Topic: Rounds required RE casting a spell with Transend Armor?

[C.Tozer]

Hello

(a double up of the same question on Facebook too)

A quick coupld of questions RE Transend armor please ... as per Rolemaster Companion II p.41 the skill is described as the following:

"Transcend Armor:
Allows user to attempt to overcome the ESF modifier due to the wearing of armor. A static manoeuvre, if successful allows the user to apply his skill modifier against the penalty incurred by the wearing of armor, including helm."

Is the round required to undertake the Transend Armor static manoeuvre rolled before or after any spell preparation? Does the Transend Armor static manoeuvre require a full round to complete or do you incorporate that into the round of the spell is cast?

How do you use the skill (with RM2/RMC) in your games please?

Thank you

Cheers

Chris

[Hurin]

We never charged any activity % for it. It is obviously an incredibly powerful skill, but sooner or later you fail your maneuver and have a massive penalty and are in deep trouble. So it is very much a feast or famine/save or suck type of skill.

[jdale]

Both RMSS/RMFRP and RMU just apply your Transcend Armor bonus to offset any penalties for wearing armor. There's no maneuver or roll at all, aside from the spellcasting roll. It's not the same mechanic but it's consistent with the idea that it doesn't take any activity of its own.

[C.Tozer]

Thanks JDale and Huron too for the feedback - really useful to get different perspectives on how others run the rule.

Both RMSS/RMFRP and RMU just apply your Transcend Armor bonus to offset any penalties for wearing armor. There's no maneuver or roll at all, aside from the spellcasting roll. It's not the same mechanic but it's consistent with the idea that it doesn't take any activity of its own.

[PiXeL01]

In our RM2/C game we have always just used the total of offset armor/equipment ESF mods

[PiXeL01]

In our RM2/C game we have always just used the total to offset armor/equipment ESF mods. However, now that I read the description in CompII the skill does indeed require a static maneuver roll.

[Elrich Maltah]

Were armor ESF mods ever defined for Arcane magic, or are they not applicable for that realm? I can't seem to find anything about it in the companions.

[Hurin]

Companion I (p. 4) says that when casting arcane spells, 'the normal Spell Law rules apply (power points, spellcasting, RR's, etc.)', so I guess you could assume the ESF rules are included in the 'etc.' We always did.

We just used the Essence mods in particular for ESF.

[Elrich Maltah]

Thanks for the feedback. I did see that note in RC1, but I wasn't confident in extending it to ESF without a second opinion.

[Hurin]

Yeah, you are right that it is odd that this issue is never directly addressed; I even looked through the rules checklist in Companion IV, but didn't see anything about it. So I just assume use Essence mods.

[OLF, i.e. Olf Le Fol]

Since Arcane is supposed to be the original form of magic, whence the others are derived, I'd rather not apply the ESF mods to Arcane, or use the lesser penalties when there are differences between the three realms (so, no penalties due to armour or equipment, Channeling penalties due to helmet worn, and Mentalism penalties due to free hand status).

[PiXeL01]

Just like all hybrid magic we use the worse modifier for Arcane as it in the fundamental form of Magic. So yes, you better be yelling and waving your hands while being near naked while casting it.

[Hurin]

Just like all hybrid magic we use the worse modifier for Arcane as it in the fundamental form of Magic.

Yes, that's what I was trying clumsily to get at by saying use Essence penalties, which tend to be the highest

[EltonJ]

Hmm.  I would use essence penalties as well.