jrutila

As far as I know, they are quite similar. I have seen the "difference list" sometimes and it is really something like four bullet points. HQG is based on HQ2 after all. I am not sure what you are looking with this? Of course, there are the magic systems that are specific to HQG. You could expand the question to other HQ-based games like Nameless streets. Those I don't have any experience.

Please, can someone explain this Corflu thing? I tried but really don't get it.

It works both ways. If the GM tries to lower the resistance then it is frustrating that the player might not succeed. But yeah, I think you had an interesting point there. I somewhat liked the Common Magic idea from HeroQuest Roleplaying in Glorantha (I think?). I never got the change to actually play with it but reading it made sense. On the other hand, you can still allow usage of "common magic" abilities that are not necessarily under a rune in HQG, too.

I would turn these into settings things. HeroQuest is about the story. Think of a movie. There is no meter measuring when the vampire is too far away from the humanity. At some point in the movie it does something inhuman. All those "use cases" you described are just things that are happening in those worlds. Now, there will be contests that the heroes must face and try to resolve. Those contests are part of the story arc. All of these things you described are fuel for the outcomes of the contests. For example, if in the Firestarter game the hero tries to control someone's mind and gets a Major Defeat the damage to himself happens. You don't really need a system for those specific things. Think of them as a setting thing and narration tools. Don't know if this was any help but that is how I think HQ handles these things. If you long for a system or a rule to handle these special things in the world maybe looking at the original RPG for that world would give you guidance. On the other hand, you are safe with just HQ and following its story-driven contests.

I think the beauty of HQ comes here. If you define the contest well enough it can be resolved with (almost) any ability. E.g. instead of a perception check with perception ability the contest should be framed so that the players can come up with innovative way to resolve the contest. So, instead of asking "roll about do you spot something in the woods". Instead, do "there is something fishy in the woods. How (what ability you use) do you find out what it is and what happens if you don't?"

I am not the designer, obviously, but to me there is logic behind the notation. You are always rolling under the target number of with a die. That's why the target number is first. After both sides have rolled you then compare the masteries (cancelling and bumbing), thus them being after the target number.

In HQG you have to understand that the player's single roll is not about the character succeeding. You always need both rolls (player's and GM's) to determine the outcome of the contest (Victory or Defeat). The goal and outcome of the contest are always from the Hero's (the PC) point of view. Even when the opposing contestant is an NPC I tend to think the resistance as abstract and story based (is the Defeat interesting outcome at this point). There is a couple of cases when the resistance can be read from abilities: PC vs PC and PC overcoming his Flaw. Out of curiosity. In this case, what was the goal of the contest? Were they driving the beast away? Or did they just try to survive it? Kill it? The outcome of this contest shouldn't be about the monster succeeding destroying Boldhome. It should be about the Heroes dealing with the monster. If they block it the city is safe but the monster just backs away. If they get Complete Victory (or even Major) the monster is dead and the heroes are celebrated. Marginal Defeat would mean the monster destroys part of the city but Heroes manage to prevent casualties. Complete Defeat would mean the Heroes are trampled by the monster and need urgent help (even its own story arc) to survive. The nine different outcome levels give you lots of juice for imagination. I probably didn't answer any of your questions (I think @jajagappa did a great job there) but just gave my two cents for a new HQ player. Welcome.

I have been listening to RPG podcasts and a quite common example of a (not HQ) game situation is "make a perception check". So, the GM has some secret knowledge and the players roll whether their characters spot it or not. This can be perception, knowledge, senses etc. Every time, I start to think how does HQ handle this idea. In HQ players roll for contests or obstacles. Spotting that a troll has walked beforehand into the tavern is not an obstacle, per se. The better obstacle would be finding the troll. In that case, the footprints are "how" they found the troll. Finding the troll is the prize in the contest. Depending the ability used they might have sensed the troll ("I smell trolls" ability) or just guessed it ("Luckiest hunter in town"). Knowing that information (the troll being in the tavern) might still give a bonus in the actual contest that will follow when the players get to the tavern. Could they use augment? The characters enter the tavern (without knowing about the troll) and it attacks. A player could augment with "Keen eyes" ability and say that he spotted something weird before they entered the tavern thus being alert. Then why didn't he warn others or prevent them from entering? Multiple attempts to a contest are also forbidden. So, if the contest is finding the footprints can everyone try? Isn't that multiple attempts? Usually, it is enough that one of the characters succeeds. Could they do group simple contest about finding the footprints? I would avoid these "check" rolls and try to twist them into actual obstacles. Sometimes if they make sense the prize should be a lingering benefit to a follow-up situation narrated as found footprints etc. And then only give the possibility to one or two characters with suitable abilities. Just to avoid the clichè "Everyone! Make a perception check".

First, have you checked this topic: There is the Contest procedures aid. Simple Contest Frame the contest. Define the goal. What would it mean if the character succeeds? What would it mean if he fails? Select the tactic/ability. Which ability is the character using? Is it reasonable to use that ability to the contest? Apply modifiers from previous story or augments. Game Master decides what is the resistance. Use any method from gut-feeling to Pass/Fail cycle. The player rolls a die. This die roll tells the level of the player's success. It is either Critical, Success, Failure or Fumble. Rolling under or same as the ability target number is Success Rolling over the ability target number is Failure 1 is Critical, 20 is Fumble The GM rolls a die. This die roll tells the level of the resistance's success. It doesn't matter if the resistance is abstract or tangible. Think that the story resists the character. Apply bumps. If there is a difference in masteries (for example 5W vs 14 has one mastery difference) use the excess masteries to bump the success level up (Failure -> Success, Success -> Failure etc.). If the level is already in Critical, bump the opposing success level down. The difference between the success levels tells the outcome of the contest. One step difference (like Success vs Failure) results in Minor Victory or Defeat. See the Simple Contest Result Table. If the success levels are the same higher roll gets a Marginal Victory. Narrate the outcome. Tell or let the players tell what happened. How did they get (or missed) their goal? Check this topic out for inspiration what the different levels mean: I would post an example but urge you to check our PbP OOC thread. Check out the msg #14 for a simple contest about the stranger's identity. http://rpol.net/display.cgi?gi=70164&ti=4&date=1511252544&msgpage=1

Could this topic be sticky?

Every character gets five additional abilities that can be defined also after character creation. If you have unspent additional abilities and there comes a situation in game that would give you a new ability (for example a relationship with totally new NPC). Do you use a Hero Point to cement the relationship or can you spend one of your additional abilities? In a sense the additional abilities describe the characters past just like in prose method. The things from the characters past are just brought to daylight. But new NPC contact is not like that. So, what is your take on this?

I have to say I really liked the Red Gates of Sog City image. We have now seen depictions of what people look like in Glorantha. I think this was first image to depict an area or a city from closer view (aerial image of Boldtown does not count). The event in the image is also interesting. I am not sure if the townsfolk looks scared (like said in the boxed text) or if they are more angry to the rulers. The Kingdom of War is a big part of this area. It is the big bad thing threatening everyone. Even more so I get the gist that Kingdom of War is pure evil. I didn't spot any reason for its lust for war.

Fronela is an area with civilized folks struggling with native nomads and barbarian clans. The syndics ban gives the whole area an interesting history and exploration of its effect on people would create lots of stories. The lack of Lunar influence in most parts (if I got it correctly) is also refreshing at this point. The effect of the ban on Kingdom of Loskalm is that they were safe and now they have to deal with the outer world that is coming to break their perfect system. In Avalon Hill Glorantha books there was a back-cover image of a heavy armor plated soldier on a horse. I think it was meant to be from Loskalm (or somewhere else in Fronela). The Fronela in the Guide is not that "medieval", but if you want to see the most medievalist area in Glorantha, you should probably head to Kingdom of Loskalm.

So, Tarsh is Orlanthi lands that has already been for a while under Lunar control. I think this resonates with Lunar Heartlands that is Yelmic culture influenced by Lunar Religion. The map differentiates Lunar and Orlanthi population. But isn't Orlanthi a culture and Lunar more of a religion? It says that King Pharandros crushed the Sartarite rebellion. What rebellion is this? Further discussion about the rebellion might be suitable in the deep discussion.

Oh my, we shouldn't leave these threads empty. Sartar is probably the most familiar place to me beforehand due to vast amount of material published (and read). There is King of Dragon Pass and King of Sartar. If I understood correctly they don't have really much connections. But they both woo the Feathered Horse Queen? The apotheosis picture is powerful and depicts quite nicely how it might look in Boldhome: Mountains everywhere around you. But what's with the ram heads?

You can tell from this chapter that Dragon Pass really is the boiling point of Glorantha. There were 23 pages of stuff about the are called Dragon Pass and what is happening there. All the people of note are major movers of Hero Wars. I like the color drawings made for the Guide. I always visioned Starbrow to look little more ... dangerous. And of course Feathered Horse Queen wears a feathered horse hat. The black horse riders drawing is something I don't show to my kids as I want to sleep at nights. After all these strong and grand places and people there is the image of the Wild Temple. I have to say the image was rather off-putting. Is the Wild Temple described in more detail in a publication?

This chapter was a description of very rural and distant place. So distant that Lunars only visited there and carried on after seating the puppet king. This is also the place for Griffin Mountain adventure pack. The Balazaring ritual picture is marwelous and powerful. Finally a dog also. The cat vs. dog thing is really taken to the next level in Glorantha. Clan Hearth picture is missin a key. The picture has numbers from 1 to 6 but no explanations.

This game is happening! Recruitments were done in Google+ community and the game is starting at http://rpol.net/game.cgi?gi=70164 There is still technically one spot left if you want to join the game.

Again, I read the following: "Heroquesting did not exist in the Gods Age. In that Timeless age there was no division between the worldof men and gods, of life and death, of body and spirit." This always make me ponder was there other beings than gods before Time began? Like, you know, common people (or trolls or elves..) Where did they live and how. I have read about some heroes that still live and have lived before the Dawn. There was no but there was causality. Did this cause these beings to die at some point?

This chapter is an essential read if you want to read Gloranthan myths and stories about gods. Especially understanding that different ages are kind of different places and everything is happening all the time. The Guide has referenced these things before (like talking about Green Age) and it is finally nice to get these things defined. Somehow this chapter seems to be more about Heroquesting than Hero Planes (or are they, in the end, same thing). After heroquesting there is stuff about God Learners (that was already in the History chapters) and more about heroquesting in Third Age. Maybe I was left missing a little bit more info about the Hero Planes. Something like major known heroquests per plane or something. We have the Kalikos Heroquest again but now with explanation. It is nice to see a Lunar heroquest as I have read mainly about Orlanthi heroquests elsewhere.

The Cosmology pages were quite nice looking. The runes themselves are already quite familiar, but the element rune order and strength over another was new thing for me. Why is Chaos both in Forms and Conditions. I don't think any other rune was in two different pages

Page 169 Connected Episodes: The Storm Breaks!, The Battle of Dangerford This page is about episode The Battle of Dangerford. Probably should be something else (The Liberation of Jonstown maybe?)

That's not a situation where I would use such a contest. In that case, I'd most likely use a Group Simple Contest against the single resistance where they together need to achieve a victory to get through. Were you talking about not using Extended Contest for surfing through crowd (that can be the session high point, though) or not using it against abstract resistances at all? Not using EC for abstract resistances would limit possible climax contests quite heavily. So, do you apply MOP also to an abstract resistance?

I have been reading The Eleven Lights for a week now (it is great, btw). More than once there is hints about using multiple opponents penalty as a combat tactique against single harder opponent. My understanding about the MOP was that it was only applicable to the PCs. The HeroQuest Glorantha (p. 81) is not 100% clear, but I think it is more into that idea. So that if Harmast and Cormac were fighting a Telmori with resistance 3W they would both throw against 3W. What if the enemy is an abstract resistance. If Harmast and Cormac are trying to rush through a crowd? Does the crowd suffer the MOP? Can the crowd (GM) then decide which competition it gets the -3 against, like the PCs can? How have you used this rule in your games? Does the enemy also suffer from MOP? I think the MOP shouldn't be applied to the resistance (was it abstract or not). The PCs have other tactics when contesting with single resistance like starting multiple contests or assisting.

It might've been a flashback from the Genertela Box times. Glad to hear there is no more of these bans.