Random thoughts about MRQ...

[wargamer66]

I have started picking up books for MRQ and am currently waiting for the Deluxe book to come out in Sept. I guess I am one of the guys who has held off because of the sheer number of books, but since reading the rules and the Second Age sourcebook, am a total believer. This game is really well-done, at least with what i've seen.

Are there mini-campaigns like the old Doraster: Land of Doom supplement being planned? As someone who might run this, but doesn't have much time to write stuff, adventures would really help out. Speaking of that, how well does this game port over to the old AH adventures? Looks like it could be done fairly easily.

And a question.... I notice that you have to have an Earth rune to cast Protection, a spell that used to be really important for most characters to have. Did I miss something in the rules? I seem to remember characters in older versions tended to have more standard spells like bladesharp, protection and counterspell.

 

[Halfbat]

And a question.... I notice that you have to have an Earth rune to cast Protection, a spell that used to be really important for most characters to have. Did I miss something in the rules? I seem to remember characters in older versions tended to have more standard spells like bladesharp, protection and counterspell.

No, you read it right. The new rules require a Rune to cast spells, and the necessary skill in Runecasting with that Rune to cast them - which can be difficult to cast many spells.

Many on this list have suggested that Initiates/Acolytes can use their Lore(<specific> Theology) to cast cult spells or spells cast to their god's Runes.

That said, you could also extend the range of Runes that casts a particular spell or develop adaptations (e.g. "Woodskin" for a Protection spell that can be cast using the Plant Rune, or "Ironskin" for one castable using Metal, or "Slicing Wind" for a Bladesharp able to be cast using the Air Rune).

Edit - I'll put a few examples up on the site below...

 

[weasel_fierce]

MRQ follows closer to how Heroquest does magic.

Its only really in RQ2 that everybody had stuff like protection and bladesharp. RQ3, you had people with divine magic (hosed), people with sorcery (hosed untill 10 years of campaign play) and primitive hooligans (yay) that could use the spirit magic.

Im allright with MRQ's magic. It does revolve around runes, but you have more playable divine and sorcery, as well as folk magic (players guide) and animism (cults 2)

 

[wargamer66]

I like the idea of making protection more common with Halfbat's rules, mostly because this game appears pretty darn deadly. I still remember having my legs cut off in RQ2 many years ago, so maybe im biased

 

[weasel_fierce]

well, its not like its going to break anything by doing so

Just give everybody 3 points of "inherent rune magic", casting chance is POWx5. Voila

 

[Rurik]

I like the idea of making protection more common with Halfbat's rules, mostly because this game appears pretty darn deadly. I still remember having my legs cut off in RQ2 many years ago, so maybe im biased

MRQ is more survivable than earlier versions (though still deadly).

Another thought is to use Folk Magic from the Players Guide for common effects, as it is not limited by rune integration (but is limited to Magnitude 2). So anyone can learn equivalent spells to Bladesharp 2 or Protection 2 as Folk Magic, if you want to be better at it you need to learn the Rune or Spirit version.

 

[B_Steele]

Another thought is to use Folk Magic from the Players Guide for common effects, as it is not limited by rune integration (but is limited to Magnitude 2). So anyone can learn equivalent spells to Bladesharp 2 or Protection 2 as Folk Magic, if you want to be better at it you need to learn the Rune or Spirit version.

Argh! Rurik...you stole my reply, and my chance to pimp my Player's Guide!

Now...where did I stash that trollkin assassin....

-Bry

 

[RosenMcStern]

Actually, I am not very happy with the folk magic in the PG. I would rather like to see more spells linked to the different runes, to make integrating your god's main rune more effective. But I hope there are enough spells that are usable in Glorantha in the Spellbook. Which is another of your books, IIRC...

 

[B_Steele]

But I hope there are enough spells that are usable in Glorantha in the Spellbook. Which is another of your books, IIRC...

Right on all accounts.

It has a BUNCH of spells that I put in there specifically with Glorantha in my brain, and I know of at least one Divine Magic spell that many forum users will be quite happy to see upon the pages...

...I can't talk about it in case editing shrinks it out, but with us doing our own printing now, I highly doubt it will get cut.

Just trust me...Spellbook will be awesome. *gulp* I hope.

Cheers,
Bry

 

[Rurik]

I like Folk Magic and plan to use it liberally in Glorantha.

It solves the problem with applying Rune Magic to Glorantha resulting in magic being less common than it has been traditionally.

Now everyone can learn magic easily (again). The fact that it is limited to Magnitude 2 means there is still an advantage learning Rune Magic - who wouldn't want Bladesharp 4 or Heal 6?

And this can be used in conjunction with Halfbats idea about making different versions of common spells for different Runes upthread. I too would like to see more spells for runes, and hopefully Bry will deliver all kinds of goodies. Using Folk Magic for low power versions of once common spells in no way exclusive of other ideas.

 

[RosenMcStern]

My idea about this (but I have never tried MRQ in Glorantha so far) is that Rune Magic is the equivalent of RQ3 Divine Magic (i.e. for priests/runelords), and Folk Magic is the equivalent of RQ3 Battle Magic (i.e. for initiates). The new Divine Magic, with Dedicated POW, is great for low-magic, realistic worlds (I used it a lot in Stupor Mundi), but not for Glorantha.

 

[Rurik]

It has a BUNCH of spells that I put in there specifically with Glorantha in my brain, and I know of at least one Divine Magic spell that many forum users will be quite happy to see upon the pages...

Please be Sever Spirit... :wink:

 

[Rurik]

My idea about this (but I have never tried MRQ in Glorantha so far) is that Rune Magic is the equivalent of RQ3 Divine Magic (i.e. for priests/runelords), and Folk Magic is the equivalent of RQ3 Battle Magic (i.e. for initiates). The new Divine Magic, with Dedicated POW, is great for low-magic, realistic worlds (I used it a lot in Stupor Mundi), but not for Glorantha.

Well, Divine Magic is the equivalent of Divine Magic in RQ3 and Rune Magic in RQ2, all the classic cult Divine Spells are in the MRQ Rules as Divine Spells (excepting some notables like Sever Spirit and Second Mouth).

Dedicated POW is horrible (at least for Glorantha), and I don't use it. I base points of Divine Magic on the Theology Skill (Initiates can learn 1 point of Divine per 10 points of Theology, Initiates, Preists, and Runelords can Learn 1 point per 5 points of Theology).

 

[RosenMcStern]

[Dedicated POW is horrible (at least for Glorantha), and I don't use it.

On the other hand, it is wonderful for your average friar, monk etc. In a world where there are no runes, being able to cast a couple of Heal Wounds is well worth a couple of points of POW, especially if you get them back and can then spend them again to get Spirit Block for your next adventure, that involves ghosts.

But it certainly does not work in Glorantha. Unless you want to portray the fact that magic coming from the gods is weaker because of the god learners tinkering with the myths and "freezing" the god powers within runes.

 

[Rurik]

Well Dedicated POW may definately work better for some settings (as you describe) it still has faults.

Like technically you have to recalculate all your POW based skills every time you learn or cast a spell. And if I cast a 3 point Divine Spell do I get 3 Magic Points back immediately or do they come back over time (the latter I suspect, but it is not covered in the rules).

I really should pick up Stupor Mundi (though I am behind on reading all the game books I have as it is). What are my options for getting a copy again (print preferred if available here in the States)?

 

[gamesmeister]

Well Dedicated POW may definately work better for some settings (as you describe) it still has faults.

It does work for Initiates, but for Acolytes or Rune Priests is simply ridiculous.

Like technically you have to recalculate all your POW based skills every time you learn or cast a spell. And if I cast a 3 point Divine Spell do I get 3 Magic Points back immediately or do they come back over time (the latter I suspect, but it is not covered in the rules).

I'm pretty certain this is covered...<checks rules>...page 10 of the companion says MPs don't come back automatically.

Adjusting POW based skills on the other hand is a truly ridiculous concept...

 

[RosenMcStern]

It does work for Initiates, but for Acolytes or Rune Priests is simply ridiculous.

Exactly. That's why it is well suited for low-magic settings. In Stupor Mundi I assumed Priests/Monks = Initiates, Bishops/Abbots = Runepriests. No more than 100-200 individuals in the whole world are priests. In Glorantha, 100 individuals per city may qualify as priests.

Adjusting POW based skills on the other hand is a truly ridiculous concept...

Use the unmodified POW for Skill bases if you do not like calculations.

 

[weasel_fierce]

Allright, I dont understand it.

Why is dedicated POW bad ?

The way I figure it, if I want to learn 10 points of spells in RQ3, my POW drops from 18 to 8. For good.

In MRQ, it drops temporarily untill I cast those spells off. And my POW doesnt actually impact my ability to resist magic.

What am I missing ?

 

[RMS]

Its only really in RQ2 that everybody had stuff like protection and bladesharp. RQ3, you had people with divine magic (hosed), people with sorcery (hosed untill 10 years of campaign play) and primitive hooligans (yay) that could use the spirit magic.

That's not true. There are a whole list of spirit magic spells that are taught through each god's temple. Bladesharp and protection are more common (and taught at much higher levels) in RQ3 than RQ2. In fact, in RQ3 there's more magic all over the place than in RQ2 as all of the various limitations are removed that were in place in RQ2. In RQ2, you top at 4 pts for battle magic. In RQ3, Humakt teaches Bladesharp 6 for free, just for dropping by...

 

[RMS]

Allright, I dont understand it.

Why is dedicated POW bad ?

The way I figure it, if I want to learn 10 points of spells in RQ3, my POW drops from 18 to 8. For good.

In MRQ, it drops temporarily untill I cast those spells off. And my POW doesnt actually impact my ability to resist magic.

What am I missing ?

The biggest thing you're missing is that in RQ3, your POW will pretty quickly move up again once it's down to 8, and then you can buy even more magic. It's common to have PCs and NPCs with 30, 40, and even 50 points of divine magic available*, making them very powerful indeed. You cannot create anything approaching those kinds of characters in MRQ as written.

Of course, in RQ2/3 it was common to keep your POW at about 12 - 14, so that POW gains are pretty easy and yet the character has enough to not get crushed by incoming magic or spirits (keep a spirit block or two around). In MRQ, you cap out POW and then can have either a mediocre divine magic user and decent rune magic user, but in RQ2/3 you could be very powerful with both at the same time with a developed character. More importantly IMO, is that divine magic really was more powerful than other magics and now it seems like it's the other way around.

* Granted this is at a high level, but it's very appropriate in Glorantha and pretty easy to achieve in a RQ game run over a few years. I have PCs in my long standing game with divine magic in this range.