How similar will the EC books' rules be to MRQ?

[andakitty]

As the title says.

Stormbringer being my favorite game and system, I am naturally curious about a new EC rpg (or two, as it seems). Even though I disregarded MRQ I am putting out a feeler here...so does anyone have any idea as to how similar these rulesets will be to the MRQ rules? Mostly, I guess I am wondering if there is any attempt to deal with MRQs rough spots...you who post here and write for Mongoose know what I am referring to. So here I am again. Sell me.

 

[Loz]

Very similar.

There are tweaks, obviously, so the rules fit the setting, and there are new professions and skills too. Sorcery (in Elric) is very, very different to standard RQ, and fits the Elric saga in tone and texture.

I believe there'll be a fuller explanation in S&P soon, so watch this space.

Loz

 

[andakitty]

Thanks, Loz.

I guess it's too soon to ask specific questions or request info about the new Elric and Hawkmoon. Maybe later.

 

[Loz]

Thanks, Loz.

I guess it's too soon to ask specific questions or request info about the new Elric and Hawkmoon. Maybe later.

By all means, ask away. If I can't answer something, I'll say so!

 

[andakitty]

OK, just the big ones, then. Are the combat charts cleaned up or modified; and what did you do with the over 100% opposed skill rolls, if anything?

 

[atgxtg]

andakitty!

8)

 

[Loz]

OK, just the big ones, then. Are the combat charts cleaned up or modified; and what did you do with the over 100% opposed skill rolls, if anything?

Can't answer either of those. Wrong book.

 

[andakitty]

Hi, atgxtg. How you doing?

Wrong book, Loz? Pardon me? :?

 

[Loz]

Hi, atgxtg. How you doing?

Wrong book, Loz? Pardon me? :?

Allow me to clarify that somewhat cryptic comment. There's tweaking in Elric, and some small revisions, but I won't discuss them here because... well, that's what the book's for.

In terms of wider stuff, such as combat tables, 100%+ skills, I've done some major work on those for the RQ GM's Guide (hence the 'wrong book' statement).

 

[andakitty]

RQ GM's guide, huh. That is what I was afraid of. I assume the Elric book uses the same combat table and high skill rules as the first book, then. And I don't have that one on my shelf...

Thanks anyway, Loz. Good luck.

 

[atgxtg]

Hi, atgxtg. How you doing?

Still kickin'. Ocassonally posting here, but not as much as before. How's things with you?

 

[andakitty]

Not bad. Considering getting into this again...Loz doing Elric almost feels like the old Stormbringer days. So I am going to read up on the MRQ rules again and pick up Hawkmoon and give 'er a try. What are you playing these days? SB5?

Now that I am looking at MRQ without any expectations it doesn't look so useless as it did. Reading through the book last night I was reminded of when I looked at RQ2 and SB1 the first time...there were a lot of things (maybe more, indeed) I didn't like and had to change in those too. Time, distance and rose colored glasses. So, 'once more unto the breach, dear friends'.

We'll see. Have a look at Loz' stuff. Stormbringer, sadly, is now history, and although I still STRONGLY dislike the marketing model it looks like Mongoose or memories right now. Can we expect to hear more from you again, at least until the jury is back on the EC series of gamebooks?

 

[atgxtg]

I still pop up on the forum from time to time, but don't follow MRQ as much as before. Lately, my interest in RPGs has been caught by two RPGs, FATE/Spririt of the Century and the Sanguine version of the Usagi Yojimbo RPG.I like FATE for it's streamlined simplicity. It is very different from other RPGs. I like Usagi in part for the setting, but also due to it interesting game mechanics. It hanndles the dodge/parry thing rather well too, and it's retreat rules make combat more dynamic, and less standing around

As an Elric fan (I bought Strombringer before RQ), I'm interested in seeing how the new MRQ Elric comes out. The Strombringer/Elric magic system was always a bit of a weak spot (magic always won, and Chaos had it and Law didn't), so a new version of Elric couldbe a boon to old Stormbringer players.

 

[Vagabond]

As an Elric fan (I bought Strombringer before RQ), I'm interested in seeing how the new MRQ Elric comes out. The Strombringer/Elric magic system was always a bit of a weak spot (magic always won, and Chaos had it and Law didn't), so a new version of Elric couldbe a boon to old Stormbringer players.

Err, except that is a wrong assumption. Magic always won in a world that
was tilted more towards Chaos. Science would win in a world bent towards
Law. And, there was no rule that said practitioners of Law could not use
Sorcery. Moorcock's novels pretty much back these points up, and the
game supported it as well.

-V

 

[atgxtg]

As an Elric fan (I bought Strombringer before RQ), I'm interested in seeing how the new MRQ Elric comes out. The Strombringer/Elric magic system was always a bit of a weak spot (magic always won, and Chaos had it and Law didn't), so a new version of Elric couldbe a boon to old Stormbringer players.

Err, except that is a wrong assumption. Magic always won in a world that
was tilted more towards Chaos. Science would win in a world bent towards
Law. And, there was no rule that said practitioners of Law could not use
Sorcery. Moorcock's novels pretty much back these points up, and the
game supported it as well.

-V

Most of the EC series lead up to a big war. With the way the rules for Strombringer worked, Law had no chance whatsoever. The old demond swords doing 10d6+ damage and demon armor stopping 60 points were overwhelming. But in the books, it wasn't so one sided. The Stormbinger rules did have quite a few drawbacks for followrrs of Law who used magic. Especially in regards to Elan.

It was horrid to run Stormbringer if no one managed to qualify for Sorcereor. A PC group with no magic simply couldn't handle any foe with magic. The game's magic system was too heavily inspired from T&T, with all the same weaknesses.

 

[Vagabond]

One of the 1st edition or 4th edition supplements covered planar travel
in decent detail, an included rules for handling sorcery in Lawful planes
as well as tech in Chaotic planes. Basically, even Stormbringer could be
rendered ineffective if a plane was Lawful enough (just like in the saga).

Without looking it up, I believe it was Rogue Mistress that had the rules.

-V

 

[atgxtg]

One of the 1st edition or 4th edition supplements covered planar travel
in decent detail, an included rules for handling sorcery in Lawful planes
as well as tech in Chaotic planes. Basically, even Stormbringer could be
rendered ineffective if a plane was Lawful enough (just like in the saga).

Without looking it up, I believe it was Rogue Mistress that had the rules.

-V

It was Hawkmoon that had the rules for the effects of Lawful and Chaotic planes on magic. Stuff like dividing the demon stats by ten.

First Edtion Strombringer was incredibly biased towards sorcerers. Latter edtions weakened them a bit, and the the Elric! edition had watered magic down to a a sort of" RQ-lite" version, with battle magic.

Part of the problem with magic in Stormbinger was that there waqs no reason not to use it. In the books Elric is reluctant to use magic. THey even had to give Elric demon armor when they wrote him up for the RPG just to keep him on par with the PC wizards.

 

[Vagabond]

It was Hawkmoon that had the rules for the effects of Lawful and Chaotic planes on magic. Stuff like dividing the demon stats by ten.

First Edtion Strombringer was incredibly biased towards sorcerers. Latter edtions weakened them a bit, and the the Elric! edition had watered magic down to a a sort of" RQ-lite" version, with battle magic.

Part of the problem with magic in Stormbinger was that there waqs no reason not to use it. In the books Elric is reluctant to use magic. THey even had to give Elric demon armor when they wrote him up for the RPG just to keep him on par with the PC wizards.

Ah yes, it was HM. And the "dividing demon stats by ten" was per factor of Law.
A highly Lawful plane could result in the reduction of demon stats by 50% or
more. And, when you returned to a more Chaotic plane, the "renewed" surge
of power forced the sorceror to have to rebind his demons IIRC.

As far as Elric's armour goes, according to the saga, his armour was most
certainly enchanted, possibly even capable of withstanding the runeswords.
Using the SB rules, it only made sense to make it demon bound.

I agree that the risk of using sorcery was lost in the rules, though the Corum
sorcery rules really made it much more dangerous. That has been the focus
of my houserules for some time - in the saga, most of the powerful sorcerors
went stark raving mad and physically suffered as they delved into deeper
and darker magics.

-V

 

[atgxtg]

Earl Aubrecs armor is not mertnoted as being ehcnated. Probably of exceptionally fine quality, and surprising that the Emperor of Melnbone would don the armor of a human champion of Law.

Other than the mail, Elric usually goes around unarmored.

Part of the problem with SB7s magic was that by going the Tunnels & Trolls route, and adding up the summoner7s stats for points for the demons, you ended up with no moderately powered demons. No sense in wasting the points. Besides, why should a summer get a more powerful demon just because he is a little taller than most the other summoners?

Yeah, the wizards in the books do seem to be driven insane by the experience. At least the humans do. There are a few places where is is mentioned that part of the problem is that using magic is not natural to humans, and they are not suited for it. For the elder races, things are probably a bit differernt. Sanity would be harder for us to define in thier case anyway, as they would be alien to us. By our standard, all Melniboneans would be considered insane.

In the series Elric does not want to use magic, and has serious reservations about it. It would be nice to see this sort of stuff reflected in the game.

 

[Vagabond]

Well, Yyrkoon seems to have become seriously unhinged as he delved
deeper. And I would question Saxif D'aan's sanity as well.

Elric wielded Aubec's sword, but did not wear his armour. Elric's armour
was hinted at being enchanted if not outright stated so.

-V