Q&A with the new BRP Author

I'm not familiar with how MRQ handled it.*

However, the BRP book uses the traditional system, but there are guidelines as to when a skill check is appropriate. If a skill is not being used to further the story and no dramatic purpose is achieves, or no reasonable threat is implied (climbing a tree or swimming in the lake), the skill use is Easy (double skill). Success at an Easy skill roll does not merit a skill improvement check.

Similarly, the GM should be able to tell players when a skill improvement roll is called for, and when it's clearly just a part of the "golf bag of weapons" exploit.

Glad to hear it. I have always loved the improvement system in BRP and would be disappointed if it had changed.

* I didn't want to deal with any cross-pollination from that vector, and my extremely unpleasant experiences as a onetime freelancer for Mongoose have soured me on giving them any of my money or reading a word they've published.

Wow... Just Wow. Unfortunately this is not the first time I have heard of this type of thing. I believe Steve Perrin had a similar experience.

More questions!

Are there rules for handling non-lethal damage? If so, can you comment on it? This would be especially useful superhero games where you generally knock out the bad guys and "bring them to justice". But would be useful in all genres when you need to capture someone.

Are there rules for handling non-lethal damage? If so, can you comment on it? This would be especially useful superhero games where you generally knock out the bad guys and "bring them to justice". But would be useful in all genres when you need to capture someone.

There are rules for knocking out foes, and I think an optional rule for non-lethal damage. But I'm not 100%, as I don't have the manuscript handy and it's been a long time since the core rule stuff was written.

Hello, Jason.

Thanks for hanging around here, answering our questions. You are really spoiling us!

And now, yet another couple of questions:

I read elsewhere that the new rules will include some kind of guidelines for stating up vehicles. I am not interested in any kind of crunchy design systems, but I would be delighted to find some simple general rules that allow you to quickly note down some basic vehicle data and using them in your games. I also read a sample mecha write-up was included in the rules. Am I right?

Also, are there any kind of guidelines or advice for making up your own creatures? I don't mind if there is not an extensive list of critters if you can easily create your own.

Thanks in advance!

I read elsewhere that the new rules will include some kind of guidelines for stating up vehicles. I am not interested in any kind of crunchy design systems, but I would be delighted to find some simple general rules that allow you to quickly note down some basic vehicle data and using them in your games. I also read a sample mecha write-up was included in the rules. Am I right?

Also, are there any kind of guidelines or advice for making up your own creatures? I don't mind if there is not an extensive list of critters if you can easily create your own.

There are a variety of vehicles statted up, but no vehicle creation system. It's something I'd originally planned for, but was really outside the scope of what BRP is to most people (myself included).

There is a sample mech in the equipment chapter, and a giant robot in the bestiary.

There's some rough advice on customizing creatures, but no flat-out "here's how to create a new creature" system. I can't imagine anyone having any trouble using existing ones to stat up something original, though.

A book I'm sure Chaosium would love to see written soon after this one is an expanded bestiary. Any volunteers?

I have a feel that both a magic book and a creature book will be sorely needed, because the rule book divides the focus btw so many different power systems and settings.

Would that be a correct assumption? :confused:

Sverre.

A vehicle designer ala Gurps would be too much for BRP I think. I am trying to convert the little Gurps vehicle designer in Gurps Traveller Interstellar Wars to BRP as soon as the new book is released and I have some spare time. Its just for traveller space ships but very simple to use and allows for a lot of different spaceship designs. With some tweaking maybe it can be used for other vehicles too, I`ll see.

There are a variety of vehicles statted up, but no vehicle creation system. It's something I'd originally planned for, but was really outside the scope of what BRP is to most people (myself included).

There is a sample mech in the equipment chapter, and a giant robot in the bestiary.

There's some rough advice on customizing creatures, but no flat-out "here's how to create a new creature" system. I can't imagine anyone having any trouble using existing ones to stat up something original, though.

A book I'm sure Chaosium would love to see written soon after this one is an expanded bestiary. Any volunteers?

I would love to contribute something, but my english is much too bad.

I have a feel that both a magic book and a creature book will be sorely needed, because the rule book divides the focus btw so many different power systems and settings.

Would that be a correct assumption? :confused:

Sverre.

I'd love to see someone do books on either subject.

I think if I handle a 'core' book after the rulebook, it'll be an expanded powers book with some more magic, sorcery, spirit magic, rune magic, more superpowers, more mutations, more psychic powers, demon creation rules, etc. But on the other hand, I would happily watch someone else write it.

It came up during the playtest, and I know that Doyle Tavener was working on a ritual magic book.

An expanded bestiary would be a natural expansion. I'm sure I don't have the time to write it, though, and I firmly believe that a better resource would be world sourcebooks with appropriate creatures, rather than a big book of monsters (of which 90% aren't going to be used in your campaign).

I think if I handle a 'core' book after the rulebook, it'll be an expanded powers book with some more magic, sorcery, spirit magic, rune magic, more superpowers, more mutations, more psychic powers, demon creation rules, etc.

I like the sound of that!

An expanded bestiary would be a natural expansion. I'm sure I don't have the time to write it, though, and I firmly believe that a better resource would be world sourcebooks with appropriate creatures, rather than a big book of monsters (of which 90% aren't going to be used in your campaign).

Kindoff agree with that. The Glorantha Bestiary was mostly filled up with useless critters from Pamaltela!

Cheers,

Sverre.

I'd love to see someone do books on either subject.

I think if I handle a 'core' book after the rulebook, it'll be an expanded powers book with some more magic, sorcery, spirit magic, rune magic, more superpowers, more mutations, more psychic powers, demon creation rules, etc. But on the other hand, I would happily watch someone else write it.

It came up during the playtest, and I know that Doyle Tavener was working on a ritual magic book.

An expanded bestiary would be a natural expansion. I'm sure I don't have the time to write it, though, and I firmly believe that a better resource would be world sourcebooks with appropriate creatures, rather than a big book of monsters (of which 90% aren't going to be used in your campaign).

I like the way SB5 handled the creature section. There is a list with special creatures and supernatural entities. Another one very useful passage with typical NPCs and a short single page list with natural beasts (the latter without graphical display which is very good because everbody knows how a elephant looks like)

A vehicle designer ala Gurps would be too much for BRP I think.

Why do you think so? I mean I can understand if some fans do not want to do that kind of work and are willing to fudge just what the capabilities of vehicles, and equipment are but there are others that would love to get down to business and work out reasonable (or outrageous) technological progress for different civilisations both past and future.

Joseph Paul

Just out of curiousity, would anyone here who has seen or read it recommend the Malleus Monstrorum as a monster book for a vanilla-ish BRP fantasy campaign? Is there enough non-Mythos material to make it worth the price for someone who is not especially interested in the Mythos sections?

Just out of curiousity, would anyone here who has seen or read it recommend the Malleus Monstrorum as a monster book for a vanilla-ish BRP fantasy campaign? Is there enough non-Mythos material to make it worth the price for someone who is not especially interested in the Mythos sections?

I used many of the MM stats for the natural and some fantasy creatures.

There are dozens and dozens of non-Mythos creatures in the book. Plenty of natural creatures, supernatural creatures, and others.

From the creatures of myth and folkore section:

Animals:

And in the Mythos-related, here's a quarter of the creatures in the book:

It's an invaluable resource for any BRP related game. Run to stores now!

Thanks for the info, Jason.

...and Chaosium thanks you for the plug!

Have those monster's stats been reality checked?

That's a joke... kinda

Why do you think so? I mean I can understand if some fans do not want to do that kind of work and are willing to fudge just what the capabilities of vehicles, and equipment are but there are others that would love to get down to business and work out reasonable (or outrageous) technological progress for different civilisations both past and future.

Joseph Paul

I suspect because it requires more detail than virtually any of the BRP games have bothered with on _any_ topic. BRP ranges from a light to medium crunch game, and hardcore gearhead subsystems tend to go in heavy crunch games.

I take it that means that no one wanted to invest the time in designing those systems? Thank you for your answer.

Joseph Paul

I take it that means that no one wanted to invest the time in designing those systems? Thank you for your answer.

Joseph Paul

It wasn't really a case of "no one wanted to invest the time" - it was a question of:

a) has any BRP book ever dealt with gear/vehicle construction in such a fashion?

does BRP really have the need for those sorts of systems?

The answer to both of these questions is a resounding no, so it was easy to prioritize whether to include such a system.

Similarly, one could argue the need for a game system to include the equivalent of detailed miniatures rules, with hex- or grid-based movement, line of sight modifiers, facing, attacks of opportunity, etc., but the scope of the BRP book didn't call for it.

A vehicle designer ala Gurps would be too much for BRP I think.

I don't know. I would just use the basic ship rules and tack on abilities as needed.

Jason, what's the status of your Conan-like campaign? WIll it be seeing print as BRP support?

Why do you think so? I mean I can understand if some fans do not want to do that kind of work and are willing to fudge just what the capabilities of vehicles, and equipment are but there are others that would love to get down to business and work out reasonable (or outrageous) technological progress for different civilisations both past and future.

Joseph Paul

BRP Car Wars.

Now, that would be something ......

It wasn't really a case of "no one wanted to invest the time" - it was a question of:

a) has any BRP book ever dealt with gear/vehicle construction in such a fashion?

does BRP really have the need for those sorts of systems?

The answer to both of these questions is a resounding no, so it was easy to prioritize whether to include such a system.

Similarly, one could argue the need for a game system to include the equivalent of detailed miniatures rules, with hex- or grid-based movement, line of sight modifiers, facing, attacks of opportunity, etc., but the scope of the BRP book didn't call for it.

Thanks for your reply to my questions, Jason.

I am perfectly aware that no such systems are strictly necessary for any rpg. I also think the scope of the BRP book is very well defined in that sense, so I did not really expect to find one of those in it. I was rather thinking about guidelines or simply enough sample vehicles to make up your own. I think vehicles should be easy to stat up in BRP, and this takes me to my next questions:

How are the sample vehicles and equipment defined in the new BRP book?

Does the book provide any kind of real-world benchmarks to which character or creature abilities (superstrength or superspeed, for instance) can be compared?

I remember you once stated that the ultimate goal of the new book would be to allow any GM to quickly create any kind of campaign. You just take the book, stat up some equipment, races and creatures using the samples provided or the rules for superpowers and you are ready to go. Do you think you achieved that goal?

Again, thanks for your continued patience!

Why do you think so? I mean I can understand if some fans do not want to do that kind of work and are willing to fudge just what the capabilities of vehicles, and equipment are but there are others that would love to get down to business and work out reasonable (or outrageous) technological progress for different civilisations both past and future.

Joseph Paul

I meant rather a vehicle designer along the complexity of the Gurps vehicle design monster. Sorry for beeing inprecise in my post. A much simpler one, maybe as optional rule would be ok for me.(but not essential) One things I like in BRP is its simple and easy to use design. This should not change.

Thanks for your reply to my questions, Jason.

I am perfectly aware that no such systems are strictly necessary for any rpg. I also think the scope of the BRP book is very well defined in

Actually, this isn't true; for a general purpose mecha game, for example, a mecha design system is about as necessary as any subsystem can be. But that's not what BRP is.

It wasn't really a case of "no one wanted to invest the time" - it was a question of:

a) has any BRP book ever dealt with gear/vehicle construction in such a fashion?

does BRP really have the need for those sorts of systems?

The answer to both of these questions is a resounding no, so it was easy to prioritize whether to include such a system.

Similarly, one could argue the need for a game system to include the equivalent of detailed miniatures rules, with hex- or grid-based movement, line of sight modifiers, facing, attacks of opportunity, etc., but the scope of the BRP book didn't call for it.

I should have been more precise in my question and answer. What I meant was that in the whole history of BRP no one at Chaosium ever felt the need to lay out the baseline assumptions for such a product. I did not mean that the current crew was lacking in initiative by not cramming yet more stuff into the new book.

I also am seeing that we may have a definition problem. BRP can stand for both the current project of core rules and the entire concept of what a Basic Role Playing system can encompass. I may just start writing BRPCore or BRPC to be more clear on that.

Saying that the BRPCore rules did not need a vehicle design system is fine. I wasn't criticizing that decision. I was asking why people felt that the BRP system did not need it because I certainly feel that such a thing would be an incredible boon to the system. CbGl (Cthulhu by Gaslight) has an equipment guide out in monograph and it would be nice if the stats in that did not conflict outrageously with those in other equipment guides to, hopefully, come.

Saying that the BRP system does not need technolgy/vehicle design rules is, I believe, a serious oversight and very limiting to the game as a whole because it makes several genres more difficult to put together. Handwaving stats for things will only take you so far before you handwave yourself into a corner. I sincerely hope that is not what you are saying.

Long ago what I found in RQ was an elegance and rationality that held together well where other games did not. The mechanics were complex without being complicated and gave rich, detailed results. It was obvious that a lot of thought had gone into it and I don't see any thing in the system that would prevent that from continuing with an equipment creation book.

Thank you again for your efforts in compiling all of the BRP stuff and for answering questions here.

Joseph Paul

Actually, this isn't true; for a general purpose mecha game, for example, a mecha design system is about as necessary as any subsystem can be. But that's not what BRP is.

Not to derail this thread, but I think that even in a mecha game you could probably wing most details without using a dedicated subsystem, as long as you have a clear idea of how do you want your mecha to be (big, lumbering giants à la Great Mazinger? Roughly factible, as those from Battletech?). You could even steal...err... take the data from another mecha game and adapt them to BRP, if you wanted to play a mecha game with it. But that might rather be a topic for another thread.

And yes, BRP Autoduel is a cool idea...