icebrand

Give that character with 200% sword a ball-on-a-chain flail, and you can

lean back and watch his attempts to decapitate himself ...

As far as i read, ball and chains are more novelty-type weapons than real war stuffs.

Still, the character with 200% sword should be able to perform better with that that someone that does not know how to fight at all.

Yes, Combat styles do seem to need greater - or, rather, clearer - explanation. Because that sounds like it's perfectly well modelled by the good old 'skill checks against skills used' mechanism. It seems that Gladiator should have several weapon skills and consequently not have had time to develop some other skills, that's all...

So you are basically saying that a character with 200% sword is as good as i am with a mace? Seems pretty weak!

This is exactly what Combat Styles handles well. Your skill includes the techniques you have been trained in. If you have never fought with an axe, then it is NOT part of your combat style and you have a basic chance to use it.

And that is wrong.

A master swordsman can "WTFPWN" someone who never meleed with preety much any weapon(s).

The "technique" part of melee is not the most important; timing, reflexes, conditioning, how to move, etc are *way* more decisive, and all those are shared between every combat style on earth!

You could go the opposite direction with it and give a base 2 CA's (1 for each hand) and then a loss of 1 CA when wielding a weapon that requires the use of both hands.

As far as Combat Styles go, the way I use them is that only weapons useable at one time can be considered part of a style. So a certain type of warrior might typically know how to use Sword, Shield and Shortbow, but since you can't use all 3 weapons at once its broken into separate styles. Sword & Shield being one style and Shortbow being the other. This ensures that no style is likely to ever include more than 2 weapons so it keeps them relatively balanced. I'm sure it could be argued that some degree of synergy exists between similar weapons, but without re-grouping weapons (e.g. 1-H slashing, 2-H slashing, 1-H crushing, etc.) that level of granularity is difficult to achieve and for most of the games I've run it hasn't been necessary. 99.9% of the time most of the characters in my games have a single primary melee weapon or weapon style and a back-up of some sort; usually a ranged weapon. Very rarely does a situation arise where a character might need or want to pick up a different but similar weapon. Too rarely to worry about it, but YMMV.

Problem is characters with a certain skill will never ever use another weapon...

I think D20 does it better.

One neophyte GM maneuver I’ve made in the past, was having the PC roll, but against the wrong numeric value. As per the above poison example, I gave him a 60% chance of resisting, when actually he should have had a 40%... neophyte...

Meh, after years of playing i figured it doesn't really matter. Just tell them they have "x" chance to resist, where x is the number you want, and screw it.

Its completely irrelevant. Just let the PC's roll so they feel good about it.

So you would *increase* non-sorcerers' skill points rather than just *decrease* sorcerers' skill from the default?

Most definitely.

Many thanks for all the insights guys!

I decided to go with the sorcery system over the skill point-based magic to differentiate those powers from "just another set of skills." Nothing is set in stone though and I do see the balancing effects of skill based magic, things might change. I'll be using random attribute generation (with the option to re-allocate a couple points afterwards), so unfortunately not a ton of point-based balancing for sorcerous characters. Think I'll probably just reduce the starting skill points for magical professions. Also creating an arcane/occult language as a necessity for mages - I figure this directly simulates some of the study required.

Great advice on the combat/HP too. I'm still on the fence - personally I'm of the more-grit-less-pulp school, but as icebrand said, it might be easier to downsize HP than rewind an early TPK that finishes off some promising characters due to unfamiliarity with the system. But yeah, I'm kinda weary of the so called cinematic "mow down a legion of mooks, then face the badass villain and his lieutenants", predictable as all hell... so I tend towards the standard BRP Hp and make sure healing is easily available, at least early on...

Rosen McStern mentions Fate Points. Anyone use them? They looked a bit overpowered and maybe a little too meta from first impressions...

Both sorcery and magic are viable. I would give increased skill points (the int multiplier) with chars without sorcery (INCLUDING characters with magic)

1. Obviously the ratio of skill points available at char creation to number of skills to choose from can have a big effect on players' starting power. I've cut out all the non setting appropriate ones and was thinking of slimming the list down even more, but don't want to unbalance things. Assuming the default "normal" level skill points, what's an ideal # of skills to choose from?

I like Elric! Skills for fantasy.

2. I'll be using a magic system along the lines of the Sorcery powers. What kind of tradeoff at chargen (skill points? attributes? other?) works best to balance the advantages of sorcery use?

Again, i like an Elric!-like tradeoff. Give spells to caster, and increased skill points to non casters.

3. Obviously, coming from AD&D many of the players are used to absurd amounts of HP. Most of us agree that's a problem and I'd like to start with the SIZ & CON average, but not sure if that's too steep a change. Definitely using hit locations. Any of you folks run games with SIZ + CON HP?

On our RetroQuest campaign, characters have average CON+SIZ, with a (POW-10) bonus to rune-level characters (chamans have extra hit points depending on their spirit selection, and sorcerers divert some damage to MP).

I would start with total HP if i were you; it's easier to say "ok guys, this isnt working, lets halve the HP" than to say "ok guys, this isnt working, the party didn't die so revive your chars and add some HP"

4. Any other general advice for a BRP novice?

Many thanks in advance...

Just run it using the basic rules, spot rules are not needed at all, you can add them little by little once you feel comfortable with the system. Also, start with low-skilled opposition and increase the difficulty by steps; characters SHOULD "own" their first encounters; it's better to use a low-skilled opponent at its best than throw a high skilled creature and downplay it.

I'll turn that around; if its that easy and that good, why didn't grappling supplant everything else in environments where single combat was common?

The answer I'd give is that its a pretty unsafe thing to try to do to an armed man, and only done in desperation. But if you don't like that, really think about whether you want, generically, grappling to be the winning way to deal with any other human sized opponent that isn't similarly trained, no matter what else he is trained in or equipped with.

Grappling DOES supplant everything else in environment where single combat is common.

Just check the european fighting style manuals, they are full of grappling techniques. 1-on1 duels with plate armors are won by grappling!

In classic times grappling was a vital part of training, and those were people trained to fight in formations, where grappling is useless.

In my experience, someone who knows how to grapple will beat another martial artist that does striking pretty much all the time. I've seen bjj blue belts mop the floor with people that been doing karate or kickboxing for 10+ years.

Thing with weapons is reach, and get to your opponent. If you are unarmed and your opponent has a weapon, you are SOL 99/100 times; if both have weapons, grappling is VERY viable (just watch some dog brothers fights on youtube, they almost always end up grappling!)

And why would it be actually hard to start a grapple?

IMHO Elric! is the best BRP incarnation EVER for fantasy rp.

Also check chaosium's worlds of wonders. IMHO in many aspects they are even superior than the BRP rules!

Greetings! If I didn't have much available cash but wanted to get started using a d100 system and I didn't want to homebrew my own, which of the free systems would you fine fellows say is the closest to BRP? Which is the most compatible with the supplement books?

OpenQuest or GORE work fine.

You may want to check RetroQuest that owns very hard (though it does not have character generation rules... yet)

I think hes fine, he posted about it on google +

Just uploaded a D20 spin (fire and sword-ish), with a few more attention to detail and a lot less crap (12 page of rules only!)

http://basicroleplaying.com/downloads.php?do=file&id=419

No clue! Any ideas?

It's probably an STR vs STR roll though

These are the grappling rules from the new and improved RetroQuest. "Opposed skill tests" use their special success chance on the resistance table (yes, i know it's clunky but for RetroQuest works just fine since it uses a D20 instead of D100).

Replace "unarmed" for "wrestle" or whatever you call your skill.

Grappling & Wrestling

• Wrestle attacks may not be parried once a successful wrestle has been established

• Wrestling combatants suffer a -30% penalty to any tests outside the wrestle

• Grappling (ground fighting) combatants suffer a -60% penalty to any tests outside the grapple

Getting a Grip

Once a wrestle is established, the character may attempt any of the wrestling maneuvers; a grabbed opponent must roll unarmed combat to either break free or initiate a wrestle himself. Each of these maneuvers counts as an attack action, and the character can split his skill (as per multiple attacks) to attempt several maneuvers at once.

Wrestling Maneuvers

After a successful throw, the attacker may choose to end the grapple or continue fighting from the ground. A target may use the “defend” action to use either his STRx5 or DEXx5 instead of the unarmed skill. Last, but not least, a successful DEXx5 test negates damage from throws, and reduces special and critical damage by one step.

• Disarm – Make an opposed unarmed vs. melee test. If successful the target is disarmed

• Sacrifice Throw – Make an opposed unarmed test to throw your opponent for normal damage

• Throw – Make a normal unarmed attack (subject to a parry) to throw your opponent for normal damage

Grappling Maneuvers

These maneuvers may only be used when both combatants are on the ground (usually the result of a successful throw).

• Break Free – Make a normal unarmed attack (subject to a parry) to escape an immobilization, or a failed finishing maneuver (choke hold, ground & pound, joint lock)

• Immobilize – Make an opposed unarmed test to immobilize a target. If you fail, the target can attempt to break free; if you succeed you can attempt a finishing maneuver (choke, joint lock or ground & pound), or maintain the hold for as long as you want

Finishing Maneuvers

• Choke Hold – Make an opposed unarmed test to choke an immobilized target. If successful, roll STR vs CON. Success in this second test means the target is unconscious

• Ground & Pound – Make an opposed unarmed attack. If successful, roll damage as normal

• Joint Lock – Make an unarmed attack (subject to a parry). If successful, roll STR vs STR. Each success does normal damage until you cause a major wound on a limb. This continues until the target successfully breaks free (though it can only attempt it if you fail the STR test) or you break the limb.

By the way, i just came back from my training (bad day)

I was about to go home and a karate retard poked at me, i snapped and ended up in a real fight. By the time i actually came to my senses it already ended :S

Well, acting quickly without thinking first is also not exactly a general recipe for success ...

At least in judo if you think you pretty much lose your chance. I guess any sport with timing is the same!

Of course, running a 100 yard dash with a gladius in your ribcage is probably going to be aggravating. But I'd say that this damage is probably going to be a judgment call by the GM. I could see giving out he damage every couple of turns or minutes depending on just how the wound is being aggravated, and how likely that would be to make the injury worse. Running with bullet in your forearm shouldn't make your arm fall off.

Actually i cant see anyone doing anything but falling down and dying if they have a gladius in their ribcage

There was a suggestion in RQ2 that SIZ SR should only count for the first blow, IIRC, and once melee was joined only DEX was important. SIZ SR also breaks down with non-humanoid critters. Still haven't found a satisfactory (elegant) solution to this.

I did. Its called "getting rid of that stupid characteristic" =)

Really, siz serves no function at all; a size category like... every other game out there works better

That's... extreme, maybe impossible. You can hit on SR1 if you are huge and have a greatsword but SR4 is more common. Second attack (kick or headbutt, as he has a greatsword in his hands) 3SR later, then 3+DEXSR+points to prepare and cast Disruption, the mountain with the great sword could get his first spell off on SR9 but no more, and that's with huge SIZ and DEX.

Strike rank 1

Cast divine spell (thunderbolt, lightning, sever spirit, whatever)

Allied spirit casts divine spell

Attack as normal (with two weapons you get your full % chance at... lets say SR 2 for siz, 1 for dex, 2 for a sword) = 5 and 8.

Option 2:

Cast divine spell

cast spirit spells x2

Edit: Also i find really, REALLY stupid that andre the giant with a greatsword can *hit more times* than jet li with a dagger.

Invite sent! It's all you could ever dream of! (Plus/minus some stuff...)

Hahahaa, no, that was me on google +! Already had it for a long time!

Dinosaurs.

With Jetpacks.

That shoot lasers when they roar!

http://www.arcadebomb.com/play/robot_dinosaurs_that_shoot_beams_when_they_roar.html