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RuneQuest: Classic Fantasy


threedeesix

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I'm not sure about Bone Hill but I think someone has done the Reptile God for BRP as I'm positive I have a copy. Sorry just checked and a have  Basic Fantasy version of B1 (in Search of the Unknown) and my own partial notes for I-1 Dwellers of the Forbidden City which consist of comments on what to replace in each encounter using RQ6 creatures.

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Nigel

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I've always wanted to run some of the classic higher level modules, such as Tomb of Horrors and White Plume Mountain, but did not know how to do it due to power levels and magic items.  AD&D assumed that higher level characters would have magic items equal to their power level in order to survive the dungeon.  Will Classic Fantasy have suggestions on how to make higher level guys?  

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I don't know if you could ever really systemize conversion between AD&D and RQ. There are just enormous differences in how they represent reality. Say wanted to convert a 15th-level Fighter. He is going to have an obscene amount of HPs. It's because HPs are an abstraction in D&D. They represent physical capacity to take a hit like RQ, but they also reflect a characters luck (The equivalent of spending Hero Point to soak a wound in RQ6) as well as ability to use a parry to minimize damage. And HPs are going to represent a differing degree of each from character to character, so you can't make any kind of conversion chart. 

Then there are skills. You aren't going to find any easy way to generate those from an AD&D stat block, 

Exact numerical conversion doesn't really give you anything helpful either. An AD&D adventure may be pitched at 4th-level character, but when you convert it over, that isn't going to mean much in RQ terms. 

I think its quicker just to break down the character/monster concept and just build them in the RQ system. It's not really going to take more time than consulting a conversion guide and its going to give more sensible results. Maybe the 15th-level Fighter is knight who serves as the King's Champion.  Build a cool RQ NPC that seems suitable to be the King's Champion. Done.

I'm guessing Classic Fantasy brings over classes, magic and items from D&D, but it's still not going to feel quite like D&D. That's not a bad thing, as if you want D&D that feels like D&D, there is already this game called D&D that does that. ;)

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6 hours ago, mikuel said:

I've always wanted to run some of the classic higher level modules, such as Tomb of Horrors and White Plume Mountain, but did not know how to do it due to power levels and magic items.  AD&D assumed that higher level characters would have magic items equal to their power level in order to survive the dungeon.  Will Classic Fantasy have suggestions on how to make higher level guys?  

RuneQuest has built in rules going up in Rank. Rank is used for Cults and Brotherhoods. RuneQuest also has rules for Luck Points. I simulate characters being able to take on more powerful opponents by the granting of an additional Luck Point every time the character gains Rank. Therefore, higher "rank" characters can take on greater challenges.

Rod

Edited by threedeesix
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16 hours ago, Baulderstone said:

I don't know if you could ever really systemize conversion between AD&D and RQ. There are just enormous differences in how they represent reality. Say wanted to convert a 15th-level Fighter. He is going to have an obscene amount of HPs. It's because HPs are an abstraction in D&D. They represent physical capacity to take a hit like RQ, but they also reflect a characters luck (The equivalent of spending Hero Point to soak a wound in RQ6) as well as ability to use a parry to minimize damage. And HPs are going to represent a differing degree of each from character to character, so you can't make any kind of conversion chart.

I'm not really aiming at converting between AD&D and RQ, the goal is generic BRP as in the old basic pamphlet rules. And I have anticipated for quite a while that it's more or less impossible to just convert the stats/values etc from AD&D to BRP, but I had to ask if someone had done it. I'll have to convert the adventures myself, which is fine. Thanks for the reply anyway!

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23 hours ago, nclarke said:

I'm not sure about Bone Hill but I think someone has done the Reptile God for BRP as I'm positive I have a copy. Sorry just checked and a have  Basic Fantasy version of B1 (in Search of the Unknown) and my own partial notes for I-1 Dwellers of the Forbidden City which consist of comments on what to replace in each encounter using RQ6 creatures.

That sounds marvelous nclarke! I'd be very glad to receive any copy of your work as it would speed up my own. Thanks for the reply.

"I intend to live forever, or die trying" - Groucho Marx

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On 2/2/2016 at 3:51 AM, dracopticon said:

Have anyone heard of a more thorough and somewhat systemized conversion-mechanic for transferring AD&D scenarios to BRP? For myself I aim at converting L1 The Sexret of Bone Hill, and N1 Against the Cult of the Reptile God, maybe even a 1st level Planescape adventure. I know about and have d/l the AD&D monster books for BRP, but I'm searching for a more complete transfer mechanic.

Ive gotta say I have never been a proponent of conversion formulas. Yes, I use them for some parts of the write-up, but typically I start with a similar creature in whatever system I'm converting to as a base and modify from there. That way, your conversions will remain consistent with already established creatures.

Lets look at the basilisk for example. Right away I see its pretty much an eight-legged crocodile and nothing like its RQ counterpart. So I start with the characteristics of a RQ croc. Then I look at both the AD&D croc and AD&D basilisk to see in what ways they are different.

1. The basilisk is much smaller but tougher
2. The basilisk has better armor
3. The basilisk and croc are just as fast
etc.

With this information in hand, I take the RQ croc and modify appropriately.

Using this method means that your conversions will remain internally consistent with all other creatures that are already a part of the game your converting to.

Rod

 

Edited by threedeesix
I'm nothing without an editor.
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10 hours ago, auyl said:

Have you checked out the Ravenloft conversions in the downloads? Might not be exactly what you're looking for but could give you a base to start your own comversions from.

Aha! That was a good tip. Have to check that out. Thanks. Erik.

"I intend to live forever, or die trying" - Groucho Marx

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On 2016-02-02 at 3:32 PM, threedeesix said:

Ive gotta say I have never been a proponent of conversion formulas. Yes, I use them for some parts of the write-up, but typically I start with a similar creature in whatever system I'm converting to as a base and modify from there. That way, your conversions will remain consistent with already established creatures.
 [...]

Some really good thoughts there. Thank you Rod!

Edited by dracopticon
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"I intend to live forever, or die trying" - Groucho Marx

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Well, I'm running a campaign based on a custom setting, and delayng the introduction of magic to a certain pint in the game (i.e. you don't have an innate ability to magic, nor regenerate magic points naturally, you have to acquire that ability somehow), so I really look forward to this as a sourcebook more than a complete game, because would be complicated for me to switch to a new system in the middle of the campaign.
I'm very interested in magic and other details, too.
As an example, do you refer to old D&D system o to RQ for price lists? I feel RQ6 kind of wrong in this aspect, everything is based on silver coins, lesser coins are merely theoretical because almost anything costs at least one silver...
Besides that, Q1 is rapidly running to his half so hopefully we won't have to wait much longer. ;)

Edited by Fingolfin80
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