Topic: Marth Ice World for Rolemaster?

[SamwiseSeven]

http://marth.bravehost.com

I have my Marth Ice World setting, that I offer for free online that is currently translated into HARP and D&D 3rd/3.5.  What I was wondering is if anyone has any suggestions for translating the setting into Rolemaster... and which version of the game should I translate it into?

I believe I have the Rolemaster Standard System packed away somewhere that I haven't used since I was like 10 (man did we butcher the rules back then, hehe).  I also believe I have an older version of Rolemaster that I picked up at a flea market cheap, but I'm not really sure what version of the game it is.  It is Character Law & Campaign Law #1300 copyright 1989.
Is that Rolemaster 2?

Any tips, or suggestions anyone has would be good to hear.  I've been thinking about doing it for awhile.  If there are any people that want to help translate the setting to Rolemaster I would be grateful.  It's not like I'm going to make any money of it, but I figured if I am going to try to help support ICE, having a setting that supports multiple games that they make would be good.   

Thanks.

[Nejira]

If you thinking marketing, maybe RM classic is best as its the "newest" version of rolemaster. Other than that I believe its a question of preferrence which version you prefer over another.

[dutch206]

Yes.  #1300 is the stock number for RM 2.

[SamwiseSeven]

So I think I have RM2, RMSS, and I think I bought and downloaded the RM Classic PDF for characters (though I probably misplaced it on some disk somewhere, hehe).

Classic is the newest, gotcha.

I plan on leaving things free.  My friend's quote still lives with me,  "If it's free, it's for me." 

If I was to translate it into RMC/RM2 and RMSS do you think that would be a good place to start?  The translation might not be that great, but people can yell at me till I get it right, hehe.

[Nejira]

I would start with the "feel" for the game. What professions are availible (open, restricted, banned), the same with training packages, what roles they represents (EG: magents are only availble if you are a member of the death hand cult, counselor isn?t an option), etc.

Any special options or rules regarding character creation. EG: Do spell multiplier exists, any modificatings for talents.

Note that I use RMFRP terms (professions, training packages, etc) because I dont know the specifics of the other RM versions

PS: My post no.100 Yay 

[SamwiseSeven]

PROFESSIONS

Since there are no gods (they killed each other or did themselves in) I am going to say that there are no Channeling Professions.

So looking in RM2 the available professions would be:
Fighter, Thief, Rogue, Warrior Monk
Magician, Illusionist, Alchemist
Mentalist, Lay Healer, Seer
Mystic
Monk, Ranger (exception to No Channeling rule), Bard
Sorcerer (exception to No Channeling rule, magic fueled by Elementals)

Or in other words you can't be a:
Cleric, Animist, Healer
Astrologer


Looking at RMSS the available professions would be:
Magician, Illusionist
Mentalist, Lay Healer
Fighter, Thief, Rogue, Warrior Monk, Layman
Mystic
Ranger (exception to No Channeling rule), Monk, Dabbler, Bard, Magent
Sorcerer (exception to No Channeling rule, magic fueled by Elementals)

Or in other words you can't be a:
Cleric, Animist
Healer
Paladin


Now that is a lot of professions that went out the door.  Will this work?  I'm hoping the Lay Healer can replace the Cleric in many ways.


Training Packages

Well, I've never been a fan of training packages (too close to D&D Prestige Classes for me), so I will just say that all Training Packages need approved by the GM first.

[SamwiseSeven]

RACES

Hmmm, this one is going to take a lot of work, hehe.  This will be the brunt of the translation I think.

Maybe since the races are already translated to HARP, I can keep the bonuses almost as is for the stats that match... hmmm.

Yeah, lots of work, hehe.

I'm just going to put the HARP values I came up with, and then tinker on them (hopefully based on suggestions).

I used the Mixed Men Stats for all of the Humans, but that might change (not sure yet).

RMSS

Race	Ag	Co	Me	Re	SD	Em	In	Pr	Qu	St
Dark Dwarf	0	4	?	0	2	?	0	0	2	3
Fire Dwarf	0	3	?	2	2	?	1	1	0	2
Gray Dwarf	0	5	?	0	4	?	0	0	0	2
Ice Dwarf	2	5	?	0	2	?	0	0	2	0
Blood Elf	1	0	?	1	0	?	2	4	3	0
Shadow Elf	2	0	?	2	0	?	2	2	3	0
Twilight Elf	0	0	?	3	2	?	4	4	0	-2
North Gnome	2	4	?	0	0	?	2	1	2	0
South Gnome	4	3	?	0	0	?	0	0	4	0
West Gnome	2	2	?	2	0	?	0	3	2	0
Black Human	0	2	0	0	2	2	0	2	0	2
Brown Human	0	2	0	0	2	2	0	2	0	2
Gray Human	0	2	0	0	2	2	0	2	0	2
White Human	0	2	0	0	2	2	0	2	0	2
Wolfen	2	2	?	-1	0	?	2	-1	5	2
Yetti	-2	4	?	0	0	?	2	0	2	5

RM2/RMC

Race	Ag	Co	Me	Re	SD	Em	In	Pr	Qu	St
Dark Dwarf	0	4	?	0	2	?	0	0	2	3
Fire Dwarf	0	3	?	2	2	?	1	1	0	2
Gray Dwarf	0	5	?	0	4	?	0	0	0	2
Ice Dwarf	2	5	?	0	2	?	0	0	2	0
Blood Elf	1	0	?	1	0	?	2	4	3	0
Shadow Elf	2	0	?	2	0	?	2	2	3	0
Twilight Elf	0	0	?	3	2	?	4	4	0	-2
North Gnome	2	4	?	0	0	?	2	1	2	0
South Gnome	4	3	?	0	0	?	0	0	4	0
West Gnome	2	2	?	2	0	?	0	3	2	0
Black Human	0	2	0	0	2	2	0	2	0	2
Brown Human	0	2	0	0	2	2	0	2	0	2
Gray Human	0	2	0	0	2	2	0	2	0	2
White Human	0	2	0	0	2	2	0	2	0	2
Wolfen	2	2	?	-1	0	?	2	-1	5	2
Yetti	-2	4	?	0	0	?	2	0	2	5

[Arioch]

What about statting it for both RM2 and RMSS? 
BTW I think that HARP stat bonuses for race are closer to RMSS ones, but once you translate them to RMSS it should be easy to convert to RM2, too.
You could check RMSS Races & Cultures which IMHO would help you a lot with races.

[SamwiseSeven]

Yeah I think I am going to translate it into RMSS and RM2/Classic to make everyone happy, hehe.

[markc]

SamwiseSeven,
 One note, in my RMSS game I have essence, mentalism and channeling rangers. I think that the Rangers realm of magic is one that can float around but that is just me and my house rules.
 Also a sorcerer can worship a powerful elemental being or maybe a deamon or devil. If that works for your game then I would use them as NPC's.

 Another note as it looks like you have just the main rule books for RM2/C and RMSS there are other professions in other products that may be perfict for your world.

Good Luck
MDC

[SamwiseSeven]

There aren't any angels or demons either (well maybe one under some big rock somewhere) but the other ones died with the death of the gods.  Sorcerers worshiping and manipulating energy based on some Elemental could work.

For now I think just translating the base professions is good.  Any GMs that want to allow other professions can of course if they think they can make it fit somehow.

[ob1knorrb]

You might find this useful, although it hasn't been updated to include any of the newer HARP publications:
http://www.icewebring.com/docs/HARP_to_RMFRP.pdf

[SamwiseSeven]

Thanks.   

[Nejira]

Re: Channeling. I had a campaign which took place after the last war of the gods where the gods were either killed (or as close as such being can be) or forced to leave the world. I had channeling users, saying that the energy they used for their spells came from the echoes of the gods. Kinda a residue left behind after a material world had been touched by divine beings. I had plans that it would eventually fade out as the energy were spend.

Not sure if you dont want channeling casters or its a byproduct of dead gods. My point is that with a bit of creativity you can come up with a reason for channelers still to be around. Of course if you don?t want em, well its a good reason why not that the gods are dead

A note from DnD cosmology, channelers could get their energy from the Positive or Negative plane (good/evil) in a setting without actual gods.

[SamwiseSeven]

I thought about letting Clerics and Druids (in D&D) use the divine energy leaking from the bodies of the dead gods (buried under the snow and ice) but I thought that a limit on what professions you could play would make the setting more unique.   

I had a campaign where the party brought back to life one of the gods, when they found his corpse.  It was the god of Death, which was actually a good thing, because he stopped that whole automatic Undead problem, hehe.  People didn't have to chop up and burn their Grandmothers, when they kicked the bucket after that, hehe.

"Crap! Grannie is dead, get the axe and the oil..." 

I never really liked the D&D cosmology thing, and limited the number of planes that were in existence.  I can't remember which ones I liked.  Maybe Ethereal and Shadows?  Can't remember.

[Right Wing Wacko]

Is Marth what I should be getting ready for...?

[SamwiseSeven]

I guess I can't perpetually modify my posts like on some of the other forums I post on...  I guess I better just do this on my website.

I used the Mixed Men Stats for all of the Humans, but that might change (not sure yet).

I'm going to use a quick and fast translation (even if it isn't all the way balanced) from HARP to RMSS for the 2 Stats that don't exist in HARP.  Re = Re & Me, In = Em & In

RMSS

Race	Ag	Co	Me	Re	SD	Em	In	Pr	Qu	St
Dark Dwarf	0	4	0	0	2	0	0	0	2	3
Fire Dwarf	0	3	2	2	2	1	1	1	0	2
Gray Dwarf	0	5	0	0	4	0	0	0	0	2
Ice Dwarf	2	5	0	0	2	0	0	0	2	0
Blood Elf	1	0	1	1	0	2	2	4	3	0
Shadow Elf	2	0	2	2	0	2	2	2	3	0
Twilight Elf	0	0	3	3	2	4	4	4	0	-2
North Gnome	2	4	0	0	0	2	2	1	2	0
South Gnome	4	3	0	0	0	0	0	0	4	0
West Gnome	2	2	2	2	0	0	0	3	2	0
Black Human	0	2	0	0	2	2	0	2	0	2
Brown Human	0	2	0	0	2	2	0	2	0	2
Gray Human	0	2	0	0	2	2	0	2	0	2
White Human	0	2	0	0	2	2	0	2	0	2
Wolfen	2	2	-1	-1	0	2	2	-1	5	2
Yetti	-2	4	0	0	0	2	2	0	2	5

[SamwiseSeven]

I plan on using Echoes of Heaven campaign setting for our game on Sat RWW.  I'm just tinkering.   

[Right Wing Wacko]

Ahhh...
 

[SamwiseSeven]

http://marth.bravehost.com/rolemasterrace.html

I'm going to put up the Rolemaster Races on that page, since I can't keep modifying my posts here.

I'm having a hard time seeing how the races are "balanced" so I guess I'm going to have to mainly go by the examples that are already there.