Best Magic System to add to RQ3

[Dave]

Ok, I’ve purchased RQ6 and read the rules, and prefer to use the core mechanics of my old RQ3 ruleset. But that ruleset would benefit greatly from an upgraded and filled out magic system IMO.

Any suggestions? I like RQ6’s magic system as an upgrade I could easily bolt on in its entirety, but have heard good things about HQ2’s rune-based magic system also.

Thanks in advance.

[Evilroddy]

Check out Nikk Effingham’s RuneQuest Crucible for good Sorcery rules. There he has links to Sandy Petersen’s Magic System and Shamanism Rules.

[Pentallion]

A rune based magic system in a RQ3 shell would be so outstanding. I just couldn’t ever get into HQ. RQ6 looks great in many ways, but RQ3 is still the gold standard for me. I’d love an idea of how to integrate HQ’s rune based magic into RQ3.

[boztakang]

Nothing wrong with using HQ runes and ratings for magic, with the rq3 crunchy combat. In most cases, you could just tie % bonuses to the level of success, and make up extraordinary effects for complete (or, possibly major and complete) results. Assign a reasonable resistance based on the situation, and do a simple contest vs the chars skill with the spell or effect.

minor success: +5%
success: +10%
Maj success: +25% (or optionally, an unusual effect)
complete success: GameMaster selects (or rolls on crit chart or whatnot) unusual effect.

failures could provide lingering penalty to the spell itself, as per normal HQ

Simple augments like “bladesharp” “fire blade” etc, will generally work as above with “normal” resistance (14 to start), Fancy rune spells (like sever spirit, etc) will be hard or very hard, unless cast as a ritual or in a temple, etc.

[Mankcam]

I use a mix of RQ3 and BRP BGB for more games, with some juicy bit imported from RQ6. Personally if I had a new troupe I would probably just use RQ6, but as my group is familar with RQ2 and Call of Cthulhu then I only want setting changes rather than major game mechanic changes between the genres.

So I had an idea of replacing the Personality Skills in BRP character generation with a similar idea based upon the behavioural traits identified with the Runes. So if a character chooses a Rune Affinity they get those particular skills in char gen.

I think I like how RQ6 identifes Runic Affinities as shaping behaviour and providing aspects to magic, although I’m also partial to some small bonus to magic and skills using the Affinity. I thought that an action (magical or mundane) that is consistent with the nature of the Rune Affinity should receive a small bonus, perhaps equal to the character’s POW. I’m unsure…perhaps the Runes could also be expressed as an Allegiance skill which grants a Complimentary Skill Bonus to particular actions.

I’m still developing these ideas at present, so I would be interested in what others are doing with Rune Affinities.

[Mankcam]

I use a mix of RQ3 and BRP BGB for my games, with some juicy bit imported from RQ6. Personally if I had a new troupe I would probably just use RQ6, but as my group is familar with RQ2 and Call of Cthulhu then I only want setting changes rather than major game mechanic changes between the genres.

So I had an idea of replacing the Personality Skills in BRP character generation with a similar idea based upon the behavioural traits identified with the Runes. So if a character chooses a Rune Affinity they get those particular skills in char gen.

I think I like how RQ6 identifes Runic Affinities as shaping behaviour and providing aspects to magic, although I’m also partial to some small bonus to magic and skills using the Affinity. I thought that an action (magical or mundane) that is consistent with the nature of the Rune Affinity should receive a small bonus, perhaps equal to the character’s POW. I’m unsure…perhaps the Runes could also be expressed as an Allegiance skill which grants a Complimentary Skill Bonus to particular actions.

I’m still developing these ideas at present, so I would be interested in what others are doing with Rune Affinities.

[Author]

Posts