Needed Material?

[HarleeWelles]

Hello,
I just picked up Mongoose's version of Runequest, and it's rekindled the GM in me! I'm sure this question has been posted before, but my search-fu is weak... Other than the MRQ core rules, which books does a beginning gamemaster "need" to run the game? I'd like to take a stab at Glorantha 2nd Age (so that's on my to-buy list), but are there others which are a must?

I have NO experience with the setting, and I want to make sure to have it covered for a group of players who lack experience with the setting (or system), including the types of magic used within it. Will Glorantha 2nd Age cover that? Or will I "have" to pick up RQ Companion to handle magic with other than runestones?

Bear in mind though, I'm just wanting to get the campaign started. I know Glorantha has a deep well to draw upon, but I may only need to skim the surface for now (until we decide if the campaign's a keeper of not). So which books are must haves in my situation? Thanks in advance.

 

[FatPob]

TBH you don't really need any books to start with. Both the companion and monsters book are available http://mrqwiki.pbwiki.com/ here.
I would always start small, nomads from plains, or barbarians from a village.
Keep it simple, raids of rivals. Get the players to buy into the game, as it stands.
If there is a keen interest, then Glorantha 2nd Age it is. The book is a source book and has no stats for any system. If you wanted more you would need to get the relevant cults and magic books.

 

[DirkD]

It's not really the Companion and Monsters Book that are available for download on the wiki, it's the SRDs. They miss the monster-(and other)-descriptions, images, examples and some other stuff, but you can find statistics and all the general rules.

Nonetheless, you can start well with just the rulebook and use some of the information in the downloadable documents. If you like MRQ, you will probably buy the Companion and the Monsters-book anyway.

 

[Rurik]

Glorantha does have a deep background, and as such there are a lot of books to get started.

If you haven't already get the Ralios PDF from Drivethrough RPG - it is 40+ pages that got cut from Glorantha the Second Age and is excellent. If you like it you will like Glorantha the Second Age.

I would say the only other book required is Cults 1. Cults are the backbone of Glorantha, and you Cults 1 has enough to get you started. Don't be scared off by the complaints on this board - many of them have to do with changes from the almost 30 years of existing lore - which of course you won't notice. There are some just plain broken spells but not enough to say 'don't buy this'. And there is errata coming. And mistakes aside the book is very good overall and conveys a lot of the flavor of the world.

Bottom line is you need some cults to get gaming.

The Companion and Monsters SRD are enough to get you going, and you DO need the magic systems in the Companion SRD for Glorantha. If the Game takes, you will want the books, particularly Monsters for the descriptions.

The upcoming Players Guide to Glorantha will probably be very useful as well. Magic of Glorantha details Dragon Magic and God Learner Sorcery, but I would get Cults first.

Cults 2 will have more cults (duh) and Shamanistic/Spirit Magic.

Trolls - A guide to the UZ will be pure flavor, but if it captures half the magic of the original RQ2 Trollpak supplement it will become one of you and your players favorite supplements (and Trolls will become a favorite race).

Again, in summary, I consider Glorantha and Cults as the minimum. If the game takes you will want the rest of the supplements, and there are lots more coming.

As an aside, if the sheer scope of Glorantha (and the cost of keeping up with the material) is daunting, the upcoming Lankhmar book should be everything you need with a copy of the core rules to get going in that setting.

Likewise there will be supplements forthcoming for Micheal Moorcock's Eternal Champion (specifically Hawkmoon and Elric to start) coming soon.

 

[weasel_fierce]

The glorantha book first, then cults.

The monster book is very very very nice too. Legendary heroes you can easily wait on, and the companion, while good, you can get by fine with the SRD for a while.