Topic: Rolemaster Product Suggestions

[markc]

I crit chart per RMSS skill!
MDC

[yammahoper]

I crit chart per RMSS skill!
MDC

Err...ok.

I was thinking more like Sonic, magma, plasma, para elemental, ripping, explosive, etc...

Some funny tables would be very cool too, obviously.

Contact Rasyr, tell him there are more crit tables to write!

[ironmaul]

A book everyone would buy: Critical Law.  Optional critical tables for use with Arms Law and Spell law.

Yes, yes, yes! I would buy it. There can never be enough critical tables! Particularly, crit tables for things like giant spiders, octopus, and multiple limb like creatures.

[rdanhenry]

MAGMA "E" CRITICALS
1-5 Lower body burnt away. Lungs cooked by superheated air. At least it comes with a few cremation.
6-100 Body vanishes in a burst of flame. No, his items didn't survive.

Yeah, that would be a pretty easy table to write.

[ironmaul]

Actually, if there was a formula for specific penalties like stuns bleeding etc. for the crit tables, I wouldn't mind having a crack at writing one up.

[David Johansen]

You forgot:

Slice your foes legs off as he trys to leap over you.  His clothing catches fire while you pontificate.

[yammahoper]

There certainly are a lot of tables that could be created.

A through E slash, puncture and crush versus Large and Super Large foes.

A through E spell crit tables for LA and SL.

I've never had a problem using normal crits against multi armed foes, but an A through E "Strikes against Multi limb monsters"...eh, it seems to specific, but in a 120 page book?

I even at times have wished for alternate crit tables titled MASSIVE SLASH CRITS, MASSIVE CRUSH CRITS and for those arbelest shooters, MASSIVE PUNCTURE CRITS.  These tables would be used when struck by REALLY BIG blades, rocks, falls, a titans spear, a wood giants bow, seige engines, etc.

Boxing crits anyone?

Mana crits?

Radiation?

[Ecthelion]

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)

...

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.

Generally I like the setup you posted. But my suggestion would be to adapt it as follows:

Rolemaster Lite
-Reduced number of professions, e.g. Fighter, Thief, Magician, Cleric, Bard, Ranger
-Reduced set of skills
-Reduced set of races
-Reduced set of spell lists and only to 10th level
-Simplified attack tables, critical tables & weapon stats
-Perhaps some kind of simplified skill development rules
-Simplified campaign handling rules
In the end this looks quite similar to the good old ME RP, doesn't it? And it should. IMHO an entry product is needed which people don't associate with the old complex Rolemaster. And once people get to like it they can see whether they want more detailed rules and buy some of the other books. But it should be possible to perhaps only buy the Spell Law books and the Creatures book and stay with the simplified combat system and char development until level 50. Just as well as people could buy Character Law later and switch to the complete skill list and the more detailed (normal) RM character development.

Character Law in this case would contain nowadays RM skill system as well as the complete list of characters, background options / talents, races, cultures (some more extraordinary races & cultures could be reserved for later books). This could be similar to the RMSS core rules and would be the main rules book.

A new player/GM would most likely first buy RM Lite (just as people often came to RM via ME RP in the 80s) and later, if he likes the system, buy some of the other books and "upgrade".

[ironmaul]

RM lite would not only be good for new GMs but also for old GMs looking to invite new players to the fold. It would also be a good introductry level for those wanting to  run adventures for conventions etc. I think this maybe better instead of having a revision of RM for the short term at least.

[rdanhenry]

Well, any "RM Lite" must be written based on some full version of Rolemaster. RM2 had Not-RM and RMC has RMX. RMFRP was supposed to be a sort of RMSS Lite using the main book, but I don't believe it succeeded well at that. I'm not sure that stripping down the game as a whole is the best way to sell it as an introduction. Maybe a version that did simple character building, no magic, but full combat would be more appealing. Then sell the full system as getting the same level of detail as the combat, but for a wider range, allowing complex characters in a fantastic setting. Something like Arms Law, but as a fully contained combat game.

[Ecthelion]

Well, any "RM Lite" must be written based on some full version of Rolemaster. RM2 had Not-RM and RMC has RMX. RMFRP was supposed to be a sort of RMSS Lite using the main book, but I don't believe it succeeded well at that.

Yes, RMFRP is not what I would envision as a "Lite" version because it retains the full complexity of RM and just strips down some spells, races, talents etc. from the main rules.

I'm not sure that stripping down the game as a whole is the best way to sell it as an introduction.

The key is simplicity. In some cases stripping down the game is good, in other places some rework is needed. E.g. char creation IMHO would need some rework to make it more simple. But a reduced set of skills does also help in this case.

Maybe a version that did simple character building, no magic, but full combat would be more appealing.

My fear is that without any magic the system could be boring for many players. Therefore I'd leave magic in. Also combat can easily be put into a condensed system as HARPer's Bazaar 11 and ME RP have shown.

[ironmaul]

With a "lite" version of RM I'd like to see the potential Stat idea dropped and go along with something like HARP SF has done. I've heard elsewhere about some not worrying about the allocation of 90 points in a primary stat,  really who cares if you don't, just increase it with DP down the track. I also like the idea of the fixed 50DP per level increase, makes character generation easier I think. I've just starting to do a character up and thinking this is pretty good. It's been a long while since I've looked at my books and thought of running a game....

[Mordenkainen]

I understand that the new ICE has its own plans, and that probably doesn't include continuing to sell some of the old lines. That makes sense. But unfortunately I didn't have time to complete my RMSS/FRP collection before the store disappeared. So my point of view, I'd like to see some titles made available again, even for a short time. Since the disappearance was so sudden, let a few of us grognards finally get that hardcover copy of RMSS Spell Law or whatever we were holding out for.

[Ecthelion]

Ironmaul, I agree that a Lite version should not use Potential Stats and use fixed DPs (and btw. this worked fine for ME RP). These are things that could be introduced in Character Law - and even there one could think about making it optional rules.

[Marc R]

I understand that the new ICE has its own plans, and that probably doesn't include continuing to sell some of the old lines. That makes sense. But unfortunately I didn't have time to complete my RMSS/FRP collection before the store disappeared. So my point of view, I'd like to see some titles made available again, even for a short time. Since the disappearance was so sudden, let a few of us grognards finally get that hardcover copy of RMSS Spell Law or whatever we were holding out for.

For pragmatic reasons (i.e. fewest number of books for a complete Rolemaster system that goes to all levels of play), the quartet of Rolemaster Classic books (Character Law, Arms Law, Spell Law, and Creatures & Treasures) are first on the list to be processed. Others will follow.

Starting with the RMC core books (for the reasons given) "others will follow". . .

The PDF only for now / Hardcopy actual book PoD issue has also come up. . . .print versions are on the agenda, and as I understand it both soft and hardcover versions will be available choices. I'm sure updates on that will appear as things progress on that front.

[pastaav]

Perhaps the best replacement of MERP would be something like a series of Run Out the Guns products that show how great RM style gaming can be.

[David Johansen]

Without a doubt a fantasy Run Out the Guns (with a full Arms Law, c'mon how does anyone even play with those cut down crit charts?)  Would be the single best thing ever to happen to Rolemaster.

Well, ideally with plastic figures in the box.  Hey!  What else would you expect me to say?

[ironmaul]

Who has the spare cash to buy the license for RotG these days? And no I don't know how much it is. I can tell you it's a tempting thought taking it on but little industry know-how makes me balk. RotG IMO would be an ideal starting piont of a RM lite version for conventions. But how much could you tweak of the existing RM systems to make it not another version? or would it even matter? to a degree of course. Then you have to have follow up material and a setting perhaps and so on...hmmmm. Would it be financialy viable too? All these things to consider....ok, I'll stop ramblin' 

[Mordenkainen]

I understand that the new ICE has its own plans, and that probably doesn't include continuing to sell some of the old lines. That makes sense. But unfortunately I didn't have time to complete my RMSS/FRP collection before the store disappeared. So my point of view, I'd like to see some titles made available again, even for a short time. Since the disappearance was so sudden, let a few of us grognards finally get that hardcover copy of RMSS Spell Law or whatever we were holding out for.

For pragmatic reasons (i.e. fewest number of books for a complete Rolemaster system that goes to all levels of play), the quartet of Rolemaster Classic books (Character Law, Arms Law, Spell Law, and Creatures & Treasures) are first on the list to be processed. Others will follow.

Starting with the RMC core books (for the reasons given) "others will follow". . .

The PDF only for now / Hardcopy actual book PoD issue has also come up. . . .print versions are on the agenda, and as I understand it both soft and hardcover versions will be available choices. I'm sure updates on that will appear as things progress on that front.

Thanks! That is somewhat encouraging. With PoD, it's just as easy to make hardcover available as softcovers, and I'm probably not the only one who would like to get some RMSS/FRP titles in hardcover so I hope you get around to it.

[VladD]

My suggestions are not "what I would like to see" but also "What I would like to contribute"

Despite a low reaction on my proposal for a second The Armory:
I'd like to make a rewrite on the combat system where the critical is included in the attack table: so daggers won't be able cleave skulls, or two handed swords won't be reduced by leather greaves. I'd simply use a standard descriptive system that randomizes lower results somewhat ("hard strike to lower leg" and uses an algoritme to assign stuns, penalties and bleeding according to the weapon type and the height of the attack roll. In the combat system I'd like to represent everything from bare handed strikes and claws to even strange melee weapons as Falcata and Jo stick to fire arms and ultimately assault lasers. Yes it'll be a b**** to write, but it would be a single roll resolution critical based comprehensive system.

Another idea I have been toying with is: Monstrous companion:
So people can make their own varieties, using the standard system, of monsters and add special varieties of favorite monsters, or develop a stone giant shaman, magma spewing iron skeleton, Martial artist Cold drake or the level 20 Chimaera for their game. Not only rules for upgrading monsters, but also down grading them (Troll spawn, minute bee skeletons, decrepit zombie). Every monster type will be given a race and a profession in such a way that close approximations of standard monsters can be developed using the book but also changed to the varieties I mentioned before. Each monster types has its own archetypes developed.