On Mon, 18 Dec 2000, Paul Jackson wrote:
> Hmm. I'd claim that D20 is actually significantly simpler than RuneQuest.
> At least for the player.
>
> Roll a D20. Add the number on your character sheet. Meet or exceed
> the specified difficulty. If its a 19 or 20 it may be a critical.
> Thats about all there is to the system in play.
There are cases where a 17 or 18 may be a critical -- if you have
the "Improved Critical" feat, for example. For that matter, there are a
lot of other special cases. For example, if you have Weapon Focus in
the weapon, then you add to your Attack number for that weapon only.
If you have Point-Blank shot, you can add extra but only if the range
is 30 feet or less. etc.
In _Runequest_ your character is pretty much completely defined
by the stats and skill numbers. i.e. You have a sword skill of
60%. This means that if you roll 60 or less with modifiers, you hit.
To be a better swordsman, you have a higher number.
In D&D3, a lot of the capabilities are feats or class-based
special abilities which have their own rules. The basic RQ mechanics
are slightly more involved, but once you learn them the whole system
follows. D&D3 has a lot more special-case rules.
-*-*-*-*-*-*-
>
> Character creation and advancement can be as simple or complicated
> as you want to make it (a character that remains single classed and
> focussed on a few skills advances in a VERY simple fashion).
Even at its simplest, advancement in D&D3 is still more
complicated than it is in RQ. Ability bonus every 4 levels, Feat
every 3 levels, look up on the chart for your special abilities,
spend N+Int bonus skill points -- but not above the maximum of
3+Level or (3+Level)/2 depending on whether it is a class skill or
not. Then add in synergy bonuses if you pass a threshold. etc.
-*-*-*-*-*-*-
[Re: RuneQuest]
> Look at you skill. If it is over 100% determine whether (and how) to
> split the skill. Roll a %dice. In order to see if it is a critical
> see if it is less than 5% (IMS) of what you needed to hit. In order
> to see if it is special, see if it is less than 20% of what you needed
> to hit.
[...]
> Things like Attacks of Opportunity complicate tactical play. But they
> can trivially be dropped (as was done for Star Wars) if they're not
> to your taste.
Duh!! "D&D3 is simpler than RQ if you ignore the complicated
parts of D&D3." By the same token, it is trivial to drop specials and
hit location from Runequest, as was done in the other Basic Roleplaying
based systems like _Call of Cthulhu_.
D&D3 has more complicated rules for character capabilities and
advancement, RQ3 has more complicated rules for damage and fatigue.
Overall, I would say that they are pretty comparable.
- John
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