Goodman Games

Hello everybody!

I'm currently trying to recruit local gamers for my Dungeon Crawl Classics campaign. Even though I'm totally enamored with the game, I'm kind of having a hard time coming up with a compelling pitch that can get people to try DCC. I mean, I could just list everything that's cool about the game, but I think that that's an easy way to bore a potential player. I don't want to just compare and contrast DCC and Pathfinder/3.5, I want a compelling paragraph to put on a "Players Wanted" thread or an interesting thing way to describe the game in a conversation.

So, how do you guys pitch the game?

My method has always been:

"I'm going to be running a [insert game name here] game on such and such a night at such and such a place. Do you want to play?"

You could use the backcover blurb as a start. You could describe the game as the Heavy Metal offspring of Dungeons & Dragons and Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay, born twisted and mutated, cackling with insane glee while it chants a litany to Howard, Leiber, Lovecraft, and Moorcock. You could state some of the key benefits of the game (Mighty Deeds for warriors, twisted patrons and power at a price for wizards, etc.).

Colin

Make a poster/flyer for your local game store, using some of the art from the book, and describing the opening situation instead of the game system. Somewhere, in larger font, "Fast, Exciting Action!" and "Dare you challenge the Fates?" The game system in a smaller font, but bigger than the average text, at the bottom: "Dungeon Crawl Classics system, all necessary materials provided", assuming you will provide what is necessary for the 0-lvl funnel. Reserve the largest font for the title of your initial adventure, such as "Sailors on the Starless Sea" or "Perils of the Sunken City"....or some adventure of your own devising.

Make sure that you include contact information and the time/date of the first game.

Print off a number of "useful charts for 0-lvl characters" sheets (there is a link somewhere on this site, and hopefully someone else has it handy -- I already have the sheets downloaded to my laptop) and make about ten sets of 0-lvl character groups using Purple Sorcerer's generator, and about 10 blank 4-character sheets from the same.

If you can manage to set up the game in some public location, the sheer fun you are having will catch the attention of other potentially interested parties...or, at least, that has been my experience. Soon you may have more players than you know what to do with!

Wow Colin! What you've written is pure poetry my friend! I'll be sure to use it.

Raven_crowking,

Thank you for the excellent advice!

I was planning to put up flyers in places where potential players are likely to congregate: record stores, game stores, and the indie movie theater that plays The Rocky Horror Picture Show every Friday night.

There are a couple of gaming-friendly cafes in my area, so I'll definitely run it at a public place. So hopefully even more people will become interested.

Having more players than I know what to do with is a problem I'd like to have!

Glad to help. There are a good number of very WFRP1e elements in DCC, and the Sailors module even includes mutated Chaos beastmen.

Colin

Let me know if you need any help making a flyer.

I am currently making a Judge's Screen for my own use, using the Snapshot tool in Adobe to clip artwork for the player's side of the screen. The problem with DCC isn't that there is a lack of evocative artwork, making it hard to find some to use, but that there is such an over-abundance of great art that it's hard to not include some of it! Do I really need a 30-panel screen?!?!?

You should be able to generate some interest on the strength of the artwork alone. The evocative adventure titles should also help.

Best of luck & let us know how it goes!

Totally reminds me to look up some old White Dwarf articles (and Warpstone) for WHFRP resources I can convert.

The old Inne of the Hooded Man would run quite well with DCC.

HackMaster's previous edition had a 32 pages long GM Screen.

Here are some DCC flyers made up by the good Reverend Dakota:

http://straycouches.com/stuff/crawl/joindccrpg.pdf
http://straycouches.com/stuff/crawl/jointheparty.pdf

//H

Those are great flyers, but I would pitch the adventure over the game, because the game requires more buy-in than the adventure does.

When you agree to try an adventure, where materials are provided, you might discover that you really like the game. When you are invited to try the game, though, that might seem a bit more daunting.

(Obviously, Con games and games at events like Free RPG Day are different, because the participants presumably are looking to try new games!)

RC

There needs to be a "squint with envy" smilie. You're 100% right about the buy in threshold.

//H

That's exactly what I did for the meetup I posted for next Saturday. I just copied the text from Sailors on the Starless Sea and put a note that no prior experience was necessary. Already have two confirmed (and two more possible) RSVPs one day later.

Thank you Raven! I think I'll take you up on that offer.

Right now, my first order of business is to run Portal Under The Stars for my old gaming group on Google Hangout. I want to get some practical experience with the rules before heading out to the "real" world (that's a game store) to run it for strangers.

Then I'll create a "players wanted" thread on my local meetup forum and create some flyers.

If everything goes according to plan, I'll be knee deep in a DCC Campaign in a couple of weeks!

What part of town is your group located at? I'm interested in running a game, or playing in one. Still waiting on my rulebook, though... Hmmf.

Anyway, PM me.

I've been thinking on this topic as well. Some of the 'flavor' is specific to the style of campaign you're running, but I had these words in mind for part of the pitch. Note that they may not be mine - I've been reading a lot of GG/DCC and 3rd Party promo materials, and for all I know someone wrote this verbatim - but I like them.

"... where magic is wild, powerful, unpredictable and dangerous, combat is epic, and death lies in wait for the unwary"

Are you guys tired of DM's and the games you play holding your hand and leading you to the generic cookie jar because they think you can only stand up if they prop you up? Tired of being thought of as stupid and weak?

Ready to actually do something with your characters and game that you earn instead of the Handouts for Tossers that runs rampant in today's rpg's?

What you will not see.

I know you suck and couldn't dice your way through a paper bag so roll some extra D6's for stats and just pick where you want them to go.

It's been 10 encounters and we know you don't have much of a attention span so here have a level.

Your Cleric of the God of War is rewarded by his God for stopping all War,here have a neck message while you heal the party Chaotic to full.

"It's ok,we can charge right in,it's a 1st level module so it will be a encounter we could easily win!"

"It's like D&D, but this one goes to 11"

Note: my following post should be taken no more than half seriously.

I hate that phrase, especially when someone is attempting to use it in the way that has just been done.

What you have said, sir or madam, is that it (DCC) and D&D are basically the same... except that DCC has a superficial and cosmetic difference which makes a claim of superiority.

In fact, what is true is that DCC is like D&D, but its "10" is much, much louder.

Now let that be a lesson to all not to imply that DCC is a fictional musician that doesn't understand that "these go to 11" doesn't actually make the amplifiers louder.... real world example: I used to own a Roland mini-stack amplifier with all of its knob settings ranging from 1 to 12 - I then traded it to a friend for a different guitar and bought a Peavey amp with the standard 1 to 10 knob setting range... the Peavey was louder because it had twice the wattage, because that's what makes amps louder.

I just gave you all a slow acting poison. You have nine hours to reach 1st level in DCCRPG or you die. Good luck!

[staring blankly] But this one goes to 11...

Nope. I got nothin.

Tangentially related, is there any sort of quick-start for players new to DCC? Something that will give them some sense of the feel of the game, include 0-level character creation and other important beginning mechanical bits, and give teasers for what's to come at level one?

This is what I handed out to my funnel players last week, and it seemed to work pretty well:

DCC RPG
ZERO-LEVEL CHARACTER GENERATION

Fill out the character sheet as you do the following steps:
(All page numbers are in reference to the DCC RPG Core Rules Book.)

1. Roll ability scores: 3d6 in order. (Page 18)
2. Determine ability modifiers. (Table 1-1, page 18)
3. Calculate saving throws: 0 + ability modifier. (Page 20)
4. Calculate armor class: 10 + Agility modifier.
5. Roll for hit points: 1d4 + Stamina modifier (minimum 1). (Page 21)
6. Determine occupation, weapon & trade good. (Table 1-3, page 22)
7. Choose name and gender.
8. Choose an alignment. (Page 24)
9. Determine random equipment. (Table 3-4, page 73)
10. Determine starting copper: 5d12 cp. (Page 21)
11. Determine speed: 30’ for all (except Dwarfs and Halflings are 20’). (Page 21)
12. Determine racial features (if not human). (Page 21)
13. Determine random Birth Augur. (Table 1-2, page 19)

Combat Basics at 0-level:

Initiative: Agility modifier
Action Dice: d20
Attack: +0 (+ relevant ability modifier)
Crit die: d4
Crit table: Table I

Your character is now ready for adventure!

I believe Halflings are 20' as well