non-Glorantha MRQ
- Thread starter andakitty
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Utgardloki
Mongoose
We've had a number of threads here about using Runequest instead of other RPGS. Most of these threads turn into an argument about Runequest vs D&D.
For the record, I've named Ravenloft and Rokugan as being especially well suited for Runequest rules. I might have named others, but I can't recall them off hand.
In my "Beyond Glorantha" thread I am discussing how to practically take Glorantha characters off Glorantha and into the rest of the Gloranthaverse. This means I'll at least have the opportunity to use any setting published, although it may need to be distorted somewhat to match the physics of the Gloranthaverse.
For the record, I've named Ravenloft and Rokugan as being especially well suited for Runequest rules. I might have named others, but I can't recall them off hand.
In my "Beyond Glorantha" thread I am discussing how to practically take Glorantha characters off Glorantha and into the rest of the Gloranthaverse. This means I'll at least have the opportunity to use any setting published, although it may need to be distorted somewhat to match the physics of the Gloranthaverse.
Utgardloki said:
Well, considering hoe RQ is a very flxible system, and that most settings share at lot of points with RQ, you can probalby use it for just aboiut any setting. In fact, if you look at RQ and BRP, you can probably see that it has already been used in some form for just about every major type of RPG setting at one time or another. If MRQ retains this flexibility, I don't see any reason why the trend cannot contine.
In the past I've found it realtively easyt to covert thing to RQ. Converting from RQ can bit a bit more problematic.
I DO NOT want system debate, just curious as to what, if any, plans folks have for MRQ that don't involve Glorantha. Like Utgardloki's Gloranthaverse idea, without Glorantha. I am thinking of *maybe* trying to use it for Tekumel. Or my homebrew. It looks as though it may have the feeling of desparation in combat I like. So the sorcery rules and how magic integrates into the combat system will probably be the determining factor for me. Otherwise, I may use it instead of something I already know because it could possibly be easier to attract new players. So they won't say 'eww, that was written by somebodies grandpa!'. And maybe give the new game a try.
atgxtg said:
Why would one want to do this.
I am also looking forward to the different settings. Well maybe I will never play Lankmar or King Arthur, but I am sure they will be interesting reads.
But the setting I would like to see the most is the SF game "Fading Suns" from Holistics. I think this would be a real blast. And it has already a large fan base (I guess). For those who dont know: Fading Suns is a dark SF setting several thousand years in the future. It assumes that mankind has discovered "jump gates" of unknown origin and uses them to travel to the stars. But the technological progress has nearly stopped due to religious reasons. The game is very "gothic" in its athmosphere and influenced by dune (book and film) and warhammer40k.
MRQ Conan would also be very interesting, but I am not sure if Mongoose wants to annoy the crowd of the d20 fanboys which play only this system. So maybe the chances are small that we will see it.
andakitty said:
Tekumel was always a little bit too "exotic" for my taste. Its Science Fantasy but with a realistic touch. I am not sure if I could play in such a world. Are there good adventure modules for it? Several months ago I read MAR Barkers book "Der Goldmann" (I dont know the englisch title) again, after 15 years. It was quite good, but also very complex.
Regarding your grandpa-thing. I am sure that Mongoose is able to write the rules in a way which will fully reasonable and understandable by todays readers from a technical POV. What of course says not much about the quality of the content. The chances are very good that we will see an excellent product but at the end we will know the answer in some weeks.
Fading Suns sounds like Stargate 1,000 years after the Ori won...
Tekumel is fun as hell to play and hard as hell to run. I find I need a system that I do not have to think about, at all. I've heard that when Barker (the creator) runs it he says something like 'roll a die, high is good' and that is pretty much it. It's all about the setting and the story, but I need a little more structure. It does have something in common with Fading Suns, though. Both are very baroque, complex societies dominated by religion and stratified societies. If Fading Suns is the game I'm thinking about.
The english title is 'Man of Gold'. It has, like, four sequals.
By the way, one reason I am considering MRQ for Tekumel is that combat on Tekumel is almost entirely infantry vs. infantry, as there are no horses or other combat worthy mounts. Spear and shield, hoplite sort of combat.
Tekumel is fun as hell to play and hard as hell to run. I find I need a system that I do not have to think about, at all. I've heard that when Barker (the creator) runs it he says something like 'roll a die, high is good' and that is pretty much it. It's all about the setting and the story, but I need a little more structure. It does have something in common with Fading Suns, though. Both are very baroque, complex societies dominated by religion and stratified societies. If Fading Suns is the game I'm thinking about.
The english title is 'Man of Gold'. It has, like, four sequals.
By the way, one reason I am considering MRQ for Tekumel is that combat on Tekumel is almost entirely infantry vs. infantry, as there are no horses or other combat worthy mounts. Spear and shield, hoplite sort of combat.
Utgardloki
Mongoose
I guess one question I will have for the new rules is whether or not they scale up very well for a high-powered campaign like Planescape.
D&D works very well up to a point much higher than most other game systems work, although it starts to break down at "epic levels" where characters like Gandalf and Conan would start to feel like "cannon fodder".
I am contemplating a campaign where the Runequest characters travel from one setting to another, and thus could end up on Oerth or Krynn or Ravenloft or even DC Universe worlds like Rann or Krypton (although that is rather dicey because Krypton was destroyed before time began, so it may or may not be destroyed if they ever get there ...... How does travel work in the time before time?).
D&D works very well up to a point much higher than most other game systems work, although it starts to break down at "epic levels" where characters like Gandalf and Conan would start to feel like "cannon fodder".
I am contemplating a campaign where the Runequest characters travel from one setting to another, and thus could end up on Oerth or Krynn or Ravenloft or even DC Universe worlds like Rann or Krypton (although that is rather dicey because Krypton was destroyed before time began, so it may or may not be destroyed if they ever get there ...... How does travel work in the time before time?).
Utgardloki said:
Well, for one thing, since Chaosium prints Stormbringer supplmenets based upon Morcoock's MUltiverse, the system can handle mutiple settings very well. Esseinally, rather than one universe with mutiple wolrds/settings, the Multiver aslo ghad mulitple dimensions. This allowed the GM to tweak universal laws (strength on magic vs. science etc.) to suit the campaign setting. This could be worth looking at for a "gloranthaverse". In fact, the orginal adventure in cluded with Strombringer did just that, with a gateway that led in a differenet universe (possibly Glorantha).
Secondaly, it depends on just how high powered. THe skills, magic and stats do scale up well. IMO much better than D&D ever has. One of my old statements was than just at the point where AD&D started to break down (10th level) RQ started to get interesting. So the game does handle high powered characters very well.
What RQ doesn't do well is handle "superpowered" characters. RQ tend to be realistiic and deadly, so it doesn't handle characters like Superman very well. THen again, not to many games can. THe fact that RQ doesn't have a non-lethal damage rule (as yet) doesn't help. Basically it is hard for the man of steel to knock people out of a fight without causing life threatening (or ending) injuries.
Other than that, the system works fine.
Enpeze said:atgxtg said:
Why would one want to do this.
Several reasons. THe two primary ones are:
1)Because you can lead some gamers to RQ, but you can't make them play.
I know a lot of gamers who are (and maybe should be) committed-to D&D. One way to wean them off of D&D and into RQ was to convert some stuff over. In one "crossover" storyline that I ran, the D&Ders got ahold of a Speeddart Maxtrix and one guy learned a Fireblade spell. Both definately intrigued the players to discover more about RQ.2) Because there are a lot of good RQ creatures and supplements that are just sitting on a shelf waiting to be used. IMO RQ's Borderlands campaign pack has a better setting, storys, and bang for the buck than TSR's Keep on the Borderlands. Why not make use of something good if you already bought it?
Somethings worke out really well that way. Rubble runners gcaused the D&Ders a lot more problems than GIant Rats ever did!
RQ Trolls proved to be a real threat to the group and a potential nemisis for the campaign. Samrt Trolls that wore armor and used weapons andd magic scared the heck out of the D&Ders. [/i]Utgardloki
Mongoose
I guess another question is how well Runequest would be for a Superheroes game, i.e., one where the PCs have powers beyond those of normal mortals, like Superman or Spider-Man.
(For the record, I once calculated the strength value of the Silver Age Superman, using the 3rd edition D&D rules, to be about 400. In the old Villians and Vigilantes game, he came in at about 10 billion Strength.
(For the record, I once calculated the strength value of the Silver Age Superman, using the 3rd edition D&D rules, to be about 400. In the old Villians and Vigilantes game, he came in at about 10 billion Strength.
The old Chaosium multi genre pack, Worlds of Wonder, spun off a super hero rpg called Superworld, I suppose you know? And there presumably will be a BRP rulebook later this year with all the powers and rules from that and other BRP games compiled into one book. Possibly it could be combined with MRQ or used for a superhero BRP game. There are some threads over at rpg.net about this, if you haven't already seen them you could check them out.
Oh yes I remember this fine box. The generation system for superheroes has been great. Its sad that this box doesnt sell well. Included was a functional "sorcery" system. (but without many spells) It was similar to that in RQ3 but much simpler. A rather odd thing was the fact that the monsters didnt have STR in their stat-set. AFAIK SIZ was the same as STR for monsters. A tribute to minimalism, I suppose.
It was just an ironic question, but nice trick anyway.
It was just an ironic question, but nice trick anyway.
Enpeze said:
Uh, depends on which version. THere was a "Superworld" book for WOlrds of Wonder, and then an expanded Superworld boxed set.
Both were a bit problematic. Mostly of case of trying to do something that is really the exact opposite of what RQ was designed for (simulating real world fighting, or at least as close as SCA similations and game designer skills alllowed).
I reverse engineering several MArvel and DC characters into the system just for fun and compasion purposes. MArvel was generally easier to work with, as thier characters are not as powerful as the DC ones-epecially Pre-Crisis DC characters.
It works, but it is clunky. On the positive side, it was that weirld mix of realsim and superpowers that led to the game insiring the Wildcards series of books, and , ironically, a GURPS spplement.
atgxtg said:
I think I mean the Worlds of Wonder box. On the other hand I can remember a white box of the same size which had a kind of superhero picture on the front side. So I dunno. However, I remember that I liked it very much. If I ever want to play a superhero game I will pick it up somewhere. Alone because of those many different kinds of flexible and boostable superpowers which were described.
atgxtg said:
Clunky? How can any game based on BRP be "clunky"? Maybe you mean just single elements of the game which you think have been clunky, or? (eg I think RQ3 had some very "clunky" rule elements in it, but the basic system was as easy and elegant as is BRP always)
I have WoW on my shelf. It's tan and shows an icon type character on the cover for each genre. Which is weird, 'cause before I picked it up at Noble Knight last year I remembered it like you describe.
Since I don't play superhero, I can't speak for Superworld, but Magic World and Future World work great and make excellent foundations for fully developed campaigns. Just add RQ or SB, stir, and simmer.
Since I don't play superhero, I can't speak for Superworld, but Magic World and Future World work great and make excellent foundations for fully developed campaigns. Just add RQ or SB, stir, and simmer.
andakitty said:
That was the problem with Worlds of Wonder. Good stuff, but you really needed to add something to turn each of the small booklets into a full fledged game. Since the set campe with a covered version of BRP, I'd say it was about 1/2 to 2/3rds of what was nedded for a camapign.
Oh, and take a second look at that box cover. Notice how there are four character on the box? THat is becuase orginally, there were supposed to be four differenet settings inside, Furutre World, MAgic World, Super World, and Viking World. VW got dropped for some reason, although I suspect that might be one reason why RQ3 did a Vikings supplement.
Oi, really? I always used to wonder why there were two fantasy types. (It had been a while since I looked at the actual box, good gotcha). I just pulled it off the bookshelf and looked closer.
They are sparse but good, creative stuff. Esp. Magic World. I hoped many, many years for an expansion of it like Superworld got. Finally I just did it myself, with stuff from Stormbringer and other similar systems. It was bunches of fun. It's strange that the closest things that will probably ever get done are over 20 years later, and then two in one year(MRQ and the D100 System book, aka Delux BRP). Such is life.
I just pulled it off the bookshelf and looked closer.They are sparse but good, creative stuff. Esp. Magic World. I hoped many, many years for an expansion of it like Superworld got. Finally I just did it myself, with stuff from Stormbringer and other similar systems. It was bunches of fun. It's strange that the closest things that will probably ever get done are over 20 years later, and then two in one year(MRQ and the D100 System book, aka Delux BRP). Such is life.
andakitty said:Oi, really? I always used to wonder why there were two fantasy types. (It had been a while since I looked at the actual box, good gotcha).
They are sparse but good, creative stuff. Esp. Magic World. I hoped many, many years for an expansion of it like Superworld got. Finally I just did it myself, with stuff from Stormbringer and other similar systems. It was bunches of fun. It's strange that the closest things that will probably ever get done are over 20 years later, and then two in one year(MRQ and the D100 System book, aka Delux BRP). Such is life.
THe Viking World stuff was hinted at in some prelease info. THe sort of stuff that Chasoium used to toss in a boxed set on a flyer. It was probably adventised in Borderlands or Pavis or some such.
Well, the 20 year delay isn't becuase the game wasn't popular, but becuase of the nature of the RPG business. Orginally, RQ and RQ2 sold good, but were bankrupting Chasoium as they were not selling good enough to keep the company afloat as a business. Chaosium made a deal with Avalon Hill to distibte RQ (and including selling the rights to the RQ name to AH, Chaosium kept the rights to the system since they were selling Stormbringer and Call of Cthulhu). At the time t seemed like a good deal, since AH was a big company in the board game business, much bigger that TSR and could help RQ make it's move to challenge D&D. When AH went south, and TSR would up owning RQ, they buried it. Both RQ and DragonQuest were serious contendders to AD&D, and had they reamined in print with decent support could have had a chance to dethrone D&D.
If it wasn't for the WotC and HASBRO takeovers, I suspect RQ would still be buried.
