DerKrieger

Everyone has already broken things down fairly well so I'll just throw my voice in and agree with some others here that the Dual Wielding house rules presented here are not only more work but they aren't any more realistic than what is presented in the book and may be arguably less so. The V2 that was posted is closer to something I would consider using as it simplifies things greatly while also dropping the emphasis on learning a skill unlearning another one. Don't get me wrong learning something new can screw with your ability to do what you are used to doing but if anything I would only add a temporary penalty during early practices as it sets an odd habit in your head, like a -10% malus when trying to revert to using your normal hand to attack right after training in the off-hand. (And I mean literally right after training otherwise your regular muscle memory will supersede your overthinking things from training). I would only consider enacting such a penalty for the first 20-30% or so in the offhand after which it has become so common that your brain is used to switching between either hand though one is likely more practiced than the other still.

On 5/13/2019 at 1:07 AM, Jeff said:

One great moment in a recent run of Cattle Raid - having the player who only knew DD5e realise that his character might get killed when he was in the middle of a cattle stampede. He was both horrified and filled with excitement - "I might be killed by a cow! This is so awesome!"

My very first session was run before the Adventure book and GM screenkit were out so I had to come up with everything myself but I used my knowledge from the King of Dragon Pass games and thought a cattle raid sounded fun, but the players were the raiders!

The group for whatever reason thought moving in on the cattle at midnight was the best plan with almost no moonlight, even after I mentioned the serious penalties involved. They greatly outnumbered the defenders but hoping to avoid a fight one player crawled up close to be an immediate armed threat to dissuade the sleeping watchers from acting while the group herded the cattle away. Well things went as they usually do when players get involved and half of the herd was sent running in separate directions while the other half was being lead away by the players. Some of the players decided to help push the cattle along a certain path by standing up tall and banging on their shields which worked. The Lhankhor Mhy Initiate on the other hand decided to jump in front of the cattle and scare them back towards the path....at night...in near total darkness. They failed their dodge check and disappeared on their herd's many hooves with the player's asking, "Did they die?" to which I simply responded "You don't know".

The group gained a healthy respect for how lethal the system can be and the Lhankhor Mhy player almost gained a Fear of Cows.

Campaign has been going since late September and we have run 8 full sessions as well as an online only mini-session set during the celebrations of Sacred Time (no Heroquesting or anything just letting them enjoy the celebrations and get to know their clan better. 2 players competed for the affections of one NPC to the group's amusement).

However I have had a few players drop and now have it on a mini-hiatus this month while we try and bring in some new blood and finish up the story we started.

Hasn't the book essentially doubled in size since then?

19 hours ago, styopa said:

Honestly, much of what you're talking about is in the Guide to Glorantha - really, a Gloranthan encyclopedia.

Does it really get detailed on different regions and their cultures? I heard it was great for reading about the areas but that it didnt go very detailed on the people themselves more so the locals.

If so I'm even more interest than I was before but I would certainly like to see an easier entry point to the people's around Dragon Pass.

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What I would love to see more than anything else is a visual culture guidebook almost in the style of Osprey's historical reference books. Show me what Sartarite Orlanthi look like, let me see their homes and their festivals. What makes a Tarshite so much more different and what weird foods do they enjoy that an Esrolian would be baffled/enthralled by?

I can point at an Elf or a Dwarf and everyone can picture it in their heads. If I mention French (or not-French) soldiers everybody has an easy reference point. Glorantha requires me to mesh some things together to explain but even then it can also give kind of the wrong idea. Orlanthi aren't Greeks but they also aren't vikings, but they kind of are? Each culture is its own unique thing and having a visual and low level reference would make a world of difference in introducing players. Reading Prince of Sartar recently has greatly influenced how I see and portray the world, I want more of that but focused on just the cultures themselves! I feel like King of Dragon Pass has taught me more about the Orlanthi than the corebooks but even then I have to remember that is several hundred years prior so things change.

 

I posted this in another thread but its very fitting here. I chose racial/cultural supplements and while I would love some that focus on additional mechanics I just really want great references that I can show players to help them understand what makes each culture unique, what to expect from each. I can point to different cultures/nations/kingdoms/clans in almost every other RPG we play even in settings I have made up and can easily explain the differences between groups. While I try in RuneQuest (and semi-succeed) I still run into instances where my players ask me about whether or not something would makes sense for their clan or if thats a common mindset for their people. This isn't to stop them from playing how they want but they like to know where the standard is when they deviate and I would love that as well.

Also I'm just a sucker for more Bronze Age cultural art, bury me in it!

What I would love to see more than anything else is a visual culture guidebook almost in the style of Osprey's historical reference books. Show me what Sartarite Orlanthi look like, let me see their homes and their festivals. What makes a Tarshite so much more different and what weird foods do they enjoy that an Esrolian would be baffled/enthralled by?

I can point at an Elf or a Dwarf and everyone can picture it in their heads. If I mention French (or not-French) soldiers everybody has an easy reference point. Glorantha requires me to mesh some things together to explain but even then it can also give kind of the wrong idea. Orlanthi aren't Greeks but they also aren't vikings, but they kind of are? Each culture is its own unique thing and having a visual and low level reference would make a world of difference in introducing players. Reading Prince of Sartar recently has greatly influenced how I see and portray the world, I want more of that but focused on just the cultures themselves! I feel like King of Dragon Pass has taught me more about the Orlanthi than the corebooks but even then I have to remember that is several hundred years prior so things change.

6 minutes ago, JPierson71 said:

With me not knowing, would "Parry" stand a chance at all to harm the attacker? I think that's the best part of melee in CoC. That way you REALLY think twice about getting into melee with someone. 

It can but usually all it will do is block an attack. An extremely well done parry vs a normal attack can end up with your parry damaging the attackers weapon even going so far as to break it. You still think twice about getting into a melee though as all it takes is one good hit and you are injured and possibly unable to defend yourself. Also you could be the best warrior in all of Glorantha but if 4 enemies are swinging at you it gets harder and harder to block so at least one of those attacks is going to get through.

On 4/7/2019 at 9:43 AM, Soccercalle said:

I ordered immediately om Wednesday but it has not yet been shipped from UK. Is there any problem?

I ordered from the US and same thing, not seeing any progress on my shipping. Only that a label has been created and they are awaiting the package.

Child Friendly depends more upon how you run a game than anything. You can run it super dark and make the cults(chuches of each god) super not child friendly (from most western views anyways) or you can treat them fairly normal just as you would a D&D Temple only unlike D&D they play a larger part in every character's life. Imagine Greek Mythos; you can tell a version inappropriate for children or you can tell a child appropriate version that all depends on you. I will warn you that there are exposed women's breasts in the art if that bothers you but they are tastefully done and not overtly sexual.

Don't you only disengage on SR12 or is that just a fighting retreat?

Honestly Gamemaster Screen Pack is a confusing name when we are also getting a dedicated Gamemaster Book. I personally would rename the Gamemaster Book.

4 hours ago, Puckohue said:

No, but here is a fan made quick(er) character generation: http://2ndage.blogspot.com/2019/02/runequest-roleplaying-in-glorantha.html?m=1

Thats a good link, especially for my players scared by a whole lot of reading.

My boy Barntar is too important to the Carls to not be at least an aspect of Orlanth (or possibly Ernalda)

7 hours ago, pachristian said:

Operative word "Cheaper". The military then as now always tries to save money. It's not a big deal when you're buying armor for yourself, but if you're a king having to outfit 10,000 soldiers, then even a slight "cheaper" is a big deal.

Once you start purchasing 15,000 suits is when you really start to see those bulk savings.

So now the question is, does the offer of a full slipcase discount still apply for those who bought the core rulebook earlier?

There are multiple bloodlines within a Clan. Would all marriages take place across clans or is that just the most common pairing?

I'm always down for more legible maps

7 hours ago, styopa said:

SRs in RQ were honestly one of the systems that needed fixing but doing so was an early sacrifice on the "we have to be backward-compatible withe rq2' altar.  Our HR system reverses it (so you want a high Dex SR to go first, and is all quickness based, with longest weapons striking first only when closing.

Long weapons almost always get the first strike whether you are in the first 3 seconds of a fight or 3 minutes later. When your character makes an attack role that is them closing it to strike however your opponent doesnt just stand there and either threatens you with their weapon until you back off or they back off themselves. The longer a fight goes on then the more of a advantage the fighter with longer reach is at. If you have a shorter weapon you want to close in and end it quickly because otherwise the longer range weapon is going to get more attempts at hitting you and the odds wont always be in your favor. I think having long range weapons keep the SR advantage is a perfectly simple way of keeping this advantage without getting into the complicate nature of who is at what distance at all times.

Here is some reenactors with spears and other weapon combinations demonstrating that range tends to win the fight:

46 minutes ago, goldenwheeldancer said:

There are no free books here. If you already bought the book and want the slipcase then you have to buy the book again. Chaosium promised that, if you bought the book, you would be able to get the slipcase without buying the book again. Someone has to yield here. Either the customers who require a slipcase with one empty slot have to realise Chaosium is a little, fragile company doing the best they can and they just buy the books - forgoing the slipcase, or Chaosium has to work out a way of getting the slipcases to people who don't require all three books (as Chaosium promised).  Personally I go with the first option because Chaosium create amazing stuff and I want them to  do well. But I absolutely understand people being annoyed by chaosium "changing the goal posts" after extracting money from people!

I don't like that they had to backtrack on what they promised and though it isnt ideal as it is still an additional cost for Chaosium offering those of us who already used our core book coupon an additional coupon that can be utilized to get another physical book at cost is at least a compromise in favor of the customer. It doesn't help Chaosium to sell additional books at what is very likely cost. At least with the initial order the PDF is free with the book anyways so selling PDFs early that count towards the physical is a form of pre-order so the amount of money made is the same but it gets buzz generated for your physical product earlier. This time around they are eating their profit on the additional cores so while im not excited at having to pay more for the slipcase set I am at least getting a favorable deal out of it and can then pass on my old core to someone else in my RuneQuest campaign.

12 minutes ago, Kloster said:

I have used it quite a number of time. You should be prepared, and can not be used against every opponents, but it can be very efficient, because it forces the opponent to go back to keep the distance or to accept a disadvantage. I used it to break a line, going forward, and then striking the opponent on my right, still parrying the one I have pushed back.

That does sound pretty cool, wouldnt be hard to allow something like that off the cuff if the players have a particular strategy. Still I wouldnt want every combat to be rushing into someone with daggers and making them run away or get stabbed.

Linothorax (whether or not it was made of Linen aside) seems perfectly reasonable as an armor. We have modern tests that prove they would have worked and providing a cheaper non-metal armor would only make sense as not everyone could afford more expensive armors but wouldnt mind adding on something within their price range should their shield arm fail them. What materials would it be made of in Esrolia versus say Prax?

11 minutes ago, Bill the barbarian said:

The short weapon wielder has the option of adding 1 SR to his/her next Melee SR by stating the intention of closing. The longer weapon wielder may also add a SR next MR by stating the intention of keeping the foe at bay and step back maintaining the relationship as it was last MR. Should the long weapon wielder not wish to step back (suicidal or?) or be unable (cliff), the short weapon wielder closes and puts the long weapon wielder in a world of hurt. As long as they are in close combat. the short weapon strikes first, and the long weapon is limited to an attack or a parry or a dodge only. The short weapon acts as normal.

I like the spirit of that rule however it seems like it would either rarely come into play (long weapon simply backs up and keeps advantage) or where it would be of use it would lead to some rather questionable tactics of suicide rushing into the enemy line with shorter weapons. I guess properly armored and reinforced with spells that is a valid strategy but I feel like it should keep Shields in mind as well. Get as close as you want but a nice hearty shove from a shield and a spear following up is a pretty convincing argument to stay back.

Is it possible for us to at least get the official price tag of the slipcase set as well as what the primary 3 book coupon will look like? I want to pickup some of the classic PDFs on sale but I want to know how much I should be expecting to drop on the physical books before I do.