Topic: What RM2/RMC classes outshine others?

[The8thDwarf]

I like for all my players to have a moment to shine and tailor things so everybody gets some glory. I have noticed though some classes shine with next to no effort.

What classes do you think dominate a game?

[arakish]

If by classes, you mean profession, then,

The Dervish in RM2.

Good Arms and good Spells.

Of course, the setting also matters.

rmfr

[Peter R]

I would have said the three that really stand out are the Thief, Mystic and Lay Healer.

The Thief seems like the ultimate all rounder from the realm of arms.
The Mystic takes a while to get going but the power of the essence magic along with the heavy armour and breadth of spells. This one seems like a creative players dream.
The Lay Healer is four characters for the price of one. Their prime stat of presence lends itself to strong communication skills and concentration skills. the adrenal moves turns their lacklustre combat skills into something interesting to play and every fighter is happy to have the healer up front with them. Their magic covers healing and a full range of other effects (unlike the channeling healer) and even combat spells for a bit of wizardly fisticuffs.

[The8thDwarf]

Thanks guys, I have been playing D&D too long.... Coming back to Rolemaster requires me to relearn the terminology.

Those are surprising answers I had never thought of those classes that way.

[markc]

Archmage, Nightbalde and Noble Warrior are a few that spring to my mind but it can depend greatly on the options in your RM2 game.
MDC

[Tommi]

If Paladin and Noble warrior are given access to RMC2 spells esp Arms Ways then those outshine other classes in melee. In my game that list is not available...
Magus has some of the best lists AND can create almost any item easier than alchemist. In my game Maguses have to keep low profile as there is ongoing bounty  (by alchemist guilds) on their heads.
Forcemage is so powerful that players have only head rumors of it.
Dobblegänger will become very nasty in about lvl 20 as change spells include monsters magic and spell abilities. 
Archmage if GM allows wrong base lists.
Arcanus - Pc is allowed to combine lists from all lists !!!!!!

Enchanter allows very nice options if game includes fair amount intrigue and social interaction. I wouldn't say that it outshines others anyhow

Night blade would be really tough BUT ambush cost is 3 not even 3/8 or something (and there is no errata about that). Even Fighter has lower cost for ambush...

[Justin]

Most of the crazy powerful mage professions are not available in my games. There might be a few in the world, but those are particular NPCs.

In the game I am running now the Nightblade is in the exp lead. The Burglar is not far behind. We are still very early in the campaign, but the start is very thief-like.
I was surprised the Nightblade is doing so well. In my first RM campaign in which I was a player, I was way way behind the other players, and struggled unsuccessfully for 3 sessions to close the game on 8th lvl(within 2000 exp the whole time) while others were approaching 11th lvl. The super-lucky Warrior-Mage ran away in that game--no matter how few DP he put into learning a spell list he made the roll every time.

[Peter R]

In the original question "What classes do you think dominate a game?"

It is funny seeing a party react to the healer refusing to have anything to do with 'Plan A'. Player character healers are infinitely better than NPC ones.

[markc]

In most of the RM2 games I have played in the GM has not allowed any profession from the RM2 Elemental Comp as they are too powerful or do not fit the game.
MDC

[intothatdarkness]

It's hard for me to answer that one, because I always viewed the Companions as optional supplemental material and used them that way. We never used every Profession in a Companion. We'd take one or two from RoCo I, another handful from RoCo III, and so on. I found that we tended to use the ones from I and III more than any of the others, but that's also likely due to the style of our game.

[yammahoper]

In RMC I, The Nighblade, Archmage and Warlock.  All were very playable however.

RMCII, The expanded Paladin list were ripe for abuse, but the Warrior Mage was the worst offender.

RMCIII, The Magus.  Noble Warrior base list get an honorable mention.  Nether and Plasma Law could kick a mage over the top if allowed as base list, but what fun list.

[fac]

In a low magic setting, the rogue is a perfect profesion, a fighter with thief skills.

In other settings where spell users are more common, and keeping in mind no companions, the Cleric can be really powerful with some instantaneous spells, and of course the lay Healer. About semi spell users, the only one that it's worth is the monk or the essence (Amthorian) bard.

[Peter R]

In a low magic setting, the rogue is a perfect profesion, a fighter with thief skills.

In other settings where spell users are more common, and keeping in mind no companions, the Cleric can be really powerful with some instantaneous spells, and of course the lay Healer. About semi spell users, the only one that it's worth is the monk or the essence (Amthorian) bard.

The Amthorian bard was a profession we did not allow as it would be too powerful compared to the other professions in our games. So you are probably right there.

[Spectre771]

In most of the RM2 games I have played in the GM has not allowed any profession from the RM2 Elemental Comp as they are too powerful or do not fit the game.
MDC

Funny you say that.  Our RM world was Elementalism only and Elemental Companion Spell User Professions.  All spell users had to come from EC.  All other non-spell user professions from all Companions were allowed.  The closest thing to an EC spell user without using EC would be Force Mage and they were pretty cool.

I would say that Archmage offered the best choices and could easily become very powerful.  I've used NPC Archmages against my players and at times, they felt like that had just a little to much advantage over the PCs, but when it's 4 v 2, I had fewer qualms.  The Archmage was like having a Hybrid user with all lists as base lists, slightly higher than Pure Spell user costs for lists, but better then Hybrid spell user costs.  It was the best of all spell worlds with very few drawbacks.

One member of our group made a Magus and he outgrew the power level of the other players in the campaign and the GM asked him to make a new PC, so I can see the Magus being really good.

I've always wanted to make a Maleficant.  To me, their spell lists and their abilities seemed to be the most debilitating to a target, even at lower levels.

For non-spell users, I like the Assassin (Poisons are AWESOME! ) and Burglar and I have always been partial to Cavalier, but I think Leader can overtake a Cavalier for "shining" in game play.  Leadership at 1/2/2 is a great skill to use in a party and has so many applications.

[The8thDwarf]

I have been thinking that the Animist and Druid are the one class and opening up the base lists to both. Do you think that taking that path will cause problems.

Are there other classes we could do the same for?

[yammahoper]

I have been thinking that the Animist and Druid are the one class and opening up the base lists to both. Do you think that taking that path will cause problems.

Are there other classes we could do the same for?

You will have no problems.  In fact, The Channeling Companion provides 52 alternate baselist for channelers.  It is possible to add all base list to one pool and make priest. 

I have also done the base pool with Mentalism and Essence.  Worked beautifully.

[Hurin]

I find it interesting to see how different the responses are. I expected Warrior Mage, Archmage, and Magus, but others I did not expect at all. That makes me think maybe the game was a bit more balanced (or at least the balance depended more on playstyle) than I once thought.

Question: what is it about an essence bard that makes them so good? I never had anyone play one...

[Peter R]

I would say it is two things. Mentalism has traded off power in spells for the ability to wear heavy armour but a bard is very unlikely to take up that option. Essence spells are significantly more powerful than their mentalism alternatives. So they are trading up in power there.

Secondly they get access to the rune mastery list which if they ever get access to rune paper gives them a huge operational range.

[Spectre771]

I've also heard others say the NightBlade from RMC-I is overpowered but have never had any of my guys play as one and it may be worth investigating.  I can see how their stealth abilities can be very deadly.

[intothatdarkness]

I've also heard others say the NightBlade from RMC-I is overpowered but have never had any of my guys play as one and it may be worth investigating.  I can see how their stealth abilities can be very deadly.

We never had a lot of problems with Nightblades, but that may also have something to do with the way we redid skills and how I used Nightblades in my setting.