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Systems & Settings => Rolemaster => RMSS/FRP => Topic started by: HawksNut on November 19, 2017, 10:04:31 AM

Title: Adrenal Defense & using a Spear??
Post by: HawksNut on November 19, 2017, 10:04:31 AM

Can a Warrior Monk use a spear and Adrenal Defense? I do not own the Martial Arts Companion and the Standard rules seem a bit vague on this subject. Thank you for your help.

Title: Re: Adrenal Defense & using a Spear??
Post by: craggles on November 19, 2017, 10:20:02 AM

Core - No
The character must not be wearing armour and he can not have a shield or other large item in his hands.

Martial Arts Companion - Yes
But it has to be part of his Martial Arts Style. The rules of creating and using these styles (as well as armed Combat Styles) is in that book unfortunately.

Title: Re: Adrenal Defense & using a Spear??
Post by: providence13 on November 19, 2017, 10:46:55 AM

At high lvls, Monks and Monk-Types can be nigh untouchable because of AD and a little bit of magic.
We joked that there was a Valhala of sorts where the 7 people who actually hit and crit'd our 14th lvl Monk hung out in the afterlife. :) )
The RAW is a good game balance.

Weapon Kata Rules do offer a more "realistic" use of the skill, but we don't use MAC, although I do like parts, here and there.

House Rules:
"You can use one specific weapon and is assumed that it's part of your kata for AD".

HR I'll try for our new game:
"You can use any weapon, but you must use the lesser of the 2 skills for both". This still has a RAW feel, IMHO.
(or maybe lower AD by the OB of the weapon used. That's a harsher penalty to AD)
YGMV

Title: Re: Adrenal Defense & using a Spear??
Post by: Grinnen Baeritt on November 19, 2017, 05:30:37 PM

I'd often Monk use any Melee weapon as PART of the attack and/or defence..

but wouldn't allow Adrenal defence, if they claimed ANY OB benefit from using that weapon.  i.e. a Standard attack skill or magical/mundane bonus

WITH KATA: The OB would be the MA attack OB.
WITHOUT KATA: For the OB of the attack , simply use the LOWER of Spear OB or MA attack OB.

Using the weapon in such a way simply allowed the character to cause Puncture Crits (or Krush) instead of the MA crits.

e.g. A monk making a normal Spear attack simply couldn't use AD.
e.g. A monk using a MA attack with a "KATA" weapon, could either lose any bonus the weapon had OR couldn't use AD.
e.g. A monk simply incorporating a weapon INTO a MA attack uses the lower OB, and could either lose the weapon bonus or couldn't use AD.