badcat

New notice at Chaosium that the BRP book is 'on track' for this May, for any who have not already been there and seen that. The artwork seems to finally be coming in. My fingers are crossed. Six to ten more weeks, hopefully, instead of July or August as some of us feared.

I'm out. Obviously this new book has nothing to offer except headaches. So long.

but, but...that's too easy! It doesn't demonstrate how smart I am and how much better I feel when I win an OPPOSED ROLL, the greatest game innovation since, since games were invented!:lol: ...and you don't need to learn the rules to play; just do it wrong once or twice and then start looking for FIXES, 'cause you don't want to do attack/parries ALL DAY!!!:lol:

I was just asking which was default, and am very aware of previous posts. Never mind, though, wouldn't want to bother you. Again.

OK, then, I assume it is now supposed to be the accepted way to do things. My disinclination to join in grows.

About how some people think you have to break the game to make an omelet.

No, that's not an issue at all. There is a difference between 'complicated' and a 'complication'...check your dictionary. I have no trouble with opposed rolls, there are simply better ways to run the game. Any game.:cool: And hey, I never was a RQ player, so that doesn't apply either.

I'd like to note that it is not about 'speed' so much as 'quality' of play. For me, the less distracted I am by unnecessary convoluted mechanics the better game I am going to run. I suspect the same for anyone. Claiming ability to deal with complications under pressure and possessing it are usually two very different animals.

This looks most playable. You are using separate attack/parry skills; are you also intending to use over 100% skill levels?

Just out of curiousity, is there a conflict mechanic other than the clunky opposed roll method described elsewhere?

hey, Soltakss, I'd have thought YOU lot would have picked up on some American slang during WW2.>:->

You are welcome. Actually, I couldn't stand waiting for the BRP book, so I went looking for more resources for my game (other than Arcanum) not to mention something to scratch my game book itch. I found that download and liked it well enough that I ordered the Compleat Arcanum Reprint and a little book called the 'Black Grimoire', which is supposed to be a listing of all the spells created for Arduin, from all the sources. It actually looks like it might play pretty good, although the mechanics are a little math-heavy and confused and the deadliness meter seems turned up from even BRP standards. There are some great ideas and resources though, certainly. My understanding from my research is that it is 95% of the first eight or nine Arduin booklets, put in some degree of order (that is, combat stuff is together, background stuff is together, magic stuff is together,etc.). If I were going to run it I would cut out a lot of the fat. I mean, Kobbits? Electric blue Kobbits, at that? And intermediary skill systems and so on. Probably convert it to attack/parry too. The downloads are only the chargen, basic magic rules, and combat portions of the whole thing. The reprint itself is 488 pages long, all the material from the earlier Compleat books plus a little bit. When I found out they were working on a new game system for Arduin I decided to get these while they were still around. I'm pretty sure they will be useful for material for BRP just as they were for D&D...

More.....powerful:eek: The Compleat books don't look to bad, might even be useful, but the original Grimoire from what I can tell, NO THANKS. Besides, they were apparently early D&D splat books, if of a 'special' nature...

It looks complete enough for an experienced GM to run. There are a few things not specifically covered in the rules that someone new to the hobby might have a little difficulty filling in. For instance, in the perception rules, percentages are given for night vision, hearing, smell....but not for ordinary visual or searching type rolls (assuming you wanted to use such, as a new GM might think necessary). That is left to GM judgement, so. There are rules that would likely work better in MRQ if transplanted, like initiative. They are similar, certainly. There is an elegant way to differentiate weapons. Each weapon modifies the base chance to critical or fumble. Spears are nasty, as they get +14% added to the base critical chance. A cruder way to simulate the impale in BRP perhaps, but interesting and the rules make choosing weapons and matching fighting styles more important. It is the usual trade-off, a little more flavor for a little more work. I could see using some of this in a BRP game, although I would probably want to use the CON + SIZ as a total option for hit points, at least...a short spear does 1D6+6 base damage, for instance. Interesting little game overall, but a pretty radical mixture of mechanics as far as die types go. Usually either percentile or a D20 roll under, with no apparent common ground except it is always roll under. Still, it looks like it could definitely be used to spice up a BRP ruleset. I just might use the crit modifiers, some of the background stuff and some other bits sometime though. The new game system coming out? soon is called Arduin Eternal. I have no idea what it is going to be like, but it will be interesting to see if they can keep the gonzo feel (as I feel the Compeat Arduin does) and make a more playable system too.

Check this out... http://empcho.bizhosting.com/ca_download.html

Has anyone here mined Arduin for ideas to use with a BRP-based game? The reason I am asking is I recently found out that apparently, at one point, there was a possibility Chaosium would publish Arduin for Dave Hargrave. (Is there any truth to that? If anyone knows for sure, that is.) It certainly looks feasible, as Arduin (as it appears in the Compleat Arduin) is largely percentile based, has limited hit points, deadly criticals, etc. And it is one existing setting that could use every power system, milieu of weapons, etc, for sure.

'BRP preview images', a couple of weeks ago. Just scroll back, you'll find it.

Actually a pdf version sounds nice, as there are chunks of the new book I will never use (like the superpowers and insanity). I could just bind the 'good' parts for my own favorite mix of BRP. Although it doesn't seem to be working for them, I like the Mongoose idea of printing out books specifically tailored to the individual customer. That just doesn't sound like a Chaosium thing however, for several reasons.

I am assuming the weapon list is most similar to Elric!, as your Rome download. I thought you said you were a SB1 man...:ohwell: Servicable rules in one place, good. I can't help but wish things were closer to my own SB1-ish preferences of course, but your effort is most appreciated nevertheless (in spite of the multi-genreness). And many thanks for answering questions so readily here over the last couple of months.

Is there more than one set of weapon statistics? I assume the Elric! weapon stats are default; are, for instance, the Stormbringer 1 ones included, specifically the missile weapon stats? Or is it just the one list, with the caveat that any of it can be modified? Are there any provisions for ritual or enchantment? Are any equipment lists provided, even though you are not using price lists for individual items? Sorry for any repetitive questions, if I have done that again.

:lol:What, you never heard of Poul Anderson, Jack Vance, Avram Davidson, Samuel R. Delaney, Fletcher Pratt, L. Sprague de Camp, Leigh Brackett, Lord Dunsany, Gordon R. Dickson, Mark Twain, (and many others) hmmm? They had no influence on fantasy, and their protagonists were all 'big brawny guys who started with nothing and worked their way up to being a king'? Wow. I defer to your superior knowledge.

About the only thing keeping me interested in this new version of BRP right now is the continued use of the word 'optional', although I am beginning to wonder if there may not be too much 'optional'. Trying to please everyone often ends with pleasing no one, and leading to groups splitting up.

It doesn't make the stat pointless. But I don't feel like arguing, so as in the thread about firearms, believe whatever you wish.

My sources are very reliable, not second hand. Believe what you wish.

Yes, the physics is much more complicated, but mind how I phrased it...'more of a function of mass...', not that mass is the be-all and end-all. The 45's penetration is surprising, if you look closer. And I suggest reading more actual combat experiences. There are many bits of conventional wisdom about firearms that are blatantly false, like how the .45 kicks for instance. I have shot both, and there isn't a great deal of difference in recoil in reality. The real differences come in magazine size and ammunition design. Since it has the greater diameter, I think the .45 is likely superior in a fight simply because it makes a bigger hole, and I believe the combat vets that have actually been there. Ones whose opinions I have read and ones that I have talked to (those latter I highly prize and trust). Take that as you may; it is the second hand information I have more faith in. The 5.56 is a man-killer, no doubt about it, especially in the 62-77 grain bullets the miilitary uses. Geneva Convention aside, apparently the longer bullets tend to tumble in the target and create trauma wholly out of proportion to the caliber. But I have heard about deficiencies for years, like it's not such a great penetrator. Whenever I have run CoC, I have not modified the guns' stats much. They work well enough for me without a lot of additional rules and mechanics. It's certainly fun to speculate, though. I guess the only firearms related rule I ever introduced was a way to kill an elephant with one shot, because the 'elephant gun' stats just don't even come close to the elephants' stats, and there are many well known instances of one shot kills of elephants and other big game with relatively minor calibers like the 7mm. There was one successful ivory hunter (wish I could think of the guys name) who used a 7mm Mauser exclusively. I usually just made up a houserule to cover it, but anyway it's about the only thing that bothers me about CoC's firearms rules. Anyway have fun experimenting. I think you are much more a rules guy than me.