Topic: Question about spellcasting modifiers

[Ruffie]

Hi collective wisdom,

When a caster casts a spell he rolls on the Spell-casting static maneuver table 4.5 and adds all of his modifiers. If the spell is succesful he then proceeds to roll on the "Basic spell attack table" 13.1 to see which modifier the defender gets on his resistance roll.

All in all a very straightforward system but there is one thing which I've never explored fully and wonder about. On table 4.5 you can get modifiers to "the next applicable roll" (51-75 gives a +0, 76-90 gives a +5, 91-110 a +10 and 111-175 a +20,

Now.... does this modifier apply to the Basic spell attack table 13.1? My casters think so but I'm not sure so I hope te collective wisdom may provide answers.

Edit: Sorry, I see I posted this in general rolemaster, it was meant for Rolemaster Standard System/Frp

[jdale]

That is how I interpret that, yes.

[MisterK]

The only exception is if the spell can be cast automatically (RMFRP Section 14, RMSS section 26), in which case no roll is made on the SCSM (but attack spells can still fail on an unmodified roll of 01-02 on the Basic Spell Attack Table, or any modified roll that ends in a 'F' result).

Basically, if there are no *negative* modifiers from table T4-6 that apply, the spell can be cast automatically.

It must be noted that this table (SCSM) has a different set of thresholds from the normal static manoeuver table : partial success kicks in at 26 instead of 76, near success at 41 instead of 91, success at 61 instead of 111 and absolute success at 126 instead of 176 (probably because the skill rank bonus has a radically different progression from the standard one... and you can wonder why it is so, since the bonus is *not* used for the spell attack rolls - the number of *ranks* is used instead).

As a side note, it also means that a non-automatic attack roll will require up to three rolls to be resolved (and look up three tables) : SCSM, Spell Casting Attack / Elemental Attack, and Resistance Roll / Critical Roll. Up from two for a standard attack, and from one for a non-combat manoeuver. Which is, if you ask me, kind of one roll too many, at least.

[jdale]

I agree it's too many, that's why the BAR is gone from RMU. And also the RR table (there's still a roll, but no table necessary). I actually proposed to get rid of the BAR a long time ago: https://web.archive.org/web/20191128000155/http://www.guildcompanion.com/scrolls/2002/oct/simplifyingresistancerolls.html

[Majyk]

As mentioned above, the table change between RMSS/FRP was due to RMSS requiring a mystery garbage bonus of +50 to be added to any SCSM rolls.

FRP removed this and re-ranged the chart to automatically include this random +50 hidden within it.
*sigh*

I do enjoy the extended ESF bonuses/maluses for everything from Whispering to No-handed casting to Prepping a Spell for extra rounds or making one Instantaneous when it isn’t - in order to switch up the tactics in announcing oneself in a battle, though.