From: owner-runequest-rules@ (RuneQuest Rules Digest) To: runequest-rules-digest@lists.MPGN.COM Subject: RuneQuest Rules Digest V1 #169 Reply-To: runequest-rules@mpgn.com Sender: owner-runequest-rules@ Errors-To: owner-runequest-rules@ Precedence: bulk RuneQuest Rules Digest Friday, October 9 1998 Volume 01 : Number 169 RuneQuest is a trademark of Hasbro/Avalon Hill Games. All Rights Reserved. TABLE OF CONTENTS [RQ-RULES] Re: RQ Worlds [RQ-RULES] Re: RuneQuest Rules Digest V1 #167 Re: [RQ-RULES] Dorastor survey: long [RQ-RULES] Conditional enchantments [RQ-RULES] Controlling Gnomes Re: [RQ-RULES] Re: RQ Worlds Re: [RQ-RULES] Flexible Sorcery Re: [RQ-RULES] The future of RQ [RQ-RULES] Re: The Future. . . Re: [RQ-RULES] RuneQuest Re: [RQ-RULES] Dorastor survey: long [RQ-RULES] Huge targets [RQ-RULES] Oops ! [RQ-RULES] Damn ! Re: [RQ-RULES] Re: RQ Worlds Re: [RQ-RULES] Re: RuneQuest Rules Digest V1 #167 Re: [RQ-RULES] Dorastor survey: long 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: Thu, 8 Oct 1998 19:37:17 EDT From: Delecti@aol.com Subject: [RQ-RULES] Re: RQ Worlds Tal writes: <> I do not think SJG has of yet, but I do agree, that would be the best world to develop, and you could always still get Glorantha/RQ stuff from magazines (i.e. Tradetalk). I have Steven's email address somewhere. Delecti, Lord of the Upland Marsh aka Scott Knowles RL, USA Coordinator for The Chaos Society Delecti@aol.com ChaosSociety@iname.com http://members.aol.com/Glorantha/chaossoc.html "I have got to get me one of these!" - - -- Capt. Steven Hiller (Will Smith), Independence Day Speaking of that , reserve your copy of "Tentacles" and Tradetalk #4 today! *************************************************************************** To unsubscribe from this list send mail to majordomo@mpgn.com with the line 'unsubscribe runequest-rules' as the body of the message. ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 8 Oct 1998 20:31:52 -0400 From: Brad Furst Subject: [RQ-RULES] Re: RuneQuest Rules Digest V1 #167 I wrote: >> I counted the frequency of spirit/battle magic spells listed for the >> characters and creatures and encounters in the Dorastor book. I was >> interested to note: >> Anyone who had any spirit magic always had some healing. At 12:09 PM 10/8/98 -0400, Nikk Effingham wrote: >Wouldn't you? I have only very rarely seen anyone in a RQ game >actually have any need for natural healing rules. Unless you play an >RQIII Western campaign where the only healing magic is Treat Wounds. Indeed, I would choose that. However, Greg and Sandy repeat and emphasize that Glorantha does _not_ have so much magical healing as portrayed ever by the RQ game system. That is my surprise: that an official Glorantha publication is so much at odds with what the authors say. Brad Furst esoteric@teleport.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: Thu, 8 Oct 1998 20:42:03 -0400 From: Brad Furst Subject: Re: [RQ-RULES] Dorastor survey: long I wrote: >Subject: Re: [RQ-RULES] Dorastor survey: long At 07:14 PM 10/8/98 -0400, Bob Stancliff wrote: >I can't believe you added that all up and typed it in. I immediately sent >it to the printer. The printer: my plan exactly. Thank you. It should fit on just two pages. I suspect some mail programs or some lower resolution machines might not display the tabular columns correctly. My original is on a spreadsheet file in case anyone [privately, off-list] wants a copy. I've also done the RQ2 _RuneMasters_ book. My degree is in statistics. I have other strange collections like the exact probabilities of the distribution of the sum of the best-three-out-of-four D6. Brad Furst esoteric@teleport.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: Thu, 8 Oct 1998 21:55:08 -0400 From: Brad Furst Subject: [RQ-RULES] Conditional enchantments So remind me about conditional enchantments. Is this simply a superb way to aid the adversaries without risking player-character inflation [by acquiring such good magic items after the inevitable defeat of the enemies]? The PCs can't subsequently distort the [conditional] enchanments to include themselves, can they? And also remind me about enchantments [without conditions] by the player-characters. Is there more than the Adversary who usurps Control of the bound spirit in the PC's ring? What other ways might we [ the GMs] pester the PC's unconditional enchantments? Brad Furst esoteric@teleport.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: Thu, 8 Oct 1998 21:58:10 -0400 From: Brad Furst Subject: [RQ-RULES] Controlling Gnomes Does the underground location of a gnome really alter the use of Controlling Gnomes. Dirk or rock is said to be difficult for magic [e.g. control] to penetrate. Travelling gnomes leave a trail of overturned (ploughed?) dirt. Does this imply that gnomes are only used at or very near the surface? Brad Furst esoteric@teleport.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: Thu, 08 Oct 1998 21:04:03 -0400 From: Tal Meta Subject: Re: [RQ-RULES] Re: RQ Worlds Delecti@aol.com wrote: > > I do not think SJG has of yet, but I do agree, that would be the best world to > develop, and you could always still get Glorantha/RQ stuff from magazines > (i.e. Tradetalk). I have Steven's email address somewhere. So do I. I introduced my wife to his novels while she was sitting around the house after the baby, and she found his website and previews of the next novel due, etc. - -- talmeta@bellatlantic.net - I *am* one of the Chosen Few! ICQ - 12594453 AIM - talmeta1 TANJ Lives! - Alternate Homepage - *************************************************************************** To unsubscribe from this list send mail to majordomo@mpgn.com with the line 'unsubscribe runequest-rules' as the body of the message. ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 08 Oct 1998 21:42:23 -0400 From: Tal Meta Subject: Re: [RQ-RULES] Flexible Sorcery Bob Stancliff wrote: > > In the rules, many sorcery spells affect variable types, Dominate > for example. You could have the student learn the spell one way and then, > with advancement, allow them to redefine the at casting. This > should be very hard for an apprentice, and difficult for an Adept, but > would add a lot of variation without learning new spells. This is a > powerful rule change, use with care. I've actually been half-considering doing something along the lines of allowing the various Dominate spells operate in line with the Animate spells (in Sandy's Sorcery). Thus you could have Dominate Mammal, that would work against any mammal, but would be less effective than Dominate Squirrel or Horse. Conversely, Dominate My Dog Spot would be much more effective than Dominate Dog. - -- talmeta@bellatlantic.net - I *am* one of the Chosen Few! ICQ - 12594453 AIM - talmeta1 TANJ Lives! - Alternate Homepage - *************************************************************************** To unsubscribe from this list send mail to majordomo@mpgn.com with the line 'unsubscribe runequest-rules' as the body of the message. ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 08 Oct 1998 21:10:51 -0400 From: Tal Meta Subject: Re: [RQ-RULES] The future of RQ Michael Cule wrote: > > As I understand it the NAME RuneQuest is what Avalon Hill owned at the end and > what Hasbro presumably has rights to. > > The games system is still owned by Chaosium. Who would have to be insane to > allow a re-issue of RQ (even de-Gloranthised RQ) when HW is about to be > launched. That's an interesting angle, I'll admit. Maybe I'll run the question past one of the former AvHill guys. - -- talmeta@bellatlantic.net - I *am* one of the Chosen Few! ICQ - 12594453 AIM - talmeta1 TANJ Lives! - Alternate Homepage - *************************************************************************** To unsubscribe from this list send mail to majordomo@mpgn.com with the line 'unsubscribe runequest-rules' as the body of the message. ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 8 Oct 1998 21:20:30 -0500 (CDT) From: Kevin Rose Subject: [RQ-RULES] Re: The Future. . . bjm10@cornell.edu wrote >Finally: Stop blaming AH for RQ's problems. They got RQ3 directly from Chaosium and had to publish it "as is"--all the RQ3 rules you hate are straight from Chaosium, AH had no input at all. They were not permitted to publish *any* Glorantha products without Chaosium's approval--indeed, the agreement was that all Glorantha development had to go through Chaosium, and Chaosium simply dropped the ball.< Well, the original contract called for them to release a minumum of four products per year. At least, that was Chaosium's view. AH said it meant at most four per year. And apparently the contract was poorly enough written that it could have meant either. I think Chaosium learned why lawyers are sometimes highy useful. . . Kevin *************************************************************************** To unsubscribe from this list send mail to majordomo@mpgn.com with the line 'unsubscribe runequest-rules' as the body of the message. ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 08 Oct 1998 21:17:41 -0400 From: Tal Meta Subject: Re: [RQ-RULES] RuneQuest Rich Allen wrote: > > Of course, this same group of characters have also run into most of the > Black Company and Vlad Taltos at one point or other in this extended campaign. > What can I say... good writing always some influence my RPGs! Heh. You should see my current DM's gameworld; Elminster brushes elbows with both Gandalf and Mordenkainen (which annoys me, but that's not my point). Hmm. Come to think of it, my own homebrew is just as bad; Amber is only 3 days by sail from the coast of Dragaera... - -- talmeta@bellatlantic.net - I *am* one of the Chosen Few! ICQ - 12594453 AIM - talmeta1 TANJ Lives! - Alternate Homepage - *************************************************************************** To unsubscribe from this list send mail to majordomo@mpgn.com with the line 'unsubscribe runequest-rules' as the body of the message. ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 08 Oct 1998 21:50:10 -0500 From: styopa@iname.com Subject: Re: [RQ-RULES] Dorastor survey: long >Wouldn't you? I have only very rarely seen anyone in a RQ game >actually have any need for natural healing rules. Unless you play an >RQIII Western campaign where the only healing magic is Treat Wounds. >Eurgh. Humakti with the "No magical healing" geas. We actually had 2 of the three Humakti take it. - -Steve (styopa@iname.com) or at work (Steve@necadon.com) http://surf.to/styopa *************************************************************************** To unsubscribe from this list send mail to majordomo@mpgn.com with the line 'unsubscribe runequest-rules' as the body of the message. ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 9 Oct 1998 09:39:05 +0200 From: Alain.RAMEAU@total.com (Alain RAMEAU) Subject: [RQ-RULES] Huge targets >One of my players argued for the bonus as follows: > The Dragon is so big that it has massive scales. >The Scales have joins/gaps between them. >As the dragon is massive, these gaps are also massive. >The hacker is hitting the gaps and penetrating the flesh with ease. If the gap is so big, the character's two handed great sword must be considered as a toothpick for damage purpose ! I know that the use of SIZE in the calculation of HP try to take into account this huge size aspect and reduced damages. But I am not sure it is really proportional ! What about a -1 point of damages for weapons (before calculation of special/critical effects) against huge target, for each 10SIZ above 20 ? Alain. http://www.btinternet.com/~karamo/rqgb.htm *************************************************************************** To unsubscribe from this list send mail to majordomo@mpgn.com with the line 'unsubscribe runequest-rules' as the body of the message. ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 9 Oct 1998 12:46:39 +0100 From: Chris Ward Subject: [RQ-RULES] Oops ! Hi Simon, Please disregard my last message. I just reread your original post and note that postage is £5. I'll send payment off in the next couple of days. - - Cheers, Chris. *************************************************************************** To unsubscribe from this list send mail to majordomo@mpgn.com with the line 'unsubscribe runequest-rules' as the body of the message. ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 9 Oct 1998 12:47:58 +0100 From: Chris Ward Subject: [RQ-RULES] Damn ! Sorry folks, I just sent a message to the list that should have gone elsewhere :-( - - Chris *************************************************************************** To unsubscribe from this list send mail to majordomo@mpgn.com with the line 'unsubscribe runequest-rules' as the body of the message. ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 9 Oct 1998 09:03:19 -0400 From: "Bob Stancliff" Subject: Re: [RQ-RULES] Re: RQ Worlds > Tal writes: > < hasn't snapped it up already, I'd propably try and get Steven Brust's Dragaera > as the "official" gameworld, for a variety of reasons, but the most important > one would have to be that nobody else has it yet. :).>> > > Delecti, Lord of the Upland Marsh > I do not think SJG has of yet, but I do agree, that would be the best world to > develop, and you could always still get Glorantha/RQ stuff from magazines > (i.e. Tradetalk). I have Steven's email address somewhere. > For any RuneQuest aficionado, it is still an issue of the BRP system used in RQ2 and RQ3, whether it can be modified or developed for, and whether Chaosium will aid or hinder. I don't mind changing the name... if I can use the BRP. I don't care what world it is written for... if I can run Glorantha. I don't care (in general) if 'Hero Wars' is a hit or flop, I will still buy one. Bob Stancliff (stanclif@ufl.edu) http:\\commnections.com\upgrades *************************************************************************** To unsubscribe from this list send mail to majordomo@mpgn.com with the line 'unsubscribe runequest-rules' as the body of the message. ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 9 Oct 1998 09:37:21 -0400 From: "Bob Stancliff" Subject: Re: [RQ-RULES] Re: RuneQuest Rules Digest V1 #167 > Indeed, I would choose that. > However, Greg and Sandy repeat and emphasize that Glorantha does _not_ have > so much magical healing as portrayed by the RQ game system. That is my > surprise: that an official Glorantha publication is so much at odds with > what the authors say. > Brad Furst You can look through any Chaosium module for RQ and see rules violations or cultural gaffs. The modules were moderately playtested, but they have always lacked good continuity proofreading. You can even find characters occasionally written with forbidden spells... the authors didn't get out their books when they designed the NPC's. If I could make a living at it I would gladly do this kind of proofreading (there just isn't enough material). The Dorastor book talks about the Telmori shamen of the Nangtali plateau summoning spirits just to get spirit combat checks to raise their power. I briefly tried this in my campaign because it was in the official material and the players were getting POW checks every 1 - 1.5 weeks. I had to keep adding restrictions to make them fair fights for the spirits. When a Shaman does it, there is only a chance for failure if the 10% chance for a monster spirit happens... the shamen should not have been able to get POW checks. In regards to healing, your post reminded me that healing, while rather available in the game, is not available to every cult (less than a third actually). It was almost certainly wrong for so many NPC's to have it unless they are all from this small group of cults that teach it or have a good shaman around. The cultural balancing point is that 95% of the people in the RQ world are poor and cannot buy spells so they have to wait for their priest to give them a point now and then. Those people will never have much magic and will not have more than Heal 1, so in a broad, sweeping sense, the game does support the design intent... it just breaks down around the right and successful. Bob Stancliff (stanclif@ufl.edu) http:\\commnections.com\upgrades *************************************************************************** To unsubscribe from this list send mail to majordomo@mpgn.com with the line 'unsubscribe runequest-rules' as the body of the message. ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 9 Oct 1998 09:40:54 -0400 From: "Bob Stancliff" Subject: Re: [RQ-RULES] Dorastor survey: long > My degree is in statistics. I have other strange collections like the exact > probabilities of the distribution of the sum of the best-three-out-of-four D6. > Brad Furst On rare occasions I have done things like that also... I carry a list of the 3d6 probabilities in my gaming notebook (done by hand). I work as a database Programmer/Analyst and have a Math degree. Bob Stancliff (stanclif@ufl.edu) http:\\commnections.com\upgrades *************************************************************************** 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 #169 ************************************* *************************************************************************** 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 Hasbro/Avalon Hill Games. 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