Mail Room: Runequest Starter Set

A few notes: The Runequest Starter Set does not have a character generation system and uses a simplified subset of the rules in the full Runequest game. You will play with many relatively attractive pre-gens (on the cover, plus many more in the box).

Runequest also has some vast misconceptions from the D&D crowd. You are not playing in the Renaissance, and not having European castles, plate armor, crossbows, gunpowder, iron, and giant-masted sailing ships does not mean this game is any less fun.

You are not King Arthur; you are playing the epic heroes of ancient times, like in Odessy, Jason and the Argonauts, and many other classics. You all have magic, even fighters. In some ways, you are more epic and capable than starting D&D characters.

Less gear and technology means a greater focus on characters and story. I have had players in D&D whose characters' motivations were "plate mail, shield, and longsword."

You are not playing a creature cantina of different races. Your starting characters will likely be humans, who can be wonderfully diverse—just look at Earth.

Fighters have magic to sharpen their blades and do extra damage, plus damage to magic creatures. Archers can use a spell to ignite arrows and cause massive damage if they hit. Rune spells expand the possibilities, and every character has them.

Also, characters are linked to both elemental and power runes - which have oppositions and hierarchies. These form your powers, but they are also roleplaying cues. Characters also have passions, which are more roleplaying ability scores, and these can even be used to buff a skill roll. There are more ability scores for roleplaying - directly linked to powers and story - than in any other game.

Runequest puts the D&D inspiration system to shame.

This game puts story games, like FATE, to shame.

My character's loyalty to a people can be used to buff a combat roll if they are threatened. On a critical failure, I can become wracked by despair and have my passion level decrease. Passions gain experience, just like skills.

There is a rune called disorder, which covers disorder, egocentricity, greed, strife, thoughtlessness, and the self. Let's say you have this at 70%. You now have a 70% chance of getting a buff (inspiration) to a roll that this rune could help. If you are a greedy thief, this rune helps you. It can level up. Also, if it gets above 80%, it may guide your actions over your best wishes, for good or bad.

If you want to change your ways or tamp down an extreme personality type, you can work on the opposite rune, truth, and try to level that up. Every point gained in disorder takes a point away from truth, and vice-versa. You can pursue a balance or go all-in on one.

This also means if you are water-aligned, you will swim very well and fast and be able to hold your breath underwater longer (less effort). Air rune characters will likely have the breath-holding thing, too, but not the swimming (more air). There are many roleplaying ways to use these, which will blow your mind.

These scores are also used for casting rune magic linked to your powers.

Your runes and passions make you a hero. They can be used for buffs. They are used in roleplaying.

Sometimes, I wonder why streaming shows like Critical Role aren't playing games like Runequest, where the roleplaying stats are real and matter. If the entire premise of your show is characters and their personalities, why are you playing D&D?