Quote from: beejazzMy question is this: Does it contain a billion or so ways to break a person?

Hit locations?
Critical hit locations?
Called shots?
Hit points?
Tiered hit points?
Penalties from damage?
Sanity and disease mechanics?

What's it got as far as all that detail?

If the forthcoming edition bears any resemblance to virtually every other iteration of BRP in specific games, it should have every one of those bulle points.

!i!

Quote from: Ian AbsentiaIf the forthcoming edition bears any resemblance to virtually every other iteration of BRP in specific games, it should have every one of those bulle points.

!i!

[drool]Must have...[/drool]

Quote from: beejazz[drool]Must have...[/drool]

Looking back over things, some clarification may be in order.

• BRP has always featured hit locations -- they're virtually integral to the game.  
  
• Your whole body has a certain number of hit points based on your Constitution (and possibly modified by your Size, depending upon which rules you're using).  
• Each separate hit location has a number of hit points derived from your whole body's hit points.
• There are rules for impaling and critical hits, based upon a percentage of your attack skill.
• There aren't critical hit tables as such -- not in the Role Master sense of detailed mayhem, no.  However, you always know where your critical landed, and the heightened damage will take its toll on that specific location's hit points.

I think that clarifies matters a bit.  I didn't want to mislead anyone into thinking it's something that it's not.  It's also very worth noting that I'm referring to previously-published versions of BRP, not the forthcoming compendium.

!i!

Quote from: Ian AbsentiaYes, originally as a wonderfully brief, 16-page freebie contained in many of the boxed sets (also available by mail-order for something like $2 plus postage).  Then, in the late-90s, early-00s, an expanded (but rather sloppy) version was published for sale, followed more recently by the monograph editions that expanded upon that.

!i!

Ok. Then why are people saying things like "They should have done this 20yrs ago". Sounds like they did. Basic rules only needed 16 pages back then. great. Then they released another version later on. Cool.

So how big is the Newest version going to be ?

Quote from: Ian AbsentiaLooking back over things, some clarification may be in order.

• BRP has always featured hit locations -- they're virtually integral to the game.  
  
• Your whole body has a certain number of hit points based on your Constitution (and possibly modified by your Size, depending upon which rules you're using).  
• Each separate hit location has a number of hit points derived from your whole body's hit points.
• There are rules for impaling and critical hits, based upon a percentage of your attack skill.
• There aren't critical hit tables as such -- not in the Role Master sense of detailed mayhem, no.  However, you always know where your critical landed, and the heightened damage will take its toll on that specific location's hit points.

I think that clarifies matters a bit.  I didn't want to mislead anyone into thinking it's something that it's not.  It's also very worth noting that I'm referring to previously-published versions of BRP, not the forthcoming compendium.

!i!

Cool by me. Uh... and on sanity, disease, poison, drugs (although the last I could maybe do without)... what's the story?

Quote from: beejazzCool by me. Uh... and on sanity, disease, poison, drugs (although the last I could maybe do without)... what's the story?

Sanity, and later drugs, were dealt with in CoC.  Poison was dealt with as far back as the first edition of RQ.  Disease...I seem to recall that from one of the CoC supplements.

!i!

Coolness.

Quote from: LacrioxusOk. Then why are people saying things like "They should have done this 20yrs ago". Sounds like they did. Basic rules only needed 16 pages back then. great. Then they released another version later on. Cool.

You know, I left out Worlds of Wonder, which was pretty much an expanded BRP toolkit released in the early 80s.  So, you're right -- it's a little misleading to say "They should've done this 20 years ago."  More accurately, they should have done it like they're doing now 10 years ago.

QuoteSo how big is the Newest version going to be ?

More than 16 pages.  Much more.  Zomben?

!i!

Quote from: Ian AbsentiaMore than 16 pages.  Much more.  Zomben?

Lots.  I'm going from the playtest draft, but I'm guessin we're looing at 250-300 pages.

i'm really looking forward to the various magic & power systems.  i can do "mundane" stuff great in BRP now.  i just don't have any experience with the supernatural/etc. side of the equation.

Quote from: beejazzCool by me. Uh... and on sanity, disease, poison, drugs (although the last I could maybe do without)... what's the story?

Sanity in BRP is basically going to be identical to the current rules in CoC.  Disease, Poison, Drugs, etc. will all most likely be covered in the "Spot Rules" section (don't recall, but I'm pretty sure all are covered).

But basically, Disease, Poison, Drugs are all handled the same way: each has a "rating" which is compared to an appropriate characteristic of the PC on the Resistance Table (IE: STR, CON, or sometimes POW).  If the "Drug" (or whatever) overcomes the PCs stat, then the effect takes place.

So, you might have something like Rattlesnake poison, which has a potency equal to the snake's CON, and is resisted by the PC's CON.  If the PC makes the roll, he takes minimal damage.  If the PC fails he roll, he might take a lot more, or die, or whatever.

Sweet.

BRB sounds like it will be fun to try out.

Quote from: zombenBut basically, Disease, Poison, Drugs are all handled the same way: each has a "rating" which is compared to an appropriate characteristic of the PC on the Resistance Table (IE: STR, CON, or sometimes POW).  If the "Drug" (or whatever) overcomes the PCs stat, then the effect takes place.

Oh, yeah.  D'uh.  I totally forgot about disease spirits from RQ.  So, yeah, disease is completely covered.  As zomben indicated above, one of the neat things about the BRP system is that, given the scale chose, any of your character's stats can be used as a "saving roll".  No great shakes by today's standards, because it's become commonplace in so many systems, but BRP had integrated features like this from the get-go.  Contrary to many complaints, it remains a very contemporary system.

!i!

I'm really going to have to check this out. You say it comes out in fall? Think I'll be able to pick up an early copy at GenCon? Or should I not get my hopes up?

Quote from: zombenI doubt it.  My guess is that if anything BRP may sell a few more copies from people who got GORE, and want the 'full' version of the rules.

I'd go so far as to say I'll be in this category. It's not a pre-order for me, but I figure seeing it will jog my memory some day after release and I'll go "Oh yeah, that's supposed to be awesome!" and I'll buy it because GORE was neat but felt like some parts were written to fit time and space ("Let's just do 2 pages of gear!") rather than to give you enough to work with.

My players love percentile systems more than I do - I find them fiddly, and missing by 1% sucks - but I guess I can hack up some kind of "near miss" system for rolls within 5 of success.