D&D, RQ, Checks, etc.

From: Bryan J. Maloney (jacobus@sonata.cc.purdue.edu)
Date: Thu 24 Feb 1994 - 06:36:45 EET


Maybe I'm wierd, but I don't think of the character classes of
D&D as being worth shit, especially not as a venue from which to
evaluate RuneQuest. If D&D-style specialization is so god-damned
important, why have GURPS and Hero sold so friggin' well??????

In the playtest campaign I ran (that had an overwhelmin majority of
people who had NEVER played RQ before), the players liked the way that
the 2nd draft handled experience--make a "check" after a successful roll
and then the GM decided how many checks got rolled for. Furthermore, my
campaign used training and had a good deal of non-hack-the-beastie time.
Maybe I'm just wierd to run a non hack-and-slash RQ campaign...

In any case, whatever method is used, those proposed in RQ:AiG are just
plain the worst of all possible worlds. There is no practical way to
differentiate among difficulty of skills with what RQ:AiG recommends.

The best way I've found so far has been to have the check be recorded
after a successful roll and then the GM tells players how many checks to
roll for. I would usually use the rule of thumb given in the old
draft. It WORKED! I did NOT encounter "check frenzy" or "weapon caddies".
I didn't see ANYONE even beginning to slide into it!

(There are really times when I would just like to get my hands on the
"forces of grognardism" and SQUEEZE THE FRIGGIN LIFE OUT OF 'EM. Then
I take a few whacks at something with my swords and feel better...)

0,,


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