From: Staffan Tjernstrom (100303.141@compuserve.com)
Date: Thu 01 Sep 1994 - 20:07:33 EEST
By request of the other referee (sadly not on-line) of our joint G campaign, are
his extensions to the battle (spirit) magic rules....
Jon Tarry:
Variant RUNEQUEST Magic Rules
I have always been confused as to why in both 2nd and 3rd edition Runequest, there exists a system for both Critical and Fumble results for mundane skills, but not for Magic.
Given that Spirit/Battle Magic is tightly controlled by the restraints placed upon the Spirit/the controls exercised by the mundane 'Heroquest' associated with learning the spell. This may go some way to explaining the discrepancy.
However, I enjoy a 'random' element asociated with spell use
(particularly as Spirit Magic is prevalent, and encouraged, in
my campaign!). The following rules are what myself, and my co-
referee came up with to achieve what we felt was a more
consistent approach to Magic and the Mundane Skill structure.
In line with skills, Spirit magic spells succeed AUTOMATICALLY
on a dice roll of 05 or less.
They also fail AUTOMATICALLY on a roll of 96 on more.
A roll of less than 20% of that required (a 'special' success), will result in maximum effect occurring. For example, a 'special' result while casting a Disruption spell will cause 3HP of damage to the relevant location (assuming the target's POW has been succesfully overcome in the usual way.)
A roll of less than 5% of that required (a 'critical' success), again works AUTOMATICALLY. In addition a random beneficial effect from the following Table occurs:
CRITICAL EFFECTS
Roll 1D10
1 Half Magic Point (MP) cost. Round up.
2 +25% to resistance roll. If none associated then No
effect.
3 Spell acts as if 5MP put behind it when cast. (ie need
6Pts of Countermagic to negate the spell.)
4 Double Range, OR Duration, OR Intensity. (Choose ONE)
5 Double effect.
6 Zero MP cost to cast.
7 Affect TWO targets for the cost of one spell.
8 Spell ignores Magical defenses. (eg Countermagic, Shield
Countermagic, Protection, Reflection, Absorption, Chaos
Feature.)
9 Next spell works AUTOMATICALLY. No need for POW vs POW.
10 At DM's discretion Spell acts as though Matrix Creation
had been cast as well. Care needs to be exercised with
this as it may create powerful matrices!
The converse situation involves a 'fumble' result on the dice roll:
FUMBLE EFFECTS
Roll 1D10
1 Spell fails AUTOMATICALLY, no other effect (normal
MP cost.)
2 Next spell cast has minimum effect. DM's discretion.
3 Next spell cast, has HALF Range, OR Duration, OR
Intensity. (DM's choice).
4 -25% Resistance roll for next Attack spell. (either
Cast or Hit By.)
5 x2 MP Cost
6 Caster suffers the effects of a Befuddle spell.
7 x3 MP Cost
8 Spell Works, REVERSE on self, OR Hit nearest friend
9 Spell lost from Memory for 1D3 weeks!
10 x4 MP Cost
The above Tables are of course only Guidelines. Feel free to make any amendments or ignore anything you feel is inappropriate to your game.
Thanks go to Staffan Tjernstrom for help with development of the above as well as to our regular players for their help and comments. Any thoughts or comments on this subject appreciated.
JONATHAN TARRY. Now for my ha'penny's worth (ha'penny, roughly equivalent to a bolg).
Recovery of Rune (Divine) Magic:
Since I can't remeber who said what, I am going to ramble across the points I remember...
Firstly, I do agree that the present 1 day to regain 1 point is difficult to justify from a society viewpoint, though I concede that as a game mechanic it is justifiable. I play that two priest-hours regains 1 point (ie two priests praying for 1 hour gain back 1 point into the temple Truestone).
As an avid RQ2 Barbarian, I am very dubious about the whole 'give RQ3 Initiates re-useable Divine Magic' schtick [sp?]. IMHO Rune Magic is a reward from the Gods to their _devout_ followers for services rendered. Thus an Initiate would gain a single use spell as a great reward (cf the gain from a mundane HeroQuest]. Rune Lords also gain only one use spells, for the same reason, though they have greater access, being more 'heroic'. Since the Rune Lord's job is (at least in the majority of cases) to be the cult's strong man the POW cost of this is to a great extent overcome by the amount of POW gain rolls they will have. Hence I have no real arguments either way on the 'lower echelons' recovery apart from - They Don't.
On the subject of the number of Lay/Initiates present when the priest tries to
regain - I like. However, bear in mind that not all Priests are Temple bound
(eg a wandering Issaries Goldentounge). I feel that it would be easier for the
Priest to regain a spell in Boldhome market during Sacred Time (ie automatic,
and all) than stuck in the middle of Pent with nothing but a set of two-week Lay
Baboon guides, but that it will still be _possible_, maybe with a price attached
(a great chance to have that mischievous ally start babbling about Genert
maybe).
Looking forward to the economy notes!
Harry Bushtill
Goldentounge
etc...
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