May release

[badcat]

New notice at Chaosium that the BRP book is 'on track' for this May, for any who have not already been there and seen that. The artwork seems to finally be coming in.

My fingers are crossed. Six to ten more weeks, hopefully, instead of July or August as some of us feared.

[the Bromgrev]

Well, HUZZAH!!

[Centaur66]

That's encouraging news...let's hope so.Is anyone else concerned about the possibility of 4th edition D&D (due out June 6th) stealing BRP's thunder if the release dates are close together?Obviously I'm eager for BRP to pull in new acolytes...

[badcat]

Oh, my, yes.

I am hearing lots of buzz in local game stores about 4e, nothing at all about BRP.

The same old story, WOTC has the mojo to get the word out...Chaosium...?

[frogspawner]

Originally Posted by Centaur66

That's encouraging news...let's hope so.

Since I just ordered E0, E1 is bound to be out within seconds!

Originally Posted by Centaur66

Is anyone else concerned about the possibility of 4th edition D&D (due out June 6th) stealing BRP's thunder...

Yep. BRP will have no "thunder", that's certain. Now, if they'd got it out before Christmas...

My long-time (thrice-yearly) gaming group is in danger of being sucked down into 4e D&D. One player, disgruntled at his character dying, now insists d100 combat it "too dangerous" and railroading to go "back" to D&D with 4e. (He didn't die in combat, and from what I've seen of 4e it's not much like the 1st Ed AD&D we used to know and loathe in the old days. So that shows how much logic is involved.)

But we should be ready with counter-arguments, to make it clear how BRP is better.

[Shaira]

Originally Posted by frogspawner

My long-time (thrice-yearly) gaming group is in danger of being sucked down into 4e D&D. One player, disgruntled at his character dying, now insists d100 combat it "too dangerous" and railroading to go "back" to D&D with 4e. (He didn't die in combat, and from what I've seen of 4e it's not much like the 1st Ed AD&D we used to know and loathe in the old days. So that shows how much logic is involved.)

You know, I've certainly played RQ3 and Stormbringer in a D&D dungeon-bash kind of way without too much PC death. You just need someone with some killer healing spell and enough POW, plus some reasonably decent skill levels in weapons, dodging, and First Aid. If you're dealing with hardened D&D dungeon-bash types, you can always use the "Total Hit Points" option in the BRP rules - effectively HP equal to SIZ + CON, without the division by two. That really beefs things up. Create your characters along D&D class stereotypes, make sure healing is available, and - blam! If Major Wounds become a problem, make some "Major Healing Magic" available in the form of potions,new spells, "staffs of healing", etc. They'll learn to love the D100 in the end!

Cheers,

Sarah

[badcat]

Absolutely!

I have run (very long term, over 10 years with the same core group) a mixture of Stormbringer/Magic World/Arcanum with much success. One thing that sticks in my mind is having an AD&D player in several sessions who said it was actually LESS deadly than AD&D is at the first few levels.

[frogspawner]

Originally Posted by Shaira

If you're dealing with hardened D&D dungeon-bash types... use the "Total Hit Points" option... Create your characters along D&D class stereotypes, make sure healing is available... potions,new spells, "staffs of healing", etc. They'll learn to love the D100 in the end!

Most of that is in place, I've made plenty of house-rule compromises already. Thanks for the support, that I'm on the right track. They'll learn to love d100/BRP - or die in the attempt! But you can lead a horse to water...

Originally Posted by badcat

...an AD&D player in several sessions who said it was actually LESS deadly than AD&D is at the first few levels.

And he's probably right - up to 4e (where it seems characters will get 20-ish HP at 1st level, and everyone gets healed after combats). Too safe, methinks. I reckon the feeling of danger is a major benefit to BRP.

[badcat]

I agree with that. The only d&d games I have even partly enjoyed were low level ones, where we had to worry about a 'mere' arrow hit. Or whatever.

So they are trying to make the PCs even safer. What's the point of adventuring and living a 'dangerous' life, even vicariously, if you know you are going to win? The game bores me out of my skull. Everything I hear about 4e shouts 'bad design, stay away' in flashing neon lights.

Christ, Chaosium should hire the WOTC spin artists.

[kustenjaeger]

Greetings

My son and his friends are unlikely to go down the 4e route - they play d20 stuff mainly (when they play - they're 17 so there are other interests) but aren't going to pay out UKP50 or so for 4e. I have run both 3.5e (to get them into RPGing some years ago) and d100. They like both but all think that d100 feels scarier because of the uncertainty. To them that's a good thing.

So I am sure I'll get them to play BRP.

Regards

Edward