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opinions - best parts of Rolemaster, MERP and HARP?
foilfodder:
Rolemaster editions, MERP and HARP have some key differences. Each player will have a different opinion on what is the best part of each game system; what's yours?
Rolemaster (original/2.0/SS/FRP/RMU)
1) Skill Progression split between catagories and specific skills is great for character customization (with a good spreadsheet)
High Adventure Role Playing
1) Racial balance and traits for character building (MERP doesn't have enough customization for me, RM allows too much min/max).
2) Stat improvement based on spending DPs rather a random die-roll after level up.
3) I love the spell system flexibility as a player (however as GM I woudl be tempted to bring RMSS Spell Law back out).
Middle Earth Role Playing
1) My favorite Attack Tables among the systems. Just a few tables with a few columns each filled with crit-tastic goodness!
2) Fixed points to spend for development based on profession at each level rather than varying based on stats.
RandalThor:
For me (using your number classification):
1) The fact that when I finish making my character (and I don't mind it taking a while, all part of the game, afaik) they feel 3D. Not a 2D caricature, but a fully fleshed-out inhabitant of the world. I did like it, in RMFRP, where they switched to a single combat table for slashing, piercing, bludgeoning, etc..., it made running combat much quicker/easier.
2) Single-roll combat. Even if I was to play RM, I would try to work in the HARP combat system because I am a big fan of the single-roll mechanic. Plus, it is a very quick game to pick up and play. (You are much more likely to get new gamers to play HARP than RM. Imo.) I also like the fact that is is easy to turn into a level-less game, something I think they should have done from the beginning.
3) The setting and the sheer amount of material for it. I mean, if they had put out half the adventure modules for RM that they did with MERP... a boy could dream.
foilfodder:
--- Quote from: RandalThor on January 26, 2020, 07:24:16 PM ---
2) Single-roll combat. Even if I was to play RM, I would try to work in the HARP combat system because I am a big fan of the single-roll mechanic. Plus, it is a very quick game to pick up and play. (You are much more likely to get new gamers to play HARP than RM. Imo.) I also like the fact that is is easy to turn into a level-less game, something I think they should have done from the beginning.
--- End quote ---
Yeah, I've never GMed (only been a player on these systems) but I think I would make a house-rule of using the Attack Dice Roll to double as the Critical Table Dice Roll would work for that. Ex: if you roll a natural 88 and score a D crit because of your OB, then use the die roll of 88 for the crit also. Still two tables, but only one die roll. Always was frustrating to get a high attack roll then roll a 10 for the crit....
Peter R:
Rolemaster (original/2.0/SS/FRP/RMU)
1) I like RMu's fast casting and spell casting mechanics
2) I like RMu stat attributes
3) I like RMu 'expertise skills'
4) Fixed number of DPs per level
High Adventure Role Playing
1) I like the way that races and demi races are constructed in HARP
2) The scalable spells
Middle Earth Role Playing
1) I like the compact combat tables, but RMFRP also uses these as does the RMC Combat Companion.
2) Free skill ranks per profession
Peter R:
--- Quote from: foilfodder on January 26, 2020, 07:59:56 PM ---
--- Quote from: RandalThor on January 26, 2020, 07:24:16 PM ---
2) Single-roll combat. Even if I was to play RM, I would try to work in the HARP combat system because I am a big fan of the single-roll mechanic. Plus, it is a very quick game to pick up and play. (You are much more likely to get new gamers to play HARP than RM. Imo.) I also like the fact that is is easy to turn into a level-less game, something I think they should have done from the beginning.
--- End quote ---
Yeah, I've never GMed (only been a player on these systems) but I think I would make a house-rule of using the Attack Dice Roll to double as the Critical Table Dice Roll would work for that. Ex: if you roll a natural 88 and score a D crit because of your OB, then use the die roll of 88 for the crit also. Still two tables, but only one die roll. Always was frustrating to get a high attack roll then roll a 10 for the crit....
--- End quote ---
One of the most elegant solutions to this was the Hack & Slash tables.
They used the 5 armour types (None, Soft Leather, Rigid, Chain, Plate), they then defined 26 unique criticals, A to Z.
A would be the first critical vs No armour, Z was the 150 result against Plate and the others progressing between the two extremes.
Each critical was a unique entry but because the critical writer knew exactly what weapon was being used and the exact armour being worn and the severity of the blow, the text could reflect all of these things in a uniqe critical. You don't have use generic phrase like "pierce enters lung" you can say "Arrow punches through foes breastplate and lodges in their lung" because you know this critical is for bows and you know the target was wearing plate armour.
You get to keep the unique profile of each weapon against each type of armour which is one of rolemaster's strengths and you get greater granularity in the armours than HARP can offer. You also gain this nice little detail of weapon specific criticals that add flavour.
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