Quote from: Pete Nash;952875I'm surprised you didn't mention Monster Island. Thanks to my predilections its pretty much the most savage sandbox out there...

I actually meant to put that in there, I got a phone call while posting, forgot it when I went back.

Pete's right. Monster Island has a ton of rules that you can use for lots of Mythras campaigns, but it definitely has a decadent sorcerous race with some higher power spells as well as different savage tribes, new weapons, poisons, diseases, monsters, etc.

Also I would highly recommend to anyone playing Mythras to get the companion for Mythic Britain.  Even if you aren't going to run it, it has the romano-british Cult of Mithras in there which is a great specific example of how to take the Cult rules and make a warrior cult with special training techniques.

...and of course a Long Time Ago in a Galaxy Far, Far Away (and possibly still findable on teh intarwebz), there was the description of some Mystic Knights and different schools of Laser Sword Combat that also is great for specific examples of how to use the tools Mythras gives you.

Quote from: HorusArisen;952704This seems like the best bit of advice and one that has me going back over my notes carefully.

Thank you:)!

QuoteHow do you stop a group of long time D&D players getting their characters killed? I'm a little concerned about putting them off the system by having them treat every encounter like their playing D&D.

As stated above, run a few mock combats. If they're losing because they used tactics that only worked in D&D, give them the opposition and destroy them with their characters;).
If they're simply outclassed, tell them that.
Also, Hero/Legend/Luck points are there to help with that.

QuoteLoving Mythic Rome, just finished a quick read through but I'm thinking something more Mesopotamia than Rome.

Use Mesoppotamia-like fluff with Mythic Rome stats? You can mix that with a few specially built cults and brotherhoods.

QuoteCampaign storybook is where I keep my notes about the setting, the events happening and NPC's the PC's might interact with and then later a log of their actions to refer back to so I can take the next steps to keep the game moving.

I have a few dozen now, lots of fond memories of good games.

Ah ok, thanks or the explanation!
I keep finding booklets with such notes from previous campaigns when I visit some storage places in my home:D!

Quote from: CRKrueger;952741As far as pitfalls/suggestions go, I'd follow a lot of what Asen said.  Simply forget about the PCs at first, and work on worldbuilding, develop all kinds of Religions, Magical Orders, Monastic Temples, Thieves Guilds, Merchants Guilds, etc... to give players ties to the setting through the Cult system.

Then decide on for your campaign, what are the various skill levels going to be and how rare will they be.  For example, I defined the following skill levels.

• Novice Skill Level / Cannon Fodder Troop Quality
• Amateur Skill Level / Boot Camp Troop Quality
• Competent Skill Level / Green Troop Quality
• Professional Skill Level / Seasoned Troop Quality
• Expert Skill Level / Veteran Quality
• Master Skill Level / Elite Quality
• Legendary (same for both)
• Mythic (same for both)
• Godlike (same for both)

Once you do that, then you can assign skill ranges to each category.  Then you know the top and bottom range for your campaign.  Then just decide for each group (like Zingaran Freebooters) what the average of different types of NPCs are, then start populating things.

It should be up to the players to try and figure out whether they should assault the Blind Pig, headquarters of the Guts for Garters gang by kicking in the door, drugging their ale, sending over some whores to wear them all out, or sneaking in and slitting throats.

I don't use the Mook Rules, I just play the NPCs accordingly.  If you're talking about a city campaign, hardly anyone is wearing armor, so a good hit with a sword or staff usually means someone is out or probably isn't going to want to continue.  Also, most thugs/gangers/henchmen/whatever aren't going to want to chase PCs across the city because of the chance of running into guards or sprinting into someone else's territory, so if the PCs play smart in trying to get away, every combat doesn't have to be a do or die and every chase doesn't have to be the hour long escape from Goblin-Town.

There's a thread where we were talking specifically about Mythras Conan here.

Also, since I've been doing pretty much this ever since I ran my first sandbox, this advice has my full backing, FWIW!

Quote from: CRKrueger;952754As far as Magic goes, you need to decide which of the magic types you are going to use and then decide whether you are going to try and also splice in other kinds from other compatible sources.  Then take a look at options for Magic Point regeneration.  How often casters can cast and if there are any downsides to magic use makes a huge difference.

I must only point out that whether there's any source for magic (not to mention "a source available to starting characters") is up to the GM to decide.
So, if the answer is "no casters", it also works.

Quote from: HorusArisen;952803Pretty much saving this post.

Good choice:p!

Quote from: Spinachcat;952813I run Stormbringer, not Mythras, but its DNA is D100 / RuneQuest. As others have mentioned, run a sample combat or two with the players. Let them get mashed and then talk about it.

The issue is less IF your players can change their style, but IF they want to. Only they can answer that. I find that GMs need to find players to fit the game. Not every RPG is going to work for every group.

Also true, though I find that most groups can be amenable to change their styles to a degree.
(I'm having the opposite issue with my players finding the current D&D-related system I run episodically "too abstract and not lethal enough", but they are giving it a fair chance).

Quote from: HorusArisen;952819We've played a variety of different games over the years so they are flexible but D&D tends to be the predominant game so does affect their play style . Still it's a good group

Well, just remind them of those different games, then:D!
(And if they haven't played anything like Mythras Special Effects, it might seem weird. Explain to them that the decision to attack is up to you, but what happens in any given "fencing phrase" is up to the other participant and your skill in exploiting the opportunities he or she presents).

Quote from: Hermes Serpent;952822AFAIK Vikings of Legend is the same as Runequest Vikings but has any references to MRQII replaced by Legend.

More or less, that.

Quote from: HorusArisen;952851Just grabbed Vikings, is the gladiator book also worthwhile?

How importable are the Arcadia supplements?

The gladiator book has poor reviews, so I didn't purchase it.
The Arcadia supplements are often stuff you want to keep for NPC use, like Blood Magic.

Quote from: Pete Nash;952875I'm surprised you didn't mention Monster Island. Thanks to my predilections its pretty much the most savage sandbox out there...

I even own it:D!
But when I think of books to recommend, I think "setting supplements" first, "thematic supplements" second, and I usually don't get to recommending adventures - unless the OP is asking for adventures.

Quote from: CRKrueger;952934Also I would highly recommend to anyone playing Mythras to get the companion for Mythic Britain.  Even if you aren't going to run it, it has the romano-british Cult of Mithras in there which is a great specific example of how to take the Cult rules and make a warrior cult with special training techniques.

...and of course a Long Time Ago in a Galaxy Far, Far Away (and possibly still findable on teh intarwebz), there was the description of some Mystic Knights and different schools of Laser Sword Combat that also is great for specific examples of how to use the tools Mythras gives you.

You just sold me on the Companion;).
And yeah, there was such a description, indeed! It was a labour of love, I could tell.
Too bad that Internet Protocols (that's what IP means, right?) were unkind to it:D!

Mythic Britain is a great book. Our current game has wound down so it's time for a change in style.

Quote from: AsenRG;953009But when I think of books to recommend, I think "setting supplements" first, "thematic supplements" second, and I usually don't get to recommending adventures - unless the OP is asking for adventures.

That's the thing about Monster Island, sure it has some specific adventures and adventure ideas, but more than half the book is setting supplement and thematic supplement.  Kind of a feat, them packing so much content in there.

Quote from: CRKrueger;953144That's the thing about Monster Island, sure it has some specific adventures and adventure ideas, but more than half the book is setting supplement and thematic supplement.  Kind of a feat, them packing so much content in there.

Agreed, but I still think of it as an adventure, which is why it didn't come up;).

So far nobody has mentioned realistic healing rates. When a PC gets hit seriously you have at least three options.

1. Let him make a new character. Possibly a temporary one the player can play with while the old one is resting.

2. Grant the the PCs access to some powerful healing mojo. If not for the characters themselves, possibly a quest for a cult, sorcerer or something like that. The problem here is that the player wont be able to join if he doesn't have a replacement character, or that the questgiver first heals the character and then sends them on their merry way. This way the NPC(s) seem like idiots. Who would send characters on their way without insurance that they'll come back, voluntarily or otherwise.

3. Put the lame character out of it's misery.

I personally would have the player roll a fresh off the boat secondary character. Mythras doesn't care about character experience too much, so no need to pussyfoot around giving more XP than a starting character.

Quote from: Moracai;953215So far nobody has mentioned realistic healing rates. When a PC gets hit seriously you have at least three options.

1. Let him make a new character. Possibly a temporary one the player can play with while the old one is resting.
2. Grant the the PCs access to some powerful healing mojo.
3. Put the lame character out of it's misery.

You forgot:

4. Have reasonable amounts of downtime in your game instead of assuming that adventurers are out fighting monsters every day.

Ars Magica is a great example of this.  Even moderate injuries take a month or two to heal, while recovering from truly serious injury can take years.  But the system is set up such that you're generally not going to have more than one adventure per season and the rules suggest that a "typical" campaign probably runs at a rate of one adventure every year or two.  If you've got a year between adventures, then you can have six months to recover from your injuries and still be back in action before the next adventure starts.

(Of course, ArM is also known for its troupe-style play, where each player has two PCs, with a mob of lesser characters that can be passed around between players, so it does #1 from your list, too.)

Seasonal play wasn't something I've given a lot of thought but I like it. It makes sense and gives gravitas to the players actions.

Not sure it's something I'm using but I remember Stormbringer containing rules for demon summoning, I haven't seen anything like that for Mythras...

Quote from: HorusArisen;953226Seasonal play wasn't something I've given a lot of thought but I like it. It makes sense and gives gravitas to the players actions.

Not sure it's something I'm using but I remember Stormbringer containing rules for demon summoning, I haven't seen anything like that for Mythras...

Sorcery - Evoke and sidebar pg. 169, Banish pg. 167
Theism - You could use Elemental Summoning and Dismiss Elemental pg. 185 as guides.
Animism - You could treat demons like spirits.

You could also just hack in the Stormbringer rules or look at the MRQII Elric book for ideas.

Because there is no set setting for Mythras, it tends to be not as specific about otherworldly entities, because type and capabilities of those are always setting dependent.

Quote from: CRKrueger;953227Sorcery - Evoke and sidebar pg. 169, Banish pg. 167
Theism - You could use Elemental Summoning and Dismiss Elemental pg. 185 as guides.
Animism - You could treat demons like spirits.

You could also just hack in the Stormbringer rules or look at the MRQII Elric book for ideas.

Because there is no set setting for Mythras, it tends to be not as specific about otherworldly entities, because type and capabilities of those are always setting dependent.

In your opinion which gives a better vibe for summoning, sorcery or animism?

There is also a RQ2 version of Elric that is available by Mongoose. It also has rules for Dream Thieves, and a rune style sorcery system as well as Demon Summoning.

Quote from: Longshadow;953252There is also a RQ2 version of Elric that is available by Mongoose. It also has rules for Dream Thieves, and a rune style sorcery system as well as Demon Summoning.

I used to have the hardback but I can't see the PDF anywhere

I think you mean that there was a MRQII-version of Elric by Mongoose. Might be tricky to get to today.
And for that Horus-fellow; if you haven't found it yet, the Mythras Encounter Generator is pure gold: http://skoll.xyz/mythras_eg/

Quote from: baragei;953255I think you mean that there was a MRQII-version of Elric by Mongoose. Might be tricky to get to today.
And for that Horus-fellow; if you haven't found it yet, the Mythras Encounter Generator is pure gold: http://skoll.xyz/mythras_eg/

I have but thank you