vagabond

Yes, you can use MRQ supplements, and most likely it would require little effort. -V

Again, you need to take into consideration a few factors: Chaosium is a very small operation. The economy has hit them very hard I am sure. And, the primary editor is for all intents and purposes no longer part of the staff, and is not going to be replaced any time soon. I recall Dustin posting on his blog or somewhere else that between the cons they attended, Lynn's health, and some other issues that cropped up, things have been a bit slow getting out. Also, I recall at least Jason has some issues with Chaosium that needs straightening out before Interplanetary goes further. -V

I would also submit that becoming an Agent/Champion of Law/Chaos/Balance (or reaching Apotheosis) in Stormbringer/Elric! also granted new "feats" - special abilities that went beyond simple percentile adds. -V

Hey all, BRP had "feats" long before D&D3. The RQ supplement Land of the Ninja had Ki Powers. Adding "feats" to BRP is fairly simple. Look at MRQ's Legendary Abilities as well. As for a classlike system, WFRP uses "Professions" to narrow down skill sets and such, with the possibility that once you reach a point, you can progress to a different professions, kind of like D&D3's Prestige Classes. I could see a similar system for BRP working quite well. -V

I lifted extensively from Gerall Khalla's website (the old chromebob site) and Neville White's excellent work for RQ Athas. I'll have to dig around some, I made some changes since I was using Stormbringer rules instead, and originally used Elan when dealing with Defilers and their relationship with the Dragon Kings. I may have started to play with Allegiance when Elric! came out. I modelled Psionics after SB4 demon powers, using POW (eventually converted to Magic Points). Of course, I have no idea where any of this stuff is ... -V

Well, I was kind of asking you to elaborate on this: from your other thread. -V

Yes, I have. I had, at one time, copious notes converting most of Athas/Dark Sun over to BRP, as well as converting Stormbringer over to an OGL/D&D3E setup. And, I have my ongoing Skyrealms of Jorune conversion in the works. I agree, dextrous fighters and high level spell slingers are the most worrisome. I am a little curious about what you mean by D&D spells from your other thread. I will try to dig up my long lived half-drow 8th level pure thief to see what Solinor can do. He's a 2+E AD&D character, but I could probably whip up a 3E version if desired. -V

Aaah, but isn't this: in direct conflict with this? How can the character and all of its skills and abilities remain intact if the system's new laws of physics overrule things? -V

I believe at one point Beholders were also officially called Eye Tyrants. So, Tyrant sounds like a good name to use. -V

I'll have to check, but I believe Elric!/Stormbringer actually had a separate Bluff skill at one time. I think it was SB 1- 4, and it was removed in Elric! -V

In Poker, a successful "Poker Face" is achieved with some skill. Some are good at it, some aren't. It takes effort. I would say, a general "Bluff" skill roll would suffice. One need not say something to bluff someone, just providing a demeanor is sufficient (trying to look cool under duress for example). -V

Yes, things like Deep Ones and some of the various lower powered Cthulhu Mythos beasties can easily be dropped into the Young Kingdoms, as long as you keep two things in mind: 1) Characters in the Young Kingdoms are significantly more heroic than the investigators in CoC, so the outcome will be different (mostly, no going insane unless you use some optional rules - YK characters are supposed to be a little more hardy when it comes to blood, gore and weirdness). 2) The higher powered Cthulhu beasties may need a bump in power to have a similar effect on YK characters that they have in CoC investigators. As it stands, I have done plenty of CoC/YK crossover stuff, which also makes for nice Howardian style S&S. -V

One of Chaosium's major employees (who is also the primary editor) has been very sick recently. Chaosium is a very small company with a staff of five (or is it six now?). Losing one of the them is pretty hard, especially since the core group are very close friends who have been together for the entire ride just about. There was a news item about it some time back, and Charlie explained that, at the time, and I am sure it is still true today, the door will always be open for the person in question should he decide to come back, and Chaosium will not replace him until he decides to hang it up. So, in other words, patience is the mantra right now. I am sure there are other issues - the economy for example, and I know Jason and other contributors have some things they need to iron out. But, all the end user can do is wait. -V

Actually, it's not so black and white. While, for the most part, the system is the same across the board, how it is implemented is different. In thinking about having Elric enter a 1920's Cthulhu investigation, you'll note that Elric's POW is rival that of Great Cthulhu's. So, while POW is mechanically the same, how it is represented in Elric's world vs. Cthulhu's world is far different. Just something to take into account. -V

Especially a cow with the original stats of the target, and potentially any powers ... -V

As Bob points out, Blast has no resistance roll attached. Armor affects it, but other than that, bring on the pain. Also, it has a significant range advantage over Change. Also, Blast is permanent, Change has a 15 minute per MP duration. Makes sense that Change costs so much less. Also, I believe it takes more than 1 extra MP to add a second target. You need to have enough SIZ covered - I read as you need the total SIZ covered to extend to another target i.e. adding 1 MP adds another target, but the two targets must total less than 15 SIZ. -V

Your memory serves you well - one head was supposed to be "immortal". However, depending on the myth read and the translation, it either meant that the "central" head could not be touched until the "normal" eight (most sources claim the Lernean hydra had nine heads) were dispatched and cauterized (in some versions, Heracles lops off the "immortal" head using his bronze sword and expending no extra effort), or it had to be buried under a rock. So, your philosophy seems appropriate. Maybe give the central head some extra protection (the result of the other eight heads being in the way), or make it impervious until the secondary heads are either completely dispatched, or half of them have been. Again, the original stories vary, as do the translations. Most sources claim nine heads (in some versons, its "father", Typhon, had 100 heads), some claim five, some claim 50, and some claim 100. Again, nine is the most common number. As far as the body, again the sources vary - either it is a "serpent" in the modern sense - a giant multi-headed water snake, or it is a "serpent" in the classic sense (I believe "drakon" was used in at least one version). Size is also another issue to debate on - some claim it is gigantic, others show the central body as smaller than Heracles himself. Finally, it also had a "stench" attack - its odor was lethal as well. -V

Looks like a typo in the rule. The example given states that the ROF for a rock is 2 SR, however, it is only 1 SR normally. So, I suspect that the Volley Fire Rule should allow double the ROF. I like the Elric!/SB5 rule best. Volley Fire Rule allows spears and axe to be thrown at double the rate, and arrows, rocks, etc. (crossbows are not in the YK universe) at triple the rate. However, it can only be sustained for CON rounds, and then normal rate for CON/2 rounds before continuing the volley rate. Also, attacks are at 1/3 normal chance during Volley Fire. -V

I don't have the book in front of me, but this is my guess: The normal ROF is correct. I believe that the first attack occurs at DEX, the second at the end of the round. Not sure how weapons with a ROF of 3 or better work, perhaps normal rate is DEX-10. I'd need the book for that. Volley fire assumes the same number of shots per round, but has them occur earlier in the round (DEX, DEX-5, DEX-10, etc. until 0). Each attack is a Difficult task. -V

I think the situational modifiers for the RAW Chase Rules will fit for skill modifiers for those on deck not actively engaged in the run/pursuit. Things like Wind (-10%), Heavy Rain (-20%)/Rain (-10%) (for the spray), At maximum Speed (-10%) and Oily/icy (-20%) (for the deck slipperiness and movement). In any combination. And, perhaps success levels for the respective rolls by the captain, pilot, and sailing/rowing crew could affect things as well, both positively and negatively. I'll dig out my Sailing the Seas of Fate as well as the Conan supplement Pirate Isles to see what rules they have. I may have MRQ Pirates somewhere as well. -V

And, for me, I was going to say how nicely it would fit into my own version of the Young Kingdoms, placing it in the western ocean off the map, or somewhere heading east ... All fit for my Ultimate Stormbringer stuff which I am slowing putting together. -V

I'll have to take a look at the RAW, but IIRC, the RAW reflects individual opponents, and smaller and more agile moving objects. Ships provide a more stable platform from which others not directly involved in the chase maneuvers may take action which can affect the chase (i.e, while the captain and crew directly responsible for ship movement are busy with difficult actions, others on deck have less immediate concerns - so they can fire missile weapons, use a spyglass, etc. at a less than difficult level. However, there is still some degree of difficulty - ship movement during a chase is hardly smooth, and one must still take care to cover if the opponent is firing as well. -V

Another thought. The underside of commercial passenger vehicles is not very thick. I recall an incident in high school where someone ran over a not very thick branch which pierced the floorboards. Also, an big complaint in Iraq was that the Humvees and trucks were not properly armored, cost cutting led to the elimination of extra armor underneath. The number of casualties resulting from roadside bombs prompted a call to change that. Maybe the vehicle rules need some "armor location" rules as well What are some other vehicle AVs? How does 14 compare? -V

OK, maybe I am confused (and should look at the book when I get home), but ... Didn't you say that the AV is 10 and not 14? If so, 6d6+6 averages 27 HP damage. Subtracting AV of 10, 17 HP of damage gets through. The Accord originally had 40 HP, but you rule it only has 36 HP due to age. 36 - 17 is 19 HP left. But, this is more than 50% of the original 40 HP, so the half speed rule applies. Additionally, in the playtest (again, I need to refer to the book), there is an option for the GM to roll against the Chase Mishap table any time the vehicle is damaged. Seems that should cover it nicely. -V

To me, using terms like "dated" and "modern" really don't apply too well in RPGs. Especially when people call a system "dated" when it contains the same elements those same people cite as representative of "modern" games. Looking at the laundry list of elements most people use to describe a game as "modern" - point buy systems, unified die mechanic, levels of success that actually influence results, adv/disadv system, hero/drama points that actually can change narrative - Victory Games' James Bond 007 had pretty much all of those. And a table which makes many people claim it is "dated". Not bad for a 25 year old game. -V