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Legend-compatibility


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I would say they are about 85% - 95% compatible (if not more). Enough to be almost considered the same system. You can easily generate characters with one system, and play scenarios from the other.

Go for it!

Edited by Mankcam

" Sure it's fun, but it is also well known that a D20 roll and an AC is no match against a hefty swing of a D100% and a D20 Hit Location Table!"

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Keep in mind that all of the games in the extended d100 family are quite rules-light compared to many other systems, so even where there are minor differences it's possible to convert stuff on the fly. You don't need to spend hours of prep time converting back and forth from one rule system to another.

In the case of the Renaissance system, it is based upon the OpenQuest rule system - which is a slimmed-down version of the Mongoose Runequest rule system. This rule system also formed the basis of Legend when the Runequest licence went to Moon Design. This means that all of these games - Mongoose Runequest, Legend, OpenQuest, Renaissance, and the superb Runequest 6 - are closely related and transferring material between them is not a problem. Personally, I use the simplified combat system from OpenQuest / Renaissance with Legend and Runequest for minor incidental fights sometimes. I find that breaking out the combat manouevres can be overkill when a group of heavily armed thugs (errr...adventurers) are facing down a pair of giant rats - it's all a matter of taste...

Also, Renaissance focuses more on the early modern period, whereas Legend seems to be aiming for a generic medieval fantasy feel and Runequest 6 seems to be concentrating more on a classic pulp fantasy feel.

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Mongoose seem to be concentrating on putting out Traveller material which sells rather better. They also seem to be having issues with being able to fund hard copy material and their freelancers for Legend type material are paid only on the PDF files sold so there is little incentive to actually print material.

For some time people were pushing Legend as a cheap introduction (the PDF at USD1) to RQ6 but now that Essentials is available for PWYW there is not any reason to continue to push a limited subset of the RQ line. This must be cutting in to MGP's ability to fund further development plus they'd need to get someone in to rehash material. The freelancer(s) are OK for converting material from old D20 material vis the Spider God's Bride line but they aren't big name designers likely to get people to rush out and buy rulebooks.

Even the conversion to Legend for the MGP RQII material (Vikings and Pirates) was a bit of a bodge job as tables and charts weren't properly updated or were missed completely in what is Mongoose's signature editing style.

Nigel

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It's certainly true that Mongoose seem to be concentrating more on their successful Traveller product line than on Legend at the moment, but it remains to be seen whether this is a short-term development while they revamp that product line or whether they have decided to get out of the d100 system altogether. Mongoose does have a history of abandoned and discontinued product lines, so I fear that the system may face a slow death. It's a pity in one respect, because it was selling very well for them for a while. However, they have already performed a huge service for the community by releasing the core system under the Open Game Licence for third party publishers to make use of. Even if Mongoose never release another Legend book, I suspect that third-party publishers will use some of the material that they gave already released as OGC in the way that Cakebread & Walton used elements from Pirates of Legend with their own Pirates & Dragons campaign setting.

Between OGL releases using Legend / OpenQuest / Renaissance as a base and official releases from Moon Design and Chaosium, the long-term future for the system is still very bright.

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