Runic Inspiration and experience

[glarkhag]

Hi all,

Has anyone experimented with or considered allowing Runic Inspiration in relation to experience checks? It seems to me that those with strong runic associations could find it easier to advance with associated stats and skills.  If any one has experimented with that did they find it unbalanced things at all? I guess ultimately it just speeds up the progression rate and one needs to find one's own balance with their group. 

In a similar vein I'm also toying with an alternative to scrolls (for illiterate characters) using magical runic stones/crystals. The character would use the stone or crystal to focus meditative contemplation (and experimentation with the insight gained) over a period of a season. The stone/crystal would act as a teacher effectively (or pehaps allow augmentation of a research roll). The benefits would be dependent on the level of success (or not) of a Meditation skill check (augmented by Runic inspiration). One use only.   Again, has anyone done anything similiar and refined mechanics through play-testing already?

cheers

Rich

[Joerg]

Runic inspiration is fine, but fairly risky to use - one fumble in a rune that your character needs to activate their rune magic, and all that magic becomes inaccessible until the character gets across their disorientation. Other runes may still be disconcerting if you fumble, but leave your magic intact.

Use of augments will help you earn experience checks. In case of augmenting a skill with another you might get an extra check on the augmenting skill if the GM judges this as a crucial use.

[Squaredeal Sten]

2 hours ago, glarkhag said:

Hi all,

Has anyone experimented with or considered allowing Runic Inspiration in relation to experience checks? It seems to me that those with strong runic associations could find it easier to advance with associated stats and skills.  If any one has experimented with that did they find it unbalanced things at all? ....

 

I hope everyone allows experience checks on using the rune affinities.  If you don't, then how can anyone increase their affinity to  qualify for priest, or even to cast rune spells with a higher chance of success?

See RQiG page 227. "Runic Inspiration".  Also "Becoming Inspired: on pages 229-231.

[Akhôrahil]

2 hours ago, Squaredeal Sten said:

I hope everyone allows experience checks on using the rune affinities.  If you don't, then how can anyone increase their affinity to  qualify for priest, or even to cast rune spells with a higher chance of success?

See RQiG page 227. "Runic Inspiration".  Also "Becoming Inspired: on pages 229-231.

If I understood the original post correctly, it’s about augmenting your experience roll.

This would be quite powerful and result in more rapid Rune Lords, as well as even higher peak skills.

Edited October 10, 2023 by Akhôrahil

[Squaredeal Sten]

Oh, no, I did not get that meaning.  I believe augmentation is for character actions, not the learning mechanics.  Though I might be persuaded that a Lhankor Mhy passion would influence a research roll, I don' t identify any of the Runes with that.

[glarkhag]

6 hours ago, Akhôrahil said:

If I understood the original post correctly, it’s about augmenting your experience roll.

This would be quite powerful and result in more rapid Rune Lords, as well as even higher peak skills.

Yes, agreed. Not necessarily a bad thing? 😉  My modelling has suggested RQG2 will be out before any characters make RuneLord.  😁 

Joking aside, having pondered people's responses I realise what a massive bonus the inspiration rules would give to experience rolls (although after a first season of dreadful rolls for characters with skills only in the 15-35 range I'm sure any help from the Gods would be welcome! 😄 ) .  But part of me still feels like characters with strong rune affinity ought to progress in related skills a fraction faster. Even if just Affinity/20 as a bonus. After all " Runes themselves influence an adventurer’s ... development physically, intellectually, spiritually, and even socially."

Edited October 11, 2023 by glarkhag
added quote to back up last statement.

[Akhôrahil]

7 hours ago, glarkhag said:

Yes, agreed. Not necessarily a bad thing? 😉  My modelling has suggested RQG2 will be out before any characters make RuneLord.  😁 

Interestingly, in my game, more players struggle with the CHA requirements than the skills one. They all expect to be able to get what we call the ”bling” bonus, but since I don’t allow characteristics training (I ripped out the whole training and research system and substituted my own), only heroics and heroquesting remain.

Edited October 11, 2023 by Akhôrahil

[glarkhag]

5 minutes ago, Akhôrahil said:

Interestingly, in my game, more player’s struggle with the CHA requirements than the skills one. They all expect to be able to get what we call the ”bling” bonus, but since I don’t allow characteristics training (I ripped out the whole training and research system and substituted my own), only heroics and heroquesting remain.

I can see the merits in that for CHA - actions speak louder than the polish and spin attained from an executive presence development programe. Although I suspect Vinga went on one of those judging by the chat elsewhere about her pose on the front cover picture for Mythology. 😄   I imagine the informal preparation chiefs-in-waiting go through would also buff CHA a bit. Fake it 'til you make it.

[Shiningbrow]

On 10/11/2023 at 2:09 PM, glarkhag said:

But part of me still feels like characters with strong rune affinity ought to progress in related skills a fraction faster.

That wouldn't be a 'fraction' faster.

Once the skill is at a pretty high level and the associated Rune is pretty high, it means +20% or higher on the experience gain check... and up to 50% in the fairly rare  occasion (crit) That means - 100%+ skills no longer having only a couple of percent chance of succeeding, but at least 20%  - unless, the category modifier is a negative! (and, that alone is going to be a big thing!)

Looking at it from a different angle - I can see how some augments work in the usual individual, unique situation, which is a conscious application of those Runes & skills. I don't see how that works with experience, and that seems to just be something the character subconsciously (for the most part) learns something. I doubt many of us could describe the specific (minute) things we learned as part of our experience to learn to ride a bike or drive a car.

[glarkhag]

10 minutes ago, Shiningbrow said:

That wouldn't be a 'fraction' faster.

Once the skill is at a pretty high level and the associated Rune is pretty high, it means +20% or higher on the experience gain check... and up to 50% in the fairly rare  occasion (crit) That means - 100%+ skills no longer having only a couple of percent chance of succeeding, but at least 20%  - unless, the category modifier is a negative! (and, that alone is going to be a big thing!)

Looking at it from a different angle - I can see how some augments work in the usual individual, unique situation, which is a conscious application of those Runes & skills. I don't see how that works with experience, and that seems to just be something the character subconsciously (for the most part) learns something. I doubt many of us could describe the specific (minute) things we learned as part of our experience to learn to ride a bike or drive a car.

Yes, agreed my original suggestion would make it more than a fraction faster. I suggested toning down to an affinity/20 bonus. 

In terms of how I would see it working..I guess we don't have a real world example unless you believe in some kind of affinity with a supernatural essence of sorts.. The closest analogy would be that some people pick up languages quicker than others - and yes, that is captured in having the skill group modifier being applied to experience rolls. I just figured that the universe might nudge along those people who have strong affinities. The rules do say, as per my quote included in the thread earlier, that runic affinities intrinsically affect characters physically and intellectually and emotionally. I was looking to translate this into something more than just +2 and +1 stat during character creation and one-off flashes of inspiration. I feel like runic association should run through the weave of the character's tapestry of life.

 

But my question has been answered - no one has played it out; the idea is generally considered from 👎 to 💩  🙂 . At least no one (with strong Harmony affinity) said "YGMV" ; but it will. 😁

 

[Shiningbrow]

I had a thought last night... how about adding Runic Inspiration when attempting to summon a cult spirit, to add on the spirit's POW & CHA table?

[Rodney Dangerduck]

Our Rune Lord wannabees have been stuck on either Devotion or an actual Rune at 90%.  Since these "increase" rolls have no bonus at all, it's a flat ~15% to increase.

Runes already might increase your experience gain rolls, if your highest rune increased your relevant stat to 13 or 17.

I like the concept that characters might be better at learning certain skills, because that seems to match reality, but I don't have very good ideas for mechanics.

[French Desperate WindChild]

For me inspiration and augment are « temporal and local » : that is because you are feeling / living something important for you than your entire  « you »  focus on the event

That doesn’t fit, for me, with the raising of a skill (check). Your experience is by nature a long processus (if training/learning) or the result of a critical activity (experience, with or without any inspiration)

I would prefer another option:

if during one season a skill is used many many times, then you may gain two or three checks.

for example you are defending a position all the season, every day your opponents charge you during hours, every day you see your friends be wounded or killed. Then you may gain every week a check on the main skill(s) you use

[soltakss]

On 10/10/2023 at 6:44 PM, glarkhag said:

Has anyone experimented with or considered allowing Runic Inspiration in relation to experience checks? It seems to me that those with strong runic associations could find it easier to advance with associated stats and skills.  If any one has experimented with that did they find it unbalanced things at all? I guess ultimately it just speeds up the progression rate and one needs to find one's own balance with their group. 

The idea is good, but, for me, it needs a simple mechanic that does not involve making another roll to get the benefit. In the same way that a Rune Priest gets a bonus to POW Gain Rolls, you could add a small increase to skills tied to a certain Rune, for example if the Rune is 80% or above then you could get a +5 to the Experience Roll, so someone with Death at 80% and Broadsword 70% with a 10% Category Bonus would normally get an Experience Gain if they rolled 61 or higher (61+10=71, which is greater than 70) but the 80% Death Rune adds +5, so a roll of 56 would get a skill increase (56 + 10 + 5=71, which is greater than 70).

Further refinement would be to associate each skill with one or more Runes, then allow multiple Runes to affect a skill, so Broadsword might be Air and Death, Axe is Earth and Death, Climb is Movement, Lores are Knowledge and so on. If you have multiple Runes at 80% then each would give +5 to the increase roll, so Air 80% and Death 80% would add +5+5=+10 to the D100 roll, so the above example means that a 51 would increase the skill.

On 10/10/2023 at 6:44 PM, glarkhag said:

In a similar vein I'm also toying with an alternative to scrolls (for illiterate characters) using magical runic stones/crystals. The character would use the stone or crystal to focus meditative contemplation (and experimentation with the insight gained) over a period of a season. The stone/crystal would act as a teacher effectively (or pehaps allow augmentation of a research roll). The benefits would be dependent on the level of success (or not) of a Meditation skill check (augmented by Runic inspiration). One use only.   Again, has anyone done anything similiar and refined mechanics through play-testing already?

That would be a really cool magical item. I would just give an automatic skill increase after a period of contemplation, to save having to roll and perhaps fail.

[Rodney Dangerduck]

On 10/14/2023 at 2:23 AM, soltakss said:

Broadsword might be Air and Death, Axe is Earth and Death, Climb is Movement, Lores are Knowledge and so on

One reason I dislike some of the rune stuff is everybody twisting them to favor the runes of typical Heortling PCs.  Players who pick offbeat runes get penalized.

For example, Climb is, by the rules, very clearly Water.  Movement is reasonable.  But most GMs, even Jeff, allow Air.  Because that's what their PC will have and try.