rogerb@tekmdp.UUCP (06/16/83)
I am looking for an FRP to play and would like some help..
I have played AD&D for about five years now and have gotten stifled
into certain classes, races, spells, etc. Things I am looking for are:
1) 'Free-form' classes. That is, there are no 'set' classes--
i.e. if you are a magic-user then you can cast x spells per
day, can use only a select kind of weapon... What I want is
perhaps something akin to Runequest so that a character can
become proficient in whatever he desires. If possible, it
would be kind of nice to be able to make up your own spells:
knowing that a wizard can only cast spells 1..N makes him a
known danger, whereas if a wizard has his own unique sor-
ceries, he becomes an enigma.
2) A spell point system for magic. I guess I am just tired of
'gee, all I got left is a couple of 4th level spells and
what I really need is a detect magic.' Tunnels & Trolls has
one, but T&T doesn't really fit in (easily) with other games.
Runequest has one, but the RQ magic system just does not
appeal to me overall ( however, since i have not actually
played RQ yet, maybe it is not quite so undesirable). The
reason I like such a system is to be able to use small inc-
rements of magical ability -- powering a magic wand with a
D&D first level spell is almost prohibitive, but perhaps
using only 1 mana/POW/STR/spell point would not be.
3) A non-AD&D combat system. FRPG's have advanced a long way
since AD&D was made, so there must be something better for
combat. It would be neat if there were [easier] methods of
non-lethal combat than those shown in the DM's Guide. I
like armor affecting damage taken as opposed to hit proba-
bility, as in Tunnels & Trolls, but that's mere technicality.
4) Lack of discrete levels. It seems kind of unrealistic (sic)
to think that after practicing for five weeks or so that one
will suddenly gain 5 hit points, become proficient with a new
weapon, gain three more spell levels, and save better when
(supposedly) you have been practicing this stuff all year.
Well, those are the things I would like to have in an FRPG. Things I
have looked at include: High Fantasy, a fairly decent FRPG, it's just that
I think the combat system is too lethal; Champions, a super-hero RPG I tried
to modify for fantasy, but the task escaped my simplicity; Tunnels & Trolls,
a game I dismissed almost immediately for its 'cuteness' and incredibly
inane spell names; and Runequest, which I haven't played yet, but from
browsing through the manual at the bookstore, seems of moderate complexity
(but, the magic system doesn't appeal to my tastes a whole lot). Oh, yes,
I've also played Fantasy Trip (at least Wizard and Melee), but it seemed to
turn me off as a more tactical game (too, I never managed to keep anyone
alive for too long in Wizard and Melee).
Is there such a game as I am looking for, or am I feebleminded? Does
anyone feel as I do, searching for an 'analog' FRPG? Have I missed something
in my appraisals of Runequest, Tunnels & Trolls, High Fantasy, or even AD&D?
I would certainly appreciate relevant comments.
Roger Bonzer
Tektronix, Ore
wombat@uicsl.UUCP (06/19/83)
#R:tekmdp:-203200:uicsl:4500004:000:666 uicsl!wombat Jun 18 13:21:00 1983 Most of your wants seem to point to Runequest. I would really suggest that you try RQ (preferably with others who like the game). If, after playing, you still don't like the magic system you can always alter it. But the power/spell points, classlessness, armor affecting damage rather than to-hit, etc. are all there. Please mail me, and let me know what you don't like about the magic system. I have been playing RQ for 3-4 years and like it a lot. If what you don't like is the Gloranthan world, you should look into Questworld, also from Chaosium, which uses the same basic rules as RQ, but is not set in Glorantha. Wombat pur-ee!uiucdcs!uicsl!wombat
jonab@sdcrdcf.UUCP (06/20/83)
My favorite role playing game is Fantasy Trip. Do not
dismiss it in view of only the basic Melee and Wizard modules.
The advanced system introduces non-combat skills, and also
gives decent rules about setting up dungeons. As to your
specific questions:
1) There are only two classes in FT: Magic users and everyone else.
However, magic users can learn to use any weapon, and non-magic
users can learn spells, but at a premium of skill points.
(Skill points are equal to your intelligence, and you can
use them for weapon skills, spells, or other non-weapon skills
like literacy, horsemanship, thief, detect & remove traps, etc.
2) Fantasy trip has a very simple spell point system. Each spell
causes a certain amount of exaustion to the character, which
is applied against his hit points, but he can rest and get them
back faster than he can heal wounds.
3) Fantasy trip has a non D&D combat system. Each player has a
dexterity rating affected by armor and what else he is carrying
that he must roll less than to hit. Each weapon then does a
different random amount of damage, which is reduced by the
targets armor and shield. I prefer this combat system because
it is much more realistic and it takes less time to resolve
battles. As a GM, I give each player a list of the options
he is allowed to choose from each combat round. They are very
explicit and cover almost all combat situations. The battles run
faster once your players have played a couple of times because
he knows exactly what he is capable of doing at each point,
and because FT requires a tactical map for the battles, he
has no problem visualizing the spatial relationships envolved.
4) No frp game will easily rid itself completely of discrete levels
because at some point you have to say that a character is able
to do something better than he did before. However Fantasy Trip
does a good job at making the levels close enough together that
the character does not jump unrealistically in skills. After
accumulating enough experience, a character may trade them for
one extra point of strength, dexterity, or intelligence. Strength
dictates how large a weapon you can swing, and is also equal to
the characters hit points. Dexterity is a direct measure of
how likely the character is to connect when he swings a weapon,
and Intelligence gives how many skills an spells the character
may know. So when a character gains a level, he can choose to
take more damage, hit his opponents more often, or learn one
new spell or skill.
The main disadvantage with Fantasy Trip is that there is little
aid for a novice game master who is trying to create his own
world from scratch. Knowledge of other frp games and a lot of
time is required to be able to set up a coherent world. However if
all you want to do is design dungeons for the players to explore,
it is really no worse than any other game.
Jon Biggarlarry@hp-pcd.UUCP (06/21/83)
#R:tekmdp:-203200:hp-pcd:4200003:000:638 hp-pcd!larry Jun 20 07:22:00 1983 You might want to consider DragonQuest. It provides a ranking system for skills of all kinds; and experience is used to increase your rank in whatever skill you choose. There are no character 'types' - you can have a character that is good at everything if you spent enough playing time at it. The combat system sounds like just what you're looking for, including armor that reduces damage rather than reducing the chance of being hit. A boxed starting set sells for around $20, and is all you need besides percentile dice to play. Larry Woestman Hewlett Packard Personal Computer Division Corvallis, Oregon or hplabs!hp-pcd!larry
tim@unc.UUCP (06/22/83)
Someone recommended DragonQuest from SPI/TSR. I disagree; I think
the game is a lot more complicated than it needs to be. Although I
haven't played it myself, I have heard bad remarks from people who
have played it. Everything that was listed in the recommendation for
DragonQuest is also true of RuneQuest (which came first), but without
the incredible complexity.
Tim Maroneynessus@mit-eddie.UUCP (Doug Alan) (07/03/83)
I agree with Jon Biggar. The "Fantasy Trip" (which is comprised of
"Advanced Mele", "Advanced Wizard", and "In the Labyrinth") is by far
the best FRP game on the market. It is better than AD&D, D&D, Basic
D&D, T&T, Traveler, DragonQuest and RuneQuest. In fact, only RuneQuest
comes anywhere close. I don't like RuneQuest as much because it is more
complicated (too complicated) without added realism and is generally not
as fun. The only problem with "The Fantasy Trip" (besides a small but
important combat rule flaw that is easily fixed) is that the rules are
not as organized as they could be. This is not Steve Jackson's (the
designer of the game) fault, though. He was screwed by MetaGaming. In
fact he left MetaGaming and formed his own company mostly because of the
way that they screwed him with the "Fantasy Trip".
--
Doug Alan
decvax!genrad!mit-eddie!nessus
Nessus@MIT-MCnessus@mit-eddie.UUCP (07/03/83)
I agree with Jon Biggar. The "Fantasy Trip" (which is comprised of
"Advanced Mele", "Advanced Wizard", and "In the Labyrinth") is by far
the best FRP game on the market. It is better than AD&D, D&D, Basic
D&D, T&T, Traveler, DragonQuest and RuneQuest. In fact, only RuneQuest
comes anywhere close. I don't like RuneQuest as much because it is more
complicated (too complicated) without added realism and is generally not
as fun. The only problem with "The Fantasy Trip" (besides a small but
important combat rule flaw that is easily fixed) is that the rules are
not as organized as they could be. This is not Steve Jackson's (the
designer of the game) fault, though. He was screwed by MetaGaming. In
fact he left MetaGaming and formed his own company mostly because of the
way that they screwed him with the "Fantasy Trip".
--
Doug Alan
decvax!genrad!mit-eddie!nessus
Nessus@MIT-MCmelvin@ucbvax.UUCP (07/18/83)
I have two possible suggestions... 1) The Fantasy Trip (i.e. Advanced Wizard, Advanced Melee, and In the Labyrinth) from Metagaming. It uses a system where you improve your character's stats (Strength, Dexterity, IQ) with experience. Skills and spells take time to learn. The spell system uses mana points to cast an unfortunately limited selection (~100) of spells. You can mix magic with manual skills but it costs. 2) Swordquest from Heritage. This uses a very strange spell point system (the unit of spell casting is a node). The magic is based on a group of 9 (I think) elements and a type of magic involving the essenses of the dead. It too allows the free mixing of magic and weaponry, etc.. A nice system from a strange source. There are also a couple of other games that you might consider look- ing at. Dragonquest from SPI. I haven't had a good look at this; but from the brief peek, it looks promising. The other is Rolemaster from Iron Crown Enterprises. This is a 'realistic' system with a different table for each type of weapon (including fisticuffs, beaks, claws & martial arts tricks). The magic is broken up into various schools with each possessing an \ample/ spell list. Tables abound - one for about any action you could conceive of. Rolemaster is at worst an interesting system. mark yatabe yatabe@ucbmiro