What makes this game different?

[Mage]

Now that I have attracted your attention with my title, I really need to know.

I know next to nothing about runequst, and could not be buggerred about reading all the stuff on the main site. Alos, I prefer to hear things from a gamer's lips.

To start off, I know little. Somethign about runes, beastmen, different worlds, cults, spirit world, and the fact it was released before. A local Warhammer RPG gm told me runequest was very heavy. Somewhere in our LGS club there are rules for the old Runequest Lankmhar, I think.

Now, down to business:
1. What are the rules like? I know someone could say 'use only what you want', but c'mon, letme know!
2. What makes runequest different?
3. The cover art on the books are nice. Is runequest style, or substance?
4. What dice are mainly used (d20, d10, percentiles) for the core rules?
5. Why should I play it?
6. I see miniatures. How involved are they?
7. What are the following books about, they sound good:
A. Legendary heroes.
B. Rune of chaos.
C. Glorantha, the second age.
8. What is the book artwork like, how is the book laid out (bad, good) and what is the overall presentation like?
9. What is the main theme of the game? (I.e, Cthulhu is horror, SST is guns and patriotism, warhammer is 'lets go beat seomthing up').
10. What monsters exist? Anything really cool, or unique to the setting.
11. T all you old-schoolers out there, had Runequest changed for the better or worse? What have the changes been?

Don't get me wrong, I am interested, but there is no pint going into a fight if you don't know anything about your oppoent. Odd way of saying it, I know, but bare with me here.

You have a potential Runequest GM here, who wants something different from d20 fantasy and WFRP.

Thanks in advance!

 

[RosenMcStern]

1. What are the rules like? I know someone could say 'use only what you want', but c'mon, letme know!
2. What makes runequest different?
5. Why should I play it?

Streamlined resolutions system, no difference between PCs and NPCs in rules, nonhumans are different, sometimes even alien.

3. The cover art on the books are nice. Is runequest style, or substance?

Substance. Ask the old schoolers about Mr. Dobyski...

4. What dice are mainly used (d20, d10, percentiles) for the core rules?

D100 only for success determination, all known dice except d30 (yes, it exists!) for damage and other nuisances.

6. I see miniatures. How involved are they?

Recommended but not mandatory.

7. What are the following books about, they sound good:
A. Legendary heroes.
B. Rune of chaos.
C. Glorantha, the second age.
8. What is the book artwork like, how is the book laid out (bad, good) and what is the overall presentation like?

Read the previews and reviews to discover this.

9. What is the main theme of the game? (I.e, Cthulhu is horror, SST is guns and patriotism, warhammer is 'lets go beat seomthing up').
10. What monsters exist? Anything really cool, or unique to the setting.

Well, the main theme is to become powerful (and/or influential enough) to change the mythical background of the universe. Of course most of this is accomplished through combat rather than diplomatic interaction, but there are notable exceptions to this (frex, it is not advisable to try the Lightbringer Quest if you cannot sing, dance or compose poetry decently).

And yes, there are cool monsters and creatures: Dragonewts, Luathas, Ogres, etc. And you can roleplay one of them, although it is not recommended for anyone but the most advanced players.

11. T all you old-schoolers out there, had Runequest changed for the better or worse? What have the changes been?

Well, 90% of this forum is about this question. My answer is just: MRQ has the magic rules that all previous editions should have had. Now you can really stage a duel of magicians!

 

[Vadrus]

Now you can really stage a duel of magicians!

Aye Sorcerors certainly came out on top, Priests can only have a magic duel once every couple of weeks as the rules stand

As to has MRQ changed for better or worse, that can only ever be a personal choice as you'll find everyone has a different opinion on this.

For me the answer is for the worse unfortunately, the rules didn't seem to flow as well as RQ3's did from the session I ran last week and many things feel incomplete without the specifics for a second age setting. But as I said that's purely a personal preference and probably influenced by having GM'd RQ3 on and off for nearly 20 years.


Vadrus

 

[duncan_disorderly]

7. What are the following books about, they sound good:
A. Legendary heroes.

Not seen this yet, but it sounds like the rule extensions for "High Level" campaigns (if you can have such a concept in a system that does not use classes or levels.

If it's good, it will allow PC's to be the movers and shakers in a time of great change. I rather fear it is merely making RQ more like D20 with unnecessary "Legendary Abilities"

B. Rune of chaos.

A so-so intoductory adventure that raises a few issues that can't be asked without severe spoiler warnings...

C. Glorantha, the second age.

The answer to your question about what makes Runequest special, at least in many peoples eyes (and, to be fair, a complete waste of time in the eyes of others). A setting book entirely free from rules covering a world we know (Glorantha) in a time period we know little about (the second age).

If you are looking for a new set of rules to use for your own "home-brew" campaign (and many people do use RQ for this) then you won't need this. If you want to play in one of the oldest and most famous game worlds then you will want this even if you intend using the older RQ2/RQ3 rules, HeroQuest, Pendragon Pass, GURPS, Savage Worlds or any other rule set instead.

 

[Mage]

Thanks for the feedback sofar. Still a bit befuddled though...

More detail would be nice.

 

[Deleriad]

Without going into details: RQ is distinctly old-skool roleplaying. MRQ is a somewhat successful revisioning of it based on modern understandings of how to build a tabletop system. If you were to invent a new rpg from scratch, you would never create RQ but there's no doubting that RQ has a distinctive feel which can be addictive.

Think of the difference between the old VW bug and the new one. The new VW Bug looks mostly like the old one and has a specific charm but no one would ever have designed a car like the new VW bug if the old one did not exist.

Glorantha is a setting. RQ can be played in any setting - in theory - and Glorantha could be played with any sufficiently hacked rpg.

Food tasters talk about "mouth feel"; i.e. how something feels in the mouth. RQ has a great mouth feel. There is something about the rhythm of the game structure that captures you.

 

[iamtim]

Think of the difference between the old VW bug and the new one. The new VW Bug looks mostly like the old one and has a specific charm but no one would ever have designed a car like the new VW bug if the old one did not exist.

Oh. My. God.

That is just about the most accurate description/metaphor for MRQ that I've ever read.

Kudos.

 

[Mage]

So are you two talking abobut the new or the old one?

 

[Utgardloki]

Archaic Runequest:

The Runequest game was introduced with the Glorantha setting, and since it is a lot different from D&D, the setting is a lot different. I plan to run a few settings with Runequest just as an alternative to D&D, as something different.

(I like ham. I like beef. Sometimes, after a few days of eating beef, I just feel like eating a ham sandwich.)

On a D&D forum, I once started a thread on how Earth's history would have been different if reality reflected the D&D rules, and we determined that would have had a big effect on how world history played out. Runequest, with its different mechanics, would play out differently.

Modern Runequest:

When I read the MRQ rulebook, I was disappointed, but I saw a few things in there that I liked for running a modern game:

1. Size was made a factor in combat, with enough granularity that normal humans would differ in size, not just a difference between giants and dwarfs. In fact, men and women would probably have different tactics if you consider that female characters will tend to have a smaller Size statistic than male characters.

2. MRQ provided knockback rules. That's good for drama.

3. MRQ rules make weapons lethal for just about any charcter. Modern D20 games are fun, but I wanted a game where characters were always worried about keeping their head. In MRQ, a .357 magnum shot to your head can really ruin your day :shock:

 

[iamtim]

So are you two talking abobut the new or the old one?

Both. RQ = the old one, MRQ = the new one.

 

[GoingDown]

1. What are the rules like? I know someone could say 'use only what you want', but c'mon, letme know!
2. What makes runequest different?

The thing why I love Runequest most: It feels "right". Even high-level characters are not invulnerable because hit points are not increasing - one good hit can kill them just as easily as beginner ones, if they don't have good protection.
And that there is no class restrictions.

5. Why should I play it?

Why not :wink:
To have some fun, perhaps?

6. I see miniatures. How involved are they?

We are using miniatures in our group, but only for making things clear on fights - they are not necessary but I think they give the "feeling".

7. What are the following books about, they sound good:
A. Legendary heroes.

High-level stuff, skills etc. This sounds interesting, usually we have played RQ with low to mid-level characters.

9. What is the main theme of the game? (I.e, Cthulhu is horror, SST is guns and patriotism, warhammer is 'lets go beat seomthing up').

For me, Runequest has always been low or mid-level fantasy, with bronze age feel.

10. What monsters exist? Anything really cool, or unique to the setting.

Elfs, Ducks and dwarfs.

Elfs are like living plants, Ducks are just great and dwarfs (how dwarf is supposed to be written in plural?) are "machines". Elfs and Dwarfs are different than "normal" fantasy equivalents.

In Glorantha, there is lots of unique monsters out there. Really great stuff.

11. T all you old-schoolers out there, had Runequest changed for the better or worse? What have the changes been?

As an old RQ3 player, MRQ feels lot better - many things I disliked on RQ3 are fixed on MRQ (like strike ranks, magic systems, opposed rolls). Imho of course.

 

[Trifletraxor]

11. T all you old-schoolers out there, had Runequest changed for the better or worse? What have the changes been?

Worse. Much worse. But at least new material is being produced now.

SGL.

 

[iamtim]

Worse. Much worse.

I disagree. Shy of a few minor things, I prefer the new version of RuneQuest.

 

[GbajiTheDeceiver]

1. What are the rules like? I know someone could say 'use only what you want', but c'mon, letme know!

Percentile skill-based with no classes or levels. Initial "professions" but complete freedom of character development thereafter. Pretty much all restrictions in other systems are removed. Lightweight but incredibly flexible system. Unfortunately, things go funny when skills get over 100, but there are plenty of alternatives available on here. Combat is fast and lethal. Some things might look strange ("1d8 + 1 + 1d4 damage", for inst) but you get used to it quickly enough.

2. What makes runequest different?

See other answers

3. The cover art on the books are nice. Is runequest style, or substance?

Very stylish and sleek, but capable of doing just about anything with it. It's difficult to say "substance" because the rules are very light, but they're also extremely comprehensive.

4. What dice are mainly used (d20, d10, percentiles) for the core rules?

All the regulars.

5. Why should I play it?

To avoid headaches induced by million-page rulebooks!

6. I see miniatures. How involved are they?

Never used them, never felt the need.

7. What are the following books about, they sound good:
A. Legendary heroes.
B. Rune of chaos.
C. Glorantha, the second age.

A. Rules for experienced characters.
B. Introductory scenario.
C. Unique and much-loved setting gets a new perspective.

8. What is the book artwork like, how is the book laid out (bad, good) and what is the overall presentation like?

Artwork is pretty average. Layout is logical and clean. An apparent developing tendency to scatter different parts of related rules across various supplements is worrying - one to watch.

9. What is the main theme of the game? (I.e, Cthulhu is horror, SST is guns and patriotism, warhammer is 'lets go beat seomthing up').

Low-down gritty adventuring, scraping by on the underbelly of life, limbs flying through the air (Gimpy's tavern anyone?) Think Moonglum off on one of his side-tracks rather than Elric. Fafhrd and the Mouser rather than Aragorn. The Man with No Name rather than Billy the Kid.

10. What monsters exist? Anything really cool, or unique to the setting.

Morokanth. When it was determined who should hunt and herd who, men won all the time with one exception. Although they are accused of having cheated, rightly or wrongly the Morokanth now herd and eat men, which is accepted and tolerated, but not appreciated.

11. T all you old-schoolers out there, had Runequest changed for the better or worse? What have the changes been?

Neither, IMO. Previous editions weren't perfect, and neither is MRQ. You'll encounter a lot of nostalgia for RQ2 among old-timers, but to be honest I believe that's because there was nothing like it at the time. MRQ deserves to be judged on it's own merits.

The only really dramatic change to my eyes is a clean out of the skills. They used to be grouped in to various categories, each of which had it's own individual modifier. They're not any more. There are a few nips and tucks in other places (removal of total HP, cosmetic changes to combat, a few changes to the magic systems) but overall the good and bad balance out.

 

[gamesmeister]

1. What are the rules like? I know someone could say 'use only what you want', but c'mon, letme know!

Compared to many (including D&D), they're very simple. If you can read percentage dice, you already know how to do most things.

The game is skill based rather than level based, so your character can attempt pretty much anything he chooses. All characters can perform thief abilities, all can cast magic, there is no limit. Obviously, some will be able to perform these things better than others, depending on if and how they specialise, but there are very few limits.

Combat is often described as 'gritty', and as RPGs go it is fairly realistic. Players roll to attack, parry or dodge, and also have other actions they can try, such as disarming their opponent or knocking him down. It's pretty fluid and dynamic, and often deadly. There are no huge pools of hit points to draw on, so one big hit will often take a character down. However, because magic is more prevalent, many characters will also have access to Healing spells and so there's no dependency on a single character to heal.

2. What makes runequest different?

Apart from the above, the biggest differnce is the emphasis the game places on cultures. I've always played in Glorantha, and many cultures within that world have been described and mapped, so you know the viewpoint of those people. The culture will usually (although not always) define the Gods that the characters will worship, and it's these Gods that colour the type of character you play. If you want to play a nimble thief, you'll tend to join a thieves cult, who will then give you access to additional skills and cool spells to assist you in your illegal activities. If you prefer to play a merchant, you would join a cult that worships a trading God, who would give you access to better evaluation skills, and spells that keep you safe on your travels. There are of course quite a few warrior cults of different flavours if you just want to kill things.

The other thing about these cultures (certainly in Glorantha) is that there are very few rights and wrongs. The local barbarian people will teach their children that the Trolls who live in the mountains are evil demon worshipping baby eaters. The trolls who live in the mountains will teach their children that the barbarians who live in the plains are evil demon worshipping baby killers. They're both right, and both wrong, but from their own viewpoint that's what they believe, and so it's true. Chaosium famously release an entire boxed set many years ago just on trolls, how to play one, what made them tick, the gods they worshipped, everything. It was ground breaking then and I've still never seen its equal.

3. The cover art on the books are nice. Is runequest style, or substance?

The focus has always been on substance, sometimes to the detriment of style, but generally the style is pretty good too

4. What dice are mainly used (d20, d10, percentiles) for the core rules?

Most typical RPG dice are used.

5. Why should I play it?

See above. It's also very easy to teach other players, as you just give them a character sheet, explain that they need to roll percentage dice to perform most actions, and off you go. The more complex stuff can come later.

6. I see miniatures. How involved are they?

As much or as little as you like, much like other RPGs

7. What are the following books about, they sound good:
A. Legendary heroes.
B. Rune of chaos.
C. Glorantha, the second age.

A. Don't know, haven't seen it yet
B. As an introductory scenario it's ok, but it's not classic RQ.
C. Don't know, pick up my copy tomorrow

8. What is the book artwork like, how is the book laid out (bad, good) and what is the overall presentation like?

Very good actually, although it does suffer from a number of errors which take the shine off it.

10. What monsters exist? Anything really cool, or unique to the setting.

There are lots of cool monsters in Glorantha, and many of the humanoid species (elves, dwarves etc) are quite alien to most people. I haven't seen the monsters book for MRQ, so I can't say how many have made it into that book.

11. T all you old-schoolers out there, had Runequest changed for the better or worse? What have the changes been?

Now there's the million dollar question! There are aspects of MRQ that I love, and are a real improvement IMO over earlier versions, in particular the ebb and flow of combat, a new magic type, and a decent fatigue system. On the other hand there are things that you just have to throw your hands in the air and cry "WHY?" I won't go into these right now, but they've very quickly been houseruled, by me and many others by what I've read on these forums.

I've played a lot of RQ over the years, and I've also played a lot of D&D and WHFRP (among others), and I still rate RQ as my favourite game. Now that Mongoose are publishing more material, I'm dusting off all my old books, and gearing up the guys to play, and I can't wait! I'd recommend you give the core rules a try, along with Rune of Chaos as it's cheap and doesn't require any other books to play, and see what you think. For a flavour of the world, go to DriveThruRpg and download the Ralios pdf for $4.99. If you like what you read, you'll love Glorantha!

Have fun
Gerry

 

[GbajiTheDeceiver]

Oh, and probably the best way to get a quick flavour of how wonderful this place is would be to read The Travels of Biturian Varosh

 

[Mage]

WEll lads, I have made a decision. I am going to pick up the core book, rune of chaos and the monster book. this tuff seems solid. It does not sound like any convenional fantasy game I have played in quite a while.

There is only so muich warhammer and GW I can take.
With D&D, I've heard the worlds are a bit meh, and to eb honest, I have the B5 and SST RPG as it is, and thats enough d20 for me. That and the books are expensive.

The system sounds akin to Cthulhu, my favourite and first RPG, so runequest is good with me.

So how does the open license thingy work?

 

[GbajiTheDeceiver]

The system sounds akin to Cthulhu, my favourite and first RPG, so runequest is good with me.

Cthulhu was derived from the original RQ so I'm not surprised you see a resemblance. Good call!

 

[Utgardloki]

With D&D, I've heard the worlds are a bit meh, and to eb honest, I have the B5 and SST RPG as it is, and thats enough d20 for me. That and the books are expensive.

I disagree. (Well, the books are expensive, but I don't think they are "meh" at all.)

World of Greyhawk is quite dry and sketchy. While it is supposed to be the flagship world of the D&D universe, in my opinion WoTC did very little to really develope it (at least for those of who are not in the Living Greyhawk campaign). Eberron is also a little bit meh, looking like it was just a place to dump as much stuff as they could possibly think of.

But most of the available worlds are really quite excellent. Ravenloft and Iron Kingdoms are definitely worth looking at, and even could be nicely converted to Runequest. And when it comes to detail, you can't beat WoTC's Forgotten Realms. Keeping up with that place can be a full time job, and yet it is flexible enough that you can easily put a party of any level there.

I'll probably start another thread about different settings, but by all means don't be put off by the D20 logo. Deadlands is an excellent product. Although it's also available in GURPS, I find it easier to read D20 sourcebooks than GURPS sourcebooks. Scarred Lands is another setting that has a very detailed mythology, with gods as deeply involved with the land as they are in Glorantha. And I can think of few places I'd rather visit than Macho Women with Guns

OTOH, if you have been doing D20, Runequest makes a good change of pace.

 

[mthomason]

The system sounds akin to Cthulhu, my favourite and first RPG, so runequest is good with me.

So how does the open license thingy work?

I'll hit both those comments at once

The system is so similar to CoC (as both are related in some way to the BRP system) that you could pretty much run CoC scenarios against RQ rules if you had access to firearms rules (okay, you'd have to add in the sanity rules as well but that's pretty much it.)

The open licence works in exactly the same way as the d20 licence does for D&D - anyone can create a rules supplement, campaign setting, scenario or pretty much anything else you can imagine, using the RuneQuest rules as a base, and there's also a RQ logo license much like the one that allows publishers to put a d20 logo in the corner of their books. Seraphim Guard (http://www.seraphim-guard.com) have already produced some third-party material here, as have others.

You can even go the whole hog and create your own complete standalone game using the RuneQuest rules as a base (such as Mongoose did with
Conan, B5 2nd Edition, etc.)

This, coupled with the closeness to CoC, means I'm now incredibly happy because I can now write some modern horror stuff that CoC players could adapt pretty easily and not get in trouble with Chaosium... Now, if someone did a horror setting for RQ that would pretty much be ideal