frogspawner

Even that could be too much. How about...? A) Three-word character summary Max ten word background description (or other length, to taste) C) Similar-length 'statement of intent' (what the character wants, as per that article) and optionally D) About 3 BRP/Pendragon Personality Traits

Well, you didn't actually ask about encumbrance, now did ya? But since you ask so nicely, here's mine rule for that... "Encumbrance Capacity: SIZ x (STR + 10) / 20 (x14 lbs). Over half Encumbers: Movement, Initiative & Dex-based skills are x1/2. Armour Burden (Light/Moderate/Heavy) can affect physical (generally DEX-based) skills, movement rate and magic spell-casting. Light: no skill penalty, -1 Move, +10% Magic fumble. Moderate: Skills x1/2, -2 Move, +20% Magic fumble. Heavy: Skills x 1/10, -3 Move, +30% Magic fumble. Listen/Spot skills are greatly disadvantaged (x1/10) in Full/Great Helm; Lock-picking, Shooting Bows and Playing Instruments are impossible in Gauntlets. Anyone not trained to the burden of armour is automatically Encumbered." Not so neat as the Fatigue rule, and I don't usually invoke it. But it's there, just in case anyone tries anything too blatantly unreasonable...

I allow Parry and Dodge. Thus the problem disappears.

Here's mine... "Fatigue: Exertion (e.g. combat) for a turn requires a CONx5 roll to avoid Fatigue (Movement, Initiative & all skills x1/2) or if already fatigued Exhaustion (x1/10). Recovery from fatigue requires rest for 1 hour; exhaustion 8 hours." An add-on for those occasions it seems warranted, yes. Something to track all the time (or for spell-points) - heck, no!

Soltakss has a good way to handle these, with plenty of examples on his site. I'd suggest that if those in SC aren't compatible with this, then they need fixing...

Thanks, gents. I have looked-over OQ, but didn't find it memorable. I was unimpressed and was just left thinking it was too MRQ-ish for me. It's free, but I still recommend buying original RQ2.

Isn't it based on MRQ1, the sucky one?

Nope - and rightly not. With heroic bravery, clever tactics, skill and luck - not by being a bullying 'sack of *hits', like in D&D.

Apologies to threedeesix, it's author, but - no. (Not for that Iron Age campaign, anyway). CF is for if you want to play something reminiscent of AD&D. (But with the worst bits of rules excised). The basic rules of original RuneQuest (Chaosium RQ2, I assume) can be simulated with the appropriate BRP options, right there in the book. (Anyone care to specify which?) If you're really after that RQ2 feel, though, there are (sadly) many aspects BRP misses out. But - you should be able to pick up a real RQ2 book on eBay for less than a tenner. (I have, in readiness for a campaign soon with newbie players...)

Pro-BRP: You have the book already, and your ideas for adapting it's magic to that setting sound just fine. Pro-MRQ2: Heroic abilities sound suitable, and having the author answer questions within 45 mins of your posting can't hurt, either!

It depends on the setting. Plentiful, magical healing - possibly even Resurrections & Divine Interventions - and gross damage is fine.

Sounds right to me. I expect it's common to allow a choice on a critical hit, but whether that's RAW I don't know. Personally I use Criticals equal Specials, but ignore armour too (so the effects stack nicely).

It seems to me SIZ/CON should just be set to whatever is required to get the HPs right. But what is the 'right' value for HPs?

It's a trick! He's been reading this thread and wants to deflect you from bringing in Traits rules, the Sociopath's Bane!

That's Mongoose (MRQ2) I take it, not RQII. I think a combined Brawl/Grapple is good, but Spot & Listen (etc) should be separate. Just last week I was playing under a GM in the habit of calling for "Perception rolls...". But my character had very good eyesight (but not as good hearing), so I was always having to ask for clarification: "Spot or Listen?". Also, having just one Perception-type skill makes it a bit 'uber' - they're already verging on overly important.

I sincerely hope the intransigent player described is very rare. I remain convinced a good game mechanic can do the trick in most cases. Oh heck yes, I can relate to this - from the player side. Hence I'm keen that any Traits mechanic should be player-driven, not a way for the GM to puppet player-characters. And Carrot, not Stick. Sounds good! Sadly I don't use FPs, but this easy method should do just fine for others.

How about asking such players to bring along a spare character "to avoid interrupting the game when the troublemaker is executed" ? Hopefully that would be enough, and you wouldn't have to use the spare. But if it wasn't and you did, it still works.

You're welcome. The psychological effect of being on negative HPs is significant though. It's a serious danger signal, and makes it 'socially acceptable' for a character to duck out of combat - leading to greater chances of survival, without (too many) extra HPs. You might want to build that idea into your system too. (And for your D&D problem - try the 'Die Hard' feat...)

The point with my system given above... ...is that Location rolls are only needed for significant hits - and it seems to meet your specification otherwise, too...

Well, no offence, but I'll stick to the mechanism I use: Character HP = SIZ / 2 (round up). But characters don't die until their HP go below minus CON. Any injury taking them to 0HP or below disables the location hit (if that's Head, they go unconscious). Any injury taking them to -5HP or below is serious. Any injury taking them to -10HP or below is major. I think it's simpler, seems to give less HP (though in fact giving about 50% more) - and scares the heck out of players!

...or something like the EnGarde! fencing system may be what you're looking for. Several manoevres are planned in advance, with 'rests' in between, and then the simultaneous actions of each side cross-referenced against each other to determine the outcome. Nothing like BRP of course! But I did once write a program for automated combat that combined the two... (if anyone's interested, I could put it online).

Hmm, except Borderlands isn't quite meant for starting characters. It'd probably do, but... play somewhere I can join in and you can borrow my Pavis & Big Rubble to start us off - plus the others!

Glad to be of service!

Sorry, not CoC! <shudder> Have a weekend group here, currently doing D&D <spit>. So I'd be happy to join some midweek BRP/RQ group myself. York's just a bit too far tho'... Could probably stretch to Skipton? Steve Wells

Do you not like the one we're currently thrashing out in the (now rather hi-jacked) Alternative Experience System thread, then?