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Q&A's with the new BRP author version 2.0


Trifletraxor

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Jason,

What are the movement rates in BRP?

Do we have:

1) Generic MOVE score that gives relative speeds-- MOVE 8

2) Move rate as meters per round--24m/MR

3) Move rate expressed in meters per Strike Rank---3m/SR

4) Something different?

Chaos stalks my world, but she's a big girl and can take of herself.

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What is the benefit of skills over 100%

"Skill Ratings over 100%" is an optional rule, but one I imagine will be used frequently.

As you can guess, at 101+% you're seeing (some of) the following benefits:

- You can split your skill and make multiple attacks

- As multiple parries in a round lower your percentage for each use after the first, the benefits are obvious

- Situational modifiers (ranging from -10-30%) are less onerous if your skill is over 100%

- When skill uses are Difficult (1/2 normal chance), the higher the skill the better

- The chance of specials (1/5 normal chance) increases

- The chance of criticals (1/20 normal chance increases

- Etc.

What is the rule to be able to progress over 100%

See the section on experience (though it follows the rules from Elric!/Stormbringer).

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- As multiple parries in a round lower your percentage for each use after the first, the benefits are obvious

What is the penalty for mutiple parries? It is a fixed values like the -20% in SB1? Or it it based by weapon type.? I could see a light responsive weapon like a rapier being -10% and something heavier like an axe -30%.

Chaos stalks my world, but she's a big girl and can take of herself.

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Fixed value.

Ah, thanks.

Making it based on weapon type would lead to (in my mind) a significant jump in complexity.

Some complexity. How significant a jump would depend on how on how fine a grade. Light (-10%)/Medium (-20%)/Heavy (-30%) wouldn't be as complex as a differernt values for each weapon, in 1% increments (:eek:).

Chaos stalks my world, but she's a big girl and can take of herself.

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Any number of small adjustments like that would add up, fast, though. It is one my major complaints about D&D 3rd+ edition.

I don't even particularly like the 5%/20% critical/special structure, for the same reason. Usually I go with a straight 10% or 20%. Critical. And hold the +100% skill levels down, if not completely disallowed. It has worked well for a long time. Makes for fast, plot driven games.

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Any number of small adjustments like that would add up, fast, though. It is one my major complaints about D&D 3rd+ edition.

Agreed!

It's a fine line between a reasonable combat system that moves the story forward and one that takes over the story and slows all progress to a halt.

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About the only thing keeping me interested in this new version of BRP right now is the continued use of the word 'optional', although I am beginning to wonder if there may not be too much 'optional'. Trying to please everyone often ends with pleasing no one, and leading to groups splitting up.

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About the only thing keeping me interested in this new version of BRP right now is the continued use of the word 'optional', although I am beginning to wonder if there may not be too much 'optional'. Trying to please everyone often ends with pleasing no one, and leading to groups splitting up.

If you don't put in enough to please at least the majority, putting the book out is a waste of time. Its not like there was exactly an enormous amount of consistency amidst extent BRP games outside of the attributes, percentile skills and rolling low.

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

Britain has been infiltrated by soviet agents to the highest levels. They control the BBC, the main political party leaderships, NHS & local council executives, much of the police, most newspapers and the utility companies. Of course the EU is theirs, through-and-through. And they are among us - a pervasive evil, like Stasi.

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

I am sure this is one of reasons they want to release this book. Another nice reason is to have the best of the different versions reprinted and again available for everybody.

I mean the younger generation of gamers often dont have an idea what ringworld is and if you mention WoW they probably think "...wtf has World of Warcraft ^roflmao^ to do with those old farts with the dragon logo? °lol° 111! lfg ".

:D

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Jason,

How will the tweaks and adjustments in BRP affect animal stats. Will a Bear or Horse have about the same STR, SIZ, hit points and damage as in RQ or CoC, or have the numbers been adjusted in some way?

Chaos stalks my world, but she's a big girl and can take of herself.

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How will the tweaks and adjustments in BRP affect animal stats. Will a Bear or Horse have about the same STR, SIZ, hit points and damage as in RQ or CoC, or have the numbers been adjusted in some way?

I used stats from RQ3, Malleus Monstrorum, and Stormbringer (in that order of preference) and made adjustments where necessary.

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I used stats from RQ3, Malleus Monstrorum, and Stormbringer (in that order of preference) and made adjustments where necessary.

Thanks. So I guess RQ3 is a good starting off point for my "Critter" stats for BRP Old West? At least until I get a copy of BRP.

Hmm, maybe I should volunteer to work on the beastiary?

Chaos stalks my world, but she's a big girl and can take of herself.

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Is there more than one set of weapon statistics? I assume the Elric! weapon stats are default; are, for instance, the Stormbringer 1 ones included, specifically the missile weapon stats? Or is it just the one list, with the caveat that any of it can be modified?

Are there any provisions for ritual or enchantment?

Are any equipment lists provided, even though you are not using price lists for individual items?

Sorry for any repetitive questions, if I have done that again.

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Is there more than one set of weapon statistics? I assume the Elric! weapon stats are default; are, for instance, the Stormbringer 1 ones included, specifically the missile weapon stats? Or is it just the one list, with the caveat that any of it can be modified?

Are there any provisions for ritual or enchantment?

Are any equipment lists provided, even though you are not using price lists for individual items?

One list. Modify at will.

There are provisions for items with powers. Not quite the same thing you're looking for, though.

Examples of equipment, yes. No equipment lists, as they are so specific to genres it seemed pointless to include them. I had put together a rough stab at one generic version, but there was so much variability that it became useless.

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I am assuming the weapon list is most similar to Elric!, as your Rome download.

I thought you said you were a SB1 man...:ohwell:

Servicable rules in one place, good. I can't help but wish things were closer to my own SB1-ish preferences of course, but your effort is most appreciated nevertheless (in spite of the multi-genreness).:D

And many thanks for answering questions so readily here over the last couple of months.

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Looking at my copy, I am concerned about the Control spell. Am I reading this right?

One level cost one Power Point and allows you to take control of one person with a POW vs. POW roll. If successful "This control is total - the target cannot speak or perform any voluntary action other than those specified by your character."

It says nothing about actions that the character might be violently opposed to, such as drawing his own dagger and slitting his own throat, or forcing a mother to toss her baby in front of a speeding carriage. This seems pretty harsh for just one power point!

Add more levels and it just gets worse! 5 power points and you can have 5 people commit suicide simultaneously! :eek:

In the hands of a villain with a high POW this can be a total party kill in one round.

Is this being changed in the final draft? I was thinking maybe the spell could only effect one person and each level of the spell allowed you to effect 3 POW. So in order to effect a person with 14 POW you would need to put 5 points into the spell AND overcome his POW with a resistance test.

Oh, also I was thinking of allowing a resistance roll every round to break out. Plus another one if you wanted to force someone to do something really horrible. So it would take three rolls to get someone to commit suicide. First roll to get him under control, then next round he would try to break free (subconsciously of course) then you would command him to kill himself. He would make a final resistance roll, if he failed that, he's dead.

The whole problem with the world is that fools and fanatics are always so certain of themselves, but wiser people so full of doubts.

Bertrand Russell (1872 - 1970)

30/420

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It says nothing about actions that the character might be violently opposed to, such as drawing his own dagger and slitting his own throat, or forcing a mother to toss her baby in front of a speeding carriage. This seems pretty harsh for just one power point!

Maybe the power point cost could be adjusted, but I think the spell should stay. I was just reading a Conan novel in which a spell like this was used to order a suicide. So if one goal of the rules is to simulate fantasy fiction, then that spell is doing it. Another possible limitation could be a requirement for the caster to make eye contact first. See below:

The stranger did not seem perturbed, though the spear-point touched his bosom. His eyes held the warrior’s with strange intensity.

“What are you obliged to do?” he asked strangely

“To guard the gate!” The warrior spoke thickly and mechanically; he stood rigid as a statue, his eyes slowly glazing.

“You lie! You are obliged to obey me! You have looked into my eyes, and your soul is no longer your own. Open that door!”

Lifting his voice slightly, he spoke to the guardsman. “I have no more use for you. Kill yourself!” Like a man in a trance, the warrior thrust the butt of his spear against the wall, and placed the keen head against his body, just below his ribs. Then slowly, stolidly, he leaned against it with all his weight, so that it transfixed his body and came out between his shoulders.

-from “The People of the Black Circle” by Robert E. Howard.

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Looking at my copy, I am concerned about the Control spell. Am I reading this right?

One level cost one Power Point and allows you to take control of one person with a POW vs. POW roll. If successful "This control is total - the target cannot speak or perform any voluntary action other than those specified by your character."

It says nothing about actions that the character might be violently opposed to, such as drawing his own dagger and slitting his own throat, or forcing a mother to toss her baby in front of a speeding carriage. This seems pretty harsh for just one power point!

Add more levels and it just gets worse! 5 power points and you can have 5 people commit suicide simultaneously! :eek:

In the hands of a villain with a high POW this can be a total party kill in one round.

Is this being changed in the final draft? I was thinking maybe the spell could only effect one person and each level of the spell allowed you to effect 3 POW. So in order to effect a person with 14 POW you would need to put 5 points into the spell AND overcome his POW with a resistance test.

Oh, also I was thinking of allowing a resistance roll every round to break out. Plus another one if you wanted to force someone to do something really horrible. So it would take three rolls to get someone to commit suicide. First roll to get him under control, then next round he would try to break free (subconsciously of course) then you would command him to kill himself. He would make a final resistance roll, if he failed that, he's dead.

I believe that Control has had some feedback to be integrated into the final print copy.

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