RQ2/RQ3 Skills System Scrutiny

[Melkor]

With all of the mathematical scrutiny of the new MRQ going on, I just had a quick thought here regarding the new MRQ taking a character's Characteristic's into account when determining a character's skills where older editions of Runequest did not.

I have never played RQ2 and have only a modest exposure to RQ3, but from my understanding, the base skill percentages in both of those systems did not include a component based on the character's Characteristics scores. Is that correct ?

If so, if you compare two characters who have a 35% chance to Dodge while one has a Dexterity of 6, and the other has a Dexterity of 18 - in RQ2, or RQ3, the high Dexterity would have no bearing on the character's chance to Dodge ?

Am I understanding this correctly, or am I way off base ?

If that assumption is correct, that seems way off base and wonky to me.

Thanks.

 

[King Amenjar]

No - in fact, this is the opposite of the truth. RQ2 and RQ3 took into account attributes for base chances and also for rolls needed to increase them - you rolled the d100 increase roll adding your bonus derived from the attributes, so MRQ has actually reduced the role of attributes slightly.

 

[Melkor]

Thanks for the response - That's why I am asking.

How were the characteristics factored in to skills in RQ2 / RQ3 ?

In looking at an RQ3 character sheet, the base Dodge skills is 05%, and I am not seeing anywhere in the rulebook where it mentions that DEX comes into play for dodging.

I know that RQ3 had Characteristic Rolls of Characteristic x5 or less on D100, but skills were a seperate mechanic, so how did that work ?

 

[atgxtg]

Thanks for the response - That's why I am asking.

How were the characteristics factored in to skills in RQ2 / RQ3 ?

The two systems were slightly differernet. Generally, each skill was listed under a skill category, and you added a cateogry modifer to the base percentages to get you skill score (the exception being skills that started at 00, since you didn't know them).
The difference between RQ2 and RQ3 is how they determined the category modfiers.

In RQ3, the cateogery modifers also applied to improvement rolls, so for example, a character who was naturally agile (high DEX & STR) would find it easier to improve agility skills.

In looking at an RQ3 character sheet, the base Dodge skills is 05%, and I am not seeing anywhere in the rulebook where it mentions that DEX comes into play for dodging.

In RQ3, Dodging is an Agility skill (under the Agility Cateogry), and so, add the Agility Cateogry Modifier to the base chance (see page 21).

THis modfier is summed up as: DEX-SIZ+(STR/2)-5

I know that RQ3 had Characteristic Rolls of Characteristic x5 or less on D100, but skills were a seperate mechanic, so how did that work ?

Characteristic rolls applied to difference sitations that skills rolls. For instance if you wanted to Climb, Jump, you would make a skill roll. If you wanted to see if you fell down after being knocked back, you made a DEXx5% roll.

RQ also used a resistance table for handling two oppsing forces. This would compare the values and give the active force a bance chance of 50% +/-5% per point of difference with the resisting force. So if a character with 15STR was trying to move a SIZ 14 rock, he would have a 50+(15-14=1x5%=5%)=55% chance of success.

 

[Melkor]

Aah!

Thanks for pointing out page 21 in the RQ3 rulebook. I didn't even remember that, and it makes sense.

 

[atgxtg]

Aah!

Thanks for pointing out page 21 in the RQ3 rulebook. I didn't even remember that, and it makes sense.

No problme. If there is any other rule question just post.

BTW, the big difference between RQ2 and RQ3 in this regard is that RQ3 uses a 1% per point of stat type modfier where as RQ 2 puts things into 5% brackets. For instance DEX 13-16 =+5%, 17-21 =+10%, that sort of thing. RQ2 characters can wind up with larger modfiers that way, but they don't get to add it to thier improvement chance. RQ2 character do get an bonus from INT though.

 

[Urox]

I have never played RQ2 and have only a modest exposure to RQ3, but from my understanding, the base skill percentages in both of those systems did not include a component based on the character's Characteristics scores. Is that correct ?

As other's have stated this is incorrect.

Both RQ2 and RQ3 even went as far as to tell you *why* the stats were relevent to skills/categories.

Agiliy Skills Categories Modifier
DEX = Primary
STR = Secondary
SIZ = Negative

The Reasons Why
DEX -- Riding, junking, etc., requires coordination more than Strength.
STR -- A certain amount of Strength is useful for such activity.
SIZ -- Bult impedes rapid, coordinated movement.

 

[atgxtg]

THat's sort of why I would have liked it if MRQ kept the categories and then just brancehd off skill development from there.

For example, Agility skills (Dodge, Swim, Hump, etc) could have started at DEX+DEX+STR-SIZ.
Character could have put down Agility Skills xx% and then use that for all agility sills until they raised one above the starting base. It is a chance from RQ2/3 but easy to do, and also not to different fron either RQ3 or MRQ. It also keeps the stat to skill relationship that RQ had.

Hmm, maybe Is hould look into the OGL for this and print my own rules?