Question about Runequest

[Aleyrebel]

Does anyone have or know of where my son can purchase a copy of 2nd Ed Runequest Magic book.
I understand that in the new Ed there is no Spirit Magic. It's been many years, I can't remember how it worked. If I recall, you sacrifice a divine point permanently, then you can cast each spell once daily. Is that right? If not how did it work?
TYIA

 

[soltakss]

There wasn't a 2nd Edition Magic Book, as such.

RQ2 had a thin rulebook that had Battle and Rune Magic (the equivalent to Rune and Divine Magic in Mongoose's RQ) as core parts of the rulebook. Then there were supplements that covered cults, Cults of Prax, Cults of Terror, Griffin Mountain, Trollpak, Pavis, Big Rubble and Borderlands all had cults.

The closest thing would be Moon Design's Gloranthan Classics reprint The Cult Compendium that contains pretty much all the cults from the above supplements.

Rick Meints published The Cult Compendium and he might have some left at http://www.glorantha.info/shop/shop.html - it's well worth buying and is the closest thing you wil get to an RQ2 Magic Book.

 

[soltakss]

I understand that in the new Ed there is no Spirit Magic. It's been many years, I can't remember how it worked. If I recall, you sacrifice a divine point permanently, then you can cast each spell once daily. Is that right? If not how did it work?
TYIA

RQM has Runemagic which is the equivalent of RQ2 Battle Magic and RQ3 Spirit Magic, although it needs Runes to fuel them. RQ2 allowed a Priest to teach a Battle Magic spell to someone else using Spellteaching, RQ3 had Spirit Magic spells that were taught through Spirit Combat and a Priest could sumon a Spirit using Spellteaching, or a Shaman could summon such a spirit. You cast the spells you had, each spell costs Magic Points in RQ3 and Temporary POW/Battle Magic POW in RQ2. RQ2 had most variable spells limited to 4 points, RQ3 removed that limit, RQM has limits based on Temple Sizes and Cult Rank.

RQM's Divine Magic is the equivalent to RQ2's Runemagic and RQ3's Divine Magic. It costs POW to learn and is cult dependent. RQ2/3 allowed Priests to repray spent spells at 1 point per day in a temple. RQM gives you the POW back to spend again at a temple. RQ2 limited most stackable Runespells to 4 points, RQ3 removed that limit, RQM limits by Temple Size and Cult Rank.

I hope that helps.

 

[Rurik]

If what you are looking for is the RQ3 Magic Book, which had a magic system called Spirit Magic (that was pretty much the same as RQ2 Battle Magic) you can still get it at the moment.

Chaosium has it available on their website as a Monograph called the Basic Roleplaying Magic Book, which is the exact same book as the RQ3 Magic Book with all references to RuneQuest removed (because they no longer hold the trademark). It may become unavailable soon when their new Basic Roleplaying product comes out (which does not have a system comparable to Spirit/Battle Magic).

 

[Rurik]

I just checked the Chaosium site so I could link to the BRP Magic Book Monograph and it appears they have in fact stopped selling it now that their new BRP product is imminent.

 

[Aleyrebel]

Thank you, I'll forward that information to my son. We only played a few times, mostly D & D or Call of Cthulu instead of Runequest, so I couldn't remember the ins and outs of the magic system.

 

[GianniVacca]

The 2nd edition rules of RuneQuest pop up on eBay pretty often.

 

[Aleyrebel]

I found out my son wants 1st Edition stuff, before they sold it and dropped Spirit magic. But, I told him to ask what he wants to know himself. I gave him the link.
Besides, I now seem to recall. The Divine magic you sacrifice points permanent once to learn the spell and cast them once a day. The Spirit magic you had points you could use on any of your spells until they were gone. Is that right?

 

[Vivamort]

It has been awhile but I think it might help to clarify about the various editions.
Chaosium's RQ, also referred to as RQII in some circles had battle magic and rune magic. Battle magic was memorized, reusable, and cost power points every time you used it. Rune magic was learned through your cult, you would sacrifice for it and when you used it then it was gone and had to be relearned.
Avalon Hill RQ, aka RQIII called battle magic "spirit magic", rune magic "divine magic" and added sorcery. I think the spirit magic and divine magic worked the same way as the old battle and rune magic IIRC. Sorcery was new.
Mongoose RQ calls spirit/battle magic rune magic, divine magic is still divine magic and sorcery is still sorcery but they have changed the rules a bit for all three.
Okay, I know I'm way oversimplifying here but I hope that at least helps you determine what magic system your son wants and which system he needs to get it. I've got all three versions and they all have their good and bad points but RQ in any version rocks IMHO.
Best of luck.