Bill the barbarian

18 hours ago, Kloster said:

I've seen Indian police using wicker shields during violent protests. They took a lot of beatings, including by swords. The only problem was that they don't provide cover against tear gas. In Delhi, this is a problem, but in Pavis, much less.

Nope, in Pavis one does not need a gas mask, but counter magic or a dispel magic might help with the City Harmony spell. 

7 hours ago, EpicureanDM said:

Reading the Personalities section of @soltakss's excellent Secrets of Dorastor, I found creatures and opponents with eye-watering stats. 50 AP across each location, 30-HP averages across locations, weapon skills in the 300%+ range, damage ratings of 2D6 + 20D6. It makes me wonder if these are really intended to be used at the table or if they're "stunt stats" in some way.

 

One thing of import... as you are playing RQ there is much less reason to kill all these tough beasties to defeat them.

7 hours ago, EpicureanDM said:

they're the ancient red dragons,

Precisely my point. Tough!

7 hours ago, EpicureanDM said:

from long-running RQ2 and RQ3 games that featured "High Level" characters. I assume that some of the PCs in that game actually fought and defeated some of the high-level opponents mentioned in the book.

...fought, defeated and were killed ( I am positive, but this is what makes a hero different from you and I) and had to DI themselves back to go at it again. 

7 hours ago, EpicureanDM said:

I know that Secrets of Dorastor is technically an RQG product

Actually, as much as I love Simon (sorry, did I use my outdoor voice... my bad... i meant “like", honest) he is not putting out RQG products. He is putting out great fan products for the Jonstown Compendium that use the RQG rules. 

...and I will let some else (perhaps Simon) answer those three great questions.

7 hours ago, g33k said:

1.  Dorastor is a deadly place. 

YES!!!!

6 hours ago, Godlearner said:

Having written some of the Dorastor stuff with Simon, and having played in similarly high-powered games, I must admit that there is a specific thing that led to a victory, and that was "Economy of Actions".

Tactics go a long way against a critter with STR SIZ and DEX of 3000 (exaggerating) and an INT of 7 (not necessarily exaggerating)!

5 hours ago, EpicureanDM said:

My group played RQ3 steadily for two or three years and intermittently throughout the '80's. Skills started much lower than they do in RQG and even during our steady years, I don't think I saw anyone advance a skill much past 120-130% naturally using skill checks.

Yeah, I call the current crop of new PCs superheroes! A 700% attack is possible with a freshly minted PC these days! (not kidding)

5 hours ago, EpicureanDM said:

• "The GM played the monster badly."

See above comment on INT (they might be doing so with good reason).

4 hours ago, Godlearner said:

That is not the case. They can be surprised, outwitted, distracted PCs can may search and find their weakness, or something that strips certain abilities. This is a Boss  fight and needs to be approached as one.

and a visit to the friendly local LM temple will be a good start in making those things kind of things happen.

4 hours ago, EpicureanDM said:

If someone has done it fair-and-square using published rules, I'm quite keen to know how it's done.

A fair question, @soltakssand @Godlearner maybe this gourmand game master deserves an example. He has been asking!

3 hours ago, svensson said:

Luck, Rune Points, and Heroquesting.

 

I will go with the first and third for sure!

Hey, yer a military man, any great ideas from Real World History for doing the impossible (i.e. beating the denizens of Dorastor... impossible, right)? Perhaps soltakss and Godlearner could use a bit of help in some good examples. Me, I just say you don’t have to kill them to win... (victory conditions may be flexible).

1 hour ago, g33k said:

Centerline -- head, chest, abdomen -- tends to be fully incapacitated (you cannot heal yourself).  Arms or legs, as you point out, can often be self-healed.

The abdomen can indeed take a trip to zero HP and below (up to one less than the Hit Location's HP expressed as a negative number) in one hit and still not have the abdomen’s owner go unconscious. Though he or she will not be able stand they can fight or heal from the ground. Mind you within ten minutes they will bleed out sans healing or first aid being delivered.

Double the damage and unconsciousness and bleeding occur to all three of the points you mention. We won’t go to triple damage...

Despite me being a little picky all of G33k's post still remains valid.

7 hours ago, SevenSistersOfVinga said:

You can kneel down, cover or make a shield wall, to improve your odds, I know, not the best but beats having no cover. 

 

You know, common sense says you are correct, do not know if the rules agree. Mind you and interesting and easy HR might be kneeling down adds one protected area. 

5 hours ago, JustAnotherVingan said:

Incidentally since my players realised they can benefit from a shield and use them javelins have become a lot more popular with them, especially the melee types.

Add magic to javelins for real fun!

9 minutes ago, Ian Absentia said:

Possibly.  Specifically because he's of Japanese descent?  Not necessarily.

 

Can’t say I recall very many Japanese puns or words used by Tadashi in the editorials of Different Worlds where he ran the shop. Granted, it has been a while. Perhaps I misremember.

Not my job! Look left at the avatar... does this look like a nice guy? Or just a very troubled one?

ETA
good thoughts on FG cameos...

2 minutes ago, g33k said:

BTW, Ian -- I like everything I'm seeing about this project!

It is quite good, Looking under the hood is making me drool with anticipation for the next, and the next, and the...

4 hours ago, Crel said:

and Kristi Herbert (I don't think she's on BRP Central? But her Beer With Teeth conspirator @Diana Probst is).

Love the Beer with Teeth folk!

Spoilers boys and girls use yer spoilers please, I believe this was requested by no less than Rick... and is now being requested by much less than Rick... lil ol’ moi!

Ya know, I am being rude. I love Eff’s comments and she is good and always on point. If I don’t agree with her I am sure I will mention it, but usually if I don’t agree it is because had no idea what she was talking about (not a lack of clarity, just it went over my head). So, I did not mention her original post as what’s to say, she’s good! I only reacted when I saw folk mentioning items I thought fallacious (it’s the editor in me). Still, sorry for ignoring you Eff, let’s see what you said...

On 3/24/2022 at 10:01 PM, Eff said:

Let's say that I am playing Vasa-nya, a Yinkin initiate, and I decide to roll for Passionate Inspiration using her 70% Loyalty (Sartar) Passion. Obviously, there are five possible outcomes here. On a 01-04, she gets a critical success, an experience check, and +50% augmenting an ability for the duration of the scene or task. On a 05-14, she gets a special, +30%. On a 15-70, she gets a regular success, +20%. On a 71-97, she gets a failure, -10% to all rolls in the scene forward. On a 98-00, she gets a fumble, -1d10% to the Passion value and a random duration of Despair that completely disables her for that entire duration. That's the mechanics.

What's going on in the fictional space? Is Vasa-nya thinking hard of Rex, Country, and Mom's Apple Pie, and 4% of the time, this motivates her so strongly it strengthens her feelings, and 66% of the time it motivates her, and 27% of the time it demotivates her, and 3% of the time it causes her to fall into a depressive spiral? What does this randomness represent, psychologically?

Sounds about right, to me.

On 3/24/2022 at 10:01 PM, Eff said:

And these abilities on the sheet, if they are at 80% or above, force mandatory rolls in some circumstances to dictate the player's actions. This is one thing for Passions, but for my player, the fact that Runes seem to be connections to the outside world of Glorantha meant that they took it as "so if I go above 80%, I end up getting mind-controlled by the Air Rune every so often?" To be a little bit flippant.

 

Oh Eff, you know better, if anyone is going to be flippant around here it will be me... that’s my gig! Not much to say here... it has already been said in the following posts, and while I think this might be overstating the case to to mention mind control, but you are not alone on that issue. Poor wording might be the culprit here toexplain how this fails in RQ RiG. 

On 3/25/2022 at 11:16 AM, Eff said:

And with these two principles I could sketch out a basic career trajectory for her, and a potential culmination for her or for her successor- namely, having to pick sides when Camelot falls apart and breaks in half. The game never got that far, but with that understanding, it was easy to play her as a character- she could bring up her perfect, saintly (if fays can be saints) wife whenever it was vaguely appropriate, or inappropriate for comedy purposes, and she would be confronted with the tension between Gawain and Lancelot and get herself dragged into interacting with Gawain's unbearable brothers. 

 

So, in KAP the narrative arc as imagined by Malory, passions are a big part of the scene. Big enough that the players are willing to fall in line and become believers. Makes sense! Noteworthy is that I believe this was Stafford’s fave game and the passions were his creation... says something. eh. Of course, we all know a little about King Arthur’s tragic tales here in the west. Heck, probably even in the east! 

Glorantha not being as well known as Camelot might be part of the problem (assuming passions are not broke in the first place). 

On 3/24/2022 at 10:01 PM, Eff said:

And then on top of that, are Runic personalities meant to be package deals? If I'm strong in Air, am I passionate and violent and proud and unpredictable? Setting aside whether having consistent pride or passionate expression is compatible with being unpredictable, how should I, as the GM, react to a player who is passionate but not violent, or violent but humble? Are they acting in keeping with the Air Rune or out of keeping with it?

Moi, flippantly, might want more of a buffet approach. Rather than following a Runic Ideal to the nth degree I will nibble on a bit of “proud" and nosh on a bit of “violence" but leave the other “passions" under the plexiglass for someone else. After all I am an imperfect human and not a runic ideal. 

On 3/24/2022 at 10:01 PM, Eff said:

Should I ding a player for not saying that they seek liberation from the material world at least once a session if they've got a 90% Moon Rune for casting Reflection as often as possible? How do I reward them for playing in concert with their high Moon Rune?

Hm, good question, I would be prone to reminding the player of his missing a few Hail Moon, full of graces... and hope that the reminding is gentle and not chiding. I would think good natured play and a bit of trust and good will will be needed twixt player and GM. Reward, well not taking away percentage points might be the reward here. Stick, not carrot.

On 3/24/2022 at 10:01 PM, Eff said:

And Traits are virtues and vices and concrete, singular things, generally.

Used to use traits (yay, Griffin Mountain!) back in my heyday in the 20th century and did like them more than passions. 

On 3/24/2022 at 10:01 PM, Eff said:

I don't grasp that meaning for RQG's equivalents. Are we (my player and I) just missing something? What are your thoughts on Passions and Runes as things that define character psychology, and the mechanics associated with that?

For most of us, I would say a familiarity of the topic. One so deep that we can easily predict the actions without a rule system. Like how a knight of the round table might act under certain circumstances.  I am sure most of of can do this. Mind you, Eff, if you are not there in Gloranthan terms I fear for the rest of us!

So, I asked you last winter during our campaign when you first broached the subject, how would you handle it. I may as well ask it again. How do we bring what made Greg’s fave a great game, into the RQ milieu?

Once again, a great OP, now translating into a great thread!

39 minutes ago, French Desperate WindChild said:

note that noone say you "must" have runes 80+, you can stay below, can't you ?

Can't say I recall a mechanism to limit the Passion/Ability from going above 80% but I have been postulating letting the players have a say about crossing that threshold and how I would do it. 

3 minutes ago, JustAnotherVingan said:

But as has been pointed out there is no must for Runes.

 

3 minutes ago, JustAnotherVingan said:

In the case of Passions mandatory rolls are at the GM's discretion. You could choose not to force mandatory rolls on a player. You still have the option to lower their passion to below 80 if you feel they are not roleplaying it. p237.

 

Thanks I was just looking that up.

2 minutes ago, JustAnotherVingan said:

I've only used a mandatory roll once. Fear (Dragons) when the PC was about to confront Yerezum Storn. I had the player make an opposed roll of Fear(Dragons) versus Loyalty (Tribe). The PC succeeded on both with the same level of success so I allowed them to decide that although scared they were resolved to face her.

 

And of course I was thinking of this but did not mention it, Thanks Just!

19 minutes ago, Kloster said:

Agreed, but the problem is not in the 'can', it is in the 'must' if you are above 80%.

Hmm, interesting. Kloster, you and I almost never disagree, but I am surprised how many people are saying that 80%+ is a “must do" situation. I can not find anything that says you must do anything other than roll. After that there are offered options as noted by a few here. This might be that many here are contrarians by nature (Don’t tell what to do!), but that does not apply to you good sir. 

I wonder why so many are missing what seems to me to be clear.

9 minutes ago, svensson said:

[Photo of Pvt. Jacob Miller, Co. K 9th Indiana Vol. Inf'y - - yes, he took a .58 cal. Minie ball to the forehead AND LIVED]

proof that you don’t need a hole in your head to live in Indiana, but...
Thankyekindky,I’llseemyselfout.

I am positive (in far too much pain to check, but...) that you are not forced to act against your wishes when denying a 80% rune or passion, just you stand to lose some of the “Ability” and possibly suffer emotional pain or loss of runic inspiration. Now if I am wrong that’s fine, but this is how I play it. 

One rolls an Ability (Rune or Passion) that one wants to oppose and if they succeed (a good possibility for an Ability above 80%, so do not give an Ability this easy to roll percentages unless this is how you wish to be whether it helps spells, etc. or not) they have the choice of following their inclination (the 80% + Ability) or going against it. Should they decide to go against it, use the failure (or fumble if this is dictated) penalties... a rolled percentage loss of the Ability and a bit of turmoil for x amount time or loss of inspiration until prayed for again. The percentage loss should remain, until earned up again.

Sounds like you have no need for my assistances at all there Ian.

Bravo!

20 minutes ago, svensson said:

Harold Godwinson was able move his army between Stamford Bridge and Hastings [about 250 miles] in 18 days,

Thought you might find this of interest.

https://medievalarchives.com/2020/09/25/recreating-the-1066-battle-march-from-stamford-bridge-to-hastings/

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/p08v7p0v

2 hours ago, Paid a bod yn dwp said:

What’s the conversion process to RQG? Passions, Runes, Rune pools, Then it gets tricker with sorcery. Not forgetting minor adjustments to strike ranks. Appearance to Charisma - Did I miss anything? 

This looks as good your usual thinking. First rate! One might add Rune Spells and mod the weapons and armour but this depends on the balance you are seeking (and this is really a GM decision in the long run).

1 hour ago, Nick Brooke said:

For RQ Classics, see the advice at the back of the core rulebook (pages 432-437). But the books themselves aren't converted, those are guidelines for RQG GMs using them with the new system. My advice is to wing it - add things you actually need on the fly, rather than investing many hours in unnecessary conversion work. Remember, the players don't ever get to audit your NPCs! If a strike rank or hit point breakdown is "slightly wrong," who cares?

Been saying and running with this thought in mind for quite some time! I run classic modules with RQG rules (cheap, you bet your sweet bippie I am! I spent good hard cash on those classic modules! Plus this time, I want to play the new modules, not run them! Dammit, it's my turn). If your players note and complain that an NPC has a plus or minus 7% in Animal Lore from what they were expecting them to have, I will eat my toque! If they notice (or if they might notice) the fact the armour is one or two points higher change the chainmail to ring, and Bob's your uncle (and he makes wicked Bison Burgers!). Should you fear the NPC will be too weak, let them keep the higher armour... and hand wave an explanation IF NEEDED.

1 hour ago, Paid a bod yn dwp said:

Good point. The more I thought about the more small things you could get hung up about in a conversion .  It really doesn’t matter that much in running the game. Broad brush stokes - it’s close enough.

 

Close enough for Rock n Roll, hand grenades, and on-the-fly RQ conversions, eh?

1 hour ago, Ian Thomson said:

Bill's efforts have been superhuman in this regard. If he signs on to assist with Strangers voluntarily (as he seems to be doing) one would be crazy to pass up this offer! 🙂

I certainly hope I have not! Being as I believe 21st Century Moose refers to the fine art work of... Dombrowski was it, that is universally reviled (eyestrain indeed!)? All I did was cleanup some art from Dario that did not survive the decades and tech advances very well so even in reality Ian exaggerates but thanks. 

11 minutes ago, Lloyd Dupont said:

And also, embarrassed to report, never heard of him before! 😮😅

He is kinda like an erudite linguist and world designer, a David Arneson rolled into a JRR Tolkien. He created the most complete, complicated and alien world to be adopted for RPGs and was the second to do it after the Lake Geneva, Wisconsin crew who created DnD. 

14 minutes ago, Rick Meints said:

While it would be really cool if a number of RQ3 products could get back into print, they are not a priority of ours.

Makes sense.

14 minutes ago, Rick Meints said:

We would have to scan them in, OCR them, clean up the art, and then thoroughly edit the text for OCR errors (and some original errors). Then the art and text have to get laid out again. Add it all up and it is rather time consuming.

Having just done this with Ian for his Rough Guide to Pavis, I can concur... and the eyestrain!

14 minutes ago, Rick Meints said:

All that being said, we did have some fans recreate the Gateway Bestiary for us for free. That was extremely generous (and unexpected) of them, and it is the only reason we now have it for sale as a POD title (and PDF) on Chaosium.com

Are you still into it, @Ian Thomson? It would be a blast for me!

I think I will go back to bed. Wake me when it starts to look better out there!

25 minutes ago, Jim Rickel said:

I was going to reach out to my Vancouver folks about playing Runequest, but I fear getting them to change may be like pulling teeth.  I have run into that before trying to get AD&Ders to play Earthdawn, it wasn't totally fun.  But if there are any Portland or Vancouver area folks maybe we could hook up.  

You may want to chat with @svensson, I believe he is from that part of the world.

Happy birthday Mr. Einstein. Your looking pretty good for yer age! I guess it’s all relative! And I just realized that you shared yer Birthday with Pi Day. Happy 3.14!

Huzzah!

This is a great start!

Totally a pleasure. It was a great read and you were quick with needed responses. Now, if my work actually helped it rather that harmed it, we are golden!