Bell Digest vol03p09.txt

Subject:  Charismatic Wisdom,  Volume 3,  Number 9

First Distribution:  June 12,  1989

This issue:
	Range:  A Common Divine Spell		(Andrew Bell)
	Detailed body part charts		(Ed Wallman)
	Re: Yet another experience system	(Ian Domville)

Editor's note:  Readership has broken the hundred mark!

---

From: bell@cs.unc.edu (Andrew Bell)

Subject:  Range:  A Common Divine Spell

Here's a fairly obvious spell to add to the list of common divine spells:

Range	1 point

No Range, Temporal,  Stackable,  Reusable

Common

Every point of Range doubles the range of any ranged divine magic.  Thus
1 point gives the typical spell a range of 200 meters,  2 points gives a
range of 400 meters, and so on.  It has no effect on spells without specific
range (like the Mastakos special spell,  Teleport) or touch spells.

This spell is another exception to the rule that just one divine spell can
be cast per melee round.  It and the spell to be Ranged must be cast in the
same melee round.  It can be combined with Extension to give a spell both
increased range and duration.

---

From: Ed Wallman 

Subject:  detailed body part charts

Probably other people have made complicated body part charts, but I haven't
seen them.  These were made just for entertainment purposes so I don't use
drastic effects if a certain part is hit.  I find it entertaining to find
out that a lightning bolt blows off a troll's leg at the knee, but I
haven't bothered with regularly and permanently popping out eyes.  If nothing
else, they can be used for placing scars more accurately.

The dashes mark out the RQ body parts accurate to within a few percentage
points so the normal body part hit points can be used.  Parts marked 97/1
and 97/2 require an additional die roll to decide which part was hit.  I
make no claims of having correct percentages for each part.

-ED


BODY PARTS FOR MELEE HITS

01     R foot			-
02     L foot
03     R ankle
04     L ankle
05-08  R lower calf
09-12  L lower calf
13-16  R upper calf
17-20  L upper calf
21-22  R knee
23-24  L knee
25-28  R lower thigh
29-32  L lower thigh
33-36  R upper thigh
37-40  L upper thigh		-
41     genitals			-
42-44  R hip
45-47  L hip
48-51  R side of gut
52-55  L side of gut		-
56     R lower chest		-
57     L lower chest
58-59  R upper chest
60-61  L upper chest		-
62-63  R hand			-
64-65  L hand
66-68  R lower forearm
69-71  L lower forearm
72-74  R upper forearm
74-77  L upper forearm
78     R elbow
79     L elbow
80-82  R upper arm
83-85  L upper arm
86-87  R shoulder
88-89  L shoulder		-
90     neck			-
91     R side of jaw
92     L side of jaw
93     R cheek
94     L cheek
95/1   R ear
95/2   L ear
96     nose
97/1   R eye
97/2   L eye
98     forehead
99     R top of head
00     L top of head		-


BODY PARTS FOR MISSLE/SPELL HITS

01     R foot
02     L foot
03     R ankle
04     L ankle
05-07  R lower calf
08-10  L lower calf
11-13  R upper calf
12-14  L upper calf
15     R knee
16     L knee
17-19  R lower thigh
20-23  L lower thigh
24-26  R upper thigh
27-28  L upper thigh		-
29     genitals			-
30-34  R hip
35-39  L hip
40-44  R side of gut
45-49  L side of gut		-
50-56  R lower chest		-
57-63  L lower chest
64-69  R upper chest
70-75  L upper chest		-
76     R hand			-
77     L hand
78-79  R lower forearm
80-81  L lower forearm
82-83  R upper forearm
84-85  L upper forearm
86     R elbow
87     L elbow
88-89  R upper arm
90-91  L upper arm
92-93  R shoulder
94-95  L shoulder		-
96/1   neck			-
96/2   R jaw
96/3   L jaw
97/1   R cheek
97/2   L cheek
98/1   R ear
98/2   L ear
99/1   nose
99/2   R eye
99/3   L eye
00/1   forehead
00/2   R top of head
00/3   L top of head		-

---

From: Ian Domville 

Subject: Re: Yet another experience system (YAES)

    In issue 3.8, Mats Olsson describes an interesting approach  to one half of
the skill check  frenzy problem, ie. "I've  got my  tick  in one  weapon, which
weapon next". (The other half is, of course, the lock-picking orgy.)

>   "Whenever a skill is used, a skill gain check die appropriate for the skill
> is used. If the skill gain check die indicates a skill gain is possible
> and the player succeeded in using the skill, the player checks if he would
> have failed if he had read the dice the other way and added his skill bonus.
> If so, he gains 1% in the skill."

> Ok, I've said my bit. How about some comments?

    It's a trifle complicated for me. Have you play-tested it ?

    The problem  is  that one "tick" gives an  increase roll.  Consequently, if
characters  can have a  tick every time the  skill is used,   they rise far too
fast. In my game, one tick isn't enough to  gain an increase roll.   The number
of ticks required  depends upon the skill.   I use a range from  2 to  7.   For
example,   combat, magic and   first  aid need 5.    Scan needs 7  (in my game,
observation is very  important.)  Less  common skills such  as conceal or track
need 2.

    Characters now keep track of the number of ticks gained in a skill, up to a
limit of twice the number required for a roll.  After a decent rest (24 hours),
they can make  any rolls they are eligible  for  by discarding the  appropriate
number of ticks.  Alternatively, they  can  use  them to  offset  the cost   of
training (not as much needed if you've got some hard practice).

    In addition, rolls made at 10% of the skill (ie. not all  specials) give an
immediate bonus roll.

    Increase rolls : roll d100, add the relevant  skills modifier, subtract the
current skill. If this is positive, divide by 10 and truncate (not  round). The
result is the increase gained.

    increase = truncate( (d100 + modifier - skill)/10)

    During combat, all a player has to do is  keep  adding ticks for successful
rolls. Except for when bonus increase rolls are gained, there are no extra dice
involved. Of course, at the end of the day we must all choose our favourite and
stick with it. This works for my campaign.

    Incidentally, for Lore skills successful rolls don't give a "tick". Only an
unsuccessful one    combined  with  obtaining  the information  elsewhere  (eg.
another character's successful roll) gets a tick.

- Ian Domville (id@stl.stc.co.uk)


---
The RuneQuest(tm) mailing list is a courtesy of Andrew Bell.
All opinions and material above are the responsibility of the originator,  and
copyrights are held by them.

RuneQuest is a trademark of Chaosium, Inc.

Send submissions,  mailing list changes, requests for old article lists, etc.
to:

bell@cs.unc.edu         ...!mcnc!unc!bell

Request old articles by volume number and issue number.