From: owner-runequest-rules@ (RuneQuest Rules Digest) To: runequest-rules-digest@lists.MPGN.COM Subject: RuneQuest Rules Digest V2 #24 Reply-To: runequest-rules@mpgn.com Sender: owner-runequest-rules@ Errors-To: owner-runequest-rules@ Precedence: bulk RuneQuest Rules Digest Tuesday, February 2 1999 Volume 02 : Number 024 RuneQuest is a trademark of Hasbro/Avalon Hill Games. All Rights Reserved. TABLE OF CONTENTS Re: [RQ-RULES] RQ Web Consortium [RQ-RULES] Ghosts and Warding Re: [RQ-RULES] Command Cult Spirit Re: [RQ-RULES] Ghosts and Warding Re: [RQ-RULES] RQ Web Consortium Re: [RQ-RULES] RQ Web Consortium Re: [RQ-RULES] RQ Web Consortium RE: [RQ-RULES] Ghosts and Warding [RQ-RULES] Warding [RQ-RULES] TalQuest Sorcery Arts 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: Tue, 2 Feb 1999 14:32:51 +0100 From: "Terje Tollisen" Subject: Re: [RQ-RULES] RQ Web Consortium > I think it might run into trademark problems with runequest.org. How about runequestfans.org , runequestplayers.org or something similar? - -Terje Tollisen "Never underestimate the bandwidth of a station wagon full of tapes hurtling down the highway." -Tanenbaum ********************* Terje Tollisen Kjelsaasveien 99 0491 OSLO Norway ********************* *************************************************************************** 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, 02 Feb 1999 13:51:36 +0000 From: Simon Hibbs Subject: [RQ-RULES] Ghosts and Warding Philip H. : >>The exception to this is lunar army magicians. They probably >>won't bother with much defensive magic themselves as much, >>prefering to learn group defense spells such as Warding to >>increase the effectiveness of the troops. >Warding is not known for its portability. But it's dead usefull for defending fortifications, camps, regimental headquarters, magical or long range missile 'firebases' and important captured prisoners. Simon Hibbs *************************************************************************** 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, 2 Feb 1999 14:11:58 GMT From: "N.J. EFFINGHAM" Subject: Re: [RQ-RULES] Command Cult Spirit > But the enchantment sections states that Command, Control, and Dominate > ALWAYS are successful when cast on a spirit already in a bind, as long as > the caster is permitted to use the bind and can see it... contact is not > required, and priesthood is not required. Yes, this is fine IMO. My problem was with player characters being able to, unconstrained by the rules, summoning ENORMOUS spirits and binding them for their own nefarious and Game destroying purposes. I think that a PC can easily cast a Command style spell without problem on a creature in a Bind. After all, your players can't get the ENORMOUS spirit there in the first place (well, not at low level gaming at least) and if you don't want your players to use them, then don't leave hige sylphs, power spirits, wraiths etc...lying around, so your PCs can't get hold of them. Certainly don't let them buy them. Two other points, one is that Command Cult Spirit does not work, according to the rules, like a normal Command spell. It can only be cast at the end of a Summoning ritual. Secondly, I don't think an enchantment should be able to be used without contact unless it is an area effect enchantment. Nikk *************************************************************************** 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, 2 Feb 1999 12:23:14 EST From: IssariesGT@aol.com Subject: Re: [RQ-RULES] Ghosts and Warding In a message dated 2/2/99 9:04:37 AM Eastern Standard Time, simonh@msi-uk.com writes: << But it's dead usefull for defending fortifications, camps, regimental headquarters, magical or long range missile 'firebases' and important captured prisoners. >> warding has been used in wagons and other "mobile" forms of transport. kes *************************************************************************** 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, 02 Feb 1999 18:31:27 GMT From: mikec@room3b.demon.co.uk (Michael Cule) Subject: Re: [RQ-RULES] RQ Web Consortium In message <017DD95F5D17D21189FF0008C728E3053A256C@TNT_SERVER_25> "Hibbs, Philip" writes: > Has anyone else had proposals from Simon Goodchild about setting up a > RuneQuest web consortium? He suggests pooling together to buy > www.runequest.org, or some such, and setting up mail accounts, etcetera. I > think it might run into trademark problems with runequest.org. > Yes. I've just sent him a rather snooty reply. Dunno why I should want to pay for the privilige of seeing my stuff on his site... - -- Michael Cule Actor And Genius AKA Theophilus Prince Archbishop Of The Far Isles Medieval Society Arms Purpure An Open Book Proper: On the Dexter Page an Alpha Or On the Sinister an Omega Or. Motto Nulla Spes Sit in Resistendo (Resistance is Useless). Ask me about the Far Isles: Better Living through Pan-Medieval Anachronisms. *************************************************************************** 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, 2 Feb 1999 10:21:08 -0500 From: "Bob Stancliff" Subject: Re: [RQ-RULES] RQ Web Consortium > Has anyone else had proposals from Simon Goodchild about setting up a > RuneQuest web consortium? He suggests pooling together to buy > www.runequest.org, or some such, and setting up mail accounts, etcetera. I > think it might run into trademark problems with runequest.org. > philip.hibbs@tnt.co.uk News to me. If you abbreviate it like RQuest, it would be recognized, but not trademarked or copy written, or you could also use a variant like RuneFans. What would be the purpose of this consortium? Also, www is annoying and unnecessary, I would try to drop it. 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: Tue, 02 Feb 1999 16:00:22 -0500 From: Tal Meta Subject: Re: [RQ-RULES] RQ Web Consortium Hibbs, Philip wrote: > > Has anyone else had proposals from Simon Goodchild about setting up a > RuneQuest web consortium? He suggests pooling together to buy > www.runequest.org, or some such, and setting up mail accounts, etcetera. I > think it might run into trademark problems with runequest.org. Haven't heard a thing. I;ve heard plenty of offers to buy such tings in the past, but honestly, it's not a thing I'd want in any case. I have enough email accounts as it is! - -- talmeta@bellatlantic.net - Heretic & Dilettante ICQ - 12594453 AIM - talmeta1 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: Tue, 2 Feb 1999 23:06:28 -0000 From: "Phil Hibbs" Subject: RE: [RQ-RULES] Ghosts and Warding Kes: >warding has been used in wagons and other "mobile" forms of transport This is pushing the rules to the absolute limit, and IMO beyond it. While the spell description does not clearly state that the sticks must be driven into the ground, it implies it heavily by saying that the warding extends into the "underground to the depth of the prop stakes", and also says "If the caster pulls up the stakes ...". Allowing it to be done on a wagon, ship, or flying carpet is clearly beyond the intention of the spell. Phil. *************************************************************************** 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, 2 Feb 1999 20:01:47 -0500 From: "Jim Bickmeyer" Subject: [RQ-RULES] Warding Philip Hibbs, >Warding is not known for its portability. Why not? Yes it is most often placed to protect a holy site, by why can't it be mobile? Does it have to encompass an area? The spell "will enclose up to 81 square meters." That does not have to be square. It could be a very long, narrow rectangle. Perhaps held by the front men of a disciplined battalion. Now you have quick and dirty protection/offensive spell for the front ranks. Jim Bickmeyer *************************************************************************** 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, 02 Feb 1999 22:19:18 -0500 From: Tal Meta Subject: [RQ-RULES] TalQuest Sorcery Arts What follows are the Arts of sorcery, as adapted for my house campaign. The bulk of these are based on Sandy Petersen's sorcery system (and conatain almost word for word his original descriptions), but others are either my own interpretations, or Arts borrowed from other sources, some of whom are probably on this list . Lack of attribution does not equal lack of appreciation, it's simple absent-mindedness on my part. Sorry. :) ARTS The Arts of sorcery are used in casting spells. Remember that the user cannot have more levels of Arts in a spell than his skill divided by 10. For instance, if a sorcerer's Treat Wounds was 72, he could use up to 8 Art levels (normally costing 8 MPs). Ability to use the Arts is not innate, and must be acquired. The exact method varies with the College of Magic involved. Ten Arts are normally recognized: Accuracy, Ease, Intensity, Hold, Maintain, Minimize, Multispell, Permanence, Range, and Speed. The arts of Intensity, Maintain, Multispell, and Range are considered to be the "basic" arts. The other arts, those of Ease, Hold, Permanence, Speed, etc., are considered "secondary" arts. Sometimes the distinction is important. Other Arts are known; often these are closely guarded secrets of the school or faith that created them. ACQUIRING ARTS Non-Theists: The Arts are Magic skills with a base chance of 0%. They are acquired by research, training, and experience. When the sorcerer masters an Art (obtains a skill in excess of 100%), he can henceforth use it automatically. Until then, his spells are limited by his skill in the Arts as well as his skill in the spells (i.e., his chance of casting a spell is equal to the lowest skill being used, including all applicable Arts). Theists: The sorcerer's god is the source of Arts. Once a year, on the High Holy Day, the sorcerer's god can be invoked to gain an Art. ART BOOSTING A sorcerer can boost the levels of Art he can cast his spells by two means. Ceremony: Each additional round (or hour in the case of ritual spells) spent using Ceremony increases the user's Art levels by up to twice his normal spells skill or Ceremony skill, whichever is lower. [Example: Fred Parker knows Project Sight at 55%, and Ceremony at 40%. He has the option of spending 4 additional rounds casting the spell, increasing the art levels he could use from 6 to 10.] "Burn" Casting: By overextending himself, a sorcerer can improve the number of Art levels he can use with a spell by sacrificing his actual casting chance by 10%. However, by doing this, he places himself at additional risk. A roll between his normal skill and his reduced skill is now treated as a fumble, and a fumble based on his reduced skill causes general hit point damage equal to the total magic points in the spell {Example: Fred Parker knows Evoke Lightning at 91%. He is being rushed by three large euroz, and doesn't have the time to use any Ceremony. He elects to push his skill by 5, reducing his actual success roll to 41%, but giving him five additional levels of spell to play with. He elects to use Intensity 10, Multispell 3, Speed 2, getting the spell off in 11 strike ranks, potentially disabling all three eurozs. If he rolls over 41%, all the magic points in the spell are lost, and he must roll on the Sorcery Spell Fumble Table, just as in a "normal" fumble. Should he roll doubles (44, 55, etc,) he'd instantly lose not only the magic points, but 15 hit points as well as making a roll on the Fumble Table. Accuracy This Art improves the accuracy of certain attack spells, by allowing the caster to "target" certain portions of the body. Each MP of Accuracy in a spell allows the caster to alter the hit location roll by one point. For example, if an Intensity 5, Range 2 Accuracy 5 Evoke Lightning were cast against an approaching foe, and the caster rolled a 15 for the location struck, the 5 points of Accuracy in the spell would allow the caster to strike any hit location between 10 - 20. Alchemy This Art requires a stable, physical medium which will be used to "hold" the spell in question. Potions, powders, and salves are common mediums. The levels of Alchemy used determine the length of time the prepared medium remains viable according to the table below. (Obviously, levels of Alchemy less than 3-4 are mostly useless.) Unless the caster wishes to expend Presence to maintain the spell, Permanence must also be used. When the potion/powder/salve is applied to the user, the spell placed within it takes effect, bypassing all countermagic and resistance rolls and directly affects the target, no other rolls necessary. Alchemy Table Levels Delay Levels Delay 1 1 round 6 1 season 2 1 minute 7 1 year 3 1 hour 8 1 decade 4 1 day 9 1 century 5 1 week 10 eternity Banish This Art turns a normal spell into an "anti-spell", effectively allowing the sorcerer to cancel all of or part of another spell. For each level of Banish, 1 point of the defending spell is canceled. To use this Art, you must actually know the spell you wish to dispel, and must cast it with sufficient Range to reach your target., and as much Banish as you wish to use. Banish can be Multispelled to affect a number of defending spells. Example: Rokar the Rocker uses Damage Resist Banish 2 on a foe's Damage Resist Intensity 6. The foe's spell is reduced to Damage Resist Intensity 4. When a spell is Banished, the owner notices at once, and will even awaken if he sleeps. The Banish need not match it's level vs.. the Intensity of the spell it is canceling. Resist Magic is the only spell that gets to match it's Intensity vs.. the levels of Banish when attempting to knock down an opponent's spells. Condition This Art allows the caster to add target conditions to a non-ritual spell for an additional magic point cost. Each condition added costs 1 magic point. Example: Gustav casts Resist Magic 6, Condition 1, with the condition that healing spells are not resisted from any source. Ease This Art costs MPs to use like all the rest, but it is a bargain, because it actually lowers the final MPs used in the spell. Each MP of Ease lowers the spell's total MP cost by 2, and adds 1 extra SR to those needed to cast. You cannot reduce the total MPs in the spell to less than the MPs spent on Ease. This does not reduce the spell's effective MPs for purposes of dispelling or maintaining or impacting on defensive spells. [Example: Thraxon wants to Palsy an unsuspecting guard, but sees no reason it should cost him a fortune in MPs. He spends 2 on Range, 6 on Intensity, and 3 on Ease, for a total of 11. However, the 3 MPs spent on Ease return 6 MPs, so in the end he only spends 5. The spell will take 15 SRs (one for each MP originally placed in the spell, plus 1 more for each level of Ease).] Force Only usable when the sorcerer is casting an attack spell that matches the caster's MPs vs. the target's MPs, POW, etc. on the Resistance Table. For each MP in Force, the caster's chance of overcoming the target are raised by 5 percentiles. If the caster's chance is nominally less than 05%, it must be increased sufficiently to overcome this handicap. Illusion This Art simulates an intellect behind transient or illusion type spells. This permits a caster to shift his attention away from a transient spell without it expiring (it effectively becomes an active type spell). It also allows various Phantom Sense spells to react to stimuli without requiring the caster's whole attention (i.e. he could cause a Phantom Sight spell to react to an attack by dodging, etc.). You need as many levels of Illusion as the highest other Art in the spell. It's easier to give examples of how Illusion works than to explain it. Example 1: Traxwell casts Phantom Sound to create a voice that speaks out of thin air. With Illusion, he could set it up so that the voice only spoke when there was someone there to hear it, and would be able to respond to simple questions. Example 2: Secknort uses Illusion with a multispelled Smother, Phantom Sight and Phantom Scent spell to create an illusionary cloud of poison gas, and have the smother only activate when a victim is inside. Intensity * The effects of Intensity vary with the particular spell in question. Hold This lets you hold a sorcery spell ready to cast. When the spell is cast, instead of triggering, it pops onto the Otherworld, where it remains stable, ready to be released. Essentially, this gives you an "emergency" spell. The levels of Hold must equal the highest other Art in the spell. When released, the spell is cast at the caster's DEX SR. The spell is maintained only until the caster releases it. When Hold is used, the caster need not use any levels of Maintain with the spell, unless he intends to Maintain it once released. It takes the normal amount of Presence to Hold a spell as if the spell were being cast or Maintained normally. If the spell is not Instant, Presence and levels of Maintain are required to maintain it once cast. [Example: Thraxon decides to Hold a Hinder spell. He can put 5 total levels into Hinder, and uses Intensity 2 and Range 1. He'll also need Hold 2 (since Intensity, the highest Art used, is a 2).] Maintain * This skill is used to stabilize a spell so that it can be supported by the caster's Presence, and not be tied to the 10 minute duration of normal sorcery spells. If a caster wishes to Maintain a spell, he must use levels of Maintain equal to the highest other art used in the spell. Minimize This Art costs MPs to use like all the rest, but it is a bargain, because it actually reduces the effective size of the spell in question for purposes of calculating how much Presence it consumes. Each level of Minimize reduces the effective levels of manipulation by one, to a maximum reduction of half of the manipulation total of the other Arts used. This does not reduce the spell's effective MPs for purposes of dispelling or maintaining or impacting on defensive spells. Example: Trevalin decides to cast Resist Damage on himself. Using Ceremony, he can boost his 55% skill to 110%, allowing him to use 11 points of manipulation. Since he wants to Maintain this spell as well, he elects to use Intensity 4, Maintain 4, Minimize 3, which will cost 11 magic points but consume only 5 points of Presence. Multispell * This skill lets the user combine multiple spells within his Art, casting them all at the same time, and at the same or at different targets. Multispells can have identical MP levels for all skills used, or the user can voluntarily lower the levels for one or more spells selectively. Each MP in Multispell lets the user have one spell to the mix, or have one target who is struck by all the spells in the casting (note: this means you can't use less than 2 MPs in Multispell -- a 1 MP Multispell only gives you 1 spell, or 1 target, which is worthless). The maximum MPs for the casting is figured by the lowest skill of all spells involved. If a mage knows Call Fire at 60 and Animate Fire at 80, and decides to Multispell the two (to create a fire already under control), he can only use 6 MPs total, because his Call skill of 60/10 = 6. Since he needs 2 MPs of Multispell to cast both the spells at once, this means he can have no more than Intensity 4. However, every single spell in the Multispell gets to "share" the MPs! So that the spell would be both Called for Intensity 4, and Animated for Intensity 4, for the same 6 MP cost! The chance to successfully cast a Multispell is equal to the lowest skill involved. If attack spells are combined, the defender needs only one resistance roll. If he fails, all the spells take effect (otherwise, all fail). If the various spells have different chances to overcome the target, use only the lowest chance among them to determine success or failure for all. If the Multispell is boosted to break through magic defenses, each individual spell must be boosted separately. [Example: Thraxon the wizard Multispells Diminish SIZ, Diminish STR, and Shapechange Human, planning to turn a barbarian into a bunny rabbit. He uses Intensity 8, and must use Multispell 3 (because 3 spells are involved). The total cost is 11 MPs, and the target ends up with -8 STR, - -8 SIZ, and sufficient Shapechange Intensity to affect a human up to SIZ 16. If Thraxon included 8 levels of Hold, he could keep the effect readied for a total of 19 MPs spent. Of course, he would need at least 181% skill in all the spells involved to do this. Or, if he specialized as a Transformer, then he would only need 91% skill, which is a bit more reasonable. (See sorcerous Specialty rules, following the Arts).] When Thraxon casts the spell, he only rolls to overcome his foe's MPs once. If the target's SIZ is 17 or more, then the entire spell automatically fails, because the 100% certainty of the Shapechange spell's failing is the "lowest chance" among the spells involved. [Example: Cybex the sorcerer casts a multispelled Palsy at a trio of bandits. He uses Intensity 5 and Range 2, far enough to hit 'em all. He uses 3 levels of Multispell, to cast a total of 3 Palsies. Fortunately, his skill in Palsy more than sufficient for the 10 Art levels he uses (and only 10 MPs are spent).] For the purposes of dispelling, Multispelled spells are considered to be ONE spell. If a sorcerer is maintaining a Multispelled Resist Damage/Castback/Resist Spirits Intensity 6 Multispell 3 on himself, successfully dispelling his Resist Damage knocks down the other two spells in the mix as well. Permanence This skill lets a temporal spell become permanent, so that it no longer counts against the sorcerer's Presence. To do this, the MPs in Permanence must be equal to the highest other Art used in the spell. In addition, the caster must dedicate a number of POW equal to the points of Permanence in the spell. These points of POW can come from any source, either the sorcerer himself, his familiar, or the target he is casting the spell upon (the target, if unwilling, gets to match his POW vs. those of the sorcerer to reject the spell). The spell can still be dispelled, and the POW source powering the spell only regenerates magic points up to the value of their current POW minus the POW dedicated to maintaining the spell. When a Permanent spell is cast, the magician can boost it with extra MPs (above and beyond his normal Art or Presence maximum). These extra MPs are added to the Permanent spell's Intensity for the purpose of resisting anti-magic spells only. [Example: Cybex decides to boost his Strength. His skill in Boost STR is 75, so he can use up to 8 Art levels. He uses Permanence 4, to match the Intensity 4, then dedicates 4 POW to the spell. Now his strength is at +2 and will remain there until the spell is dispelled, no longer taking up any Presence. At the same time he casts the spell, he boosts it with an additional 12 MPs. Now, to dispel this magic, an enemy caster must overcome a defending MP total of 12+4 = 16. However, Cybex's normal POW of 18 now only regenerates 14 magic points per day. ] Range * Without the use of Range, a ranged spell can be cast up to 10m away. Each level of Range doubles this. A spell can be maintained via Presence at any range -- this skill is only used when a spell is first cast. Of course, the caster must be able to see or otherwise pinpoint the target no matter how far away it is. For this reason, ranges past 9-10 are rarely useful. Reinforce Renders a temporal spell more resistant to dispelling. Each MP in Reinforce gives the spell 2 additional pseudo- Intensities vs.. dispel attempts. Reversal This Art allows the caster to reverse the effects of those spells that have a reversed form, without the necessity of learning the reversed form seperately. The levels of Reversal must equal the highest other Art used in the spell. Speed This lets you cast a spell in less time. Each level of Speed reduces the SRs needed to cast the spell by 1 (to a minimum of 1). (The Speed MPs do not count in figuring casting time.) [Example: Cybex is casting a Multispelled Palsy at his enemies (see previous example). The spell costs him Intensity 5 + Range 2 + Multispell 2 = 9 MPs, so it takes 9 SRs plus his DEX SR of 3 for a total of 12 SRs. Hence, it will go off on SR 2 of the next round. Because the bandits are charging quickly, he chooses to also use Speed, spending 2 extra MPs to reduce the casting time from 12 SRs to 10, letting it go off on SR 10 of this round. Now the spell costs 11 MPs instead of 9.] Time This art affects the spell it is cast on by delaying the time it takes effect. The spell is cast normally. If it successfully overcomes any resistance rolls, countermagic, etc., it then does not "go off" until a certain time later, depending on the number of Time levels used. When the spell is cast, the user states exactly when the spell will take effect, at any time up to or including the delay he has ensorcelled. For instance, with 3 levels of Time, he could name any delay up to an hour. When the spell finally takes effect, it bypasses all countermagic and resistance rolls and directly affects the target, no other rolls necessary. Time Table Levels Delay Levels Delay 1 1 round 6 1 season 2 1 minute 7 1 year 3 1 hour 8 1 decade 4 1 day 9 1 century 5 1 week 10 eternity - -- talmeta@bellatlantic.net - Heretic & Dilettante ICQ - 12594453 AIM - talmeta1 Homepage - *************************************************************************** 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 V2 #24 ************************************ *************************************************************************** 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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