New RuneQuest Design Note, #17

[Richard S.]

On the topic of the design notes, these sound like really good changes that keep the original feel of the game but speed things along nicely. I know that when I tried implementing the original Rune Point rules in my game, some players just straight up ignored their rune spells entirely as it was too much of a chore to look through them all.

Probably the only thing in the RQG I'm concerned about is RP recovery rates. If I'm guessing correctly, I believe that Initiates can only get back their RPs on high holy days? Correct me if I'm wrong, but that seems a bit harsh if most adventurers can only regain RPs once a year.

 

5 hours ago, styopa said:

Who hasn't had a new player sit at the session with NO knowledge of the game at all and say "OK, I've read the background stuff, I want to be a sorcerer"?

I have one player who, despite everything I tried to discourage him, wanted to play a D&D style Wizard right off the bat. Of course, he was (and still is) pretty ignorant of how RuneQuest works, and after finally letting him have a go at an Irripi Ontor sorcerer he got bored and suicided.

[Jeff]

6 hours ago, Richard S. said:

On the topic of the design notes, these sound like really good changes that keep the original feel of the game but speed things along nicely. I know that when I tried implementing the original Rune Point rules in my game, some players just straight up ignored their rune spells entirely as it was too much of a chore to look through them all.

Probably the only thing in the RQG I'm concerned about is RP recovery rates. If I'm guessing correctly, I believe that Initiates can only get back their RPs on high holy days? Correct me if I'm wrong, but that seems a bit harsh if most adventurers can only regain RPs once a year.

 

I have one player who, despite everything I tried to discourage him, wanted to play a D&D style Wizard right off the bat. Of course, he was (and still is) pretty ignorant of how RuneQuest works, and after finally letting him have a go at an Irripi Ontor sorcerer he got bored and suicided.

Players get plenty of potential chances to get their Rune points back, including on the weekly minor holy day (although they have to go to their temple to do so). They are pretty much guaranteed to get their Rune points back on the HHD and during the Sacred Time ceremonies (assuming they participate in those and aren't adventuring).  

[AlbertG]

I like the changes introduced in this design note.

Still, I'd love to see the cults keeping SOME rune spells only for their rune lords.

[Wolfpack48]

12 hours ago, Jeff said:

Players get plenty of potential chances to get their Rune points back, including on the weekly minor holy day (although they have to go to their temple to do so). They are pretty much guaranteed to get their Rune points back on the HHD and during the Sacred Time ceremonies (assuming they participate in those and aren't adventuring).  

How exactly will Rune Point recovery work?  Is it a Ceremony or Rune roll on the holy day to recover all (vs none or some) points?

Edited June 27, 2017 by Wolfpack48
clarification

[Jeff]

7 hours ago, AlbertG said:

I like the changes introduced in this design note.

Still, I'd love to see the cults keeping SOME rune spells only for their rune lords.

Some do. Orlanth, Waha, Yelm, all have special rune spells just for rune lords. 

[GamingGlen]

11 hours ago, Jeff said:

Players get plenty of potential chances to get their Rune points back, including on the weekly minor holy day (although they have to go to their temple to do so). They are pretty much guaranteed to get their Rune points back on the HHD and during the Sacred Time ceremonies (assuming they participate in those and aren't adventuring).  

This slow recovery process won't go over well for my munchkin murder hobo players. They'll probably go with spirit magic and sorcery, depending on the "new" rules.

 

About Sever Spirit: so all it takes to take out the Crimson Bat is about 100 Humakti, and the 1000s of cannon fodder to keep it occupied?  (always a 5 percent chance of success)  Or, as an old gamer once suggested, 1000 archers (part of the cannon fodder), even with a 1% chance to crit that's 10 crits against no armor. Why is it still alive?   

[Jeff]

Well given that the Crimson Bat absorbs all magic cast at it, that isn't going to work.

And 10 crits against the Crimson Bat isn't going to slow it down. And given that the 1000 cannon fodder are all Demoraiized (and thus running away), they aren't going to do any shooting once that beast gets in range. 

Seriously, do you really think your murder hobos can out-munchkin Sandy?

 

[kaydet]

1 hour ago, GamingGlen said:

About Sever Spirit: so all it takes to take out the Crimson Bat is about 100 Humakti, and the 1000s of cannon fodder to keep it occupied?  (always a 5 percent chance of success)  Or, as an old gamer once suggested, 1000 archers (part of the cannon fodder), even with a 1% chance to crit that's 10 crits against no armor. Why is it still alive?   

The Crimson Bat is a tac-nuke that can turn strategic if it's fed enough souls. I don't think ten or even a hundred arrows are going to stop it, no matter how hard they hit.

I also doubt that it would be deployed alone without support, so your archers and Humakti are going to have plenty of other things to worry about before the Bat's sight bursts the eyes inside their heads.

[GamingGlen]

1 hour ago, Jeff said:

Well given that the Crimson Bat absorbs all magic cast at it, that isn't going to work.

And 10 crits against the Crimson Bat isn't going to slow it down. And given that the 1000 cannon fodder are all Demoraiized (and thus running away), they aren't going to do any shooting once that beast gets in range. 

Seriously, do you really think your murder hobos can out-munchkin Sandy?

 

Yes.

[Jeff]

Just now, GamingGlen said:

Yes.

I doubt you have ever played with Sandy then.

[styopa]

3 hours ago, Jeff said:

Well given that the Crimson Bat absorbs all magic cast at it, that isn't going to work.

And 10 crits against the Crimson Bat isn't going to slow it down. And given that the 1000 cannon fodder are all Demoraiized (and thus running away), they aren't going to do any shooting once that beast gets in range. 

Seriously, do you really think your murder hobos can out-munchkin Sandy?

 

http://www.glorantha.com/forums/topic/king-broyan-and-the-crimson-bat/

[kaydet]

I always thought that that write-up was intended to be facetious...

There are a lot of assumptions and hand-waves involved in that battle plan.

[styopa]

34 minutes ago, kaydet said:

I always thought that that write-up was intended to be facetious...

There are a lot of assumptions and hand-waves involved in that battle plan.

Not really intended to be serious, since the entire topic sounds very much like a playground argument over which superhero is tougher. 

[kaydet]

My point exactly.

[SDLeary]

10 hours ago, GamingGlen said:

Yes.

Bwa ha ha ha ha! Good luck!

[Mankcam]

lol 

[Joerg]

This sounds like a new kind of event for conventions like the Kraken - "Can you out-munchkin Sandy Petersen?"

[g33k]

16 hours ago, styopa said:

Not really intended to be serious, since the entire topic sounds very much like a playground argument over which superhero is tougher. 

"playground"?    How 'bout "classic internet forum flame-war" ?  

Personally, I have a love/hate relationship with the "tech-beats-magic" vs "magic-beats-tech" flamewar ...  *SO* many preconceptions & biases on either side ...

I'm fond of pointing to "Deadpool Kills the Marvel Universe."  The definitively-correct answer to all these is "whatever you want the answer to be... it can be reasonably-justified."

 

[kaydet]

The correct answer to all such questions (and inevitable arguments) is to ask "whose comic book is the fight taking place in?"

[Rick Meints]

Can we please get back to talking about the Design Notes.

[g33k]

49 minutes ago, Rick Meints said:

Can we please get back to talking about the Design Notes.

Apologies!

===

I had a question:  if RunePoints are recovered (at their most frequently) on a weekly basis, at a Temple... doesn't this doom all extended expeditions to do without Rune Magic (i.e. once they are more than a 1-week journey from the nearest Temple)?

While this is nicely-colorful in tying characters to their cults/cultures, is seems VERY limiting to many "adventures."

 

[jajagappa]

1 minute ago, g33k said:

doesn't this doom all extended expeditions to do without Rune Magic (i.e. once they are more than a 1-week journey from the nearest Temple)?

I think it forces three things:

• sacrificing and storing more Rune Points to have more to draw on (you do want to emulate your god, don't you?!)
• rationing your use of Rune Points to critical points in time
• and either directing your journey to intersect with relevant temples (pilgrimage!) or being able to prepare a worship area where you and those travelling with you can possibly get some attention from the god (e.g. take a priest along!)

[styopa]

2 hours ago, g33k said:

Apologies!

===

I had a question:  if RunePoints are recovered (at their most frequently) on a weekly basis, at a Temple... doesn't this doom all extended expeditions to do without Rune Magic (i.e. once they are more than a 1-week journey from the nearest Temple)?

While this is nicely-colorful in tying characters to their cults/cultures, is seems VERY limiting to many "adventures."

 

I don't think Rune Points necessarily HAVE to be replenished each week (or whatever) - just the missing ones.  So if you're going 20 days away from a nearby temple, well, you husband your points until they're critically needed.

Of course, there could be a sort of 'in the field' worship ceremony that high cult poobahs could do that could also possibly restore (some?) RP on high holy days but not at a formal temple. (And for Urox, isn't really every tavern pretty much a temple?)

The logic of the system would encourage raiding enemies on the day before or early during one's high holy day, so you could blow ALL your RP and get them restored almost immediately.

[g33k]

2 hours ago, jajagappa said:

I think it forces three things:

• sacrificing and storing more Rune Points to have more to draw on (you do want to emulate your god, don't you?!)
• rationing your use of Rune Points to critical points in time
• and either directing your journey to intersect with relevant temples (pilgrimage!) or being able to prepare a worship area where you and those travelling with you can possibly get some attention from the god (e.g. take a priest along!)

I can see some level of the first two, yes; but if you need a temple (and cannot get your "weekly refresh" without one), and it's an extended & conflict-filled journey where you HAVE to spend Rune Points...?

 

As to your 3rd point... it's two points, actually, and each need to be addressed separately.

The "pilgrimage" model may sometimes work... but often it just won't (e.g. when you're heading outward from your known lands, into areas where your cult HAS no temples; or lands the enemy has sacked, where the temples have been defiled; etc. ) .  "Pilgrimage" is usually taken as different from "adventuring."

I like the idea of making a worship area as you go.  Orlanthi priests howling to the winds from the tallest peak in sight; Ernalda priestesses consecrating a cleft in the hills; etc.  I hope the core rules support something like this.

 

[hkokko]

This has worked really well in my campaign. Players have husbanded that one spell for the really important occasion for months of game time - do we really want to use this now as we do not know when we can get it back... they were lost at island of Loral. Created lots of good decision making and drama....