YouTube: How to Run RuneQuest | Chaosium Interview

Today, the Chaosium team has a great video on Runequest. Although it is over a year old, it is still a powerful and helpful video for getting started in the game. One of the best points made is to make the Glorantha setting "your setting" and not be afraid to make the world your version of the world. We did this in 3rd Edition when we had cute 3-foot-tall cat people (like out of Hallmark cards) in our world, and they were primarily tinkerers.

The rules of RuneQuest are intricately intertwined with the unique Glorantha setting. This deliberate connection is a testament to the fact that the setting is not just a backdrop, but a crucial element that enhances the gaming experience. Much like the allure of Traveller and the Imperium setting, or the immersive worlds of Shadowrun and Cyberpunk, the appeal of Runequest lies in the experience of 'being there'.

Some have felt that "everyone having magic" is a negative in the setting. The "spirit magic" is a fascinating power system. It is replicated in most "magic using" D&D classes where they use magic for class abilities, like bards and inspiration, or clerics' minor healing and turning dead. Magic is already in almost every D&D class, so why does this problem exist?

In Runequest, professions are not just job titles but paths that lead to the mastery of 'the spirits.' These professions learn to harness the power of the spirits to enhance their abilities, adding a unique and intriguing dimension to the game.

Most people in the setting? One spell costs the amount of money an average family earns in a year, so magic is not that commonplace. Most devotees give permanent POWs to their church and never have spells. Those NPCs who do may know one spell learned over a lifetime or passed down from elders.

Avoid the "spooky Merlin" and "pointed hat" D&D archetypes in this world when thinking about magic. This is more like a carpenter who can "pray to the spirits" to heal a minor wound gained during work, repair a tool, or increase the force of a hammer blow, and this is how magic is seen and used. If you want the "Western Merlin and Harry Potter magic" tropes, go with BRP. A dancer could use the spirits to make their performance more seductive or flashy. Sorcerous practitioners go much further into this world with Rune Magic.

It is a good video that creates a strong foundation for understanding and enjoying the setting and game.

YouTube: High Adventure Role Playing | Rules Breakdown

This is an older video from about two years ago, but it is highly informative as a rules overview of HARP. If you are trying to get started or have it on your shelf and want to learn the game, this video is a great place to start. Check it out if you are interested, and like and subscribe to the creator.

I often refer to this video as a refresher course on the game, and it communicates the concepts and rules well. HARP is a simplified Rolemaster, and it is a complete game that still works very well.

YouTube: Overview - Spell Law

A great Spell Law video today gives an overview of the magic system for Rolemaster. Give it a watch, and like and subscribe to the creator.

d100 Science Fiction Gaming

There are many science fiction D100 games, including some of the best in gaming. Let's start on the BRP side of the D100 hobby, and we have M Space, a Mythras/Legend-derived sci-fi game that comes in a square book (and has a companion). I love the art in this book; it has a Free League look to it, almost Blade Runner-esque.

From the Open Quest side of the BRP sphere comes Rivers of Heaven, another nice-looking d100 sci-fi game that feels lighter and easier to understand. This one has a Traveller, cyberpunk, Dune, and Event Horizon feel, with an established universe and organizations.

Remember Basic Roleplaying when talking about d100 sci-fi! This is my second favorite d100 sci-fi game on this list, especially when Call of Cthulhu and Runequest's monsters are 100% compatible. Your starship combat rules are less robust than the other entries. Still, the rules are amazingly solid and easy to use, and you can run generic sci-fi, movie sci-fi, cyberpunk, Road Warrior,  Alien, 1950's matinee sci-fi, Buck Rogers, or any other genre of sci-fi with these rules and not have to change game systems. Since Call of Cthulhu is the 2nd most popular RPG in the world, and BRP is the core system for that game, people will know how to play this game without too much work.

You may have to put in a little work to create a setting here, so this is more of a "build a sci-fi game" sort of book than the others, which come with worlds ready to go. If you want a BYO universe and setting, start here; the combination of rules, familiarity, and an open system will take you to the stars.

On the Rolemaster side of the d100-verse, we have the classic (and complicated) Space Master. This is an older game we actually played, and the skill lists for characters could extend pages. Space Master is just like Rolemaster Classic, just as chart-filled, detailed, and crit-table-packed as that game. It does take a lot of time to create characters and figure out the rules, so it is not for those looking for a simple game.

We also have HARP SF, which feels like a lighter-weight Space Master. If you are into HARP, this is an excellent sci-fi game in the same style. It has a set universe, and a Mass Effect meets Blade Runner theme, which is fantastic if you like that vibe.

Saving the best for last, we have the excellent Frontier Space, a throwback tribute game like the original Star Frontiers but far better in terms of rules, characters, and action economy. If you are playing Star Frontiers for the memories, consider upgrading your rules system to Frontier Space and using this as your "modern operating system" for that universe. These rules fix the "skills over 100%" problem with a system integrated into the action economy and defense rolls, and it is a genius rule that encourages pulp adventure and exploration.

Frontier Space is worth your time and is the best in sci-fi gaming now. Forget Starfinder, random 5E sci-fi, and everything else; if you love the original 1980s Star Frontiers vibe, this will give it to you on a rocket thruster and blast you into orbit. As a bonus, this is also very compatible with the monsters and magic from Barebones Fantasy, so you can mix and match things between the DWD Studios systems easily. If you need to, since the FS Referee's Handbook has many tables and monster generators, enough to last you a lifetime.

d100 sci-fi gaming is where the fun is, especially when you consider Frontier Space and Basic Roleplaying as two of the best d100 sci-fi systems out there.

Why We Are Back

It has been a while since I've posted, but I always loved the excellent Barebones Fantasy game, the original game this blog covered. So, this blog sat quiet, and I only had a little to say. I enjoyed the game, played occasionally, and did not update this site.

So, I put 5E to the side for a while. What replaced it was Runequest. I wanted something more of the same old fantasy world, that generic pastel-bubblegum-planar sort of every fantasy that gets boring after the 20th time. Runequest made me put Pathfinder's Golarion into my storage boxes, and the world is just that good. The world feels honest; it has a history so deep they published a pair of coffee-table books on it, and the borders and kingdoms are in flux. There are cultures here to lose yourself in. This is the sort of campaign world D&D dreams it could have.

Then, I started to move other games on the shelf that shared the same d100 mechanics. Basic Roleplaying and Call of Cthulhu were easy to put alongside since they are all Chaosium games and equally as good.

Then I wondered what would happen if I put all my d100 games on the same shelf. Barebones Fantasy, its sister games of Covert Ops, and the outstanding Frontier Space were easy choices.

Runequest's "sister games" of Mythras, Open Quest, and Simple Quest were also easy to put alongside these greats.

Rolemaster is very d100, one of the OG games of the 1980s. Its MERP-like sister game, HARP, was also an easy choice. Another MERP sister game is Against the Darkmaster.

I found a dozen amazing d100 games on that shelf and decided to make a space where I could talk about them. All of them are sort of "d100 dungeon games." Even Frontier Space and Covert Ops, if you remember the original inspiration games of Star Frontiers and Top Secret, were also very "dungeon-like" in their modules, so in a way, they fit in well.

There are really three different lineages of the d100 system here, the TSR one, the Rolemaster one, and the Runequest one. In a way, the games are all different, but in another, they are very similar. The Rolemaster branch is the only roll-high d100 system here, while the others are roll-under. Some are d10-only, while others mix in the standard polyhedral dice.

And I know I am missing M-Space, HARP-SF, and Space Master. Those could be here as well.

So my Barebones Fantasy blog now has some incredible neighbors and games to share this space with, all of which are d100 games. BBF will still get love, but rekindling all my great d100 games will help make this place more random and exciting but with one common theme.

YouTube: HARP - High Adventure Role Playing, is it fun?

Here is a video about HARP that popped up on my YouTube feed, and this was published today. I do not see too many videos about HARP (and I have yet to watch this), so I love sharing and listening to creators discuss some of my favorite games.

Check out the video, like, and subscribe!

Rolemaster

Rolemaster is rebuilding their game, and this one is a classic. Also, it is d100! So, this is in the blog. How could we not? They have the first three hardcovers in PoD: Core Law, Spell Law, and Treasure Law (2024 release; hardcover is out now). I want those two Creature Law books!

This is an all-time classic d100 game, dating back to the early 1980s. Affectionately called Chart Master, it lives up to its name in glorious fashion, and the crit charts here are things of legend that ended many an adventurer's career.

Mythras

I am rooting for Mythras. The original OGL release has a type size that I can't read; it is too small and dense for my eyes. The newer releases under the ORC License are much better. Still, I want a full book (with good readability) that covers everything in the original setting, plus the Classic Fantasy book. I really want to see this game's full, hardcover, new edition.

This is another Runequest 6 and Legend-derived game with significant improvements and mechanics. This is 100% worth checking out if you are a d100 and Runequest fan.

Also, it is added to the blog as another classic d100 game!

HARP

Do we have another d100 fantasy game? This one is a classic game, the MERP-style simplified Rolemaster game, High Adventure Role Playing?

It is d100 dungeon crawling, and you can collect the complete game via PoD! I say it is in.

Welcome, HARP, to the blog!

Open Quest & Simple Quest

There are so many amazing D100 games out there, including D101 Games' Open Quest and Simple Quest games. This is sort of a mix between an RQ6/Legend system and a B/X style game, open-licensed and amazing.

Simple Quest is an even more stripped-down and simple version. Let's add them to the blog. Keep those percentile dice ready!

Frontier Space and Covert Ops

They aren't "dungeon games," but in a way, they are "space dungeon games" in that classic spirit of 1980s sci-fi greats like Star Frontiers. Let's add Frontier Space to the blog!

If you are d100 gaming, this is the sci-fi game to get.

Another worthy d100 game is the excellent spy game Covert Ops. Both are by DWD Studios and are classic d100 tribute games to the greats of the 1980s, like Top Secret.

Runequest, Basic Roleplaying, and Call of Cthulhu

I am adding a few 1d100 games to this blog, namely the royalty of d100 gaming: Runequest, Basic Roleplaying, and Call of Cthulhu. The blog should be more about the d100 game I love, and while Barebones is one of them, there are so many other d100 games that I love, and they can find a home here.

These are not just games; they are fantastic experiences that can provide a lifetime of entertainment and fun. The recent opening of the BRP license is a monumental event, a tremendous gift and resource for our community. While RQ and CoC are still slightly closed systems, the game BRP under the ORC License is a fantastic addition that ensures the longevity of gaming and third-party publishing. This is a time to be appreciative and excited about the future of our community.

Of course, there is the all-time-greatest horror game, Call of Cthulhu, the second most popular game in the world behind 5E. While "dungeons" are a bit out of the norm for CoC, getting around a table and exploring ancient sites of evil is quite literally dungeons.

I want to add a few other great d100 games here, but these are my big three.