Anyone have it?

What's it like?

From what I understand, the basic book is virtually setting-free. Is that true? If so, I would suspect this is something that cuts the floor out from under Chaosium with their intention of releasing the BRP rules for fantasy.

Was it a good idea to release the rules first and the Glorantha book seperately? Or would it have been better to combine the two?

While we're on the topic, has anyone seen the Glorantha book? Any old Glorantha fans? does it meet your expectations?
Anyone who's never been into Glorantha before? Did it explain itself easily to you, and if so did you like it or not like it?

RPGPundit

The main book is setting free, though there is a glorantha book... either out or planned, I'm not sure. I'll review it later if you like.

in breif it still uses percentages, mentions seven types of magic but only outlines one. It is simpler to make characters than some versions have been. the books are cheap, but at 124 pages, you don't really feel like you are getting your money's worth...


I'll be more organized when I review...

So far I've just been looking at the free SRDs as a possible start for my own BRP houserules. No need to buy the books yet and the Companion file really adds to the core IMO, stuff I'm wondering why they left out from the core book aside from page count/price (backgrounds like city dweller, "normal" magic", etc.).

Glorantha seperate is good for me, as I can buy it if and when I want it, I like Runequest rules over a setting, and I'm not sure what advantage this age has aside from being new.

I was not impressed. The product looks and feels rushed, which is odd since the playtesting process was supposedly long and involved. Several playtesters over on rpg.net have pointed out instances where badly thought-out rules - and even simple spelling mistakes - were highlighted during playtesting and simply not fixed. The new edition really doesn't add much to RQ, and those additions it does make feel rushed - I've bitched elsewhere about the Legendary Abilities, for example, and the new system for handling skill checks for characters with over 100% in a skill is unfair and broken.

In short: RQ2 got about as much material as the MRQ core rules and companion into a single 120 page book, and did it better.

Chaosium's massive BRP book does not seem to have been undercut here - it's meant to be a compilation and revision of all the rules from every BRP game they published. There's some very positive noises coming from the playtesters, and it looks like it will be much more complete than - and will neatly complement - MRQ.

Oh, one other thing: the Glorantha book is out, it is separate - and there are no system elements in it. This has irked people, who were hoping that it would include tweaks to bring the MRQ system closer to the central assumptions of Glorantha. (Gloranthan characters almost all have access to magic, where as MRQ assumes that only a few characters will.)

If you want an absolutely gorgeous guidebook to Glorantha during its hitherto-undocumented Second Age, ready for use with whichever system gets you excited, the new Glorantha book is worthwhile. If you don't want to have to work out for yourself what sort of stats your average God Learner has, it's a bit more disappointing.

Quote from: Spikethe books are cheap, but at 124 pages, you don't really feel like you are getting your money's worth...

Quote from: WarthurI was not impressed. The product looks and feels rushed, which is odd since the playtesting process was supposedly long and involved. Several playtesters over on rpg.net have pointed out instances where badly thought-out rules - and even simple spelling mistakes - were highlighted during playtesting and simply not fixed. The new edition really doesn't add much to RQ, and those additions it does make feel rushed - I've bitched elsewhere about the Legendary Abilities, for example, and the new system for handling skill checks for characters with over 100% in a skill is unfair and broken.

completely agreed.

i'm not even sure why, but the whole book left me feeling kinda 'enh'.
the attack/dodge/parry tables seemed fundamentally flawed, the "2 rolls or one roll for combat" and fucked up examples issue made me more leery, and the purported explanation via the Player's Guide .pdf was pretty much the last straw before relegating the Players Guide to my "books i need to sell" pile.

fwiw, the following week i ordered the BRP Monograph from Chaosium and, while it's nowhere as complete, at least it didn't have those godawful tables.

edit:  just check out the SRD on the unofficial wiki and save yourself the scratch.

Quote from: WarthurOh, one other thing: the Glorantha book is out, it is separate - and there are no system elements in it. This has irked people, who were hoping that it would include tweaks to bring the MRQ system closer to the central assumptions of Glorantha. (Gloranthan characters almost all have access to magic, where as MRQ assumes that only a few characters will.)

If you want an absolutely gorgeous guidebook to Glorantha during its hitherto-undocumented Second Age, ready for use with whichever system gets you excited, the new Glorantha book is worthwhile. If you don't want to have to work out for yourself what sort of stats your average God Learner has, it's a bit more disappointing.

There are four or five other books on the way with rules adapting it to Glorantha.

I picked it up for $10, and I'm still not sure it was worth it.

As I think has been mentioned here before, the book is just plain bland.  It's basically an SRD; there's no significant flavor text or appealing artwork to make it an interesting read.  I couldn't finish reading it, in fact.

I love my Chaosium boxed set of RQ.  It has flavor, rules, and some entertainment value.  This version stripped out just about everything interesting.  Reading it is like reading an instruction manual...  I suppose that makes some bit of sense, but most of the time modern RPG books don't read like instruction books.

-O

Quote from: obrynI picked it up for $10, and I'm still not sure it was worth it.

As I think has been mentioned here before, the book is just plain bland.  It's basically an SRD; there's no significant flavor text or appealing artwork to make it an interesting read.  I couldn't finish reading it, in fact.

Exactly how I felt. The book is as flavorful as cardboard. The artwork is OK in some cases, but bad in most others. The game system itself seems OK, and is reminiscent of earlier versions of RQ. I don't know the ins-and-outs of the whole Glorantha/RQ thing, but RQ would've been better off had it more tightly tied itself to Glorantha. Making RQ a generic system makes it seem very...generic. It looks to be a solid system, but it needs a more inspirational presentation.

I've looked at the SRD, and I have to agree with everybody that there doesn't seem to be any reason to get it if you have RQ2 or 3. Boring!

As an old Glorantha wonk, I find the idea of detailing the Second Age  to be heresy! The God Learners and the Wyrms' Friends ought not to be other than mythic beings.

Quote from: BalbinusThere are four or five other books on the way with rules adapting it to Glorantha.

FOUR or FIVE books to adapt the system to Glorantha? Really? That's outrageous if it's true.

I know there's "Magic of Glorantha" and "Cults of Glorantha" books coming out - what are the others? (FWIW, I might actually buy the Cults book if the cults of the Second Age are very different from the Third Age ones, but if not the good ol' Cult Compendium reprint from Moon Design will serve perfectly well...)

Quote from: droogI've looked at the SRD, and I have to agree with everybody that there doesn't seem to be any reason to get it if you have RQ2 or 3. Boring!

As an old Glorantha wonk, I find the idea of detailing the Second Age  to be heresy! The God Learners and the Wyrms' Friends ought not to be other than mythic beings.

I'm torn on it. On one hand, if you are running a low-powered Runequest game, you're absolutely right - there's no need to have the God Learners or Wyrm's Friends fully detailed. On the other hand, for Heroquest - or high-powered Runequest - the God Learner's agenda and the plans of the Wyrm's Friends can inspire tons of exciting Hero Quests in the otherworlds.

I've got the Deluxe 4th Edition of RQ (the one that still contains all of the Glorantha stuff) and it does just fine. No need to purchase what appears to be a hastily assembled, over-priced product.

Quote from: WarthurThe product looks and feels rushed, which is odd since the playtesting process was supposedly long and involved.

I was part of the original playtest group, and I can tell you that it was neither. I doubt we went much longer than a month before Sprange shut down the Yahoo! group. A month may sound like a lot to some, but it isn't, especially since we started from zip, e.g., "What kind of die mechanics should the game use?"

The funny thing is that the group was laying dormant for a while, all of us waiting forever for the next playtest doc, when we saw that the Mongoose site was advertising MRQ as "the most extensively playtested game we've ever produced."

I think this speaks volumes about Mongoose, as does their producing the line as as series of skinny, no-frills, $25-$35 books.

The lack of involvement allowed for Steve Perrin was also very disheartening.

The Runequest curse continues on...

Quote from: WarthurFOUR or FIVE books to adapt the system to Glorantha? Really? That's outrageous if it's true.

I know there's "Magic of Glorantha" and "Cults of Glorantha" books coming out - what are the others? (FWIW, I might actually buy the Cults book if the cults of the Second Age are very different from the Third Age ones, but if not the good ol' Cult Compendium reprint from Moon Design will serve perfectly well...)

I've forgotten some, but as well as the two core books you need Magic of Glorantha, Cults of Glorantha Book One, Cults of Glorantha Book Two, I think there may be another magic book in the distance and you need the Monsters book.

It's a lot of books.

As for the two core books, they are one book split arbitrarily in two that as a result are harder to use in an integrated fashion and which as a result cost more.