Author Topic: How do you handle the disarming skills?  (Read 837 times)

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Offline C.Tozer

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How do you handle the disarming skills?
« on: May 06, 2022, 08:01:44 PM »
For RM2/RMC (or I guess any version of RM) how do you handle the Disarm Foe either Armed or Unarmed in your games?

In RC2 p.28 it reads:

DISARM FOE, UNARMED (AG) (Maneuver) - Bonus remove a foe's weapon with your bare hands. If successful, the opponent must make a successful RR vs. the level (#of skill ranks) of disarming skill used. This is NOT a similar skill to Disarm Foe Armed. There are 5 categories for the user to develop. The first is the primary skill and the others can be used as similar skills at 1/2 skill rank bonus. Each category reflects the type of weapon the disarmer can go against. Categories: 1 Handed Edge, 1 Handed Crush, Two Handed, Polearm, and Two Weapon Combo.
Refer: 4.3 Secondary Skills,RMCI ,pg 48.


Does this mean that a Maneuver is required and then if successful the RR is made as described above? If so, what Maneuver is used and when do you apply the disarming skill bonus? To the Maneuver but not the RR or apply to both …. or something completely different?
It certainly sounds like two dice rolls … which would favour the target of the disarm attempt as dice in Rolemaster are fickle with every roll potentially spelling disaster.

In RMSS for the unarmed skill it reads “If the RR is successful, the character performing the maneuver takes a 'B' critical of the type appropriate to the weapon.” which I quite like … ie it is risky to use your bare hands and if you screw it up you are likely to get hurt! If a character does take a "B crit when attempting to disarm someone when they have no weapon would the armed opponent skill get to attack with a separate attack as well though? ie could the character who fails an attempt to disarm someone end up with a B crit AND another attack on them in one round? I'm assuming yes.

The Martial Arts Companion offers a different approach which, I also quite like, that doesn’t use RRs:

“To determine the success of the disarming attempt, make a static maneuver and add the character's skill bonus. The opponent's total usable OB (e,g., his OB before delegating parry or special attacks) with his weapon is taken as a negative modifier to the static maneuver.”

I quite like this approach as it gives a chance with an open-ended roll of someone with a very modest disarm skill of fluking it and removing their opponents weapon. RR’s don’t allow for open ended rolls to my knowledge .. unless I am wrong?

How do you handle the two disarm skills in your game please?

(also have asked the same question in the RM Page on Facebook)
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Offline EltonJ

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Re: How do you handle the disarming skills?
« Reply #1 on: May 07, 2022, 03:58:20 PM »
I use the Martial Arts Companion disarm skills in any case, since that was a better ruling for RMSS/FRP. The "B" crit not withstanding.  :)

Of course, in RM2/RMC, it's different.

Offline Spectre771

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Re: How do you handle the disarming skills?
« Reply #2 on: May 09, 2022, 03:58:51 PM »
This is how we do it for RM2.

Roll d100 add Disarm skill
If Total > 100 then the target makes a RR vs. # of ranks of Disarm Foe
Use the RR table for level of (N)PC vs. # of ranks
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Offline jdale

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Re: How do you handle the disarming skills?
« Reply #3 on: May 09, 2022, 04:21:16 PM »
Using RRs is a little weird. You basically have the same chance of disarming a fighter or a magician, if they are the same level (with only a small difference for their respective stat bonuses). In RMU, it's opposed by the defender's weapon skill.


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Offline farseer22

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Re: How do you handle the disarming skills?
« Reply #4 on: May 09, 2022, 07:50:19 PM »
You could use the RR system, but use the Defenders ranks with the Weapon instead of their level. So it would be RR of "Ranks in Dissarm" vs "Ranks in Weapon Skill"

Offline Hurin

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Re: How do you handle the disarming skills?
« Reply #5 on: May 09, 2022, 08:26:16 PM »
You can use ranks as level, but that does not really account for things like stat bonuses, professional bonuses, weapon quality, etc. That's why I prefer the RMU approach: it incorporates everything.
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Offline Spectre771

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Re: How do you handle the disarming skills?
« Reply #6 on: May 16, 2022, 04:24:05 PM »
You could use the RR system, but use the Defenders ranks with the Weapon instead of their level. So it would be RR of "Ranks in Dissarm" vs "Ranks in Weapon Skill"

I think we've done this too.  So few people have taken Disarm Foe that it really doesn't matter for us.  Once I read your post, it clicked.  It made more sense that the skill with using and holding onto the weapon would counter the skill of someone trying to take the weapon from you.
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Offline MisterK

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Re: How do you handle the disarming skills?
« Reply #7 on: May 16, 2022, 11:56:47 PM »
I think we've done this too.  So few people have taken Disarm Foe that it really doesn't matter for us.  Once I read your post, it clicked.  It made more sense that the skill with using and holding onto the weapon would counter the skill of someone trying to take the weapon from you.
You can do that with most combat manoeuvers, actually.

Add in modifiers dependent on combat style used, and you're golden, I would say :)

Offline Hurin

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Re: How do you handle the disarming skills?
« Reply #8 on: May 17, 2022, 10:20:56 AM »
And of course RMU does use defender's weapon skill as the counter. Instead of using the ranks, though, it uses the actual skill, since that also takes into account additional relevant variables such as stats.
'Last of all, Húrin stood alone. Then he cast aside his shield, and wielded an axe two-handed'. --J.R.R. Tolkien

'Every party needs at least one insane person.'  --Aspen of the Jade Isle