Al.

RQII states pure and simple that Perception skills take priority so successful Listener hears a successful Sneaker, a special Listener a Special Sneaker and so on.

You could do worse than follow that model. The issue/problem would be determining which type of skill trumps in other contests.

A chap called Darran (who sometimes posts here I believe) has addressed a similar artefact in HeroQuest by stating that the active party wins on tied level of success.

For myself I use highest skill wins on a tie which is what 'highest roll under' purports to do . This does change the flavour of combats (especially) so have your eyes open if you are going to try this rule.

Al

Curious if you ever though of lifting the whole Toughness concept, wherein damage below your toughness means you are shaken, while damage rolls greater than your toughness makes you wounded. Major Wound = Toughness would seem like a quick way to test the concept.

No I haven't, but now you've mentioned it I may have a stab

I've previously only used Hit Locations for Major Wounds (to see which Location is incapacitated) and it works pretty damn smoothly so I can see that idea working to. I shall have a go and let you know.

Al

So could we ask for you to post WHEN it has been turned in? That way we can pester Chaosium with unanswerable queries at the appropriate time

Seriously (sort of) though there are two bits of string here (at least) once we know how long Jason's bit is then we can worry about Chaosiums. Until then its a parametric equation with insufficient data available to solve.

Al

Resistance Table is Another Mechanic TM (note capital A and capital M)

For those who prefer internal consistency this is a bit of a bug bear. Although I remember when GURPS was advertised as ONLY having THREE mechanics which suggested that this was revolutionary and streamlined in comparison to the opposition.

There is also the issue that both sides make a roll. For some this is a great benefit (similar to the 'I want to be the one who determines whether or not I Dodge the blow not the GM rolling for the villain against a static number' argument over separate rolls for Attack, Block, Parry and Dodge). For others it makes for a wasteful multi step process

Burly Bob (Str 17) arm wrestles Hugh Hugh (Str 15).

Step 1. Calculate Bob's chance = 50+(2x5) = 60%

Step 2. Calculate Hugh's chance = 50+(-2x5) = 40%

Step 3. Roll for Bob

Step 4. Roll for Hugh

Step 5. Compare the results

If the contest is between scores which will fluctuate according to the contest (i.e. Magic Points in Spirit Combat) then steps 1 and 2 must be repeated each round.

I could quite happily run (or play in) a game which

Replaces Resistance Table with opposed rolls

Uses Resistance Table and 'normal' skill resolution (as per RAW)

ONLY uses the Resistance Table

ONLY uses Resistance Table but for percentiles the difference is <points> not <points x5> as for characteristics

ONLY uses Resistance Table but for percentiles the difference is <points> not <points x5> as for characteristics and only one roll is made not one for each side

For the latter MY bug bear is the 'its cool to not have much chance to succeed and having high skill scores means that you are a childish munchkin' attitude. And the much criticised most CoC drivers crash half of the time issue*. I also like the idea of a player making all rolls which affect their character. So using the Resistance Table for skill tests

unopposed my chance is 50 + skill

hitting my foe is 50 + my skill - his skill

avoiding my foe's strike is 50 + my skill - her skill

And for characteristic tests

avoiding the effects of the Villainous Viper Venom my chance is 50 + (Con x5) - (Pot x5)

Al

*which admittedly HAS already been partially addressed in several d100 rulesbooks and errata. i.e. RQIII says not to call for a Ride roll just to stay on a horse which is bimbling along

As part of my 'everything I've ever needed to houserule I can nick from Savage Worlds' policy

Heroes (PCs and important NPCs)

Have hitpoints (calculated as per normal)

Use powerpoints as heropoints

Roll 2 d100 for each skill/characteristic test and get to choose the best roll

(if the player chooses fail over success for amusing ot story reasons then

character gets an extra Power Point, choosing the Fumble gets 2)

Extras (most NPCs)

Die or KO on one hit (although it must at least get passed their armour)

Roll d100 for skills as normal

Al

I once (10+years ago) ran up a set of RPG rules for Dune basically using Dune (especially the appendix)

I cannot find the files now (no doubt victim of one of periodic HDD purges) but can recall some bits

Very similar to Traveller (but the essentials could port across)

Add Characteristic (scale of 2 to 12) to Skill (scale 0 to nominally 12) roll under on d20

6 Characteristics

12 normal skills

Mentat

Prana

Bindu

Presience

and no doubt others

Were all skills

But they added to appropriate characeristic for all tests (i.e. Mentat wants to recall fact about Harkonnens he adds INT+Knowledge+Mentat and indeed whenever INT is to be tested)

Sardaukar Fighting Triangles

Voice

and others

Were skills which added to skill+characteristic pool when appropriate to the skill ( i.e. add Voice to CHA+Persuade but to CHA for all tasks)

If I were doing it now in BRP?

Standard BRP charcateristics (inc Edu)

My slimline skills list

Mentat, Voice, Prana, Bindu, etc as special skills probably with same EFFECT as LoN Ki Skills

BRP already has rules for most of the Tech, would just add Nuke explosion if Lasbeam intersects a Holzman field (as a GM I am more than happy to rule that any character holding one end of aa nuclear explosion is dead I don't feel the need to roll any dice for this)

Dragon stats for sandworms just for laziness

Al

Likewise have always used Pow vs. Pow for all tests. (And hence have had the occasional nasty surprise in other people's games when they use RAW!)

Really and truly this is because I came to RPGs from Dragon Warriors which used Magical Attack vs Magical Defence neither of which decreased through casting magic. Then I went on to SBIII which didn't have MPs or PPs so everything was Pow v. Pow anyway. Then to RQIII where any serious magician tooled up with MP storage devices and so MP vs. MP became Pow v. Pow anyway.

Al

I hated to do it, but we are in a recession.

I think Al was just appreciating the irony of your comment about proofreading.

I was indeed. I had hoped that insulting myself in my signature would have been clue enough. Obviously not. Sorry about that.

Offering my services as proof reader? QUite apart from time issues you clearly haven't read enough of MY posts to see just how comic such a suggestion would be :eek:

Al the chastened

I like this idea. I did a lot of soul searching about the physical Runes. I have reconciled it thus.

Physical Runes exist, but they are big. Geograhic in fact. These are places of power and shrines and temples have sprung up on them. So in order to attune a Rune, you need to go on pilgrimage and do 'tasks' 'stations' heroquests? Not sure yet. My Glorantha will vary.

Anyway, you'll need to quest for these runes and will be guarded by temples etc. Once you are dead, its gone.

Was also thinking of giving the runes a % rating too. That way, you gain mastery at 100%.

That is fucking brilliant

I'm gonna combine it with my idea just out of akwardness but its still too clever to ignore

Well done that Argimilian

Al

Some proof reading would be nice, BRP adventures is particularly bad.

Hmmm my Orangutang friend do you mean

the volume 'BRP Adventures' is particularly bad

or

BRP Adventures are particularly bad

?

Al the proofreader (well supercilious, picky bastard anyway)

A dermograph could be made from Dragon skin and sold at a premium

One thing which MIGHT (as in I have bugger all business experience and don't really know what I'm talking about) make BRP more attractive to 3rd parties is the '3.5 crash'

BRP is VERY compatible with 6 editions of Cthulhu, 3 of RuneQuest and 5 of Stormbringer (plus several one offs which really deserved to have succeeded better commercially). Chaosium have not previously, and so presumably will not in the future, changed the 'core rules' to such an extent that previous works suddenly become too much effort to use or convert (or 'obsolete' as some see them). Really and truly I can use the stat block form any previous Chaosium d100 publication and happily use it now.

Al

I don't think it should be addtional damage, as per a db, but instead be in the weapon damage rating. Basically a certain STR/draw weight would be worth 1D6+1, another value 1D(+1, another 1D10+1, and another 2d6+1. Basically something along the same lines as they do for crossbows.

I hereby admit my stupidity it took me several reads to realise that 1D(+1 was a typo for 1D8+1. Or is this another bit of leetspeak which has sailed over my head?

As I mentioned before though for consistency having a menu of bows a la the menu of crossbows relating Str needed to damage might work. (Personally I'm still clinging to my SBIII friend of damage bonus to reflect greater draw but that ain't no reason not to make the change)

Not quite, since a arrow fired

Firing arrows, tsk, tsk

Al

("Faculty papers" and "Student papers" perhaps?)

That's rather neat and sufficiently uber-geeky

Al

The mod is lazy. Also, he got complains when he in the beginning moved around post to the most appropriate forums, as people didn't understand where their posts went.

Don't give me excuses give me pixie magic! Honestly its as if you are doing this all for free as a favour to the rest of us.

Good call on European PoD though

Al

A place to talk about Chaosium monographs to stop eejits (such as for example, me) cluttering up other threads with their (our) ramblings

Al

I humbly suggest a new thread called Chaosium Monographs or something like that.

I humbly suggest a new thread called Chaosium Monographs or something like that.

In fact I've started it and am relying on the mods to work their pixie magic and transfer the (ir)relevant posts across

Al

Akikido evolved from Aiki-jujutsu. Aiki-jujutsu includes techniques for grappling and controlling an armoured opponent.

Aiki-jujutsu - Wikipedia

In tests where wrestlers fought against boxers (both western versions), only one of the boxers won. The only boxer that won had previous wrestling experience (Sorry, I don't have the reference for that).

Sure sure. I have a feeling that we are having a 'not really an argument' argument. Certainly O-Sensei took hard techniques (be they strikes, grapples or weapon techniques) from AikiJuiJutsu in his quest to unify martial arts with agriculture.

And I have no doubt that competent wrestlers have whooped competent boxers.

But ......... (and no maligning your level of knowledge and skill, you may be the greatest proponent of this or any other age) my Senseis have according respect to pragmatic western boxing techniques, conditioning and drills (whilst decrying the lack of philosphy, empathy and higher degree of awareness)

Al

You should never derive setting-specific information from game mechanics.

One should never use the word 'you' when one means 'one'

One should never make absolute pronouncements on make-believe worlds in the arena of disagreement and ill-defined concepts that is an internet discussion forum

That being said.........

Yes absolutely the rules should be servant of the setting (story/hobby/having a good time) not vice versa and a good enough point to warrant repettition :thumb:

The problem (if problem it be) is that the game explanation for runes in MRQ is very different from that in RQI-III. And there has been a change of setting (or time period at least) so peeps do ponder the significance of this.

I am not for one moment that my explanation/suggestion is the paragon of elegant simplicty which makes all clear. But it interests me. And (sad to say) I use these boards more as a method of thinking aloud and seeing what views others have rather than as medium for me to make great and helpful suggestions to help others.

Al

All of the above IMMO

What about aiki-jujutsu?

Several of my AiKiDo Sensei rate western boxing very highly as a method self-defence. Now AiKiDo obviously not = AiKiJuiJutsu but the hard techniques derive from it. And I'm inclined to take their views seriously.

Most armour will not protect against a joint lock or break.

No indeed, one of the reasons that Gami-Uchi developed as a grappling technique so that when one's sword was lost or broken one had a chance of actually defending against an armed and armoured foe

[personal view]

Simulating MA in BRP requires one of two approaches

1. As broad and abstract as possible

2. Super detailed

For the later MRQ legendary abilities, LoN Ki skills, lists of appropriate strikes and weapons which each martial art can boost and so on seem necessary

For myself I prefer the former

either broadening the Elric! route once skill exceeds 100% gain an extra damage die (or an extra attack as frogspawner suggests although I probably would not use that but instead the old splitting attacks over 100% rule)

i.e. Mushashi with (conjectural) 200% Sword either rolls 2d10+1 damage for one perfectly timed attack at 200% or 1d10+1 for each of 2 alomst perfect 100% attacks or 1d10+1 for 4 imperfect 50% attacks

or having a single 'Melee' skill and then a range of 'Martial Arts' with a list of which strikes/techniques get an extra die of damage or attack upon a successful use

i.e. Mushashi with (again completely conjectural) 150% Melee and 50% KenJutsu would only get his extra damage die if his player rolls under BOTH KenJutsu and Melee. However he might gain the benefit of a second attack at full skill if he makes his KenJutsu roll and GM was using frogspawner's rule. If using standard split-attack rules then he could make 3 strikes each at 50% and I would argue full Kenjutsu score. If forced to use a Yari then he wouldn't get a bonus damage die or potential extra attack

Clear? Not really I suspect

[/personal view]

Al

So attempting to forge an entirely false concensus.

2nd Age - lots of physical runes.

Owners/attuned die runes may either a) disappear back to the god plane or hang around to be stolen

3rd Age - very few physical runes. If you want access then you join the cult of a god attuned to them.

Maybe THAT's the real reason that the Gloranthan gods are so keen on keeping their worshippers souls after death. if you pledge yourself to a deity when you die they get to keep your runes. If you haven't then some other puny mortal gets to attune them and keep them where THEY SHOULD NOT BE

Al

As I was finishing off SimpleQuest prior to the final edit, it occurred to me that a name change was in order.

So 'SimpleQuest' is now 'OpenQuest'

Oh man, that means that my barely literate lists of houserules on my HDD which will never see the light of day will have to be renamed (you know 'just in case')

2. Also we've found while we we've been out and about at conventions that people new to BRP/D100 are misled by the name 'SimpleQuest'. They are expecting a fast moving very simple fantasy game,

You are in good company there then. When we doing the BRP playtest one of my buddies foolishly tried to read all of the rules (rather than stick to trying out the ones which I said that we'd be testing today) and bewailed plaintively 'its not exactly Basic is it?' On top of which for at least 3 editions RuneQuest had very little to do with Questing for Runes

The game is now at Final edit and layout, and should be available in April.

Cool

Al

Which kind of makes sense, but on the other hand the monographs do clearly say on them what they are, that is: independently produced works with editing and production done by the author. As long as thats clearly stated it's upto the buyer if they want to fork out the money. You pays your money and takes your chances....

All valid points. And of course Sherlock Holmes* wrote monographs on various esoteric topics so the authors are in good company.

My concern on the Monograph strategy is how much it costs to get the damned things shipped from the States. And I hates PDFs (yes my precious) and wants lovely paper in my hands so epublishing doesn't really do it for me either. But I guess that goes into the catch-22** situation. Until Chaosium have sufficient market penetration that they can afford to lose a proportion of revenue to stores/distributors they have to sell direct and hope that market base will pay the shipping costs and until they are able to write off a proportion of revenue to stores/distributors they won't get market penetration. But if they do write off proportion of revenue then they risk get burned again and finally dying as a company. I vote that they form a business partnership with a big player, oh I dunno someone like Avalon Hill maybe? (ducks and runs for cover)

Al

* waddya mean he's not real? Next you'll be questioning the validity of Baritsu and Doyle's lumping together of Nihilism, Anarchism and other schools of thought. Good God man.

** no, no, not that catch-22 this one I am lazily refering to as a catch-22

Showing my BRP background; I started with Stormbringer III which had d6s for melee damage bonus and d4s for thrown and missiles ('this is because a bigger stronger character draws a heavier bow as well as throws an object harder'*)

So I guess for me all else seems frippery and nonsense. Having said that I'm happy to halve damage bonus for missiles just because that makes it easier to have the more granular damage bonus progression. (As posted before I have done a more granular chart with d4 missile, d6 melee, d8 2handed melee but it was tres fiddly). Some of the comments made above are undoubtedly valid and probably a better simulation but this rule is the one which I learned first and so I shall stick to it.

The Crossbow model Light, Medium, Heavy, Arbalest might be a more believable progression (I hate the word 'realistic' when applied to rpg rules!) and were it simple enough (didn't MagicWorld have rules for stronger characters being able to buy a bigger bow?) I might use that instead for sake of consistency.

Al

* that shouldn't really be quotations as I am quoting from memory rather than the text, but this is my post so back off