Briefly, in 1999 the Chenault brothers (Stephen & Davis Chenault), along with Mac Golden, formed Troll Lord Games and released a few generic fantasy adventures, several d20-based adventure modules, and a hefty setting book. In 2003, having grown tired of the d20 style, they produced and released a whole new game using the Open Gaming License. Thus was born C&C.

The style of C&C hearkens back to the days of 1e AD&D and early 2nd edition AD&D, rather than moving forward with the rules-heavy, rule-for-everything, system-mastery-is-king direction that 3rd edition D&D was going in. Even the initial format of C&C evoked nostalgia as it came in a small white box containing 3 digest-sized pamphlet-booklets. This new game evoked the look and tenor of the Original D&D Whitebox in a way that nothing really had up to that point in time – in presentation and play – and it received lots of attention. At this point the Old School movement (OSR; does the R stand for revolution, renaissance, or revival? I’ve never figured it out, but I digress…) was just a glimmer in the eyes of older D&D players.

For the record, C&C is not a true retro-clone because it only mimics the feel of the old school game, but not the rules of the old school game. Over the ten years since the initial white box release the game has been published in 8.5×11 and 6×9 formats, hardcover and softcover formats, black-and-white and color interior formats, digital and hardcopy formats, and has seen 6 printings of the hardcover Player’s Handbook. In that decade the rules have changed very little and first printing player’s handbooks are still compatible with 4th or 6th printing player’s handbooks at the same gaming table (the only significant changes are playtested expansions of the barbarian class and some tweaks to the illusionist and encumbrance rules). The look of the game has, however, progressed a great deal and the most recent printings look as professional as anything produced by the larger RPG companies that continue to dominate the industry (e.g. Wizards of the Coast and Paizo Publishing).

The Game

Task Resolution:
C&C uses a unified task resolution mechanic called the SEIGE Engine ™. This mechanic bases everything off of the six traditional fantasy RPG attributes – strength, dexterity, constitution, intelligence, wisdom, & charisma. Each character gets 2 attributes that are designated ‘primary’ and 4 attributes designated ‘secondary.’ Any task resolution that uses a PC’s prime attribute has a base difficulty of 12, but circumstances can add or subtract from that target number. Any task attempted which uses a PC’s secondary attribute has a base difficulty of 18 – again, circumstances can add or subtract from that target number. When a task is attempted, the player rolls 1d20, adds their attribute modifier and their level and tries to beat the target number.

There are a couple of nuances to the SIEGE mechanic – dealing with class abilities is perhaps the most important one. That is, when a PC attempts a task which is the class ability of a different class (e.g. disarming traps for the rogue or tracking for the ranger), the Castle Keeper (the name for a GM in C&C) has a choice to make. They can either 1) disallow the attempt, or 2) allow the attempt, but the roll is a d20 with only the attribute modifier added. That is, the PC’s level is not added to the roll. This is class niche protection codified into the rules. What do I mean? Well, it basically ensures that, even if any PC can attempt any action (which is how I usually run my games, rather than disallowing actions, which I find distasteful), only the PC with that skill/task/activity as a class ability will improve in that skill/task/activity as they rise in level. In other words, and this is an important concept, at low levels some PCs will be about equally able to succeed at certain tasks, but as levels go up the PCs who have specific tasks as class abilities will improve in their ability to resolve that task successfully. Meanwhile those PCs without that task as a class ability will remain with the same chance for success that they started the game with at level 1. It is a subtle, but surprisingly effective way to demonstrate class niche improvement throughout a campaign.

Character Classes:
C&C has 13 classes available: Assassin, Barbarian, Bard, Cleric, Druid, Fighter, Illusionist, Knight, Monk, Paladin, Ranger, Rogue, & Wizard. The classes are very AD&D-like in feel. They are traditional style fantasy classes which have special abilities related to the class itself. Also, which class is chosen by the player determines one of the primary attributes that PC has. The player chooses the other primary attribute, so there is still some leeway in character generation, and it is still possible to create two PCs of the same class which act and feel differently in the game due to different primes.

Class also determines how many hit dice (HD) a PC begins with. HD determine how many hit points a PC has at the beginning of the game and how many they gain each time they rise in level. A PC’s class also puts restrictions on the type of weapons and armor usable by the PC as well as the available alignments for the character. Melee and ranged attack rolls are affected by a base-to-hit number (BtH) which is determined by class (and level). And finally, how many experience points are needed to level up is also determined by the class of the PC. That is, C&C doesn’t have standard XP milestones which allow the PCs to level up all at the same time – instead, different classes need different amounts of XP to raise in level.

Here is a brief overview of the classes – these descriptions are not an exhaustive listing of the skills and abilities of each class, just a flavoring:

The assassin is a classical assassin with the ability to trace a target, hide for long periods of time, use disguise as a way to get closer to a target, and use poisons, to name a few. These stealthy characters have middle-range hit points (HD=d6) but are quick on their feet and deadly to any target they have studied.

The barbarian is a true rural/wilderness born hunter with primal instincts, rage, and the ability to intimidate. Their hardy nature provides them with high hit points (HD=d12) and they are tough to beat in melee.

The bard is a true knowledge hound who can decipher ancient or erudite scripts, weave a fascinating tale, and inspire their allies. They have high hit points (HD=d10) and can hold their own in a fight whilst spouting the lore of the lands.

The cleric is a devoted follower of divine power who can call upon their deity in times of need. They wield divine magic as easily as they handle a morningstar and they can strike fear into the undead, banishing them. Clerics have middle-range hit points (HD=d8) and have access to a wide variety of spells even at first level.

The druid is a true nature lover, steeped in natural lore, able to walk in the wilderness unseen, and adopt the shape of small animals. They have middle-range hit points (HD=d8) and are able to resist damage from the elements.

The fighter specializes in specific weapons, can make more attacks per round as they level up, and is the most consistently ferocious in melee. They have high hit points (HD=d10) and are the only characters allowed any weapon and armor combination.

The illusionist is a master of bending the mind’s eye into an altered reality. These arcane wielders have sharp senses and have their own spell lists. They have low hit points (HD=d4) but have access to powerful magics that deceive as well as heal.

The monk is a true devotee of mind-over-matter. They train their bodies to be lethal weapons and their minds to protect them from any assault. They have high hit points (HD=d12) and though they can use weapons, they work well as no-weapon and no-armor combatants, in true monk style.

The paladin lives to smite evil, can cure disease at a touch, and must be lawful good. They have high hit points (HD=d10) and can cure the wounds of their allies with a hand a d a prayer.

The ranger knows how to survive in the wilderness, concealing themselves from enemies, and setting traps for foes. They have high hit points (HD=d10), can track their enemies, and study their most common foes well enough to have bonuses to attack and defense against favored enemies.

The rogue has traditional thief skills as class abilities and can hide in shadows, move silently, pick locks, find and disarm traps, and sneak up for the extra-damaging kill. They have middle-range hit points (HD=d6) but are deadly in a fight if they can find a hidey hole and wait for the right time to kidney-stab their opponents.

The wizard wields powerful arcane magic and can become the most formidable foe as they gain experience and power. They have low hit points (HD=d4) but their arcane abilities can protect them from even the most damaging of attacks.

Character Races:
C&C has 7 standard races available. Each race provides specific special abilities to the PC, with a few abilities available to more than one race (e.g. type of vision). Race also determines movement rate and provides bonuses or penalties to specific attributes. Some races have typical classes that they gravitate toward and that sometimes lead to extra bonuses when a specific race and class combination is used.

These races are very AD&D-like. For example, Dwarves don’t like Elves very much – in a very Lord of the Rings way. That is, the races tolerate each other if they find an individual useful and they can even develop friendships. The way the Player’s Handbook is written you get the idea that a party will do fine with a mixed bag of races, but entering a Dwarven mine with an all-Elf party might cause some issues. In short, the book makes it easy to rationalize a party of mixed-race PCs while still providing fodder for the CK to create tension or conflict in a specific region based on the race of the PCs.

Here is a brief overview of the races. This is by no means an exhaustive description of each racial trait or ability, just a flavoring:

Dwarves are hardy, gruff individuals with a flair for good craftsmanship, a nice shiny gem, and an impeccable code of honor. They don’t fancy elves very much, can see in the dark, determine depth and direction underground, resist fear, poison, and arcane magic, and know a ton about stonecraft.

Elves are extremely long-lived, usually pale and skinny, and have pointed ears. They are often perceived as intolerant and arrogant. Elves have excellent senses (vision and hearing), can move silently in the wilderness, and can see very well under moonlight or starlight conditions.

Gnomes are confirmed pranksters, love the outdoors, can see in the dark, and have excellent hearing. They have innate spell-casting ability and can communicate with small mammals.

Half-Elves choose either human or elf as their primary lineage, allowing 2 half-elves to be rather different in abilities. Regardless of lineage they have an easy time spotting hidden doors and, due to never really fitting in, have an amazing ability to empathize with others.

Halflings are short, friendly, and fearless. They are able to hide and move quietly in the wilderness and their hardy bodies are resistant to the ills of the outdoors.

Half-Orcs are brutal and unsavory creatures who can see in the dark, have an enhanced sense of smell, and resist disease. Their violent nature makes them excellent fighters and they are found almost anywhere in the world.

Humans are relatively short lived, competitive creatures who lack empathy for other races. They are ambitious and can be found in all climates of the world. Being so adaptable provides them with no specialized abilities, but they do get to choose one extra ability score to designate as prime for that PC. That means that human PCs have 3 primes, which is a really sneaky, but enticing, way to encourage humans as the dominant race in the game – a very Gygax inspired AD&D style outlook.

Character Alignment:
The game uses the traditional 9 alignment system of 1e AD&D. This concept includes lawful good, lawful neutral, lawful evil, neutral good, neutral, neutral evil, chaotic good, chaotic neutral, and chaotic evil. A few pages are spent discussing the ins and outs of the different alignments and stresses that there is a ton of room for interpretation between the different categories. This is a theme embraced throughout the Player’s Handbook and the system in general – the rules, and aspects of the rules, are for guidance and interpretation by the CK and their gaming group.

Leveling Up:
The Player’s Handbook takes characters from level 1 through level 12, with guidance on what changes to apply at higher levels. If a CK wants to run a game for heroic characters of levels 13-20, they can invest in the Castle Keeper’s Guide which has a ton of practical advice, charts, and tables on how to adjust your game to fit the needs of the group. This includes higher level play.

Saving Throws:
Saving throws are handled just like other task resolution situations in the game. That is, the affected PC makes a SIEGE check to avoid any unwanted damage, alteration, or harm caused by a creature’s special ability. Basically, just as when the PC is attempting a task, the player of that PC rolls a d20 + attribute modifier + level and tries to meet or exceed the target number determined by the CK. The target number is either 12 (if the attribute is prime) or 18 (if the attribute is secondary). The target number is possibly modified by the spellcasting level of the opponent, the HD of the creature attacking, the level of the trap or poison, or any other circumstantial bonus or penalty the CK deems appropriate to the situation.

Basically, every attribute has a set of related conditions for which that attribute is used for the saving throw. Strength is used when saving versus paralysis and constriction. Intelligence is used when saving versus arcane magic and illusions. Wisdom is used when saving against divine magic, confusion, gaze attacks, polymorph, and petrification. Dexterity is used to save against breath weapons and traps. Constitution is used versus disease, energy/level drain, and poisons. Charisma is used versus death attack, charm, and fear affects. Spells also may have specific saving throws required (other than intelligence) given the circumstances. For example, the spell Gust of Wind can be negated with a strength save, not an intelligence save, even though it is arcane magic.

Magic System:
Arcane spells (those cast by wizards and illusionists) are written into a spellbook and carried around by the PC. Arcane casters have a set number of spell slots they can prepare spells into each day. In the traditional 1e AD&D fashion, they prepare the spells in the morning and can use them during the day, but only once per spell slot. The level of the arcane caster determines how many and which level spell slots are available to a given PC. A character can put the same spell in more than one slot so as to cast the same spell more than once per day.

Arcane spells are vancian in nature – that is, they work as so-called fire and forget type of spells. Once the caster has cast the spell out of its prepared spell slot the arcane energy is expended and the spell is no longer in the mind of the caster. Once they prepare the spell again, the energy will be stored in the caster’s mind and the PC can cast it again. Arcane casters start with a specific number of spells in their spell book. In order to add to their spellbook the caster mist either find a spell scroll and copy into their book, learn a new spell from a different arcane caster, find another caster’s abandoned/lost spellbook, or research the generation or a spell of their own creation using an arcane laboratory and enough time.

Divine spells (those cast by clerics and druids) are not written into a physical book, but instead are prayed/meditated for each morning during the character’s normal morning routine. Each divine caster has a specific number of slots they can prepare, much like an arcane caster, and the spell is lost once it has been cast.

The main difference between arcane and divine casters is that the divine caster has all of the spells of the appropriate levels available to them when they are preparing. They are not bound by a list of what is found in a spellbook. They can pray/meditate to receive any spell on the lists in the book.

Spells in the game have some combination of verbal, somatic, and material components necessary for the casting. The extent to which a PC is required to manage their material components is up to the CK. Spells with somatic (gesturing) and verbal (speaking) components require that the caster be uninhibited in their movement or speech, respectively, to complete the casting. Casters begin casting spells at the beginning of the round and the spell’s energy is released during the PC’s turn in initiative that round (or a subsequent round if the spell takes more than one round to cast). If the PC is hurt or otherwise interrupted before the spell’s energy is released, they must succeed at a constitution save or lose the spell.

Spells in C&C include some of the most iconic spells known to D&D players. Spells such as knock, bless, magic mouth, cure light wounds, shield, sleep, and other consistent fantasy trope satisfying spells are there. Other, more powerful spells, such as summon monster, maze, wish, gate, and power word kill are also there. Spells which traditionally had a ‘name’ attached to them are also in evidence, though the name has been removed. For example, Tiny Hut (nee Leomund’s Tiny Hut), Acid Arrow (nee Melf’s Acid Arrow), and Floating Disc (nee Tenser’s Floating Disc), to name just a few.

Combat