Super High Levels

From: Lewis Jardine <jardine_at_rmcs.cranfield.ac.uk>
Date: Fri, 05 Jun 1998 11:09:17 +0100

Julian Lord <julian.lord_at_hol.fr> wrote:
>
> Peter Metcalfe replying to Richard Develyn
> > >Elder Secrets says that a diamond X dwarf has 9 skills at 2000% !!!

This was only chosen because it automatically means that they will critical (95%). In practice the Glorantha the game mechanic of levels of mastery is much better suited to this kind of thing. Even BODGERS can simulate this with skills of 200%+ --> 20. Basically, these numbers are only a product of RQ meeting its limits.

> > >Seems a bit excessive to me -
> > >are such skill levels always possible?
> > >A diamond iron dwarf could murder everything in Dorastor,
> > >couldn't it?

Extremely unlikely, its down to magic at that level anyway...
> >
> > They are possible but they are not guarantees of invincibility.
> > Even humans can defeat an iron diamond dwarf although this requires
> > ample preparation and dirty tactics.
>
> Basically agree with you, Peter, except that RQ breaks down at skill
> levels that high, unless you tweak it. If you do tweak it so that iron
> diamond dwarfs are accurately simulated, then they are *quite*
> defeatable by other SuperRuneQuest types, *especially* in Dorastor.
>
> IMHQ 2000% is maximum mortal skill level, but Gods, Superheroes
> and Heroes on Quest with Huge Support can go up to 10.000%.
> (theoretically, that is. I've NEVER played that high,
> nor do I expect to ...)

Irrelevant, why worry about numbers when the game system is already out the window. RQ is Good to 100% and OK to 200% and completely meaningless above it (in much the same way that Pendragon(Pass) is).  

> A more practical maximum campaign level for a tweaked version of RQ
> HeroQuesting is probably about 800%, roughly equivalent to AD&D 8th
> level ... (aaargh he's mentiond TOG !!! )

I think not, 8th level AD&D (pting!) is still very mundane, not even rune level. AD&D (pting!) has priests starting at 9th level... I would think that you are out by an order of magnitude. Both systems work best at 50 to 90%/ 5th to 9th level.

> Again, I've never played that high, so could be v. wrong ...

I have both in RQ (up to 200%) and AD&D (up to 20th level) and both systems were at their limits (but still fun in a slightly silly manner).
>
> In non-tweaked or otherwise-tweaked RQ, iron diamond dwarfs are
> defeated by numbers, luck, planning, and/or brains, as Peter
> quite rightly suggests.
>

Obviously, its the standard way to take out "superior" opponents.

Cheers

        Lewis

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