I'm trying to finalise the RM Classic attack/fumble tables for Rolemaster Combat Minion software, but I have a query regarding fumbles for natural attacks.
From RM Classic Arms Law rulebook, p.45, section 5.1, under "Unmodified Roll Results":
• An unmodified roll of 01-02 for a
natural attack or a martial arts attack
indicates a “Fumble” (See “Fumbles”,
below). Such an attack has no effect on
the defender or the attacker.
But then on the same page under "Fumble Results":
If the fumbled attack is a
natural, animal or martial arts attack, then
use the proper column of the Non-
Weapon Fumble Table that applies to the
given type of attack.
Note: If the fumbled attack is a
natural, animal or martial arts attack, then
use the proper column of the Non-
Weapon Fumble Table that applies to the
given type of attack.
So my first comment is that these two rules contradict one another, the first saying "Such an attack has no effect on the defender
or the attacker" (my emphasis), whereas the second quote obviously indicates that natural attacks should use the fumble tables.
Now normally I would ignore the first passage and use the second - ie. natural attacks fumble on a 1-2. But then I see that a dagger only fumbles on a 1, and I have to ask why a natural attack like a claw or a beak fumbles twice as often as a weapon, albeit a basic weaon such as a dagger. So a claw, being part of a creature's body, fumbles more than a dagger, or the same as a short sword. IMO this makes no sense. (I realise that the natural attack fumble table may be less severe than the weapon table fumbles.)
And then I come back to the first passage above that states quite clearly (I think) that a roll of 1-2 for a natural attack has no effect on the
attacker.
Also noted is that the natural attack tables themselves give "F" as the result for all 01-02 rolls, but I can't see where the "F" is defined - fail or fumble? Fail works for passage 1, above. Fumble works for passage 2.
What is the official ruling?
All I really need is confirmation that all natural attacks fumble on an unmodified roll of 1-2. Justification optional.