From: "Nadler, David" <[n--dl--d] at [uh2297p01.daytonoh.attgis.com]> Subject: DQN - Summer Edition - v2n6 Date: Fri Sep 15 15:17 EDT 1995 ================================================================ || || || DRAGONQUEST Newsletter Summer 1995 || || || || Volume 2 / Number 6 || ================================================================ The DQ Newsletter is for discussions of the DragonQuest role playing game. The key addresses you need to know are: Philip Proefrock (Editor, Article Submissions, Etc.) [p s proefr] at [miamiu.muohio.edu] David Nadler (Distribution Coordinator) [n--dl--d] at [daytonoh.ATTGIS.com] Drake Stanton (FTP Site Coordinator) [d--ac--e] at [netcom.com] All articles are copyrighted property of their respective authors. Reproducing or republishing an article, in whole or in part, in any other forum requires permission of the author or the moderator. The DragonQuest Newsletter also maintains an ftp archive site: [ftp://ftp.netcom.com/pub/dr/drache] which includes back issues of the newsletter and other articles of interest to DragonQuest players and GMs. ----------------------------------------------------------------- C O N T E N T S ================================================================= Editorial Letters -- David Nadler -- Joe Saul -- MosaJustin Column: The BEASTIARY Secondary Skills -- John Kahane ----------------------------------------------------------------- EDITORIAL: ================================================================= I appologize to all of you who eagerly waited for the next issue of the DQ Newsletter... and waited, and waited, and waited... It was fully my intent to keep the Newsletter going over the summer while I was away from my home for an internship, but somehow, all those lofty plans never came together, and thus, this is a "Summer" issue, sort of combining June, July, and August. We'll resume the normal sequence with a September issue at the end of the month, and so on. There are still new things going on in DragonQuest. (Still amazing for a game which has been "dead" for over ten years!) The biggest news for the readers of this newsletter came out of a discussion thread in the rec.games.fr.misc newsgroup earlier this month. A long-running thread on the fall of SPI brought a response from Chris Klug (who you'll find listed on the title page of your copy of DragonQuest as Gerard C. Klug, Designer of the Second Edition). Shortly after that, we got a request to add Chris to the Newsletter. I don't usually make a habit of pointing out new subscribers, but this is a case where I think the exception is warranted. Chris has told me he is somewhat interested in supporting the Newsletter, and so I hope that in the coming months we'll have some commentaries and articles from him. There are also several new colleges of magic which will be coming available and which will be reviewed and discussed in the coming months, but we still need shorter articles, variants, debate, discussion, beasts for the Beastiary, character descriptions for the Character Corner, magic items and other treasures in order to keep the Newsletter going. ------------------------_L_E_T_T_E_R_S_-------------------------- ================================================================= Subject: Speeding up fight sequences OK, I'll admit that I'm a DQ player who is more interested in "character development" than the "hack and slash" element of gaming. Even with that bias, I still see the place of the fight sequences in DQ, since that is one way of having a character develop. My problem isn't so much with the combat rules, as much as with the time it takes to apply all the rules. It really bugs me when, like this past weekend for example, the "2 minute" fight scene takes twice as long to play out that a "1 day" non-fight sequence. In talking about this afterwards with another player and the GM, we came away with a technique that may speed up the fight sequences. (to be fair, the GM was actually looking for a way to make a tactical sequence less dependent on raw stats, but that's another topic). My spin on the modified technique is as follows: Instead of having an "IV", place everyone in one of X "speed" categories. For me, "X" would be three. These three categories would be slow, moderate, and fast. When a tactical/fight sequence begins, the GM has all "fast" characters act at the same time. Each character states their action, makes the role, and gives the GM the results. The GM acts for NPCs and antagonists that also have "fast" reactions. Then, the GM tallies all the results, tells everyone the outcome, and moves on to the "moderate" characters. Why does this speed things up? This past weekend, for example, we had four player characters and at least one antagonist involved in each fight. This meant five times we went through "who goes next - what will you do - what is your roll - here are the results" for each pulse. This would be reduced to at least three and often times two "What Happens" sequences. Anyway, just wanted to find out what others think about this and what else can be done to flesh out this idea. -- David Nadler ([n--dl--d] at [daytonoh.ATTGIS.COM]) ----------------------------------------------------------------- [The article including the Intellect stat drew more responses than most Newsletter material. None of us want to see the Newsletter devolve into a flame-war forum, but I think that discussing the merits of the contents of any article in the Newsletter can be a good way to broaden the discussion overall. I would like to encourage John Kahane (the author of the Intellect stat) to give us some more detail about the implementation of the stat within his campaign; I think that the value of the stat probably comes from the way it is used in his campaign, and some of that detail may have been left out of his original article. Is the experience cost alone enough of a control to limit the number of secondary skills a character may have sufficient control for a GM? Or is there another option which might be used? ----------------------------------------------------------------- "Can I make an Intellect roll to avoid getting into a flame war?" I have a couple of comments regarding John Kahane's "Intellect" optional characteristic proposal in v2n5; neither of them, unfortunately, positive. First, the characteristic seems like it would be even more of an invitation to weenie abuses than Perception is. One of the things I've always liked about DQ is that the designers *avoided* the tradition of including an "Intelligence" characteristic; players can't roll their way out of puzzles like in AD&D (for example), but have to think their way out. While it is true that this makes it difficult to play a character who is smarter than the player, the damage done to the roleplaying experience by having one guy say "I want to make an Intellect roll" while the other players are trying to think the problem through outweighs the benefit of being able to play a smarter character. Second, if you're going to have a new characteristic which is so critical to the character's personality -- and believe me, the ability to reason *is* -- you should at the very least let the player decide how many points to put into it. It is ridiculous for a player to craft a character with, say, a burning desire to acquire knowledge, engage in erudite debate, and found a university, and then have this PC saddled with an Intellect of 7. The three-fold Physical Beauty proposal *does* have provisions for officially fudging the numbers, but I guess Mr. Kahane figured that the Intellect stat was too important to allow that. Unfortunately, it is also too important *not* to allow player choice. As written, this option would seem likely to do a lot more harm to a campaign than good. If Mr. Kahane uses it in his own campaign, I assume he has safeguards in place -- but we haven't seen them in the rules he submitted. I wouldn't touch it with a giant glaive. -- Joe Saul ([j m saul] at [umich.edu]) ----------------------------------------------------------------- I think that trying to use intelligence/intellect in the DQ system is trying to pull the bad parts of the D&D system into this successful realistic system. I have been playing role playing games since I was nine, and I have never found a way to use intelligence. No matter how intelligent a character was, if the player was stupid so in turn was the character. For example, if a player has a wizard and the wizard's INT. is 18 (using D&D) then that wizard is very smart and understands many things. But if the player doesn't know the difference between a duke and a baron then neither will the character. But the understanding of magic is widely variable from world to world, so a character with a high magic aptitude can have an understanding of magic and the skill required to work it without (the player) actually having it. Thus, the only practical use for intelligence is the character's understanding of magic, and if we already have that in DQ then why bring in intelligence? -- [M--Ju--n] at [aol.com] -------------------_The_ _B_E_A_S_T_I_A_R_Y_--------------------- ================================================================= Jaculus -- Philip Proefrock ([p s proefr] at [miamiu.muohio.edu]) The jaculus is a medium sized snake-like reptile with small wings. The jaculus is not a true flyer, but it is able to use its wings glide from heights. A jaculus will be from 3-7 feet long. Its skin tends to be mostly mottled greens and browns giving it camouflage when it is in the trees. The jaculus attacks by diving onto its victims from trees or other high places. Its usual prey is large animals (cattle, deer, horses, etc.) but riders on horseback are also tempting targets. However, it is more likely that the jaculus would attack the horse than it would the rider. Several jaculi will often be found together (a lone jaculus is rare) and it is common for several of them to drop onto the same victim at the same time (within a few Pulses). In this way, they are able to bring down the larger animals which they prefer. Although the jaculus is mildly poisonous, it will usually only latch onto its victim for a few Pulses (long enough to feed) and then drop off and slither away. Jaculi are found only in warmer climates, including forets, jungles, and the like. {Add to Lizards and Kindred [69.1]} Move: 175 (running) PS: 6-10 MD: 16-22 AG: 20-24 MA: 6-8 EN: 10-13 FT: 15-20 WP: 12-15 PC: 20-25 PB: 6-9 TMR: 4 (and up to 12 when flying) NA: None Weapons: In its preferred mode of attack, the jaculus dives onto its prey (into Close Combat) from behind. Its Base Chance to hit is 45% and the damage is +2. If its strike succeeds, it begins feeding and will draw blood (doing D-2 damage per pulse) from its victim for 3-5 Pulses unless it is struck off of its victim. There is also a 65% chance that the victim will be poisoned by the jaculus' bite. The jaculus' venom does D-4 damage for 2-4 Pulses. Talents, Skills, and Magic: The jaculus is not a tool user. It has no special skills, talents, or magic, other than its limited gliding ability. A jaculus is able to travel up to 150 feet to another tree or to nearby prey when it drops from a tree. GM's Notes: Individually, a jaculus' attack is probably not a fatal thing, but several of them can easily bring down a large beast, after which their nest will have its corpse to feed on for several days. [This is another of the creatures found in the book "Medieval Beasts" and interpreted for DragonQuest. (See the May 1995 issue for more information about this series of Beasts.) -- ED.] ----------------------------------------------------------------- SECONDARY SKILLS -- John Kahane ([john kahane] at [p5.f198.n163.z1.fidonet.org]) ================================================================= This material is copyright (c) John M. Kahane 1984, 1986, 1990. [Part 1/2] 130. SECONDARY SKILLS Within the context of the DragonQuest RPG system, there is the set of skills that is listed in Section VII of the rules, what can be considered to be the Primary Skills. This Section provides an additional set of skills that characters can choose to begin with, and that the character can pick up during the course of his/her adventuring life. For the sake of simplicity, these skills are considered to be Secondary Skills, since they allow the player character to take individual skills that might be single aspects of the Primary Skills, but without the need to actually take the Primary Skill in question. The Secondary skills consist of a series of skills that are independent of one another, but may have similarities to some of the sub-skills that are provided within the context of the Primary Skills. Each character is able to choose a certain number of Secondary Skills at the beginning of play, and the character can also gain additional Secondary Skills during the course of play and can spend Experience Points to increase these skills during the course of play. [130.1] The player character will begin play with a number of Secondary Skills equal to his/her Intellect divided by 5, rounded normally. The player character can purchase additional Secondary Skills during Character Generation at a cost of 10 Experience Points (15 or 20 points for certain Secondary Skills at the GM's discretion) for each Secondary Skill, and this skill will be Rank 0. The GM should not forget to apply the relevant Racial Multiplier to this cost. The player character may never have more than his/her Intellect in Secondary Skills at one time, although if the Intellect score of the character is raised during the course of play, the maximum number of Secondary Skills that the character may possess will rise accordingly. [130.2] Each of the Secondary Skills that is provided within this rules section must be established at a Rank that the character purchases with Experience Points. When the player purchases his/her Secondary Skills, each skill begins at Rank 0. The character can spend (10 x Rank) Experience Points (and taking into account the appropriate Racial Modifier) to increase the Rank of the Skill by one. No character may purchase a Secondary Skill at a level higher than Rank 5 at the beginning of play. [130.3] Each Secondary Skill has a Base Chance at which the character must succeed on a D100 roll to use the skill. In order to utilize one of the Secondary Skills, the character must successfully roll below the Base Chance of the skill on D100. The Base Chance to use any Secondary Skill is equal to [(Characteristic) + (Rank x 3)]%. In the context of this formula, "Characteristic" refers to the Characteristic most appropriate for use with the skill. Thus, in the case of Arcane Lore, Magical Aptitude (MA) would be the most appropriate characteristic to use, while with Animal Lore, Intellect itself would be most appropriate. The GM may rule in some instances that a different multiple will be more suitable for the Characteristic or Rank aspect of the skill. It should be noted that a Secondary skill is meant to be complementary to the Primary skills that exist in the GM's campaign. Thus, if a character has the Herbalist skill, then the Herbal Lore or Herbalist Secondary skill's Base Chance of success is added to all Herbalist Primary skill rolls and useages, where appropriate. If the character did not have the Primary Herbalist skill, the roll is treated as is for the purpose of skill use. [130.4] The maximum Rank that a Secondary Skill may achieve is Rank 10. Secondary Skills, like other skills within the context of the rules of DragonQuest, have a maximum Rank of 10. The only exception to this rule are Secondary Skills that are magically- related, such as Arcane Lore, Demon Lore, and other such skills. These skills all have maximum Ranks of 20. [130.5] The player character can purchase new Secondary Skills during the course of play. Once play begins, the player character can purchase and learn new Secondary Skills. The character must spend a total of one week (two weeks in the case of certain skills, at the discretion of the GamesMaster) in order to learn the new Secondary Skill, and must pay an instructor a fee of 25 Silver Pennies (up to 100 Silver Pennies in the case of certain skills, at the discretion of the GamesMaster) to learn the new skill. It will cost the character 20 Experience Points to learn the new skill at Rank 0. The GamesMaster can charge the character up to 100 Experience Points for learning a new skill, at his/her discretion. [130.6] The player character must spend Experience Points, time, and perhaps money to increase his Rank with a Secondary Skill. A character must spend a number of days equal to the Rank s/he is to achieve with a skill practicing it. If the character wishes to acquire the services of a teacher or instructor for this skill, s/he may do so at a cost of (Rank x 30) Silver Pennies. A player character may practice up to two Secondary Skills at the same time. If the character is taught by someone of greater Rank in the skill, decrease any Experience Point cost by 10%. The base experience point cost to increase a Secondary Skill is 10 Experience Points. Each Secondary Skill will have a rating accompanying it called the Experience Factor (EF). This EF will be a number ranging from 0.1 to 5.0. The Experience Point cost to increase the Rank of a Secondary Skill is equal to the (Base EP Cost x the EF x Rank to be achieved). The minimum Experience Point cost to increase a Secondary Skill is 10 points. It should be noted that the time factor associated with learning any Secondary Skill can be altered to weeks, depending on the skill and the discretion of the GamesMaster. This is suggested in the case of such skills as Arcane Lore and such other skills that require excessive amounts of time. [130.7] The following list provides a summary of some of the Secondary skills that are available, with their Experience Modifiers and their relevant Characteristics. In the event that two Characteristics are provided, use their average. Note that this list of skills for use as Secondary skills is not meant to be comprehensive. Experience SKILL NAME Factor Characteristic Acrobatics 1.2 MD/AG Acting 1.5 WP Administration 1.5 IN/WP Ancient Lore 5.0 MA/IN Animal Doctoring 1.8 IN/PC Animal Handling 3.8 IN, PS Animal Lore 2.1 IN Arcane Lore 5.0 IN/MA Archery 4.5 MD Artist 2.5-3.5 IN/MD Assassinate 3.5 MD Astrology 2.3 IN/MA/DV Bargain 3.2 IN, WP Barter 3.2 WP Bowyer 2.8 MD, PC Brawling 2.2 na Bribery 1.5 WP, PC Compose Lyrics/Music 2.2 IN, MD Concealment 0.8 MD/AG, PC Contortions 3.8 MD, AG Cooking 3.2 IN, PC Counterfeiting 3.5 IN, MD Courtly Grace 3.5 IN, WP Culture 3.0 IN Dance 2.2 AG, EN Debate 3.0 WP, IN Diplomacy 3.5 IN, WP Dodge 4.5 MD, AG Evaluate (Specific) 3.5 IN, PC Falconry 3.2 IN Fencing 3.8 MD, AG First Aid 3.8 IN, PC Fishing 1.4 IN/MD, EN Fletching 2.5 MD, PC Foraging 2.8 IN/PC Forgery 3.0 IN/MD Gambling 2.2 IN Gaming 2.4 IN Heraldry 3.5 IN, WP/MD Herbal Medicine 4.5 IN Herb Lore 4.2 IN History 3.0 IN, PC Hunting 4.5 IN, MD Interrogation 2.5 PS/EN/WP Intrigue 4.2 IN, PC Knife-Throwing 2.5 MD Mapmaking 2.8 IN/PC/MD Merchant/Trader 2.8 IN, PC Oratory 1.1 WP Persuasion 2.5 WP Plant Lore 3.3 IN Scan 2.2 PC Scouting 3.5 IN, AG Search 3.0 PC Seduction 2.5 WP, PB Snares 2.5 MD (Specific) Lore 2.5-4.5 IN/MA Streetwise 2.1 IN/WP Theology 1.8 IN Traps 3.8 IN, MD [EDITOR'S NOTE: Rules for the characteristics of Devoutness (DV) and Intellect (IN) (which are refered to in this article) were discussed in an article by John Kahane in the May 1995 issue of the DragonQuest Newsletter. GMs who are not using these characteristics in their campaigns should be able to interpolate other appropriate characteristics for the use of these skills in their campaigns.] -- John Kahane ([john kahane] at [p5.f198.n163.z1.fidonet.org]) ########################################################### ### End of DragonQuest Newsletter v2/n6 -- Summer 1995 ###########################################################