If you have all the BRP books....

[mcrow]

If you have all of the other BRP based games is the new BRP rulebook going to be useful? How much has changed?

I'm really only familiar with the latest version of CoC but was just curious if it would be of any use to someone who owns a bunch of the other BRP games already?

[GerallKahla]

I own:

RuneQuest 2 boxed sets

Call of Cthulhu (several editions)

Worlds of Wonder

Stormbringer (several editions)

Hawkmoon (Chaosium's boxed set)

Ringworld (Chaosium's boxed set)

Arguably, I own about 80% of what's under the covers of the BRP core book. The main advantage I find in owning the new book is just that: it's all in a single book.

Some of these games are not in pristine condition. Years of wear and tear have rendered my Worlds of Wonder quite fragile. In using the core book, not only do I forgo further harm to my collection, but I don't have to consult something like 5 books for my dimension-hopping Fantasy/Post-Apocalyptic game anymore...

There are advantages to having the single weighty tome vs. shuffling older books into service.

The PDF of the BRP core book is invaluable for creating short "players' guides" for specific settings.

Beyond physical utility, the core book also consolidates several disparate rules from across all these older games. Reconciling things like SIZ (which got tweaked for each specific previous game) is a real boon.

From my perspective, it's a *very* good book to own. I do not regret spending the money on it at all.

Edited July 17, 2008 by GerallKahla

[Merak Gren]

Not own all the books, but a fair share of them.

Stormbringer 1,3,4 & 5 (plus Elric)

Hawkmoon

CoC 4,5 & 6 (and Dark Ages)

Nephilim

RuneQuest 2, 3 (inc GW edition)

Pendragon 4 & 5

I was missing the SuperHero and Scifi element (which is very difficult to find).

However, having all the rules in one place is the best thing about it. All my old books can rest in peace, while I flick through the BRP book.

I recommend BRP without reservations.

[Jason D]

This is where I come clean with everyone.

I wrote BRP for me and my own convenience.

I've got the following:

• Call of Cthulhu (3 boxed sets of 1st edition in various conditions, 3rd edition softcover, 5.6th edition hardcover)
  
• Stormbringer (1st edition boxed set, 4th edition softcover, and 5th edition)
  
• Elric! (2 copies)
  
• Basic Roleplaying (the 16-page pamphlet, around 4 or 5 copies)
  
• Super-World (the WoW version)
  
• Magic World
  
• Future World (a 20-year old photocopy... really)
  
• Hawkmoon (boxed set, plus The Shattered Isle)
  
• Superworld (the boxed set)
  
• Ringworld (no box, just the loose books and the companion)
  
• Thieves' World (2 boxed sets)
  
• RuneQuest (2nd edition, 3rd edition boxed set and deluxe book)
  
• Cthulhu Dark Ages
  
• ElfQuest (the paperback edition)
  
• Nephilim

... and more than a hundred or more supplements for all of those games.

And I just got tired of carrying them all around whenever I wanted to run a BRP-based homebrew. That I got Chaosium to foot the bill printing it up is a nice benefit...

(Note that before anyone wonders... yes, I'm joking. Mostly.)

[GerallKahla]

I forgot to include my Nephilim collection, but kind of on purpose...

I hadn't intended to start a "BRP things I own thread", but - eh!

Literally, having a single book to pass around the gaming table (instead of my antique books) is astonishingly cool.

Besides, the PDF is not DRMd and has selectable layers. Meaning, you can cut-n-paste from it into your own documents. Lay it out a bit differently, print it off and have just what you need for your specific game.

I can't emphasize how much utility this provides!

[Enpeze]

Except for Nephilim I own all those books. (I am mad I know)

So I would not need the new BRP book. But I really like it. I have some minor issues with the values of some futuristic weapons and futuristic armor and the skill martial art, but the rest is great. Concentrated BRP.

[Simlasa]

I own a huge pile of BRP related stuff... most any permutation since RQII and a load of supplements... which makes the new book very important to me in terms of not having to lug all that stuff around when I want to look things up or show things around.

It's the BRP equivalent of sliced bread and air-conditioning!

[soltakss]

Yes, the new BRP book would be useful to someone who has a lot of older supplements.

The rules are consistent and wide-ranging. There are rules for many genres and the BRP rulebook could be used with other systems quite easily.

[Trifletraxor]

I'd say the main use of the new book is that it is the reference book for all new BRP supplements coming. The supplements will often include recomended new rules and optional rules, but the rest will be a lot of pointers to the main rule book. Spells are a good example.

If you're running a system you're happy with, in a setting you're happy with, and don't see the need for further supplements, then it's of minimal use. But if you want to use anything of the new stuff that coming, or maybe update your current ruleset, then it's gold.

SGL.