[Runequest] Basic RolePlaying, The Chaosium System

[Sverre Larne]

Great review! Would you care to add it in the review section at BRP 
Central too? Basic Roleplaying Reviews 
<http://basicroleplaying.com/reviews/showcat.php?cat=3>

SGL.

Lev Lafayette skrev:
> PRODUCT: Basic RolePlaying: The Chaosium Roleplaying System
> AUTHOR: Jason Durall, Sam Johnson
> COMPANY: Chaosium
>
> STYLE: 4
> SUBSTANCE: 4
>
> SUMMARY:
> --------------------------------------------------
> A "thin glue" method unites several BRP games in one publication. Above
> average in almost all regards; it is well written, well designed, with
> quite a good content to page count and good scope. What does happen when
> Elric hits Cthulhu with Stormbringer?
> --------------------------------------------------
>
> REVIEW:
> --------------------------------------------------
> <b>Background and Product</b>
>
> The core of <i>Basic RolePlaying: The Chaosium Roleplaying System</i>
> dates back as far as first edition <i>RuneQuest</i> in 1978. Since then,
> a number of games - mostly quite successful - were produced by the
> company based on the same model, including <i>Call of Cthulhu</i> (FP
> 1981), <i>Stormbringer</i> (FP 1981), <i>Ringworld</i> (FP 1984),
> <i>ElfQuest</i> (FP 1984) and <i>Nephilim</i> (FP 1994). Among these and
> others there was always a vague promise of crossover games or even a
> complete system which unified all the above - variations of this came in
> the form as the simple Basic RolePlaying and the far more elaborate
> <i>Worlds of Wonder</i> (1982).  This new tome, expressed in the
> thirteen-chapter, four-hundred page softbound form, is the fulfilment of
> this promise.
>
> In my first decade of gaming I was quite favourably disposed towards the
> various BRP games. The character creation system provided more
> opportunities rather than implausible restrictions, it had a simple
> roll-under percentile skill system, combat was relatively realistic,
> deadly and usually resolved very quickly - not to mention armour reduced
> damage rather than making you harder to hit (indeed, armour in BRP games
> often made you <i>easier</i> to hit because it was encumbering). But
> perhaps most of all, the games captured a deep sense of genre almost
> invariably expressed in the magic system. When the opportunity to join
> the playtest occurred, I eagerly accepted. The playtest procedure was
> highly structured (leaving but modest opportunities for playtester
> contributions to development) but well conducted and I'll take this
> opportunity to thank Jason Durrall for his approach which was both
> friendly and professional.
>
> The cover of Basic RolePlaying features a variation of Da Vinci's study
> of man but, in paper-doll dress-up style, features elements of a
> multi-genre being. It is fairly strong in terms of creativity, but more
> modest in technique, which is something I noted throughout the text
> which included quite a number from prior publications. Other images of
> note include an impending confrontation between Cthulhu and a space
> fighter near the rings of Saturn (p372) and an old classic for the
> resistance table "Burly Bob" (p170) who made an appearance in the
> original Basic RolePlaying booklet. Effort was clearly made to provide
> appropriate illustrative art to the text.
>
> The book is well-written with rules explained maturely and with a
> notable degree of clarity. There are more than a couple of typographical
> errors (perhaps the most amusing being the description of a crack as an
> "active" force), but the genuine meaning is usually discerned with some
> ease. The layout of the book is likewise generally good with two-column
> justified text, boxed areas for particular emphasis, somewhat small page
> numbers and chapters marked on each page (albeit with a binary method to
> indicate chapter numbers) and roughly the right use of whitespace. The
> table of contents is a little spartan with merely the chapter headings
> provided, but there's a good five page index to major topics. The back
> of the book also includes a collection of useful tables, a pretty
> well-designed character sheet, an options checklist, and so forth. 
>
> <b>Character Creation</b>
>
> The seven step process (neatly summarised on pages 22-23 with character
> sheet references) begins with characteristics. There are five core
> characteristics determined on 3d6 rolls (Strength, Constitution, Power,
> Dexterity and Appearance) and two determined by 2d6+6 (Intelligence and
> Size). Further there is an eighth also on 2d6+6 (Education) and options
> for cultural and species modifiers, higher starting characteristics (all
> on 2d6+6) and a point-buy option. All characteristics have equivalent
> percentile characteristic rolls (Step Four) based on five times the
> characteristic amount as a percentage score.
>
> The second step is perhaps the most important; determining a character's
> powers, which are entirely game power-level (Normal, Heroic, Epic and
> Superhuman) and genre dependent. The text says, quite bluntly and
> appropriately, <b>"Stop everything and read this!"</b>. Characters may
> have access to one or more of Magic, Mutations, Psychic Abilities,
> Sorcery and Super Powers and can receive various levels of powers
> depending on the GMs setting. Starting age (Step Three) is based on 17
> +1d6 years, however for every 10 years older that the default starting
> age a character may add 10, 20, 30 or 40 professional skill points
> depending on the power level of the campaign. There are also reductions
> for youth and characteristic loses for age.
>
> Derived charactersitics (Step Five) are damage bonus (STR+SIZ and table
> reference), hit points (average CON + SIZ) with major wound level equal
> to half that value (along with an option for sectional hit points as per
> <i>RuneQuest</i>), Power Points equal to POW, Experience bonus equal to
> half INT and Move equal to 10 units (usually metres) per round. There
> are also options for Fatigue points (STR + CON) as per <i>RuneQuest</i>
> and Sanity as per <i>Call of Cthulhu</i> (POW times five). A further
> derived characteristic of soughts is the optional "Distinctive Features"
> based on variations on average human appearance (this probably would
> have been better if it was species-specific). Step Six is rather oddly
> described as personality and consists of rolling (or choosing) one of
> four approaches which are basically an approach to problems; fighting,
> technique, smarts, and and persuasion. These give a bonus of 20 skill
> points to a number of appropriate skills. One is tempted to describe
> such personalities as "Fighter", "Thief", "Mage" and "Cleric". A better
> profession system (from <i>Pendragon</i>) is discovered as an optional
> rule on p294-295.
>
> The seventh step consists of distributing the appropriate number of
> skill points according to power level, profession and from a personal
> pool based on INT time 10. The profession system is like <i>Call of
> Cthulhu</i>; a profession title is given, equipment based on wealth
> levels (step nine) and a pool of skills to allocate skills to. There are
> some fourty-four professions described in this manner. It's not a bad
> method by any stretch of the imagination, but it's a bit simplistic and
> a far cry from some of the detailed efforts by BRP-derived games in the
> past. Skills are also provided a species and historically specific base
> chance and are modified by category bonuses (e.g., Combat skills,
> Communication skills, etc) based on characteristic scores.
>
> <b>Skills, System and Combat</b>
>
> As mentioned, the skill system is a simple roll-under percentile task
> resolution system. There are 57 listed skills with further required
> specialisations for various weapons, languages, arts, crafts,
> knowledges, sciences, technical and so forth. Effect explanations are
> given according to whether the skill check was a fumble, failure,
> success, special or critical which, along with the description, means
> that about 1/2 a page is dedicated to each skill. The effect
> descriptions can be a little human-centric at times (e.g., a critical
> success allows a character to Swim at 8m per round - but of course, some
> species do that naturally) and there are some quirky inclusions
> resulting from the historic BRP games (for example separate skills for
> Science - Psychology and Psychotherapy and the use of DEX*2 to determine
> the base chance to Dodge; both from <i>Call of Cthulhu</i>). The
> description of how the skills apply according to different historical
> and genre periods is somewhat lacking.
>
> Skipping the hefty Powers chapter for a moment and moving straight into
> System, as with other games in the BRP line percentile skill rolls are
> not the only resolution means. In addition there is characteristic rolls
> and resistance rolls, although all three do use a roll-under percentile
> mechanic and have the same possibilities for special successes, fumbles,
> etc. Characteristic rolls chances are determined by a multiple of an
> appropriate charactersitic to a task. The well-known forumula for
> resistance rolls are based on characteristic vs characteristic conflicts
> with the active force requiring rolling under an equation of 50% +
> (active force * 5) - (passive force *5). Common examples of these tests
> include Power vs Power, Potency vs CON and so forth. Competing skill
> rolls are determined by one of three options; highest successful result,
> subtraction of one's roll from another's base chance and finally, based
> on a division of skill chances by 5, using the resistance table. As with
> most game systems skill chances are modified by circumstances, equipment
> and so forth. As an entirely new addition BRP also introduces an
> optional Fate Point system with die modifications based on expenditure
> of Power Points.
>
> Other elements of the game system include some fairly detailed
> information on time and movement, including expected time to carry out
> skills), terrain and weather modifiers, and character improvement to
> skills. A 1d6 experience improvement is based on a successful (non-easy)
> use of a skill in adventure and rolling over the existing skill rating
> with an INT bonus of half the character's INT score. Improvement can
> also be achieved through training or research, although these are a
> slower and more expensive path to improvement. Characteristics can also
> be increased with POW gains through successful magical (or other POW vs
> POW) conflicts and require a roll over 5 times the existing POW.
> Characteristic training requires 25 * the current value in hours,
> usually a financial expense. STR or CON can be increased to the highest
> of STR, CON and SIZ and APP or DEX can be increased to 1.5 times their
> starting value.
>
> Combat is resolved in rounds of 12 seconds and ordered by statements,
> use of powers, actions and then resolution. Statements are made in DEX
> rank, although optionally, an initiative roll on d10 plus DEX (or INT
> for powers) can be used for a degree of randomness. For even more detail
> in a static system an optional Strike Ranks system (from
> <i>RuneQuest</i>) is offered. Actions occur on DEX rank and for every 5
> points less; thus a character with DEX 16 will act on 16, 11, and 6.
> Standard DEX rank actions include Move, Attack, Disengage and Non-Combat
> Action. At any time a character may Parry or Dodge, Fight Defensively or
> Speak. Attack versus Parry or Dodge is a contested skill and a matrix
> determines the relative success or failure. Generally speaking, a
> criticial attack will do maximum damage plus rolled damage, whilst a
> success will do normal damage plus a bonus (entangle, knockdown, impale,
> bleed) - and keeping in mind that a criticial is also a success. There
> are fumble tables for weapons, missile attacks and natural weapons for
> those less fortunate. Damage is resolved by rolled according to weapon
> type, minus armour and applied to hit points with options for sectional
> hit points and more random values for armour, as found in
> <i>Stormbringer</i>. Wounds are either applied in the sectional method
> or according to a major wound table when half hit points or more are
> received in a single blow. By way of indication, an average character
> has about 12 hit points before death, a sword will do 1d8+1 damage, hard
> leather armour will protect for 3 and 1d3 hit points will be healed per
> week. 
>
> Also appropriately described here is the chapter on 'Spot Rules' which
> is largely a collection of unusual and situational events which mostly
> occur in a tactical time. This includes rules for sudden encounters that
> PCs may have with acid, aiming and targetting specific body areas,
> autofire, a pretty cool chase mechanic, drowning (and it's cousin,
> falling), light sources, prone actions, radiation poisoning, two-weapon
> use, and zero-gravity combat. These all seemed to be expressed in a
> manner that is mechanically simple yet captures the core experiences of
> each particular circumstance. My only gripe is the lack of detail of
> what actually constitutes "stifling heat" or "freezing cold" for the
> effects, as described in the spot rules, to come into effect.
>
> <b>Powers</b>
>
> The fourth chapter, Powers, weighs in at some 80 pages making it the
> longest in the book and certainly deserving of a special discussion on
> its own. There are five sources of extranormal power with different
> sources from the BRP line; Magic (<i>Worlds of Wonder</i>), Mutations
> (<i>Hawkmoon</i>, Psychic (<i>ElfQuest</i>), Sorcery
> (<i>Stormbringer</i>) and Super Powers (<i>Superworld</i>). As with
> skills and characteristics the availability and level of starting powers
> varies, although there is discussion of mixing these (e.g., Normal
> Powers, Heroic skill and characteristic level) and mixing power types in
> a story (e.g., Mutations and Psychic powers co-existing in the same
> world). By way of example, a starting Heroic magic character may select
> 6 spells which they know at their INT as a percentage but may spend
> skill points on these during character creation.
>
> The mechanics for each power type differes somewhat as appropriate to
> its description. Each magic spell is a separate skill, cast in
> increments of power point cost, taking one DEX rank to do per point, and
> may require a resistance roll check. Mutations are "always on" powers,
> and are distinguished between beneficial and adverse, major and minor.
> Like magic, psychic powers are also treated as individual skills that
> cost power and may require a resistence roll, although they are faster
> to cast. sorcery spells however do not require a skill check, although
> they may be prevented by a resistance roll failure. Finally superpowers,
> purchased as a function of character points and campaign power level, do
> not usually require a skill roll (although a new skill, 'Projection', is
> added for those powers which do).
>
> Overall the powers are quite appropriate to their genre-orientation.
> Psychic powers, for example, tend strongly towards subtle mental
> manipulation; there is not where one will find energy blasts and the
> like, whereas sorcerors summon demons, elementals and seek divine aid.
> Further, each power type has a number of appropriate special additions.
> Magic users, for example, have the opportunity to make a staff or summon
> a familiar, whereas psychic characters may engage in a special psychic
> combat with each other, not unlike the old RuneQuest spirit combat.
> Superpowered characters, in true four-colour style, have the opportunity
> to boost their starting character point bonus by taking character
> failings.
>
> The powers are reasonably well balanced against each other, although
> there are a couple of oddities in the text. The magic Blast spell, which
> does 1D6 per 3-power point level, is described as being "non-kinetic"
> and therefore the spell Protection will have no effect; however normal
> armour (which the Protection spell replicates) will work, and the spell
> can be parried with a shield. Conjure Elemental is described as a spell
> with varying power levels, but it is difficult to discern what these
> additional levels actually do. A ranged fire attack is described as both
> 'Flame' (p95) and 'Fire' (p97). But these are certainly exceptions
> rather than rule. In nearly all cases the powers are well described,
> well balanced and make sense. 
>
> <b>Settings and GM Material</b>
>
> There are four chapters that can be appropriately described together;
> Equipment (chapter 8), Gamemastering (chapter 9), Settings (chapter 10)
> and Creatures (chapter 11). Equipment is differentiated between
> 'primitive', 'historical', 'modern' and 'futuristic' which is a simple
> yet very accurate general categorisation of societies. The settings
> chapter breaks down these further with a general title (e.g., 'Dark
> Ages'), probably character types (i.e., professions), common powers,
> technology, inspirational source material and the sort of adventures
> than can be expected. Some twenty-three settings are described ranging
> from the prehistoric to space opera, with about 2/3rds of a page
> dedicated to each. Further there are also some notes for combined
> settings (e.g., "Samurai and Six-Guns") and multi-setting games. Two
> additional options included in the settings chapter are Allegience (from
> <i>Stormbringer</i>), which provides bonus power and hit points for
> aligning oneself to a supernatural power or even an ideal, and Sanity
> (from <i>Call of Cthulhu</i>), which includes the mental damage that
> occurs from encountering bizarre horrors.
>
> Rather than adopting a universal currency or even a concern with
> specific quantities, a highly abstract method is used to determine both
> character wealth and the price of goods. Whilst there is nothing wrong
> with abstraction as such, some elaboration on the categories would have
> been appreciated and also some mechanical implementation of alterations
> to wealth levels. What happens, for example, to four destitute
> characters who suddenly acquire the equivalent of one affluent assets?
> Are their wealth levels now average, or poor? What if there was six of
> them? There are substantial notes covering issues like equipment with
> powers or skills, skills required to make equipment, varying quality and
> so forth. The equipment list itself consists of various missile and
> melee weapons, armor, shields, artillery, explosives, and with far more
> modest descriptions for robots, vehicles, medical equipment and books. 
>
> The Gamemastering chapter described player arrangements, logistics,
> story presentation ("one-shot or campaign?"), choosing a setting,
> preparation, a standard plot development, sandbox approaches for
> open-ended settings, campaign design, character integration, tone house
> rules and an optional rule checklist. It's a fairly complete discussion
> of the science and art of gamemastering, although the inclusion of the
> <i>Pendragon</i>-style personality traits and the SIZ-weight table do
> seem to rather odd inclusions at this point. 
>
> Finally, the Creatures. These are described in terms of characteristics
> (core and derived, plus any species based modifications), weapons and
> armor, skills and powers. Special rules apply for creatures with
> particular characteristics (e.g., fixed intelligence representing an
> instinctual rather than reasoning intelligence), the limitations of
> creatures without particular characteristics (e.g., a ghost with no
> Strength). The ordering of creatures themselves is broken up into
> Natural Animals, Fantasy Creatures, Science Fiction Creatures and a
> Non-Player Digest. Whilst the quantity and breadth here is certainly
> impressive, there is not much in terms of colour, ecology or
> descriptions apart from those which are directly related to the game
> system. 
>
>
> <b>Conclusion</b>
>  
> <i>Basic RolePlaying</i> is a solid, adaptable game system which is
> built on the excellent foundations put in place some decades ago. It
> uses "thin glue" to bring together several game systems which whilst
> sharing a common core system each had their own quirks. There is a sense
> however, that the solutions were a little lazy - where there was any
> possibility of doubt, an optional rules was provided. Also, sometimes
> the core rules took some choices which may be considered a little
> unusual - for example the slightly clunky bonus method to skills from
> early editions of <i>RuneQuest</i> etc rather than the simple additional
> of relevant characteristics as used in <i>ElfQuest</i>.
>
> There is also a sense that the game system is showing its age, and
> hasn't incorporated some of the features which are largely commonplace
> in design, such as advantage/disadvantage systems for social, personal
> and physical traits as found in the <i>Hero System</i> and <i>GURPS</i>
> or an appropriate narrativist device rather than converting power points
> into an additional 'at will' power. It is understood that such elements
> are not part of past BRP game systems, but this in itself is
> illustrative - this is "not really" a new game, but rather an efficient
> and effective unification of several previous related games.
>
> Overall I found the product above average in almost all regards. It is
> well written, well designed, with quite a good content to page count and
> good scope. It is fun to play and is a largely 'bug-free' rules system.
> I give it a good four out of five for both style and substance. But most
> importantly, now the question can be raised. What does happen when Elric
> hits Cthulhu with Stormbringer?
>
> Style: 1 + .6 (layout) + .5 (art) + .7 (coolness) + .7 (readability)
> + .7 (product) = 4.2
>
> Substance: 1 + .7 (content) + .7 (text) + .7 (fun) + .7 (workmanship)
> + .7 (system) = 4.5
> --------------------------------------------------
>
>
>
>
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