RUNEQUEST 6TH EDITION

[Bandersnatch]

I run a couple of different campaigns that mix Avalon Hill's RuneQuest (III) and Call of C'thulhu.

"Jungle of Lost Women": An adults only, pulp-tart WIP meets Hellboy scenario.

And "Gaulia, Sweet Gaulia": where The Three Musketeers and the Brothers Grimm, meet the Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay Chaos Gods, the Stormbringer Chaos Gods, and the C'thulhu Mythos.

I needed guns & religion as well as fairies, monsters & The Mythos.

I looked at Mongoose's RQ and hated it.

How is RQ06 different and better than RQ03? My discretionary dollar is *very* tight!

Thank you.

-Jerry M. Chaney II

[lawrence.whitaker]

I needed guns & religion as well as fairies, monsters & The Mythos.

RQ6 has a free Firearms supplement and a hell of a lot of guidance on creating cults, brotherhoods and sects in its core rules.

I looked at Mongoose's RQ and hated it.

Was this its first stab at RQ, or Mongoose RuneQuest II?

How is RQ06 different and better than RQ03? My discretionary dollar is *very* tight!

The answer to this depends on your answer to the previous question. RQ6 is a further development of MRQII, but is a different beast to MRQ1. If you hated MRQII, then you may not like RQ6 - although it will depend, really, on what you hated and why.

'Better' is always a matter of personal opinion. What's better for you may not be better for me, and vice-versa. In terms of difference, there are many similarities between RQ3 and RQ6, but mechanical differences in skills, combat, and magic.

[Bandersnatch]

It was Mongoose's first stab at RQ (& then I spent all my spare change on D&D4E's LFR). I didn't even know that there was a MRQII...

I picked up Moon Design Publishing's Cult Compendium (soft-bound) several years back and I loved that purchase! And because it is compatible with RQ6 (according to MDP's website), I am (at the least) going to pick up the RQ6 .pdf and take a long, hard, look.

I use the magical societies and various martial orders from Chivalry & Sorcery (C&S). So the guide on creating cults, Brotherhood(s) (of the Wolf...) & sects intrigues me greatly.

*nod* 'Better' is very subjective. The modular aspect of the Chaosium/BRP system is its strength. I use sanity. & fatigue (because there should be *some* drawback to running around in full plate for my bad guys - The Unholy Roman Empire (Germany)). I am a big fan of the Shaman, Priest, & Sorcerer magic systems from RQIII and use those. I use dueling pistols & muskets. My point being is that with a little borrowing from Hawkmoon and Stormbringer I can include Warhammer Chaos gods/daemons and C'thulhu Mythos horrors in my campaign fairly easily. Prior to 4E (there's a tool on-line to create your own creatures), only Hero Game's Champions rivaled Chaosium in ease (for me) of converting creatures from other systems, literature, & movies to my campaign.

Thank you for your considered reply Mr. Whitaker.

-Jerry M. Chaney II

[Thalaba]

How is RQ06 different and better than RQ03? My discretionary dollar is *very* tight!

I compiled this list of differences between RQ3 and RQ6 when it first came out. I'll re-post it here:

1. RQ6 has no characteristic rolls (though they're easy enough to incorporate if you like). RQ3 uses DEX*5% rolls and so forth.

2. RQ6 does not use the resistance mechanic - instead it uses opposed skills for everything, and things like using CON to resist against poison are handled by skills, now. Use of opposed skill tests is now a much larger part of the game, especially in combat. RQ3 uses the resistance mechanic.

3. RQ6 uses hit locations only (no total HP). RQ3 uses hit locations and total hit points.

4. Combat special manoeuvres are now reactive instead of pro-active. In RQ3 when you want to perform a manoeuvre like hitting a specific location, you would declare your intent, take a penalty, and then roll. In RQ6, you make the rolls first, then make one or more manoeuvres based on the result. This simulates taking advantage of openings and opportunities which occur in battle.

5. RQ6 uses stat pairs as the base for skills, then adds cultural and career values to create a starting skill. RQ3 uses a fixed cultural base for skills, then adds modifiers (based on stats) and careers. The intent and result are similar, but the math is different.

6. In RQ6 weapon skills are allocated in the form of 'combat styles', where one style reflects a small group of weapons and circumstances. RQ3 uses individual skills for weapons.

7. RQ6 has folk magic (a less powerful but very sensible version of the old spirit magic), Theism (old divine), sorcery, animism, and mysticism. RQ3 has Spirit Magic, Divine Magic, and Sorcery and Ritual magic.

8. RQ6 uses 10% for criticals and has a slightly smaller fumble range, but not specials. RQ3 uses 5% criticals, 20% specials, and 5% fumbles.

9. Skills are organized differently (but still basically work the same).

10 The character creation process is different - character age isn't as important in RQ6, and it generates more background material (such as siblings) and generates a generic background event for each character.

11. Dodging and parrying work differently in RQ6. The size of the parrying weapon plays a larger role, and dodging is now more like diving aside.

12. Fatigue is more streamlined in RQ6, and requires less book-keeping than in RQ3.

13. RQ6 has a passions subsystem. RQ3 does not.

14. RQ3 skills advance according to use. in RQ6, improvement rolls are handed out to be distributed as the player sees fit.

15. RQ6 has hero points which can be used for re-rolls. RQ3 does not.

There are more that this, I'm sure, but this gives you the core differences.

If your budget is tight you can buy the Mongoose Legend PDF for $1.00 to evaluate the basic system. RQ6 is an expanded and refined close cousin of Legend.

RQ3 is perfectly serviceable, by the way, so unless RQ6 does something in a way you find profoundly better there's no need to switch. I like both systems equally myself, but having said that I'll throw my lot in with those who favour the resistance table, too! The upcoming product line for RQ6 looks very promising, BTW, and if - like most gamers - you like a bit of game bling, RQ6 does deliver on that count.