How to Play RuneQuest: A Personal Introduction

I will begin by stating that RuneQuest is not your conventional tabletop role-playing game. To me, it is a game with a beating heart. RuneQuest is saturated with mythology and a world that comes alive every time you throw the dice. The first time I played RuneQuest, I was totally immersed by the detail that made me come up with ideas with my friends at the table. Here’s a guide to get you started if you want to dive into this game.

As for RuneQuest, you will find yourself in the world of stories, mythology, and the characters’ relationships. Whereas in some RPGs you can simply solve problems by hitting things a few times with a sword, RuneQuest will force you to engage with the nature of its setting, Glorantha. It is a game where the gods you follow and the runes you take up govern your actions in every decision. I always tell new players that instead of being mere adventurers, they’re building themselves into legends.

Building a character in RuneQuest is quite a process in and of itself. This is because your character is not merely a bunch of attributes; they are linked to a family, society, and the history of the world. During character creation, you enter into the genealogy of Glorantha and thus comprehend the place of your character in the grand scheme of things. I always find this step quite entertaining as it gives my characters a sense of identity and direction. Once, a player learned that his ancestor had been involved in a rebellion, and this coloured the entire attitude of his character.

Also, during this step, you assign your character Runes that represent their principles and attributes. This isn’t just a way of casting spells; it’s the character’s nature and fated path. Do you follow the libertarian spirit of Air or the more stable and protective Earth? These decisions will work throughout your character’s story, including their skills and actions. I still laugh when I remember the Storm Bull berserker I built for one campaign. He was always the first to seek trouble, which made him a disruptive element and a walking casualty in our group. Anyway, it was fun.

The gameplay in RuneQuest is where the magic happens, literally. Every action is taken using skills, and to successfully carry out an action, one has to roll percentile dice to see if they have a successful skill percentage. Whether climbing a cliff, making a weapon, or trying to talk a suspicious chief into letting you stay, the mechanics are rather simple, yet not at all simple. I will never forget one scenario when I attempted to mediate between the two warring clans and rolled badly, thus taking the situation to the next level of violence – a battle. We barely came out of it alive, but such a scenario was quite entertaining and is still something we laugh about.

Combat in RuneQuest is a different animal altogether, and it’s a messy business. It's nothing like other RPGs where all you need to do is hack and slash through foes. Instead, it's a rather methodical, bloody, and very calculated business. There is one aspect of the RuneQuest combat that might be of interest – the strike ranks. Some players love the extra element of strategy, while others find it rather confusing at first. I am in the middle of the two. Once you get the drift of it, strike ranks can be quite useful in combat, although they do not come without their learning.

The system also focuses on the aftermath of fighting. Every hit can be damaging or fatal, making even the most experienced fighters wonder what they are getting into. In one particular session, for instance, one of the characters used a spell to foul a giant instead of charging into a fight with him. This transformed a situation that could have been fatal into something that was strategically effective. Combat is not just about overpowering the opponent; it is about planning and utilizing the weaponry.

Magic in RuneQuest is perhaps one of the best parts of this game. It’s not unique to wizards or clerics, as in some games; it’s an inherent aspect of the world that all characters can use. The use of runes to cast spells or to summon the blessing of a god makes the whole thing feel more like an intricate part of Glorantha. I will never forget when our group engaged with a Water Elemental. Instead of fighting, we combated it with Air and Fire magic to damage it, which was as epic as it was strategic.

If you are the Game Master in RuneQuest, you are in for a difficult yet very rewarding job. You don’t just get to write a story; you get to author a myth. The players are heroes, yet they are mere mortals trying to survive in a world where gods interfere and ancient enemies replay their ages-old feud. To me, one of the hardest things and something that I, as a GM, struggle with is the size of the mythic world versus the characters' personal dramas. So? Here’s my advice: Make the game about fate and the consequences of one’s actions.

For me, it’s the feeling that every action has an imprint, every win in the world is well-deserved. The experience is quite satisfying and dense, and it also fosters incredible camaraderie at the table. I have seen characters build relationships through adversity, which has made friendships as genuine as those made in real life.

To play RuneQuest is to jump straight into a living tapestry. It’s not always simple and can be quite punishing at times, but that is why it is so satisfying. If you enjoy elaborate backstories, being given options, and a game that will make you ponder, then RuneQuest is the game for you. Invite your friends, light the candle, and get ready to be the hero of the story. And if you have scratches on your skin, do not hide them. Who has not had their share of scars, after all?