Need help with Alchemy / Potions

[daxelos]

Hello

In my current Elric campaign someone wants to play something like an Alchemist, specialising in potions.

We are actually using the 4th Edition "Elric!" rules, but I do own nearly all MRQ publications, either in print or as pdf.
But I have to say the point why I was disapointed by the Mongoose releases was not the lack of quality material (!) but the lack of organisation.
In the current case I have no Idea where to look up good alchemy/potions rules, so maybe a more experienced player could save my time?

So, o experienced one, where in the 30+ books that I own, do I find rules that relate to the issue?.....

Any help would be greatly appreciated!

Thanks,
Daniel.

 

[danskmacabre]

At a wild guess I'd guess the "MRQ2 equipment manual" might have rules for potion creation.

But Elric specific rules might be better and it tends to have many exceptions to rules when it comes to magic.

 

[Greg Smith]

Clockwork & Chivalry has alchemy and potion creation rules.

 

[danskmacabre]

Aha , page 84 of the MRQ2 rules for Elric details potions.
Not sure if I'm allowed to quote the rules and it's a few paragraphs detailing process.
If you have the rules, look there if not, well it might be better for someone who knows the rules for posting in game rules first to take a look at this thread.

But a simple overview is you need to make a rune test for the rune that is required to make the potion and some sort of lore test, be it plant lore or whatever for the ingredients as well.
There's more to it than that tho.

 

[DamonJynx]

Towards the end of the MRQII Arms & Equipment guide is a comprehensive alchemy section. But Danksmacabre is correct, for the right feel look to inscribed runes in the MRQII Elric rules. One of my guys is playing a Mrryhn healer who because his attacks are so week likes to drop alchemist fire on his enemies...

 

[EricJ]

Towards the end of the MRQII Arms & Equipment guide is a comprehensive alchemy section. But Danksmacabre is correct, for the right feel look to inscribed runes in the MRQII Elric rules. One of my guys is playing a Mrryhn healer who because his attacks are so week likes to drop alchemist fire on his enemies...

Whatever you do, you need to have potions to increase strength. Elric used some when he tried to forego Stormbringer for a few years. These should be addictive too. I don't recall if he developed a tolerance for them; given the society Michael Moorcock was in, he'd have known people with drug tolerance.

 

[DamonJynx]

... given the society Michael Moorcock was in, he'd have known people with drug tolerance.

Himself included no doubt :wink:

 

[daxelos]

Thanks for the help, guys.
What I did was make up a few simple Potions myself, sort of generic stuff.
Like a speed-up drug with side effects of burnout and maybe addiction.
I guess that possible unwelcome side effects should fit the "genre" well.
I am not sure how to handle the supply situation: ingredients availability and cost, possible necessity of a stationary laboratory, cost for basic laboratory stuff.
But I am quite sure that sollutions will come up, maybe some simple rolls in downtime situations (Bargain Skill, Potions Skill, Evaluate Skill something like this), and cost will will relate to effectiveness with situational modifiers of availability (Forest of Troos etc).
Luckily my players seem to have a relaxed attitude towards the rulings.
Hope this stays the way it is!

For anyone looking for classic High Fantasy potions: The "Classic Fantasy" supplement for the Basic Role Playing System (BRP Chaosium) seems to have some simple and effective rules for such stuff.
There should be stuff thats easy to mine and port, maybe with some Elric-ish twist...... :twisted:

 

[DamonJynx]

and cost will will relate to effectiveness with situational modifiers of availability (Forest of Troos etc).

That'd be good for an adventure or three in it's own right, what a treasure hunt!

For anyone looking for classic High Fantasy potions: The "Classic Fantasy" supplement for the Basic Role Playing System (BRP Chaosium) seems to have some simple and effective rules for such stuff.
There should be stuff thats easy to mine and port, maybe with some Elric-ish twist...... :twisted:

Yeah, it's pretty good. I was going to have a crack at running that but some of the guys said if they wanted to play something like AD&D, they'd play AD&D. Ohh well... Lucky I found MRQII then. The monster collection for that (Classic Fantasy) would well be worth investing in I think, if Rod get's it finished.

 

[daxelos]

and cost will will relate to effectiveness with situational modifiers of availability (Forest of Troos etc).

That'd be good for an adventure or three in it's own right, what a treasure hunt!

Sure about that. The whole Northern Continent must a wonderfull place to adventure in....

For anyone looking for classic High Fantasy potions: The "Classic Fantasy" supplement for the Basic Role Playing System (BRP Chaosium) seems to have some simple and effective rules for such stuff.
There should be stuff thats easy to mine and port, maybe with some Elric-ish twist...... :twisted:

Yeah, it's pretty good. I was going to have a crack at running that but some of the guys said if they wanted to play something like AD&D, they'd play AD&D. Ohh well... Lucky I found MRQII then. The monster collection for that (Classic Fantasy) would well be worth investing in I think, if Rod get's it finished.

Funnily with me it was the other way round. I am desperate to establish the basic D100 system in our group (except for Cthulhu it is very uncommen here in germany). Elric! is what they now agreed to try, but I bought Classic Fantasy to be able to offer something more lighthearted, heroic and conventional (with character classes e.g.). But maybe that would evoke reactions like you described as well, becouse of the way it is a "old school AD&D with D100" emulation. I like quite a lot about the product, for example the easy multi classing and the way you can skip the whole character classes stuff and play it as a classless heroic mod.
I have an eye on the product line as well, is there not supposed to come out a magic sourcebook as well (or as part of a GM`s handbook)?

But being in the Mongoose forums, I have to say that it very easy to just add a few HP for the starting PC`s (call the "fated" or what), maybe take the "more xperienced starting PC`s"-option, and you can play a good heroic game with MRQ as well! We me it is only that I was disappointed by the whole MRQ / MRQII Elric/ElricII thing, I am sure I am not alone with that.
But I am fine with the books that I bought anyway.

 

[Simulacrum]

At risk of shameless plugging, Age of Treason has alternative alchemy rules. There are 3 disciplines (poisons, potions and elixirs), in each of which there are a number (non-exhaustive) of different types of "potion" you can create. Alchemical manipulations allow you to adjust doses, dose size, product shelf-life etc.

 

[kurgan84]

At risk of shameless plugging, Age of Treason has alternative alchemy rules. There are 3 disciplines (poisons, potions and elixirs), in each of which there are a number (non-exhaustive) of different types of "potion" you can create. Alchemical manipulations allow you to adjust doses, dose size, product shelf-life etc.

Really interesting! I developed alchemy rules (for the elder's scroll setting) and it works a bit like sorcery:

you have (alchemical skill /10) points of Manipulation to change the formula's parameters. With these Manipulation point, you can manipulate:
- Magnitude of effect
- duration of effect
- number of dose
- product shelf-life
- combine effect (or condition)
- Potency
- Type/application (liquid, powder, ointment or contact, ingested, inhaled, injected)
and other

But the maximum number of points in a parameter is limited by the quality of the equipment of the alchemist.
So, you can create a potion with a knife, a rock and a bowl (Mc gyver style) but not as powerful as a potion create in a good laboratory (with Alembics, crucibles and athanors)

 

[daxelos]

@Simulacrum: I say thank you very much for the information! Your product sure looks interesting. I do not know if it would really be worth my while though, as my players tend to prefer rather classic fantasy settings.
Does Age of Treason also support the standad magic systems of RQII?

Same applies to the Clockwork & Chivalry setting mentioned above, which also seems to contain a large alchemy system.
Does anyone know if the classic magic systems of RQII are also used?

@kurgan84:Thats sounds like an interesting and elaborate System as well!
But I am not sure what you are talking about. Do you mean the CRPG series (I never played them)?
Or is there a RQII conversion of the setting which you can somewhere download or buy?

 

[languagegeek]

I do not know if it would really be worth my while though, as my players tend to prefer rather classic fantasy settings.
Does Age of Treason also support the standad magic systems of RQII?

Same applies to the Clockwork & Chivalry setting mentioned above, which also seems to contain a large alchemy system.
Does anyone know if the classic magic systems of RQII are also used?

It's Easy, it's RuneQuest! If you like a magic/mechanics system from another setting, just port it in. I'm not running a Viking campaign, but we're using the magic in Vikings.

 

[daxelos]

I do not know if it would really be worth my while though, as my players tend to prefer rather classic fantasy settings.
Does Age of Treason also support the standad magic systems of RQII?

Same applies to the Clockwork & Chivalry setting mentioned above, which also seems to contain a large alchemy system.
Does anyone know if the classic magic systems of RQII are also used?

It's Easy, it's RuneQuest! If you like a magic/mechanics system from another setting, just port it in. I'm not running a Viking campaign, but we're using the magic in Vikings.

Yeah, right thats one of the great strengh of the RQII System! (Or, by the way, any well supported system with intercompatibility). I am really glad how good RQII and the BRP Family work as a modular System.
But none the less I would like to hear how integrated the RQII standard magic is settingwise, in regards to Age of Treason and Clockworck & Chivalry.
On the other hand, this should probably be asked in a different thread.....

 

[Simulacrum]

Well, AoT keeps all the standard rqii magic types - but in many cases applies them differently. A new and quite developed enchanting system is also there alongside alchemy. We all like a good golem....

 

[kurgan84]

@kurgan84:Thats sounds like an interesting and elaborate System as well!
But I am not sure what you are talking about. Do you mean the CRPG series (I never played them)?
Or is there a RQII conversion of the setting which you can somewhere download or buy?

It's indeed an amateur conversion but it isn't finished.
You can download partialy but, sorry, it's in french :twisted: