frogspawner

I don't like systems that give the PCs unfair advantages over NPCs - that makes them into bullies, not the heroes they should be. Doubling their HPs would do that - just like D&D (spit). I don't know how FPs work in WFRP, but I wouldn't be keen on allowing story-fiddles or re-rolls or 'get-out-of-death free' cards. Would the players stand for it if the NPCs did that too? Some variation on Dodge/Defence seems to me to be the way to go. It can always be ascribed to 'luck', even if 'gods' don't exist in the genre. I currently use a skill (called 'Defence', but not working quite like the old RQ2) which is a percentage chance to avoid any damage from melee/missile/magic (or at least 10hp worth of it). And the 'skill' increases only via ticks for role-playing, so that's how PCs can get better at it than the NPCs. Obviously it's chancy and unreliable below 100%, so I'm not sure about it. But maybe that's a good thing. Any better ideas?

Yes, that does sound good! More restricted (slightly) and yet more balanced (in just the way we were independently proposing) than the old RQ method. Nice one, BRP!

Maybe Chaosium are hoping one set of options will emerge as generally accepted, so they'll get a "generic, universal" system to build on...

Hi J. (In Triff's absence, welcome a-board!) Yes, bin that AD&D and go BRP! I had an AD&D campaign since the 70's, and wasted 20 years being dissatisfied and trying to fix the rules - before finally switching to a BRP/RQ-like system. And what a relief: It's great! It works! It feels so right! (And vampiric ducks are entirely optional). You'll love it, since you so like CoC... (oo-er, missus!)

Yes, I also worry about the lethality of BRP/RQ outside fantasy settings - i.e. without Divine Intervention, magical Healing/Resurrection etc. So I have tried a sort-of Fate Points system, giving characters 1% Dodge per FP (that's all - they can't spend 'em on anything, so no re-rolls, resurrections or story-fiddling). I'm not entirely happy with it, but some mechanism like that (which doesn't refer to Holy/Magic powers - just "Luck") might help make such settings playable. Something like RQ2 Defence, perhaps?

Depends on the system: From my brief experience of Traveller, chargen was the fun part...

But even elves still have a rollable maximum of only 18, so they don't get much advantage. I agree that POW gaining can seem to be a bit too fast, though (and I hadn't even considered shamans yet...)

Hear, hear. And anyone doing such a sourcebook could do a lot worse than using Mr. Phipp's excellent HeroQuest stuff as a basis (Simon Phipp - RuneQuest/D100/Glorantha Home Page). The old RQ2 Defence ability seemed to be something characters could use to transcend human limits, and get on the way to Herodom. Similarly, my original RQ2 GM gave our high-powered Rune-levellers a "Magic Manipulation" or some such ability, which could have eventually led to their being immune to enemy spells, like the SuperHeroes of Dragon Pass (Harrek/Jareel). I thought that was a logical way to go (though the campaign ended when we'd only got our first 5% - probably just as well!).

Ah, but by actually using spells the character might 'learn how to be a better priest', proving their worth to the examiner. It's not (just) an artificial barrier to character advancement. Then by all means try (18-Current)x5% for POW Gain rolls (and maybe only give +1's, too).

Again, it might be nice to hear what the new BRP says about this: as RQ2, RQ3 (printed), GoG, something else or nothing at all. Anyone know?

Fair enough. I think we were only trying to satisfy your stinginess in the first place! BTW, can someone please tell us what the new BRP mechanism is?

But requiring multiple checks would be quite a big change in mechanics. How about using 18 as the 'racial maximum' for determining chance of a POW increase (instead of 20/21)?

P.S.: Burn Him!

Because some people already see the progress from Initiate- to Priest-levels of POW as too swift, and now we are proposing to give POW-gain rolls for resisting magic too - possibly making it worse.

I meant, maybe the trip to priesthood should be made longer, with a requirement that the Initiate gained (and used?) at least 30 points (or whatever) of Rune Magic. IIRC, it's been noted elsewhere that Initiates single-use Rune spells (often) aren't worth the POW loss - but this could explain why they'd do it...

Or maybe the amount of POW gained is fine, but Initiates should be getting and using more Rune spells? (Though I guess that's a bit campaign-specific).

In an attempt to limit 'skill hunting', I apply a maximum limit of INT ticks (skill checks) at any one time.

Exactly. But if someone prefers stinginess to symmetry in their house rules, that's up to them. (Though if the characters are getting one POW gain roll per session anyway, I wouldn't have thought the GM Prime Directive of Stinginess would be compromised by a 95% limit...)

I guess not, but there are plenty of such things out there - google it (here's just one Star Map Generation). Some even give you pictures of the planets/systems. I found plenty when looking for a backdrop for a 40K campaign (oops, did I say that out loud?) but in the end knocked up my own tables for it, which were a laugh (I ended up generating far more star-systems than I needed, just for fun). What discerning potential players you have! Go BRP!

Don't let natural stinginess spoil the system, though - wouldn't it be more consistent/elegant to allow 'em for any except 'automatic' (95%) resistance rolls?

I hadn't thought of that! But more than one target per caster is specifically excluded (whether via Multispell or not, I'd say). Having checked, I'm surprised to find it is/was not Active, but Passive! Maybe making Harmonize an Active spell would be the way to save it from overpowered oblivion - 'cos it's such fun!

Yes, now you mention it, I too have always felt the RQ POW-gain method was a bit lacking. But the idea of giving a POW gain roll for resisting enemy magic attacks seems to cover it neatly. I wouldn't like to give it for Luck rolls, though - that'd make them too formal to do on a GM whim. Similarly, making POW trainable would seem to undermine the limited-POW basis of the magic system.

Harmonize from a Jack-o-Bear is a bit different, I believe: stand there till it eats you. Less powerful - but it could get more than one victim at once (I don't think chain-harmonizing was legal with the spell).

I thought it was a special Runemaser-Allied Spirit thing that gave the ability to see through the master's eyes, and a normal Mind Link spell wouldn't. I didn't know about the touch-range thing either. Is that RQ2 or RQ3? But I'd have said the Spirit could cast even when it's master was unconscious/blinded, just that focussed spells would take longer. Also, I'd always assumed that it was spirits in objects that used their master's senses, and animal familiars would be limited to their own. But maybe you're right - nasty!

Q: What's worse, Ignorance or Apathy? A: I don't know and I don't care.