Topic: Mechanics of "the riddle of the steel"
Started by: ZiegenPeter
Started on: 3/4/2004
Board: The Riddle of Steel
On 3/4/2004 at 11:53am, ZiegenPeter wrote:
Mechanics of "the riddle of the steel"
Hi Guys!
I'm a german RPGer and i've read about "the riddle of steel" a few weeks ago. Unfortunally it hasn't appeared in Germany yet. Actually I play a german RPG systen and i'm happy with it ,the rules the world etc. except the fighting system. In TROS it seems to be fairly well since what I've read, because it was made with some people of "the arma". I wouls like to integrate the fighting system in the world, my friends and me are playing in. So I have some questions: How does it, in some sentences, work? Is it really as good as it is promoted or did the practise of the players revaeled some errors? Are the fights fast? The fighting system is often much larger, developped and also complicated than the skill system, whereas the fight is just one part of the RPG (our group ain't a "monsterslayerkilleverythinginthedungeon" group). What I mean is that i'm looking for an quick, easy but realistic and funny (and chocolate?) fighting system. can TROS be it?
I beg your pardon for my bad english
Roman
ps: hox are the rules for fighting with two weapons. in "my" german system is it a real PG ability!
On 3/4/2004 at 12:14pm, nsruf wrote:
Re: Mechanics of "the riddle of the steel"
ZiegenPeter wrote: Hi Guys!
I'm a german RPGer and i've read about "the riddle of steel" a few weeks ago. Unfortunally it hasn't appeared in Germany yet.
You can get it in Germany (I did). My retailer got it via the distributor WDS (Welt der Spiele), and they even had it in stock right away.
Actually I play a german RPG systen and i'm happy with it ,the rules the world etc. except the fighting system. In TROS it seems to be fairly well since what I've read, because it was made with some people of "the arma". I wouls like to integrate the fighting system in the world, my friends and me are playing in. So I have some questions: How does it, in some sentences, work?
Have you looked at the quickstart rules from the TROS homepage? They describe the melee system except that there are fewer combat maneuvers and hit locations included. That should give you a good idea how combat works. And to try out some more things, you can also download a combat simulator running under Windows from the same page:
http://www.theriddleofsteel.net/support/
Is it really as good as it is promoted or did the practise of the players revaeled some errors? Are the fights fast? ...
I haven't actually played TROS, so I leave that to the more senior forum members...
On 3/4/2004 at 2:48pm, Andrew Mure wrote:
RE: Mechanics of "the riddle of the steel"
Not living in Germany myself I couldn't accurately tell you the ease getting the book, but I do know you can get it in Germany. From my own experiences of buying the book outside the US (I am in Britain) however TROS is currently a rare product to find on RPG shop shelfts so you probably best mail order it.
Is it worth it? Well I like it. Once you get the feel for the system, the combat is swift, deadly and requires a keen tactical mind on the part of the player to survive, but is also fun if very unforgiving on characters who overextend themselves in battle. Interestingly enough the sheer nastiness of the combat system, means that players quickly learn to avoid fighting unless they really have to, giving plenty of thought to ways of dealing with problems without directly confronting them.
Other real gem of the system is a little addition called 'Spiritual Attributes'. Basically each player gets to list five short sentences which sum up what their character really cares about and can get extra dice for situations in which they act according to the Spiritual attributes. Furthering a character's spiritual attributes are also the only way that character can earn experience.
Oh and yes there are a number of weapon profiencies which cover two weapon chiefly 'Cut and thrust' which is mainly swords and daggers.