badcat

Dredj, I know they are not rare, but this particular one could be used as a BRP houserule, specifically, easily. Which is why I am sharing it here. OK, Trif, in a nutshell: Roll up the stats as you normally do. In Legend, they are Strength Constitution Agility Willpower Knowledge Perception Beauty Legend uses 2D10 in order, add points to taste up to a total of 90. Very similar to standard BRP roll ups. Then you might have; STR 9 CON 10 AGI 11 WIL 22 KNO 18 PER 11 BTY 9 Next compare the scores with this chart: 2 5% 3-4 10% 5-6 15% 7-8 20% 9-10 25% 11-12 30% 13-14 35% 15-16 40% 17-18 45% 19-20 50% 21-22 55% 23-24 60% etc., to a max of thirty Then, add 5% per skill rank to the base score of the stat associated with the skill, and that is the beginning skill percentage. Most skills have 10 ranks. I rolled this character up (stats above, skills below) to see how it worked, and wound up with the following background skills: Native language 5 70% Lying 1 60% Play Instrument 1 35% Cook 1 50% Drink Alcohol 1 30% Bargain 2 65% Bribery 2 65% This is a shopkeeper background. Then you add a bunch of professional skills, and after that a set of secondary skills (read 'miscellaneous skills' in Stormbringer or 'hobby skills' in CoC). You could fit this into any BRP game, and I have a hunch the characters would be both more balanced and competent than in most BRP games extant. Also note that this would be a nearly seamless method to insert a full skill set in to RQ2, for instance set up for the special/critical levels (20/5%) already. An option for game cannibals, like me.

I found an obscure percentile rpg from the nineties that uses a fairly unique method (as far as I know) of combining stat plus skill to arrive at base percentages for final skill totals. Is anyone here interested in something like that? I don't know what all the options are in the new BRP book, but I do know that not everyone is happy with the usual BRP ways of doing it. This is not a BRP system (it is radically different in combat) but the skill system would be a good addition to a game for anyone who likes to have a system wherein the stats have more 'say' in the total skill percentage than in most every BRP variant I can think of. It's a really neat little variant, too; if anyone here wants to know more, holler. Of course, some of you may already be aware of this game. 'Legend of Yore'. It had a very short run in the late nineties due a rather horrible binding job. My copy essentially disintegrated when I opened it the first time, so I took it to Kinkos and got a coil binding. It was worth the trouble just for the skill subsystem.

Really? I thought it had all that stuff about survival in the wilds of the solar system...sorry, it's been a loong time since I read it. Probably had it mixed up with some other rpg I've read, there have been too many... Maybe it was a supplement, anyway sorry about the false lead.:ohwell:

Believe it or not 'Space 1889' actually has some pretty good rules material for that sort of thing. I don't know how difficult it would be to 'translate' to a BRP style game, but it might be worth checking out.

Too bad you choose to make it a parody. A serious game along those (simulate D&D with BRP) I would snap up multiple copies of. A parody? DOA.

Yeah, I read some of the posts over there. Strictly tongue-in-cheek, but I like to instigate things for rpg.net. So, 'I dare you'.:thumb:>:-> On the D20 forum.

I may buy the book when it comes out, but I won't know until I see it. I'm not at all sure it has anything of use to me, practically speaking, nor at this point do I feel like I owe the author or Chaosium any particular loyalty if it does not offer something I don't already have. Some of the rules choices don't make me sanguine about it...but the bottom line is I don't trust ANY game companies' promises any more, and will not commit to anything on word of mouth. I have been burned too many times. So a faint maybe. Very faint, because Chaosium stuff is rare in game stores around here anyway.

?:confused:

AikiGhost, I agree with every thing you said. Bet you wouldn't make the same post at rpg.net.:eek: Over the years, I guess we have figured out how to 'fix' all the stuff you mention, but it is an even bigger pain to do so...easier to find a more playable game (BRP, many of the games they call 'fantasy heartbreakers' at rpg.net, whatever) if you can. Honestly, my biggest gripe with D&D these days is simply that it seems almost everybody around here wants to play it almost exclusively.;-(

There are also other games, older BRP games, offshoots and what they call 'fantasy heartbreakers' over at good ole rpg.net. Some you might want to look at, are Mongoose' RQ, Fifth Cycle, and The Legend of Yore. The last two are getting pretty rare, but both have very servicable wound systems of that type. Also Warhammer frpg, any edition, and RQ2 (of course).

I agree with that. The only d&d games I have even partly enjoyed were low level ones, where we had to worry about a 'mere' arrow hit. Or whatever. So they are trying to make the PCs even safer. What's the point of adventuring and living a 'dangerous' life, even vicariously, if you know you are going to win? The game bores me out of my skull. Everything I hear about 4e shouts 'bad design, stay away' in flashing neon lights. Christ, Chaosium should hire the WOTC spin artists.

Thanks from me too. I feel somewhat better about it. I don't really think the announcements on this page necessarily mean the projected products described are actually going to see print, though (until I see them physically). After years of being a steady consumer of Chaosium products I have a healthy level of skeptism concerning release dates...and a deep distrust of gaming companies in general thanks to the times I have been burned the last few years (NOT by Chaosium).:ohwell: And I am one of those holding off for those reasons. Meanwhile, I have just dropped a hundred bucks on Cthulhu stuff. Also, remember that the 4e juggernaut is bearing down on us. It shouldn't beat this to the market as it is probably going to do...even though I'm not sure THAT matters.

I am afraid that they are using it as a test run; lets face it, guys and girls, if that is what is happening they may cancel it. Around 300 copies sold in 3 months? Maybe we are just a niche market. But believe me, I hope that is not the case.

Absolutely! I have run (very long term, over 10 years with the same core group) a mixture of Stormbringer/Magic World/Arcanum with much success. One thing that sticks in my mind is having an AD&D player in several sessions who said it was actually LESS deadly than AD&D is at the first few levels.

Do a google search for 'Emperor's Choice'. I think you will be entertained.

Never mind, I see the other thread. It does remind me of Arduin...in BRP! This is intended as high praise and a positive comparison, by the way. It does seem rather large.:eek:

*snort* What are you running? Souped up Arduin with BRP?

Hope you are right, Trifletraxor. I don't have any idea how to attract kids to ANYTHING that isn't the easiest, latest thing most of their friends are into. Besides, traditional rpgs require a little skull sweat. I-pods and such don't. It's what they have grown up with. Too bad, really.

Oh, my, yes. I am hearing lots of buzz in local game stores about 4e, nothing at all about BRP. The same old story, WOTC has the mojo to get the word out...Chaosium...?

Sorry, but I sincerely doubt it. I think it's going to fall flat on its face.

Bite your tongue about the depression stuff, it's depressing. But... You have a point. The basis of a lot of rpgs, pulp fiction, had it's heyday during the great depression, for the very reasons you cite. Cheap entertainment. And of course, that is how stuff like Conan and Tarzan became known as pulp fiction, the cheap paper the magazines were printed on. Silver linings, huh?

One where the players face and interact with each other, do not require on-line sources and have one individual who directs the action via rules interpretation.

More like, the world of real rpgs is fading fast, the last glimmers are disappearing fast...

It would appear that the real book is not to appear unless and until the junker version sells out...

Looks like a very M1 BRP character, with some personal choices.