Q&A with the new BRP Author

[Lord Twig]

No idea.

It's not a Chaosium product, so it's really up to Chris Helton and the gang at Seraphim Guard what portions of the core rules to use or change. I don't know what the licensing guidelines are, but I'd be surprised if it allowed Chaosium to dictate what optional rules are present in the game design.

Actually I did not mean to suggest that Chaosium would dictate the optional rules used. You said that you submitted a checklist for the optional rules and that's what I was asking about. So I guess the answer is "Yes, there is a checklist that Seraphim Guard can use to tell us what optional rules they are using." If they choose to use it of course.

Thanks!

[Lord Twig]

I took all of the questions and answers from this thread and created a new wiki page with the consolidated list. It can be found here: http://basicroleplaying.com/forum/showthread.php?t=166

Unfortunately I wanted to format it better and maybe arrange things into catagories, but I don't have the access to edit it.

Also, I am not sure how to link it (or where) from the main wiki site...

Help?

[Magistus]

I took all of the questions and answers from this thread and created a new wiki page with the consolidated list. It can be found here: http://basicroleplaying.com/forum/showthread.php?t=166

Unfortunately I wanted to format it better and maybe arrange things into catagories, but I don't have the access to edit it.

Also, I am not sure how to link it (or where) from the main wiki site...

Help?

You should be Happy I think Triff did get some security in place I can't edit the Wiki at all.

[Trifletraxor]

Hmm... that's not the way it's supposed to be. I'll look into it right now.

SGL.

EDIT: Just a failed common sense roll by me. Forgot to check "yes" in the edit box. Editing the wiki is open for all now.

[Atgxtg]

Jason,

What sort of supplements (if any) are in the works for BRP?

Are there going to be some scenarios? Settings? Is the game going to get a lot of support?

[Jason D]

Jason,

What sort of supplements (if any) are in the works for BRP?

Are there going to be some scenarios? Settings? Is the game going to get a lot of support?

I think I've answered this before, but here goes once more...

I don't know exactly what's in the pipeline. I've heard of some projects on public forums, but haven't gotten any look at Chaosium's schedule or plans.

As they have no internal writers, their release schedule is almost entirely driven by freelancers. They are actively seeking people who want to write BRP related material.

They're especially interested in shorter (48-72-page) setting sourcebooks rather than adventures or big comprehensive settings.

Contact Dustin Wright at dustin@chaosium.com with proposals. He's great to work with, and is enthusiastic about supporting BRP.

I'm going to work on something, but have approximately a dozen different things I'd like to do, and haven't decided which one to focus on. I'm mostly trying to get my life back on track and support the publication of the core book for any last-minute edits or rewrites required.

[Atgxtg]

Thanks Jason,

You might have covered that before. You've been so good at answering questions that it is actually getting more challenging to come up with new questions! :thumb:

I find the idea of writing something tempting, but will wait until I've read the BRP rules before taking any plunge. While I am famialr with RQ, RQ3, CoC, Strombringer, etc. it helps to see just how the core BRP rules look before starting something and having to revise it later to account for situations where I went left but BRP went right.

P.S. The bestiary sounds like a interesting project for me. I've got enough BRP critter stats (Gateway Bestiary, RQ3 Creatures, CoC, even Pendragon) to tap for inspriation/benchmarks. If the BRP rules are as similar to the earlier RPGs as suggested, then it shouldn't be hard to tweak deer or bear stats a few points to get them inline with BRP. It's not like bears are suddenly going to have STR 80! in BRP.

[Triff]

Hit locations are optional, and the hit point system is more similar to Stormbringer, with locations being rolled on major hits.

However, is the default system the exactely same as the Stormbringer system, or is there a new table involved with the major hits?

SGL.

[Jason D]

Hit locations are optional, and the hit point system is more similar to Stormbringer, with locations being rolled on major hits.

Not quite.

Hit locations are optional, as are hit points per location.

Major wounds are a part of the default system. If a major wound is rolled, roll on the Major Wound table. It will usually provide a hit location.

Not quite the same as a hit location being rolled on a major hit.

However, is the default system the exactely same as the Stormbringer system, or is there a new table involved with the major hits?

The table is the same.

[PhilHibbs]

However, the BRP book uses the traditional system, but there are guidelines as to when a skill check is appropriate.

This is not something that BRP should have hard rules for, any more than Cthulhu, Stormbringer, or Superworld should have all had the same system. Suggestions, definitely, for the benefit of newer players, but nothing strict, just a clear statement that the referee should choose their system at the start of a campaign.

[Nightshade]

This is not something that BRP should have hard rules for, any more than Cthulhu, Stormbringer, or Superworld should have all had the same system. Suggestions, definitely, for the benefit of newer players, but nothing strict, just a clear statement that the referee should choose their system at the start of a campaign.

Guidelines _aren't_ hard rules last time I looked at the definition of the term.

[Conrad]

Jason, can you please tell me about the psionics rules in the new BRP book. Hopefully I'm getting a certain BRP based space opera game soon, and would like to tack a decent set of psionics rules onto it.

[Jason D]

Jason, can you please tell me about the psionics rules in the new BRP book. Hopefully I'm getting a certain BRP based space opera game soon, and would like to tack a decent set of psionics rules onto it.

Psychic powers use their own system (they aren't a variant of super powers, magic, mutations, or sorcery) and spend power points (the generic term for magic points). The default system is similar to that from Elfquest.

Most of the traditional psychic powers are there, including several that weren't in EQ and some EQ powers aren't there. There are also a few psychic powers that are more like knacks, small powers that don't really scale but represent some mental gift the character has beyond a high POW or INT score.

You should be able to patch them onto any BRP system without much difficulty. The only confusion might come when you attempt to combine them with other power types, such as pitting psychic powers vs. sorcery, or mutations.

[Atgxtg]

....The only confusion might come when you attempt to combine them with other power types, such as pitting psychic powers vs. sorcery, or mutations.

Do you mean "on an even point basis", Carrie gets her head handed to her if she goes up against a sorcerer, superhero, or mutant, or the other way around?:confused:

Overall, how would you rate the different "powers" on a "bang for the buck" scale? I.E.

1) Superpowers

2) Sorcery

3) Mutations

4) Psychic Powers

[Jason D]

Do you mean "on an even point basis", Carrie gets her head handed to her if she goes up against a sorcerer, superhero, or mutant, or the other way around?:confused:

It's more a case of the rules stating explicitly that the powers types aren't intended to be used together, that they aren't balanced against one another, but are more like "here are five different types of powers - pick one for your setting."

Your mutant might have some scaled and armored skin, and maybe a higher CON and HP, but he's likely still toast when Captain Neutron tags him with a full-force quantum blast.

There are some guidelines about what to do if you're using more than one type, how to quantify them against one another, but every bit of GM guidance is that it's best to pick one and use it alone in a setting.

Overall, how would you rate the different "powers" on a "bang for the buck" scale? I.E.

1) Superpowers

2) Sorcery

3) Mutations

4) Psychic Powers

You forgot Magic, so I'll add it.

Weakest are Mutations - they're limited in range, scope, and applicability, and some are disadvantageous.

Somewhere in the middle are Magic, Sorcery, and Psychic Powers. There are some weak powers, some strong powers, and some utilitarian powers in each. A fledgling magic user, sorcerer, and psychic are at roughly the same power level.

Probably the most versatile are Super Powers. You can come close to approximating a number of the other powers, or you can invest entirely in heightened skills, characteristics, hit points, and other benefits like that to create non-"powered" characters, or you can be Green Lantern with all sorts of exciting energy powers and vulnerable to something as stupid and common as the color yellow.

[Nightshade]

Weakest are Mutations - they're limited in range, scope, and applicability, and some are disadvantageous.

Do they include some psychic-like abilities? Otherwise I can see situations where you pretty much have to combine them with psychic powers.

Somewhere in the middle are Magic, Sorcery, and Psychic Powers. There are some weak powers, some strong powers, and some utilitarian powers in each. A fledgling magic user, sorcerer, and psychic are at roughly the same power level.

And this is good to hear, since I know of several settings (such as Witchworld) that have both some form of magic and apparently distinct psychic abilities.

[Atgxtg]

It's more a case of the rules stating explicitly that the powers types aren't intended to be used together, that they aren't balanced against one another, but are more like "here are five different types of powers - pick one for your setting."

Your mutant might have some scaled and armored skin, and maybe a higher CON and HP, but he's likely still toast when Captain Neutron tags him with a full-force quantum blast.

There are some guidelines about what to do if you're using more than one type, how to quantify them against one another, but every bit of GM guidance is that it's best to pick one and use it alone in a setting.

You forgot Magic, so I'll add it.

Weakest are Mutations - they're limited in range, scope, and applicability, and some are disadvantageous.

Somewhere in the middle are Magic, Sorcery, and Psychic Powers. There are some weak powers, some strong powers, and some utilitarian powers in each. A fledgling magic user, sorcerer, and psychic are at roughly the same power level.

Probably the most versatile are Super Powers. You can come close to approximating a number of the other powers, or you can invest entirely in heightened skills, characteristics, hit points, and other benefits like that to create non-"powered" characters, or you can be Green Lantern with all sorts of exciting energy powers and vulnerable to something as stupid and common as the color yellow.

Ah. I didn't "forget" Magic. I ust didn't know it was something other than Sorcery. (What's the difference? Is SOrcery just the Summoning stuff from SB/Elric!).

Having most of the BRP stuff on hand, I can see your point. SUPERS, not surprisingly, outclass just about everyone else (I actually had one guy in a super campaign write up a Special Forces character with no actual powers, just great stats and skills. The "Batman" concept works out rather well in BRP. For the most part he did everything better than the SUPERS, except things that a human can't do, like fly.)

I think the mix & match stuff would be mostly magic/sorcery & psychic anyway, so i is good they sort of balance.

Mutations sounds like it might have some possibilities for non mutated concepts, like a mad scientists' creations or "giant" animals, or to make new beasties. Take a rat, make it a meter long, armor it up and...

...oh...yeah. That's been done.

Has the mutation stuff been expanded from the rather sketchy rules in Hawkmoon?

[Jason D]

Do they include some psychic-like abilities?

They don't.

Otherwise I can see situations where you pretty much have to combine them with psychic powers.

I'm not sure what you mean by that.

You don't "have" to combine one power set with another - but you might want to for a particular setting or to write up a particular character. Any one of these power sets is suitable for use as the only power set in a setting (and each has been, though Magic World didn't have a setting specifically).

Hopefully, enough guidance is provided that GMs can make up new powers or modify the existing ones enough to suit a setting perfectly.

[Jason D]

Ah. I didn't "forget" Magic. I ust didn't know it was something other than Sorcery. (What's the difference? Is SOrcery just the Summoning stuff from SB/Elric!).

Magic is from the Magic World setting from Worlds of Wonder. It's a very basic %-based system with classic spellcasting powers like lightning bolts, fireballs, etc.

Sorcery isn't entirely summoning, but is mostly the Chaos-based magic from Elric!

They have very different feels and applications, and little overlap.

Has the mutation stuff been expanded from the rather sketchy rules in Hawkmoon?

Yep.

[Nightshade]

They don't.

I'm not sure what you mean by that.

You don't "have" to combine one power set with another - but you might want to for a particular setting or to write up a particular character. Any one of these

I'd say for certain sorts of settings you not only want to, but need to, or you can't run the setting properly. If I want to run Hiero's Journey as a setting, I distinctly need both.

[Atgxtg]

Magic is from the Magic World setting from Worlds of Wonder. It's a very basic %-based system with classic spellcasting powers like lightning bolts, fireballs, etc.

Sorcery isn't entirely summoning, but is mostly the Chaos-based magic from Elric!

They have very different feels and applications, and little overlap.

Yep.

Ah. I got WoW. I take it that the magic been adapted to fit the full system a little better. MW just gave creatures a SIZ stat (and had that wacky either/or Damage bonus chart).

So I take it Sorcery would include summoning AND the Battle Magic-esque spells from Elric!?

Yeah, theres a lot of overlap there. Both systems had summoning rules too, so not all elementals will be created equally.

It will be interesting to see how this all looks. Hope Chaosium can get this out soon. (Imagine the horror of continuing this thread for years and years if BRP goes down the HEROQUEST "coming soon" path! :eek:).

[Sorloc]

I'm sorry if this has already been answered, I have been reading, I promise, but now the conversation is right here...

What about Battle Magic a.k.a. Spirit Magic type magic?

And is there any corollary for Divine Magic / Holy Warriors?

[NickMiddleton]

I'm sorry if this has already been answered, I have been reading, I promise, but now the conversation is right here...

What about Battle Magic a.k.a. Spirit Magic type magic?

And is there any corollary for Divine Magic / Holy Warriors?

In the Play test draft I saw there were only the five systems Jason's listed (Magic, Sorcery, Psychics, Mutations and Supers).There was no specific Spirit / Battlemagic like system (albeit the Sorcery system, derived from the Elric! / Stormbringer 5th edition magic system isn't hugely dissimilar), and the explicit assumption in the character generation and setting chapters IIRC was that if Priestly backgrounds granted access to powers those powers would be modelled off one of the provided systems.

Having said that, the BRP Magic Book monograph is currently in print from Chaosium, fully compatible with the BRP book and contains three (technically four) magic systems for use with BRP - and since it's the Magic Book from the boxed Deluxe RuneQuest you may well already have a copy...

Cheers,

Nick Middleton

[Jason D]

Hope Chaosium can get this out soon.

I hope so, too.

(Imagine the horror of continuing this thread for years and years if BRP goes down the HEROQUEST "coming soon" path! :eek:).

I'm pretty sure it won't come to that.

Charlie Krank contacted me today and said he'd just been at a convention in Paris with tape-bound copies of the BRP book to show off to potential authors of source material. He mentioned making some last-minute edits that I'd sent recently. That doesn't sound like it's about a book that's not coming out soon.

[Conrad]

Most of the traditional psychic powers are there, including several that weren't in EQ and some EQ powers aren't there. There are also a few psychic powers that are more like knacks, small powers that don't really scale but represent some mental gift the character has beyond a high POW or INT score.

You should be able to patch them onto any BRP system without much difficulty. The only confusion might come when you attempt to combine them with other power types, such as pitting psychic powers vs. sorcery, or mutations.

The more I read about this new BRP book the more I'm convinced it will be worth buying. Even though I have a truckload of Chaosium rpgs already I don't have Elfquest and I like the idea of small psychic powers or knacks.:thumb: