any edition, either game.  which would you choose for fantasy?  i'd like to run something with a lethal combat system and preferably low magic.

i've downloaded the MRQ srd, but there's quite a lot to go through.  

(i've decided with either of the two above due to my like of the CoC mechanics)

much thanks, folks

Quote from: beeberany edition, either game.  which would you choose for fantasy?  i'd like to run something with a lethal combat system and preferably low magic.

i've downloaded the MRQ srd, but there's quite a lot to go through.  

(i've decided with either of the two above due to my like of the CoC mechanics)

much thanks, folks

Stormbringer 5th edition, or the Elric! rules is a fairly flowing combat system.Combats with high levels of skill tend to go on for a few rounds until a critical is scored and someone takes a nasty injury.It can be lethal believe me, especially without a shield:eek: . You could restrict the magic use to the small spells used by the spell thief Cran Liret.

Stormbringer (or Elric!) 4th or 5th over MRQ.

Or maybe Deluxe BRP when it appears.

Why: I think the riposte rule from Stormbringer is neat, as are the armor/damage rules, and I like higher-powered, pulp-ish characters. Basically, SB does away with armor-by-hit-location as found in RQ2/3, and essentially abstracts the whole thing into a single variable absorption roll for a given suit of armor. Critical hits however do specific damage.

I don't have extensive experience with MRQ but based on the lukewarm comments it's gotten, I'd sooner forego the expense and just mine the SRD for ideas that might contribute to house rules.

Quote from: beeberany edition, either game.  which would you choose for fantasy?  i'd like to run something with a lethal combat system and preferably low magic.

i've downloaded the MRQ srd, but there's quite a lot to go through.  

(i've decided with either of the two above due to my like of the CoC mechanics)

much thanks, folks

I would go Stormbringer. the rules make magic a chore that most players may not want to deal with.

As an aside, check out my post on the TSR Conan game (Blog section). Combat in TSR's Conan is wicked lethal and magic users are a very unhealthy PC choice.

hmm--armor by hit location sounds kinda cool, tho.

any preferences as to magic systems?  ties to relative campaign worlds/etc. doesn't matter as i'd be using it in my own homebrew world.

Quote from: beeberhmm--armor by hit location sounds kinda cool, tho.

Then you want Runequest.

Quote from: The Evil DMI would go Stormbringer. the rules make magic a chore that most players may not want to deal with.

Which one? There are 5 versions, and the earliest is pretty different from the latest, especially as far as the magic system goes.  Sounds like you may be talking about first edition.

Quote from: AnthrobotThen you want Runequest.

Everyone wants RuneQuest III. They just don't know it yet.:greatcthulhu:

Quote from: TechnomancerWhich one? There are 5 versions, and the earliest is pretty different from the latest, especially as far as the magic system goes.  Sounds like you may be talking about first edition.

I don't know! You could roll 1d6-1 to find out!:rolleyes:

Personally, SB5 for high-powered pulp fantasy, RQ3 for non-Gloranthan low fantasy, and RQ2 for Glorantha-based stuff (since the Gloranthan material is nicely integrated in the rules in RQ2).

Quote from: AnthrobotThen you want Runequest.

Or a copy of Elric!/Stormbringer with a copy of the RuneQuest hit location tables handy, like this slightly more detailed one that I just Googled up.

Personally, I've been unimpressed with what I've seen of Mongoose's RQ, and rather more impressed with what I've seen people do with Elric!/Stormbringer.  Picking up a servicable copy of RQIII for cheap, then paring down the clunkier rules, is another good way to go.

!i!

Runequest is in general more lethal in combat but everyone can learn magic. Stormbringer can handle more high-powered combat but is still fairly lethal. Magic is tainted being of Chaos. Magic seems to change with every edition of Stormbringer / Elric! but is fairly similar (in level) in Runequest editions.

Personally if you could pick *one* book, get Stormbringer 5th edition then look for other sources of BRP monsters online (basicrps has fantasy monsters iirc). Stormbringer 1st edition or the Games Workshop hardcover are very unbalanced and very cool but harder to find.

For Runequest, RQ3 is fairly easy to find. I recomend the later single volume softcover which collected the full Avalon Hill boxed set + errata & uses better paper. It also has more stock fantasy monsters than Stormbringer.

In any case check out the free Mongoose Runequest SRDs (mrqwiki has nice pdfs), Sandy Peterson's alternative Sorcery (and other magic) rules & RQ Tekumel, and Pete's Runequest page.

Quote from: the BromgrevEveryone wants RuneQuest III. They just don't know it yet.:greatcthulhu:

What he said

Actually, I feel it depends more on the power level you want and the grittiness you'd like. If you want it grittier, go with RQ. If you feel more like a swasbuckling sword & sorcery, Stormbringer is the way to go (I'm quite happy with 5th ed).