Stephen L

On 10/12/2020 at 6:42 AM, Mechashef said:

With a Dex of 19, round 1 could look like this:

• SR 1 - (actually SR 0 but my understanding is the first SR of a round is 1, so the SR 0 becomes SR 1).  Multimissile (1) requires zero extra SRs so use it, resulting in two arrows fired on this SR
• SR 6  - Bow is reloaded.  Shoot again, also using Multimissile (1) resulting in two arrows being fired
• SR 11 - Bow is Reloaded.  Start casting Multimissile (2) which will take one additional SR
• SR 12 - Shoot again with Multimissile (2) resulting in 3 arrows being fired.

Yes, this is my *interpretation*

Though if we’re maximising, I note the first could be a 2 point spell, with no change to the SR calculations.

Multimissile would be a killer against lightly armoured foes, but Speedart or fire arrow would be more effective against heavily armoured.  However, firearrow would give away your position, so if I was the archer, there are times when I’d save it to the last shot, and then scoot the next round to find somewhere else to hide.

Do not forget, that it’s Pow x5 to cast, so a significant fraction of those spells won’t go off.

Also, wind modifiers, on a windy day your archers will be useless (although the +15% from speedart might help!)

On 10/12/2020 at 10:52 AM, Arcadiagt5 said:

unless the GM explicitly rules otherwise actions are sequential not parallel. e.g I have allowed players to pull weapons while moving

Hmm, the 5 SR delay for reloading arrows /  spells, is it really so cut and dry whether they are sequential or parallel? 

Given I can cast spells and parry or dodge with no SR implications, I just can’t think of the justification for why they can’t happen in parallel.  What is happening in those 5SR between spells that means I could parry, but I couldn’t draw and knock an arrow?  No one has contested that preparing an arrow is muscle memory.  I’d even suggest that it could be done blind.

However, game balance is a good argument for me at least, and the spell casters/ missile folk my lot have rolled up are weak, compared to the truly frightening front line combat folk.  Which probably explains why I fell off this side of the fence!

42 minutes ago, Storm Khan said:

players looking for that ultimate edge

I'm glad that that's not an issue with my current lot...

As an aside, baboons might have characteristic advantages, but they are *very* limited in the weapons and armour stakes.  Given they're uncomfortably bipedal, that limits them to weapon's like spears or quarterstaffs in my mind.  And I would apply sever penalties for armour stronger than leathers or cuir-bouilli, which they might find very uncomfortable - perhaps having a Dex penalty, or just doubling the effective ENC.

However, they're you're players, so you know how best to deal with them! 

And don't forget, the biggest shiniest one attracts the attention of the big nasty when it comes to yum-yum time...

1 hour ago, Storm Khan said:

No non-human PC's, though.

I'm sorry, you've just described a perfect scenario for duck bandits ambushing Lunar river traffic.

Shame on you, to be so speciesist.  Ducks, overlooked yet again.

I suppose next you'll suggest baboons don't make good bandits. 

22 hours ago, Scorus said:

The only edition I have is the one I bought in 1992! I'll get the new one

Yes indeed, corrected, with excellent maps, but by far and away the best thing about the new edition is that *it is bound*  You can open it without the pages falling out!

1 hour ago, Jape_Vicho said:

can't use shields, ... and has a blessed sword that does double damage

Ouch.  If you can't use shields, that's just crying out for 2H sword, and somehow a duck with a Rhomphaia would look so cool...

The Humakti duck in my campaign is always overlooked.  He's not big, but has a high POW and loads of rune points, so is rarely without a truesword, which more than makes up for a lack of damage bonus.

Sorry to hear the Baboon didn't make it into the final mix, it would have had a perfect hook for an Apple Lane based campaign! 

On 10/7/2020 at 2:45 AM, Bill the barbarian said:

7 great entries

I'm glad to have made up the numbers. 

Although looking again at your wording, I now realise that there were 7 great entries, which means an unspecified number of entries in the "other" category.  Unfortunately, mine is definitely in other...  Near the bottom.  (Near is being kind.  In fact, you'll need a scraper to get it off that bottom.)

4 hours ago, Bill the barbarian said:

(really guy and gals, no likes for that)

A good point, well made.

Though I have done my bit to rectify, I fear it is too little, too late, for we seem to have scared the good Adaras away, with some very complicated e-mails on such a simple subject!

4 hours ago, Arcadiagt5 said:

“you have to make an INT roll to do physical things and spirit combat in the same round”

Except that pulling and nocking an arrow doesn't require thought, it's muscle memory.  Definitely not an Int roll thing.

And p194 under Magic attacks and Strike ranks:

Quote

However, casting a spell such as Bladesharp or Fireblade
on a weapon held in the hand and striking with it in the
same round only involves adding the normal strike rank to
cast the spell to the normal strike rank for that weapon for
that melee round.

And I'd count Speedart as the archer's Bladesharp.

Be very afraid the next time you go into an elf wood...  

32 minutes ago, Arcadiagt5 said:

RQG RAW P194

Thanks.

That also raises the spectre of multiple arrows in a round having speedart on them.

I have a vague recollection (maybe a rule clarification), that spells cast on a weapon you're holding don't have the 5SR cost for swapping between spells / melee actions.  In which case an Dex SR 0 (elf for example), might cast speedart on SR0, then add 0 to fire arrow (i.e. still at 0), then 5 to draw arrow and prepare new spell (if you allow both preparation actions to be in parallel rather than series), then fire again with speedart at 5, and again at 10.

10 hours ago, Losky said:

Roll20

I've never used Roll20.

However, my approach has been to copy maps etc. from the pdfs.  Edit in paint to remove bits for the GM only.  Then (for face to face sessions) print and cover bits the players haven't seen yet with bits of paper.

For remote (using Teams or Skype has worked for me), its the same, but I copy the map into powerpoint, and cover with shapes, which I gradually remove as the player progress.  That's been working very well, and may become my preferred method in face to face (when that happens again one day).

The superb artwork from the HQinG range has been a huge help.  I'm extracting lots of stuff from the PDFs to show the players...

I play almost exactly as described by Arcadiagt5, thanks

6 hours ago, Arcadiagt5 said:

DEX SR0 should be treated as if it were DEX SR1

That isn't clear to me from the clarification.

I play Dex SR = 0, fire at 0/5/10 (prepared), 5/10 unprepared.

However, I think we need clarification of the clarification!  (That almost deserves a smiley, except that I can't bring myself to use emoticons. What's wrong with (an) exclamation mark?  I agree, though, that more than one is beyond the pale.)

I am comfortable with the concept of something happening at SR0, but perhaps that's just my maths background.

7 hours ago, Arcadiagt5 said:

For spells there are four components

Magic, I only allow one spell each MR, regardless of type of magic.  But I now can't find the rule.  I'm beginning to think I've carried this across from RQii/iii?  

7 hours ago, Arcadiagt5 said:

just say no to Sorcery

Indeed.  I skipped this section when reading the rules, anxious to get on with the fun.  I can get away with it because my players have *no* interest in rules, that's the GM's responsibility alone.  They just look at their character sheets for something written down that looks as though it might be useful.  However, some of the younger players are now beginning to help explain things to mummies and daddy.

21 minutes ago, coffeemancer said:

lance vs a guy with a fagger will have the best SR until the guy

I think RQiii had rules for closing with foes with longer weapons (might be mistaken, it's ages since I've played RQiii), but not that I recall in RQinG.

4 hours ago, soltakss said:

As Phil says, this is likely to do with her mount. Most mounts are big, so have SIZ SR of 0, but are not nimble, so have higher DEX SR.

I can't see why the mount would matter, Vasana's still the one holding the lance.  If she was riding some really big monster (maybe she's become a dragon rider), then the monster's head would get there before the pointy bit of the lance.  Although riding a dragon, I suspect you don't really need a lance.  Looks good, though, especially with a pennant.

5 hours ago, Adaras said:

it could really use some stuff for the GM like NPCs and a Bestiary

There's a few useful resources.

First the Bestiary:

https://www.chaosium.com/runequest-glorantha-bestiary-hardcover/

But really, if you want to play RuneQuest, get the slip case set, it has *everything* you need, the GM screen is so much more than just a screen, it has adventures and a fantastic campaign setting.

https://www.chaosium.com/runequest-roleplaying-in-glorantha-slipcase-set/

Now for NPCs, there's lots on the web:

To auto generate NPCs:
https://www.cradleofheroes.net/

Phil Hibbs has spreadsheets, covered in this thread.

There's also a generator from Dan Z here:
https://basicroleplaying.net/rqg/

I've one I've written myself, available on request (in c# .net), but I've output a range of NPCs and a few creatures for download here (added to when I need to for my campaign, most recently ducks)

There's NPCs on the Jonstown Compendium in Akhelas' Heortlings of Sartar
https://www.drivethrurpg.com/product/315742/Heortlings-of-Sartar

If you don't mind conversion from RQ ii, you could use fangs (or even don't bother converting, the players won't notice!):
https://www.chaosium.com/content/FreePDFs/RuneQuest/Classic/CHA4002- FANGS - Monster Stats.pdf

or indeed, there's a bundle of RQii stuff including packs of NPCs
https://www.chaosium.com/runequest-old-school-resource-pack/

35 minutes ago, Redjac said:

Assuming a DEX SR of 1 and a prepared arrow with a quiver to draw new arrows, can one fire arrows on SR 1, 6, and 11

Correct, although I assume it's an additional 5 to reload, so it would be SR1 fire, SR2 start reload, which would mean the next at SR 7. 

If you don't have the arrow at the ready, it would go off at 6 (and then 12).  Perhaps that's what the sheet refers to?

However, the info doesn't really fit easily on a character sheet, so I generally leave it at 1/MR or S/MR when I'm filling out character sheets.

On 10/7/2020 at 6:22 PM, Ian Absentia said:

That said (and plunging straight down that rabbit hole), given the rapid diversification of domesticated canine breeds

I'm not a biologist, so almost certainly I've misunderstood, but I though the diversity of dogs was a bit of mystery (something to do with genetic bottlenecks), and can't be explained by human breeding programs.  Other domesticated animals don't express in such diversity, and breeding for specific traits is a much slower process than for dogs.

Cats aren't domesticated, they just moved in because it suited them.  And will move on when the fancy takes them.

However, I suspect that's a very personal opinion based on our cat, who, quite frankly, is committing murder of the local wildlife on a horrific scale.  He does, however, like being cuddled, and looks very handsome.  Anyway, I am under no illusion: when he lays yet another ambush for me, he's just checking for signs of weakness.  

On 10/7/2020 at 5:42 PM, Brootse said:

From my experience, humaktis and storm bulls usually don't survive for long. Their method of solving problems usually involves glorious charges

That’s analogous with someone with a low fertility rune tending not to have those intimate moments with girl/boyfriends (excusing my blushes), not with them being infertile.

The analogy for low fertility rune meaning infertility is rather a high death rune means high mortality, for example, reduced hit points.  I find that difficult to swallow.

46 minutes ago, Akhôrahil said:

And if your Fertility rune isn't associated with your fertility, that's... unexpected

Would that mean that a High Death rune is associated with a high mortality.  So, a devout Humakti is unlikely to survive to adulthood?

I always thought that the picture of Jar-eel on P204 of the Gloranthan source book had a passing resemblance to Cilla Black.  Based purely on the risible number of Liverpool singers I can name (I’m afraid I’m more a Schubert/Britten kind of guy when it comes to song) would that then make Harrek Ringo Star? 

Does someone more qualified that me (who perhaps is more familiar with the Liverpool scene of yesteryear) care to shoot me down in flames?

9 hours ago, Arcadiagt5 said:

of requiring stacking of a set of Rune Spells

If you're doing that, then the stats should just fall out of associated rune spells.  As I imagine one of the spells will be cat's agility (as opposed to bear's strength), possibly their Con if cat's health is an important aspect... 

9 hours ago, Arcadiagt5 said:

several have Hippogriffs

Flight, in itself isn't the issue, in and of itself.  Its the fact that it's wrapping it with a ruddy Humakti Duck (if you pardon language), whose small, sneaky, has 18 Pow and sever spirit, and is quite handy with his truesword...  And it's being played by a 7 year old, who is very good at roleplaying a... ruddy Duck.

Thank you very much.  Until you pointed it out, I hadn’t noticed how much I dislike the old font for RuneQuest.  Now, when a new edition of RQinG comes out, I will feel compelled to buy it, just because of the font.  And it’s all your fault.  People will go hungry because of this.  I hope you’re satisfied.

On 10/4/2020 at 11:08 AM, Oracle said:

already with the virtual backgrounds

Gosh, also, my Pegasus plateau PDF has the new font, so it’s probably been out for a while.  Interesting that no one noticed (at least to comment on) the logo change till now.  O.k., perhaps almost verging on very slightly interesting…

Anyone know how to set up a poll in the forum, and we can vote on who likes/dislikes the old and new fonts?

Curious, for a topic that has spoiler in the title.  I am no more the wiser having read the post.

Perhaps the wisdom is transcendent, or is the ultimate spoiler ignorance?

I would base it on the character’s original, but increase Dex and Con, but reduce Siz and Str, to reflect a shadowcat’s relative characteristics strengths/weaknesses.  Perhaps +6, +3, -6 ,- 3 respectively, but that’s going to depend what works in your campaign.

However, rolling up shadow cat characteristics that are completely different to the human form could be fun.

Beware of small characters.  The adventurers in my campaign have discovered that the low Siz duck can be easily flown (or sylph carried) to places he really doesn't belong.  Now they tend to do that in lieu of a plan.  "Right, cast fly on Pengy, now what guys?"

On 10/5/2020 at 12:38 AM, two_fishes said:

cost of a hide of land

Jeff had a very good post on Orlanthi property, which covered land. I found very helpful...

https://basicroleplaying.org/topic/11889-orlanthi-property

9 hours ago, Beoferret said:

if a player fails a non-combat skill roll

P142 of the core rules covers this:

Quote

Reattempting Ability Rolls
An adventurer failing an ability roll may still be in a situation
where they could potentially try again. The gamemaster
may permit a follow-up attempt if it is justified, but at a
–25% penalty.
If this second attempt fails, the adventurer cannot make
any further reattempts without the passage of time or change
in circumstances.