Quote from: Ruprecht on November 03, 2022, 01:30:44 PM
I played in Harn and found RQ2 worked nicely even though it wasn't a bronze age setting. I loved the ship info from RQ3 but found most of the other changes just overcomplicated what was a nice streamlined game. One thing I didn't like about RQ is that everyone has magic but that was easy enough to change.

I guess there's not too much reason to think of Runequest as a Bronze Age system, other than tradition.  There is some Bronze Age inspiration in the cults I believe. Some of the weapons tables (RQ2) do have a good selection of axes, spears and even includes a sickle that fit that time well (Glorantha is of course different from real world Bronze Age) but also some other weapons that don't. I don't think the rapier in the table is supposed to be a Bronze Age rapier, more like a true 17th century-style rapier.

In case anyone may interested in getting their own copies, Chaosium is selling RQ2 products on their website.
https://www.chaosium.com/runequest-classic/

https://www.chaosium.com/runequest-classic-pdfs/

https://www.chaosium.com/glorantha-classics/

Note that the hardback RQ2 rules as well as the softback Borderlands and Beyond are in-stock items, and are consequently cheaper than the other items, which are POD.

Quote from: Trond on November 04, 2022, 12:17:29 AM

Quote from: Ruprecht on November 03, 2022, 01:30:44 PM
I played in Harn and found RQ2 worked nicely even though it wasn't a bronze age setting. I loved the ship info from RQ3 but found most of the other changes just overcomplicated what was a nice streamlined game. One thing I didn't like about RQ is that everyone has magic but that was easy enough to change.

I guess there's not too much reason to think of Runequest as a Bronze Age system, other than tradition.  There is some Bronze Age inspiration in the cults I believe. Some of the weapons tables (RQ2) do have a good selection of axes, spears and even includes a sickle that fit that time well (Glorantha is of course different from real world Bronze Age) but also some other weapons that don't. I don't think the rapier in the table is supposed to be a Bronze Age rapier, more like a true 17th century-style rapier.

Well, there is the whole section on iron (pp.61 - 62 of the RQ2 Classic book), wherein it's described as being somewhat magical, lighter and more durable than bronze (all useful traits in a world primarily using magic, and bronze weapons and armor).

Quote from: markmohrfield on November 04, 2022, 02:08:20 AM
In case anyone may interested in getting their own copies, Chaosium is selling RQ2 products on their website.
https://www.chaosium.com/runequest-classic/

https://www.chaosium.com/runequest-classic-pdfs/

https://www.chaosium.com/glorantha-classics/

Note that the hardback RQ2 rules as well as the softback Borderlands and Beyond are in-stock items, and are consequently cheaper than other items.

I have these, and they're quite good: reasonably priced and excellent production quality.

Quote from: rhialto on November 04, 2022, 05:12:47 AM
Well, there is the whole section on iron (pp.61 - 62 of the RQ2 Classic book), wherein it's described as being somewhat magical, lighter and more durable than bronze (all useful traits in a world primarily using magic, and bronze weapons and armor).

Yes iron for Rune Lords. I'd considered using the Iron Rules across the board but without everyone having magic it made it really hard to actually hurt someone in decent armor (which is probably accurate but less fun). My group back in high school had no idea how often iron or bronze weapons broke so we played as is and we all blissfully pretended it was all steel.

I just made a few characters according to the rules, but always assuming that the character can have an Apprenticeship (5 years of 4000 L worth of training per year). If I want to take my time this seems to be a fine way to create a RQ character, but I am not too fond of the slow skill-buying system with rising costs (though I see the logic).

Much faster and roughly equivalent in power seems to be this option I just made up: Roll the characteristics (stats) normally*, calculate the bonuses (I like how these are formulated), and then just give the character 220 percentage points to add to skills that player and GM feel matches the apprenticeship (max 75%, but no need to go by 5% increments). Levels in spells according to this system would be about 20 points. Also add social status, look up hit location points etc. The resulting character is not too far off from the above.

What do you think of this?

*Perhaps giving the choice of players picking the heroic 2D6+6 OR the safer but more average start with 8 in all and add 20 characteristic points. Both are from the Appendices. 

Quote from: Trond on November 05, 2022, 10:32:24 PM
What do you think of this?

I ran this game for years and I never used the Apprentiship rules. You'd roll the stats, canculate your bonuses, add that to the Basic chance for each skill and then start playing.

Because of the way the experience rules worked, the PCs would be nearing 50% in no time at all.

Quote from: hedgehobbit on November 05, 2022, 10:41:45 PM

Quote from: Trond on November 05, 2022, 10:32:24 PM
What do you think of this?

I ran this game for years and I never used the Apprentiship rules. You'd roll the stats, canculate your bonuses, add that to the Basic chance for each skill and then start playing.

Because of the way the experience rules worked, the PCs would be nearing 50% in no time at all.

Cool! I guess there is charm to building up from a very basic and inexperienced character. Is Apple Lane good for this sort of thing perhaps?

Quote from: Trond on November 05, 2022, 11:08:20 PM

Cool! I guess there is charm to building up from a very basic and inexperienced character. Is Apple Lane good for this sort of thing perhaps?

Yes, it is.  Having the characters defend an area that they are a given a chance to learn before defending it gives a lot of room for mistakes.  Of course, if the players don't take advantage of that, it won't help them.  But that's also educational.

Quote from: Trond on November 05, 2022, 10:32:24 PMWhat do you think of this?

Lots of other BRP variants use something like this: a pool of points assigned to a subset of the skill list, based on background/profession. I recall using it in RQ2 early on, but it has been quite a while since I've actually played default RQ2 (instead using it as the foundation for a more generic Fantasy Earth game, supplemented with house rules from RQ3). Stormbringer is the one I've played the most recently, and it uses the 2d6+6 for all attributes and a large pool of skill points (compared to RQ2).

Quote from: rhialto on November 06, 2022, 05:34:18 AM

Quote from: Trond on November 05, 2022, 10:32:24 PMWhat do you think of this?

Lots of other BRP variants use something like this: a pool of points assigned to a subset of the skill list, based on background/profession. I recall using it in RQ2 early on, but it has been quite a while since I've actually played default RQ2 (instead using it as the foundation for a more generic Fantasy Earth game, supplemented with house rules from RQ3). Stormbringer is the one I've played the most recently, and it uses the 2d6+6 for all attributes and a large pool of skill points (compared to RQ2).

Oh yes, I have also used Stormbringer in the past, particularly for more high powered sword & sorcery. I think I may run Runequest somewhere in between the absolute minimum starting values and the higher power levels of some other games, using the RQ2 appendices as options.

I did another experiment with RQ2 background options from the Appendices:
I rolled fairly average characteristics, but he turned out to be a nobleman. So I tried Heavy Cavalry as his background. To summarize; this gave the character roughly 350% worth of extra skills (110% had to be weapons), plus three spells (1 first level and two second level in this case).

I will have to take another look at the appendices: that seems like a good representation of a Greek or Trojan of semi-divine descent (with the spells refigured as "divine gifts", and not necessarily "magic spells").

Here's an idea: if players roll characteristics randomly, don't roll social status randomly. The GM can point to the player who rolls the worst characteristics and say; "you m'lord  are a wealthy noble, your characteristics are a bit low because you were spoiled as a kid!"

Quote from: Trond on November 05, 2022, 11:08:20 PM
Cool! I guess there is charm to building up from a very basic and inexperienced character. Is Apple Lane good for this sort of thing perhaps?

I only recently got a copy of Apple Lane. Back when I ran Runequest I was a broke student and wrote all my own adventures. At first I was enamored with all the skill lists so my early adventures had lots of rocks to move, things to climb, and traps to spot. My first adventure only had three skeletons and a couple of rubble runners.

IMO, RuneQuest works great for low level (or low skill) adventures. If you start PCs off with 300+ bonus skill points you're skipping a fun phase of the game.