From: utzoo!decvax!watmath!watarts!fhcluk
Newsgroups: net.test
Title: test
Article-I.D.: watarts.1342
Posted: Sun Jun 20 23:41:32 1982
Received: Tue Jun 22 02:52:05 1982







     DragonQuest (tm SPI) is a fantasy role  playing  system
that  incoporates  skills,  experience  points, and learning
into one.  Skills includes weapon skills, magic,  and  skill
skills.   A character acquire skills or improve in skills by
expending  experience  points,  money,  and/or  time.   Only
skills  that  have been used during pervious adventuring can
be improved, and the possibly of such improvment is  limited
(mostly)  by  the  amount  of  money, x.p., and time one has
under his belt.

     Experience points can only be accumulated through play-
ing  one's  character, not by blowing up everything insight.
This has the effect of  encouraging  the  use  of  different
skills and prevent the characters from slaughtering.

     There are several 'levels' of  skill  a  character  can
achive.   Officially  there  are  two levels: adventurer and
hero.  Attending one of this levels increases  the  gain  in
experience  points.  Of course, various higher levels can be
added, just like other FRPGs.

     Not only ranks of skills can be improved but so as  the
attributes  and  a variety of other 'skills'.  As opposed to
RQ!, there is no generic skill bounises, thougth execptional
attributes  gains  different adventages (like higher chances
of casting spells).

     DQ has a rather detailed combat system, which makes any
combat  goes on slow.  A character execute allowed movements
before attack, during which  one's  strike  chance  is  sub-
tracted  from  the opponents defense, and % is rolled to see
if a hit lands.  Armor does not count  into  one's  defence,
though  it functions as a device that absorbs damage.  There
are also different critial hits, like does direct damage  to
one's body and cutting off various body parts.  There is one
type of combat that is (still) unique to DQ:  close  combat.
This  reflects  the  two opposition tear each other apart by
using natural weapon, bare hands, and/or short weapons.

     Probably  magic  is  one  of  the  biggest  differences
between  DQ  and  any  other FRPG.  There are different Col-
leges, which have different magic.   There  are  also  three
(generic)  kinds  of  magic:  talents,  spells, and rituals.
Talents operate automatically, spells takes <  1  minute  to
cast,  while  rituals  reqiures  more  than  1  hour.  Magic
doesn't not automatically work, as there is  a  cast  chance
for  each  talents, spells, and rituals.  It may work, fail,
or even (yuk!) backfire.   The  cast  chance  of  a  talent,
spell,  or  ritual  is  based on the potency of it, which is
then modified by various other  things.   The  target  of  a
talent,  spell, or ritual will not get a (rather silly) sav-
ing throw, but may be able to resist it.  It works the  same
way as a saving throw: if resistance is seccessful, than the
talent, spell, or  ritual  dissipates;  otherwise  it  takes
effect.