Riddle of Steel...Any Good?

[Jeph]

The thread starter asked how TROS compares to D&D. In brief, it doesn't.

Okay, explanation: they're simply completely different. In Forge-Jargon, D&D is almost entirely gamist-promoting, meaning, just about every aspect of the system that you can find is geared towards overcoming challenges. The strategic character building, strategic spell selection, resource allocation of equipment, characters grow by defeating enemies, and so on and so forth. Riddle, on the other hand, is Narrativist-facilitating with Simulationist underpinnings. Meaning, it's primarily concerned with exploring an existential question (in this case being, "what risks are you willing to take for the things you believe in?") and places a secondary but still great focus in being accurate about something (in this case, medieval european duels). The paradigms upon which they are constructed are so radically different, and your play experiences with each will differ to such a similar vast extent, that to compare the two is in most ways impossible.

Oh, and the real reason Riddle rocks is because it's perfect for the Black Company.

Obligatory Links:
http://www.indie-rpgs.com/ (The Forge, where Jake Norwood [creator] posts frequently)
http://www.indie-rpgs.com/articles/1/ (GNS theory from the source)
http://www.indie-rpgs.com/viewforum.php?f=25 (TROS forum at The Forge)
http://theriddleofsteel.net/ (Riddle home page)
http://theriddleofsteel.net/support/ (Free downloads, with the QS rules about 1/2 way down the page)

--Jeff

 

[Tsyr]

Close, but the real reason Riddle of Steel rocks is that it's perfect for "A Song of Ice and Fire".

 

[kenjib]

No, no, no. The real reason TROS rocks is because it's perfect for 30's and 40's era pulp fantasy - including the magic system.

 

[Broccli_Head]

No, TRos Rocks because you can play a really, truly close to the books Hyborian Age Campaign.

(And "A Song of Ice and Fire" and "The Black Company!")

Jeph would love to hear about your Black Company campagin....

 

[Melkor]

TROS is very cool - and there is quite a bit of depth to the system.
My problem with it is that I am "too used to other systems" to grasp several of the system concepts. I am going through a really large learning curve trying to get ready for an initial game....and I was a whiz at Rolemaster.

That's not to imply that TROS is a difficult system in any way, it really isn't - it's just different than "standard fare" RPGs, and it's taking a lot of getting used to - which probably says more about me than about TROS.

Anyway, the folks over on The Forge boards are definitely helpful - and Paka has inspired me to work on a possible "The Riddle of Midnight" campaign of my own (have any monster conversion notes handy Paka?).

What I would really like to see are different versions of the TROS rules - a set for Space Opera, a set for Pulp, a set for Mecha, a set for Modern Military - heck, I might even work on some conversion notes myself if I can ever get a good grasp on the system.

 

[Paka]

Anyway, the folks over on The Forge boards are definitely helpful - and Paka has inspired me to work on a possible "The Riddle of Midnight" campaign of my own (have any monster conversion notes handy Paka?).

Aye, unfortunately, any notes I do have right now are scribbled in a notebook. All I really have so far are the races of Midnight and I'll try to get them into a computer but right now more pressing writing demands my attention.

Sorry, Melkor, I'll get it to ya once I've got it. Promise!

 

[Drew]

Close, but the real reason Riddle of Steel rocks is that it's perfect for "A Song of Ice and Fire".

Wow, its funny that you should say that. I'm currently reading the series and, when I first read about the Riddle of Steel on their website, I immediately thought of Martin's low magic, high intrigue world.

Thanks for all your replies, I hadn't anticipated this much response. My only fear with dropping $35 on TRoS is that I'll never actually play it. It wouldn't be the first FRP book I've bought and then not used, but I really want to try this if I buy it. I have my hands full right now running a four year old D&D campaign and playing a little Star Wars and Mutants & Masterminds. Oh well, there are worse problems to have.

 

[Jeph]

Jeph would love to hear about your Black Company campagin....

It won't truly exist until next weekend. It'll be a solo game, gonna be run using the QS rules set for my friend Peter so as not to scare him away (posts here as Corlon), and I'm looking to emulate the feel of the books more than the setting. All my experience with Riddle has been just screaming for me to do this for the past half year or so. If things go smoothly, I may switch to the full rules after a few sessions...

No worries, though. It will be Story Hour-ified. Already have an introduction up here.

It's going to be great fun.
--Jeff

 

[Jeph]

Jeph would love to hear about your Black Company campagin....

It won't truly exist until next weekend. It'll be a solo game, gonna be run using the QS rules set for my friend Peter so as not to scare him away (posts here as Corlon), and I'm looking to emulate the feel of the books more than the setting. All my experience with Riddle has been just screaming for me to do this for the past half year or so. If things go smoothly, I may switch to the full rules after a few sessions...

No worries, though. It will be Story Hour-ified. Already have an introduction up here.

It's going to be great fun.
--Jeff

 

[Morfedel]

I think Riddle of Steel is excellent - as long as you know what it is you are getting yourself into.

TROS has often been termed a Blood Opera - its combat system is realistic, bloody, and deadly; it makes combat very intricate, and far more than just a "I try to hit" kind of system.

Because of this, though, it encourages you to not just jump into any fight just for the heck of it - and when you do get into a battle, use your head - fight dirty, ambush, get a lot of people on a few. Duels and Codes of Chivalry aside, when its a fight to the death, few people play the fair-play card, in real life at least. Only in duels, matters of honor, etc, was this the case.

Hence, spiritual attributes. Really, its an ingenius idea. Spiritual attributes are attributes that you, the player, defines, on what is important for the character; perhaps you took the SA: Passion - Hatred the evil baron who murdered your family, or Drive: To find who kidnapped your son. Perhaps you took a Destiny: to topple a king.

These things define your character; it transforms the game from one of reactive gaming, where the GM hurls situations at you which the players must respond to, to one of PROACTIVE gaming, where the players have goals, which then drives the game; and since character advancement are glued directly to Spiritual Attributes as well, it rewards the characters for roleplaying as well.

It transforms the game into one that is player-driven, where the characters have active goals that they pursue; and since spiritual attributes add into any actions taking where the Spiritual attributes apply (or when SAs are firing, as its called), it makes actions during scenes where something of importance to the character become far more potential for success.

As an example, let's say you make a character whose son was kidnapped by... someone. You have a spiritual attribute: Drive: To Find and Rescue Son. Whenever you are in a position to investigate your son's disappearance, you get bonuses during this event; and when you meet the henchmen of the man who kidnapped your son, it can transform your character from a simple warrior to a whirling dervish of death.

When you are in a scene where there ISNT something of importance to the character, it really forces you to think; is it worth taking risks with something that just isnt important to him? If the man above who is trying to find his son hears about some random bandits, the D&D characters would go to confront them - the man trying to find his son would be concerned, but much less likely to get involved - as long as they dont ambush him on the road, why would he get involved?

The combat game mechanics are superb, if detailed - but not so much that it bogs the game down; once you get used to it, the combat system goes by fast. Skills are very fun as well. Spiritual attributes really drive the game. It makes a game far easier to play combat-light games as well; the skill system makes, say, games of intrigue far more interesting, and you can play games where combat is rare and RP of intrigue, diplomacy, of shadows and veiled threats is the main thrust.

The biggest problem with TROS is its magic system; its very controversial - sorcerers have the potential to be almost game-breakingly powerful, and you will find lots of people with solutions on how to deal with them. I, for one, wrote a conversion of the Ars Magica magic system to TROS, although I also came up with other methods of controlling them; certainly, a GM will want to REALLY understand the strengths and weaknesses of sorcerers before allowing one in their games.

TROS isnt for everyone; it will require a GM to consider spiritual attributes when designing their games, and to a certain extent hand over a bit of the reigns to the players, realizing they will be more likely to pursue their own goals, necessitating a bit more ability to ad-lib than before.

But Blood Opera is a great way to explain it; the game asks the question What is important enough for your character to risk death, to fight? What will he do to win? It can weave bloody constant battles, or games of subtlety and intrigue.

All in all, I think its an excellent game, and currently tied with Ars Magica for my favorite fantasy game system.