Weapon mod

[Tigerwomble]

Can someone tell me where to find the melee and missile modifier table for RQG.

Thanks

[trystero]

Not sure there is one. The "Attacking From Advantage or Disadvantage" and "Darkness" entries in the Other Combat Rules section (starting p. 223) seem to cover most of the things that were present in the modifier tables in RQ3—attacking defenseless or unaware opponents, fighting from the ground, fighting in darkness, etc.—though most of the references are in text rather than pulled out into a table.

[styopa]

14 hours ago, trystero said:

Not sure there is one. The "Attacking From Advantage or Disadvantage" and "Darkness" entries in the Other Combat Rules section (starting p. 223) seem to cover most of the things that were present in the modifier tables in RQ3—attacking defenseless or unaware opponents, fighting from the ground, fighting in darkness, etc.—though most of the references are in text rather than pulled out into a table.

Hopefully that's the value of the GM pack - a concentration of references into a screen.

[trystero]

I'm certainly expecting the GM Pack's screen and/or booklet to contain the modifiers in shorter format.

Again, my gold standard here is the Game Aids booklet included in the boxed RQ3 set, which consolidated almost everything I needed into eight pages; I ran most of my games using just that booklet and some stat blocks for opponents.

[Furry Fella]

I have only ever regarded such references as guides. One of the best concepts I've ever come across was in Bushido (from FGU) where they referred to distractions and restrictions. Distractions being a modifier that could be "ignore" i.e. adapted to or adjusted for - pain from the last blow you received, close proximity of a fellow combatant. Restrictions being more physically permanent could not - e.g. a narrow corridor, weapon on the inside or a circular staircase, bad footing - things you had to pay attention to so reduced / changed your combat skill. I always look at the combat and make adjustments for such things - is the space congested, are the combatants used to "fighting in formation", light source or sun strike? The purpose is to get tactical manouvering back into combats. best example of going with and using this is a PC (fairly mediocre in combat) going fully defensive and working in an arc until his opponent was looking straight into the setting sun then full on attack against a half blinded opponent.  It equally can backfire - the PC manouvering for advantage opening a gap in the line - oops! Otherwise combat gets to static.

Edited June 30, 2018 by Furry Fella

[trystero]

Personally, I suspect I will end up using Call of Cthulhu 7th edition's bonus and penalty dice, which provide meaningful advantage or disadvantage on a roll without having to add or subtract percentiles, instead of the listed modifiers. I was really hoping RQG would go the CoC 7e route on this point.

[Furry Fella]

3 hours ago, trystero said:

Personally, I suspect I will end up using Call of Cthulhu 7th edition's bonus and penalty dice, which provide meaningful advantage or disadvantage on a roll without having to add or subtract percentiles, instead of the listed modifiers. I was really hoping RQG would go the CoC 7e route on this point.

Each to there own. I looked at both difficulty and bonus and penalty dice and shied away in horror - the complexities (bonus and penalty dice) or absolute arbitrariness (difficulty dice) make judging balance and outcome either impossible or blatant.

I like it that RQG limits modifiers. It would help with some paragraphs suggesting the sorts of things to consider but not absolutes.

In the absence of PC stupidity and foolishness in option taking and decision making the aim is a finely balance outcome that moves things along with the PC's feeling they have been extended or at least given a fair chance. Conversely good PC calls and decisions should make things easier

What has always drew me to RQ was that it presented a framework and world / milieu to work within not be straight jacketed by

[creativehum]

12 hours ago, Furry Fella said:

One of the best concepts I've ever come across was in Bushido (from FGU) where they referred to distractions and restrictions.

I just dug up my Bushido rules and read this passage. (I haven't played in ages.)

For anyone who is curious:

Quote

1117.3 SITUATION MODIFIERS

There are three principal categories of Situation Modifiers. They are:

Distractions

These are things which impinge on the senses of the attacker in such a way as to impair his ability to engage in combat. Distractions may be ignored or limited by successful application of willpower. A character may ignore a number of Distractions equal to his Effect Number on a Will Saving Throw. Such a Saving Throw need only be made once per Detailed Turn. 

Distractions include each friendly character within range of the attacker's weapon, something impeding free use of a limb, other things described as placing the character in Engaged status, other things described as Distractions by the rules, and, of course, anything so declared by the Gamesmaster.

Restrictions

These are hindrances to combat due to the environment around the attacker. They may not be ignored. Restrictions consist of solid objects such as trees, walls, ceilings, etc. which are within Range of his weapons. The value depends on the number of such hindrances within Range.

Circumstances

These are all the factors involved in the situation, other than those mentioned above, that would affect the combat. The accompanying table lists some. The Gamesmaster should feel free to codify others that he feels should be present. Those listed will act as a guide to the values.

Furry Fella, a couple of questions:

When playing RQ do you have the PCs make rolls to shrug off Distractions?

When playing RQ do you have list of Restrictions and Circumstances that the Players are familiar with they can use to their advantage (or try to avoid!)? What sorts of penalties do you apply? For example, in the example you provided above what would be the penalty for fighting someone who had the sun at their back?

I'm asking this because making combat not static is a goal of mine in any RPG I play and looking for clues!

Edited June 30, 2018 by creativehum

[Furry Fella]

I must admit I have given the players just that piece you quote and I try to give a good description of the situation. Players are encouraged to as questions. I try and either lay out a terrian or draw the circumstance on a largish sheet of paper. We have discussed this several times so things like:

Light, footing, - particularly the combination, spacing between things and people, familarity with each other, slope, height, multiple opponents or things to track / be aware of etc.

I find putting terrian into the situation makes a difference - especially once opponents or players start using it. Early on I used some simple ploys from associated NPCs to get the idea across about co-ordinated actions such as a small squad of militia using pre-ordered actions and manouvres.

I have made an issue out of field of view and that this narrows sharply once engaged. Quite common now for the PC to consider frontage and numbers skill advantage, can they manage to have a cover PC observing / reacting. Can they artificially influence things with spells. I've been seriously caught by imaginative use of directed light (several strongly protected with light or lantern on shields blocking vision to those beyond who can manouvre unsighted or use distance effects.

I'm still trying to get more small scale movement in with out the constrained structures that Bushido uses.

Hope this helps

Edited June 30, 2018 by Furry Fella

[Joerg]

Quite a lot of this is covered by mounted combat rules. Fighting when hanging down from branches, a ladder or the rigging of a ship may well require a climb roll, or a DES roll for balance. An attack against a barely visible foe or in darkness might require a perception roll, or be capped by the perception skill. Someone with altered perception may have to roll some other perception to avoid hitting mundane obstacles.

As a GM I like luring adventurers into positions where they are disadvantaged, like entering dwarf tunnels only 1,4 meters high, fighting ducks on swampy ground or fighting on a snow surface that may let the fighters sink in more than ankle deep, etc.

In positions with precarious balance (like on the pole before a chariot), the defender might defend only with DEX against knockback attempts.

[trystero]

On 6/30/2018 at 3:38 AM, Furry Fella said:

Each to there own. I looked at both difficulty and bonus and penalty dice and shied away in horror - the complexities (bonus and penalty dice) or absolute arbitrariness (difficulty dice) make judging balance and outcome either impossible or blatant.

I'm unsure what these "difficulty dice" you mention are; there's no such term in 7th-edition Call of Cthulhu.

For myself, I find the bonus and penalty dice to be less complex than applying modifiers; roll two (or more) tens dice and use the most advantageous result (for bonus dice) or the least advantageous one (for penalty dice). Much faster than figuring your modified score in my experience, but to each their own.

[Atgxtg]

9 minutes ago, trystero said:

I'm unsure what these "difficulty dice" you mention are; there's no such term in 7th-edition Call of Cthulhu.

For myself, I find the bonus and penalty dice to be less complex than applying modifiers; roll two (or more) tens dice and use the most advantageous result (for bonus dice) or the least advantageous one (for penalty dice). Much faster than figuring your modified score in my experience, but to each their own.

It might be the complexities in determining the odds as opposed to any mechanical difficulties. Mechanically, bonus/penalty dice are simple, but from a "how does it affect my character" standpoint they are more complex that a fixed modifier.. Bonus/Penalty dice do not affect all characters equally, being more significant for the success chances the lower your skill score is. They also have a big effect on the special and critical chances.

I'm not advocation one method over the other here.

 

Edited July 2, 2018 by Atgxtg

[Furry Fella]

50 minutes ago, trystero said:

I'm unsure what these "difficulty dice" you mention are; there's no such term in 7th-edition Call of Cthulhu.

For myself, I find the bonus and penalty dice to be less complex than applying modifiers; roll two (or more) tens dice and use the most advantageous result (for bonus dice) or the least advantageous one (for penalty dice). Much faster than figuring your modified score in my experience, but to each their own.

Difficulty Dice are a precusor to the approach of bonus & / or penalty dice. The approach is an extra dice to the skill role. This dice is modified to reflect total difficulty of the outcome. The aim is to apply proportional modification. For a new character a 20% deduction could be half of their skill but be  say a 6th of the skill of an advanced character.

For modifying I never use set lists as it is the outcome I'm looking to tweak. That is why the increased variables are - for me - a right pain. Almost no fight I run goes "straight" there is an aimed for outcome to make the PC's feel suitably streached and battered for their gain but recovery fast enough for the next scaled challenge.