Hi all! On my latest post, I wrote stuff about d20-based tabletop roleplaying games. Now I will talk about some other stuff.
The first I met other than d20 games was d100 system. I was and currently am running Call of Cthulhu games since 2011. And not just that. In my journey of RPG, I used RuneQuest aswell. I know 5th, 6th and 7th editions of Cthulhu, and 6th edition of RuneQuest. Actually RQ has some weird pathway, because it divided two as RuneQuest: Glorantha and Mythras.
d100 games are based on BRP, short of Basic Roleplaying. And it has a simple game mechanics. You have some characteristics (they work like Ability Scores in D&D), and you have some skill points depending on your class and occupation. Everything challenging in the game is basically skill test. If you attack your enemy, they have an option to either fight back, dodge or parry the attack. When you make a skill test, you have a percetange value of a skill or characteristics. That percentage shows your potential of being successful on that skill or characteristics. The dice you're rolling shows how complex your action. That means, if you roll more than your skill value, you try something beyond your abilities could make, and you fail. If you roll below your skill, it means it's in the area of your capabilities. Aaaand, that's all.
What I Like
d100 games don't have complicated character abilities. Also, giving the chance of picking counter attack, parrying or dodge. I think it's better than D&D's reaction feature, and it's a little bit more realistic.
Another thing I like is about RuneQuest. In RQ, body parts have their HP, and armor you're wearing protects every part in a certain amount. That means, if you take constant damage on your left arm, you can lose it. I know it's kinda harsh and brutal, so does swinging a sword or a battle axe. It also shows how a person's life is precious and fragile.
Spells in d100 games are not like glowing explosive video-game effects. They have more realistic effects and application. Cthulhu spells are mostly have occultic ambient, but some of them have similar effects with fantasy games. RQ has more paganistic spells with "real life occultism" ambient.
What I Don't Like
Every attack creating counter/dodge opportunity means more dice roll, more description, means spending more time for combat. d20 games seems to have advantage about it, at least on low levels. But when d20 characters have more level, their combats could take like 2 to 4 hours. I remember once I run a 6-hours long combat.
Another thing I didn't like much is there is no much character specification. Actually I haven't check any new supplement books, but there's nothing within my knowledge.
To summarize it, I have to say that I find d100 games more useful. I was creating a setting based on RQ6E, and actually it was going good. It just lost against the popularity of D&D. But it's not the end. If you keep follow my posts, you'll see that I'll write some stuff about FATE Core, Free League Publishing's Year Zero Engine, and my most favorite, Apocalypse Engine.
See you all!