Mongoose RuneQuest v. Runequest III from AH

[HalB]

Hi!

I am getting ready to jump back into RQ. The sample character sheet at a glance looks pretty similar to the RQIII sheet.

Is the game different enough that I need to buy the rule book? Is the current version what I want or is there something new on the way?

I love the setting(s) that are out now, and look forward to picking some up.

Thanks!

 

[frogspawner]

Have you looked at the downloadable version of the MRQ rules (the "SRD")? Judge for yourself...
http://www.mongoosepublishing.com/pdf/rqsrd.zip

Personally, I say it has changed a lot from old versions of RQ - but not for the better. Stick with RQ3.

 

[RosenMcStern]

RQ3 was better, although more complex. It had the advantage/disadvantage of having been written by people who came from a wargaming background, too, so the rules were more boring to read/understand but had less holes/inconsistencies.

MRQ is easier to read/understand, but to an experienced gamer some of the rules (or their outcome) look unrealistic/unplayable, and everyone uses some tweak or houserule. However, the system has its own merits, and in less than one year it has reached almost the same number of supplements as the entire AH line. There are contradictions between the supplements, but this is far less disappointing than finding the same ten pages about Kyger Litor reprinted in every other book or having to paste alternate pictures upon what AH called "artwork".

So the system is worth using, in the end, and the only question you need an answer to is: "Should I wait for RuneQuest Deluxe and get the three core books bound together or should I get them now?"

 

[GoingDown]

I actually like MRQ more than RQ3.

In RQ3, we had quite a lot houserules and still we felt that some things were not working as we wanted (opposed rolls and sorcery for example).

I got new books for MRQ, and I think you will need them if you want to switch.

 

[duncan_disorderly]

So the system is worth using, in the end, and the only question you need an answer to is: "Should I wait for RuneQuest Deluxe and get the three core books bound together or should I get them now?"

The answer to this depends on whether you are more interested in the quality of the rules or the physical quality of the books.

We can presume, that as a minimum, the rules updates in the players update pdf will make their way into the RQD - on this basis alone, it is hard to justify reccommending - getting the books now. We would hope that other errata might be included, and that the Deluxe book is edited as a whole and not just taking the three existing books and binding them in to a single cover, which would make waiting even more sensible.

On the other hand, the three core books were printed externally, so the physical quality will almost certainly be better. The covers will lie flat for a start, and there are still reports of recent MRQ books having loose bindingswith pages and cover in danger of parting company - this is likely to be more noticible on larger heavier books.

Price might also play a factor in deciding which way to go - Has a price been announced for RQD yet? (I've not paid it much attention. I've paid Mongoose for those books once already, and at least in the case of the main rulebook, overpaid them for it, since it obviously had not finished the playtest and edit process when it was released). If lots of people do update then there may be a flood of 2nd hand core books appear on the market too...

 

[Swampy]

I would say wait as at £20 the deluxe will be cheaper than buying all three books seperately. In fact deluxe is cheaper than monsters which forms part of it. :? As well as what duncan_disorderly said above.