The GROGNARD Files - Dungeon Crawl Classics RPG (with Brendan LaSalle)

Podcast: The GROGNARD Files
Host: Dirk the Dice
Guests: Judge Blythey, Brendan LaSalle
Release Date: July 18, 2025

Episode Overview

This episode dives deep into Dungeon Crawl Classics (DCC) RPG: its old-school inspirations, distinctive mechanics, and community culture. Hosts Dirk the Dice and Judge Blythey reminisce about their journey with DCC, unpack what makes it tick, and challenge each other's impressions—before interviewing renowned game designer Brendan LaSalle, who shares insights on both DCC and his own creation, Xcrawl Classics.

The conversation oscillates between affectionate ribbing, thoughtful critique, and infectious enthusiasm for the creative weirdness at DCC’s core. The episode is full of anecdotes, rules breakdowns, and nostalgia—as well as advice for both the DCC-curious and the initiated.

Main Discussion: Dungeon Crawl Classics Dissected

What Is DCC? (00:12–04:29)

• Dirk opens by situating DCC as, "blending an old school feel with modern chaos, emphasizing random tables and innovative mechanics... making every session distinctive."
• The hosts nod to the game's roots in fantasy adventure, its evolved editions, and its penchant for unpredictable, high-stakes play.
• Notably, DCC’s introductory text is quoted:
  "Remember the good old days when adventures were underground, NPCs were there to be killed, and the finale of every dungeon was a dragon on the 20th level. Those days are back." (00:56–01:16, Dirk)

First Impressions & Zealotry (04:30–06:41)

• Judge Blythey recounts initial skepticism:
  "People used to enthuse about it... it was like white noise, they were speaking but wasn't being listening." (05:11)
• Both hosts discuss how the “cult” excitement around DCC may push away skeptics, especially given its hefty rulebook and abundance of tables.
• They feared it would be a "GM's game" with high character death—"as if it's all ha ha ha, the evil games master's gonna kill you all." (06:41, Dirk)
• In practice, they find it surprisingly player-centric, contrary to expectations.

Rules & Mechanics: Why DCC Stands Apart (07:24–13:07)

• DCC is built on familiar D&D "chassis" (AC, hit dice, d20), yet isn’t truly part of the retro-clone OSR scene.
  "It's not really a stripped back version of D&D, it's more like a kind of D&D on steroids." (11:31, Dirk)
• The game’s wildness is due largely to its custom mechanics atop classic roots.

Cult Membership & Funny Dice (13:07–16:09)

• The hosts joke about "death stamps" (the physical stamps for marking deceased characters), DCC t-shirts, and the unique dice set (d5, d7, d14, d24, d30).
• Dirk: "It recaptures the magic of rolling funny dice because we've all got used to it, haven't we?... but it is a way of getting you to sign up to the cult." (14:15–15:18)

Judge Blythey’s DCC Highlights & Critiques (16:09–47:20)

1. Character Classes (16:29–30:39)

Fighters & Mighty Deeds (19:50–23:08)

• Fighters are enlivened by the Mighty Deed Dice mechanic:
  "What you do is when you attack, you roll your mighty D dice... if the deed dice is three or more, you achieve the stunt." (20:28, Dirk)
• This allows cinematic, swashbuckling maneuvers: "Knock them into a barrel, they can't get out." (22:10, Dirk)

Thieves & Luck (23:33–26:31)

• Thieves use a unique Luck mechanic to power through failed rolls, making them feel effective and true to their archetype.

Clerics & Disapproval (26:35–29:06)

• DCC makes clerics compelling via the "disapproval" rule—casting spells risks incurring the wrath of one’s patron deity.
• Dirk: "It brings the whole idea that you are communing with some kind of higher being into the game on a constant basis, doesn't it?" (27:43)

Races as Classes / Moorcockian Influences (28:08–29:06)

• DCC’s alignment system evokes Michael Moorcock's Law vs. Chaos rather than strict good/evil.

Summary

• Each class receives loving mechanical twists:
  "None of the character classes are boring... In DCC, they're all equally interesting." (29:22–29:51, Dirk)

2. Spell Tables & Mercurial Magic (30:40–38:35)

Complexity and Unpredictability (30:42–33:24)

• Judge Blythey raises concerns about complexity; Dirk argues for the tables’ charm:
  "Magic is chaotic... you roll on the spell table and the effects can be wildly different..." (35:14–36:01, Dirk)
• Spells trigger weird results: “When you cast a spell your skin becomes transparent... or rats appear... or someone you know dies.”
  "That's the spirit of the game... it likes to create chaos." (37:15, Dirk)

Spellburn Stories

• Spellburn (sacrificing stats for power) is famous at convention tables:
  "Spellburn is what it's famous for, isn't it? ...everybody has a story about Spellburn." (33:43–34:53, hosts)

3. The Funnel (38:44–44:05)

• At 0-level, players run four hapless peasants through a deadly adventure:
  "I don't like this idea. So I play like four or five characters and oh, they just cannon fodder. ...But they don't all die. And it is more player friendly than you imagine." (39:07–44:05, discussion)
• Surviving characters become “heroes”—with real emergent backstories.
  "Even though they are a gravedigger with a shovel and one hit point... if they survive, you'll feel attached to them." (41:29, Dirk)
• The funnel has become beloved:
  "I've gone from hating the concept of it to loving it..." (41:06, Judge Blythey)

Critique: Too Many Critical/Fumble Tables (44:36–47:20)

• The hosts agree the biggest slog is the critical and fumble tables for different monsters/classes, which can slow the pace:
  "It's the point where it gets a bit too much because... there's a bit of a delay while you work out... through these various critical tables..." (45:15–46:23, Judge Blythey)
• Workarounds exist (pamphlet reference books), but it’s minor friction in an otherwise dynamic system.

Interview: Brendan LaSalle on DCC & Xcrawl (47:20–83:39)

Brendan’s RPG Origins & Philosophy (47:42–55:23)

• Grew up between New York and Georgia, with a love for customizability and “spectacular set-piece combats”—inspired by running Villains & Vigilantes.
• Sees roleplaying as “kitbashing” and encourages “gloriously unpredictable” play.

What Sets DCC Apart? (56:11–59:49)

• Brendan:
  "We get lumped in with OSR games... but DCC has way too many novel rules and systems for it to truly be considered OSR. ...If you have to put a label on Dungeon Crawl Classics, I always say it's weird fantasy." (56:56)
  • DCC creates “rollercoaster experiences” with “higher highs and lower lows.”
  • Magic is especially chaotic; unpredictability is core.

The Funnel, Community, and Player Attitude (60:02–62:41)

• The funnel “self-selects for the best players”—those eager for emergent stories and wild outcomes, not just tactical survivability.
• The community aspect is highlighted by the camaraderie and shared war-stories around tables.

Notable Quote

"Dungeon Crawl Classics is the system most likely to have you walk away from the table with an amazing story... Something really unique. It's just built into the DNA of the game."
—Brendan LaSalle (59:49)

Death Stamps and Zealotry (62:41–63:10)

• The DCC tradition of physically stamping dead character sheets is celebrated:
  "That's just like, that was a day, you know what I mean? ...a whole lot of red on the table. That's a good day right there." —Brendan (62:52)

Innovation in Scenarios, Monsters, and Adventures (63:31–65:40)

• DCC modules break rules, integrate Appendix N fiction influences, and allow for wild, singular monster design:
  "Monsters just break the rules... so you can infuse them with a lot of personality... that's fantastic from a design standpoint." —Brendan (63:31–64:20)
• Funnels are "addictive" to design.

Short Adventures vs. Campaign Play (65:46–67:35)

• DCC is famed for one-shots and convention play, but supports campaign/long-term play—especially with Lankhmar and Dying Earth settings. Over time, characters gain wild quirks:
  "By the end of it, everyone's a mutant. Everyone owes a God a favor..." —Brendan (66:06)

Appendix N and Literary Influence (67:40–68:37)

• DCC takes heavy inspiration from the pulp/weird fiction of D&D's famous Appendix N, with Lankhmar novels as a particular compass.

Xcrawl: DCC Meets Dystopian Game Shows (70:01–78:31)

• Xcrawl, designed by Brendan, imagines dungeoneering as televised deadly sport—"think Gladiators meets Running Man and Smash TV."

• Brendan:
  "When you come across a bunch of laser penguins who are all on scooters in a room, why are they there? Some producer thought it would be a good idea..." (72:45)

• Xcrawl is both satire (of sports, celebrity, capitalism) and a legitimate dungeon challenge:
  "You all gotta come correct as a crawler, you know?" (75:14)

• The tone, though often absurd, is not "comedy RPG"—players face deadly serious scenarios laced with emergent, unexpected humor.

• Influences include The Running Man, Gladiators, Smash TV, and Star Trek’s “Bread and Circuses.”

Xcrawl’s Future Plans (82:28–83:36)

• Brendan hopes to establish large-scale organized play, with competitive progression, and to finally realize his “stage two” vision for the Xcrawl world.

Closing Reflections & Gaming Chatter (83:54–92:32)

Dirk’s Confession: Buying & Running Dragonbane (84:11–86:08)

• Dirk admits to acquiring and running the new Dragonbane RPG, finding it well designed and modern yet old-school in feel.

GMitis: The Doldrums of Running Games (87:02–91:49)

• Judge Blythey opens up about “GMitis”—a lack of motivation to run games despite enjoying playing.
  "It's that effort to pleasure ratio. I thought it required a lot of get doing to do this. And yet when I finished it, I ended up feeling a bit dissatisfied." (90:27–90:40, Judge Blythey)

• Dirk suggests perseverance, but acknowledges that everyone has slumps and that sometimes, positive play experiences help break through.

Memorable Quotes & Moments (with Timestamps)

• Dirk on DCC’s unique flavor:
  "It's not really a stripped back version of D&D, it's more like a kind of D&D on steroids, isn't it?" (11:31)

• Judge Blythey on emergent character backstories:
  "Because you're facing adversity... you get close to them and the fact that they've got a pig becomes very important." (41:06)

• Dirk on "funny dice":
  "It recaptures the magic of rolling funny dice because we've all got used to the d8, haven't we?... rolling a d7 or a d24 was a bit like I used to feel when I was 12, rolling a d8." (14:56)

• Brendan LaSalle on the funnel:
  "A direwolf may as well be Godzilla for a zero level character... so it lets you throw design principles out the window." (63:31–64:20)

• Brendan on DCC’s core:
  "Unpredictability is always going to be a part of it. There's no monster that's out of reach, there's no player that's out of reach..." (59:49)

Timestamps for Key Segments

• DCC Introduction & Nostalgia: 00:12–04:29
• First Impressions & Skepticism: 04:30–07:24
• What Makes DCC Unique: 07:24–13:07
• Lighthearted Cult Talk & Dice: 13:07–16:09
• Class Mechanics Analysis: 16:29–30:39
• Spell Tables & Chaos: 30:40–38:35
• The Funnel Explained & Defended: 38:44–44:05
• Critical Table Critique: 44:36–47:20
• Interview—Brendan’s Origins & Philosophy: 47:42–55:23
• What is DCC? OSR or Weird Fantasy: 56:11–59:49
• The Funnel & Player Experience: 60:02–62:41
• Death Stamps and Zealotry: 62:41–63:10
• Scenario & Monster Design: 63:31–65:40
• One-Shots vs. Campaign Play: 65:46–67:35
• Appendix N & Influences: 67:40–68:37
• Xcrawl Pitch & Discussion: 70:01–78:31
• The Future of Xcrawl: 82:28–83:36
• Dragonbane & GMitis Chatter: 84:11–92:32

Summary

This episode is a rich, entertaining primer on what makes Dungeon Crawl Classics a standout in the crowded fantasy RPG field—its mechanical eccentricity, wild unpredictability, and the community’s almost evangelical love for its quirks. The interview with Brendan LaSalle deepens understanding by exploring both the design goals of DCC and the satirical, gonzo world of Xcrawl. The hosts’ conversational style anchors the nostalgia and fun, while still offering honest critique and practical advice.

Perfect for grognards, new-schoolers curious about DCC, and anyone who believes that the best RPG memories come from chaos, camaraderie, and dice you’ve never seen before.