Skip to content
The Well of Daliath
Menu
Menu

Multiple Abilities in Extended Contests

Forums | HeroQuest Rules Discussions
Multiple Abilities in Extended Contests Submitted by BlindGuyNW on Sun, 16/09/2012 – 22:05

  • HeroQuest Rules Discussions

Hi All,

In reading the HQ2 rules, I am a little unclear on the way extended contests are supposed to work. When the book says, “a series of simple contests,” does it mean my players should be able to switch abilities between exchanges? The example in the book seems to suggest no, that you roll against the same ability until a final outcome is achieved. I think I am a little confused by the discussion of “asymmetrical exchanges,” as well. Do these two issues relate?

Any clarification would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks,

Zack.

‹ Keyword and break-out abilities maximum rating HQ2 Fantasy Grounds II Ruleset ›

Comment viewing options

Flat list – collapsedFlat list – expandedThreaded list – collapsedThreaded list – expanded Date – newest firstDate – oldest first 10 comments per page30 comments per page50 comments per page70 comments per page90 comments per page150 comments per page200 comments per page250 comments per page300 comments per pageSelect your preferred way to display the comments and click “Save settings” to activate your changes. RoM's picture

any ability is possible

Submitted by RoM on Mon, 17/09/2012 – 01:36.

I don’t have the rulebook handy right now, but I think it is mentioned somewhere, that you can use any ability you want. And you can change the ability any time during an extended contest. Remember in HQ2 all abilities work the same anyway. So in a fight you could start with “Swordmaster”, then proceed with “Colt 1911” only to set the final blow with “Humiliating Insults”. I think Leonidas also uses words and weapons against Xerxes. And the Gladiators in the high-tech arena (Thundering Skullhead, Red Shaman etc.) use multiple abilities as well. The framing of the contest stays the same, only the means to achieve your goal change during the contest.

An asymmetric exchange is a bit different. Leonidas and Xerxes fight each other. That is symmetric. Tawny Port and Portuguese Bill framed the contest to fight each other (still symmetric). But suddenly something happens that changes Tawny’s intention: the gunpowder is set afire. Now Bill tries to kill his opponent, while Tawny Port is trying to cut the gunpowder line. He is actually fighting an impersonal power for the duration of a single exchange. That is asymmetric. If successful, the contest afterwards goes on as planned. The character could use either his regular fighting ability for the asymmetric exchange or a different ability as he/she seems fit.

Cheers

Robin

Thanks, this clears it up

Submitted by BlindGuyNW on Wed, 19/09/2012 – 23:39.

That’s extremely helpful, and eases my mind considerably. The last thing I want is for any such contest to become a matter of rolling until you drop, so to speak. Once again, it comes down to  narrative versus task-based resolution, an area I suspect I’m still coming to grips with. Replies like this help keep it in perspective, and are much appreciated.

Herve's picture

I know the feeling !

Submitted by Herve on Thu, 20/09/2012 – 17:07.

Took me almost three years to get the HQ contests done to my (and the players’) satisfaction. Make sure they understand the RP mechanics (the first side who inflicts 5 to the other wins, but it’s the number of RP between two sides which determines the level of victory).

Then always remind them the “daring bid” approach. You know, whisper in your best corrupting voice :”you can decide to go for a particularly bold bid. If you win, you inflict + 1RP !!! But if you lose, you’ll take + 2 RP yourself… Your choice”. And now my players have integrated this rule, we simply agree it’s a daring bid when they describe a bold move. And sometimes they don’t get a choice – I rule what they try is bold.

Remember : an extended contest is usually solved after 3-4 exchanges. Never forget it’s only ONE EXCHANGE (dice vs dice), not attack-parry-counterattack-counterparry.

Enjoy!

 

Comment viewing options

Flat list – collapsedFlat list – expandedThreaded list – collapsedThreaded list – expanded Date – newest firstDate – oldest first 10 comments per page30 comments per page50 comments per page70 comments per page90 comments per page150 comments per page200 comments per page250 comments per page300 comments per pageSelect your preferred way to display the comments and click “Save settings” to activate your changes.

  • About Us
    • People
      • Rick Meints
      • Jeff Richard
      • Loz
      • Simon
      • Ben and Bruce
      • Dan
      • Pete
      • Ian
    • Customer service
    • Legal Stuff
      • Fan Publications Policy
        • Even more policy
      • HeroQuest Gateway License
    • Writing for Moon Design Publications
      • Wyrms Footnotes submissions
    • Affiliates
      • Cubicle 7
      • Greg Stafford – Pendragon Publications
      • The Design Mechanism
      • Hearts in Glorantha
      • Gloranthan Wiki
    • About this website
  • Products
    • Catalog
    • Wyrms Footnotes 15
    • Pavis: Gateway to Adventure
      • Pavis character sheets
      • Masks of the True Gods
      • Map of the Big Rubble
      • Map of New Pavis
      • Pavis Clan Generator
    • Sartar Companion
      • Art of the Sartar Companion
      • Sample PDF
    • Sartar: Kingdom of Heroes
      • Sartar: Kingdom of Heroes Player Handouts
      • Sartar Errata
      • Art of Sartar
      • Return to Apple Lane
      • Sartar Campaign Pack
      • Sartar clan generator
    • HeroQuest Core Rules
      • Reviews of the HeroQuest Core Rules
    • Stafford Library
    • RuneQuest
    • Value Packs
    • Store
      • Shopping Cart
  • Resources
    • Glorantha
      • The Look of Glorantha
      • Prosopaedia
      • Orlanthi
        • Art
        • Myths
        • History
        • Culture
        • Religion
        • Tools
        • Prosopaedia
      • Pelorian
        • Art
        • Myths
        • History
        • Culture
        • Religion
        • Prosopaedia
      • Western
        • Art
        • Myths
        • History
        • Culture
        • Religion
        • Prosopaedia
      • Eastern
        • Shang-Hsa
        • Vithela
          • Affairs At Dusk
          • How Vith Pacified the Anti-Gods
          • How the Islands Came Apart
          • The Origins of Writing
          • The Vithelan Creation of the World
          • What the Mystic Taught Me
        • Prosopaedia
      • Doraddi
        • Some Pamaltelan Creation Mythology
        • Prosopaedia
      • Hsunchen
        • Rathori Creation Myth
        • Prosopaedia
      • Praxian
        • The Green Land
        • Prosopaedia
      • Fonritan
      • Elder Races
        • Aldryami art direction
          • Aldrya
          • Information about elves
          • Prosopaedia
        • Mostali art direction
          • Prosopaedia
        • Trolls
          • Troll questions and answers
          • Cragspider The Firewitch
          • Ancestors and Rebirth
          • Mistress Race Trolls
          • Prosopaedia
      • Cosmology
      • Miscellanea
        • Chariots and Chariot Gods
        • HeroQuest Voices
        • The Enerali circa 130 ST
        • Third Age of Glorantha
        • Glorantha Q&A Archive
        • Myth of the Month
        • A sense of scale
        • Historical Atlas of Genertela – Part I: at the Dawn
        • Historical Atlas of Genertela – Part II: the First Age
        • Historical Atlas of Genertela – Part III: the rise of the Lunar Empire 1250 ST
        • Historical Atlas of Genertela – Part IV: Sheng Seleris 1450 ST
        • The 15 Sun Dome Temples
        • The four major cultures of Genertela
        • The Size of Glorantha
        • The Birth of Elmal
        • Giants & River of Cradles
        • Mountain Stories
        • The Mothers of Monsters
      • Earlier websites
      • Core Rune Font
      • Geography
    • HeroQuest
      • Character sheet templates
      • Dad, how good am I?
      • GM Panel
      • HeroQuest cheat sheet
    • Search by tags
  • Blogs
    • Temple of the Reaching Moon
    • Common Knowledge for the Players
    • Breakfast and Games
    • Loz Witters
    • God of the Silver Feet
    • Pete’s Perambulations
    • Whinings of a Mad Cur
    • Erratic Ramblings from the Art Department
  • Forums
    • Glorantha Discussions
    • HeroQuest Rules
    • Deutsches Forum
    • History and Collecting
    • Website Support
    • Ask Moon Design
    • Recent posts
  • Contact Us
  • Login

Sections

  • Search Tips
  • Current RuneQuest Glorantha Publications
  • RuneQuest Glorantha Corrections and Q&A
  • Catalogue
  • References for Glorantha
    • Gloranthan Canon
  • Gloranthan Documents
  • RPG Systems & Versions
  • Gallery
  • Role-playing in Glorantha
  • About This Site
  • Get involved!

Latest Posts

  • Sartar’s Transformation of the Economy

    One of the most remarkable transformations that Sartar made is …
  • The View From Boldhome, circa 1627

    Argrath was acclaimed Prince on Day 88 of 1627. Several …
  • Wolf Pirates 1625-1627

    Harrek the Berserk and his Wolf Pirates cast a looming …
  • Interacting with the Hero Plane

    Most cults limit their interaction with the Hero Plane to …
  • Notes on the Hero Wars

    As we think about the RuneQuest setting for 1621-1655, there’s …
  • Dragon Pass Dragonewt population

    A rough breakdown of the dragonewt population in Dragon Pass, …
  • Notes on King Blackmoor

    From 1615-1625, the Colymar tribe was ruled by Kangharl son …
  • Genertelan Worldview

    The first set of Cults books – Mythology, Lightbringers, Earth …
  • Spirit Cult Example

    Here’s an example of a strange little spirit cult (or …

Links

  • Chaosium
  • Glorantha on BRP Central
  • RuneQuest on BRP Central
  • RuneQuest Glorantha on MeWe
  • Glorantha Wiki on Fandom
  • Prince of Sartar Webcomic
  • Glorantha G+ Archives on Tapatalk
  • Search mailing list archive

Latest from BRP Central

  • Next Gods of Glorantha Volume Date
  • Sorcerer Stats
  • Time required to learn spirit magic
  • Disadvantages of Becoming a Shaman- Obligations to Tribe/Cult
  • Ancestor Worship and Daka Fal
  • Glorantha game Six Ages 2 nominated for three Pocket Gamer Awards, including Mobile Game of the Year
  • Any Info on Twilight/Nightlight?
  • Visions of Myth
  • The God Learners Episode 28: Gloranthan Freeforms, with David Hall & Kevin Jacklin
  • Monty Python Pestilence - Exodus Plagues

Popular Tags

2008 Bestiary Boldhome (large city) Chaosium Cult demographics Cults of Runequest (preview) Doraddi pantheon Ernalda Esrolia (homeland) Fonritian pantheon FR G+ post Greg Stafford Guide to Glorantha (preview) Hsunchen pantheon Humakt Issaries Jar-eel Kralorelan pantheon Lunar Empire Lunar Pantheon Magazine Malkioni pantheon Map Maps Michael O’Brien Mongoose Nochet (metropolis) Nomad Gods Orlanth Orlanthi pantheon Photo reference Population demographics Prax (homeland) Praxian pantheon RQ3 RQG Sandy Petersen Sartar (homeland) Spirit Cult Subcult Troll Pantheon Yelm Yelmalio Yelm Pantheon

Recently added or updated

  • CHA4028 RuneQuest: Roleplaying in Glorantha – Chapter 16 Sorcery Q&A

  • Sartar’s Transformation of the Economy

  • Wolf Pirates 1625-1627

  • CHA4038 The Pegasus Plateau & Other Stories (2020)

  • The View From Boldhome, circa 1627

  • CHA4036 RuneQuest Weapons and Equipment Q&A

  • What is the Third Age History of the Sun Dome Temple in Sartar (2008)

  • Breakout #34 (1989)(AU)

  • AH8574 Human Adventurer Sheets (Box 2 – 1985)

  • AH8575 Non-human Adventurer Sheets (Box 3 – 1985)

  • AH8573 Monster Coliseum (Box 1 – 1985)

  • Wolf Pirates

  • Le Maître des Runes (1988)(FR)

  • CHA4028 RuneQuest: Roleplaying in Glorantha – Chapter 12 Rune Cults Q&A

  • CHA4029 RuneQuest Gamemaster Screen Pack – Q&A

  • CHA4039 The Smoking Ruin and other Stories – Q&A

  • CHA4038 The Pegasus Plateau & Other Stories – Q&A

  • CHA4034 Red Book of Magic – Chapter 03 Spirit Magic Spells Q&A

  • Interacting with the Hero Plane

  • Petersen Games

©2023 The Well of Daliath | Design: Newspaperly WordPress Theme