Rhynn
2014-02-19, 02:25 AM
Original thread (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=330178).
10 years after a 5+ year campaign that, in retrospect, was a mess, but that everyone involved still has fond memories of, I'm considering dusting off my MERP modules and running that 1409- Great Northern War campaign I've wanted to for ever... but first, I need to create a version of Rolemaster that meets my and my players' needs and preferences.
Basically, none of the existing options (MERP, Rolemaster 2nd ed., Rolemaster Standard System, Rolemaster Fantasy Roleplay, Rolemaster Classic, Rolemaster Express, and HARP) are quite right. The priorities are:
1. More playable system. Arms Law is ultimately what killed our game, after a 2-session long fight.
1a. For the combat system, the RMC Arms Companion alternative system is actually looking good for a base - I'll probably make my own tables to condense some of them (and separate axes from swords - wtf), and I'll be dropping the "all armor gives DB" element.
1b. Simpler character creation, probably on the RM2/RMC level. RMFRP/RMSS with over 300 skills is just stupid.
2. Full compatibility with existing ICE MERP modules - I don't want to have to rework NPC/monster stat blocks, etc.
3. Higher fidelity to Middle-earth in various little details. This is mostly cosmetic.
I'm working from the above-mentioned systems/editions and Sampsa Rydman (http://www.lindefirion.net/)'s MERP house rules, cobbling things together into something I and my players like.
So far, I'm on...
CHARACTER LAW
Stats
Usual 10 stats, "full" modifiers (increments of 5). Undediced between two options for creating them:
Option 1: Lower-Powered
Randomly determine 10 pairs of rolls: D100 (ignore results under 20) for temporary score, D100 for potential roll (mark as e.g. 66:90). Assign to stats as desired and determine potential scores from table. Temporary scores assigned to prime requisites are raised to 90 if lower.
Option 2: Higher-Powered & Customizable
Start with 600+10D10 points. Ability scores cost 1:1 up to 90, then 2:1 up to 95 (i.e. total 100 points for a score of 95), then 3:1 up to 100. Prime requisites must be given scores of 90 or higher.
Using RM2/RMC stat potential & gain tables. This results in lower potentials and slower gains than the RMFRP/RMSS version, which is fine by me; RMFRP/RMSS seemed to end up with everyone having 8+ stats at 90+.
Other basic character details...
Resistance Rolls: Added Fear (SD). Not sure if I should add this one to the race table; I could see Elves getting +50, Dwarves +20, Dúnedain +10, or something like that. It'll be used especially for Undead and Demons - basically, most will hit you with a Fear attack at their own level.
Concussion Hits: 10 + Con mod + rank bonus. Rank bonus based on race-based special progression, RMSS style. (Front-weighted Hits, no chance of low rolls screwing you over at low levels, at 30 ranks you'e actually a bit below what your maximum would be in RM2/RMC.)
Power Points: No PPD skill, just level × base PP, based on Realm Stat bonus, rather than the stat itself; so Elves with their big Presence bonuses make awesome Mentalists (I've always found the Open Mentalism lists to be full of excellent "Elf abilities" - Brilliance is particularly fitting for Noldor, etc.).
Races
Pretty much the standard array with some changes:
Common Men, Mixed Men, High Men, Half-Elves, Silvan Elves, Sindar, Noldor, Dwarves, Hobbits, Orcs, Black Orcs, Trolls, Woses.
Woses is the Drûgh; High Men is Dúnedain (including Black Númenoreans); Mixed Men is Tergil, the mixed-blood "lesser Dúnedain" common in Arnor, Gondor, and Umbar; Black Orcs are the "greater Orcs," Black Uruks, whatever you want to call them (rather than the Uruk-hai of the Great Years). "Trolls" is just left vague for now, I could split it up into the 8 or so breeds but what's the pay-off?
I've got Racial Ability tables (Primary and Secondary), Build/Frame and Size tables out of RMC (Woses use Human Build/Frame but Dwarven Size tables; I've got a bunch of modifiers for "sub-races"), and I made new Aging tables.
The RMFRP/RMSS aging system was too much of a hassle, and the RMC system was too simplistic and would result in horrible aging results for longer-lived races like Dwarves. I used the RMC system as a base and tweaked numbers until I got good results.
After you reach the threshold of middle age, you roll on the aging table for each stat for each "interval" you exceed the threshold by. You use the column appropriate for your age category, as determined by your race.
For instance, a dwarf (interval 5 years) would roll on the Middle-Aged column at ages 155, 160, 165, 170, etc.
The age categories aren't as clean as I wanted, but I'm fine with it. Middle-aged and old vary: they're between 10 and 20 intervals, depending on race. Very old and later are each 10 intervals.
The categories were jiggled so that by the end of the Old age category, the average stat loss is around 23 points; that's a decent chance of death from old age (a stat reaching 0), especially for normal people who haven't made a lot of stat gain rolls in their lives. By the end of the venerable category, the average loss is about 60 points, which is a very high chance of death. 10 intervals into the ancient category, average losses are 85-90, which is almost certain death.
Since stat gains at leveling up compensate for old age and push stats closer to the 80-90 range anyway, high-level (important) characters are likely to live longer, which works for me.
Common Men age ranges will be adjusted by lineage: Dunlendings, Easterlings, and Southrons reduce Middle-Age and all ranges by 10 or so.
Orcs and trolls don't get categories, because there's no way to figure out how fast they mature canonically, they're probably immortal, and it doesn't really matter anyway.
AGE CATEGORIES BY RACE
{table=head]
Race |
Maturity |
Middle-Aged |
Old |
Very Old |
Venerable |
Ancient |
Interval (years)
Common Men |
15-18 |
41-55 |
56-70 |
71-80 |
81-90 |
91+ |
1
Mixed Men |
18-21 |
61-75 |
76-90 |
91-100 |
101-110 |
111+ |
1
High Men |
21-24 |
71-100 |
101-120 |
121-140 |
141-160 |
161+ |
2
--Trueblooded |
24-30 |
101-120 |
121-140 |
141-160 |
161-180 |
181+ |
2
--Line of Elendil |
24-30 |
171-200 |
201-230 |
231-250 |
251-270 |
271+ |
2
Woses |
12-15 |
26-35 |
36-50 |
51-60 |
61-70 |
71+ |
1
Elves |
50-100 |
— |
— |
— |
— |
— |
—
Half-Elves (Mortal) |
50-100 |
101-200 |
201-300 |
301-350 |
351-400 |
401+ |
5
Hobbits |
30-36 |
71-85 |
86-100 |
101-110 |
111-120 |
121+ |
1
Dwarves |
40-45 |
151-200 |
201-250 |
251-300 |
301-350 |
351+ |
5
Orcs & Trolls |
unknown |
— |
— |
— |
— |
— |
—
[/table]
AGING EFFECTS ON STATS
{table=head]
Roll |
Middle-Aged |
Old |
Very Old |
Venerable |
Ancient
01-15 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0
16-20 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
-1
21-25 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
-1 |
-1
26-30 |
0 |
0 |
-1 |
-1 |
-2
31-40 |
0 |
-1 |
-1 |
-1 |
-2
41-50 |
0 |
-1 |
-1 |
-2 |
-3
51-55 |
-1 |
-1 |
-2 |
-2 |
-3
56-60 |
-1 |
-1 |
-2 |
-2 |
-4
61-65 |
-1 |
-1 |
-2 |
-3 |
-4
66-70 |
-1 |
-2 |
-2 |
-3 |
-4
71-75 |
-1 |
-2 |
-2 |
-3 |
-5
76-80 |
-1 |
-2 |
-3 |
-3 |
-5
81-85 |
-1 |
-2 |
-3 |
-4 |
-5
86-100 |
-1 |
-2 |
-3 |
-4 |
-6
[/table]
Professions
RM2/RMC professions.
Arms: Fighter/Warrior, Thief/Scout, Rogue, Warrior Monk.
Channeling Casters: Animist, Cleric, Healer. (Also Dwarven Alchemist.)
Essence Casters: Alchemist, Illusionist, Magician/Mage.
Mentalism Casters: Lay Healer, Mentalist, Seer.
Hybrid Casters: Astrologer (E&M), Mystic (C&M), Sorcerer (C&E).
Semi-Casters: Bard (M)*, Monk (E)*, Ranger (C).
* Essence Bards and Mentalism Monks are also options; I'll probably create slightly altered skill development costs for them to keep them in line with others of their Realms.
I'm thinking no strict race limits on Professions, but "soft" limits - for instance, Orc spellcasters of any type are vanishingly rare (except Rangers, maybe), and Trolls other than Fighter and Rogue are almost nonexistent.
Backgrounds
I'm up to this point right now. I'm using the 1-6 Background Options method. Some of it's obvious - RM2/RMC tables for special items and money, etc. - but the Special Abilities are a bit more complicated... I'm trying to work something out from RMSS talents, but I don't want a million specifically-named options for "+X to Y".
Any feedback on anything, but especially feedback and ideas on the Background Options (below), will be appreciated.
STATS
Option: Increase one by 2 or three by 1, both temporary and potential (maximum 102).
Option: Roll a stat gain roll for each stat (re-calculate DP for levels 0 and 1). Not sure about this one, but I figured why not; it won't raise your potentials, but starting out with more DP and higher bonuses can be worth a BGO.
Completely undecided: Special bonuses to stats. +5 for 1 BGO, maybe? Stack them up to +20? This would need careful balancing against skill bonuses, below. NB: Skills will generally average two stat bonuses for the stat bonus, as per RMC.
EXTRA LANGUAGES
Option: 20 ranks in languages based on race.
Option: Speak with specific animals (starting at 5 ranks in Spoken), e.g. thrushes, giant eagles, short-eared owls. These languages cannot otherwise be learned.
HOBBY SKILLS
Option: 2 ranks in one primary skill.
Option: 5 ranks in one secondary skill.
SPECIAL SKILL BONUSES
Completely out to sea on this one. It'd have to be balanced with the stat special bonuses, above. I'm thinking +10 or +15 to a single primary skill, +5 or +10 to a skill "category", +20 or +30 to a single secondary skill? I just have no idea. NB: Skills will generally average two stat bonuses for the stat bonus, as per RMC.
SPECIAL ITEMS & EXTRA MONEY
As per RMC, for now; I might make changes to the Special Items table.
10 years after a 5+ year campaign that, in retrospect, was a mess, but that everyone involved still has fond memories of, I'm considering dusting off my MERP modules and running that 1409- Great Northern War campaign I've wanted to for ever... but first, I need to create a version of Rolemaster that meets my and my players' needs and preferences.
Basically, none of the existing options (MERP, Rolemaster 2nd ed., Rolemaster Standard System, Rolemaster Fantasy Roleplay, Rolemaster Classic, Rolemaster Express, and HARP) are quite right. The priorities are:
1. More playable system. Arms Law is ultimately what killed our game, after a 2-session long fight.
1a. For the combat system, the RMC Arms Companion alternative system is actually looking good for a base - I'll probably make my own tables to condense some of them (and separate axes from swords - wtf), and I'll be dropping the "all armor gives DB" element.
1b. Simpler character creation, probably on the RM2/RMC level. RMFRP/RMSS with over 300 skills is just stupid.
2. Full compatibility with existing ICE MERP modules - I don't want to have to rework NPC/monster stat blocks, etc.
3. Higher fidelity to Middle-earth in various little details. This is mostly cosmetic.
I'm working from the above-mentioned systems/editions and Sampsa Rydman (http://www.lindefirion.net/)'s MERP house rules, cobbling things together into something I and my players like.
So far, I'm on...
CHARACTER LAW
Stats
Usual 10 stats, "full" modifiers (increments of 5). Undediced between two options for creating them:
Option 1: Lower-Powered
Randomly determine 10 pairs of rolls: D100 (ignore results under 20) for temporary score, D100 for potential roll (mark as e.g. 66:90). Assign to stats as desired and determine potential scores from table. Temporary scores assigned to prime requisites are raised to 90 if lower.
Option 2: Higher-Powered & Customizable
Start with 600+10D10 points. Ability scores cost 1:1 up to 90, then 2:1 up to 95 (i.e. total 100 points for a score of 95), then 3:1 up to 100. Prime requisites must be given scores of 90 or higher.
Using RM2/RMC stat potential & gain tables. This results in lower potentials and slower gains than the RMFRP/RMSS version, which is fine by me; RMFRP/RMSS seemed to end up with everyone having 8+ stats at 90+.
Other basic character details...
Resistance Rolls: Added Fear (SD). Not sure if I should add this one to the race table; I could see Elves getting +50, Dwarves +20, Dúnedain +10, or something like that. It'll be used especially for Undead and Demons - basically, most will hit you with a Fear attack at their own level.
Concussion Hits: 10 + Con mod + rank bonus. Rank bonus based on race-based special progression, RMSS style. (Front-weighted Hits, no chance of low rolls screwing you over at low levels, at 30 ranks you'e actually a bit below what your maximum would be in RM2/RMC.)
Power Points: No PPD skill, just level × base PP, based on Realm Stat bonus, rather than the stat itself; so Elves with their big Presence bonuses make awesome Mentalists (I've always found the Open Mentalism lists to be full of excellent "Elf abilities" - Brilliance is particularly fitting for Noldor, etc.).
Races
Pretty much the standard array with some changes:
Common Men, Mixed Men, High Men, Half-Elves, Silvan Elves, Sindar, Noldor, Dwarves, Hobbits, Orcs, Black Orcs, Trolls, Woses.
Woses is the Drûgh; High Men is Dúnedain (including Black Númenoreans); Mixed Men is Tergil, the mixed-blood "lesser Dúnedain" common in Arnor, Gondor, and Umbar; Black Orcs are the "greater Orcs," Black Uruks, whatever you want to call them (rather than the Uruk-hai of the Great Years). "Trolls" is just left vague for now, I could split it up into the 8 or so breeds but what's the pay-off?
I've got Racial Ability tables (Primary and Secondary), Build/Frame and Size tables out of RMC (Woses use Human Build/Frame but Dwarven Size tables; I've got a bunch of modifiers for "sub-races"), and I made new Aging tables.
The RMFRP/RMSS aging system was too much of a hassle, and the RMC system was too simplistic and would result in horrible aging results for longer-lived races like Dwarves. I used the RMC system as a base and tweaked numbers until I got good results.
After you reach the threshold of middle age, you roll on the aging table for each stat for each "interval" you exceed the threshold by. You use the column appropriate for your age category, as determined by your race.
For instance, a dwarf (interval 5 years) would roll on the Middle-Aged column at ages 155, 160, 165, 170, etc.
The age categories aren't as clean as I wanted, but I'm fine with it. Middle-aged and old vary: they're between 10 and 20 intervals, depending on race. Very old and later are each 10 intervals.
The categories were jiggled so that by the end of the Old age category, the average stat loss is around 23 points; that's a decent chance of death from old age (a stat reaching 0), especially for normal people who haven't made a lot of stat gain rolls in their lives. By the end of the venerable category, the average loss is about 60 points, which is a very high chance of death. 10 intervals into the ancient category, average losses are 85-90, which is almost certain death.
Since stat gains at leveling up compensate for old age and push stats closer to the 80-90 range anyway, high-level (important) characters are likely to live longer, which works for me.
Common Men age ranges will be adjusted by lineage: Dunlendings, Easterlings, and Southrons reduce Middle-Age and all ranges by 10 or so.
Orcs and trolls don't get categories, because there's no way to figure out how fast they mature canonically, they're probably immortal, and it doesn't really matter anyway.
AGE CATEGORIES BY RACE
{table=head]
Race |
Maturity |
Middle-Aged |
Old |
Very Old |
Venerable |
Ancient |
Interval (years)
Common Men |
15-18 |
41-55 |
56-70 |
71-80 |
81-90 |
91+ |
1
Mixed Men |
18-21 |
61-75 |
76-90 |
91-100 |
101-110 |
111+ |
1
High Men |
21-24 |
71-100 |
101-120 |
121-140 |
141-160 |
161+ |
2
--Trueblooded |
24-30 |
101-120 |
121-140 |
141-160 |
161-180 |
181+ |
2
--Line of Elendil |
24-30 |
171-200 |
201-230 |
231-250 |
251-270 |
271+ |
2
Woses |
12-15 |
26-35 |
36-50 |
51-60 |
61-70 |
71+ |
1
Elves |
50-100 |
— |
— |
— |
— |
— |
—
Half-Elves (Mortal) |
50-100 |
101-200 |
201-300 |
301-350 |
351-400 |
401+ |
5
Hobbits |
30-36 |
71-85 |
86-100 |
101-110 |
111-120 |
121+ |
1
Dwarves |
40-45 |
151-200 |
201-250 |
251-300 |
301-350 |
351+ |
5
Orcs & Trolls |
unknown |
— |
— |
— |
— |
— |
—
[/table]
AGING EFFECTS ON STATS
{table=head]
Roll |
Middle-Aged |
Old |
Very Old |
Venerable |
Ancient
01-15 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0
16-20 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
-1
21-25 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
-1 |
-1
26-30 |
0 |
0 |
-1 |
-1 |
-2
31-40 |
0 |
-1 |
-1 |
-1 |
-2
41-50 |
0 |
-1 |
-1 |
-2 |
-3
51-55 |
-1 |
-1 |
-2 |
-2 |
-3
56-60 |
-1 |
-1 |
-2 |
-2 |
-4
61-65 |
-1 |
-1 |
-2 |
-3 |
-4
66-70 |
-1 |
-2 |
-2 |
-3 |
-4
71-75 |
-1 |
-2 |
-2 |
-3 |
-5
76-80 |
-1 |
-2 |
-3 |
-3 |
-5
81-85 |
-1 |
-2 |
-3 |
-4 |
-5
86-100 |
-1 |
-2 |
-3 |
-4 |
-6
[/table]
Professions
RM2/RMC professions.
Arms: Fighter/Warrior, Thief/Scout, Rogue, Warrior Monk.
Channeling Casters: Animist, Cleric, Healer. (Also Dwarven Alchemist.)
Essence Casters: Alchemist, Illusionist, Magician/Mage.
Mentalism Casters: Lay Healer, Mentalist, Seer.
Hybrid Casters: Astrologer (E&M), Mystic (C&M), Sorcerer (C&E).
Semi-Casters: Bard (M)*, Monk (E)*, Ranger (C).
* Essence Bards and Mentalism Monks are also options; I'll probably create slightly altered skill development costs for them to keep them in line with others of their Realms.
I'm thinking no strict race limits on Professions, but "soft" limits - for instance, Orc spellcasters of any type are vanishingly rare (except Rangers, maybe), and Trolls other than Fighter and Rogue are almost nonexistent.
Backgrounds
I'm up to this point right now. I'm using the 1-6 Background Options method. Some of it's obvious - RM2/RMC tables for special items and money, etc. - but the Special Abilities are a bit more complicated... I'm trying to work something out from RMSS talents, but I don't want a million specifically-named options for "+X to Y".
Any feedback on anything, but especially feedback and ideas on the Background Options (below), will be appreciated.
STATS
Option: Increase one by 2 or three by 1, both temporary and potential (maximum 102).
Option: Roll a stat gain roll for each stat (re-calculate DP for levels 0 and 1). Not sure about this one, but I figured why not; it won't raise your potentials, but starting out with more DP and higher bonuses can be worth a BGO.
Completely undecided: Special bonuses to stats. +5 for 1 BGO, maybe? Stack them up to +20? This would need careful balancing against skill bonuses, below. NB: Skills will generally average two stat bonuses for the stat bonus, as per RMC.
EXTRA LANGUAGES
Option: 20 ranks in languages based on race.
Option: Speak with specific animals (starting at 5 ranks in Spoken), e.g. thrushes, giant eagles, short-eared owls. These languages cannot otherwise be learned.
HOBBY SKILLS
Option: 2 ranks in one primary skill.
Option: 5 ranks in one secondary skill.
SPECIAL SKILL BONUSES
Completely out to sea on this one. It'd have to be balanced with the stat special bonuses, above. I'm thinking +10 or +15 to a single primary skill, +5 or +10 to a skill "category", +20 or +30 to a single secondary skill? I just have no idea. NB: Skills will generally average two stat bonuses for the stat bonus, as per RMC.
SPECIAL ITEMS & EXTRA MONEY
As per RMC, for now; I might make changes to the Special Items table.