Official ICE Forums
Systems & Settings => Rolemaster => Topic started by: Frewfrux on August 06, 2021, 10:46:09 AM
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I just realized that a rule I've been using was a house rule. I can't find it anywhere in the main rules. Am I way off base in allowing martial arts skills to be used while wearing armour? My (apparently) house rule has been that the MM penalty for the armour applies to the OB of the MA attack (no min, so you could end up with a negative OB). This is because MA attacks are very movement-oriented.
I can't seem to find any official rule around this, though. Can anyone provide clarification? The group for which this has become a question is using RMSS rules.
Also, I assume the limit to adrenal def not being usable when wearing armour would apply even if the PC was only wearing a helmet, right?
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In RMSS, I don't see any rule limiting martial arts OB when wearing armor. There are certainly historical examples of unarmed combatants wearing armor. However, adrenal defense cannot be used while wearing any armor in RMSS, that is the one absolute restriction.
In RMU, the armor maneuver penalty and encumbrance penalty would reduce your dodge bonus (which is the DB you get using adrenal defense), but there's not a prohibition on wearing armor while using adrenal defense, it just becomes increasingly ineffectual.
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Thanks for the confirmation! I wonder where I got that house rule from.
Also, given the description of adrenal defense in RMSS, I think I'll allow "skull caps" that wouldn't interfere with movement or vision at all (but also aren't as protective as regular helmets).
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Same info as JDale when we play in RM2. A "martial" art is any fighting style, armed or unarmed. We also allow Adrenal Defense with armour. There are penalties built into the skill and for most professions it's cost prohibitive anyway so it all balances out.
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As a note, RoCo. IV has two new skills: Armored adrenal defense, which is exactly what it says on the tin, meaning a skill to use adrenal defense when armored, and Weapon bugei, a skill to use adrenal defense when wielding large weapons.
That being said, if you follow the Arms Companion's APAC rules, merely wearing a helmet doesn't change the AT type, but just add a bonus to DB, so it shouldn't impede adrenal defense.
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if im understanding your question correctly, your asking if PCs should be allowed to wear armour and gain the insane defensive bonus granted from the martial arts skills.
this is how i have handled that, if a piece of armour gives a quickness penalty then it entirely negates the defensive bonus provided from martial arts, now i am using what would be considered "the basic rules", standard rules set from the RM rulesbook from 20 years ago, no fancy additional rules that add extra real time to figuring out initiatives and attacks and such.. so...
AT-5 gives no armour quickness penalty would be wearable by a martial arts master
AT-8 gives a 15 point armour quickness penalty so a martial arts user would gain no defensive bonus from their martial arts training until they took off the armour
that being said, i also have a house rule that magickal armour only, reduces the penalties associated with a specific piece armour, so if a PC could find a +15 magickal suit of armour type 8 then it would reduce the armour quickenss penalty from 15 to 0, so if a martial arts expert found that suit they would be able to wear it and have an insane DB, assuming the other PCs let them get it for loot :)