Introduction to Chaosium's Basic Roleplaying

 

 It's sitting at the top of the DrivethruRPG.com popularity charts right now, but what exactly is it? 

Here's an intro to Basic Roelplaying (BRP), the system behind Call of Cthulhu and other popular Chaosium-published games. 

The basics

Basic Roleplaying (BRP) is a tabletop role-playing game system published by Chaosium, first introduced in 1980. It is a universal system designed to be used with any setting or genre, from science fiction to fantasy to horror. Here's a comprehensive guide to the BRP system:

    Character Creation:
    BRP characters are created by distributing points among various attributes, such as Strength, Dexterity, and Intelligence, and skills, such as Fighting, Sneaking, and Persuasion. Players may also select from various occupation templates to speed up the process of character creation.

    Task Resolution:
    To determine the outcome of an action, the player rolls percentile dice and adds their relevant attribute modifiers. If the result is equal to or less than the target number, usually the character's skill number, the action succeeds.

    Combat:
    Combat in BRP is turn-based and involves rolling to hit, rolling for damage, and subtracting damage from the opponent's hit points. Additionally, characters may take actions such as dodging or parrying to avoid or reduce damage.

    Magic:
    In BRP, magic is divided into various schools, such as Sorcery, Necromancy, and Alchemy, each with its own set of spells. Casting a spell requires a successful skill roll and the expenditure of magic points.

    Sanity:
    BRP includes a sanity mechanic, which tracks a character's mental stability as they encounter supernatural or horrific events. Failing sanity checks may result in temporary or permanent insanity.

    Advancement:
    Characters in BRP gain experience checks for successful actions, and between stories, if you roll higher than your current rating on 1d100, the skill incereases by a variable amount. 

    Gamemastering:
    As a universal system, BRP provides guidelines for creating and running campaigns in any setting or genre. The gamemaster is responsible for creating the game world, setting challenges for the players, and adjudicating rules disputes.

Overall, Basic Roleplaying is a flexible and adaptable system suitable for a wide variety of role-playing games. Its emphasis on skill-based task resolution and realistic combat make it well-suited for gritty, low-fantasy settings, while its magic and supernatural rules allow for high-fantasy and horror campaigns. The BRP system has been used in many popular games, including Call of Cthulhu, Stormbringer, and RuneQuest.

What are some popular games that use the BRP system?

There are several popular games that use the Basic Roleplaying (BRP) system, including:

    Call of Cthulhu: A horror role-playing game based on the works of H.P. Lovecraft, where players investigate and confront cosmic horrors that threaten the world.

    RuneQuest: A fantasy role-playing game set in the world of Glorantha, where players can choose to play as humans, elves, dwarves, trolls, and other mythical creatures.

    Pendragon: A historical fantasy role-playing game set in Arthurian Britain, where players take on the roles of knights and participate in chivalric quests and battles.

    Stormbringer: A dark fantasy role-playing game set in the world of Melniboné, where players can play as sorcerers and warriors in a world of chaos and strife.

    SuperWorld: A superhero role-playing game where players can create and play as their own superheroes, complete with unique powers and abilities.

These games have gained a dedicated following over the years due to the flexibility and adaptability of the BRP system, allowing for a wide range of settings and genres to be explored.

What are some unique features of the BRP system that make it so adaptable?

There are several unique features of the Basic Roleplaying (BRP) system that make it adaptable to a wide range of settings and genres:

    Skill-based system: The BRP system is based on skills, which are used to determine the success or failure of actions. This makes it easy to create new skills or modify existing ones to fit the needs of different settings and genres.

    Customizable magic system: The BRP magic system is divided into various schools, such as Sorcery, Necromancy, and Alchemy, each with its own set of spells. This allows gamemasters to create custom spells and magic systems to fit the needs of their setting or genre.

    Flexible character creation: The BRP system allows for flexible character creation, with players able to distribute points among various attributes and skills, or use pre-designed occupation templates. This makes it easy to create characters with unique abilities and backgrounds.

    Universal rules: The BRP system provides universal rules for task resolution, combat, and character advancement, making it easy to apply the rules to any setting or genre. This allows gamemasters to spend more time creating interesting stories and challenges for their players.

    Sanity mechanic: The BRP system includes a sanity mechanic, which tracks a character's mental stability as they encounter supernatural or horrific events. This can be used to create psychological horror scenarios, or to add an extra layer of depth to other settings and genres.

Overall, the BRP system's flexibility and adaptability have made it a popular choice for gamemasters and players alike, allowing for a wide range of settings and genres to be explored using a single set of rules.