Thread: OpenQuest 2 What would like to see?

This is what OQ 2 is currently slated to include:

• Purely random character generation.
• New Spells, (at least 50 Battle Magic )
• Sorcery Enhanced.
• Generic Deities + spells.
• Blood Magic for evil magicians.
• Straight forward rules for Relationships by Simon Bray.
• At least ten New Monsters.
• Genre Guides. How to use OpenQuest for specific Genres such as Swords and Sorcery, Low Magic settings, High Fantasy etc
• Plus other small highlight boxes, containing explanation of current rules for the first time D100 player or Games Master.
• Mass combat + Domain rules
• Otherworlds of magic explained.
• More setting info for the Empire of Gatan.
• More plunder items.

Here's your chance to influence me and pitch for your favoured rules addition from the above list or suggest something not on the list.

Couple of caveats

• Any rules suggestion has to be done the OpenQuest way. ie be simple and straight forward, ideally roll % skill then an immediate effect.
• No importing of rules from RQ or BRP, so no suggestions I'd like to see RQ6 style combat maneuvers in OQ
• Keep criticism constructive. I should really need to tell you how to behave on a forum, but I know how these things blow up sometimes

If 'Cults' are going to be in the book, how's about a template and examples on how to write out a Cult?

If OQ2 really can be used for high magic, does that mean we'll see spells like; Invisibility, Fireball, Fly?

What about rules for creating your own magical items?

I'll give you simply a note of caution. OQ is popular because it is overtly simple. By adding more and more to it, you run the risk of trampling on that design aim/aesthetic and becoming a victim of your own success. I would recommend, Indiegogo obligations granted, that you try to limit what is put in to OQ2; keep it to those things that are really needed and try to avoid it becoming a veritable tome (like all the other rules-bound games out there).

Also, make sure it's well proof-read. I've recently gone through Rik's "The Red Book" and am willing to give the OQ2 manuscript a good going over also if you like. It's in my best interest as I've backed it. n

I would like to suggest revising the weapon lists. Currently, some weapon stat and price doesn't make sense to me. Why would anyone wanna use rapier in stead of shortsword when a shortsword has the same damage dice and the same ENC, but with lower str/dex requirements, bigger size, and lower price? The same go to club and hatchet which superior to rapier and much cheaper. The great sword is the same as the great hammer just more expensive.

I don't know if any of this has been this way as a design purpose. But if it is an oversight, I suggest a revision as it won't add any complexity to OQ in anyway.

A few more suggestions:

1. Change the base value of the skills that based on a characteristic +10 to 2 x the characteristic. This will give more importance to characteristics without changing the average starting value. And you may consider revising other skill starting value as well, for example: resilience should be based on 2xCON instead of CON+POW. This will be more consistent with both older and newer edition of runequest except MRQ1. Only MRQ1 use CON+POW as far as I recall.

2. Any size limitation for grappling? Currently, any goblin can grapple a dragon successfully if the goblin have enough Unarmed skill. Is this by Design? May be a character can only grapple a unit that have SIZ less than 1.5 or 2 time their SIZ.

3. Any optional rule to support miniature play? Like bash or slam enemy to manipulate its position on battlemat for tactical purpose. I.E. Bash: close combat vs parry or dodge, if attacker win, the defender move back 2m (1 grid). In case of critical success move 4m(2 grid). Cannot use on enemy with more than 2 time your SIZ. defender make athletic roll or fall prone.

Slam is the same as Bash but use Unarmed skill (body tackle) instead of close combat. And if success the attacker move in to the defender original position.

Or you can use Legend's Bash: every 5 point of damage roll move opponent back 1 meter.

4. Charging increase damage bonus by one step instead of fixed 1D6?

5. Clarify that for the mounted character that if enemy have SIZ equal to or more than the mount. No 25% combat modifier.

6. Using weapon in offhand should increase str/dex requirement to +2/+2 or something. Or else any two weapon player will get largest weapon possible in offhand. Like two bastard sword.

7. Last and least important. Trip Opponent: Attack vs Parry/Dodge if success the enemy make athletic - 25 or fall prone, critical success, enemy make athletic - 50 or fall prone.

My other house rules pick anything you like

All Out Defend: Two Reactions with no Action that round.

Riposte: -25 Parry and Immediately make -25 Attack. Cost only one Reaction.

Surprise Rule as in MRQ1

Originally Posted by Scout

If 'Cults' are going to be in the book, how's about a template and examples on how to write out a Cult?

If OQ2 really can be used for high magic, does that mean we'll see spells like; Invisibility, Fireball, Fly?

What about rules for creating your own magical items?

Cult creation is already covered on p70. Perhaps not as in as much detail as RQ6, but this is OQ

How OQ can be used for a 'High' magic setting will be clarified in the Genre guides. In short if you want to do high magic, you have everyone having a smattering of Battle Magic and then things like Preists (who use Divine) and Wizards (Sorcerers) are fairly common and active in the setting. Fire ball is kinda there with Energy Projection (p 97 ), while Invisibility does need adding in. Various shades of Invisibility spells existed in Chaosium's RQ2 but they were dropped in RQ3 (which is the base for MRQ1, and by evolution OQ).

Rules for creating your own magical items are there in the spell lists (Create Charm, Create Potion, Create Magic Point Store p51-52 for Battle magic, Create Scroll and Create Spell Matrix for Sorcery and Create Blessed Item) but will be highlighted to draw people's attention to them.

Originally Posted by Jack Tar

I'll give you simply a note of caution. OQ is popular because it is overtly simple. By adding more and more to it, you run the risk of trampling on that design aim/aesthetic and becoming a victim of your own success. I would recommend, Indiegogo obligations granted, that you try to limit what is put in to OQ2; keep it to those things that are really needed and try to avoid it becoming a veritable tome (like all the other rules-bound games out there).

Oh don't worry I won't be adding so much crunch its like bloated box of chrunchflakes No chance of me becoming a victim of my own success on this one I know OQ's appeal is its simplicity, and hey as its author I want to keep that esp for the games I run using it.

None of the rules addition will be more than two pages of text.

Originally Posted by RedCastle

I would like to suggest revising the weapon lists. Currently, some weapon stat and price doesn't make sense to me. Why would anyone wanna use rapier in stead of shortsword when a shortsword has the same damage dice and the same ENC, but with lower str/dex requirements, bigger size, and lower price? The same go to club and hatchet which superior to rapier and much cheaper. The great sword is the same as the great hammer just more expensive.

I don't know if any of this has been this way as a design purpose. But if it is an oversight, I suggest a revision as it won't add any complexity to OQ in anyway.

Weapons lists where inherited from Mongoose RuneQuest 1 SRD that OQ was based upon. At the time me and the chaps who reviewed the rules decided to keep the weapons tables as was for compatibility with MRQ1 and because we had run out of time to produce the game ( I was about to become a dad for the second time and I knew if I hadn't released OQ before then it would have never got done). If anything I wanted a much much simpler weapons table than the one currently in OQ, which you might get this time out

Originally Posted by Newt

Weapons lists where inherited from Mongoose RuneQuest 1 SRD that OQ was based upon. At the time me and the chaps who reviewed the rules decided to keep the weapons tables as was for compatibility with MRQ1 and because we had run out of time to produce the game ( I was about to become a dad for the second time and I knew if I hadn't released OQ before then it would have never got done). If anything I wanted a much much simpler weapons table than the one currently in OQ, which you might get this time out

Hi Newt,

Glad to hear back from you.

About the weapon list, the one in OQ currently is totally different from MRQ1 SRD. When OQ was still SimpleQuest 0e, the list is the same. I suppose you revising it before changing SQ to OQ. Rapier in MRQ1 and SQ have damage dice of 1d8 while in OQ it's 1d6.