Advantages for Runequest

[Utgardloki]

I noticed that Runequest now supports "Legendary Abilities", but a character has to wait until he's developed legendary skill levels before he can take them.

What I'd like to see is Advantages and Disadvantages similar to those available in Gurps and Mage. Some of these would only be available at character creation, while others could be acquired later on through the use of Hero Points. I went through the GURPS rulebook and picked out a few advantages I thought might be easily translatable, and a couple of my own. I'd like some feedback on whether the Hero Point costs are fair, too low, or too high.

I'm not a big fan of mental disadvantages. In my opinion, if you want a character who never tells a lie or has a strong code of honor, then play your character that way, and I'll probably give you a couple of extra Hero Points. I will probably allow a disadvantage like Addiction or Phobia, which grants a specific penalty when it is triggered.

A few of the advantages that I came up with:

Absolute Timing (5 points) You always know what time it is. I took this one pretty much verbatum from the GURPS rulebook.

Extraordinary Attractiveness (10 points) You are extraordinarily attractive, gaining a +20% bonus to certain skill rolls. This advantage may be taken multiple times, and the bonus stacks.

Not The Face (15 points) A character with this advantage can reroll anytime a hit is scored to his head. If the result is anywhere except for the head, this result is used for hit location.

Photographic Memory (5 points) Your memory skills are practically unique in this world, since true photographic memory is believed to be impossible. If you concentrate on a scene, you will be able to remember every detail at any time in the future. Even if you haven’t concentrated on the scene, you can make a Memory skill roll and if you succeed, then you have enough details to reconstruct the scene in complete detail, without having to make a Memory skill roll for each detail.

Rapid Calculator (5 points) You can calculate mathematic problems very rapidly and accurately. A calculation that would take other people minutes and require the use of pencil and paper, you can do in your head in seconds.

Skill Talent (5 points) You have a talent for picking up a certain skill. When you make an Improvement Roll, you can roll d12 to determine how many skill points you gain when you fail the skill roll. If you spent a Hero Point for the roll, you gain 1D3 points if you succeed the skill roll.

Two-Weapon Fighting (15 points) You can fight with two weapons at once, only taking a -10% penalty if both weapons are light, a -15% penalty if one weapon is light, and a -20% penalty if both weapons are medium weight for you. A light weapon is one with an Encumberance value less than 1/10th your Size.[/quote]

 

[GbajiTheDeceiver]

"Not the Face" :lol:

Ummmm - nice idea but not really RQ in style. Both RQ2 and 3 had something similar in terms of gifts and geases from certain cults though, so that may be a good direction to go down with this sort of idea.

 

[cjfodel]

Well the MRQ is OGL wright an artical and submit it to S&P, and see if they like it.

Charles

 

[zanshin]

Two-Weapon Fighting (15 points) You can fight with two weapons at once, only taking a -10% penalty if both weapons are light, a -15% penalty if one weapon is light, and a -20% penalty if both weapons are medium weight for you. A light weapon is one with an Encumberance value less than 1/10th your Size

Dont the rules already allow for this? and with less penalties? Either giving you a free, unpenalised parry or an extra attack at -20%.

However I think the idea of legendary abilities is cool, and I think the idea of fan created abilities is great.

 

[Utgardloki]

I didn't look up the rules for Two Weapon Fighting in the MRQ book when I made my first post. I do remember that I didn't think the penalties were severe enough. IMHO, TWF should be something reserved for the very skilled or very desperate.

My plan is to houserule penalties equivalent to those in D&D: -30% and -50% for two weapons if you have no training, penalties offset by 10% each if the weapon is light, and the numbers in the TWF advantage I made up are based on what they'd be in D&D with the TWF feat: -10%/-10% or -20%/-20% depending on the weight of the weapon.

For those using the MRQ rules, the benefit of the TWF advantage should be adjusted accordingly.

Also, the difference between Advantages and Legendary Abilities is that Advantages don't need prerequisites. It is possible to have advantages that have prerequisites somewhere between nothing and the prereqs of the legendary abilities, but I like the idea of guys coming out of the box with advantages and disadvantages.

I haven't written up any disadvantages yet. Like in other games, disadvantages would give you hero points, which you can then save up or spend on advantages.

To allow PCs to buy advantages at character creation, I plan them to have them roll an Advantages "pseudo-characteristics" stat. Pseudo-characteristics are rolled like Characteristics, and can be swapped for characteristic scores, but only apply during character creation.

 

[zanshin]

I think that TWF is balanced for the damage potential of 2 handed weapons. A good hack with a greatsword sends limbs flying, while the damage from a warsword is half that. Even dual wielding warswords (requiring 18 str/dex) gives you less damage potential than a 2 handed weapon.

 

[Utgardloki]

When working out skill levels for immortals, I came up with the idea of an expanded intellect advantage.

Expanded Intellect (varies) Advanced concepts come easy to you. This advantage can only be taken at character creation and can not be improved after the character is brought into play.

Each advantage point spent buys one level of Expanded Intellect. When making an improvement roll to raise a skill, you can add your Expanded Intellect to your die roll, making it more likely that you will get to roll for an increase.

This is a good advantage for an einstein-type, or for any sort of genius-type character.