www.rpg.net Open in urlscan Pro
66.175.221.219  Public Scan

Form analysis
0 forms found in the DOM

Text Content

 * Forums
 * Reviews
 * Columns
 * APs
 * Game-Index
 * RPG Wiki
 * Members
 * Match

Review Editing
Edit this Review | Unlink This Review from HeroQuest: Roleplaying in Glorantha
Review of HeroQuest: Roleplaying in Glorantha


Goto [ Index ]

REVIEW FORMAT



In an attempt to make this review as user-friendly as possible, I have divided
it into several sections, each headed by a question. If you already know the
answer to any given question (or don't particular care about the answer!),
please feel free to skip down to the next section. Some of this material
addresses new players, some is directed towards "Hero Wars" players, and some
goes all the way back (for old timers like me) to "RuneQuest."

WHAT IS "HEROQUEST"?

"HeroQuest" (hereafter "HQ") is the latest roleplaying game set in the world of
Glorantha. It is, essentially, a second edition of the "Hero Wars" RPG. While HQ
shares the core mechanics of Hero Wars, several clarifications and improvements
have been made.

WHAT IS "GLORANTHA"?

Glorantha was born in the imagination of author and game designer Greg Stafford
more than 37 years ago. Over the last 25 years, it has become one of the gaming
industry's most popular and long-standing fantasy settings. It has been the
backdrop for war games ("White Bear and Red Moon," "Nomad Gods"), roleplaying
games ("RuneQuest" I,II, and III, and "Hero Wars"), magazines ("Wyrm's
Footnotes," "Tales of the Reaching Moon"), a computer game ("King of Dragon
Pass"), fiction ("King of Sartar") gaming conventions, and scores of websites.
While it began with Stafford, it has become a truly shared world; thousands of
people have explored and contributed to its richness.

As a setting, Glorantha draws its inspiration from ancient epics, such as the
classical "Iliad," "Odyssey," and "Aeneid," the Hindu "Mahabharata," the Old
English "Beowulf," or the Icelandic sagas. It's a Bronze Age world, with
cultures which are (by and large) more primitive than those found in other
games, akin to the ancient civilizations of the Greeks, Egyptians, Romans, and
Mesopotamians. While feudal cultures do exist, they are geographically centered
on the Western edge of the world's main continent, and do not necessarily have
to enter play unless you want them to. Many Gloranthan campaigns feel more like
"Gladiator" or "Spartacus" than "The Lord of the Rings."

One of Glorantha's most enduring features is that it has always been focused on
"myth." The world is flat, floating in an endless sea. There is a genuine sky
dome overhead and you can (theoretically) find a way down into the underworld to
seek out the realms of the dead if you wish. The Sun really does rise in the
east, move across the sky, set in the west, and travel through the underworld to
be reborn the next day. The world was shaped by the actions of gods, spirits,
and saints in the prehistory of the world. The laws of physics do not apply; for
example, rivers run towards the sea to help their father, the Ocean, fill a
gaping hole in the center of the world left by the destruction of the ancient
mountain which was home of the gods. And it is from myth that heroes gain their
power; by dedicating themselves to a god, spirit, or principle, they become like
that being and channel its power into the world.

WHAT ARE THE "HERO WARS"?

Glorantha is a powderkeg about to explode. Ancient powers are awakening, old
threats are stirring, primordial rivalries are nearing the breaking point. At
the center of all this is the occupation of Sartar, a barbarian kingdom in the
ancient land of Dragon Pass. The Lunar Empire has invaded Sartar, but many
Sartarites have taken to the highlands and mountains, plotting rebellion. That
rebellion will start a chain reaction provoking most of the world into a period
of titanic conflict and sweeping changes. These are the Hero Wars.

HOW DO I CREATE A CHARACTER? There are three character creation methods in HQ.
In the "Narrative Method," the player composes a 100 word description of his
character, incorporating some "keywords" from the rules or inventing his own. A
"keyword" can be a homeland, such as "Heortling" or "Dara Happa," a profession
like "Warrior" or "Merchant," or the name of a god, pantheon, or religious
philosophy. For example, the sentence "Ysara Carusias is a Foot Soldier from
Lunar Tarsh" incorporates two keywords from the book, "Foot Soldier" and "Lunar
Tarsh." This automatically gives the character access to the skills and
abilities associated with those keywords. In addition, a player can create
unique traits just by writing them in the narrative. "Ysara is attractive, but
fiery tempered and stubborn" gives the character the traits "Attractive," "Fiery
Tempered," and "Stubborn," all of which will be assigned a numerical rating and
have an effect on play.

Using the "List Method," the player simply goes through the book and selects
keywords and abilities and pencils them on his character sheet. The player is
generally allowed a homeland, professional, and religious keyword, as well as 10
additional abilities.

The "As You Go" method is perhaps the best for new players. Basically, the
player comes up with a very general concept, but is allowed to create the
character in play, selecting keywords and abilities as he discovers them.

HOW DOES THE SYSTEM WORK?

Every character keyword, ability, or trait has a numerical value assigned to it.
Keywords normally begin at 17, while additional abilities are at 13. These can
be raised by the expenditure of "Hero Points" (see below). Following the example
from above, Ysara Carusias has the "Lunar Tarsh" and "Foot Soldier" keywords at
17; "Attractive" and "Fiery Temper" are at 13.

All actions are resolved by a d20 roll. A natural 20 is a "Critical Failure," a
very bad result. A natural 1 is a "Critical Success," a very good result. Any
result higher than the the rating of the keyword or ability being tested is a
"Failure," and result lower is a success. That's the basic system; there are,
however, some complications.

1) RESISTANCE All rolls are resisted. For example, if Ysara swings her scimitar
at a foe's head, he resists by rolling against his own combat skill, or an
ability like "dodge." The results are compared on a simple table, but the gist
of it is that the better result wins. This is not always true however...see
complications 2) and 3) below. If the action is directed towards something
inanimate, the Narrator assigns a rating based on the general difficulty and
rolls against the player. If Ysara wants to recall a fact about her people's
history, she might use her "Know Tarshite Myths" ability (part of the "Lunar
Tarsh" keyword). The Narrator would select a resistance based on the obscurity
of the fact she is trying to recall, and make a d20 roll against that resistance
number. The player rolls and the Narrator rolls; both results are compared.

2) MASTERIES There is no upward limit to an ability's rating. However, ratings
higher than 20 are recorded by assigning a level of "mastery." For example, a
rating of 25 would be written as "5m" (the "m" here represents the Mastery Rune,
and signifies 20 points). A rating of 65 would be written as 5m3 (5 with three
levels of mastery, 20x3=60). When I roll a die, I roll against the number (so in
the examples above, I roll against a "5") but each level of mastery
automatically "bumps" my result up one success level. So with 5m, a critical
failure becomes a success, or a success becomes a critical success. With 5m3, a
citical failure automatically becomes a critical success. The trick is, each
mastery level my opponent has cancels out one of mine. So if I have 5m and my
opponent has 10m, I get no "bump" and neither does he. If I have 5m2, and he has
10m, I would get one "bump," while he would get none.

3) HERO POINTS Players have Hero Points. These are the currency of the game,
used to purchase new abilities, increase old ones, etc. They can also be used to
"bump" a result up just like a mastery. Of course, this uses them up, so they
must be spent judiciously. Hero Points are awarded at the end of an adventure.

4) AUGMENTS Related abilities can be used to "augment" a character's rating,
with the Narrator's approval. You can chose an "automatic augment" or a
"variable augment." An automatic augment is equal to the related ability divided
by 10. For example, is Ysara in insulted and gets into a bar fight, she might be
able to use her "Fiery Temper" to augment her scimitar attack by dividing the
rating of "Fiery Temper" by ten and adding the result to her scimitar rating.
Or, she could chose a variable augment, rolling her "Fiery Temper" rating
against a resistance equal to the bonus she wants (say, +3) multiplied by 5 (in
this case then, 15). This might result is a penalty however, if she fails the
roll (maybe her Temper gets in the way of her fighting).

5) EXTENDED CONTESTS The process described so far is a quick method used to
resolve simple actions. "Extended Contests" are used to handle longer, dramatic
actions. Combat is a frequent example of this.

To initiate an extended contest, the player gets a pool of points equal to the
rating of the ability being used. For example, a rating of 5m results in 25
points; 5m3 results in 65 points. The opposing rating also has a pool of points
equal to its rating.

--A RUNNING EXAMPLE-- Ysara is enjoying a quiet drink at an inn when a young
Heortling warrior decides to pick a fight with her. He provokes her until she
loses her temper. Ysara has the Scimitar Fighting ability at 5m. The young
Heortling has Sword Fighting at 18. Thus, she starts the combat with 25 points
and he starts with 18.

Next, all augements and modifiers are added in.

--THE RUNNING EXAMPLE CONTINUES-- Ysara is fighting with a scimitar (the weapon
has a bonus of +3) and gets to use her "Fiery Temper" because she's pissed off
(rather than roll she takes the autommatic +1). This increases her pool to 29
points. The young Heortling gets +3 for his sword as has the trait "Hates
Lunars" at 3m. He takes an automatic +2 from this, for a total of 23 points.

Now, the player initiating the combat bids a number of points from his pool,
from 1 to all of them, and the contestants roll against each other. Based on the
results, the loser either loses 1 or 2 times the number of points wagered, or in
cases of terrible defeat, actually transfers them to his opponent's total!

--STILL RUNNING-- Ysara bids 6 points and swings her scimitar. She rolls against
a total of 9 (5 from her ability and +4 from her scimitar and temper). She gets
an 11, a failure, but this bumped to a success because of her mastery. The young
Heortling rolls against a 3 (his rating of 18, +5 from sword and hatred of
Lunars). He scores a 6, also a failure, but this is bumped up to a success
because his augments and modifiers have increased his rating from 18 to 3m.
According to the table, in the case of success versus success, the high roll
loses 1/2 the bid points. So Ysara loses 3. If Ysara had rolled a success, it
would have been bumped to a critical success, and the Heortling would have
transfered 6 points from his pool to Ysara's.

Now the opponent or resisting force bids and "attacks," until one side or the
other is reduced to 0 points or below. When this happens, the contest is over,
and the loser suffers the consequences. Depending on how badly he lost (how far
below 0 his pool was reduced) he suffers some kind of penalty. In combat, this
might be a wound.

--RUNNING AND RUNNING-- After a few more exchanges, Ysara has 10 points left,
and her opponent has 12. Desperate, she bids all 10, and spends a Hero Point to
bump up her roll. She's lucky, the Heortling gets a Failure and she gets a
Critical Success. He transfers 20 points to her, reducing his total to -8. He's
beaten, and has suffered a wound.

Extended contests can be used for anything; climbing a sheer cliff, engaging in
a drinking contest, or trying to seduce a bar maid. It's a flexible system, very
easy to use once you get the hang of it, and it encourages a lot of creative
description. The bidding mechanic allows for a great deal of drama and color.

--FINAL EXAMPLE-- Imagine Ysara was a far better swordswoman, with a rating of
5m3. She would start with a pool of 69 points (remember her +4 bonus), while the
young Heortling would start with only 23. One of her masteries would cancel his,
so she would be rolling 5m2 against his 3! In this case, she decides to make an
example of him in front of all his friends, and bids 50 points. She rolls a 9, a
failure, but it is bumped twice to a critical success. He rolls a 10, a failure.
The poor Heortling transfers 100 points to her (!!!) leaving him at -77
(anything greater than -30 is Dying or Dead). In a single flash of her scimitar,
she's separated his head from his shoulders and sent it sailing across the room.

WHAT ABOUT MAGIC?

Glorantha has always been a magic rich world. Everyone has magic, and everyone
uses it. A farmer prays to the god of crops to bless his fields, and a warrior
invokes the god of war to make his sword-stroke deadly and true. HQ uses four
types of magic to simulate these things.

1) Common Magic: These are simple powers derived from inside the character
himself.

2) Animism: This is magic that summons spirits to perform certain tasks.

3) Theism: This magic calls upon the gods to aid the hero.

4) Wizardry: Used mainly by Glorantha's western Monotheists, this calls upon
cosmic "essences" to benefit the individual.

The character's cultural backround generally determines the kind of magic he
uses, and as a result, how he views the world. A nomad might use animism, and
thus for him, the world is alive with spirits. A Lunar soldier might worship a
god of battle, and view the world as a reflection of the struggle between
pantheons. Magic is not so much a game mechanic in HQ as it is a philosophy and
system of beliefs. It shapes the character's personality.

As for the mechanics, magic can be used to augment abilities, or called upon to
perform spectacular feats. For example, Ysara worships Natha, a form of the Red
Moon Goddess. One of that Keyword's magic abilities is called "Avenging Fury."
She might use her rating in "Avenging Fury" to augment an attack, gaining a
bonus to her scimitar ability while fighting against an enemy who murdered one
of her friends, or she might use that power as an active feat to send out a
crimson bolt of Lunar force to slay the murderer. In the first case, her
scimitar attack ability would receive a bonus from the magic. In the second
case, she would use her rating in "Avenging Fury" itself to generate a magical
attack.

The four "styles" of magic each follow the same basic pattern. A hero "casually"
practices the style, but can gain only augments from magic. Later he might
dedicate himself to a single style, gaining the ability to also use the magic to
generate incredible feats. For example, an animist might become a follower of a
powerful spirit, shunning other magic. This is called "concentrating," and makes
magic less expensive to buy at the cost of abandoning all other types of magic.
A great deal of the text is devoted to how this works in the cultural contexts
of the setting; animists become dedicated "practitioners" and "shamans," theists
become "initiates" and "devotees," wizardly characters become "liturgists,"
"orderlies," and "adepts." Each comes with certain expanded magical abilities
and social benefits, but demands greater and greater commitment (for example, a
god's devotee must spend 50% of his time and resources on serving the god, this
includes spending half of all the Hero Points he gains on abilities related to
serving the god). As a general rule of thumb, specialization allows for greater
magic but less freedom.

I LIKE RUNEQUEST...WILL I LIKE HQ?

Maybe. The two games share the same setting, but are completely different in
terms of style. RQ was a meticulously crafted simulation of pre-industrial
combat; HQ is a cinematic, storytelling system which simulates the logic of
myths and epics. RQ was low-key, but HQ allows for characters the likes of
Harrek or JarEel to enter play. On the other hand, I ran a very RQ-esque
campaign centered on a group of Heortling villagers coming of age, simply by
reducing the starting rating of keywords from 17 to 13 and abilities from 13 to
8. In terms of power levels, it felt a lot like the old days of RQ II to me.

I ALREADY PLAY HERO WARS...DO I NEED THIS?

I would recommend it. The rules have been thoroughly cleaned up, and lots of
positive changes were made. HW was hopelessly muddled. It was difficult to find
the system under all the bad layout and editing. HQ is much simpler, smoother,
and cleaner. Its description of Glorantha is more to the point, and the focus
has shifted more from the keywords in the books to individual creativity and
discovery. Mysticism has been removed, which is bound to irritate some players,
but the addition of monsters, background on Dragon Pass, a wonderful Index and
Glossary, all work to make HQ a much better product. The addition of "Common
Magic" was another great improvement; for old RQ players, it was like the
reintroduction of "Battle Magic," while for new players it gives easy access to
magical powers without first having to decide whether your character is an
"animist," "theist," or "wizard." I certainly wasn't disappointed I sank my
money into a copy.

ANY COMPLAINTS?

Long-time fans of Glorantha will be a little disappointed by certain oversights.
Old cults, like Humakt and the Lightbringers, are mentioned, but not
specifically detailed. Of course, this isn't entirely a stand-alone product, but
at the same time I would have liked to have seen Issaries or Humakt detailed in
the text. Also, if you were playing a mystic from Hero Wars, there's nothing in
here to support you. Mysticism apparently will be re-introduced at a later time.

WHAT'S THE BOTTOM LINE?

HQ is a fine product. It provides the simplest, easiest introduction to
Glorantha players have ever hand, and for long-time lovers of the setting, it
has fresh new perspectives. The system is simple enough that creative minds can
easily invent new powers and abilities, while RQ lovers can simply bring old
Rune spells and Battle Magics with them into the game. However, it is a very
free-form system, so players who prefer detailed combat rules, clearly defined
results, and lists of spells, skills, and results may not like HQ very much. I
admit I resisted it for awhile, but was won over once I began to grasp the
possibilities offered by the system. HQ is a terrific game for players who like
their action epic, their adventures sweeping, and the stakes sky high.













Product Summary
Name: HeroQuest: Roleplaying in Glorantha
Publisher: Issaries
System: HeroQuest (1e)
Setting: Glorantha
Author: Robin D. Laws, Greg Stafford
Category: RPG

Cost: $39.95
Pages: 288
Year: 2003

SKU: 1001
ISBN: 1-929052-12-X

Historic, Fantasy, Medieval


View [ Printable Review ]
Review Summary
Capsule Review
December 29, 2003




by: Andrew Montgomery



Style: 4 (Classy & Well Done)
Substance: 4 (Meaty)

The latest in a long line of games set in the mythic world of Glorantha,
"HeroQuest" is a vast improvement over the muddled and sloppy "Hero Wars," the
game it now replaces, and perhaps the best introduction newcomers to Glorantha
have ever had.



Andrew Montgomery has written 12 reviews, with average style of 4.17 and average
substance of 3.92 The reviewer's previous review was of Call of Cthulhu
Roleplaying Game.The reviewer's next review is of Necronomicon: The Wanderings
of Alhazred.

This review has been read 19920 times.

Rate It!

If you would like to rate this item, login.

MORE REVIEWS (7)
3/08: by Lev Lafayette (3/4)
5/06: by Dan Davenport (4/5)
10/05: by CJ (4/5)
2/04: by Deacon Blues (3/5)
12/03: by Newt Newport (4/5)
10/03: by Tim Gray (3/4)
9/03: by Wulf Corbett (4/4)

In 7 reviews, average style rating is 3.57 and average substance rating is 4.57.

HeroQuest
Blood Over Gold
Dorastor: Land of Doom
Dragon Pass: Land of Thunder
Eleven Lights
HeroQuest Core Rules Second Edition
HeroQuest Core Rules Second Edition
HeroQuest Core Rules Second Edition
HeroQuest Core Rules Second Edition
HeroQuest Core Rules Second Edition
HeroQuest Glorantha
( all related reviews )
Recent Forum Posts

CommentatorDateMessage RPGnet Reviews2004-01-04RE: As an introduction to the
world... Post originally by Stephen Martin at ... RPGnet Reviews2004-01-02RE: As
an introduction to the world... Post originally by SteelCaress at ... RPGnet
Reviews2004-01-02RE: As an introduction to the world... Post originally by Drew
at 2004-01-02 ... RPGnet Reviews2003-12-31RE: As an introduction to the world...
Post originally by Captain Spaulding at ... RPGnet Reviews2003-12-30RE:
Character Keyword quibble Post originally by Wulf Corbett at 2003-12-30 ...
RPGnet Reviews2003-12-30As an introduction to the world... Post originally by
MountainGoblin at ... RPGnet Reviews2003-12-29RE: Character Keyword quibble Post
originally by Drew at 2003-12-29 21:25:14 ... RPGnet Reviews2003-12-29Character
Keyword quibble Post originally by Wulf Corbett at 2003-12-29 ... RPGnet
Reviews2003-12-29 Andrew Montgomery's Summary: The latest in a long line of
games set in the ...

( view complete forum thread )
 * Read FAQ
 * Subscribe to RSS
 * About RPGnet
 * Partners & Patrons
 * Advertise with Us


Copyright © 1996-2024 Dyvers Hands & individual authors, All Rights Reserved
Compilation copyright © 1996-2024 Dyvers Hands
RPGnet® is a registered trademark of Dyvers Hands., all rights reserved.