Topic: Vampire vagueness

[ioticus]

I'm looking at the Vampire stats on page 97 of RMC C&T.  It says they can shapechange into several forms (bat, wolf, vapor), but nowhere does it say how to handle "shapechange".  I assume it is an innate spell like ability but I see no spell called shapechange in Spell Law.  How long does it take the vampire to cast?  Does it use PP, etc?  Also, it says water and sunlight reduce their abilities but it gives not guidelines at all about how to handle that.  When I look at an FRPG one of the first things I do is see how it handles vampires because if you do a vampire well chances are you can do most anything well.  I'm disappointed in the vagueness of these rules as they appear to rely on the GM to make things up.

[Ecthelion]

There are some monsters in C&T where the description leaves the implementatiom of some features to the GM. I don't know the exact reason for this, but I assume it could be because monsters are often handled differently in different game worlds. So it's up to you how to handle the shapechanging feature.

[arakish]

Natural abilities that can imitate spells do not require the use of PP.  They are a "natural" ability of the creature.  I always just used the spell description as a guideline for how the ability worked.  Most often, expecially for vampires, I ruled that it took at least 1 round to shapechange.

For some creatures, such as unicorns in my old Udava campaign, it was almost instantaneous (10% action).

But like Ecthelion said, it would be up to the individual GM.

rmfr

[Lord Garth]

There's a list in Rolemaster Companion VII called Vampyric Magics (p. 108) which you might find helpful.

When I look at an FRPG one of the first things I do is see how it handles vampires because if you do a vampire well chances are you can do most anything well.  I'm disappointed in the vagueness of these rules as they appear to rely on the GM to make things up.

Rolemaster does a fine job IMO in presenting demons, for some reason there seems to be more focus on them. However, at the end of the day, I prefer it when specific stuff is mostly up to the GM (mostly me in my games).

Also, it says water and sunlight reduce their abilities but it gives not guidelines at all about how to handle that.

Easy favourites are:

• Receive a negative modifier to all actions whilst in the sun.
• Increase PP expenditure.
• Increase bleeding or other HP loss due to sunlight exposure.
• Let them deliver 1/2 HP damage due to them having to shield themselves from sunlight.

[VladD]

I also rule that in sunlight vampires can't shapechange, unless back to their base human form, also they get more vulnerable and will be hit by non magical weapons. Also I apply a -25 to operating in Sunlight.
Also their control on minions is severely hindered and I ruled that they will be trying everything to get out of the sun: ie flee until in the shade.

Cloudy days, forests and shady mountain sides are not giving them any penalty, btw.

[providence13]

I like Mentalist Lists cast at lvl for Vmaps. For sun exposure, I use an RR; fail = a Holy Crit or Heat if you prefer.

Eventually you might have a being of such lvl to withstand the sun..

For some games, a Combat Awareness/Surprise/Orientation roll might also work; depending on your RM ver.