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No offense Jeff, but is that your opinion or Greg's? What I have thought was that the gritty game mechanics of RQ didn't mesh with the epic and heroic nature of Glorantha/ If HQ did it all far better, why revamp RQ2? If it was such a simple fix then they could have done that back in the 90s and not needed a who new game system for HeroQuesting. Also, there were a lot of things in RQ3 that did improve on RQ2, such as not breaking everything up into 5% increments, that I hope don't get tossed own in the drive to go back to basics. Frankly, I'm getting very skeptical about this. It looks more and more like the MRQ fiasco all over again. Relying on the RQ brand name and bring back some of the orginal designers so as to tap the fan base for another quick buck. I hope I'm wrong and that the new RQ will be a good RPG that actually improves upon RQ2 (rather than just changing stuff for change shake), but I really doubt it.

The mechanic isn't "broken". It works. It might not match up well with the setting or with the cult based advancment that was supposed to be Glorantha, but it is a functional game mechanic. I take it that you mean to emulate the game setting. That is a very good point and one which puts the whole new RQ project into a bad light. For the last two decades or so we've been told how the RQ rules didn't really fit Glorantha, and how HeroQuest was much closer to the way Glorantha was supposed to be. Okay. In that case why are they doing a retread of RQ Glorantha? If the rules aren't a good fit for the setting then they should either use different rules or a different setting. But doing an updated RQ Glantha seems to contradict what Greg and the rest having been saying about how bad a fit RQ is for Glorantha.

But nobody checked their Elmal, so it wasn't discovered until now.

Proof the the God Learns are alive and well. Oh, and the Lightbringers now claim that Yelm shot first!

Spear? No, that's what bows and arbalests are for. Keep peppering him from a distance.

I'd have just let the character blow himself up. It was a rather common occurrence in the early black power days. Heck, it still happens today.

You might like some of the "criticals" (read "specials") from the USagi Yojimbo RPG. The game gives each weapon type.Then a character might have acess to a couple more based on their other abilities. If you want I could send you a list. Most would translate into BRP and some are fairly interesting (UY's version of the impale, for instance, The rebound ability for polearms is another neat one.).

Maybe we should design an RPG together. We seem to be covering a lot of common ground this weekend!

They could adapt the method Greg used for Prince Valiant. In that RPG characters could take traits. If they role played their traits they got extra glory points. Someone could make a trait and obsession (I think that was the term used, but it might have been passion) in which case they got double the glory award but HAD to play out the trait. Since RQ2 doesn't have Glory, per say, the award could be something else (a skill check, magic point, or some sort of cult based effect). For instance a Humakit who plays it honorably could get a bump up on his bladesharp spell. Or maybe rle-playing the trait could bypass the normal casting roll?

Don't feel to bad. A friend on mine had RQ1 and got burned badly at a tournament becuase they changed one of the Rune Spells (I think it was Warding) between editions. The orginal included Detect Enemies, while the RQ2 version did not. The player figured he was covered, and got ambushed.

Yup. I agree that BRP handles low powered supers better than high powered one. As far as the Hulk goes, sure, realistically, he should be snapping people's spines with an angry backhand. But that's not how it works in the comics. People get sent flying and knocked out. So for someone who wants the full four colored Marvel experience, you need to tweak the damage rules.

I also like the Special Effect. Loved them since I fist saw the critical hit system in Usagi Yojimbo (pretty much the same thing except you can get multiple specials). However I don't like opposed rolls, and I like the resistance table. I like category modifiers as they make attributes important. I also prefer the RQ2/RQ3 magic systems. So that's why I use RQ3 for my base and import other stuff that I need.

I think they are losing me. Based on what I've read, why not just re-release RQ2?

Is is that you don't like specials, and crits, or the difficulties inherent is doing so in a D100 blackjack system? No offense, just curious about the game design. Plus, I had something similar in the works but with a form of success levels.

The RQ2 version wasn't too bad, because it had to be maintained. If the character took any damage (like from a disrupt) the spell dropped. The RQ3 version didn't have that limitation and was much more difficult to deal with.

Not so much, depending on the STR of the characters. The problem, is that someone like the Hulk can have a 8D6 damage bonus for their punch. That can drop a 50 hp elephant pretty quickly.

The typical skill in RQ had something like a 20% base chance plus modifiers. Typical weapon skills were at around 25%. So INT+DEX+STR/2 for an average character would be in the 25-30% range. Of course if you wanted lower starting scores average INT and DEX. it was nice to be able to replace replace most of the skills in the stat block with 6 or 7 category skill scores.

Ah. I was working on a BRP variant where I got rid of base chances and modified the skill categories to be the base chances. For instance, the base score for Knowledge skills was 2xINT%. Manipulation/Attack skills were something like INT+DEX+STR/2%. I used a HARD/Easy skill grading to adjust the percentage a bit as needed. So, if a character picked up any weapon his base chance was INT+DEX+STR/2%. Half that for a hard skill (maybe greatsword) and twice that for an easy skill (maybe dagger).

Yeah, the example from RuneMasters is in error. Probably because different people were in charge of that project. Or it could be that the errata for Fireblade in RQ2 came out after RuneMasters, and the powers that be decided to change things specifically to prevent such tactics. The errata does seem to directly contradict the advice from RuneMasters in every way.

Skill Category Modifiers were far from meaningless in RQ3. In addition to adding to the skill ratings it was also added to improvement rolls. Thus, a character with a +19% Attack Modifier would improve his combat attack skills much faster than someone with a +0% or negative modifier. And the category modifier was crucial for someone if they were to exceed 100% skill, since to do so required rolling over 100.

Another plus to just posting the idea/rule is that good ideas tend to get ported over from one variant to another. It's remarkably easy when most versions of D100 use the same basic system, stats, and skill scores. Even if someone mixes the two least compatible D100 based RPGs (say Privateers & Gentlemen with Legend). porting isn't all that difficult.

I agree, "game balance" is mostly an illusion. For example, in D&D 3.5E just how balanced in a first level wizard compared to a fighter who is a decent archer? A high DEX bow specialist is going to be able to pepper the wizard apart from outside of the wizard's casting range, and probably keep the wizard from getting any spells off. Another thing is that, for the most part, it doesn't really matter if one character is "vastly overpowered compared to the other characters". The PCs are not (hopefully) fighting each other, but are working together towards a common goal.As long as all the PCs have something to do that the players have fun with there isn't any problem. For example, in the Star Wars films, notice how whenever the "high powered" Jedi and Sith face off against each other all the other characters are somehow kept busy elsewhere? The same thing can apply to RPGing. "Game Balance" is really just a way of keeping things easier to write adventures for, and/or run for the GM, not anything really important.

If I were the designer.... 1) I'd chance combat to non-lethal subdual except for special called shots or weapons. That way the Hulk doesn't out and out kill Captain America when he does get lucky and connect. 2) I'd bring back the old Superworld (boxed set) SIZ table or the RQ3 table so as to better gauge and scale the STR of superstrong characters and the SIZ of large objects. 3) I'd try to get rid of the power "levels" and instead try to make every power scalable so that the character gets a certain amount of effect per creation/power point spent. 4) I'd give all amor some sort of crossover against other types of attack. For example, 50 point Kinetic armor plate will probably soak some energy damage. Not the full 50 points, but something. 5) I'd try to work in different genres/themes used for superheros and try to allow GMS to scale the setting to suit the "Reality" they are playing in. For instance, if playing a "four color" campaign, superstrong characters can fall off of skyscrapers a surive with only a small crater to show for it.

Not really. It's more a case of emphasis. Most players consider combat important and fun to play, and, say, basket weaving,. to be a bore. Thus we get very detailed rules and spend a lot of time doing the former and little or no rules for the later. Now if people thought that a basket weaving contest, especially one that awarded treasure and put the character's lives on the line, was fun and interesting, there would be very detailed rules for basket weaving that delved into the differenced between "Coiled" basketry, "Plaiting" basketry, "Twining" basketry, and "Wicker" and "Splint" basketry. It's pretty much teh same reason why there isn't an H&R Block RPG. Personally, I thing social interaction and a few other areas of RQ could do with a bit more detail.

That seem very interesting. How does that game mechanic work?