Zit

Isn't there a contradiction here ? Saying that "spirits reside in the natural energies" is definitely an animistic point of vue, and not a materialist or even theistic one. Are all the cultures animist in Glorantha ? In order to conciliate these differents conceptions, couldn't we understand Spirit Magic instead as "effect triggered by the mental force of the caster", which resides, as we all know , in his spirit ? Whatever are these forces, spirits or energie currents or god's will, is left to each culture.

May be all this is only old school nostalgia of old grognards (as many of us are). But how many of us have now enough game time to raise a beginner to the hero status ? ok,so in the new RQ, we don't play beginning humans but beginning heroes instead . I'm fine with it as well. Does it mean that true improvement comes actually more through runequesting than skill progress ?

The youngest of these probably had good advisors, but were crucial for the morale fo the troops. I'm not sure they were heroes because of their proficiency in a skill. Just like the 18-year old Jeanne d'Arc who led armies to victory without any knowledge of war (or any proficiency in whatever). Being a hero is not realy related to skill: the others make a hero of you. "become a hero". If I remember well, this was about characteritics, so they mean having the potential to become a hero. Not start as such. "The Adventurer progresses in this way until he's so proficient that he comes to the attention of the High Priest...At this point, he has an option to join a Rune Cult" (RQ2, Introduction). This is one of the fun in the game. As usual, it is a matter of taste (my favorite statement...), and if you like to start with a multi-90%-skilled character, that's fine for me, there is no good or bad way to play. I only wished there was an option left for players who prefer to start at lower level and see their PC grow up to expert and hero status. Like Frodo or Bilbo. Like in old RQ2. Just to leave the choice. Do the rules allow that ? Now, starting a player with only a couple of good proficiencies could be an acceptable trade-off as well. It is true that children were raised to hold their future rank in the society and as such had a good proficinecy in usefull skills. They still had to learn in the real life, mostly with the help of a mentor. How many high level skills (>75%) do the rule allow for starting characters ?

Then shouldn't a Dwarf be Size class 3 like a human ?

I like the idea to start at low level and to build a character step by step, learning by doing. What we become is not always what we wanted to and the life often offers us unexpected chances (or unwanted constraints). I like the same for player characters, and even if having a rough idea of what I want him to be, I want to discover what he actually becomes, and how and why. I also like to become scared by a mere wolf or a pack or rubble runners, and to loaugh at this after a few years of adventuring. But the 2. rpg trope is that character improvement is veeeeeery slow, to slow IMHO, and I hate it too. You're right, it shall be possible to be a weapon master after 4 years of war, and even to start with. But I'd like to have the option as well to start as a newbie, but having a much faster improvement pace as what RPGs usually propose, at least at lower skills levels.

BTW, Jeff, is there any RQ4 game scheduled in Bacharach?

May be on MAy 18th y in the evening over FG : I'll be in an hotel, if the internet connection allows it (they are often so bad), why not. May be on June 5th over FG. Robyn Hood as first choice, but I'm actually open. I may be at Bacharach as well, so if someone likes to GM a game there, why not. There is even a tinny chance that I can GM myself a Nomad-based short game. Do you want to reserve these tests to backers or are they open to everybody ?

the link to FG is missing

I don't find the Chapter 1. Is it missing ?

Right. "RuneQuest" should simply refer to the very last version. No digit, no additional letter... just "RuneQuest". There is no Porsche Cayenne 1, 2 or 3. There is only the last one.

On the other hand, don't we design mechanics not to simulate the real world as it is, but as we believe it is, instead ?

This is very consistant not only with the SIZ scaling, but with the resistance table itself. 100 vs. 105 (5% ratio) has the same chances than 5 vs. 10 (50% ratio). So in your system, "double damage = +N" (N=8, or +10 if you want to make it easier, or whatever fixed value which seems consistant -probably something close to the SIZ scale), definitely.

Although Aphrodite saved Paris during his fight vs. Menelas

This is not true for combat only but for all the mechanics, would it be magic, skills or health. A big difference is that all characters are basically defined with the same scaled characteristics, not only with abilities: all have a Size, Constitution, Strength, Dexterity, Intelligence, Power and Charisma. Then come the skills. It gives a more real atmosphere to the game, where hits hurt. It is reputedly less heroic in style, but brings may be more tension and danger feeling than HQ. I enjoy very much both. RQ2 was my very first game, its learning worked very well because the rules are very logical, well structured and their principles easy to understand (may be even easier than HQ's). If you like, grab the Basic RPS first in its free version ("Quick Start") to prepare your conversion and understand the principles : this is how I learnt (the BRPS was included into the box I bought). After a one or two sessions, you'll anyway want to use the full RQ rules. If you are patient, you may want to wait until the release of the new RQ version: the conversion from HQ to RQ shall be much easier, according to Chaosium's annoucements..

May you should anounce it on Ulule. I'm not sure that all the backers follow this forum. (BTW, the FG-link under the image brings to this topic page)

That's a teaser !!! Is this the logo which we see on the left side ?

yep. And even more. Actually, Cults of Terror is required as well.

Because they are damn' good ! MOB's suggestion seems to be the most sensible. Borderlands to start with, it has been made for that and it is all wilderness. You don't even need to know too much about Glorantha and can quickly start without reading tons of background material. Glorantha is a World which you discover by playing in it. Then you have all the material to play in the River of Craddles: Shadows on the Borderlands and Strangers in Prax for scenarios, Pavis / Big Rubble and Sun County for sandboxing (and more scenarios), depending on your tastes or where the campaign is leading you. You have here years of gaming available. Or you can switch to Griffin Mountain (my prefered RQ supplement) or go to Dorastor. Wether RQ2 or 3 is not a big deal. But you'll definitely need Cults of Prax, or better the Cult Compendium to play a gloranthan campaign.

I agree. I'm often getting lost in such discussions and give up before the end, but every one can integrate myths to the degree he wished. I sometime have the feeling that the PCs are supposed to be played as a kind of mystical exhalted derviches. I prefer playing the consequences of the myths on the mundane plane rather than playing the myths themselves. I runned as GM two heroic quests, both in the mundane world. It's all a matter of taste, but the publishers shall be carefull not cutting Glorantha away from less mystical and more real playing tastes. YRQWV

An old French game (Légendes) using d20 in a d100-way had the following method (which I convert to d100): When 01-05 is rolled, roll again and if it is a success again, then it is a crit. Same for fumbles with 96-00, roll again and if failed, it is a fumble. No computing, but worked for crits only, not for specials. It did not take the >100% skills into account, but you may then state that for chances of success above 100, when 06-10 is rolled, roll again at (skill-100)%: it works the same. For specials, let's say you get a chance when rolling 06-20. Roll again, and a second succes means a special one.

this point #6 was not in the RQ2 original version but has been added in the new edition. However, it was said in the melee round section that only either one single attack, parry or offensive spell were allowed.

Classic RQ allows only 1 single battle magic spell per round. p.36, point "6"

That makes a simple episode like for example hunting a cave bear or even an alpha wolf a very exciting adventure full of suspense and adrenalin. This added to the fact that there are less archetypes and that each species or race can provide all kinds of opponents, makes of BRP of game that does not require a thick monster catalogue (although it can cope very well with it) to create a feeling of danger and surprise.

The Eternal Battle ?

I totally agree. I'd prefer healing spells to merely stop bleeding and accelerate the natural healing process.