From: owner-runequest-rules@ (RuneQuest-Rules-Digest) To: runequest-rules-digest@lists.MPGN.COM Subject: RuneQuest-Rules-Digest V1 #34 Reply-To: runequest-rules@mpgn.com Sender: owner-runequest-rules@ Errors-To: owner-runequest-rules@ Precedence: bulk RuneQuest-Rules-Digest Tuesday, March 10 1998 Volume 01 : Number 034 RuneQuest is a trademark of Avalon Hill Games. All Rights Reserved. TABLE OF CONTENTS Re: [RQ-RULES] Vadeli Sorcery:homunculous [RQ-RULES] Re: RuneQuest-Rules-Digest V1 #32 RE: [RQ-RULES] Re: RuneQuest-Rules-Digest V1 #32 [RQ-RULES] Fetch / Allied Spirit / Magic Spirit [RQ-RULES] Stat Training Re: [RQ-RULES] Stat Training [RQ-RULES] Damage,round three! Re: [RQ-RULES] Fetch / Allied Spirit / Magic Spirit Re: [RQ-RULES] Fetch / Allied Spirit / Magic Spirit Re: [RQ-RULES] Fetch / Allied Spirit / Magic Spirit, Stat Training RE: [RQ-RULES] Stat Training [RQ-RULES] RQ4 damage &HP [RQ-RULES] Praxian missiles RE: [RQ-RULES] Stat Training [RQ-RULES] Fetch / Allied Spirit / Magic Spirit RULES OF THE ROAD 1. Do not include large sections of a message in your reply. Especially not to add "Yeah, I agree" or "No, I disagree." Or be excoriated. If someone writes something good and you want to say "good show" please do. But don't include the whole message you praise. 2. Use an appropriate Subject line. 3. Learn the art of paraphrasing: Don't just quote and comment on a point-by-point basis. 4. No anonymous posting, please. Don't say something unless you're ready to stand by it. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Mon, 9 Mar 1998 08:32:18 -0500 From: stancliff@commnections.com Subject: Re: [RQ-RULES] Vadeli Sorcery:homunculous RU>> Only traditionalists, the desperate, and fools make animal RU>> familiars. The rest have human intelligence or better and can RU>> speak or learn to write somehow. RU>What have you had folks use? I've employed herd-men, monkeys, statues RU>with spirits, etc.. I run a Pavis campaign. I have only introduced one sorcerer student, and she is not ready to create a familiar. The 'Strangers in Prax' book had it pretty right with Magic Spirits bound into inanimate metal and manipulated with Form/Set or sculpted into a mobile statue. I have no problem with giving up several trainable stats, especially if I can get Chalana Arroy 'Restore <>' spells. If I were writing up an evil character, I would probably make a deal with a Hellion or a Lamia. They are highly intelligent and almost complete. You can also coerce a nymph of some kind, though they can't travel. I would avoid Anything with fixed Int, the other stats are not so debilitating. Under the RQ4 text, this is not as big a problem because of the removal of free Int rules, and anyway, Chalana Arroy can Restore . *************************************************************************** To unsubscribe from this list send mail to majordomo@mpgn.com with the line 'unsubscribe runequest-rules' as the body of the message. ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 9 Mar 1998 16:19:59 +0000 From: "David Boatright" Subject: [RQ-RULES] Re: RuneQuest-Rules-Digest V1 #32 From: "Choinski, Burt" ================================================== >We have always played, in verious game systems (P&P, GURPS, RQ) that >.fists, feet, grapples, (headbutts) all do subdual damage (a term from >P&P). The damage is rolled normally and taken by the target, any if >they go over their HP they are out cold (likewise, a x3 subdual to the >head and chest puts them out). After combat, 3/4ths of the subdual. My god somebody else who has played Powers and Perils. *************************************************************************** To unsubscribe from this list send mail to majordomo@mpgn.com with the line 'unsubscribe runequest-rules' as the body of the message. ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 9 Mar 1998 12:02:19 -0500 From: "Choinski, Burt" Subject: RE: [RQ-RULES] Re: RuneQuest-Rules-Digest V1 #32 David Boatright [SMTP:aranwyth@mail.enterprise.net] || >We have always played, in verious game systems (P&P, GURPS, RQ) that || >.fists, feet, grapples, (headbutts) all do subdual damage (a term from || >P&P). The damage is rolled normally and taken by the target, any if || >they go over their HP they are out cold (likewise, a x3 subdual to the || >head and chest puts them out). After combat, 3/4ths of the subdual. || || My god somebody else who has played Powers and Perils. And just to proudly show off my chaos feature :), let me just say that I am currently running my (modified) RuneQuest games in the Perilous Lands (it has been a bit odd fitting Gloranthan Gods into the Powers & Perils world). Oh, and Stormbull is a wuss. :) -- Burton - --------------------------------------------------------- Burton Choinski, Peritus Software Services Inc. bchoinski@peritus.com *************************************************************************** To unsubscribe from this list send mail to majordomo@mpgn.com with the line 'unsubscribe runequest-rules' as the body of the message. ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 09 Mar 1998 18:12:02 -0500 From: Brian Kondalski Subject: [RQ-RULES] Fetch / Allied Spirit / Magic Spirit How are other people handling the use of fetches, allied spirits, and magic spirits? Are they able to cast spells on their own without being given orders by the person who controls them? Does the person who controls them have to take time (strike ranks) in the round to order them to cast spells? How do they target spells if they cast them? Brian Kondalski brian@infoengine.com *************************************************************************** To unsubscribe from this list send mail to majordomo@mpgn.com with the line 'unsubscribe runequest-rules' as the body of the message. ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 09 Mar 1998 18:14:10 -0500 From: Brian Kondalski Subject: [RQ-RULES] Stat Training What sort of cap do people put on stat training other than the 1/2 the original stat rule? Does it cap at the maximum that a person can roll on the dice plus the number of dice (ala RQ2)? Or if a person has a trainable stat of 18 at character start, can he train in up 9 points to 27? Brian - -- Brian Kondalski auxilium inc. b.kondalski@infoengine.com Quondo Omni Flunkus Mortati *************************************************************************** To unsubscribe from this list send mail to majordomo@mpgn.com with the line 'unsubscribe runequest-rules' as the body of the message. ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 9 Mar 1998 20:12:11 EST From: JULIAKIR Subject: Re: [RQ-RULES] Stat Training In a message dated 98-03-09 18:28:13 EST, you write: << What sort of cap do people put on stat training other than the 1/2 the original stat rule? >> I think the rule stipulate that you can not train a stat higher than racial maximum. Leon *************************************************************************** To unsubscribe from this list send mail to majordomo@mpgn.com with the line 'unsubscribe runequest-rules' as the body of the message. ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 9 Mar 1998 20:19:43 EST From: Kennjewlz Subject: [RQ-RULES] Damage,round three! Well hell,I clarify my point,only to miss another basic feature of the Rules; Stan pointing out to me the fact that you dont start to lose skill % to Ftg until all positive Ftg is gone: Stan>In RQ3, a character with 30 Fatigue will take no penalty from fatigue use while their fatigue is positive. Every point their fatigue goes negative is a -1% to all rolls for any skill or check of any kind. When they go to -1 x Fatigue, they are dazed and incapacitated (like an injury), they fall down, and can take no physical action until they recover back into action range. No Con roll or heroic action. What can I say?I guess that I should really have the Rules with me when I'm discussing them So no CON rolls or heroic action? Wow...It seems a little heavy-handed not allowing the possibility of even attempting the ol' CONx1% "Hero" roll... Most of the entries under the "Damage Equal to or in Excess of Hit Points" section allow for a CONx1 roll to remain effective. Even the info (on pg44) on"Damage Equal to or in Excess of Hit Points"in a character's Head allows for the "Hero" roll to remain effective(if only til the next round,though)... Unless of course you're assuming that the game effects of incapacitation are the same as those cited when "Damage Equals or Exceeds Double Location HitPoints" for the Head,Chest,or Abdomen (with no rolls or heroic action allowed);in which case unconsciousness is most-decidely the only option available to the truly fatigued. Now ME,I scratched-out that pesky little reference to "unconsciousness" in the "Results of Fatigue Loss" section(pg45),as I find it hard to believe a person'd consistently keel-over unconscious from Fatigue loss,only to be completely recovered again in "X" minutes (Oh,don't mind Tharg there.He's just having one of his "spells" again) sounds more like narcolepsy or something;POW!He's out!POW!He's back! Phooey! *************************************************************************** To unsubscribe from this list send mail to majordomo@mpgn.com with the line 'unsubscribe runequest-rules' as the body of the message. ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 9 Mar 1998 20:25:15 EST From: JULIAKIR Subject: Re: [RQ-RULES] Fetch / Allied Spirit / Magic Spirit In a message dated 98-03-09 18:29:16 EST, you write: << How are other people handling the use of fetches, allied spirits, and magic spirits? Are they able to cast spells on their own without being given orders by the person who controls them? Does the person who controls them have to take time (strike ranks) in the round to order them to cast spells? How do they target spells if they cast them? >> You are talking talking about three totally different things. Fetches are a part of the shaman, and therefore are capable of "reading" his mind. They can cast spells on the shaman by themselves and can target others if the shaman can see them. Allied spirits are their own beings with close ties to the priest or rune lord. They will act on their own initiative or will follow mental commands of the priest. This will not cost the person any SR. Magic spirits are in effect slaves to the person controling them and therefore will only act then directed to do so. Depending on how detailed these instructions are you will them assing SR as penalty. Note this this may still be 0 SR if instruction is are that simple, or detailed before hand. I play them as machine like in their carring out of these instructions. I have always played that spirits can target their spells by targeting the POW of the person with an interesting side note that enough spirit block or spirit screen will make a person invisible to a spirit and therefore not targetable. Leon K. *************************************************************************** To unsubscribe from this list send mail to majordomo@mpgn.com with the line 'unsubscribe runequest-rules' as the body of the message. ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 09 Mar 1998 20:53:50 -0600 From: Pete Newalllis Subject: Re: [RQ-RULES] Fetch / Allied Spirit / Magic Spirit Brian: >How are other people handling the use of fetches, allied spirits, and >magic spirits? Are they able to cast spells on their own without being >given orders by the person who controls them? Does the person who >controls them have to take time (strike ranks) in the round to order >them to cast spells? How do they target spells if they cast them? Most GMs I played with (any rule system) have NPCs that they let the players control for them. They may or may not preempt them if they don't like what they see. The player makes all the decisions on combat, magic, actions. Usually we are talking a leader and his followers. For three or so RQ games I've been in have treated spirit allies that way. They usually have their own round of actions and GMs have let them operate on their own in the case of allied spirits if the PC is out of it. Generally, they are mindlinked to the PC so they can target what the PC can. If they are in a body or weapon they may be more or less limited depending on the GM. Also depends on whether the spell is touch or ranged. Controlled spirits are just that. They can't do stuff on their own, but we have played ordering them doesn't take any rounds. Pete *************************************************************************** To unsubscribe from this list send mail to majordomo@mpgn.com with the line 'unsubscribe runequest-rules' as the body of the message. ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 09 Mar 1998 23:26:25 -0500 From: Tal Meta Subject: Re: [RQ-RULES] Fetch / Allied Spirit / Magic Spirit, Stat Training Brian Kondalski wrote: > > How are other people handling the use of fetches, allied spirits, > and magic spirits? Are they able to cast spells on their own > without being given orders by the person who controls them? Does > the person who controls them have to take time (strike ranks) in > the round to order them to cast spells? How do they target spells > if they cast them? Well, I've always ruled that a bound spirit is generally going to have to be told what to do (even if it amounts to "keep disrupting THAT person until you run out of mp or he dies") and will have to manifest to affect anyone not in contact with it's binding object (making it subject to control/dominate spells from the enemy). I don't neccessarily use strike ranks anymore, but ordering a spirit is an action (like an attack would be). targetting is controlled by their manifesting... by appearing on the mundane plane, they can target (and be targetted) like anyone else. Brian Kondalski wrote: > > What sort of cap do people put on stat training other than the 1/2 > the original stat rule? Does it cap at the maximum that a person > can roll on the dice plus the number of dice (ala RQ2)? Or if a > person has a trainable stat of 18 at character start, can he train > in up 9 points to 27? I pretty much follow the racial max rules, i.e. you can train a 3d6 stat up to a mximum of 1.5x the original stat, or 21, whichever is lower. Training above the racial max is limited to either magic, or a 1% chance of success. So, while you COULD train an 18 stat to 27, it's take a hell of a lot of effort. probably simpler to get yourself enchanted... *************************************************************************** To unsubscribe from this list send mail to majordomo@mpgn.com with the line 'unsubscribe runequest-rules' as the body of the message. ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 10 Mar 1998 08:45:48 -0000 From: "Hibbs, Philip" Subject: RE: [RQ-RULES] Stat Training >What sort of cap do people put on stat training other than the 1/2 >the original stat rule? Does it cap at the maximum that a person >can roll on the dice plus the number of dice (ala RQ2)? Or if a >person has a trainable stat of 18 at character start, can he train >in up 9 points to 27? Max rollable, + number of dice, + 1 per +6 in the original roll, so a stat roll of 2d6+6 has the same maximum as 3d6. How about +1 per +4 in the original, so 1d6+12 has a higher maximum, or even +1 per +3. philip.hibbs@tnt.co.uk or phibbs@compuserve.com http://ourworld.compuserve.com/homepages/phibbs +--------------+ | Philip Hibbs +---------------------------------------------+ | What immortal hand or eye dare frame thy perfect symmetry? | +------------------------------------------------------------+ *************************************************************************** To unsubscribe from this list send mail to majordomo@mpgn.com with the line 'unsubscribe runequest-rules' as the body of the message. ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 10 Mar 1998 11:11:27 +0000 From: CWARD@srv0.bio.ed.ac.uk Subject: [RQ-RULES] RQ4 damage &HP Hi All, Tal Meta posts the putative RQ4 weapon ststs Some of this looks ok, but some weapons have a very low roll eg. 1d4 for 1H-javelin seems too little. Perhaps they should just be treated as short spears with fewer AP. I also have to agree with everyone who complained about the relatively inflated levels of fist/kick etc damage. Overall though, I think increasing HP is a better solution than revising weapon damage. As suggested CON and SIZ could simply be added for HP without dividing by 2. Alternatively, if this is too big a change how about CON + 1/2SIZ ? Or simply figure as before and add a base number say 5 or 10 to get HP, this would reduce the range of values between PC/NPCs compared to a doubling of HP. - -------------- *THE JAGS ARE SAVED!!* - and ther was much dancing in the streets and taverns of Maryhill. - -------------- *************************************************************************** To unsubscribe from this list send mail to majordomo@mpgn.com with the line 'unsubscribe runequest-rules' as the body of the message. ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 10 Mar 1998 11:23:59 +0000 From: CWARD@srv0.bio.ed.ac.uk Subject: [RQ-RULES] Praxian missiles How do people hancle Praxian oddities such as boomerangs and bolas ? I guess 1d6 (for RQ3 not RQ4) for boomerangs ( based on absolutely no RW knowledge). Can war boomerands curve around obsticles ? Or can they be thrown past a foe to hit them from behind ? I imagine boomerangs to be particularly useful for breaking the legs of Praxian animals, allowing the Ostrich clan braves to close with javelins. I also suspect boomerangs should have a longer range than javelins etc. For bolas, do they only entangle on a special hit to head/body, but on a normal hih to a limb ? There be a chance of hitting and entangling more than one limb 50%, perhaps? Also do they do damage in addition to entangling ? (I think there is a Sherlock Holmes story where a victim is mysteriosly throttled and bashed in the head using bolas). Why do the secured-money lenders of Pavis traditionally hang them outside their premises in lieu of a sign ? - -------------- *THE JAGS ARE SAVED!!* - and ther was much dancing in the streets and taverns of Maryhill. - -------------- *************************************************************************** To unsubscribe from this list send mail to majordomo@mpgn.com with the line 'unsubscribe runequest-rules' as the body of the message. ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 10 Mar 1998 07:16:03 -0500 From: "Choinski, Burt" Subject: RE: [RQ-RULES] Stat Training Brian Kondalski [SMTP:b.kondalski@infoengine.com] || What sort of cap do people put on stat training other than the 1/2 the || original stat rule? Does it cap at the maximum that a person can roll So far I've been using Stat+50%, or Stat+5, whichever is higher, limited to max roll+# of dice (racial max). -- Burton - --------------------------------------------------------- Burton Choinski, Peritus Software Services Inc. bchoinski@peritus.com *************************************************************************** To unsubscribe from this list send mail to majordomo@mpgn.com with the line 'unsubscribe runequest-rules' as the body of the message. ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 10 Mar 1998 11:42:26 -0500 From: stancliff@commnections.com Subject: [RQ-RULES] Fetch / Allied Spirit / Magic Spirit RU>How are other people handling the use of fetches, allied spirits, and RU>magic spirits? Are they able to cast spells on their own without being RU>given orders by the person who controls them? Does the person who RU>controls them have to take time (strike ranks) in the round to order RU>them to cast spells? How do they target spells if they cast them? A very interesting topic. These have to be dealt with separately, A fetch is part of the shaman on the spirit plane, it is much like a ghost, but is tied to the shaman's body. It is autonomous, with unlimited range mindlink to the shaman so they can talk freely, share all known spells (including Int spirits), personal MP's, and the abilities of spirits held by the fetch. In the spirit plane it can cast spells on itself, the shaman, or on spirits it controls. While on the spirit plane 'with' the shaman it adds it's MP's to the shaman's for spell and spirit defense. In my game, the fetch can throw Visibility to appear as a ghost around the shaman. It can then fight any and all ghosts that try to attack the shaman so that he is not distracted, but their MP's no longer add together. It can also throw targeted spells when visible since it can see the physical plane. I have recently added that Discorporation frees the fetch portion of the shaman to wander the spirit and physical planes instead of the flesh portion. This makes the fetch/shaman combination much more powerful, since the fetch fights spirit encounters, exorcises possessions, and speaks for the shaman in the spirit world. I only allow the shaman to roll Pow gains, though the check can come from the fetch or shaman. An allied spirit can be either an awakened animal or a ghost that voluntarily returns to help the cult. The ghost will either possess an animal or inhabit an object (usually sacred to the cult) with no ghost bind needed. It is autonomous, with unlimited range mindlink to the cultist so they can talk freely, share all known spells (including Int spirits), and personal MP's. If an animal ally is killed the spirit is usually lost, although the referee may allow it to be summoned back as a ghost (as above). The referee must decide for their campaign whether an ally can be permanently lost while the cultist is faithful. An animal ally casts spells like a person while an object ally can only cast spells on someone touching the object unless they have a Second Sight. The ally gets an independent Pow check for it's actions. A special ability of all allied spirits that is not mentioned for fetches or familiars is the ability to attempt an Int x 3 roll each round to cast a spell through the cultist's eyes, this can be at anything the cultist can see. This is not limited by the range from the cultist. In my game I allow object allies to leave the object during combat and attack as a ghost. This must be temporary unless it agrees to become an animal ally. A familiar is just like an animal ally (see above) with only a 10km range and the restriction that it started with the Int of the original creature. No matter what substance the familiar's body is composed of, it will have (or should be given) some means of perceiving it's surroundings (the rules are vague here). I have seen published material such as 'Strangers in Prax' where the adept and familiar can access Pow sources on the other's body. I am not sure this is legal under MindLink, but it is a nice touch. If it applies here, it must also apply to cultists with allies. All other spirits must be placed into a binding enchantment of the proper type. They are not autonomous and must be given commands before they will take an action. The natural abilities of Pow spirits and Int spirits are instant and need no command. The magic of the bind enforces a coercion of the spirit to make it obey. You can even command the spirit to leave the bind to perform it's action, but it will not come back unless a control, command, or dominate is cast before the spirit is commanded. A spirit in a bind must have Second Sight to target spells, but if released, a ghost may become visible at will and target spells or enter spirit combat. Most spirits are hostile, they will try to return to the spirit plane by rigorously enforcing the wording of the command, looking for a way to escape. Some magic spirits and ghosts, especially ancestors, will be neutral or even friendly. A neutral spirit will obey commands, but not protect your interests. A friendly spirit (uncommon) will work to help you, they can be given general or vague commands without problem, and might even act in your interest if aware of a problem not covered by the command. A friendly spirit must still have a bind, but they will enter it freely (This is a personal interpretation). In my game, we require at least 3 SR to command a bound spirit. We allow the spirit to be taught command phrases that act as commands for specific sequences of actions. If you want a complex command that isn't in this list, then it may take a while to send the visualization needed. A MindSpeak or better is needed to give spoken commands. I play that magic spirits are souls ready to be (re)born, they have no personality or memory, while ghosts are souls that have already lived a life and have knowledge, spells, and skills left over from their past. The logical conclusion is that magic spirit and ghost binds are identical and interchangable. Daka Fal prefers that you only bind magic spirits and ancestors, because if you bind someone else's ancestor, there is an obligation on the decendent to free it. I also say that animal spirits (those with fixed Int) become Pow spirits after death (refer to RQ2 'Ball of Tails'). Most of this is scattered through the rules, and since I am working from memory I may have made mistakes. I tried to distinguish rules from house rules and it turned out much longer than I thought. Bob Stancliff to: INT:runequest-rules@mpgn.com cc: INT:lackey@gator.net INT:afn50803@afn.org Toobear *************************************************************************** To unsubscribe from this list send mail to majordomo@mpgn.com with the line 'unsubscribe runequest-rules' as the body of the message. ------------------------------ End of RuneQuest-Rules-Digest V1 #34 ************************************ *************************************************************************** To unsubscribe from this list send mail to majordomo@mpgn.com with the line 'unsubscribe runequest-rules' as the body of the message. RuneQuest is a Trademark of Avalon Hill Games. With the exception of previously copyrighted material, unless specified otherwise all text in this digest is copyright by the author or authors, with rights granted to copy for personal use, to excerpt in reviews and replies, and to archive unchanged for electronic retrieval.