Psullie

10 hours ago, Thyrwyn said:

It doesn’t matter who made the Binding Enchantment or how, only that it is big enough (at least 1 POW per characteristic of the spirit to be bound). A Rune spell could be used to command a spirit summoned by a sorcerer to force it into an enchantment made by a Shaman. 

Unless the enchantment has conditions limiting its utility (which cost additional POW). 

While I agree with that, it raises the question, who is the Binder for the sake of access to extra MP and spells (assuming its that sort of spirit)?

2 hours ago, Atgxtg said:

then some sort of non-lethal rule should be used

I agree that if you wanted a less-lethal punch up then additional rules are needed, such as all damage is temporary or halving the damage modifier. 

Without gloves, punching someone can lead to broken knuckles, fractured wrists etc.

2 hours ago, womble said:

Just to be picky, and only because we're trying to sort out how this work, shouldn't that be cast the Command(Entity) first, because it's only automatic while the entity is in the binding? Or does 'bound' as a state apply until the spirit has performed its one required task upon release?

Yes, that would be the safer option. As it takes a round to impart the commands to the entity, you would do that then release. 

14 minutes ago, womble said:

mean that only they can use the spirit magic

Yes, only the binder (the one that spent the POW and cast the Enchantment spell) gets the MP bonus and cast spells. But unless a Condition is placed on the container anyone touching it can communicate with the bound spirit and release it. You should be very careful who touches your baubles.

4 minutes ago, Kloster said:

most of the spells can't be cast

It's not the Spirit that casts the spell, but the binder. So If my shaman binds a Spirit that knows Disruption 3, the shaman can cast that spell, using his own skill level but without needing to know that spell. This allows character to collect more spells than their CHA. Alternatively he could release it, cast Command (entity) which is automatic, and ask it to cast the spell.

On 12/15/2018 at 10:41 AM, womble said:

which the rules specifically state you're allowed to access the MP, but do not mention access to spells.

P366 RQG: "The binder of a spirit can use any spirit magic the spirit possesses and the magic points of the spirit to fuel spells."

My though's on the other points.

You use different approaches for different spirits. If, for example, you wish to bind an elemental. Sacrifice POW during the Binding Enchantment, Summon the appropriate Elemental (requires roll), Cast Command (roll req.), overcome POW v POW roll to force elemental into receptacle. 

For a spell spirit or other entity. Sacrifice POW during a Binding Enchantment. Cast Summon Entity (roll req.) or enter the Spirt World and find entity. Reduce the entity to 0 MP in spirit combat then cast Control (Entity) Spirit Binding (roll req. but if successfully cast the spirit is bound, no POW roll).

5 hours ago, Atgxtg said:

two punches to an unprotected  head are more lethal than a whack with a mace

2x 1d3 v's 1d6+2, I don't follow the math. If you add a damage bonus to both, sure it starts to balance out - 2x(1d3+1d4) v's 1d6+2+1d4 with a chance that two bare knuckle sucker punches will inflict more damage. People have been killed by less. 

Weapons take damage if parried, the same goes for unarmed combat. As most folks have 4-6 HP per arm, deliver too high damage and you risk harm. 

As a starting off point the three scenarios in the GM pack make for a very good introduction to RQG. As they are written for the new edition little work is required to get started. Once the players have saved apple lane they would be ready to venture forth to either Prax or Balazar.

21 minutes ago, drablak said:

There are two of them at Chaosium (SKU ISS1606-PDF and CHA4013-PDF).

ISS1606-PDF is the Moon Design edition that contains the original plus additional materials. CHA4013-PDF is a reproduction of the original. 

One of the regular hiccups I encounter is getting concept of Sorcerer across to players. Some coming from other games want to throw fireballs and fight balrogs and think that you need to be a Wizard class to do so, but with RQ anybody can do that. So I generally say that in RQ a sorcerer is more like a university professor than Gandalf (including Dr. Jones) and that clears up the expectation. That said I'm really looking forward to future supplements that gives us full sorcery schools etc.

32 minutes ago, womble said:

Don't weapons use Manipulation rather than Agility?

Oops, absolutely. 

Just now, Kloster said:

Why not, but that would mean less than the default value, which seems odd. By the way, I've noticed that the rules is 'CAN use half of the highest score' (emphasis is mine).

Kloster

Sure, default values would override this, I was just quoting as an example. So you would use an untrained weapon at the highest ability score for Base+Agility Mod+Culture or half your highest related weapon. Lets say your broadsword is 90%, and short sword is 35%, you could use short sword at half your broadsword (45%) or it's actual skill of 35%, but any experience checks would go to your short sword skill regardless of which you use so why penalise yourself. Once your Short sword skill reaches 46% you can start use that.

Keep it simple, related weapons are half your highest skill, see the Harmast example. So in your case Broadsword 40% would be all other 1H swords at 20%

21 minutes ago, Tywyll said:

antagonists both succeed at their skill

I actually prefer this as a draw which requires additional effort to resolve as not all opposed actions result in a binary outcome. If I do need a win/lose outcome I go with single rolls.

4 hours ago, soltakss said:

Dragonmeet

I was and I did see the book, and a most impressive tome it was. I also got to meet Martin for the first time and as they say in my homeland he is a gentlemen, scholar and judge of fine porter, though I didn't get the chance to truly test the latter. Very nice to meet you Martin and to finally see the results of all your efforts,

soltakss, Pity missed meeting you, or perhaps I did, how was your day?

I think just keep it simple, perhaps a loose string of connected adventures that build a nice narrative that highlights the end of the 3rd age and the start of the Hero Wars. I do like the concept of focusing on regions that are developed with Chaosium, right now it's Dragon Prax and we have a couple of Sartar focused games (hidden tower, a darkness at Runegate, plus the GM pack scenarios) with more to come. A convention scenarios primary goal is to showcase what is special about the world and the rules so as to invite new players.

I just got back from Dragonmeet in London where I ran one of only three other RuneQuest games (with another HeroQuest game on offer) out of 75 planned RPG's not including the organised Pathfinder & D&D games. RuneQuest is still a niche market with relatively few players (while hanging out at the Chaosium stand I saw a lot of people looking for the new rules though, so that may change) and my table of 7 players filled up at once with people very eager to play, easily another 3-4 tables could of been filled, so we really need GM's to organise local games. 

awesome!

7 hours ago, jajagappa said:

Most commonly the dead worshippers of that cult (e.g. ancestors and the like). Then there will be those that have some association with the cult's runes (e.g. air or motion spirits for Orlanth) or spirit magics (e.g. a spirit that knows Bladesharp).  Some might be animal or plant spirits (e.g. alynx spirits for Yinkin).  And also spirits of a particular place.

It's much as noted for wyters on p.173-4 of RQG Bestiary:  The origins of an individual wyter varies, and wyters include the spirits of dead heroes, genius loci, children of gods, artificial psychic constructs, souls of extinct spirits, intelligent elementals, and many other possibilities.

Also consider more powerful cult spirits like the Snake Daughters of Ernalda on p.175 who require a 4 pt. Summon Cult Spirit spell.

Guardian spirits would represent spirits already summoned and bound to a particular place.

So would you suggest then that Summon Elemental is required as a second spell if you wanted to summon elementals?

Summon Cult Spirit is a common rune spell so anyone can cast it. The description states: "Summon Elemental is a specific example of this spell but many other variations exist." and Summon Elemental is then listed. So my question is, if Summon Elemental is an example of Summon Cult Spirit then is counts as a free choice? If so why have both Yanioth & Vostor have taken Summon Elemental as one of their Cult Spells if Summon Cult Spirit is common? If not, then what type of spirit is summoned by the common spell?

On the character sheets this is just listed as Drive, so I would use it for any vehicle drawn by draft animals. 

I find it helpful to think of them as personality traits; active/lazy, or honest/deceitful. So a character could use their Movement rune to help win a race, use their Illusion rune to fool the town guard. Likewise I find them very useful as GM tests, a Fertility test to avoid being seduced by the siren, Disorder test to keep from over indulgence. This is heavily inspired from the old Pendragon scenarios where this was common practice.

To me the paragraph on page 145 suggest that while using a Rune or Passion to augment another is impossible without some mutual connection, and augmenting someone's actual Rune or Passion check is impossible. As an example of the former is the common love interest trope, where the passionately expressed devotion of one character inspires the subject of that devotion to act. However no amount of support will enhance another's own Passion or Runic affinity.

I wonder can you augment a negative result? Many cultures use expressive posturing to cause the enemy to back down rather than actually engage in combat. I could see in Gloranthan personal challenges each side's supporters chanting, singing, drumming etc, to not only augment their hero's skills but undermine their opponent's. Sort of like opposed augmenting? 

there are mines in Nomis (p334 GtG) and Terarir (p322) of 'a black rock desired by the dwarves of Jord' which I assumed to be coal

You can use Rune affinity to augment Skill categories, Water = Agility and DEX 

As for spells, it's probably an oversight, but I'd be include to agree that Soul Sight would also suggest 75%+ Runic affinities. As for Passions, they should be evident when in use, as for being able to magically detect someone's Loyalty, Honour, Hatred; seems too easy for me. 

48 minutes ago, soltakss said:

if I have 150% Sword Attack then I can split 75/75, normally, however in total darkness I am at -75% so only have a 75% attack chance and cannot split.

If I have a 98% Sword and am on a horse, I get +20, so can attack on 118%, so I can split at 59/59

here's the rub, with 98% sword, even with a boost you still can't split attacks as it's based on the natural ability. But does it work the other way, If I have a 120% sword skill that gets reduced due to whatever by 30%, do I still get the two attacks, but at -30 each? The logic is based on that it requires a natural skill level to make two attacks and that modifiers can not give you that ability?

I agree with Phil, a discorporate Shaman can cast it on any non-engaged spirit with INT. Useful if you want to avoid a particular entity. even when spirit combat starts, the effected spirit would not be able to cast spells.

I'm inclined to go with Bladesharp/Dullblade etc effecting the weapon and therefore per attack, and as Mechashef points out stays with the weapon. Also easier than splitting +5% & 1hp damage mod. Assuming that you natural ability is 100+ I'd calculate all mods that effect the wielder first.

An interesting point would be Dullblade (or Encumbrance). If your warrior has 110 but got hit with Dullblade 3 - dropping his effective skill to 95 - but would you allow two attacks at 40 (55-15) each? as the ability is based on natural skill.