Zenith Comics Presents...

When I was in high school, way back in the 1980's, I purchased the Avalon Hill boxed set (Deluxe) of RuneQuest but never got to play it.

As I don't care for Glorantha as a setting, I prefer using my own, I am considering diving back in. Now I see there are Games Workshop versions, as well as a bunch of version from Avalon Hill.

What are the differences between them all? I don't know, can anyone tell me?

Thanks in advance!

BE HEROIC!

I am still debating using 1d20 vs. 1d100. I honestly like the simplicity of the d20, but I also appreciate the granularity of the d100.

Le sigh... 

Another fish to fry is looking at Classic Fantasy (Chaosium) and Classic Fantasy (Design Mechanism) I find their "class abilities" aren't really inspiring me.

Does anyone have any links or resources to recommend for cool "abilities" that they can get as they get better to help them feel more special?

BE HEROIC!

Hey,

So I've tried and tried to read Design Mechanism's material, but I won't lie their font choice seems to be rather difficult for mem so I was hoping someone could just explain to me how the Classes and Class Abilities/Talents work.

I would really appreciate this as I am strongly keen to see if they are something I would adapt to my home BRP hack.

Cheers and thanks in advance!

BE HEROIC!

Added a link in the first post to my BRP Custom Rules Hack. Note it is a Work in Progress 🙂

Cheers!

So slight change in playing plan. Instead of starting on and telling the story of Albana, the players are instead playing a family in the New World.

Here is the Known World. The continent of Aegos (to the left of Albana) is called simply the Continent. Across the sea, where we find Gilboah, Ancient Vothia, etc... is called the New World, despite it being home to countless "barbarian" tribes and the remnants of the long lost Vothic empire. Beyond the continental divide mountains there, we come to the Dreaming East, home to the lotus filled lands of Pashmir and the mysterious Celestial Empire. What lies beyond that is unknown. So, essentially the New World is really only "new" in that Continental agents have been exploring and colonizing it for the past century and a half.

Attached are two images that show the distance between Albana and the New World colony and the area that will be explored in this 'story'.

Finally, here is the local area map I made of the Duchy of Andler and their enemies the Barony of Levonhardt.

We are using Cthulhu Dark Ages (3e) for this campaign, and while not using Cthulhu Mythos, I will be using "dark otherworldly horror" elements inspired by therein. 🙂

More to come 🙂 

Oh and the name of the campaign is; Blackfire - a Jagged Peace

If folks want to know the backstory I am happy to provide it, as well as information on the primary PCs and NPCs.

BE HEROIC!

On 6/8/2021 at 5:38 PM, Agentorange said:

Hi Zenith,

On the corruption mechanic there used to be a MRQ product by Otherworld Creations called Taint and Sanity - having just checked on DTRPG and Lulu it looks athough it's no longer available/out of print. But if you get a chance to look at a copy it might cover the ground.

Sadly this item is a no-find it appears. Not for sale anywhere. Does anyone know the author and maybe he would be willing to do a direct purchase? Everything I read about it says this is amazing stuff 😞 

Thanks in advance for any and all help on this one.

So I have a question for you all, and your opinions are welcome.

Some of my player's are balking at a human's only setting. They aren't looking for dragoborn, but they want dwarves, and orcs, and elves, and hobbits etc...

I am not sure I really want to add these peoples to the world, and if I was going to I would want to expand that out to include other "non-human" races from beyond northern Europe, if that makes sense. You know instead of having elves all over the place, they would be isolated to the nordic realms, hobbits to the island of Albana (England stand-in), etc...

So I ask you, if you were creating this world, what would you do?

Cheers!

12 minutes ago, Agentorange said:

Hi Zenith,

On the corruption mechanic there used to be a MRQ product by Otherworld Creations called Taint and Sanity - having just checked on DTRPG and Lulu it looks athough it's no longer available/out of print. But if you get a chance to look at a copy it might cover the ground.

Interesting item. Apparently nigh impossible to find 😞

I'll keep looking 🙂 

Thanks for sharing 🙂 

Long time no see.

So this campaign is picking up finally, with players in the pre-production phase.

I had this climatology map document commissioned (it's a Power Point) and it does a wonderful job of breaking down the weather and biomes of the Known World map.

More to come!

Outstanding mate!

I have BGB and Magic World, so I'll take a look. 🙂

Your DIY template is awesome, but I'll probably take a look at Mythic Britain as that skews towards the kind of campaign I am running!

Again thanks 🙂

Hey there,

So I am using CoC Dark Ages for a fantasy campaign I am running, set in my own world. I wanted to make cultural templates for the characters, along the lines of; people from this realm tend to have these skills, etc...

Has this been done already that I can adapt? Any and all links/info would be super appreciated. 

Cheers!

Beaming into the thread...

So I might be doing a FASA Trek setting campaign, but using BRP (maybe CoC7e) and I was wondering, how to adapt the skill list from FASA to BRP...

Here is the FASA list;

Note that skills with a * require a specialty/sub-skill selection.

Any thoughts?

18 minutes ago, lawrence.whitaker said:

I think Bushido is one of the very best examples of merging classes, levels and skills - along with both a d100 and d20 roll under mechanic - into a successful and unified whole.

• Skills are calculated on a 0-100 basis for base values and improvement, and then divided by 5 for a d20 roll under resolution
• Levels are limited to 6, with level providing a bonus to certain skills, saving throws and capabilities
• Classes are archetypes and determine beginning skills, but there's no real limit to developing skills outside of the class itself

It's a brilliant game, and shows how the old class/level approach can be adapted and unified to work with an open skill approach. By using d20 as the rolling mechanism, if also allows for some neat tricks especially around Effect Numbers (the difference between your skill success chance and what you roll, when successful) for all kinds of different resolution needs and situations.

It really is a very elegant and nuanced game system. Further iterations of the same system - notably Aftermath! and Daredevils - do away with classes and levels but retain the underlying framework of the Bushido system. Sadly, they both layer-in a lot of unnecessary complexity in other areas, but show that the same basic system can be shorn of its class/level parts and function very well as a skill-only game.

You know I only ever played V&V from FGU and read Psiworld. I'll have to take a look at this! Thanks for sharing 🙂 

I am the odd man out I am sure, but I vastly prefer MW and CoC 7e to Mythras. Setting aside my old man eyes hate the font they used, I just find it has too many fiddly bits. I prefer a more steam-lined experience 🙂 That said, all power to those who love it, which I know are many 🙂 

Just to point out, as I've seen it come up a couple of times, I wasn't proposing D&D Classes and Levels, I was merely looking for experience and input on using a single 20 sided die vs. a percentile die in the game. 🙂

Great discussion thus far, I am seeing the passion and the interest.

While I am sure there will be potential for a country-by-country break down of BRP in the history of Europe, I will concede the point that perhaps it was over represented by fans in the 80's and 90's as to it's popularity there. Something that has always been a way to claim "elitism" or "cachet" in North America from my youth was for folks to claim the much-more sophisticated and thereby intelligent Europeans embraced the item over us ignorant and commercialized North Americans. So moving forward, I stand corrected, and ultimately don't care what the numbers for Sweden, Belgium, the Netherlands, and remaining parts of the EU are. 😉

Back to the topic at hand my Europeers? 😄

Sorry for the late replies, got distracted by work and by my HEROIC RPG project.

On 2/11/2021 at 8:54 AM, Mugen said:

Well, Sweden is not Europe.

In France, D&D is still the most popular game. Even though Call of Cthulhu is popular enough that it became a meme as the go-to generic game ("Tu prends Cthulhu et tu adaptes").

Concerning the use of a d20 in a BRP game, a possible problem I see is with critical successes. Pendragon and (Hero)Quest(World) consider a uniform 5% crit chance when your skill is under 20. It means the lower your skill, the more likely you are that a success is a crit. That is, with a skill of 10, 1 success out of 10 will be a crit, whereas with a skill of 1 every success will be a crit.

Yes I am aware that Sweden is not Europe lol

But up until 5e, BRP was more popular in most European nations than D&D, at least anecdotally. ;) 

The quote about Cthulhu also explains the preponderance of dark fantasy rpgs that come out of Europe as well methinks ;) 

17 minutes ago, Singemonkey said:

I'm really interested in this. I like the idea of all the numbers in the game being on the same scale, conceptually. And I also like the simplified arithmetic that can potentially speed up decision making in play.

<<SNIP>>

I'll reiterate, I think the difference is small, but it could create a little bit of a smoother play experience that I'd like to try out.

You know I had all but given up on this and then your post got me excited. I believe I will give this a try in my next campaign. :) 

Cheers!

Is this a legit print copy or did I get scammed with some sort of POD thing?

2 hours ago, Mugen said:

Most of your magic variants (Black, Hedge, Sorcery -obviously-, Wizardry, perhaps even Willpower) could be simply covered by Legend or Mythras' Sorcery by making each of your tradition a cult. Each would have different ways to learn spells, and a different list of spells that can be learned and cast.

Divine could obviously be modelled as Theism, and Summoning/Binding as a variant of Animism.

Thanks, I'll look into those for sure. I just ordered a hard copy of Advanced Sorcery, so going to look into that as well 🙂

BE HEROIC!

Hey,

So I think I posted or asked this before but I cannot find that thread so I am considering the other one dead and starting this one.

As some of you know I am working on a setting (Codex Albana) that I will publish in the end, in its own time, no rush.

While I am working on the stuff I need to get in order for all this and start playing, I am at the point of deciding how magic works in my world. As such I am looking for recommendations for how to do the various magic systems as laid out below. Please feel free to suggest every and any BRP compatible magic system you think would match something outlined below. For the record I currently own the Big Gold Book and Magic World (Advanced Sorcery is on the way), but I will purchase any PDFs/books that I think would be good to have, based on your suggestions here.

Let's begin.

Black Magic: When we think of the "evil" witch, this is the kind of magic we are talking about. Rituals, voodo, Satanic stuff. Evil magic that corrupts, requires a benefactor (the devil, the queen of the morning sun, etc...) and is very very not polite. Certainly could be pact magic, mixed with potions, charms, hexes, curses, etc...

Divine Magic: Essentially miracles, blessings, etc... the real holy roller stuff. Magic from "God" as it were. Only the favoured can cast it, and perhaps there is a tremendous amount of ritual involved. Could be seen as a form of pact magic.

Hedge Magic: Let's call this white magic, or the like. Beneficial witchcraft. Nothing devastating, just the kind of peasant magic that the "wise woman" or what have you would use to benefit a community she/he/they are part of. Low magic to be sure, and probably very subtle.

Sorcery: This is the most powerful of magics. This is where we get the true abominations of life. Think when Melisandre sends the blood homunculus to kill Renly. Essentially powerful, deadly, and corrupting. This is where the corruption mechanic will be on display. It would almost be considered the opposite of Divine Magic. Dusty old tomes (and tombs lol), rituals, sacrifices (hey those MP gotta come form somewhere after all), summoning physical horrors, etc... This is the magic of Conan's Hyborean World!

Summoning/Binding Magic: I think this one is pretty straight forward and would be best represented by the system presented in Magic World/Stormbringer, but I want it to also be able to bind more than just demons and elementals, but also angelic or celestial beings. Think this scene in Artesia (image below) where she is looking at the room with all the bound magics everyone is wearing, and that's what I am looking to emulate.

Willpower Magic: The rarest form of magic in the world as it literally involves the user forcing reality to do their bidding. No spells, not rituals, just pure, raw willpower. I like this idea laid out in this post a lot for it, but is there a better option?

Wizardry: The other super rare for of magic. It is what we think of when we think wizard. Spellbooks, studying, remembering, casting, etc... 

That's all I have for now, but certainly would be open to other magics as well as the world expands and different people have different techniques (Rune magic, Blood magic, Shamanism, etc...)

So please, share with me what you think would work for the above styles of magic and I will happily dive into it all.

BE HEROIC!

4 minutes ago, Nick J. said:

"Choose location" special effect in Mythras is pretty neat-o. 

Can you elaborate? Pretty please? 🙂

1 hour ago, RogerDee said:

It is absolutely possible for someone to mis-read a strike and then move into the strike instead of away from.

A friend of mine, when we were competing in tournaments, went to deliver a spinning back kick, in retrospect we assume her opponent thought she was going for a spinning hook kick, and ducked causing her to lean right into the blow and was KOed on the spot.

Ultimately there aren't a lot of "random" shots in a melee. I dislike random hit locations for non-missile fire.

BE HEROIC!

On 2/9/2021 at 2:27 PM, Atgxtg said:

I agree. I think it sort of fits the whole idea of a sorcery reading forbidden lore in his tower and slowly becoming corrupted.

Agreed 100%

On 2/9/2021 at 2:27 PM, Atgxtg said:

I'd probably go take a good look at Decipher's Lord of the Ring RPG. Middle Earth's danger of magic (actually lust for power in general) leading to corruption seems suspiciously close to what you are aiming for. As I have LOTR I did just take a quick look and...

You are talking to Captain CODA! LOL, I loved that system and regretted it's demise 😞

On 2/9/2021 at 2:27 PM, Atgxtg said:

In BRP terms this could be handled with an opposed Willpower (POWx5%) roll vs Corruption or as a simple WIllpower statl with corruption points being subtracted, much like how CoC handles Sanity.  

When a character fails the corruption roll he earns additional corruption points based upon the degree of failure and the character must act in an appropriate matter in regard to the corruption (i.e. throttling your cousin to get that nice ring he found).

If the Corruption points reach a certain total then the character gets thoroughly corrupt and gets turned into a evil NPC. IN BRP terms this would probably mean greater than thier POW socre, or by having their WIll roll reduced to 0. 

This is in line with Greville suggested as well 🙂

I think there is a system in here, just need to figure it out.

BE HEROIC!

Anymore reviews?

Is this something I want to pick-up?

🙂 

On 1/26/2021 at 12:44 PM, GothmogIV said:

Any general thoughts on updating MU to the 7e rules? 

I'll be the sore thumb on this one but this is where I am heading the more I dive into both. I LOVE Magic World, but there are aspects of CoC7e I really like as well. That said in the end my BRP game will look a lot more Frankensteined than calling it MW or 7e or Pendragon, etc...

I am at the BRP buffet right now, picking what I like.

Also I JUST ordered my copy of Advanced Sorcery today 🙂

Watching this thread with great interest.

12 hours ago, DreadDomain said:

Where do you feel 7e would improve MW?

• Characteristics on %?
• Pushing?
• Advantage/Disadvantage dice?
• Hard and extreme difficulties?
• Opposed rolls with difficulty based on opponent skills (and no resistance table)?
• Combat based on fighting, fighting maneuver, dodging and fighting back
• other?

Instead of updating MW, would playing with the Cthulhu Dark Ages mods sufficient?

Personally, I think Magic World is a set of rules that does what it is set to do but I am curious to know what you believe 7e would bring to the table?

This is interesting, I have CoC Dark Ages as well, but I like a LOT of what MW brings as well, including the Demon/Elemental summoning/binding rules 😉

Naturally YMMV, as in all things.

BE HEROIC!