Should Runequest be Glorantha specific?

[Tabularasa]

Should a new edition of Runequest be Glorantha specific?

In other words, should the game mechanisms found in Runequest reflect specificities of the Gloranthian world or should Runequest rather be a set of rules not tied to a particular setting?

Discuss & Argue

 

[duncan_disorderly]

Either
(1) the base RQ system should be based on Glorantha, and any non-Gloranthan additions/amendments should be st worst, confined to clearly marked appendicies, but preferably kept in their own books,
or
(2) The base rq system should be completely generic and there should additionally be a core RQ Glorantha rule book

What we currently have, where generic books pretend to be based on Glorantha, but then excuse any problems caused on the grounds that they are really Generic - The Rune Magic rules being a good case in point. The Rune Magic Rules are good "generic" rules that need to be put in context for whatever world they are being used in, but we don't have a published explanation of what constitutes a "rune" or how you intigrate one from a Gloranthan perspective

 

[Rurik]

(2) The base rq system should be completely generic and there should additionally be a core RQ Glorantha rule book

This is what I think. A combination of core rules, Players Guide to Glorantha, and parts of G:tSA (the culture blurbs for players come to mind) . Common Magic, Rune Magic (or whatever the next iteration is), Divine Magic, Sorcery, and Animism should be represented, and a sample cult for each.

After use I think common magic is a bit weak, at least in combat (who in their right mind would give up an attack to get +5% or +10% to their next attack - I'll take the two attack rolls any day). Maybe common and rune magic should be combined again into the one form of universal magic. Though I seem to be in a minority here I am a long time RQ/Gloranthaphile (since RQ2) and have used MRQ Rune Magic as written in Glorantha and think it works pretty well - the biggest problem is that many traditional cult spells are tied to runes that are not cult runes (sounds like there may be fix for thisn in the Guilds, Factions, and Cults book).

If Rune Magic in Glorantha is re-worked, which mind you I am not opposed to, I personally would wait to see what HeroQuest2 has in store for Gloranthan magic. I don't really play HQ, but have been following it's development (psyched about the Sartar Book), and the tidbits about all people being born with Runic Associations that shape their magical development seems intriguing. It would be nice if MRQ Gloranthan Magic and HQ2 Gloranthan Magic were more in sync.

 

[Tabularasa]

So who could explain why he or she is in favour of maintaining Runequest as a generic system?

This has not always been the case.

 

[elgrin]

I felt I had to have my twopennor'th on this.

RQ was a system created around Glorantha, and then adapted to other ethos (ethoses? - Oh dammit - backgrounds). That this translation has been so successful (Cthulu, Stormbringer, BRP) tells it's own story about the soundness of the system. I can see no reason to change it if it is not fundamentally broken.
I agree that the current MRQ (ver01 ?) is slightly compromised by the laudable attempt to widen the root application, but it would, in my (Gloranthophile) opinion,actually strengthen the range by concentrating the root system on Glorantha and having the other backgrounds as add-ins. The system, as I postulated above, has always been so fundamentally strong that the diversification needs -comparatively- little effort by the publishers to create the alternates. As a defence of this I would ask 'How many RQ/Elric/ etc GM's actually run the vanilla RAW?'. My guess is not many, as we take for granted that the strength of the system allows us to mess around to make it just as we want, without it buckling under the strain.
Thence I believe that a Glorantha based system will be stronger and derivatives no weaker than at present, so 'Go Glorantha'.

elgrin

 

[soltakss]

RuneQuest is a very generic system, at its heart. The basic RQ rules (characteristics, skills, combat) are setting independent and work as well in a futuristic Sci-Fi setting as an ancients fantasy setting.

The only areas where RuneQuest is not generic is in magic and culture.

RQ Magic has always been heavily coloured by Glorantha, with Cults and spells relating to those cults. However, there is absolutely no reason why this has to be the case. Look at the Eternal Champion settings, they use a different magic system, in fact each Eternal Champion setting would have its own magic. Lhankmar has its own magic, as does Nippon, Cathay and any other setting.

Culture has also been heavily influenced by Glorantha. Backgrounds and proefessions have been set by the Gloranthan homelands/cultures. However, there is no reason why this should be the case. Describing Homelands with various Backgrounds and various Professions is, in my opinion, the best way to map out cultures in RQ. This works well for any setting. The only difference is that individual settings would have different Backgrounds.

So, the core rules should be completely generic and individual settings should have specific rules for magic, backgrounds, professions etc.

 

[duncan_disorderly]

So who could explain why he or she is in favour of maintaining Runequest as a generic system?

This has not always been the case.

Well actually, it has....

Although RQ was designed as a system for Glorantha, the published rules have always been generic. RQ2 was a generic system with Glorantha offered as an example of a "Closed world*" campaign (subsequemtly Questworlds was offered as an "open world" campaign)

RQ3 was a generic system set in "Mythic Europe" with Glorantha relegated to a slim booklet, and the initial supplements (RQ Vikings, RQ Land of Ninja, Monster Colliseum) were all non-gloranthan - Even Griffin Mountain was re-written to make it the non-gloranthan Griffin Island

RQ4:AIG was Gloranthan, but it was never published...

(And after the Gloranthan Hero Wars and HeroQuest, HeroQuest2 (release date 1-July) will also be generic)


* We'll ignore Redbird, since he doesn't appear in the rulebooks...

 

[PrinceYyrkoon]

There's no reason why you couldnt have both a generic version and a Gloranthan one. Then you could strip out the three Gloranthan (for that is what they are), magic systems from the generic rulebook.

The 'generic' MRQ system describes how to roleplay in Glorantha. If you want to play anywhere else, (other than the published backgrounds), you got to get your conversion hat on.

 

[Hervé]

The BRP has proven its flexibility for a long time, being successfully adapted to fantasy, historical, modern day or futuristic settings over the years by Chaosium. Mongoose hasn't any reason to restrict the game to Glorantha only, especially when you see the quality of their Eternal Champion line. I only wish Conan could follow the same format...

So, I'd say no don't restrict MRQ to Glorantha. Give us more Elric, Hawkmoon, Slaine or Lankhmar stuff! And print that MRQ Conan too!

 

[Osentalka]

I would have liked to have

a) the main ruklebook written with Glorantha as default setting, and an appendix on running RuneQuest with other settings, THEN having other settings realeased with their own core rules books (as it was done with Elric and Hawkmoon).

OR

b) the main rulebook written with a generic setting, but having Glorantha treated like the Eternal Champion settings (with it´s own core rules book, not a Players Guide to bring setting and rules in line).


Cheers

André

 

[Deleriad]

I would prefer a generic rulesbook personally with World books for different settings. It's always easier to add your background material into a system than to have to take it out.

With the exception of the runes and rune magic plus the implicit weapons technology, there's actually nothing Glorantha specific about MRQ presently.

 

[PrinceYyrkoon]

I think it could be less specific, in its generic form, but its difficult to make it really generic, without losing most of what makes it great.

Lets say I want to play MRQ Middle-earth. Out goes the barbarian background (probably as written), probably the primitives as well, witches, (human) wizards and those peculiarly Gloranthan descriptions of elves. The reliance on runes as a basis for magic, primitive and bronze age technology in the weapons department, and I'd have to make some rules for mithril armour and famous weaponry, etc.. Divine magic, well, it would need an overhaul, and sorcery would be ok as a basis for eastern or Mordorian cultures, but the power would come from a divine origin, (Melkor), rather than a shinto-esque view and a lot of the spells would have to be rewritten. There arent any what you would call cults excepting for the Sauronic influence, and not many places of powerful worship are highlighted as an integral part of life. A lot of the bestiary is Glorantha specific too, Gloranthan trolls as well as those elves and tuskers. The Crimson Bat isnt applicable to any other world, and neither is The Mother Of Monsters nor Brindithum.

So, a new set of backgrounds, new equipment details, new proffessions, new magic system, different ways of integrating gods into the mythos. new races, or substantial changes in the existing ones, (hobbits and orcs are pretty close however), and voila!

Now, if I wanted to play Glorantha, I'd just open the book and go.

So, hmm, not a very generic set of rules, really. Thats not to say the basics cant be used, and that there isnt a great versatile rpg in there, (Ive successfully used RQ for most, if not all, of my role playing games over the years), but, MRQ is Glorantha-centric, no doubt about it.

Therefore, I would recommend, a specific set of rules for Glorantha, a set for the Young Kingdoms, a set for Tir Na Nog, etc., without having to refer to so-called generic rulesbooks. You can use the engine for lots of games, (its probably the best around), but you cant have Runequest without the colour, it just aint possible. It too specific in its basic assumptions.

Just my opinion.

 

[dave-the-lost]

I would prefer that RuneQuest be setting specific. Each itteration of BRP/RQ has entailed many setting specific rules anyway and usually been published as its own complete game. Stormbringer, RuneQuest, Call of Cthulhu, Ring World, King Arthur Pendragon, Elric, Hawkmoon, etc.

I do not like generic core rulebooks. Write the core rules for each setting to fit that setting.

 

[JonGeere]

Yes and No.

With rules and Gloranthan crunch splattered all around various books now (actually 2010 looks on the cards Matt?) is the time to bring it all together in one updated and near perfect book.

Hence have rules for Heroquesting, character generation, spirit magic etc. all neatly done in one.

All in lovely colour.

No problems for having different rules books for other worlds, e.g. Conan.

I'll buy into that.

 

[master of reality]

I'm in favor of one core book that covers all game mechanics common to any world without reference to any particular setting.
This would obviate the need to essentially reprint the game mechanics for each world, as was done with Elric and Hawkmoon.
I already own the Core Book, Companion, Monsters I, and the GM guide. I will purchase the Hawkmoon RPG soon. If I didn't also enjoy Glorantha and Lankhmar, I'd be a little annoyed to discover that I really did not need to buy those books in order to play Hawkmoon.
I suppose if someone was only interested in Hawkmoon, then having to buy a core book might also be annoying, but then all the pages spent reiterating the rules from the core book could have been used for more background material.

 

[Twin Agate Dragons]

Separating the rules from the world makes it easier to convert the setting over to other systems. I have it in my agenda to try to convert Glorantha over to the Pathfinder system.

 

[Nickbergquist]

I love Runequest but I do not like running games in Glorantha (I enjoy playing in the setting, however). As such, a generic ruleset with add-ons for whatever setting is desired is my preference.

 

[PrinceYyrkoon]

Separating the rules from the world makes it easier to convert the setting over to other systems. I have it in my agenda to try to convert Glorantha over to the Pathfinder system.

:shock:

Good luck with that!