Modern Quest
From MRQWiki
Note Document size is too large - currently extracted for editing and replacement. This section defines an approach to creating RuneQuest characters for a modern setting.
Admin note: This has been editted to allow the page to be split up into smaller portions as some users complained of being unable to download a single, large document. Furthermore, some of this document was discovered to be in breach of the OGL under which we operate this site so has had to be editted. The rest is as is!
Contents |
Characteristics
All characteristics and creatures in ModernQuest, Superheroquest and TransformerQuest have seven Characteristics that define almost everything they are, from raw capabilities to affinity for certain skills and strengths in battle. These characteristics are as defined in the RuneQuest core rulebooks and are Strength (STR), Constitution (CON), Dexterity (DEX), Size (SIZ), Intelligence (INT), Power (POW) and Charisma (CHA). These usually range in score somewhere from to 3 to 18. A character score over 21 is superhuman (and should not be permitted for any but superheroes!).
Determining Characteristics
Roll characteristics as defined in the RuneQuest Core Rulebook.
You have an extra 4 points to add to your characteristics as you see fit, after you roll for their characteristics and ensure that they are distinctly above average for the species to which your character belongs. This may involve rolling one more dice than specified for the characteristic and dropping that with the lowest value.
The Games master may also allow the players to assign their rolls to specific characteristics, so that a player who wants to play a burly warrior can swap a rolled 15 from CHA to STR, for example. Players should not be allowed to move rolls from INT or SIZ to any of the other five characteristics, however.
Attributes
These are a set of secondary scores that define exactly what the character is capable of. Instead of being generated randomly, Attributes are derived from various Characteristics. These attributes are as follows:
Combat Actions (CA)
This is the number of actions a character can perform in each combat round. This is based on the character’s DEX, as determined on the Combat Actions table.</p>
Combat Actions Table
| DEX | Combat Actions |
| 6 or less | 1 |
| 7 - 12 | 2 |
| 13 - 18 | 3 |
| 19 or more | 4 |
Damage Modifier (DM)
Bigger, stronger characters hit harder. The Damager Modifier applies whenever the character uses a melee or thrown weapon. Total the character’s STR and SIZ and the consult the Damage modifier table.
Damage Modifier Table:
| Total of STR and SIZ | Damage Modifier |
| 1-5 | -1d6 |
| 6-10 | -1d4 |
| 11-15 | -1d2 |
| 16-20 | 0 |
| 21-25 | +1d2 |
| 26-30 | +1d4 |
| 31-35 | +1d6 |
| 36-40 | +1d8 |
| 41-45 | +1d10 |
| 46-50 | +1d12 |
| 51-60 | +2d6 |
| 61-70 | +2d8 |
| 71-80 | +2d10 |
| 81-100 | +2d12 |
Hit points (HP)
These determine how much damage the character can sustain before reaching unconsciousness or death. Hit points are located in certain areas of the character’s body, representing exactly how much damage he can sustain.
To determine the character’s hit points, add his SIZ and CON together. Compare this total on the hit points table in order to determine how many hit points each location the character has.
| Location | 1-5 | 6-10 | 11-15 | 16-20 | 21-25 | 26-30 | 31-35 | 36-40 | +5 |
| Each leg | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | +1 |
| Abdomen | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | +1 |
| Chest | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | +1 |
| Each Arm | 1 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | +1 |
| Head | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 3 | 6 | 7 | 8 | +1 |
Strike Rank (SR):
This determines how quickly the character acts in combat. Adding together the character’s INT and DEX, and halving the result determine strike rank. Round up uneven numbers.
Basic Skills
Every thing has range of Basic skills that allow him to perform a variety of action with varying degrees of expertise. These skills are detailed more fully in the Skills section. At this point of character creation, players will only need to know the base values of each Basic Skill.
Each basic skill is set by the total of one or more characteristics. Some skills will also suffer a penalty fro other characteristics. For example, the stealth skill benefits fro DEX, but a huge SIZ will hinder any attempt to be stealthy.
The starting skills table lists all the basic skills every character possesses and the Characteristics used to determine the skill’s basic score. If a characteristic is listed as a penalty, deduct it from the skill’s base score.
Starting skills
| Basic Skills | Bonus | Penalty |
| Acrobatics | DEX | |
| Athletics | STR + DEX | |
| Boating | STR | |
| Dodge | 10 +DEX | -SIZ |
| Driving | 10 + POW | |
| Evaluate | INT | |
| First aid | INT | |
| Influence | 10 + CHA | |
| Lore (General) | INT | |
| Lore (Country) | INT | |
| Lore (World) | INT | |
| Perception | 10 + POW | |
| Resilience | CON + POW | |
| Riding | DEX + POW | |
| Sing | CHA | |
| Sleight | DEX | |
| Stealth | 10 + DEX | -SIZ |
| Throwing | DEX | |
| Unarmed | STR | |
| Weapon Skills | Bonus | Penalty |
| All close combat | STR + DEX | |
| All ranged | DEX |
Weapon skills (both close combat and ranged) are actually a wide range of separate skills used with different weaponry. The base score generated from the Starting Skills table is supplied to all of them.
There is also a selection of advanced skills. Such as martial arts and ship handling, with which characters do not have a natural ability. Instead, they must be trained in them. Players will have a chance to add advanced skills to the character later in the character creation process.
Previous Experience
The character did not exist in a vacuum before the player started generating his Characteristics and other characteristics and other scores, nor did he just suddenly pop into existence. The character had a life before he decided to start adventuring and picked up various kinds of skills and knowledge, depending on where he came from and what he was doing.
There are three stages involved in determining the character’s previous experience.
First the player must puck the character’s cultural background, which is a reflection of the kind of cultural upbringing he had. This provides certain starting skill bonuses that reflect this upbringing.
Second, the player must pick a profession and gain further associated skills with that profession. The list of professions provided is considered appropriate to an adventurer. It is entirely possible an adventurer might be a tailor, rather than a soldier, but the appropriate skills for what kind of profession will have to be determined between the player and Games Master.
Thirdly, the player spends the character’s free skill points. These represent the remainder of a character’s experience outside if his upbringing and profession.
Cultural Background
The player is free to choose the background the character comes from, with Games master approval. These backgrounds determine skill bonuses, starting money and which advanced skills are available. These can apply to anything post medieval, and use a mix of genre in describing things. All of the following can be used in one way or another in different settings with slight changes, be it in a modern, science fiction or steam punk setting. The backgrounds available listed are:
- Civilian: These characters have spent most of their existence in well structured built up areas, ranging from the size of a small village to sprawling city. In steam punk settings, some are members of local militia usually, they are likely to have knowledge of some combat skills, but odds are just as many civilians have worked as just factory workers or been traders and merchants their entire lives.
- Scientist:Scientists are usually more privileged than others in modern settings due to good education, background and wealth. Due to a soft life, they are not good fighters and are not good at things outside their field of study, which they focus most of their attention on.
- Scoundrel: These characters are the lowest and most scorned from any cultural background. Often loners, a scoundrel's behaviour and lifestyle alienates itself from those nearby. Military characters see them as weak, while Scientists view them as little batter than scum, and Civilians see them as dishonest and untrustworthy. Scoundrels fulfil the roles of thugs, thieves, hit men, and in general, goons for hire. Scoundrels do whatever they can to get an easy life, and try to make money whatever way they can. They are very sneaky individuals, and usually try to use the misdeeds of other to make themselves look good. Often, they are seen as snitches and use blackmail should that option be available.
- Military: Military types are the most common type of background in most eras, as there is always a war somewhere. These characters are adept at combat, with a wide variety of both Melee and ranged weapons. Military type characters can be soldiers, bounty hunters, bodyguards, Militia officers, and security guards in detention banks or Starships.
The above four backgrounds are by no means exhaustive, and that there are many characters will not quite fit into what is directly above and that there are some concepts players will come up with that will need more work done on behalf of the GM.
Below is a table of the bonuses and other details of cultural backgrounds. Advanced skills start at their base characteristic score, plus any other bonuses that are indicated.
Superhero Quest Characters
Ed: Rather than bulk out the main page, these have been placed into a number of sub-pages. Peruse and enjoy!
