning undead, spellcasting and similar that have been around since the classes were first created. Skill systems have been replaced with older-style attribute checks; these work for everything, though there is advice to use them sensibly. No matter how well a player rolls, they aren’t going to have the strength to move improbably heavy items, for example.
Castles & Crusades is an older style game with less rules and more chance of character death than would be seen in a modern game, but it has more rules than those OSR games that hew closer to the original D&D systems. It’s not hugely complicated; in places, it might be more complex than, say, AD&D 2nd Edition, but in other places it is lighter. Its overall complexity might be similar to AD&D 2E in parts, but it’s certainly not as complex as that system was after all the Guides were added. Castles & Crusades Players Handbook 7th Printing describes a game that is not as rules-lite as some OSR games, but not as complex, or as forgiving, as modern games and it can be found by clicking here.
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