Can anyone tell me what I need to play Runequest currently

[GreyLord]

Okay, have older rules of Runequest, but kind of looking at the new releases.

When I go to look at the new Runequest stuff, I see Runequest (2007), Runequest II, and other Runequest books. I'm ignorant on the order or what is needed to play with the new Runequest stuff.

Is Runequest II the same as the recent, but older, core Rulebook, or what is it?

What all would a group need to run a game of Runequest, whichever one is the MOST RECENT version/release of it?

 

[Bluenose]

Runequest II is the amended and improved version of Mongoose Runequest. Which iirc will cease being on sale at the end of this month, being replaced by Legend - which is pretty much the same rules with a different name.

 

[Crazy Jerome]

There is also a compilation of the older RQ stuff (RQ, Stormbringer, etc.), the name of which escapes me at the moment. BRP or something like that. I'm sure someone here can point you to it more definitely.

 

[GreyLord]

So, if I have the 2007 rule set (somewhere) is the Runequest II different enough to warrant getting it?

The thing about it going out of print at the end of the month is one of the things kicking my rear end to maybe get it before that happens.

What other books are compatible with the main books. I heard elric, or Grey Mouser/Lankmar and stuff like that?

 

[Crazy Jerome]

So, if I have the 2007 rule set (somewhere) is the Runequest II different enough to warrant getting it?

The thing about it going out of print at the end of the month is one of the things kicking my rear end to maybe get it before that happens.

I only have the original RQ 3 and the most recent MRQ 2. (I played orig RQ 2 some.) So take this for what it is worth. I think the MRQ 2 set is a fairly good ruleset, even if the production quality of the books leaves a bit to be desired compared current standards. My understanding is that MRQ 2 really cleaned up some issues from MRQ 1. Based on my second-hand understanding of those issues, I think MRQ 2 is a substantial upgrade.

The MRQ 2 books should be compatible with pretty much everything they put out under that banner.

I'm not getting the PDFs, because I'm not playing RQ right now, and I don't care much for PDFs, and already have most of the books I want in the MRQ II line anyway. (I'm only tempted by the Pavis adventure sourcebook.) I'll just wait and buy the Legends stuff, if and when I need it. My understanding is that some of the later books will be very compatible with Legends, and it may be awhile, if ever, before those see print under that label. If I had more available funds right now, I'd probably grab a few of the later PDFs on those grounds.

So whether it is worth it or not depends on how much you prefer printed books over PDF, how complete you want to be, and how your budget shapes up.

 

[TGryph]

To answer your question, all you really need to play Mongoose Runequest II is the Core Rulebook and the Monster Coliseum book (for more opponents to fight.). That is all we are currently using in my group, and all we HAVE been using for the past two years...and we love it!

TGryph

 

[GreyLord]

I only have the original RQ 3 and the most recent MRQ 2. (I played orig RQ 2 some.) So take this for what it is worth. I think the MRQ 2 set is a fairly good ruleset, even if the production quality of the books leaves a bit to be desired compared current standards. My understanding is that MRQ 2 really cleaned up some issues from MRQ 1. Based on my second-hand understanding of those issues, I think MRQ 2 is a substantial upgrade.

The MRQ 2 books should be compatible with pretty much everything they put out under that banner.

I'm not getting the PDFs, because I'm not playing RQ right now, and I don't care much for PDFs, and already have most of the books I want in the MRQ II line anyway. (I'm only tempted by the Pavis adventure sourcebook.) I'll just wait and buy the Legends stuff, if and when I need it. My understanding is that some of the later books will be very compatible with Legends, and it may be awhile, if ever, before those see print under that label. If I had more available funds right now, I'd probably grab a few of the later PDFs on those grounds.

So whether it is worth it or not depends on how much you prefer printed books over PDF, how complete you want to be, and how your budget shapes up.

Unfortunately I have to spread around the love some more before giving you XP. Thanks for the information.

 

[Bluenose]

I'll pop in to add Runequest 6 is being worked on (by Lawrence Whitaker and others who were involved with Mongoose RQ) and is apparently fairly close to release.


On compatibility, the ones from the Mongoose RQ2 line are:

Monster Coliseum; adding a lot of monsters beyond the ones in the core rules.
Empires; with rules for running everything from manors up to globe-spanning empires.
Necromantic Arts; good, but rather specialised.
Arms and Equipment guide; not as awful as some people say.

Of the campaign material, Vikings is excellent. Wraith Recon and Age of treason didn't really appeal to me - that's down to the type of setting rather than book quality, though. The Glorantha books are good, certainly.

 

[Mercurius]

If I have this correctly, you have two basic "streams" of Runequest:

*Chaosium -> Avalon Hill "classic" Runequest (editions 1-3) -> the forthcoming Design Mechanism Runequest 6
*Mongoose Runequest and RQ II (equivalent to editions 4-5) -> Legend (which is just a re-packaging of RQ II due to loss of license)

It is also worth nothing that the first stream takes place in Glorantha's Third Age, while Mongoose Runequest takes place in the Second Age; I am not sure if Legend will take place in Glorantha at all.

There is also the Hero Wars and Heroquest games that are set in Glorantha, although with very different rules than any version of RQ. I'm pretty sure this game takes place at the end of the Third Age.

Here's the new cover art for Runequest 6.

 

[Voadam]

Mongoose Runequest PDFs can be found here. Look under Runequest II and Classic Runequest.

My understanding is that Runequest II changes the magic system a lot by consolidating it and smooths out some of the rough edges of MRQI.

I would suggest the core RQII book and the monster colliseum to cover the basics. If you want more bang for your buck get the bundle deal to get those plus three others for the price of three alone.

Mongoose Runequest Glorantha setting (the normal runequest default world) is set in the mythic Second Age, older runequest and future editions are set in the third age.

The MRQII Glorantha bundle is a pretty good deal and covers the world setting, the cults, a jumbo three race sourcebook (ducks, dragonnewts, and trolls), plus the abiding book which is the godlearners and a big megamodule.

MRQI has some things not covered in the RQII Glorantha set, the Clanking City, Dara Happa stirs, the Elf book, the Dwarf Book.

RQII has some other settings as well for it, Vikings, Deus Ex (vatican assassins), Wraith Recon (4e D&D militarty fantasy assault teams converted to RQII), Elric, and Lankhmar. Lankmar does not look like its RQII stuff is on sale but the RQI stuff is.

RQI has Lankhmar, Elric, Hawkmoon, and a generic Pirates book.

I got the Glorantha RII bundle which I like, the elf book, which I don't really care for, two RII Elric supplements which I really like, and the RI pirates one and deluxe runequest I which I have not really read much of.

I'm considering getting the RQII core bundle and filling out the gaps in the RI Glorantha stuff, perhaps the Hawkmoon stuff as well, they came highly recommended to me.