5 DCC RPG mechanics that can improve your table

There are a few tables that stick closely to the rules. Most of the rest like improving their game with different homerules and modifications. After a number of game played with Dungeon Crawl Classics RPG I've picked some things that can be integrated into any d20 system with ease to make your playthrough more interesting.

1. Random character generation

We all like creating balanced and powerful characters. It allows you to be a hero, not a survivor. But sometimes playing the character that you didn't create is much more interesting, because you need to adapt, improvise and overcome. © that survival guy

DCC RPG forces you to create a character at maximum randomness. Ability scores are rolled with 3d6 in strict order without rerolling. Character's race and background is rolled via d100 table. Almost everything is random, you only choose name and alignment. That style may feel strange for the first time, but after the session most of the players told me that they actually enjoyed it. Most of the characters created such way are interesting and distinctive because they offer the ideas players wouldn't create themselves. 

2. 0-level playsession

The mechanic above is pretty fun, but some of the players can be disappointed and frustrated by having a weak character. DCC RPG solves it with 0-level. Characters you've generated randomly are weak commoners who may be not so weak and even have some equipment, but they are still commoners. Untrained. Unarmored. Armed with improvised weapons. Have one hitdice of d4 or d6. If your setting is highly magical then 0-level character may have a cantrip, but that's it. Every player may generate up to four characters that will probably not survive that session, but those who will be spared by natural selection are indeed strong and tough. Or, maybe, just lucky. They advance to level 1 and play normally.

3. Luck attribute

Most of d20 games have 6 ability scores. DCC isn't an exclusion, but it divides Wisdom in two parts and merges it into either Charisma(which is called Personality) or Intelligence. The 6th slot is occupied by the Luck attribute. Luck introduces more epic and heroic moments to your game, reduces accidental TPK chance and improves overall survivability. You can add Luck as a seventh ability score in your game. It has several purposes .

First, it is rolled in absolutely random situations. Gambling? Luck. Trying to land a shot into an enemy in the darkest forest in the middle of the night at the distance of 150'? Luck. Jumping down the waterfall trying not to kiss stones in the vottom? Yup, Luck. You may notice that such usage of the attribute may turn lucky characters into the daredevils who will make most extraordinary decisions to roll luck instead of normal ability. That's totally fine and you shouldn't try to punish players for that. Just make sure that the challenge matches the challenged. 

The second usage of luck represents its finite amount. When a character fails a roll, or he doesn't, but he wants a higher one for additional effect, he can burn as many points of Luck as he wishes and add as much to his roll. Points burned this way are permanently destroyed unless GM decides otherwise. GMs, please don't. Any burning of Luck must be a major action and allowing to regenerate luck prevents it. However, there may be ways to restore it. Luck is distributed by the Higher Powers ™ and pleasing ones you serve (making important decisions matching your alignment) can result in a gift. But note that the reversed situation can also happen. Angering those who distribute Luck can result in its decreasement. (Please note that GMs aren't included in this category) The other exclusion from this rule are halflings and thieves. They may regenerate a point of Luck every night due to their lucky nature. That can be also applied to other classes or archetypes if their power is derring-do.

4. Dangerous magic

Some settings are high-magic, where every dweller of a town can afford himself an amulet or a magic lock while wizards have academies, organisations and libraries. Other ones treat magic as an obscure art that is rare and dangerous and thereby is only learned by few people. If your game is played in the second type - then DCC magic would suite it good. Please note that it isn't compatible well with Vancian magic so you may have to spend some time adapting your spellbooks to it.

The very definition of "spell slots" doesn't exist in this system. Character has a number of "prepared spells". Each spell may only be prepared once so you can't have two spell slots filled with same fireball. Note that random characters from paragraph 1 get random spells on levelups, and if they want to learn some exact one - they need to find it somewhere.

When you cast a spell - you make a spell check. It usually consists of a d20 roll and may be modified by a caster's primary ability score, his level or other stats. The result of check is usually a saving throw DC if spell succeeds. The spell succeeds at the roll of 10+doubled spell level and has more powerful effect at the higher rolls. The exact effect is up to the GM, but it usually increases with increments of 2-4 points. 12 roll for a magic missile may hurl one d4 force dart at the enemy, while a result of 30 can create a barrage of 2d8+4 darts at multiple enemies inside a huge range. You've got the point, right?

The main feature is that spell isn't expended after being cast successfully. However, if you roll below spell DC - spell fails and is lost for a day. If you roll 1 - well, you're fucked up. It may result in different effects, starting from misfire that can turn the spell against yourself and allies and finishing with the magical corruption that twists the caster horribly.

5. Spellburn

Actually this topic could be connected with the previous one, but the difference is that this one can be integrated into Vancian or any other magic system. The mechanics of Spellburn allows a caster to temporarily lose his physical Ability Scores (Generally - Strength, Agility and Constitution) to get a bonus to his spell rolls. However, Vancian system haven't any spell rolls at all, except for magic attack roll, so there are a few ways to imlement it. 

First, you can simply add the lost points to attack roll or saving throw DC. It will make the spell a little bit stronger, but is it worth losing your physical power?

Second way to implement spellburn is to introduce a homerule that will upgrade spells at some increments of burned stats, for example at 2, 5, 10 etc. It will require the GM to appropriately change the effect of the spell or simply adjust its stats. Spellburn allows casters to succeed in using their spell in extremely difficult situation, but at the expesive cost. Ability Scores only regenerate at the rate of 1 point per night's rest or 2 points per full day's rest, except for magical healing.

That's actually all I wanted to write today. DCC is an interesting RPG that has many concepts that can change your game in an unexpected way and make the gameplay deeper. Don't hesitate to use them in your playthrough - rules are created to be used!