raymond_turney

Hi, Steve Perrin is, I assume, using his combat exploits in a wargame tactics kind of way. The purpose of his rule on "good hits" is to offer a wider assortment of possible combat results, to better mimic reality. D&D "feats" and Spirit of the Century's "stunts" serve the dramatic purpose of differentiating characters by fighting style. This makes fighters more interesting, by providing different ways of developing the character {to some extent SoC stunts are like divine spells in traditional RQ}. My combat exploits are intended to promote both additional tactical options and character differentiation, but with most of the emphasis on the later. Given this aim, it is obvious that abolishing the differentiation among characters in ability to exploit special and critical hits would not serve my ends. My limited understanding of reality suggests that (as usual) reality has not been coordinated with the needs of game designers. Most fighters most of the time can figure out what they want from combat maneuvers, and even how to perform them, long before they can actually bring them off in a fight. It is unlikely that real fighters either follow Perrin's abstraction and learn them all at once or that they follow my abstraction and learn them in discrete chunks. The relationship is probably some complex correlation in which all depend on a certain amount of training and ability to execute quickly, but which are learned first and at what level depends on the talents and motivation of the fighter. More seriously, trying to represent any form of combat {fencing, SCA combat, unarmed combat as taught by the USMC} in enough detail to be recognizable to experts in that form of combat rapidly brings up two problems. The first is that expert level combat in any fighting style involves things that are very hard to represent abstractly, and the second is that expert level combat in any two different styles is represented by the experts in whose styles differently. So it is just a can of worms. Finally, most of the players of any fantasy game are not experts in any martial art and their intuitions {to avoid creating problems in suspending disbelief you need to match the player's intuition, not reality} are formed by the movies. After all that, if your purposes are better served by some rule from SPQR {or BRP, or MRQ} than by my offering, use the SPQR {or BRP or MRQ} rule. I expect that most of the people downloading F&S will either steal ideas from it to use in their games, or use it as a framework replacing a couple of rules they don't like with others. While you can play F&S pretty much by the rules as written, I don't think this will be the way most people use it. Ray,

Hi, Fire and Sword Third Edition is now available, here. It adds a fumble table. the combat exploits discussed in this forum earlier and rules for mounted combat. It also includes more spells and mosters as discussed here and in the Fire and Sword blog, etc. The character sheets have been added to the basic rules PDF, so that anyone who has a copy of 3rd edition also has character sheets. A list of divine spells, sorcery spells and monsters, with links, has been added in the front of the relevant chapters. In short, a useful improvement over 2nd edition. Ray,

Hi. There is now a Yahoo group for Fire and Sword, here. Sign up if you want to get email announcements of future releases. You can also use it to email a list of other people interested in Fire and Sword. Thanks, Ray,

Hi, Considering changing new character creation in F&S, thinking of changing character creation as follows: There are two types of archetypes, primary and secondary. When starting a low level character, he or she gets primary archetype skills at 12; or 10 if a secondary archetype is archetype is also chosen. If a secondary archetype is chosen for a low level character, secondary archetype skills start at 8. When starting at midlevel, primary archetype skills are at 14, or 12 if a secondary archetype is also chosen, in which case secondary archetype skills will start at 10. When starting at a high level primary archetype skills are at 16, or 14 if a secondary archetype is also chosen, in which case secondary archetype skills will start at 12. Then, to individualize character skills sets, put the character through four “virtual adventures”. Ignore the adventure itself, and just give out an average number of experience checks. If your campaign is like ours, this will amount to 28 experience checks allocated by the players, in four batches of seven, so that the maximum number of checks that can be put into any particular skill is four. These checks should be rolled as if they had been awarded at the end of a play session. Any comments? Ray,

It seems to me that the granularity issue is more closely related to the number of dice rolled than to the type of dice rolled. System can be divided into the following categories: a) roll one die, usually a D10 or D20 - most gamers seem to feel that this offers too little granularity roll two D10's and interpret them as a D100 to get a percentile system {RQ, BRP, etc}. Compare to different numbers, depending on skill, to find out if the success was a fumble, special or critical. c) roll D20 and if a potential funny result {fumble, special or crit} is possible then roll another D20 to see if it happens. This actually gives finer granularity than D100 systems, since you're basically using base 20, and 400 different results are possible. AD&D 3.5, I think, F&S and a number of other systems are like this. d) Roll several D6 and add them together, GURPS, etc. This gives a much more Poisson like distribution,so mediocrity is a lot more common. The tendency to have a lot of mediocrity is realistic, but undramatic. In theory, we could also have a roll D30, then roll D30 system {this is what the F&S Heroquest the characters in my personal game are now on amounts to}. This is equivalent to rolling D900 and offers even finer granularity than the common alternatives. The smaller size D30 make this fairly practical. I'm not sure I would want a system that did this on a regular basis, but I might change my mind if my characters get better, and more of the rolls become successes. Essentially, whether you prefer percentile, one D20 and another if necessary, or GURPS style dice rolling is a matter of taster. I like rolling the minimum number of dice necessary at a time, so I like D20 then a second D20 if necessary - but for characters as good as the PC's in our campaign, it is always necessary. So F&S at a high level also involves rolling two dice. I nearly always prefer rolling dice to interpreting a roll, since I think interpretation takes more time than rolling dice as such. Actually, I am not sure what dice you roll is a very important aspect of a system, once you get past rolling only one die at all times. Good luck, Ray,

Hi, An idea being considered for Third Edition Fire and Sword is Combat Exploits. They are intended to be a way to put spice into specials, crits, and cinematic hits: Combat Exploits When a character manages a special, critical, or cinematic success, he or she has the chance to perform a “combat exploit”. A special success allows one combat exploit that round, a critical success allows two combat exploits, and a cinematic success allows three combat exploits in a given round. With the exception of “natural critical”, discussed below a character must know a combat exploit to perform it. , a character must know the exploit. All characters know the Maximum Damage, Negate Exploit and Ignore Armor Exploits. One additional attack exploit is learned when weapon attack skill reaches twenty; another attack exploit is learned when weapon attack skill reaches twenty five, and a new exploit is learned at every level divisible by 5 thereafter. A parry exploit may be learned when parry skill reaches twenty, twenty five, thirty etc. Exploits that are neither attack specific nor parry specific may be leaned as either attack exploits or parry exploits. A character may use exploits that do not increase damage whenever he or she manages a special, critical, or cinematic success. No exploit can be used if the success is reduced to a miss or fumble, whatever the initial level of success. Exploits that increase damage, such as Maximum Damage, Ignore Armor, Impale, or The Bigger They the Harder they Fall cannot be used when the success is reduced to an ordinary success (”parried down”), but are otherwise treated like exploits that do not increase damage. A player may choose which exploit his character performs after rolling. If both sides in a melee bring off a combat exploit, both players roll D20 and the lower result declares what combat exploit it is attempting first. Name Description Attack or Parry Emphasis Can switch attackand parry rolls as desired. Switch is made after rolling, if it is written on the character sheet that this is his default Exploit. Decision to switch if the die roll is good enough must be made prior to die rolling, either by announcing intent to use this exploit or by having it written down on the character sheet. If this is written down, though, the character does this even when it does ot help him or her. The default can always be overridden if the players announces that he is planning on using a different combat exploit. Maximum Damage (A) Attacking weapon damage roll is automatic maximum – i.e. 1D10 roll is automatically ten. Cannot be invoked if enemy parries the blow with a roller higher than the die rolled, even if parry is not a special, crit, etc. Negate Exploit Ignore effect of enemy exploit on character Ignore Armor (A) Eliminates up to 5 points of the effect of an enemy’s armor. Cannot be invoked if enemy parries the blow with a roller higher than the die rolled, even if parry is not a special, crit, etc. Force Retreat(A) Enemy must retreat at least one half normal move, independently of whether or not he is affected by damage from the blow. Enemy chooses where to retreat to. Effects of movement enhancing spells like Wingfoot not counted as part of normal move. If enemy cannot retreat and is forced to retreat, apply both Maximum Damage and Ignore armor instead. A second level of Force Retreat allows the attacker to choose where the defender retreats to. If a character has learned two levels of Force Retreat they only count as one exploit against the total allowed for a special, critical or cinematic hit. Fighting Retreat (P) May retreat from combat, moving up to ½ normal movement distance per round generally backward, whether or not retreater is affected by damage from the blow. Enemy must follow or disengage. Effects of movement enhancing spells like Wingfoot may be counted as part of normal move, if the retreater chooses to do so. The Bigger they are, the Harder they fall (A) Offsets one level of size difference, against larger than human targets only. May be chose three times, but never does more than damage than the enemy opposed has in size advantage. A character fighting a large, huge, etc monster, he or she can always use this if he knows it, even if he has attack or parry emphasis written down as a default. If a character has learned multiple levels of this exploit they only count as one exploit against the total allowed for a special, critical or cinematic hit. Impale (A) When using a broadsword, dagger or spear, add +5 to damage. If target falls down, the weapon is stuck in the target. Pulling it out will require a strength -5 roll on D20. Hold Enemy Off If using the longer weapon, keep enemy at a distance presenting him from closing to strike this round. If enemy attack has already been rolled, ignore it. Attack 2 Foes (A) Attack 2 foes at roll -5. Parry 2 Foes (P) Parries 2 foes at roll -5 Attack All Foes (A) Attack All foes in reach at roll -10. Parry All Foes (P) Parries All foes at roll - 10 Parry Arrows (P) Parries an arrow at roll – 5. May be chosen more than once, in which case more than one arrow can be parried. Situational Awareness Character may Listen or Spot with a -5 difficulty modifier while fighting Gift of Command Character may issue a seven word order, shouting to his followers, while fighting. Getting them to hear and obey will require a roll of Leadership with a -5 difficulty modifier. Comments Anyone? Issues Anyone? Ray,

Hi, The oddity that your chances of criting yourself went up went up as a character's skill increased was unintentional {the result of good old human failure to think} and has been eliminated in the revised fumble table. Ray,

Changed fumble table to address the issue of making sure chances of critical hitting self does not rise with character skill. Fumble table now is: Roll Result 1-2 Off Balance Cannot attack next round 3-5 Off Balance – Can neither attack nor parry next round 6 Lose weapon – weapon cannot retrieved for rest of fight 7 Vision obstructed – Attacks and parries -10 till one round out of combat can be spent to remove obstruction 8 Hit self – roll D20 and if you roll a 1 damage is maximum and ignores armor; if not do normal weapon damage; to self. If this happens while parrying, drop parrying weapon or shield. 9 Hit ally, as hit self except nearest friend is hit. If no friend within reach, hit self. 10 Expose yourself – all enemy attacks increase one level, thus enemy misses become hits, hits become specials, specials critical successes, and critical successes cinematic.

Hi, I never ran a test to confirm my suspicion that rolling D20 is faster than rolling 2D10. On the other hand, I remember enough arguments over whether or not players were consistent in reading their D10's with the dark color high, and cases where one of the two dice rolled off the table {twice as likely with two dice}, etc, to convince me that rolling D20 caused slightly fewer hassles. Also, it just seems to me that it is obvious that rolling two dice, reading them, and putting what you see together to make 87 or whatever will take longer than rolling one die and reading 17. You could play F&S using D100. What dice you roll is probably less important than other aspects of a systems. Ray,

Hi, It recently came to my attention that Fire and Sword nowhere says that a miss in combat does not do anything, nor is a fumble table provided. These defects will be corrected in 3rd edition. The current version of the Fumble Table follows: Roll Result 1-2 Off Balance Cannot attack next round 3-5 Off Balance – Can neither attack nor parry next round 6 Lose weapon – weapon cannot retrieved for rest of fight 7 Vision obstructed – Attacks and parries -10 till one round out of combat can be spent to remove obstruction 8 Hit self – rolled attack to see if special or critical, if not do normal weapon damage to self. If this happens while parrying, drop parrying weapon or shield. 9 Hit ally, as hit self except nearest friend is hit. If no friend within reach, hit self. 10 Expose yourself – all enemy attacks increase one level, thus enemy misses become hits, hits become specials, specials critical successes, and critical successes cinematic. Good luck, Ray,

Hi, In Fire and Sword, my follow on to RuneQuest, I went with a D20 mechanic. Specials happen when a character has skill > 20. In that case you roll D20 for base skill {if you roll a one you fumble, unless you make the special die}. You also roll a D20 to see if you make less than (skill-20) and special. Crits are rolls exactly equal to skill, on either oridnary dice or special dice, and a than a success on another D20 roll. Been doing it for about 10 years, works pretty well. The advantage of D20 is you roll fewer dice per skill test. For one skill test, this is insignificant. But a large fight might involve 300 attacks and parries, so the amount of extra time taken by rolling D100 becomes significant. Our fights can get pretty big, so D20 was the way to go for us. The disadvantage of D20 is that there really are more than 20 different levels of skill in doing anything. So a system with D20 will annoy people used to D100 for a while, because it gives a somewhat more abstract feel. I was a co-designer of RQ ! & II back in the Dark Ages. If you're curious about Fire and Sword, or want more on the advantages of each type of dice, go to the Fire and Sword Download page on this site. Fire and Sword, a Designer's commentary {that addresses the dice issue}, the second iteration of a setting description, and character sheets are available as a free download under an open source license. For obvious reasons, I recommend it:). Good luck, and feel free to use my refinement of Pendragon's mechanics in your game, Ray,

Hi, Just uploaded the second edition of the City of Tishrei setting description. It is about twice the length of the first iteration, and includes everthing in the first iteration plust information on how the city fits into the world, foundation myths, three noble houses, a couple of other new institutions, etc. There is a pdf version, for people who intend to use the description as is, and an rtf version for those who want to customize it. Ray,

Hi, Don't underestimate the cost of learning a new system. Most players were basically butt-kicking or powergaming; D&D is good for that and there was nothing that was clearly better for that until World of Warcraft came along. Also, it is harder to create a character for BRP {{any form} than for D&D. I know, I've done it a lot of times in both systems. So you have to learn a new system, learn to GM a new system, etc. At the end of the process, you have a game that, if you are interested in butt kicking or powergaming, is not actually more fun than D&D. So BRP was pretty likely to end up taking over only those parts of the market that were interested in storytelling, wargaming, or method acting. This is a fairly small portion of the market, which BRP had to share with other competitors.

Hi, The Third Edition is mostly a bug fix edition. It is currently slated to have one major new feature. I am trying to generalize the options available for players of high level fighters, by including a number of "Combat Exploits" to provide additional options for players of high level. The reason for trying this is to get some of the flavor of D&D 4th edition combat in at high levels, so a highly skilled fighter can act like Errol Flynn, while avoiding additional complexity for lower level characters while people are still learning the game. Otherwise, miscellaneous rules and monsters mentioned on the blog supporting the rules will become an integral part of third edition. Currently I hope to have 3rd edition out at the end of the year. Good luck, and may you not need it, Ray,

Hi, Greg Stafford asked for some notes on the development of RuneQuest, and I provided them. They can be found on his website at: Ray Turney RQ They are part of a larger series, including similar pieces from Greg and Steve at: RuneQuest Page My current project, Fire and Sword, can be found at: BRP Central - Downloads Hope you find them interesting, Ray,

Hi, The current short term plans for Fire and Sword involve: A second iteration of The Tishrei setting, doubled in length of forty pages with a map of where of its place in the world, three noble houses added and maybe some new temples and other institutions. I'm writing page 31 now. A second iteration of the second edition, with a few new minor rules {fame points as script immunity/heroic effort points, Pow requirements to sacrifice for divine spells, etc), characer sheets added as an appendix to the rules, etc. A start on game mastering Fire and Sword at conventions, notably Dundracon in the Bay Area, to increase awareness of the rules and the numer of people who know how to play. Is there anyone out there who would like to GM Fire and Sword at a convention? Comments, anyone? A book version of the rules is under consideration, using print on demand technology Thanks for your interest in Fire and Sword, Ray,

Hi, Have added a 12 page "Deginer's Comentary" on Fire and Sword, in the Fire and Sword download section. It discussing the major design decisions and why they were made the way they were. This is unlikely to be useful to a new player of Fire and Sword, but may be of interest to game master's adapting Fire and Sword to their own purposes, game designers, people iinterested in role plaing game design, etc. Enjoy, Ray,

Have replaced the Sorana temple with a few institutions and individuals found in the City of Tishrei. It is offered in pdf {easier to read and search on a computer} and rtf {easier to edit with a text editor} versions. The description for the rtf version of this file: This is the first iteration of the City of Tishrei setting description. It is intended both for use as a model for your own work, and to provide institutions and characters that are mostly already built to provide. This version has eight institutions. Two, the Sorana temple and the Vijeta temple have appeared before. Where they conflict, the version in description is preferable to the earlier versions. Hope you find them useful. Ray,

Hi, Have uploaded character sheets for an urban thief and a sorcerer, in Fire and Sword. Use the PDF version to print out and the RTF to modify and customize. Hope F&S players find them useful. Ray,

Have uploaded a sample healing temple {Sorana} and a fairly close to beginning healer willing to adventure attached to it, in the Setting Ad-Ons part of the downloads page. This serves as another example institution description, an institution that can be dropped into a larger campaign, and finally offers healing support to a group of characters starting a Fire and Sword Campaign. Both pdf and rtf versions exist, the pdf should print out better while the rtf is easier to modify to fit the needs of your own campaign.

Hi, Have uploaded character sheets for fighters with a rural background, using bow OR javelin and shield OR long thrusting spear, in both rtf and pdf versions. The rtf should be easier to modify with your text editor, and the pdf will probably look prettier when printed off. These are under Download -> Game Aids on this site. Have fun. Ray,