RuneQuest - Main Book

Rurik said:
In short, a scrub trollkin with a dagger cannot kill a character with one lucky shot as in previous versions of RQ. Of course, part of the appeal of RQ's past was that anyone with any weapon could kill in one blow if they got lucky.

In practice this does not come up a lot. Most characters will be reasonably well equipped and if there foes are wielding halfway decent weapons the system seems deadly enough.

I personally think it is the nerfing of criticals as much as if not more than any changes to HP or tweaking weapon damages/AP that makes the game 'less' deadly.

Few words, many truths, Rurik. RQ3 impales made daggers deadly, not base damage. I must playtest a little the new rules before judging, but I kinda feel like "It was not broken, why did you fix it?".

(ok, in fact I can guess why, Mongoose....) :wink:

Trifletraxor said:
Anyone remembering getting "backstabbed" by a tiny scopion man in Dorastor? Poor guy is useless now!

Actually, one of my favorite PCs got killed by that Scorpion Man gang. After killing a Dream Dragon, I might add. So yes, Trif, I do remember. Maybe the poor fella can use a bypass armor at -40%/+20%/+20% now?
 
High roll wins if both succeed AND if both fail gives a better chance of winning to the higher skill. There are old math threads with calculators, formulas, and spreadsheets to analyze opposed rolls and odds.

Using Criticals with opposed rolls barely changes the odds but people like them.

Halving is borked. There have been a number of fixes proposed. I subtract the amount over 100 of the highest skill from both skills, so 120 vs 80 becomes 100 vs. 60.

That was a good fix! Criticals must be used too of course! 8)


Actually, one of my favorite PCs got killed by that Scorpion Man gang. After killing a Dream Dragon, I might add. So yes, Trif, I do remember. Maybe the poor fella can use a bypass armor at -40%/+20%/+20% now?

He should start using sorcery! Become a tiny god learner scorpionman! :D


SGL.
 
Trifletraxor said:
What about the opposed tests? Anyone who's found a workable houserule? I like the idea of opposed tests, but it does not seem to work so well the way it is written. I'd appreciate any ideas.

I will use opposed tests like on rulebook, but in fail-fail situation, it is either really fail (neither succeeds) or re-roll. And of course I will use criticals and fumbles.
Within that rule, I will also plan to use halving rule like on book.
 
GoingDown said:
Trifletraxor said:
What about the opposed tests? Anyone who's found a workable houserule? I like the idea of opposed tests, but it does not seem to work so well the way it is written. I'd appreciate any ideas.

I will use opposed tests like on rulebook, but in fail-fail situation, it is either really fail (neither succeeds) or re-roll. And of course I will use criticals and fumbles.
Within that rule, I will also plan to use halving rule like on book.

YES, fumbles must be used too! I can se how the fail-fail neither succceedds will work with f.ex. opposed influence rolls, but why roll again for perception vs. stealth f.ex.? Both did a lousy job, but one worse than the other. Why roll again instead of using the above proposed mechanism? The halving rule has been given a lot of beating cause it reduces your chances when you cross the 100% limit. How do you deal with that? Or do you just ignore it?

SGL.
 
Trifletraxor said:
I can se how the fail-fail neither succceedds will work with f.ex. opposed influence rolls, but why roll again for perception vs. stealth f.ex.? Both did a lousy job, but one worse than the other. Why roll again instead of using the above proposed mechanism?

Because if you use "when both fails, then lower roll wins" as stated on rulebook, it will favor lower-skilled guy (especially when halving is used). If you use "when both fails, then higher roll wins" it will heavily favor stronger guy. If fail-fail is allowed (or rerolled) neither guy is favored.

In failed stealth vs. failed perception, maybe sneaking guy kicks something - but the opponent just is lazy and thinks it is cat or something. Then, after a while, I will allow re-roll. Perhaps with penalties for either parties depending situation... I just thing it adds something to game. Or it might just be my twisted mind :)

The halving rule has been given a lot of beating cause it reduces your chances when you cross the 100% limit. How do you deal with that? Or do you just ignore it.

When I allow fail-fail situation, halving rule doesn't hurt so much high skilled guy. Rest I will just ignore.
 
What's up with the Strike Rank in the combat examples? A normal SR modifier should be around +12, in the examples they all have low numbers like 4, 5, 7, or 8.

:?:

SGL.
 
Trifletraxor said:
What's up with the Strike Rank in the combat examples? A normal SR modifier should be around +12, in the examples they all have low numbers like 4, 5, 7, or 8.

:?:

SGL.
I think Matt said elsewhere that many of the examples were based off an earlier draft of the rules.

It's a shame. A lot of us are used to the examples in previous editions, and may possibly have viewed these examples as being similar.
 
Trifletraxor said:
What's up with the Strike Rank in the combat examples? A normal SR modifier should be around +12, in the examples they all have low numbers like 4, 5, 7, or 8.

:?:

SGL.

Compare those to the strike ranks in Raven in the Roost (the intro scenario in Sighns and Portents 35) - those are all in the 20's (and vary by weapon).

It certainly seems rules changes were being made to right up to the last minute (hence the borked examples). Some of the previews do not jive with the final rules either.
 
Trifletraxor said:
What about the opposed tests? Anyone who's found a workable houserule? I like the idea of opposed tests, but it does not seem to work so well the way it is written. I'd appreciate any ideas.

For characters over 110%, critical chance = skill minus 100.

And yes, criticals and fumbles count, but equal success levels are some kind of draw or incomplete resolution of the contest so that it is possible to have contests that extend over several exchanges.

Full rules on my fan site (see SIG).
 
simonh said:
And yes, criticals and fumbles count, but equal success levels are some kind of draw or incomplete resolution of the contest so that it is possible to have contests that extend over several exchanges.

Que?

Explain please!

SGL.
 
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