From: owner-runequest-rules@lists.ient.com (RuneQuest Rules Digest) To: runequest-rules-digest@lists.ient.com Subject: RuneQuest Rules Digest V3 #102 Reply-To: runequest-rules@lists.ient.com Sender: owner-runequest-rules@lists.ient.com Errors-To: owner-runequest-rules@lists.ient.com Precedence: bulk RuneQuest Rules Digest Thursday, October 19 2000 Volume 03 : Number 102 RuneQuest is a trademark of Hasbro/Avalon Hill Games. All Rights Reserved. TABLE OF CONTENTS Re: [RQ-RULES] Visibility [RQ-RULES] Visibility [RQ-RULES] Re: Visibility Re: [RQ-RULES] Visibility [RQ-RULES] Magical Unsubscribing [RQ-RULES] some questions . . Re: [RQ-RULES] some questions . . Re: [RQ-RULES] some questions . . Re: [RQ-RULES] some questions . . RE: [RQ-RULES] some questions . . RE: [RQ-RULES] some questions . . 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, 17 Oct 2000 12:03:51 +0300 (EEST) From: Olli Kantola Subject: Re: [RQ-RULES] Visibility On Mon, 16 Oct 2000 SPerrin@aol.com wrote: > So you are saying that the Visibilized shaman can cast spells but can't > physically attack? Since the shaman cannot attack with spells if he is not > Visible, we have to assume that Visibility adds something more than just a > visual component to the situation. Visibility more or less "anchors" the > spirit to a spot and makes it part of the "real" world. > Therefore, it is reasonable to assume that the same stuff that anchors > the image can affect it in other ways. Magical spells cast at it, like > Disruption, work. So it is not a jump to assume that magical enchantments on > weapons would also work. The question is: how do they work? What does Bladesharp do? Bludgeon? Fireblade? Does Bladesharp just make your sword very sharp and well balanced or does the "magic" do extra damage and guide the blade? Since it is spirit magic I think that the "spell spirit" goes to your weapon making it sharp and deadly. The "spirit-stuff" of the spirit might be damaging to the discorporated shaman. Maybe its anger hurts the shaman. I don't think that Fireblade should be any stronger that Bladesharp III on this matter because it's the fire that damages mundane opponent's, but in the spirit plane, only the power of the spirit matters. Sorcerous spells on the other hand tend to boost the sharpness of the weapon etc., so I don't think that damage boosting spells are of any use (boost skill works). When the "spirit magic" is gained from a god, then the situation is tricky! You'd have to judge each god seperately. I think that Humakts Bladesharp could do the trick, but the blade flickering with lightning (blessed by Orlanth) would not. As you propably noticed I am thinking this from the Glorantha point of view. Now I can't answer questions about the metaphysics of your own world and that's just what this is; a metaphysical question. The rules really can't provide you answers on this. (Maybe you game in Glorantha, but I just said this to be sure.) Olli Kantola *************************************************************************** To unsubscribe from this list send mail to majordomo@lists.ient.com with the line 'unsubscribe runequest-rules' as the body of the message. ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 17 Oct 2000 06:14:31 -0700 From: "Simon Hibbs" Subject: [RQ-RULES] Visibility Steve Perrin : >So you are saying that the Visibilized shaman can cast spells but can't >physically attack? Since the shaman cannot attack with spells if he is not >Visible, we have to assume that Visibility adds something more than just a >visual component to the situation. Visibility more or less "anchors" the >spirit to a spot and makes it part of the "real" world. I don't se why we have to assume this. The disembodies spirits, such as ghosts, encountered in many RQ scenarios are not affected by physical weapons, so why should spirits with Visibility cast on them? In any case, spirits do not have Hit Points. > Therefore, it is reasonable to assume that the same stuff that anchors >the image can affect it in other ways. Magical spells cast at it, like >Disruption, work. So it is not a jump to assume that magical enchantments on >weapons would also work. The question is: how do they work? Magic spells such as Demoralise, Fear, etc could work, but what is a Disruption spell going to disrupt? Disembodies spirits by definition lack a body to damage. The physical body of a discorporate shaman might be several miles away from his incorporeal form. What do the terms discorporate, incorporeal and disembodied mean otherwise? I remember reading an article in Wyrms Footnotes discussing this issue in the early 80s. It disucssed an experiment where they allowed magic weapons to do damage to the Magic Points (actualy Battle Magic POW at the time), but it didn't work. Even just Bladesharp 3 doing 3 points of damage a round on a hit was far more effective than spirit combat, which made spirits far too easy to destroy. Simon Hibbs - ------------------------------------------------------------ - --== Sent via Deja.com http://www.deja.com/ ==-- Before you buy. *************************************************************************** To unsubscribe from this list send mail to majordomo@lists.ient.com with the line 'unsubscribe runequest-rules' as the body of the message. ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 17 Oct 2000 08:27:16 -0700 From: Brad Furst Subject: [RQ-RULES] Re: Visibility >>Date: Mon, 16 Oct 2000 14:00:05 EDT >>From: SPerrin@aol.com >>... Therefore, it is reasonable to assume that the same stuff that anchors >>the image can affect it in other ways. Magical spells cast at it, like >>Disruption, work.... >>Steve Perrin, who is still fussing over how spirits work... > >Indeed, and then how many Hit Points does the Visible spirit have, from >which the Disruption damage is to be subtracted? Brad Furst esoteric@teleport.com *************************************************************************** To unsubscribe from this list send mail to majordomo@lists.ient.com with the line 'unsubscribe runequest-rules' as the body of the message. ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 17 Oct 2000 11:51:53 EDT From: SPerrin@aol.com Subject: Re: [RQ-RULES] Visibility In a message dated 10/17/00 2:15:31 AM Pacific Daylight Time, nysalor@lyyra.kempele.fi writes: > > As you propably noticed I am thinking this from the Glorantha point of > view. Now I can't answer questions about the metaphysics of your own world > and that's just what this is; a metaphysical question. The rules really > can't provide you answers on this. (Maybe you game in Glorantha, but I > just said this to be sure.) > > As it happens, I don't use Glorantha, but I think your arguments are pretty pertinent on an omniuniversal basis. My spirit magic is called folk magic, but it still works off of the same basis, and I deal with storm gods and death gods too. I was dealing with the basic rules stuff of RuneQuest, and you were too, even if you were using Gloranthan references. The only difference I have with your discussion is that I think that sorcery uses the same forces as spirit magic, it just doesn't derive from the same source, so damage boosting would hurt a Visible spirit. Onward! Steve Perrin, who keeps mechanics the same, the special effects just differ... *************************************************************************** To unsubscribe from this list send mail to majordomo@lists.ient.com with the line 'unsubscribe runequest-rules' as the body of the message. ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 18 Oct 2000 06:33:24 -0400 From: Peter Maranci Subject: [RQ-RULES] Magical Unsubscribing Okay, can anyone tell me why my main account subscription was apparently discontinued after #98? It's lucky I also subscribe with my backup account, or I might have just thought we were in a slump. Here's a nasty Imbued magic item. *** The Boneblaster (unique, 17 POW) - Part I History: Created 19 years ago as an experiment by an extremely precocious young sage, who made it on a dare. Soon after the horn was stolen and used in battle, where its ghastly effects became manifest. The young sage (now a powerful Sage Lord) has spent the last 15 years trying to recover and destroy the Boneblaster. Description: A 30-cm horn of pale, almost translucent ivory, finished with gold and studded with red gems in a confusing pattern Powers: The horn emits a deep, muffled, tunneling blast which causes intense pain and damage to the bones of all within range. Each listener must resist with CON vs. POW 17 each round; otherwise the vibrations cause 1d3 hit points damage to each hit location for every round that resistance is failed. Even if successfully resisted, the Boneblaster reduces all Listen skills in its listeners by 10% every round. Armor does not protect from this damage, nor do spells with two exceptions: spells which protect against magic may resist a spell effect of POW 17. And Silence protects - each point of Silence acts as 1-point armor against damage, so that Silence 3 gives perfect protection. This is not commonly known, however. To blow the horn the user must overcome a STR of 18 for every round of use. Each round of blowing temporarily lowers the STR and CON of the user by 1d6 points each. If this reduction takes a characteristic to zero or below, the user collapses into unconsciousness. They take general physical damage equal to 1d6 + (total characteristic points below 0), and must roll their resultant hit points x 5 or die from shock. STR & CON recover at a rate of 1d3 points each per day with bed rest, 1 point per day with non-strenuous activity. Listen comes back at 10x that rate. Imbued: Detect Bone (1), Strength 4, Disruption (1) ->Peter - ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Peter Maranci peter@maranci.net Woonsocket, RI Pete's RQ Page! scenarios, sheets, more: http://www.maranci.net/rq.htm *************************************************************************** To unsubscribe from this list send mail to majordomo@lists.ient.com with the line 'unsubscribe runequest-rules' as the body of the message. ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 19 Oct 2000 15:04:29 +1100 From: "Jim & Peta Lawrie" Subject: [RQ-RULES] some questions . . A few questions : Is a ghost that has been ordered to possess someone via a control/command/dominate spell still under control after it has completed it's possession? What is materials are resistant to a gorps acid? Should skill bases change with culture, and if so, how would it be moderated? If Stiletto's and Rapiers do damage x 3 on a special, what other puncturing weapons should have this feature? (Pilums? Crossbow bolts?) Should all helmets be considered 'hard armour'? Apart from chain coifs, I can find few accounts of soft head armour anywhere apart from padding. I would assume the soft armour covers the neck though. Is a shortsword considered a 'shorter weapon' for closing purposes, than a broadsword, even though they have the same basic strike rank? (I suspect that this was a little inconsitency that crept in from the conversion from 12 SRs a round to 10 SRs) What happens if a Shamans fetch is possessed? What is Roman Lorica segmata the equivalent of, plate or lammellar? Final note, I'm joining the SCA! (I don't think they do ancient stuff though) Jim L *************************************************************************** To unsubscribe from this list send mail to majordomo@lists.ient.com with the line 'unsubscribe runequest-rules' as the body of the message. ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 19 Oct 2000 07:08:01 +0200 From: St=?ISO-8859-1?B?6Q==?=phane FRANCOIS Subject: Re: [RQ-RULES] some questions . . > Is a ghost that has been ordered to possess someone via a > control/command/dominate spell still under control after it has completed > it's possession? > > What is materials are resistant to a gorps acid? I think precious metals like gold or platinum are acid-proof, and also lead. Enchanted metals are also probably more resistant (we already know that enchanting them increase their mechanical resistance, so chemical resistance increase is also likely). In the "exotic" realm, Truestone is also probably acid-proof. Most gems are also likely to have a good resistance, and glass too. > Should skill bases change with culture, and if so, how would it be > moderated? > > If Stiletto's and Rapiers do damage x 3 on a special, what other > puncturing weapons should have this feature? (Pilums? Crossbow bolts?) > > Should all helmets be considered 'hard armour'? Apart from chain coifs, > I can find few accounts of soft head armour anywhere apart from padding. I > would assume the soft armour covers the neck though. > > Is a shortsword considered a 'shorter weapon' for closing purposes, than > a broadsword, even though they have the same basic strike rank? (I suspect > that this was a little inconsitency that crept in from the conversion from > 12 SRs a round to 10 SRs) > > What happens if a Shamans fetch is possessed? > > What is Roman Lorica segmata the equivalent of, plate or lammellar? I'd say lamellar. > Final note, I'm joining the SCA! (I don't think they do ancient stuff > though) > > Jim L *************************************************************************** To unsubscribe from this list send mail to majordomo@lists.ient.com with the line 'unsubscribe runequest-rules' as the body of the message. ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 19 Oct 2000 02:17:41 EDT From: SPerrin@aol.com Subject: Re: [RQ-RULES] some questions . . In a message dated 10/18/00 9:11:27 PM Pacific Daylight Time, jimpeta@primus.com.au writes: > A few questions : > > Is a ghost that has been ordered to possess someone via a > control/command/dominate spell still under control after it has completed > it's possession? > Yes, just as if it were under a normal dominate corporeal person spell, whatever that may be. > What is materials are resistant to a gorps acid? Gold, perhaps really hard gems like diamonds. > > Should skill bases change with culture, and if so, how would it be > moderated? Yes. That's the culture's creator (the GM by default) job. In short, for every skill base that is improved by a change in culture, another equally useful skill base should be penalized. > > If Stiletto's and Rapiers do damage x 3 on a special, what other > puncturing weapons should have this feature? (Pilums? Crossbow bolts?) Not something I do anything with any more. Any short thrusting weapon, I would think. > Should all helmets be considered 'hard armour'? Apart from chain coifs, > I can find few accounts of soft head armour anywhere apart from padding. I > would assume the soft armour covers the neck though. Right, all helmets are hard armour. However, different helmets have different degrees of AP, which is represented by calling them scale or chain mail or whatever. It just means that they are not as good a helmet as a plate helmet. > Is a shortsword considered a 'shorter weapon' for closing purposes, than > a broadsword, even though they have the same basic strike rank? (I suspect > that this was a little inconsitency that crept in from the conversion from > 12 SRs a round to 10 SRs) > As the inventor of Strike Ranks, I suggest you throw them away. But that's just me. If you are going to use them, use the RQ2 variety. Trying to make Strike Ranks action points and movement regulators never really worked. > What happens if a Shamans fetch is possessed? It's possessed. > > What is Roman Lorica segmata the equivalent of, plate or lammellar? > Lamellar > Final note, I'm joining the SCA! (I don't think they do ancient stuff > though) > > There have been any number of Spartans and Roman Centurions in the SCA at one time or another, especially in Caid and Atenveldt. They usually have some of the best looking armor, too. Steve Perrin, wearing his author hat and then doffing it for a helm... *************************************************************************** To unsubscribe from this list send mail to majordomo@lists.ient.com with the line 'unsubscribe runequest-rules' as the body of the message. ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 18 Oct 2000 23:47:15 -0700 From: "Trent Smith" Subject: Re: [RQ-RULES] some questions . . Good questions. I'll be interested to see whta kind of answers/discussions you'll get. There's only one I can speak to: > Should skill bases change with culture, and if so, how would it be > moderated? I dealt with this a few years back when I adapted 'Griffin Mountain' for my RQ3 campaign (in the original, Balazarings are given modified base percentages). What I decided was that culture should not affect skill bases, but that in certain cultures skills should begin training before age 15 (age 12 generally, but in some cases I could see going even younger than that). In general, the end result will be the same, but I like the feel of this method better -- extending the rules logically rather than piling on ad-hoc special cases. Trent *************************************************************************** To unsubscribe from this list send mail to majordomo@lists.ient.com with the line 'unsubscribe runequest-rules' as the body of the message. ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 19 Oct 2000 08:27:04 -0400 From: "Bob Stancliff" Subject: RE: [RQ-RULES] some questions . . >> What happens if a Shamans fetch is possessed? >It's possessed. A fetch is a spirit on the spirit plane so it can't be possessed, but it could be defeated and held by another spirit as long as that spirit was willing to stay beside the shaman on the spirit plane (since the fetch can't normally leave the shaman's body). If the spirit was a ghost it could also become visible and attack the shaman. In our game we play that discorporation allows the fetch to wander the spirit plane as the 'shaman' instead of them swapping places. Since fetches can get rather large I prefer the concept of shamans becoming great spirit powers over time. Bob Stancliff *************************************************************************** To unsubscribe from this list send mail to majordomo@lists.ient.com with the line 'unsubscribe runequest-rules' as the body of the message. ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 19 Oct 2000 08:56:05 -0400 From: "Bob Stancliff" Subject: RE: [RQ-RULES] some questions . . >> Should skill bases change with culture, and if so, how would it be >> moderated? The experience charts of RQ3 reflect the concept that the skills you know are determined by your lifestyle. This directly applies to base skills also, which should be the skills a child will commonly gain experience in within that culture. They should reflect the activities a child sees or does on a regular basis and should be much higher in several cases. Also training should definitely start by age twelve. "Genertela, crucible of the Hero Wars" shows regional variations and any of the non-human write-ups will have base skill adjustments also. A primitive is more likely to have survival skills and weapon familiarities based on spears and stone tools. A barbarian is more likely to have agricultural skills, more refined crafts, and sword and shield or other metal weapon familiarities. A civilized person will have a focused craft base from apprenticing and will only have small personal weapons or various farm tools as weapons. Of course, once the young adult joins a military organization they will gain the common armor and weapons of their organization. Another special case is the children of the rich. They have the luxury of being able to afford training from a very early age in the skills of the parent's choosing. In this case all skills start at 0 to 5% and many training programs can start by the age of 4. When writing children characters, most of the physical stats should be dropped proportionally to the age of the child and category modifiers should change with them. Children are very adept at 'game' skills: run, hide, throw, catch, dodge, climb, listen, etc, and should be much better at these skills than the rules allow. They should also have a set of skills taught by their parents for working around the house... based on parent's needs and occupations. Just my opinions, Bob Stancliff *************************************************************************** To unsubscribe from this list send mail to majordomo@lists.ient.com with the line 'unsubscribe runequest-rules' as the body of the message. ------------------------------ End of RuneQuest Rules Digest V3 #102 ************************************* *************************************************************************** To unsubscribe from this list send mail to majordomo@lists.ient.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.