Topic: Rolemaster Product Suggestions

[Marc R]

GCP is open to fans suggesting products here, in this thread.

This can be wholly new concepts, or variations on something old.

Be positive, suggest things you'd like to see or buy, avoid going negative. . .i.e. rather than "I hate the way book X did Y, and it should be fixed to Z!" and say "I'd really love to see a book like X, but done like Z!".

You can feel free to be as brief or detailed as you would like, but this is not an open call for proposals to develop, or for authors to volunteer themselves, this is a preliminary step of gauging interest and desires of you, the fans and customers.

This is NOT a space in which to advocate for one version or the other. Any posts verging into version conflict will simply be reported to the moderators for removal.

[markc]

 If the MAC does not come back soon in PDF, I would like to see a short PDF (20+ pages) with combat styles or even the combat style section cleaned up for RMSS/FRP from the RMC CC. 


MDC

[Old Man]

I'd like to see a short product that basically sorts out how all the books interleave... For example ensuring that the Arms Law combat results are in sync with Spell Law healing and Character Law recovery times... That sort of stuff.

Ciao,
Old Man

[Chris Seal]

Hi Marc,

I'd love to see more monsters. I'd also like to see a chapter like the one at the end of the Harp monster book, giving a detailed breakdown of how to create a new monster, with some more defined guidelines for ensuring that the level & associated abilities were about right.

I also feel that an adventure path style series of adventures would be a real boon. It could provide a new GM with a set of adventures which allows them and their players to run a game while they learn the rules, without the additional hassle of having to develop an adventure at the same time, and would give time short GMs a  starting point for a game as well.

Finally (and I'm a little biased as I use FGII a lot) I'd like to see Fantasy Grounds modules for new products. Spell Law II, for example. While I can add the data myself, I'd prefer to use that time for other things. This would be especially true for any adventures that come out.

Anyhoo, thanks for giving us the opportunity to speak our minds. I look forward to seeing what the future holds.

Cheers
Chris

[rdanhenry]

A new version of Sea Law for RMSS/FRP (Ocean Law? Aquatic Companion?). Depending on material, it might break up into two books: one for the surface world emphasizing ships, sailing, and interactions of sea and land or sky, and a second for the underwater world from the shallows to the deeps, emphasizing deep sea monsters, the exotic underwater environment, submarines, operations of magic underwater, and aquatic civilizations.

[Old Man]

A new version of Sea Law for RMSS/FRP (Ocean Law? Aquatic Companion?). Depending on material, it might break up into two books: one for the surface world emphasizing ships, sailing, and interactions of sea and land or sky, and a second for the underwater world from the shallows to the deeps, emphasizing deep sea monsters, the exotic underwater environment, submarines, operations of magic underwater, and aquatic civilizations.

On that vein, any supplement that covers game effects for Harsh Environments (underwater, high altitude, deep underground, other worlds, elemental realms) would be cool.

[munchy]

I agree on the monsters book. Something similar to C&M would be brilliant again. Maybe the design could be redone a bit, one page per monster similar to how other companies do it.

[Tinimir06]

I would love to see a HARP style magic system for Rolemaster.  A mixture of spell lists with scaling options for spells would really enchance Rolemaster's flexibility.

[Tinimir06]

Another companion my group really likes is the Underground Races for RMSS.  I would like see more of these types of suppliments which adds depth to Rolemaster.

[markc]

Healing Law, with herbs and healing rules.
MDC

[Chris Seal]

Healing Law, with herbs and healing rules.

Ooo. yes please. This sounds really good.

[Setorn]

I love the monsters idea, but ditch the old format. 

The old RM Companion idea worked but maybe do genres and themes: That is kinda what RoCo VI was about and what SM is in a way. 

Another lower fantasy setting.

A Spell Law that offers three to five alternate spell casting rules: Harp Like Magic, D&D style and Ars Magica style to name a few. 

Healing:  That is great too!

EA and Quarterlies, but move all three into one like on the Guild's site. (see Cross overs below)

Those are things that I would buy.  Now Pdfs that I think we need for free (especially marketing wise):

Cross over Pdfs on this site for RMC to RMFR (RMSS), and HARP to either or both or HARP TO RMX.  See Cross over Material, buy one game use material from all.

Demo stories and scenarios that don't use all the rules and have short rules in them. 

Thank you, sorry for having had been a lurker again for so long... 

[ahammer]

here we go.. I know it will not be popular view. but I think rolemaster need a bit of a overhaul.

background on me.. I have only played in one rolemaster game and (back in the day I also had a few of the game that will not be named based on rolemaster) game and herd the game on rpgmp3. I have read all the book and harp.

I will list what I like and what I don't.. and would I would like to see. I hoping this would help. I think it need a bit of a rework if it ever going to be popular again.

likes
healing. herb, death and dieing (only game where bring people back from the dead feels like it would work and not have people  with tons of money coming back all the time. how the hell does a kings die in dnd.)
also like the idea of a healer that can only heal themselves but can take on other wounds.
Crits(what makes me keep a eye on this game)
how deadly it is. this is a plus for me.
how combat works overall.

like the idea of magic built on spells you have learned before. IE I make a small flame before I can make a fireball.


dislikes
chargen.. number one thing that stops me from buying/playing this game is the chargen. issue I have with it is that point buy system are only easy to do if you know the system well. making about the only way to get people into the game preroll char or get them to read the book.

potencal vs current stat.. looks like a good idea but just seem to much to keep track of.  this is easy for me to just opt out of thou.

toolkit approach. means that no game is the same between each group.. while most groups have house rules I think the books should lay out the main way of playing the game and each group should house rule what they want to change.

to many skills base. I know why some people push for it.. but I think removing lots of them would make char gen simpler and not have a ton of effect on game play over all.

base system for xp.. I know there are other rules in some books. base system should not char be as complex as it is for no reason.

what I would like to see.

magic system like rmc + harp. spell points to power up spells and spell lists.

combat system where you don't need list but you get the same feel. my issue with harp combat was all weapons seem to feel the same
 (do not remove the list crits. if anything make them bigger). this is to allow the charts to be open ended. see my last post about the general idea still have not work out detail been far to busy.

like the idea of doing char gen as like pick form this partial templates idea that was posted somewhere. + roll up a background or something like that.. still allows for a open system without being bog down with a ton of char gen. lets say you get one for race, one at adolescents, one for young adult, and one for level one. then each level you get one. some temples can only be taken at some times. I think my issue with a ton of skills would be less so with a system like this. this could be added onto the current system I guess

 

[Cory Magel]

I'll give you my personal wish-list rough draft of a complete new Rolemaster line.

This is pretty much off the top of my head for the most part, but obviously I've thought about it before back when the 'Rolemaster X' was being discussed however long ago...

The biggest change I'd potentially like to see is the Spell List system possibly move towards HARP's setup, however Rolemaster MUST retain profession specific spell lists.  No sharing like in HARP.

Main Rules Book: Put everything you need to play the basic professions and game. It's the main rules and geared towards newbies.
- Basic Rules
- Basic Races: Human, Elf, Dwarf, Halfling/Hobbit, Gnome, etc.
- Basic Professions: Warrior, Rogue, Thief, Mage, Cleric, Illusionist, Dabbler, Magent, Paladin.
- Profession Base Spell Lists and limited Open and Closed lists.
- Basic Weapon Type Tables (Broadshord, TH-Sword, Shortsword, Dagger, Hammer, War Mattock, Mace/Club, Morning Star, Bow, X-Bow, Staff, etc).
- Basic Critical Tables (Slash, Crush, Pierce, Fire, Cold, Electricity, etc)

Creatures & Monsters: Self Explanatory

Magic Items & Treasure - All kinds of magical items. Weapons, Clothing, Potions, Scrolls, Runes, Jewelry, etc, etc.

Gamemaster Law:
- All kinds of advice for GM's.
- Provide an optional constant round (Second by Second, CEATS, whatever) combat system.

Character Law:
- Background Options (Talents/Flaws) including general guidelines for creating new ones
- Possibly additional Races, Training packages
- Separating Race and Culture Adolescence Skills, Talents and Abilities.

Races & Cultures: Get into the more bizarre like Centaurs, Half-Giants, Mermen, Cat People, Birdmen, etc, etc.

Spell Law: Channeling: Along the lines of the existing Channeling Companion
- New expanded Semi and Pure Channeling Professions.
- Obviously more spell lists.
- More critical tables (such as Holy).
- Optional rules

Spell Law: Essence: Along the lines of the Essence Companion
- New expanded Semi and Pure Essence Professions
- Obviously more spell lists
- More critical tables (Plasma, Acid, Void, etc)
- Optional rules.

Spell Law: Mentalism: Along the lines of the Mentalism Companion
 - New expanded Semi and Pure Mentalism Professions
- Obviously more spell lists
- More critical tables (Stress, Fear, etc)
- Optional rules.

Spell Law: Hybrids:
- Mostly new Hybrid Professions and their Base Spell Lists (Warlock, Mystic, etc. Most of them). Introduce the Hybrids with this book.
- Optional rules.

Arms Law: Weapons & Armor
- New expanded Pure Arms Professions focusing on weapon usage.
- More weapons.
- Weapon Specialization
- More critical tables (Weapon Specific tables).
- Optional rules: Piecemeal Armor, Hit Location

Arms Law: Martial Arts
- New expanded Pure Arms Professions focusing on hand-to-hand combat.
- More weapons.
- More critical tables (Attack Specific tables: Nerves, Joints).
- Optional rules: Combat Styles

Undead Companion - Mostly self explanatory. Maybe hold the Anti-Paladin and Necromancer professions for this one.

Outdoor Companion - Do for Rangers what the Channeling Companion did for Clerics

Stealth Companion - Assassination Rules, Poisons, Thieves Guilds, Critical Tables (something along the lines of an "Automatic Kill" chart), Specific Training Packages, Talents, Flaws, Background stuff...

Religion Companion - Discuss the actual creation and possibilities of various deity setups (Monotheistic, Pantheons, etc) and religions, etc.

Skills Companion - If initial skills are pared down this would allow for the expansion back out to a more robust skill system/list.

Sea Companion - Everything to do with ships. Ship types, stats, combat, technologies, etc.

War Companion - Covering large scale battles. Siege engines and equipment. Good place to put Castles & Ruins type information.

Equipment Companion - Fairly self explanatory.

[rdanhenry]

Trade Companion: Covers trade routes, monetary systems, barter, banking, and how to run a game where the PCs are running a business (or businesses). This would include illegal and borderline illegal commerce as well. Tariffs, customs, smuggling, common frauds and shoddy deals should be covered. Basically, anything you might want to know when your players kill off the bad guys and end up de facto owners of the baddie's front, be it an inn, tavern, cheese shop, or community theater, and decide that rather than ignore it or sell it off, it would be fun to have a go at making it a working business venture. Or what you might want to know if you were one of those players.

Something similar for diplomacy and politics. People Companion?

[DangerMan]

I would love to see an Obscure Companion, or even Evil Companion. Could have new professions, spells, talents / flaws, trainign packs, monsters, optional corruption/alignment rules ect, etc.

I alsdo think Healing law, or possibly, Herbs law, is a good idea. Should have lots and lots of herbs and poisions, a herbalist profession, etc etc.

[Ryhope Wood]

I think a lot of the previous suggestions are great.  My only comment would be to make the system more accessible to newbies developing their own campaign worlds or converting material over from other systems.  There was a lot of useful stuff in this regard in the Express Additions such as the ideas about mage folios, balancing races, and training packages.  It would be useful if someone could actually finish the racial talents costs from the Express Additions as well.

As far as taking the game forward, the biggest areas seem to be a more toolkit approach to creature / monster development; and profession development (how exactly do you assign secondary skill costs when creating a new profession).  Resolve these areas and their might be a creative explosion in the forums and beyond!

 

[ictus]

MIcro RM, something I've long wanted and long wanted to have the time to right, but never have.

Basically  a very cut down version of the rules, to the point where it can fit on just a dozen or so A5 sheets.

This would be a light system for old hacks like me who want simple non rules heavy and quick. Which can then be used to introduce new players without the big learning curve needed for current systems.

[Chris Seal]

Hi all,

Given the recent discussion over rulesets I'd like to share an idea I have had.

I'd like to suggest that the focus of ICE shift from producing rules to producing adventures. All three of ICE's FRP's are sufficiently similar that, with some tweaking of the core rule systems of each, a single adventure could be produced which was compatible with all three systems. Basically, so long as the names and numbers are the same in all three systems, then the various sub-systems that interact with those numbers become irrelevant for the purposes of writing an adventure. A good example of this is the various combat systems that are available for HARP. Ultimately for the adventure writer it does not matter whether the core rules, Hack & Slash or Martial Law is being used.

The biggest wrinkle in this approach, that I can see, is skills. Unfortunately a default level would need to be chosen, but it has been my experience that this is probably the simplest system to alter by a GM running the game. Having said that, it would be preferable for the "numbers" to be the same, thus a Ranger with a +35 Track should have the same mechanical bonus across all three systems (hence there will need to be some rebalancing).

[Cory Magel]

TSR discovered the hard way, and other game companies also found, that adventures simply didn't do well in a general sense.  But there are several factors that might either simply disprove that as a general rule or show that they may be viable once again.  The two biggest and quality of the product and the experience level of the target customer.

On quality, I have to admit, I suspect some of the decline in popularity in adventures comes from the fact that TSR was putting out crap towards the end of it's existence, so it's hard to say for sure how well adventures should[/i ]have been doing.

On target audience, you had a much younger gaming customer base at the beginning and, as time went by, they learned to create their own adventures, campaigns and worlds.  If you were trying to sell to the existing RM fan base I would be of the opinion that adventures are a bad idea.  Existing RM users are pretty veteran gamers.  I would say this is a strike against adventures today... however, we are trying to bring new life into the gaming industry.  So, maybe they would be a good idea in that sense.

Generic adventures that have some 'fill in the blank' setups (so they can be used in any game) might be an excellent cross-sell to gamers using other systems also.  You give them the story, characters, scenarios, etc, etc... and then have a part that says "X creatures are the source of trouble.  Fill this combat with X creatures" in that X is a certain type and power level foe.  In Rolemaster it might be some Orcs, in D&D it might be filled by some trolls, etc.

Although, I do not think adventures should be a primary focus they could be useful and a marketing tool, much as the way the original Rolemaster started it could lead gamers to a new system just as it lead the original ICE to create it in the first place.