I read through a lot of rule systems...mainly because I am an admitted mechanics junkie. What I look for in a game is a rules system that streamlines play and emphasizes story-telling. So many times I flip through a system and toss it aside with a few take away items. BUT, CDS 1.11 absolutely captivated me....I was blown away with it's simplicity while really encompassing a captivating game system. The rules are very well written and you can literally get up and running in a few minutes (that includes the Dragon Master reading and prepping the sample adventure). The damage and magic systems fit my style of play perfectly.
Here's another very strong point about this game: the author is SUPER reposnive to questions and will bend over backwards to help clear things up. For example, I had a couple of questions about how healing via Divinity and in the blink of an eye Venger wrote me back with the folowing suggestion (You can also see this response on his site at http://www.draconicmagazine.com/articles/crimson-dragon-slayer-cleric-question ):
Thanks for the email, Jack. Glad you're enjoying Crimson Dragon Slayer!
How clerical abilities are handled probably depends on the game... here are some questions to ask.
How much power do the Gods have and how much power is bestowed upon their servants?
How frequently do the adventurers encounter demons, aberrations, undead, and otherwordly foes?
Has the cleric been dutiful, faithful, corrupted, or susceptible to temptation?
Are there multiple clerics in the party?
What's the size and strength of the party?
How tough do you want the game to be?
And how heroic/dark is the world the PCs are living in?
Basically, the short answer is - it depends. Let the result of dice rolled guide you in moments of doubt. The following are specific mechanics I whipped up and should be considered "official."
Since rolling dice for the amount of healing is already random, I'd recommend the cleric rolls 1d6 (exploding) every time he tries to heal someone. However, if he rolls a "1" for a certain character, then he can't heal that person again until after the cleric has taken a long rest, about 6 - 8 hours... yet, an intrepid show of true faith from the character who got 1'ed will also refresh the cleric's attempt to heal him.
I've been playing RPGs since 1981 and while I have my core go-to systems, Crimson Dragon Slayer has made it's way to the top of my list. I cannot recommend this game highly enough. I liked it so much that I bought the core game as well (the writting style of that game is funny as hell...you'll love it!)
I hope this helps!
Jack
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