Topic: Bazaar 11

[Right Wing Wacko]

Can we get some more information as to the contents of the new Bazaar?
Please...

[masque1223]

I'm looking at it now, and it contains exactly what it says in the description, the Rolemaster Express combat rules.  Rules, attack tables, crit tables, and fumble table.  13 pages.

[black flag]

Yep Guy!
A new combat system (the fourth!) based directly from Rolemaster.
P1: intro/ table of content
P2-3: Condensed combat rules: the changes with HARP rules and explanation of thiese new combat rules
P4-5: weapon statistics table: fumbles, criticals, special modification with weapons (battle axe: +5 OB versus chain/plate, - 5 others for example)
P6-9: combat tables "? la Rolemaster ":  1 H weapons, 2 H weapons...
P10 combat critical tables: crush, slash (Crit T to E: you roll dices for criticals: T -50, E +20: results: -49 to +120)
P11: elementals criticals
P12: miscellaneous criticals (grappling, Large physical and spells criticals...)
P  13: fumbles

For me: a very good work with old RM saviors for critical hits, but 2 rolls for determining damages...I want to try with my pals this system (I use H'N'S)

I've got some questions to Tim:
p9: in the spell statistics: why in the process for determining results for spell attacks You must add the caster's level? (+ attacker's Offensive bonus- defenders  defensive bonus+ caster's level- 5 if defender has shield [ shield is in DB??? i don't understand this fact]. What do You mean by EAR, BAR?
P 12: There's no the table for Huge creatures? Why Can I use the large table with a -20 modif for Huge creatures?
P13: for spell fumbles, what are the :
-class I, U, D, F, E?

But at large a good work! " Chapeau bas in french ).  

[Right Wing Wacko]

OK...sorry...I did read the description, however, past Bazaars had more than 1 article as content... hence my question...

Thank you for the answers... I picked up a copy of RMX and liked the combat...
maybe I will pick up this issue of Bazaar...

[Right Wing Wacko]

Uh-Oh.... unless I am completely blind and an idiot, when I tried to order HB 11, I ended up with HB 10...

Waddup with that?

I am almost certain I didn't click on 10...it isn't even near the top of the page!!!

[black flag]

No problem for me...maybe You did a FUMBLE

[Rasyr-Mjolnir]

black flag -- sorry -- I missed a few things. Issues now fixed and email sent to all those who purchased it so far.

[Rasyr-Mjolnir]

Uh-Oh.... unless I am completely blind and an idiot, when I tried to order HB 11, I ended up with HB 10...

Waddup with that?

I am almost certain I didn't click on 10...it isn't even near the top of the page!!!

That may have happened when I had HB11 down for me to replace the PDF with the proper one. If you try the links now, it should work properly.

[Right Wing Wacko]

Oh..OK.... cool!!!
Looks like I got 2 for the price of one!!

Thank you Tim

[black flag]

Yup no problem
Khonu forgive You

[Right Wing Wacko]

Oh...and a question...

The DB adjustments have me a little confused...
If a PC is wearing Chain, then I subtract the DB adjustment from his total DB and use the modified DB on the charts?
This would tend to make heavier armored characters easier to hit but with less damage... I think

Some might argue that with the DB adjustments, heavy armor is not good, as it lowers DB...
is it because the charts deal less damage to heavier armored characters that we have the DB adjustments?

Am I on the right page?

[Rasyr-Mjolnir]

kinda sorta -- in the normal combat system for HARP, heavier armors protect more from damage, and have a higher DB rating.

In RM, there are 20 DB rating (though on the normal attack tables, the protection value is not a linear gradient).

On these, there are 6 columns. each of the six already take into account some of "heavier armor protects better", so the full DB bonus from HARP is not required. However, I also felt that with the Armor By The Piece system that HARP uses, some items will still provide a DB bonus to the character.

The column used for attacks on your character is based upon the armor worn on his torso, the largest part of his bonus. And since the largest portion of your body is now determining the attack column being used, it would not be right to allow the full DB bonus. So I subtracted a value equal to a shirt & helm, the two most commonly worn items (and worked out to be half of the DB of a full set).

In short, the DB adjustments are because the tables themselves provide a damage adjustment based on the armor worn, and the DB adjustment works to balance than back to closer to its original values.

[black flag]

Hi Rasyr!
You said that the columns are for armors worn on torso, right..
But, if a PC want to wear a helm, greaves? Or to mix severals parts of differents armors like a plate cuirass and a leather helm? How handle the DB?

And why You didn't included acid table for necromancers?
Last question: how handle breaking 150 (if a huge monster rolled a big score)?

Tank IOU for answers dear Rasyr

[Ecthelion]

Hi Rasyr!
You said that the columns are for armors worn on torso, right..
But, if a PC want to wear a helm, greaves? Or to mix severals parts of differents armors like a plate cuirass and a leather helm? How handle the DB?

Guessing from the armor adjustments mentioned at the start of Bazaar 11, I'd say that the armor type column used is based on the torso protection the character is wearing (torso DB + e.g. boots DB = DB adjustment). So if he is wearing a chain shirt he will look up the results on the chain column, no matter if he is wearing soft leather protection for all other body parts.

So in your example of a plate cuirass I would reduce the DB by 30 for looking up the attacks on the plate column (for wearing a plate cuirass) and add 3 DB again for a (rigid) leather helmet. Other armor pieces would give further modifications to the DB.

[black flag]

Ok
But I have another question:
in the tables of weapons and spells (p5 & 9) there're second criticals ("If a critical higher than A is obtained then a second critical of this type is delivered..."; with__ in the second critical column is: no second crit at all or the same crit that the first? I mean: if a mighty magician scores a high result "crit E" with a fire bolt, there's a second critical one step less severe determined with an another roll (for weapons, the same roll)? 

[Rasyr-Mjolnir]

Ecthelion has the right of it regarding armor -- The torso armor determines column. The column determines the DB adjustment. Nothing changes regarding the armor system and how it is used.

Acid -- Use Heat criticals.

Second Critical -- if none is given, then none is done, period. And a dash means none. Not all weapons will get a second critical either.

[black flag]

Ok Rasyr!
but to me, my house rule is: make a second critical (for the spells for example or even weapons) for a high roll isn't anathema; in the p 9 of spells the table said: second crit: "if a critical higher than an B is obtained, then   a second crit of this type is delivered in add... vthe second crit is one step less severe" thus if a magician with a huge fire bolt rolls a 150 on no armor (36E crit), he must reroll a second crit type D. For weapons, the second crit, if not precised in the column of second crit is the same that the primary crit of the weapon but for the weapons there's not a second roll: use the same (like in the table p5). This for the gap between H'N'S and HB 1.11.     

[Rasyr-Mjolnir]

Secondary Criticals are for exceptionally damaging weapons, and were not meant for all weapons. Making every weapon have a secondary crit can cause you problems because many of those secondary criticals that ARE given are limited in the max crit that they can do, so your house rule just made them less powerful than normal weapons. And that is a problem.

I would suggest trying it like it is before tinkering with it.

And if you do use your house rule, just make sure that your players know that that is a house rule, and not part of the original rule of the option.

[black flag]

Yes You're right: rules must be tested before changed. I'll do a game session the 17 Nov with these new combat rules (I used H'N'S since my first game sesion with HARP).
But I think of my house rule...Your suggestion about the second crit that will make some weapons less powerful is right...abracadabra...and if this limited second crit becom a tertiary crit?
I mean: Sir William Wallace hits an ugly and evil english knight with his Morning star (Prim crit: CRUSH and second crit: PUNCTURE limited by a A crit). William rolls a 119 on the 1-Handed Concussion Attacks table with a result of 16 C. For normal rules: he rolls a C crit on the crush table and a A puncture. For my house rule, it's the same but he add a B CRUSH crit (to me for balancing with the deadly H'N'S; I must try the normal rules and my house rule). For acid attacks, I think use the elemental attacks and for the crit, the external poison table like in the base rules.

[Alwyn]

Rasyr,

Thanks for HARPers Bazaar 11. 

From what I have read so far, this looks to be the best combat system of them all.  It has all the basic mechanics of RM (more like the old MERP), but easier to use.  I think I am going to have to start using this new system instead of H&S.