Stats blocks

[Jegergryte]

Hi,

First off, while I've been a member of these forums a while, mostly just reading and observing, I'm now soon getting the time to get properly into it, hence some questions will start to surface.

I have many, but for now:

I've been going through the BGB a couple of times now…

I have been looking at the stat blocks… now I know this might turn me into a pariah for saying, but I have to say the similarities between the stat blocks in BRP and D20 are striking.

BUT my question is, are they compatible, I mean, an 18 STR in D20 and the same in BRP could be considered equal?

This could then mean that conversion from D20 games to BRP, statwise if nothing else, is pretty easy?

Stat blocks are not always being that easy to convert between system in my experience, but if this is the case here, then it makes it that much easier to create good games (system wise) of older settings and stuff.

in advance thanks,

-A

Edited June 9, 2011 by Jegergryte

[rust]

The basic stats of BRP and D&D are indeed quite compatible, the conversion only

becomes a bit more difficult when it comes to skills and feats. However, if you go

more for the "feel" of a character than for the precise mathematics of the con-

version, there should be no major problem.

[pansophy]

The basic stats of BRP and D&D are indeed quite compatible, the conversion only

becomes a bit more difficult when it comes to skills and feats. However, if you go

more for the "feel" of a character than for the precise mathematics of the con-

version, there should be no major problem.

where is the "I like it" button?!

[deleriad]

Actually, yes and no. For humans and equivalents the stats are fairly similar but BRP has a much wider spread. Generally in d20 once stats exceed 20 their progression is very slow. For example a mature, adult red dragon in the d20 srd is STR 33, significantly less than a BRP dragon would be. As long as you bear that in mind you won't go far wrong.

[Atgxtg]

The similarity between the stat blocks was intentional. THe guys who wrote D&D 3.0 were familar with RuneQuest (BRP's parnent system) and used it for a model for several of the changes that were incoprtated in 3.0. One such change was the expansion of Monsters from the simpler format use in AD&D to the "full character sheet" method used in RQ (and 3E).

As for converting stats:

deleriad is right, yes and no.

You can convert the stat values over, but those values might not be quite the same after the conversion. For instance, D&D uses a STR progression where each 5 points of STR double the weight carried. In comparison, BRP uses a +8 STR to dobule the weight (at least in the PC range of attributes). As a result your D&D character will probably be able to lift more than a BRP character with the same STR.

Also, as deleriad has pointed out, the progression for monster stats is different. This is partly because D&D handles SIZ differently (a category rather than a numeric value), partly because D&D doesn't factor SIZ into damage the same way as BRP, partly because D&D is designed to be more forgiving that BRP, and partly because no one really know how much a dragon can actually lift (most people will say that is becuase dragons are "mythical" but I think the real reason is becuase dragons tend to eat people who bother them with dumb questions).

THe D&D is more forgiving part is worth remembering. Since BRP doesn't use increasing hit points, blows that might make a high level fighter go "ouch" in D&D will probably take off limbs in BRP, and be fatal as well. Being dead is also more serious "career stumbling block" in BRP than in D&D..

[Jegergryte]

Thanks, knew there was something I hadn't thought of.

Thanks for the insight Peoples of the Interwebs, much appreciated. This would have been so much easier to see if I was just home… (Need to get back home to my stash – need me books!)

-Jeger

[Jegergryte]

All right… new question.

Related perhaps by proxy or not related at all… but, I wonder… I have this old game called Millenniums End, great game sort of… what I remember most vividly is the combat system, which I for many reasons liked, even though it was partly long winded and weird… does anyone here have experience with it, and how compatible would you say this system is with BRP? I was inspired by this thread.

All my games are now closer yet in boxes in a garage somewhere just out of reach until I get a place to call my own again…

Any insight is appreciated to the fullest extent of my abilities.