Why is BRP not that popular?

[Joseph Paul]

Originally Posted by Nightshade

Again, that's not frequency, that's severity.

No the frequency of the severity is the problem. That sort of thing is so very rare even for weekend warriors that it makes for apocryphal tales.

Joseph Paul

[drohem]

We created a modified STR bonus chart for RQ3 because we felt the STR bonus damage as written was too crazy in steps up.

This the chart we came up with:

DAMAGE BONUS CHART
STR + SIZ Damage Bonus
01-04 -1d4
05-08 -1d3
09-12 -1d2
13-16 -1
17-20 +0
21-24 +1
25-28 +1d2
29-32 +1d3
33-36 +1d4
37-40 +1d5
41-44 +1d6
45-48 +1d7
49-52 +1d8
53-56 +1d9
57-60 +1d10
etc… etc…


It worked well for us and we used it for years while we played RQ3 and our modified systems based off RQ.

[Triff]

Yes the RQ fumble tables were drawn from the authors' experience with fighting in the SCA. Those experiences are 30 years old and that table could probably use some updating.I am with the camp that says fumbles happen too often. It is because of this- Murphy's Rules, "Cutting mistakes": In a thirty minute Runequest battle (Chaosium) involving 6000 armored, experienced warriors using Great Axes, more than 150 men will decapitate themselves and another 600 will chop off their own arms or legs.Now I haven't replicated the math for this but it sounds plausible given the rules for RQ. And that tells me that something is wrong. I may have to dig out "Innumeracy" for the math.Joseph Paul

Does that calculation assume 6000 men fighting constantly for 30 minutes (150 melee rounds)? That would never happen in a RQ battle, no fight lasts for 150 MR. It would probably not happen in a real world battle either, as quite some time would be used moving and not fighting. So I think that calculation is flawed.

Sverre.

[Simlasa]

Originally Posted by Nightshade

But most people don't take a system and hack it into shape if it has what seems like a signficant failing to them; they just move on to another system.

That's funny, I've never played in a game that didn't have at least some house rules.. even if that just means ignoring some of the ones in the rulebook.

Originally Posted by Nightshade

I think, however, that ignoring the ways RQ doesn't match the general tastes of the hobby is burying your head in the sand, and its all too common a habit in the hobby, especially among fans of older systems.

What are we 'ignoring'? I am completely aware that SOME people like fate points and ads disads and other stuff... but I don't, I want the OTHER game, the one without those things. Choice is good, right?
Though I guess, as a fan of an 'older system', I'm obviously unable to discern good rules from bad...

If we go by the 'general tastes' of the hobby we'd also have to throw in levels and classes and alignments... the stuff RQ was such a revolution against in the first place.

Originally Posted by Nightshade

Whereas I think that's a false dichotomy. I think trying to assume its _only_ exposure or _only_ system is lying to one's self.

Who said anything about 'only'... I'm just saying that trying to market the game better and get the word out... maybe set up a 'house setting' or two that would feel familiar to people... wouldn't be a bad step towards getting more players for the rules AS THEY ARE.
Trying to change the rules to suit people, when there are already a lot of happy players just doesn't seem as likely to work out. It could easily alienate folks like me and not draw in any new blood at all.

[Simlasa]

Nevermind...

[Joseph Paul]

Originally Posted by Triff

Does that calculation assume 6000 men fighting constantly for 30 minutes (150 melee rounds)? That would never happen in a RQ battle, no fight lasts for 150 MR. It would probably not happen in a real world battle either, as quite some time would be used moving and not fighting. So I think that calculation is flawed.

Sverre.

Doesn't matter to the Lords of Chance. Each blow is a fresh chance to fumble. Stretch it out over several hours for the movement but still have 150 MR of actual blows and you get the same results. Track 6000 of the Sun Dome Militia through 150 MR of battle collected over years and the results will be the same. That is the basis for the objection. It really is just the law of large numbers at work. A blow per MR x150 x 6000=900000 blows.
The Murphy's rules part of this is that killing yourself is felt to be a one in a million sort of thing and here it actually is! Which turns out to be a lot more often than people think meet..


Jason has informed us that BRPCore will have a 2% fumble mechanic. So only 54 men will lose their heads to their own hands!

[Joseph Paul]

Drohem what are you using for a d7 and a d9?

[drohem]

Originally Posted by Joseph Paul

Drohem what are you using for a d7 and a d9?

Well prior to the advent of dice rollers, we just rolled either a d8 or d10 and ingored a result of '8' or '10.'

However, these days there are some pretty slick dice rollers that allow you to roll odd dice like those. One of the best free dice rollers out there, and the one I downloaded and use, is the dice roller on the WotC (Wizards of the Coast) website.

It is one of the one dice roller that I have found that allow you to add/subract large numbers. Most dice rollers I have encounter usually have a cap on the number to be added or subtracted from a roll.

[Atgxtg]

After seeing dhorma damage bonus table, I'm reminded of the one from SPQR. (d2/d4/d6/etc.)

Personally, I7m all for updating the damage bonus and spreading it out a little instead of just lumps of d6. Going from 1d6 to 2d6 is a big step.

[drohem]

hehe...that's why we affectionately called the RQ rules as written as MainQuest, lol.

Someone strong enough could kill with just one punch. Although this is certainly possible in the RL, it is not a sure thing whereas in game mechanics it was almost certain against 'normals.'

Also, a strong person with a weapon was like a ginsu knife in combat. If they fumbled on themself, it was usually very bad.

Again, agruements could be made for the 'realism' or that the STR damage bonus is good and realistic.

However, myself and my group felt it silly and adjusted as needed.

Seriously, when role-playing a hero do you want him to be killed by a punch? Or that he is so strong that he maims or kills himself with a fumble?