System Suggestions wanted!

[svensson]

Hey everyone.

One problem that I've run into in trying to convert my DnD friends to d100 is that Glorantha is just too 'early period' for them. They'd much prefer a setting where they can wear heavier armors, where steel is common, and there's an Adventurer's Guild. In short, they want something more DnD-ish. But they're also attracted to my sales pitch about d/100... that there are no 'classes', no classes means you can start as a farmer and end up a high end wizard if the campaign goes on long enough, that the system doesn't tell you 'no', it just applies penalties, that you don't suddenly ding! a level but rather watch your character grow the skills they want to have, etc. etc. etc.

I've dug out my QuestWorld box for the Kanos continent, so I'll be setting it there.

I've even got an idea of a campaign basis that isn't England or Waterdeep or Greyhawk.... I'm going to use a displaced population of Komnenan Byzantines [that's Constantinople in the Crusades era].

But my question to you all is what d100 system should I use?

My issues as GM are these:

--I want cult membership to be a resource for the PCs, but not the all-encompassing subculture that it can become in Glorantha

--I want to keep magic reasonably simple but leave room for the fireball-throwing secular wizard type if that's what a PC wants

--I'm probably going to throw some definite 'you're not in Kansas anymore, Dorothy' elements [for example, no horses or cows, but substitutes they've domesticated since their arrival]

So, anybody got any thoughts about this?

Edited March 4, 2019 by svensson

[Jeff]

40 minutes ago, svensson said:

Hey everyone.

One problem that I've run into in trying to convert my DnD friends to d100 is that Glorantha is just too 'early period' for them. They'd much prefer a setting where they can wear heavier armors, where steel is common, and there's an Adventurer's Guild. In short, they want something more DnD-ish. But they're also attracted to my sales pitch about d/100... that there are no 'classes', no classes means you can start as a farmer and end up a high end wizard if the campaign goes on long enough, that the system doesn't tell you 'no', it just applies penalties, that you don't suddenly ding! a level but rather watch your character grow the skills they want to have, etc. etc. etc.

I've dug out my QuestWorld box for the Kanos continent, so I'll be setting it there.

I've even got an idea of a campaign basis that isn't England or Waterdeep or Greyhawk.... I'm going to use a displaced population of Komnenan Byzantines [that's Constantinople in the Crusades era].

But my question to you all is what d100 system should I use?

My issues as GM are these:

--I want cult membership to be a resource for the PCs, but not the all-encompassing subculture that it can become in Glorantha

--I want to keep magic reasonably simple but leave room for the fireball-throwing secular wizard type if that's what a PC wants

--I'm probably going to throw some definite 'you're not in Kansas anymore, Dorothy' elements [for example, no horses or cows, but substitutes they've domesticated since their arrival]

So, anybody got any thoughts about this?

I'd add a few fancier armors to RQ, strip out Runes, use spirit magic and sorcery but no Rune Magic.

Or I'd use KAP.

[kross]

I'd recommend a look at Magic World, or maybe including elements from the BRP Gold Book.

[Atgxtg]

What version of BRP/RQ do you currently have? 

RQ3 and Basic Role-playing's Big Gold Book, augmented with Magic World (mentioned by kross) both cover heavier armor, and Pendragon does as well, as Jeff mentioned. Generally speaking adding in armor and weapons is easy, as game stats generally exist for most of them already. 

You biggest headaches will probably involve the differences in magic and lethality between D&D and BRP games. The fireball throwing wizard usually can't clean out a room with one fireball in BRP, and swords, arrows and daggers can actually kill experienced characters with one or good two hits. 

Pendragon might be the easiest transition from D&D and can give you most of what you need, except for magic, where you'll need to pull something else in. Magic World or RQ3  is probably your best fit for the magic, and could be adapted to Pendragon. In some ways the BRP/RQ magic system works even better with Pendragon!  Pendragon also has notes and bonuses for Religions which you could modify to fit you setting. 

 

 

[g33k]

2 hours ago, Jeff said:

I'd add a few fancier armors to RQ, strip out Runes, use spirit magic and sorcery but no Rune Magic.

Or I'd use KAP.

+1 for RQ.  I mean, even RQClassic -- isn't that the ruleset QW was built upon?  You would still need splashy "Boom" magic from some different flavor of BRP.

One of the things I loved back when I first met RQ -- about 40 years ago -- was the elegance of the Crit/Special/Hit/Miss/Fumble from a single roll, scaling with skill; combined with hit-locations, so that you could be meaningfully "injured" (can't hold your weapon, DEX-roll each round or fall because of a 0-HP leg; etc).  Suddenly every combat was a STORY with EVENTS, not just an attritional grind of the Bag-of-HP's toward zero.  🤩 

So whichever flavor you end up using, I'd pick one with (or add back the feature of) location-HP's.

I would grab the free intro/quickstart PDF's for BRP & for MagicWorld, and see how those look.  Tweak/add as-needed from the BigGoldBook or other BRP iterations.

 

Also worth considering is Mythras -- specifically because of their "Mythic Constantinople" sourcebook, and your own "exiles from Byzantium" backstoryline.

Edited March 4, 2019 by g33k
correction, expansion

[tobarstep]

I don't know if this is taboo in the BRP subforum, but you could take a look at Mythras (subforum further down the main page). Combine that with the Classic Fantasy supplement and you've got yourself D&D100.

[g33k]

1 hour ago, tobarstep said:

I don't know if this is taboo in the BRP subforum, but you could take a look at Mythras (subforum further down the main page). Combine that with the Classic Fantasy supplement and you've got yourself D&D100.

Not taboo; it might've been kind of... tacky? if you'd suggested it in the RQ-specific forum; YMMV.  I presume all BRP-ish games (including Mythras) have a general/default home in this forum for "the Great Family of D100 RPGs," especially a question of compare-and-contrast and/or FrankenBRP'ing.  😎

FYI to the OP:

The way CF handles class-and-level in the BRP fashion is to define class-skills (and maybe other things?  I forget) as defining what-it-is-your-Class-does, the core competencies.  Then you increase those skills as per the Mythras rules, and when you qualify for a new levelRank (CF replaces "Charcter Level" with "Character Rank") you qualify for the new Rank.  This DOES unlock some level-up bennies, but the core ones -- the better skills -- you earned along the way.

Anyhow... Mythras + Classic Fantasy is another approach to "weaning" or "gently introducing" your die-hard D&D'ers.  You could even do Mythras + Classic Fantasy + Mythic Constantinople (although you'd likely want to CF-ify some bits of MC).

 

Edited March 6, 2019 by g33k

[Guest Vile Traveller]

Well, if you want Classic Fantasy, and you want BRP, I see you can still get the original BRP Classic Fantasy PDF: https://www.chaosium.com/classic-fantasy-pdf/

Although his new Mythras version is of course more polished.

[lawrence.whitaker]

As others have mentioned, Mythras is a viable proposition. To address some of the OP's requirements:

-I want cult membership to be a resource for the PCs, but not the all-encompassing subculture that it can become in Glorantha

Mythras has a chapter dedicated to Cults and Brotherhoods, but they're designed to be usable across many settings and eras, and so aren't as pervasive (or as detailed) as the Gloranthan cults. Nevertheless, the advice on using them and creating your own, is comprehensive. Further supplements, such as Mythic Rome and Mythic Constantinople, build on these basics considerably, offering historical interpretations for GMs to integrate into their campaigns.

--I want to keep magic reasonably simple but leave room for the fireball-throwing secular wizard type if that's what a PC wants

Mythras has 5 magic systems. Folk Magic are everyday, low-level cantrips that are simple in function, but can be delightfully creative. Theism channels the power of gods; Sorcery manipulates the fabric of reality; Animism handles spirits in a comprehensive and unique way; Mysticism allows for individuals to unlock inner potential to superhuman levels.

--I'm probably going to throw some definite 'you're not in Kansas anymore, Dorothy' elements [for example, no horses or cows, but substitutes they've domesticated since their arrival]

Our supplement 'Monster Island' has a plethora of 'Not In Kansas' elements to bring to a campaign; from some truly grotesque monsters, through to detailed cultures not out of place in a Clarke Ashton Smith story.

Mythras is essentially setting agnostic, so you don't need to strip anything out, although you will want to build carefully using the tools the rules provide. Our Mythics range offer a huge amount of background detail, especially concerning Rome and medieval Constantinople (including dozens of cults, religions, organisations and factions) that should assist in your goals. Couple all this with a fun, innovative combat system and lots of GM advice, and you should have everything you need. Classic Fantasy, as mentioned, may help in convincing D&D players of the merits of the system as it presents a neat way of replicating class, levels, and D&D style magic (including fireballs), tailored to the Mythras rules.

Lots for you to ponder.

[soltakss]

The Design Mechanism and Alephtar Games have a number of Mythic settings, including Mythic Britain, Mythic Constantinople, Wind on the Steppes (BRP Steppe Nomads), Merrie England (RQ/BRP/Revolution), Stupor Mundi (BRP Medieval Southern Europe) and Crusaders of the Amber Coast (BRP Medieval Northern Europe).

Many of these can be used for a more traditional Medieval-style game that is compatible enough to RQG to be used with whichever rules you prefer.

[Austin]

If you want some wild wizardry, I really enjoy Sandy Petersen's RQ3 Tekumel spells. We play them mashed atop of other RQ/BRP games. I'd suggest giving them a look just for the spell list, so you've got some more choices for players. There's some really creative ones, and my personal favorite variation of the "fireball the room" spell--Doomkill.

[olskool]

I have to give Mythras the shoutout here as being easier to explain to new players.  A less "polished" version would be Legend by Mongoose Publishing.  I really like the ACTIONS system Mythras uses as well as their Special Effects.