RUNEQUEST: Classic Game Is Being Revived On Kickstarter

Runequest was created back in the 1970s by Chaosium. It was probably one of the bigger systems at the time, along with D&D and Traveller, with its setting of Glorantha and its new percentile system. This year was Chaosium's 40th anniversary. Next year is Glorantha's 50th anniversary. And they're trying to bring the classic Runequest 2E back into print! "Bringing the iconic RuneQuest 2nd edition rulebook back into print to kick-off the 50th Anniversary of Glorantha celebrations in 2016."

​

It's a Kickstarter which just launched, and has almost reached its $30,000 goal already. $15 gets you the PDF, and $30 gets you the hardcover (which is considerably less than many Kickstarter hardcovers these days!) For a bit more, you can get "leatherette" versions with dustaackets, GM screens, and so on. Shipping, of course, is as much as the book itself in some countries, as is fairly common these days.

The hardcover is 144 pages, and includes 2nd Edition errata. There's extra material in the appendices. The book is complete, ready to print, and PDF versions are available as soon as the Kickstarter ends.

There's a review of Runequest 2E from 2009 by EN World member MonsterMash.

 

[TerraDave]

This really seems like a great chance to own a piece of history...


...that is also new at the same time.

 

[Gillywonka]

Such an awesome game! For those that play DnD and wonder what it's like to play without classes, experience levels and the ability to play any race your GM allows, check this game out. When i read thru the forums, i see post for how to play a certain monster or how do you give XP if a monster is avoided or for reaching certain milestones in the adventure, etc. Since this game doesn't use XP and allows pretty much any race your GM allows, you'll experience a different way of doing things. This 'different way' will really open your eyes and you can use it to enhance your DnD experience... or keep playing Runequest. Anyway, this is an awesome RPG.

 

[JeffB]

This made my gaming decade. 10 years ago I had to sell off nearly all of my most treasured gaming items...my little brown books,1e Advanced, and by far the one that hurt me the most...my rq1/2/3 collection.


I got the email a while ago and instantly pledged. Lets get to 300k so we can get all the classic supplements/campaign materials. Pavis, Big Rubble, and Cults of Prax are IMO, the best setting products ever produced, no matter what rule system. Chaosium was way ahead of the curve BITD.

Wooot!

 

[EdL]

I had the same problem as JeffB, but besides the books I also had just about everything else Runequest related up til about 3E. Oh yeah, and RQ was the first RPG that I ever GMed for. Will go and throw some money at the kickstarter right now!

 

[R_Chance]

This made my gaming decade. 10 years ago I had to sell off nearly all of my most treasured gaming items...my little brown books,1e Advanced, and by far the one that hurt me the most...my rq1/2/3 collection.

Ouch! Glad I still have my stuff.

I got the email a while ago and instantly pledged. Lets get to 300k so we can get all the classic supplements/campaign materials. Pavis, Big Rubble, and Cults of Prax are IMO, the best setting products ever produced, no matter what rule system. Chaosium was way ahead of the curve BITD.

Wooot!

Still have my original Runequest, 2E RQ and the AH version (no BRP or 4E or beyond), but this is tempting.

 

[TrippyHippy]

Arguably the King of Old School Roleplaying. Notwithstanding Traveller, which operated within an entirely different genre, RuneQuest was the first major alternative fantasy RPG to D&D/AD&D. Indeed, if you put this up against the text of 1st Edition AD&D you can see it's light years ahead of its time - and as much an influence on later editions (especially 3rd and Pathfinder) too. All serious RPG collectors will want a copy of RuneQuest on their shelves.

 

[JeffB]

They are steamrolling through. 2 classic (and deadly) adventures and FANGS pdfs for free for anyone at least backing @ pdf level for the rulebook.

BIGCLUB SMASH STRETCH GOALS!!!

 

[JeffB]

I had the same problem as JeffB, but besides the books I also had just about everything else Runequest related up til about 3E. Oh yeah, and RQ was the first RPG that I ever GMed for. Will go and throw some money at the kickstarter right now!

Yeah, I ended selling all the 2e boxed sets I had...even Questworld, also CoP, FOES, etc... Along with the RQ3 books including the rare Glorantha books, box, and adventures from the early 90s.

 

[trystero]

I've been waiting for this ever since the first rumours raised their heads, and I jumped on the KS campaign this morning. Very pleased to see RQ2 coming back into print, and hoping we achieve all of the stretch-goal supplements.