From: owner-runequest-rules@ (RuneQuest Rules Digest) To: runequest-rules-digest@lists.MPGN.COM Subject: RuneQuest Rules Digest V2 #80 Reply-To: runequest-rules@mpgn.com Sender: owner-runequest-rules@ Errors-To: owner-runequest-rules@ Precedence: bulk RuneQuest Rules Digest Monday, May 3 1999 Volume 02 : Number 080 RuneQuest is a trademark of Hasbro/Avalon Hill Games. All Rights Reserved. TABLE OF CONTENTS Re: [RQ-RULES] Sorcery Spells Re: [RQ-RULES] Machine Life (sheens) - Walkers Re: [RQ-RULES] Machine Life (sheens) - Walkers [RQ-RULES] Machine Life (sheens) - Drifters Re: [RQ-RULES] Sorcery Spells [RQ-RULES] Re: RQ4 Draft [RQ-RULES] Simon's players are goobs. [RQ-RULES] RE: RuneQuest Rules Digest V2 #79 Re: [RQ-RULES] Spirit Magic 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: Sun, 02 May 1999 23:27:28 -0400 From: Tal Meta Subject: Re: [RQ-RULES] Sorcery Spells Leon Kirshtein wrote: > > I have been looking over several AD&D modules as source for adventures for > my game and ran across some spells which I think can be useful for RQ. This > is my version of these spells. Comments are welcomed This reminds me... I was going to try and convert some of the more famous 'named' spells over to sorcery, like the Bigby's Hand series, etc. Admittedly, I'd likely have to create some heretical 2-3 point sorcery spells (for memorization purposes, leastwise) to make them recognizeable at a reasonable casting skill... - -- talmeta@cybercomm.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: Sun, 02 May 1999 23:30:16 -0400 From: Tal Meta Subject: Re: [RQ-RULES] Machine Life (sheens) - Walkers Leon Kirshtein wrote: > > This is my version of the sheens described in the article by Bruce R. > Cordell in Dragon #258 as converted into RQ. See article for further > details. You do realize that "Bruce Cordell" is not a real person, but a "house pseudonym" that various staff members use when they want to put some distance between themselves and a product? :) - -- talmeta@cybercomm.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: Sun, 02 May 1999 21:10:12 PDT From: "Leon Kirshtein" Subject: Re: [RQ-RULES] Machine Life (sheens) - Walkers >You do realize that "Bruce Cordell" is not a real person, but a "house >pseudonym" that various staff members use when they want to put some >distance between themselves and a product? :) It does not matter to me as long as I do not get into trouble for taking credit for other peoples work. Leon Kirshtein _______________________________________________________________ Get Free Email and Do More On The Web. Visit http://www.msn.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: Sun, 02 May 1999 21:21:47 PDT From: "Leon Kirshtein" Subject: [RQ-RULES] Machine Life (sheens) - Drifters Machine "Healing" All forms of machine life possess self-repair subroutines. Thus, a machine left for dead might eventually repair itself. Sheens effect internal repairs at a rate of 1d4 hp per twenty-four hours. Moreover, sheens continue to effect repairs even when brought below 0 hps. Self-repair subroutines are scrambled if a sheen is brought below -10 hps, at which time it is truly "dead." Drifters A drifter's body is composed mostly of a lumpy metallic ovoid 4 feet long and 3 feet broad. Three metal limbs, called sampler arms, hang from the bottom of the shiny egg. Drifters can signal a machine cyst when potential organic intruders trespass. Drifter STR 3d6 MV: 4 Hit On Armor HP CON 4d6 HP: 12 Body 01 - 14 4(1d6) .40 SIZ 2d6 + 3 SArm 15 - 16 4(1d6) .25 INT 2d6 SArm 17 - 18 4(1d6) .25 POW - SArm 19 - 20 4(1d6) .25 DEX 3d6 CHARGE 15 WEAPONS SR ATT DAMAGE PAR AP Sampler Arm 1A 6 50% 1d6 45% 7 Sampler Arm 2A 6 50% 1d6 45% 7 Sampler Arm 3A 6 50% 1d6 45% 7 Electric Discharge* +2d4 Flitter STR 3d6 MV: 4 Hit On Armor HP CON 1d6 + 12 HP: 12 Body 01 - 16 4(1d6) .40 SIZ 1d6 + 3 SArm 17 - 20 4(1d6) .25 INT 2d6 POW - DEX 2d6 + 12 CHARGE 15 WEAPONS SR ATT DAMAGE PAR AP Sampler Arm SA 6 50% 1d6 45% 7 Electric Bolt 2 DEX x5 3d4 Electric Discharge* +2d4 Unlike walkers, drifters can replenish their energy stores through exposure to the sun, at a rate of 1d3 pt per hour. Electric Bolt - Flitters can build up an electrical charge in their forward sensor array. Unlike other sheens, the flitter can project an excess electrical charge at any target within 30 feet. This discharge cost a flitter 1d6 points of CHARGE. Electric Discharge - Drifters store electrical energy in their outer carapace. A drifter can release this energy as a powerful electrical shock. This will do additional 2d4 points of electrical damage on its next hit. An attacker striking a drifter with a metallic weapon while the drifter contains an excess charge will also suffer this damage to the attacking limb. This discharge cost a drifter 1d6 points of CHARGE. Defensive Field - Drifters automatically generate a physical protective field. Though generally invisible, the field acts in a way similar to an Intensity 1d6 Damage Resistance spell, with armor protecting first. Magic Susceptibility - All forms of machine life are unsuited to resist magic, but their lack of POW makes them immune to all spells requiring a Resistance Roll Vs POW. Spells that do physical damage inflict +1 damage per die of magical damage delivered. Note: Certain spells that normally require a Resistance Roll if cast on a living being will work automatically on a sheen. Example: a Crack spell will automatically destroy a sheen with out roll. _______________________________________________________________ Get Free Email and Do More On The Web. Visit http://www.msn.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, 03 May 1999 08:36:37 +0200 From: Julian Lord Subject: Re: [RQ-RULES] Sorcery Spells Tal Meta : > I was going to try and convert some of the more > famous 'named' spells over to sorcery, like the Bigby's Hand series, > etc. Admittedly, I'd likely have to create some heretical 2-3 point > sorcery spells (for memorization purposes, leastwise) to make them > recognizeable at a reasonable casting skill... That ain't heresy; it's common sense that some spells be more difficult than others! Spells which combine effects _should_ IMO be more difficult, ie have more points. For a 4-point sorcery spell, you'd need at least 31% skill (or special success) just to cast it properly, and 41% if you wanted to manipulate it. (In Sandy's sorcery, of course ... ) What's heretical about that? ;-) *************************************************************************** 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, 3 May 1999 12:05:58 EDT From: Delecti@aol.com Subject: [RQ-RULES] Re: RQ4 Draft There is one linked from our site in the RQ section Delecti, Lord of the Upland Marsh aka Scott Knowles RL, USA Coordinator for The Chaos Society AIM Delecti ICQ 18471458 Delecti@aol.com http://members.aol.com/Glorantha/chaossoc.html "I've always said you can get more with a kind word and a two-by-four than with a kind word alone." - -- Marcus Cole, Babylon 5 *************************************************************************** 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, 3 May 1999 12:45:50 -0400 (EDT) From: bjm10@cornell.edu Subject: [RQ-RULES] Simon's players are goobs. Okay, I've run technothriller-type games in systems that have "hit points". But none of the players come to the conclusion that the characters believe that such a thing as a "hit point" exists as an actual quantifiable physical thingie. However, I also admit that, when I run RQ, MP recovery is continual, not all at once. That is, characters get back 1/86,400 their max MP back every second, rounded down to the whole MP merely for simplifying the bookkeeping. Let me put it another way: Are your players also of the opinion that "fatigue points" exist in OUR world? The "test" is just as valid, and VERY simple: Set up a barbell with minimal weight, say 40 pounds (20kilos, roughly--VERY roughly). Okay, now, have them do bench presses until they can't lift the bar off their own chests. Each person will have a different point of exhaustion. This will be quantifiable and relatively repeatable, within statistical variation. However, do WE think that "fatigue points" exist in our world? Only the truly stupid among us would do so. *************************************************************************** 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, 3 May 1999 13:12:38 -0400 From: "Weihe, David" Subject: [RQ-RULES] RE: RuneQuest Rules Digest V2 #79 This message is in MIME format. Since your mail reader does not understand this format, some or all of this message may not be legible. - ------_=_NextPart_001_01BE9588.2586DFC0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" > From: simonh@msi-uk.com (Simon Hibbs) > [players] believed that there is such a thing as a Magic Point > in Glorantha. Gloranthans know that they have a limited > store of magic. They know that they can learn variable spells > at different power levels and that there is a unitary minimum > power level for each spell. This is not actually supposed to be the case, however. Supposedly, as one uses particular magics one becomes more effective or efficient at them. For example, Humakti Bladesharps would be more powerful for the same level of magical oomph (to avoid the term Power) than those cast by Orlanthi, let alone those cast by non-combatants. I.e., a Humakti using 4 MP might get the results of RQ Bladesharp 6 or 8, while an Orlanthi would get just the usual Bladesharp 4, and a Lhankhor Mhy sage investigating weapons magic might get only the equivalent of Bladsharp 1. The usual Humakti-with-Healing-6 might have to spend an entire days' power to use it, while a CA priestess could do it for only a couple points, etc. This could be simulated in RQ by assuming that people get and keep various powered crystals that aid their "favorite" powers, and sell those that are of less professional interest (frex, only very greedy Humakti would bother with crystals that detect gems), but might require that characters have and use several at the same time, or combine them more easily. This breaks the current crystal rules that treat powered crystals as atomic, allowing just one attuned at a time, but they never seemed fundamental to me, anyway. The alternative involves too much paperwork, as each spell would have to be assigned different points for different characters. Alternately, treat everything like sorcery, but allow +100% to lower the power needed. Both remind me too much of C&S, which I gave up with joy when I started RuneQuest. - ------_=_NextPart_001_01BE9588.2586DFC0 Content-Type: text/html; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable RE: RuneQuest Rules Digest V2 #79

> From: simonh@msi-uk.com (Simon Hibbs)
> [players] believed that there is such a thing as a Magic = Point
> in Glorantha.  Gloranthans = know that they have a limited
> store of magic. They know that they can learn = variable spells
> at different power levels and that there is a = unitary minimum
> power level for each spell.

This is not actually supposed to be = the case, however. Supposedly,
as one uses particular magics one = becomes more effective or
efficient at them.  For example, = Humakti Bladesharps would be
more powerful for the same level of = magical oomph (to avoid the
term Power) than those cast by = Orlanthi, let alone those cast by
non-combatants.  I.e., a Humakti = using 4 MP might get the results
of RQ Bladesharp 6 or 8, while an = Orlanthi would get just the usual
Bladesharp 4, and a Lhankhor Mhy sage = investigating weapons
magic might get only the equivalent = of Bladsharp 1.  The usual
Humakti-with-Healing-6 might have to = spend an entire days' power
to use it, while a CA priestess could = do it for only a couple points, etc.

This could be simulated in RQ by = assuming that people get and keep
various powered crystals that aid = their "favorite" powers, and sell
those that are of less professional = interest (frex, only very greedy
Humakti would bother with crystals = that detect gems), but might
require that characters have and use = several at the same time, or
combine them more easily.  This = breaks the current crystal rules
that treat powered crystals as = atomic, allowing just one attuned
at a time, but they never seemed = fundamental to me, anyway.

The alternative involves too much = paperwork, as each spell would have
to be assigned different points for = different characters.  Alternately,
treat everything like sorcery, but = allow +100% to lower the power
needed.  Both remind me too much = of C&S, which I gave up with
joy when I started RuneQuest.

- ------_=_NextPart_001_01BE9588.2586DFC0-- *************************************************************************** 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, 03 May 1999 20:15:45 +0200 From: Julian Lord Subject: Re: [RQ-RULES] Spirit Magic David Weihe:
 Supposedly,
as one uses particular magics one becomes more effective or
efficient at them.  For example, Humakti Bladesharps would be
more powerful for the same level of magical oomph (to avoid the
term Power) than those cast by Orlanthi, let alone those cast by
non-combatants.  I.e., a Humakti using 4 MP might get the results
of RQ Bladesharp 6 or 8, while an Orlanthi would get just the usual
Bladesharp 4, and a Lhankhor Mhy sage investigating weapons
magic might get only the equivalent of Bladsharp 1.  The usual
Humakti-with-Healing-6 might have to spend an entire days' power
to use it, while a CA priestess could do it for only a couple points, etc.
Cool, and I like it;
    but complicated ...
The alternative involves too much paperwork, as each spell would have
to be assigned different points for different characters.
No more paperwork than for sorcery;
(which isn't *necessarily* good advertising copy ... ;-)

I myself favour (but don't use, ... yet ... ) a system whereby
*each spell, or shaman ability, gets a *X% multiplier (of POW),
instead of the straight POW*5% of RQ3.
I don't see it as being very easy to increase any X-number
(meditations, spirit journeys, heroquests,
Amazing Success, etc.. can do the trick ... ).

Bigger spells, and those opposed to your cult have smaller X;
    ...    and vice-versa.

Medecine Bundles, Spirit Helpers, Holy Swords and whatnot
give bonuses, of course ... *************************************************************************** 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 #80 ************************************ *************************************************************************** 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. 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.