Converting OpenQuest 2 characters with 100%+ skills to OQ3

[bigandy]

We've been playing a campaign for years and some characters have combat skills that have gone over 100%. They crept over the line by adding the standard 5% to skills in the high 90s and then threw Improvement Points in here and there.  None exceed 100% by large margins (all under 120%) but enough that they picked up the extra attacks, etc. OQ3 does not allow this but has so many other neat things added so I definitely want to switch! And, to be honest, as a GM I was never completely happy with 100%+ skills, especially combat skills. I played Stormbringer and loved it but I play OpenQuest for its clean simplicity! 
 

How would one handle converting combat skills, or any skill for that matter, that exceed 100%? Although there are more combat options available that still make the PCs at 100% super formidable, giving up the extra attacks granted by the higher skills makes my players super leery of converting. Giving them back the Growth (former Improvement) Points would be fair but is it enough? Too much? Any other ideas?

Edited June 16, 2021 by bigandy
typo

[Newt]

I've not hit the 100% skills in my OpenQuest Thursday game yet (it is only 17 sessions young 🙂 ) but my Skyraiders of the Floating Realms game (30+ sessions) which has virtually the same experience system, we hit 100% in magic for one character and close combat for another a couple of months ago. They've now settled into the idea that the respective characters are masters in their respective skill areas , and are quietly working away at pulling up skills which have fallen behind. Skyraiders also has other things to spend Growth on, such as Skyships (they have a small fleet of those!) and their Skyisland base. The latter idea - adventurers home bases- is coming in the OQ companion. The characters form an Adventurer's Association and have a shared base they can spend growth on to improve. With things like Libraries, Magic Ritual areas, Barracks for men at arms henchmen. 

So would give them the IP back and let them invest in new areas to broaden their characters.   100+ skills have gone and I can't say I miss it. The multi-attack rule was a mess, and really fell apart in River of Heaven were people expected to use it along side various rulings for automatic fire!

[Newt]

10 hours ago, bigandy said:

Although there are more combat options available that still make the PCs at 100% super formidable, giving up the extra attacks granted by the higher skills makes my players super leery of converting.

I've toyed with doing an heroic feats system for Masters, similar to Land of Ninja for RuneQuest 3 or even MRQ 1 if you remember that. So characters with skills at 100% would spend Magic Points and then be able to activate the feat attached to that skill that they have bought. So for Close Combat we would perhaps have a "Flurry of Blows" which would give the character a multi-attack, or "Decapitation" which would be an instant kill on a hit that does damage. But its a glimmer in my mind's eye, would need vigorous playtesting, and to be honest I think could easily be replicated by characters having the appropriate magic + skill combo. Existing combat options do a lot of this already, at lower levels, and it gets a bit cheesy when you extend it to non-combat skills. 

[bigandy]

5 hours ago, Newt said:

100+ skills have gone and I can't say I miss it. The multi-attack rule was a mess, and really fell apart in River of Heaven were people expected to use it along side various rulings for automatic fire!

I agree with this. As a GM I am glad to get rid of 100+ skills, and more so the combat ones that granted multi-attacks! I won't say they were a mess but they were not as clean and elegant as the rest of OQ for sure.

5 hours ago, Newt said:

So would give them the IP back and let them invest in new areas to broaden their characters.

Thanks! When Great Newt commands, I obey!

[bigandy]

5 hours ago, Newt said:

I've toyed with doing an heroic feats system for Masters, similar to Land of Ninja for RuneQuest 3 or even MRQ 1 if you remember that. So characters with skills at 100% would spend Magic Points and then be able to activate the feat attached to that skill that they have bought. So for Close Combat we would perhaps have a "Flurry of Blows" which would give the character a multi-attack, or "Decapitation" which would be an instant kill on a hit that does damage. But its a glimmer in my mind's eye, would need vigorous playtesting, and to be honest I think could easily be replicated by characters having the appropriate magic + skill combo. Existing combat options do a lot of this already, at lower levels, and it gets a bit cheesy when you extend it to non-combat skills. 

I ran 15+ sessions of another campaign where we dropped in combat styles from Mythras and it worked well so I can see Feats like this as very viable. You could drop it into its own sub-space of OQ, like where the characters are all greek style demigod/heroes or even Mandate of Heaven and I think it would be right at home.

[Newt]

If i was to do a feats system now, I'd be using Combat Options as a base and taking them away from every one regardless of skill level having them. But its more fun giving them to everyone, which players at low skill level only using them out of desperation.

But "Epic Options for Masters" or big damn heros, hmmmn you got me thinking now 😉

[Newt]

2 hours ago, bigandy said:

When Great Newt commands, I obey!

Steady on old chap, thinking for yourself and all that 😄