Guild Companion August 2009 (Issue 126)

[NicholasHMCaldwell]

Greetings from the Guild Companion,

The August issue (#126) is now available at http://www.guildcompanion.com

In this month's issue, we have an essay on social implications of the Bard base lists, variant rules for race building in HARP, how to create a cohesive party, a brief report on the Constitution convention and the unveiling of a New World Order initiative to revitalise HARP and Rolemaster presence at conventions.

Best wishes,
Nicholas

[Thom @ ICE]

Once again, very interesting articles...

As always, here is my critique specifically of the HARP article by Tim (Samwise7).

Setting your upper limit for Stats at +11 as a base level is fine, but I would suggest that you charge extra for flexible stat bonuses.  Humans can assign theirs as they wish but they therefore get fewer.  Maybe charge 1.5 for each flexible stat bonus.

Race X gets +3 in St and +2 in Qu, they then get another +4 that can be applied as per the character's preference.  +3+2+(4*1.5) = 11

An alternative option is to give DP point values to the stat bonuses and the Endurance/Power Points bonuses.  Then if you want your race to have Endurance exceeding 60, they can, but it reduces the DPs they get for talents/racial abilties and stat bonuses.

Finally, be careful with the talent and racial abilities DP costs. Some seem to be a bit out of whack in comparison to others.  You need to make sure the GM reviews them and doesn't just assume that the numbers make sense.

Just a few thoughts....  I like the general idea very much.

[Karizma]

I too will comment on Tim (Samwise7)'s article because I will use this.

The only thing I'd like to say is that the limit of 3 Talents is used for making halfbreeds.  When you make a halfbreed, you pick two talents to switch.  When you pick an ancestor, you pick one.  If you give a race with five Talents and then make him a half-breed with another race, you can 'optimize' your 3 static Talents and choose two talents between 3 of a different race.  So I would stick with the standard 3.  But that's just me.

Excellent template Tim! 

[Thom @ ICE]

The solution I would use for this is to do the following:

Hybrids should be slightly weaker in DP than the pure breeds - especially since you get to select the talents/racial abilities your hybrid character gets.  Therefore Hybrid races max at 60DP instead of 65.

Primary race always gives at least 30DP. Secondary race can only add the balance to bring it to 60 total.

Dwelf gets at least 30DP in Dwarven and the balance from Elf.
Player decides he wants Stone Sense and Greater Darkvision (total 40DP) then he gets 20DP from Elf (Quiet Stride). He can't choose Night Vision because that would be 25 (and would be redundant with Darkvision).   He could choose Enhanced Senses for 10 and simply not use all of his DP.  Additionally the Stat Bonus could be awarded at +1 = 5DP.  Which in this case would mean - Enhanced Senses + Quickness+2 to get 20.

There are lots of different combinations.

[Fidoric]

Excellent contribution from the excellent and prolific Samewise7. Surely you must enjoy 36-hour-long days guy !
I like very much the article about creating a cohesive party. This has often be one of my problems back in the days when I GMed frequently. I think I was lacking of preparation back then.

[SamwiseSeven]

I'm glad I sent in my last minute HARP article.  Where are all the other Harpers at?  

An alternative option is to give DP point values to the stat bonuses and the Endurance/Power Points bonuses.  Then if you want your race to have Endurance exceeding 60, they can, but it reduces the DPs they get for talents/racial abilties and stat bonuses.

Feel free to add on any additional options to my idea, or tweak what I came up with, as some of you are better at clarifying and adapting my crazy ideas into something more cohesive.  hehe.  

Having the ability to have a race that has higher values in Endurance, Power Points, Resistance Bonuses, and/or Stat Bonuses with a lower Development Point total cost for the Racial Special Abilities sounds interesting.  Again, the final decision for doing anything is left up to the GM as the final layer of defense.  

Finally, be careful with the talent and racial abilities DP costs. Some seem to be a bit out of whack in comparison to others.  You need to make sure the GM reviews them and doesn't just assume that the numbers make sense.

Depending on the setting some Talents and Racial Special Abilities might actually be worth more, as they would be more useful.  Feel free to change the price of the Racial Special Abilities I priced in DPs, as the prices that I listed were just me trying to figure out how powerful they were, and what they should be priced at.  As in anything, everyone has their own opinion, and that's a good thing.  

Just a few thoughts....  I like the general idea very much.

As always, you have a way of pointing out what could be better with my submissions.  Thanks for that, and I'm glad you enjoyed my idea.

I've noticed that most of the races that I've made lately fall in the 60 DP total for Racial Special Abilities, as the math just isn't there sometimes to actually get up to 65.  Having variant rules for Hybrid races works, and I think the above suggestions work well for that.

Excellent contribution from the excellent and prolific Samewise7. Surely you must enjoy 36-hour-long days guy!

I'm prolific?  Hehe, I didn't think I was.  I guess I do dabble in a few online RPG things...  RPG Junkie + Computer Addiction = Prolific  I guess.    hehe.  I actually work like 52-60 hours a week, and most of my free time is listening to metal and bumming around the internet.

[ictus]

Apprentices of the Guild

interesting....very interesting.....

This is an initiative of the New World Order.

intriguing....very intriguing....

Looking forward to seeing how this one works out, should be a great asset to encouraging an increase in the RM/SM and HARP/HARP SF fan base.

[NicholasHMCaldwell]

Those of you interested in the Apprentices of the Guild project, get yourselves over to the TGC forums and make an account there. Then drop me an email at editor @ guildcompanion dot com with your TGC userid and we'll add you into the project workspace.

This is an initiative of the New World Order.

Best wishes,
Nicholas