From: gharris@Jade.Tufts.EDU
Date: Wed 26 Jan 1994 - 18:03:47 EET
Description of Characteristics: "High POW can reflect
great luck or great harmony with life." Hmmm. I think this can
be misleading, especially as Luck, Harmony and Life are all runes
that are presented with specific connotations. Zorak Zorani
aren't associated with Harmony or Life at all, and yet they still
can use POW to great effect. I think it would be less confusing
and truer to the actual nature of POW to describe it simply as a
character's inherent magical ability and strength of will.
Determining Characteristics: "Each point of SIZ or INT up
to 13 costs 1 point. Each point of SIZ or INT above 13 costs 2
points." This seems unnecessarily humanocentric to me. A female
darktroll, for example, has a minimum SIZ of 13. I think
something like "Each point of SIZ or INT up to the average for
the species (13 for both for humans) costs 1 point. Each point
of SIZ or INT above that costs two points." would be a preferable
rule.
Damage Bonus: I would prefer that Damage Bonus remained
a die roll rather than a fixed addition. That's just my personal
preference.
Move: I think making Move dependent on Dex and Siz is a
very good thing. It always struck me as odd that everyone moved
equally quickly, whether agile behemoth or clumsy runt.
Melee Strike Rank: I thoroughly applaud this change,
which isn't surprising since it was my idea. However, I think
that up to 25 points in Siz or Dex should be allowed to
contribute to the total, for two reasons: first, this would make
the table less humanocentric, giving Uz and Aldryami fair
advantage for their superior Siz and Dex, respectively; second,
this would allow the last two categories to be 36-40 and 41+,
keeping the pattern of ranges being of the form 5n+1 to 5n+5,
which is adhered to throughout the rest of the table.
Skill Categories: I don't think it is necessary to have
Knowledge and Reasoning skills in separate categories. All that
would be required to differentiate between knowledge skills that
do and don't increase from experience is to note it in the skill
description and either have or don't have a check box beside the
skill on the character sheet.
Skill Category Modifiers: kudos to the new formulae;
they are much easier to deal with for people new to the game
than all the talk of Primary and Secondary and Negative
modifiers. Just two suggestions: change the formula for the
Manipulation bonus from Dex + Int/2 + Str/2 to Dex +
(Int + Str)/2, and change the Magic bonus from Int + Dex to
Int + Pow. The first change will minimize problems with
rounding, and the second just makes more sense. I realize that
Pow changes more than any other characteristic, but I don't think
the ease gained from omitting it from the Magic bonus outweighs
the illogic of not having it in the Magic bonus.
Select Profession and Skills: I very much dislike this
method. You've managed to eliminate most of the flexibility of
the system while retaining most of the complexity. With this
system it is extremely difficult if not impossible to create a
newly qualified Hrestoli Wizard, for example, or pretty much any
character that hasn't done the same thing throughout her life.
This system lacks the flexibility and simplicity required to
succeed in today's game market.
Also, I seem to recall being assured that the multiple
profession option would be retained in the newest draft, and that
a single profession method would be presented as a simplified
method for the inexperienced gamer. I'm saddened that this was
not done.
I think a comparison with a couple of other successful
games' character creation systems is in order. GURPS has a
character creation system that is, perhaps, as complex as the one
in RQ:AiG. However, it is much more flexible. With it, one can
create a character to fit almost any conception. Moreover, if
one wants to create a character that fits a simpler conception,
such as what is most redily done in the proposed system, it is
actually easier than the one here. Call of Cthulhu has a much,
much simpler character creation system. In it you are also
restricted to one profession, so on the surface one might think
it is inflexible, but this isn't so. While it's true that a
large portion of your skill points have to go in the skills
relating to your chosen profession, you still have a substantial
number of points to put into *any skills you want,* with the
approval of the GM. Thus, it is a very easy thing to do to
create a character that is both a professor of Archaeology and an
amateur boxer, something that one would be hardpressed to do in
RQ:AiG.
Finally, let me make a proposal of a vast simplification
if the system. For the level set by the GM, from Novice to
Master, you would be given a set number of skill points, which
are exchanged one for one for points in a skill, so you could
spend 30 skill points to raise your Listen from 30% to 60%. You
would then choose a primary profession. You would have to spend
some fraction of your points (say, 40%) on skills in that
profession, with the required skills having a minimum level of
that below the level of the game (so, if it was an expert-level
game, the required skills would have to be at least 60%) and all
skills in the profession having a maximum of the level of the
game (in the example, 75%). Your levels of magic, wealth and
renown would be derived from your primary profession as they are
now. Then, with the remainder of your skill points you can
either buy further skills with in your primary profession,
increase your levels of magic, wealth or renown, or buy skills in
one or more other professions, with the GM's approval. Skills in
other professions could not exceed the level one less than the
level set for the campaign (so, in the example give, skills in
other professions could not exceed 60%). So there you have it, a
much simpler and more flexible system of character creation,
which is no more abusable than the one given.
I actually like the method used for determining starting
wealth and magic. I don't see any need for renown at all. Did
anybody ever actually say "What RuneQuest really needs is a game
mechanic for keeping track of how well known characters are," and
if so why wasn't the immediate reply "What, are you nuts?" Chuck
the mechanic and put some advice in the gamemasters' section on
how to deal with character fame and infamy. That should be more
than sufficient, and would save time and space.
-- George W. Harris gharris@jade.tufts.edu Dept. of Mathematics Tufts University Days, I remember cities. Nights, I dream about a perfect place. Days, I dive by the wreck. Nights, I swim in the blue lagoon. 0,,
This archive was generated by hypermail 2.1.7 : Sat 05 Jul 2003 - 20:32:13 EEST