Runequest

abhorsen950

First Post

• Oct 4, 2009

• #1

Hiya guys ive seen runequest on amazon but i want to know what you guys think of it! If anyone plays it.
Bascally what ive got so far is its a cheap simple rp and i can get the book of amazon for £15 (latest ed)
Its other plus points are its only one book so i can take it on holiday and also simple rules to get family roleplaying.
Love to hear from you guys

Regards
S

 

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abhorsen950

First Post

• Oct 4, 2009

• #2

Surely someone must of played it or previous editions can anyone tell me what the game plays like any information in appreciated


S

 

V

Votan

Explorer

• Oct 4, 2009

• #3

abhorsen950 said:

Surely someone must of played it or previous editions can anyone tell me what the game plays like any information in appreciated


S

Click to expand...

I seem to remember some sort of very awful fumble rules (fumbles are generally very bad, these were silly). That may have been fixed over time. ANd the magic system was interesting but a bit too weak for my tastes. I did the the feeling of the setting and the Stormbringer adaption was very good.

But later editions may be quite different.

 

abhorsen950

First Post

• Oct 4, 2009

• #4

Oright okay thanks i mean ive got all three dnd 3rd ed books but it seems a bit complex and i cant find anyone to play so i was looking for a simple game to game with the family

 

Wombat

First Post

• Oct 4, 2009

• #5

I played RQ a lot back in the 1980s -- it was the game that drew me away from D&D. I appreciated the lack of character classes, the fact that anyone could pick up any skill and most basic magic, that skills were more important than class, that the closest thing to alignment was allegiance to a specific deity (who expected you to act in a given manner if you wanted its favour and access to its magics), and the way that weapons and armour interacted.

Some people have problems with the fumble tables, yet, as was pointed out in an early edition, and as I can bear witness to, all of the fumbles in 2nd and 3rd edition was based on something that happened (some, understandably, by extrapolation, as no one actually lost a limb on the field) on SCA battlefields, including bits of armour suddenly falling off, throwing weapons, hitting a friend, etc.

Nowadays I find the straight percentage chances for everything a bit old-fashioned as a mechanic, but there are aspects of it that I can enjoy.

 

K

kobold

First Post

• Oct 4, 2009

• #6

I've never read the current version of the rules, last version i played was 2nd edition circa 1983 ish. So my input should considered with that in mind.
I do love what the current version has done to revitalize Glorantha and have several of the world books which are very light (if not none) rules wise and huge on content.
I'm a big fan of the old system, which is easy to learn and teach as well as play.
Everything is percentile based or D100, and requires almost no look up in the rules for most mechanics. Spells may, but there a so few compared to other systems that even these will become second hand quickly. The rules are also very open so you can run just about any type of game with them.

 

abhorsen950

First Post

• Oct 4, 2009

• #7

Okay thanks guys
So what dice would i need to play?

Thanks for responses

S

 

A

Ariosto

First Post

• Oct 4, 2009

• #8

The old (Chaosium) game effectively used d4, d6, d8, d10, d12 and d20.

There is a System Reference Document for Mongoose RQ available for free online in several versions (the "deluxe" incorporating errata and material from the Companion). Reading that should be an excellent way to answer many questions.

What I have seen does not encourage me to switch -- but I already have sufficient for my needs of 1st/2nd/3rd edition books, which are harder to get these days (although Moon Design has reprinted much supplemental material).

The new rules are different enough to be a different game in terms of meaningful discussion of details, although still in the "BRP family". If you're acquainted with the basics of, e.g., Call of Cthulhu, then the general principles will be familiar.

The Second Age setting is intriguing to me. The world of Glorantha has a flavor all its own, which can allure or repulse (depending on one's taste) quite apart from associated game systems.

 

pedr

Explorer

• Oct 4, 2009

• #9

RQ seems to have a following in the UK. Mongoose, a UK-based publisher, has published a version of the rules. I think you can get a free version of 'Mongoose RuneQuest' as it's released under the OGL. There are also some spin-offs and simplified versions, I believe, such as OpenQuest: http://d101games.co.uk/books/openquest/ (free pdf available from that site)

You might find people who post on UK Role Players can tell you more, or following links to forums/discussions on the OpenQuest or Mongoose sites.

 

Last edited: Oct 4, 2009

Ed_Laprade

Adventurer

• Oct 4, 2009

• #10

I played (and GMed) first edition RQ a lot back in the day. Simple to learn and play, lots of color. But I don't know anything about the new edition.