The SystemWe will be using the following books:
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Rolemaster Fantasy Roleplaying-
Character Law-
Spell Law: of Channeling, Spell Law: of Essence, and
Spell Law: of Mentalism-
Arms Law, 2003 Edition-
The Armory (comes with a Nodwick attack table, in case you want to throw your favorite hench being!)
The SettingWe will be using
Greyhawk: the Adventure Begins and the
Greyhawk: Player's Guide. There will be some conversions (like certain kits in the Greyhawk: Player's Guide can be converted to Training Packages).
Races Allowed:
* Man (both High Man and Common Man)
* Elf (Wood Elf, Grey Elf, and High Elf. Wood elves are listed in RMFRP, Grey Elves and High Elves are in Character Law)
* Dwarf
* Halfling
* Half-Elf (Recounted in Character Law)
* Half-Orc (Recounted in Character Law)
Professions Allowed:
Arms Users -- They don't usually use magic.
* Fighter.
* Layman. Usually reserved for NPCs, mind you -- recounted in Character Law)
* Thief.
* Rogue.
* Warrior Monk. Recounted in Character Law). This is the PF1 Monk, sort of.
Channeling Users -- Divine Casters in PF.
* Cleric.
* Animist. (recounted in Character Law)
Essence Users -- Arcane Casters in PF.
* Magician. This is the Wizard or Sorcerer in PF1.
* Illusionist. (Recounted in Character Law)
Mentalism Users -- Mentalism is like Psychic Magic in PF.
* Mentalist. My favorite profession in RM.
* Lay Healer. This profession has no class equivalent in PF. Recounted in Character Law.
Semi-Spell Users -- These are like part casters in PF.
* Paladin (of Channeling and Character Law). Like the regular paladin in PF.
* Ranger. Channeling. This is like the regular Ranger in PF.
* Dabbler. There is no PF1 equivalent to this profession. Try to think of him as a rogue/sorcerer multi-class.
* Monk. (of Essence and Character Law) This is like the PF1 Monk, sort of.
* Bard. (Mentalism) This is like the Bard in PF1, except he uses Mentalism instead of Essence.
* Magent. (Mentalism) An assassin. Both magents and dabblers can work like vigilantes from PF1.
Hybrid Spell Users -- No PF equivalent. Of course, they are like multi-class characters.
* Healer (Channeling and Mentalism, recounted in Character Law).
* Sorcerer (Channeling and Essence), this Profession is -- sort of -- like the Sorcerer in PF1. Recounted in Character Law.
* Mystic (Essence and Mentalism). Recounted in Character Law.
TalentsWe will be using Point Buy for your talents. All of the Talents from Character Law may be used. But I reserve the right to veto your choices.
Training PackagesAll are available.
Remember, some kits (like the Rangers of the Gnarly Forest) can be converted to training packages if you so desire.
StatsYou get 750 points to figure your stats according the RAW in RMFRP. Usually is 700, but I want you to be fine examples for adventuring. 750 points is like 25 point buy in PF1.
SkillsUnlike D&D and PF1, which are level based systems, Rolemaster is a skill based system. But you have the ability to choose any skill you desire. You are not restricted in the amount of skills you may take. Thus a mentalist may become a martial artist. Or a martial artist may use spells. Instead of multi-classing, you simply choose the skills you like to develop.
LevelsRolemaster does use levels. There has been attempts to make Rolemaster leveless by players in the past. Levels are used as a way for people to set goals. Note that the system is down right gritty -- a 1st level character will be able to give grievous wounds that will incapacitate a level 20 character. A level 20 character might roll low and not hit and kill a 1st level character off the bat. The system is very realistic. You will start at level 1.
AlignmentTo make things easier for you, we will be using the AD&D alignment system. Although Rolemaster is designed to work with custom alignments. Characters often have a demeanor, which the player describes their personality of their character usually in one sentence. But there is reservation for alignment as well, so we will use the AD&D alignment system.
Martial ArtsThere is a Martial Arts Companion for RM, but it's out of print and unavailable on drivethru. I have the pdf and two hard copies of this companion. What sets it apart from the Martial Arts Companion for PF1 is that it contains a system where you can make up your own martial arts. There are two kinds of martial arts: Weapon Arts and Non-Weapon Arts.
Since the game is set in the Flannaess, you may try to develop martial arts from a European context (in the RM MAC, there are rules describing Italian Fencing and Classic (Spanish?) Fencing. There are also guidelines that describe Savate.) Say you want to develop rules for Ringen (a classic European Martial Art from Germany that specializes in Grappling), the RM MAC allows you to do this. Of course, you might want to convert the Martial Arts described in the PF1 MAC to Rolemaster, but realize that those Martial Arts are high fantasy extrapolations.
Okay, I think that's it. We'll see how many will bite. Looking for 4-5 brave souls!
