Topic: Powers & Perils to RMSS?

[jdrakeh]

For a planned RMSS campaign, I wanted to use a different fantasy setting that my own players would not be familiar with, so I chose the Perilous Lands setting from Avalon Hill (for Powers & Perils). Thing is, I want to use RMSS as my system.

Now, both systems have a fair number of similarities (both percentile based, both have attack/defense bonuses presented in the same manner, etc). Has anybody here done P&P conversions to RMSS or have any suggestions that might make such conversions easier for me?

[Marc R]

There are a bunch of conversions posted, but I don't think P&P is listed:
http://www.ironcrown.com/ICEforums/index.php?board=52.0

Beyond that, you could try poking a PM at Grafton, I know he's running a P&P game over on RPGRM, and he knows RM, so he might be able to offer some constructive advice. (Or at least be able to comment intelligently, which I can't, not being familiar with P&P).

[jdrakeh]

Thanks for the links and suggestions! 

[sunwolf]

The trickiest thing would be the P&P Spells.  The spells work more like HARP than RM, although the Family spells are sort of a blend.  If you don't get enough ideas elsewhere shoot me a PM.  I used to do quite a bit with Powers & Perils (actually own two copies).

[lev_lafayette]

I used to do quite a bit with Powers & Perils (actually own two copies).

Heh. Me too.

Personally, I find the P&P rules to be a little substandard. But Perilous Lands is such an excellent setting!

[sunwolf]

Powers & Perils to me was what happens when you have a Wargame company (Avalon Hill) take on 3 Roleplaying systems (Powers & Perils, Lords of Creation, Runequest 3rd Edition) at once with no one who knows how to edit one.  They had some good ideas but terrible editing and all 3 systems essentially failed.

Perilous Lands one of the nicest map sets out there.  One of these days I'm going to have to scan those maps so I can use Campaign Cartographer to add more detail to some of the areas.

[jdrakeh]

The trickiest thing would be the P&P Spells.  The spells work more like HARP than RM, although the Family spells are sort of a blend.  If you don't get enough ideas elsewhere shoot me a PM.  I used to do quite a bit with Powers & Perils (actually own two copies).

I'm not too concerned about the spells, as none of the people I'll be potentially playing with have a clue as to how Powers & Perils plays. I figure I can just slot in RMSS magic and nobody will bat an eye. I'm more concerned with converting stats for key NPCs from the PL site book to RMSS.

Incidentally, since I haven't done squat with RM for years, is there a good NPC resource out there? I don't really want to draw up every Tom, Richard, and Harry in the world from scratch using the RMSS rules.

I figure that I can cheat a bit by using the templates in the Player's Guide, but I'd ideally like premade NPCs that I can just scratch the serial numbers off of (I'm a bit crunched for free time).

[jdrakeh]

Personally, I find the P&P rules to be a little substandard.

Oh, I'm with you there. I tried to puzzle through them in my youth and then, many years later, as an adult. They make Fantasy Wargaming (a notoriously arcane rule set) look like Basic D&D by comparison (yes, I have actually played FW).

[Right Wing Wacko]

I too have a copy of Powers & Perils...
I have done nothing with it save read it.... in hope of understanding how it works...

Still on my bookcase... and I still don't quite understand it!

[RandalThor]

Powers & Perils

Never heard of it.

Perilous Lands one of the nicest map sets out there.  One of these days I'm going to have to scan those maps so I can use Campaign Cartographer to add more detail to some of the areas.

Yes, scan them and make them availible to others please. I love maps! More, more, more, more, and more maps please! 

[sunwolf]

Perilous Lands one of the nicest map sets out there.  One of these days I'm going to have to scan those maps so I can use Campaign Cartographer to add more detail to some of the areas.

Yes, scan them and make them availible to others please. I love maps! More, more, more, more, and more maps please! 

If I scan them it would pretty much be for personal use due to copyright issues unless the original copyright has expired.  Now if I turn them into CC maps I might be able to release some of them but might have to consult with someone who knows about derivative works under copyright law.

[David Johansen]

Incidentally, since I haven't done squat with RM for years, is there a good NPC resource out there? I don't really want to draw up every Tom, Richard, and Harry in the world from scratch using the RMSS rules.

GAH!  Don't do that!

The whole point of a class and level system is that NPCs are easy to fake!

I haven't fully statted an npc in years!  Seriously!  I love RM for its low GM overhead.  Give them a profession and level.  Important stuff gets about 10 for profession + 5 to 20 for an item + 15 for stats +10 per level that's usually 30 + 10 x Level.

Figure fighter types have two ranks per level in Body Development and others have one with an average bonus of 20 or 10 again depending on if they're mostly fighters or mostly something else.

Spell casters will generally have 3 ranks per level in their major lists and about twice as many lists upto their level.

If you can't get it on a file card you're doing too much.

[markc]

 For NPC's there is also that good chart in RMSS that has the professions level and some skill rank bonuses. But I still creat some of the big big NPC's by hand if I expect them to be around quite a while.

MDC

[jdrakeh]

Well, it's been a few weeks, but I've managed to track down all of the old P&P boxed sets so, hopefully, I can make some progress on this (i.e., a conversion) over the next month or two.

[markc]

 I have never played PP but if you can find all of the stuff you need it is allways a good thing.

MDC

[RandalThor]

I love RM for its low GM overhead. 

OK, that is something I have never heard before. 

[jdrakeh]

I have never played PP but if you can find all of the stuff you need it is allways a good thing.

MDC

I've never played it either. As I mention earlier, I really couldn't wrap my head around it the first few times that I tried but, upon re-reading it now, it really seems to 'click' with me. It's odd, really. Recently, I seem to have a much easier time comprehending things that I couldn't even begin to fathom a few years ago.

[jolt]

I have P&P.  The rules are poorly written but I thought it had some neat ideas.  About two years ago the fansite was still quite active with many portions of the rules being clarified, added-on to and re-balanced.  The game is playable but is very unbalanced RAW.  The fansite's a huge boon, I'll try to track it down again.

jolt

[lev_lafayette]

Never heard of it.

Written in 1983 by Richard Snider, who did some work with Dave Arneson previously (Adventures in Fantasy). Was published by Avalon Hill, featured in several issues of Heroes magazine, had a few supplements, Tower of the Dead, The Book of Tables (including GM screens) and Perilous Lands campaign setting.

Perilous Lands one of the nicest map sets out there.  One of these days I'm going to have to scan those maps so I can use Campaign Cartographer to add more detail to some of the areas.

Yes, scan them and make them availible to others please. I love maps! More, more, more, more, and more maps please! 

No need, they already have been.

http://abroere.xs4all.nl/pnp/lands/world.htm

Click on the map

[jolt]

Thanks for the link lev_lafaye.  Years ago I bounced around a number of Powers & Perils fansites (all of which were still active) but I lost the links ages ago.

I actually like P&P if you're willing to take the time to implement the many fan corrections needed to the many out of whack rules and balances that existed in the core books.

jolt