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Comparing RQC with RQG


Scout

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I've bought RQG but was wondering how RQ Classic differs from it rules-wise. RQ Classic also appeals to me because it has a much smaller page count. 

Wasn't there an issue with the magic system though?

Also, is RQ Classic married to Glorantha or is it separate? 

The idea is to use RQ Classic with the original supplements like Apple Lane and all the other pdfs Chaosium have made available again.

 

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RQC doesn't have Passion and Rune scores. It's much more restrictive on how much Rune Magic people get, both in quantity and flexibility of use. It has no official treatment of Sorcery (that was first dealt with by the rules in RQ3). If it's It doesn't have anything like the same amount of background material built into the rules, nor the broad choice of Cults, AFAIK. It's aimed at Glorantha, but the background material is more of a teaser than a complete thing; you'd need Cults of Prax or the Cult Companion to broaden your Cult choices (though those would exceed what RQG has managed to cram into its core, both in number of Cults and detail of treatment). RQC has no baked-into-the-rules concept of "playing a role in your character's community" as RQG does, and that saves some pages.

I don't know what the issue might be with RQC's magic system, but if it remains RQ2, it has a terrible schizophrenic approach to POW/MP, calling MP 'temporary POW' and requiring some pondering which is being used, sometimes. Or maybe it's that resistance rolls for casting-for-effect are made using MP v MP, rather than POW v POW, so casting your spells makes you vulnerable to other peoples' spells...

In my world, RQG is an improvement in every way over RQ2/C (and in many ways over RQ3), but if you just want to run some modules, it'll be easier to use the RQC rules and de-emphasise the background. Or you could do the same thing with RQG, and it would be a more coherent and better-developed system.

 

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35 minutes ago, womble said:

RQC doesn't have Passion and Rune scores. It's much more restrictive on how much Rune Magic people get, both in quantity and flexibility of use. It has no official treatment of Sorcery (that was first dealt with by the rules in RQ3). If it's It doesn't have anything like the same amount of background material built into the rules, nor the broad choice of Cults, AFAIK. It's aimed at Glorantha, but the background material is more of a teaser than a complete thing; you'd need Cults of Prax or the Cult Companion to broaden your Cult choices (though those would exceed what RQG has managed to cram into its core, both in number of Cults and detail of treatment). RQC has no baked-into-the-rules concept of "playing a role in your character's community" as RQG does, and that saves some pages.

I don't know what the issue might be with RQC's magic system, but if it remains RQ2, it has a terrible schizophrenic approach to POW/MP, calling MP 'temporary POW' and requiring some pondering which is being used, sometimes. Or maybe it's that resistance rolls for casting-for-effect are made using MP v MP, rather than POW v POW, so casting your spells makes you vulnerable to other peoples' spells...

In my world, RQG is an improvement in every way over RQ2/C (and in many ways over RQ3), but if you just want to run some modules, it'll be easier to use the RQC rules and de-emphasise the background. Or you could do the same thing with RQG, and it would be a more coherent and better-developed system.

 

Thanks for the womble. 

RQG seems to tick most boxes, but one thing I'm a dubious about, is the notion that pcs are much more powerful than in earlier editions of the game. I quite like the 'hero-to-zero' advancement, where being a farmer means something in the community. I mean, slaying dragons is also important, but it's less grounded for me. Does RQG get away from this?

Edited by Scout
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1 hour ago, Scout said:

I've bought RQG but was wondering how RQ Classic differs from it rules-wise. RQ Classic also appeals to me because it has a much smaller page count. 

RQG builds upon the RQ2/Classic foundation, though addresses issues such as those that @womble noted with POW/MP's and the over-restriction of Rune Magic.  Defense is dropped, and a few skills renamed.  It's added actual use of Runes and Passions on top of that (and augmenting skills with those or with other skills) - all of which in my mind make for a more interesting game.  It also expands more on character background so that you're not starting brand new, but with enough skill/magic to have some impact in the world.  It's also got enough cults to get you going, and adds in sorcery which didn't exist in RQ2/Classic.

1 hour ago, Scout said:

Also, is RQ Classic married to Glorantha or is it separate? 

Both are married to Glorantha.

1 hour ago, Scout said:

The idea is to use RQ Classic with the original supplements like Apple Lane and all the other pdfs Chaosium have made available again.

I'd be much more inclined to use RQG and then leverage the old supplements.  Just set the time dial back 10 years and you are pretty much ready to go.

E.g. if you wanted to run the just re-released Borderlands, begin your characters background generation in 1610 and work up to 1615.  For whatever reason, they head east to the Zola Fel valley.  Duke Raus is settling the Grantlands.  You might be Lunar Tarsh settler, refugee from Sartar or Old Tarsh, a Grazelander exile, or a Praxian who has decided to serve as a mercenary.  If you want to keep their skills simpler, don't add in the 4 +25% and 5 +10% bonuses.  The foes statistics will work just fine (I've drawn from old RQ2 supplements for many foes in my current RQG scenarios).

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7 minutes ago, Scout said:

is the notion that pcs are much more powerful than in earlier editions of the game.

If you want new young adults, then don't make them initiates of cults (that cuts out a range of skills/magic immediately and initiation into the cult can then happen in-game).  Don't add in the 4 +25% bonuses.  Decide if you want to let them have the 5 +10% skill bonuses to help personalize them.  Let them have 3-5 spirit magic points so they have some basic magic.

Even with the updated character background they aren't superheroes, just competent young adults with usually one area of some mastery.

Edited by jajagappa
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You can run a RQ game using RQC, but would have more options and flexibility with RQG.

Having said that, the games are so compatible that if you add Passions and Rune Pools from RQG, use Multispell as a Stackable 1 Point Spell and add a few odds and ends, you pretty much get the RQG experience with RQC. The only thing that is drastically different is Character Generation, and of course the colour artwork but we are getting close to Spanish Inquisition territory. Oh, and Runes ...

Edited by soltakss
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Simon Phipp - Caldmore Chameleon - Wallowing in my elitism since 1982. Many Systems, One Family. Just a fanboy. 

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1 hour ago, soltakss said:

The only thing that is drastically different is Character Generation, and of course the colour artwork but we are getting close to Spanish Inquisition territory. Oh, and Runes ...

And the access to and flexibility of Rune Magic.

Cardinal Fang! The cushions!

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