I find that there are things "wrong" with RM - at least from my perspective.
1. Overly complicated skill system. By that, I do NOT mean the category/skill division (though, I don't think that this division is necessary), I mean the wide variety of costs. That could/should be simplified into something like: Occupational (1/2/3), Everyman (2/3), Normal (3/5), Restricted (10), Forbidden (not allowed or 20). Just a quick method, of the top of my head as I write this.
2. Armor - as was mentioned on another thread, I feel that the armor rules are very clunky. Instead of AT and a single weapon chart per page in Arms Law, armors should just grant a DB bonus. The lessened damage one gets from wearing Plate (+60 DB) vs. Leather (+10 DB) will go a long way as to show why Plate was used.
3. Tables, tables everywhere, and not the one I need - people have been
talking complaining about
Chartmaster since its inception. Perhaps, while D&D went with the axiom "One Die to Rule Them All", RM could go with "One Chart (or Table) to Do It All." A single table which would be used for everything, combat, skills, maneuvers, spells, RRs, etc... Not exactly sure how to do this, but I am sure it can be done.
Also:
I think the books need to be laid out better and be clearer. I was surprised to find out, when I first got into Rolemaster, that most of the actual rules in the rulebook were in the appendices.
I agree. I especially did/do not like the 3.1, 4.7, 11.2 system when it was the only way of looking things up in a book. (I have recently been looking at the old "Loremaster" series of campaign modules and finding things in them is a real bee-ahch.) At least ICE finally went with pages and an index.
Each game book should be laid out - as much as possible, anyway - in a "I use this first, then this, then this, and this last" sort of way. Or as much as possible, anyway. Like for the main corebook, the usual intro, table of contents, and stuff, but then a quick glossary of used terms. Then, character creation, explanation of skills and abilities (like talents, flaws, special abilities, etc..), equipment, basic spells, and then go into GM stuff (story/adventure creation, NPC creation and use, story pacing, etc...), and some creatures and treasures to use right away. Of course, an introductory adventure with small campaign location (village/town with surrounding area of 20 - 30 miles radius), some NPCs, encounter-sites, and small random encounter table would be great!