Your Runequest Will Vary?

[Susimetsa]

21 hours ago, svensson said:

Back to the main point, yes, the rules in RQG have up-gunned quite a bit. If you're careful with cult and profession selection and have good attribute statistics, it's not hard to generate a character that's within one or two skill bumps from Rune status right out of the gate. However, the opposition is also up-gunned. Most opponents are 65%+ percent in their main weapons, most 'character-level' opponents are 85% or better. Trying to play an RQ3 warrior /soldier who's main weapon attack is 60% is not advisable in such an environment.

 

I'd say it depends a lot on the types of characters you are making. A character I just made for a RQG campaign has 80% in his best weapon and I could barely reach that even with a +20% category bonus and a very generous amount of free points granted by the GM to get me up-to-speed with a group of more experienced characters. I simply had too many skills to consider from languages to Entertainer skills to worship skills etc. to allocate much to weapon skills.

But, yes, a warrior-type character would certainly get very high weapon skills.

[svensson]

15 minutes ago, Susimetsa said:

I'd say it depends a lot on the types of characters you are making. A character I just made for a RQG campaign has 80% in his best weapon and I could barely reach that even with a +20% category bonus and a very generous amount of free points granted by the GM to get me up-to-speed with a group of more experienced characters. I simply had too many skills to consider from languages to Entertainer skills to worship skills etc. to allocate much to weapon skills.

But, yes, a warrior-type character would certainly get very high weapon skills.

Very true. You have to know what you're doing and be very focused in your choices. Picking an 'easy' cult is absolutely part of that. Cults with more difficult or exotic requirements are going to be quite a bit harder. Warrior or 'adventurer' cults are the simplest for this purpose, whereas cults like Eurmal or Chalana Arroy are gonna be tougher.

[Susimetsa]

2 hours ago, svensson said:

Very true. You have to know what you're doing and be very focused in your choices. Picking an 'easy' cult is absolutely part of that. Cults with more difficult or exotic requirements are going to be quite a bit harder. Warrior or 'adventurer' cults are the simplest for this purpose, whereas cults like Eurmal or Chalana Arroy are gonna be tougher.

Well, when I got 7 for my Str stat, I kind of discarded any hopes of creating a warrior - he could not even use most of the basic cultural weapons of his clan! 😄 So, a talkative Donandar cult Entertainer he is, with 90%+ on both Play instrument and Dance, and resorts to violence only as the last option.

[svensson]

31 minutes ago, Susimetsa said:

Well, when I got 7 for my Str stat, I kind of discarded any hopes of creating a warrior - he could not even use most of the basic cultural weapons of his clan! 😄 So, a talkative Donandar cult Entertainer he is, with 90%+ on both Play instrument and Dance, and resorts to violence only as the last option.

And by 'violence', you mean his Disruption spell followed by Befuddle and the special Eurmal /Donadar cult Rune spell 'GTFO' 😆

[Kloster]

21 hours ago, PhilHibbs said:

Yes, there are a lot of differences, but they don't change the feel of the game.

They change the feel of the combats a lot, thus the feel of the game a bit.

[DreadDomain]

On 3/8/2022 at 4:21 AM, StephenMcG said:

The game I am playing is cherry-picking a number of different bits and pieces from previous editions.  I was wondering how other folks are playing their Runequest.

BRP being such a loose system, say compared to GURPS which is a lot more monolithic, there are a lot of opportunities to plunder and be inspired by other lines (RQ 1/2/3, RQ 6/Mythras, Stormbringer/Elric/Magic World, CoC 1-6, CoC 7, BRP, KAP and more!). Having said that, while I may not like all the rules in RQG, I tend to minimize house rules nowadays. 

Examples of elements I would have done differently had I being the RQG designer include how the skill category modifiers are calculated, hit points calculation, random hit location table, 10 SR in a MR instead or 12, how Move works, and quite a bit more to be honest. However in most cases, it is just not worth the effort. So it is RQG with small house rules here and there (see list below). 

• Damage bonus table with more granularity up to STR+SIZ=40, then follow table as is.
• Base Skill Values change for Dodge (20) and Jump (30)
• More sensible Additional experience - not that it happens much
• Add a Hard success result at half the skills. This is mainly for opposed rolls but also for flavor (a Hard is better than a Regular but not really a special) and some maneuvers (Aimed Blow requires a Hard roll)
• Opposed Rolls – When a tie does not make sense, on a same level of success, whoever rolled higher, wins. If still tied, higher skill wins. Otherwise, re-roll. Note that by adding a hard success level, it doesn't happen as often.
• Crushing Damage – On a special, a crushing attack also inflict a special Knockback (p.224). The target is automatically knocked back 1d3 meters. On a crushing critical, the target is knocked down on a failed DEX x5 roll. 
• Aimed Blow and Knockout are Hard maneuvers (half skill), but it happens on normal SR (not at SR 12). Also Knockback takes place on normal SR (not at SR 12). I find these maneuvers too penalized otherwise.
• Fumbles Table - Replace results between 87 and 98 to “Opponent immediately gets a free attack against you, which you can defend against”. I find it more fun (and less silly) than "you hit yourself with your own weapon"
• I also ignore the two exceptions in the Attack vs Parry Matrix ("Failed Attack vs Fumbled Defense" and "Critical Attack vs Special Parry") and follow the progression described here 

I am also tempted by:

• Weapon skills by weapon categories instead of individual weapons
• Ignore the rules around skills over 100%.  You roll  the skill you have, you don't reduce your opponent. I am still not convince that the complexity of this rule brings a lot to the game. I am even surprised it made it to the Starter Set.

To be honest, I also quite like @Kloster approach. Some of my house rules above would still apply to RQ3.

[Kloster]

6 hours ago, DreadDomain said:

Add a Hard success result at half the skills. This is mainly for opposed rolls but also for flavor (a Hard is better than a Regular but not really a special) and some maneuvers (Aimed Blow requires a Hard roll)

I like this one.

[French Desperate WindChild]

No focus for spiritual magic (so no discussion like where is your xxx focus etc…) 

——

I allow to roll for knowledge / read etc… between d’aventures but only if this knowledge is part of the occupation (no xp during adventure) 

 of course if your occupation (like a scribe) is focused on plant and elf knowledge you cannot roll for animal, kralorela or troll knowledge (you must find a teacher)

——

and of course I remove all the rules i don’t remember during the play  😛

 

[PhilHibbs]

45 minutes ago, French Desperate WindChild said:

No focus for spiritual magic (so no discussion like where is your xxx focus etc…) 

Even in house campaigns (White Bull, New Player Stream), nobody ever mentions spell foci.

[jajagappa]

2 hours ago, PhilHibbs said:

Even in house campaigns (White Bull, New Player Stream), nobody ever mentions spell foci.

In all my years running RQ, I agree, I've never had players worry about this (or, usually, encumbrance).

[Rodney Dangerduck]

46 minutes ago, jajagappa said:

In all my years running RQ, I agree, I've never had players worry about this (or, usually, encumbrance).

When you ignore encumbrance, do your players all end up in plate mail?  Or do they show more restraint than our group would?

[jajagappa]

15 minutes ago, Rodney Dangerduck said:

When you ignore encumbrance, do your players all end up in plate mail?  Or do they show more restraint than our group would?

No, I've never had players trying to load up on equipment (and if they did, I'd start imposing penalties, but has never come up as an issue).

[DreadDomain]

6 hours ago, PhilHibbs said:

Even in house campaigns (White Bull, New Player Stream), nobody ever mentions spell foci.

IMHO spell foci has always been useful for flavor, explaining why everyone is full of tattoos, scars and trinkets, and narrative hook (the potential of loosing a focus or not being able to access it). Useful and good fun but not something that needs to be actively managed as a resource. 

[JustAnotherVingan]

6 hours ago, jajagappa said:

In all my years running RQ, I agree, I've never had players worry about this (or, usually, encumbrance).

So long as my player's weapons and armour is below the enc limit I don't usually worry about it. maybe if they find a dragon's horde I'd limit how much they can carry but worry about how much their clacks and lunars weigh? Never.

[French Desperate WindChild]

8 hours ago, Rodney Dangerduck said:

When you ignore encumbrance, do your players all end up in plate mail?  Or do they show more restraint than our group would?

it depends on what you call "ignore"

if you recalculate every time if this rabbit skin adds any penalty or are you able to take 10 scrolls

if you recalculate only when there is a radical change (new armor, plunder of knowledge temple in Nochet, etc...) . <== that is what I do

 

I m happy to see I m not alone with foci issue 😛 i was convinced every one played as the rules say

[Soccercalle]

Is ANYONE using the fatigue rules from RQ3? I think very few used them even in the days of RQ3.

[Soccercalle]

I am not using the rules for foci or ENC. I will probably only use ENC if it becomes an issue. I have told a humakti player that she must choose between wearing broadsword and shield or wearing a great sword (she is good in both). If she wants to carry both on her body there will be a penalty.

I am only using ENC to lower skill roles when it comes to jump, climb and dodge. The most important thing is for dodge. A fighter must choose if the strategy is to parry or absorb damage. Or if the strategy is to avoid being hit. In the later case they should not wear anything heavier than leather. As a matter of fact. I only reduce jump, climb and dodge if they wear metal armor. I dont reduce it for wearing a sword or something like that.

I dont force them to use rolls for casting spirit spells outside combat (strike ranks). If they are entering a dungeon and wants to cast bladesharp och protection before, they can do that without using rolls. They just reduce the magic points.

[JustAnotherVingan]

1 hour ago, Soccercalle said:

Is ANYONE using the fatigue rules from RQ3? I think very few used them even in the days of RQ3.

Trying to use them is one of the reasons its my least favourite version.

[jajagappa]

2 hours ago, Soccercalle said:

Is ANYONE using the fatigue rules from RQ3? I think very few used them even in the days of RQ3.

I never did. 

Where I might consider using something on that line would be either: an extended battle over a day where you need to pause to regain energy, or an extended climb or trek.

[Kloster]

12 hours ago, Soccercalle said:

Is ANYONE using the fatigue rules from RQ3? I think very few used them even in the days of RQ3.

I have used them, but not anymore. They work well, but too much bookkeeping for too few results.

[Shiningbrow]

16 hours ago, Soccercalle said:

I am only using ENC to lower skill roles when it comes to jump, climb and dodge

Swim?

[Shiningbrow]

On 3/10/2022 at 6:14 PM, DreadDomain said:

Ignore the rules around skills over 100%.  You roll  the skill you have, you don't reduce your opponent. I am still not convince that the complexity of this rule brings a lot to the game. I am even surprised it made it to the Starter Set.

Personally, I'd make it as posters choice. Is one more focussed on getting in a good hit (no reduction, higher Crit), or getting around the opponent's defences (reduction, modify defender's parry)? 

 

(Edit - "poster's choice"??? What the...??? *player's choice)

Edited March 13, 2022 by Shiningbrow

[Soccercalle]

5 hours ago, Shiningbrow said:

Swim?

I probably would. It have not been an issue yet. But yeah, I would.