Dream Craft

Dream Craft (abbreviated as DC) is a Japanese-American fantasy role-playing game (RPG), published by Wizards of the Coast and originally created and designed by Salohcin Tims. It was one of the first such non-digital games to have been originated in Japan and had become very popular within its first month after release in 1992.

Players of Dream Craft embark on a perilous journey fighting dark creatures known as nightmares. Each level can either be bought pre-designed or designed by the players themselves. The player that guides the characters through levels and manages the designs of them is known as the Dream Master. Each level is designed as a mat, on which the players will move their character markers and advance through the dream. As they progress, they come across nightmares, puzzles, and many decisions (E.g. you could help a villager being attacked by a nightmare, or leave him be and continue).

Setting

The game of Dream Craft takes place in a subconscious fantasyland known as Somnia, a world created by a dark empire ruled by the evil wizard Alchion. Alchion lured all inhabitants of the Earth into a deep slumber, in which they would awaken from a never-ending dream, slaves to Alchion's empire. Your mission is to fight against the empire and free the world from sleep. Along your journey, you encounter numerous side quests and many nightmares.

System

Characters

Players design their own characters in the game using a Character Constructing Process. The player first chooses a class, then name, and finally the stats of the character. The player starts out with 20 stat points and must distribute them to each stat as he/she pleases. With every nightmare and level a character defeats, his/her experience rises. When enough experience points (XP) is gained, the character levels up. Each time the character levels up, stat points are gained and can be distributed to increase the character's attributes. A player will traditionally use the same character during their campaign, but a new character can be created for each level. However, the total number of characters a person can manage at a time is 3, meaning that if a player wishes to create another character but already has three, one character must be discarded. A group of characters can join together to form a party and go on levels together. The total number of players allowed to one party is five.

Nightmares

Nightmares are the monsters that players of Dream Craft will undoubtedly face and fight during their campaigns. Each nightmare has its own level, attributes, and element. In each level, there are spawn points in which nightmares will appear. The player can either choose to stay and fight, or run away. However, there is a limited number of retreats one can use. At the end of each level, there is usually a final fight, in which the most powerful nightmare/nightmares reveal themselves. The player cannot retreat from this fight. If a character is killed in battle by a nightmare, he/she must restart the level or quit entirely. If one is fighting with a party, the game does not end until all party members are killed.

Combat

When fighting a monster or another player, you can either use a standard attack, a skill, or an item. If you use a standard attack, you must randomly select a DC Die from the dice bag. After retrieving the die, the opposing player must roll a die of the same kind. Rolling the die determines the attack strength of both characters. The lowest roll wins and the winning character inflicts the amount of damage as the die reads. If the attacking player loses, the attack has no effect whatsoever. If a skill is used, an absolute damage is inflicted to the opponent, no matter the outcome of a dice roll. Skills, however, take up action points (AP). Items can also be used in combat. If you are fighting a nightmare, a nightmare will deal absolute damage automatically. A restorative item, such as a potion, can be used to restore health points (HP). An offensive item, such as a grenade, can be used to deal an absolute damage to the opponent.

Items

Items can be equipped to a character or held in stock. Am equipped item can be used immediately in battle. An item held in stock can only be used outside of battle. Both the character and stock can only hold a certain number of items.

Restorative items

Items that restore health and AP can normally be equipped in battle. There are usually different levels of effect for each item of restoration. E.g. A potion will restore a little health to one character while an Ultrapotion will restore a massive amount to all characters. Using a restorative item in combat, however, will take up your turn.

Boost items

Boost items will increase an attribute of a character by one. E.g. A Power Boost will increase a character's strength, and a Skill Boost will increase his/her total number of AP. Boost items cannot be equipped, but increase items can. An increase item will temporarily increase an attribute while in battle. Increase items can also be used in chains to have a greater effect. E.g. Two Power Increases can be used at once in battle to increase strength by 3 instead of 2.

Equipment

Equipment is special items a character can wield or wear. An equipment item usually is associated with an element, including fire, water, earth, air, light and darkness. A piece of equipment can be armor or a weapon.

Armor

Pieces of armor can protect the torso, head, arms, and legs. A full suit of armor can increase overall defence as well as resistance against certain elements and nightmares. Jewelry can also be enchanted and warn to increase attributes and elemental resistance.

Weapons

The weapons a character can wield depends on their class: paladin, wizard, axeman, war hammer, or archer. Like armor, weapons are made from metals and magic. E.g. A steel sword has greater strength than a bronze sword. A fire sword has greater strength than both. Shields can be equipped along with a weapon for better defense and elemental resistance.