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Until the recent advent of the “Old School Renaissance,” the nearest that the modern incarnation of Dungeons & Dragons got to a version of Basic Dungeons & Dragons. Using the OGL , Troll Lord Games stripped the game back down and rebuilt it as the Siege Engine rules, these being more simplified mechanics that hark back to Basic Dungeons & Dragons, but which retain such modern fashions as choice and a simple action/skills resolution system beyond that of just needing to hack at the next goblin.
Castles & Crusades: 2010 Quick Start Rules provides the Castle Keeper – the game’s term for the Dungeon Master – and his players with everything they need to play a session or two bar the dice. It guides the reader through the character creation process, enabling players to roll up Clerics, Fighters, Rogues, and Wizards though not the Barbarians and Bards listed as being included. In addition a character can be a Dwarf, an Elf, a Halfling, or a Human. Of course, the Castles & Crusades Players’ Handbook offers more options. Each of these classes and races plus their various abilities are nicely detailed, with enough information to create and support characters of up to sixth level. Also included is an equipment list, spell lists for both the Cleric and Wizard classes, plus the rules necessary for the Castle Keeper to run the game.
Also included in the Castles & Crusades: 2010 Quick Start Rules is a short adventure, “The Wizard’s Tower.” Written for use with fourth and fifth level characters – four pre-generated adventurers are given on the back cover – this is a single session affair with a Challenge Level of six. The wizard Andru Meadow has been a resident of the village of Lead Hill for several years now, building himself a tower and generally making himself useful to the local community. Of late he has not left his tower, his wife telling the villagers that he is engaged in some complicated research, yet now the village has been struck by a rash of nasty little events and the villagers really want his help. Enter the party...
Beyond its action packed cover, there is not a lot that catches the eye in Castles & Crusades: 2010 Quick Start Rules. On the plus side though, there is a lot of information given in its pages. True, no monsters are described in those pages, but including those is outside the remit of this book.
For many gamers there is probably not a lot in Castles & Crusades: 2010 Quick Start Rules that they will not have seen before. For those new to Castles & Crusades, there is enough to give the uninitiated a meaty taster traditional roleplaying.
