50 replies to this topic

[Hal]

I love starting new forums - it means that there must be a new game

OK! I managed to get out one of my favourite systems of all time on this one and hopefully it will last a good while.

Rolemaster Session 1

The first few sessions of this are going to be of my own devising as I introduce the players (and you guys) to the system and my house rules. I am then hoping to take them into The Grand Campaign and see how that pans out. Should be pretty interesting. See how long it takes them to realise that you can think your way around this system.

The Players and The Characters
Lindsay playing Ailish Kirilin (Vorloi (Tree Sprite) Magician)
Ned playing Tanz Ixati-Centari (Loari Elf Healer)
David playing Magar Earthfury (Talath Bashkar)
Goggles playing Malik Al-Arain (Duranaki Nightblade)
Chris playing Mezkhar Faslurin (Zorian Fighter)

I love this game! Let me know what you guys think about it.

EPICs Podcast Updated

Hal

[Keener]

Its good Hal very very good.

[Hal]

Thanks mate

Right - I am off to bed!

Hal

[Thing]

Oh yeah, I think all the Rolemaste recordings are gems.

[Keener]

Oh yeah, I think all the Rolemaste recordings are gems.

Not a bad one in the lot so far.

[Balgin]

Ruddy Nora. Not only are there no humans in the party but no two characters are even of the same racial stock. The Grand Campaign. Should I know of this? I only know Rolemaster through MERP so I've got no idea what this big campaign thing is.

[Hal]

Perhaps I should have written it like this The Grand Campaign as you can download it from good old RPGMP3

Also, everyone in the party is "human" apart from Ned (who is an elf). They are all just different types of human

Hal

[Boonide]

Ahhh *sits down after catching up with all the rpgmp3 releases over the past few weeks and has only 1 Pirates session left to listen to*

Hey, I think I'll check rpgmp3.com!

...

Oh Hal, you lovable mutt.

Actually, rolemaster is something I've been wanting to hear for quite some time. Hal's various mentions of it throughout all the podcasts have piked my aural curiousity but not my "I'll go out of my way and find out what it's like" curiousity.

[MelkiorWhiteblade]

Thank you Hal. I've been looking forward to these.

[Hal]

You're going to love these - well you best had do because I like them

Hal

[Balgin]

I see what you mean by house rules. Hal's keeping kill counts but he's not counting damage done and damage recieved per character as well (plus miles travelled in unfamiliar scenery and exessive stuff liek that). Isn't Rolemaster the one where you need to keep track of every dice roll so you can get a completely random rate of advancement and people get all unbalanced as one or two party members just get better than everyone else?

[Lindsay]

He is keeping track of everything, he now has excel sheets and everything.

[Hal]

I am you know! Hits taken, crits taken, hits given, crits given (and to which creature), killing blows, manurers, spells cast, distance travelled.

It's all in there And Lindsay is correct - I have an Excel spreadsheet to work it all out for me when I am done. Probably took longer to write that than it would to work out 10 sessions by hand, but if we go beyond that it will be time well spent

Hal

[Balgin]

I always found the problem with Merp was that, because nearly all experience awards were based on the in game dice rolls (and the degrees of success or failure) it could easily lead to a very uneven rate of developement with players becoming disgruntled over unbalanced parties.

Something which might help people understand the racial ability scores modifier thing is to think of it as relative. So a guy with an agility of 98 has a lower agility than an elf with a 98, not because the elf's got the same, and then has a racial bonus on it, but because his is 98 on the human scale and the elf's is 98 on the elf scale (which starts a bit higher and ends a bit higher too). That way you don't get so many problems with people getting confused over someone getting a larger bonus for the same base stat. It's relative scales.

[Alexandrian]

I always found the problem with Merp was that, because nearly all experience awards were based on the in game dice rolls (and the degrees of success or failure) it could easily lead to a very uneven rate of developement with players becoming disgruntled over unbalanced parties.

Something which might help people understand the racial ability scores modifier thing is to think of it as relative. So a guy with an agility of 98 has a lower agility than an elf with a 98, not because the elf's got the same, and then has a racial bonus on it, but because his is 98 on the human scale and the elf's is 98 on the elf scale (which starts a bit higher and ends a bit higher too). That way you don't get so many problems with people getting confused over someone getting a larger bonus for the same base stat. It's relative scales.

My head just esploded. I think I need to listen to these as I've never heard of Rolemaster (other than previous mentions in the podcasts).

[Hal]

Its not that complicated really

I am using a nice hybrid of MERP and Rolemaster for experience as well as a load of house rules for stuff (some of which are made up on the fly)

What do you think to the characters?

Hal

[Qwaz]

Is it just me or did Lindsay seem rather broken? She had some crazy high melee attack (and could therefore parry well too i take it) and could cast mega magics. Not only that but the first 10/day cast were free with her "adder"?

You may be able to tell i'm unfamiliar with Rolemaster, but is anyone else nearly as good?

I bet Steve would be proud of you :wink:

[Hal]

We were using the Background Options from the Rolemaster Companions and Lindsay rolled the option "Power" which gives her a single spell list from anywhere up to level 50. She very cleverly chose the Druidstaff list (as it is a brilliant utility list) and as we are using the optional rule for Spell Adders that lets you cast any spell you know without restriction, she started the game with the highest level Druidstaff.

Essentially the staff is a powerful magical item for focusing magic - it is also a +40 weapon and acts as a huge spell adder. It will all balance out. What you will tend to find is the spellcasters are hugely slow to start gaining EXP even with high level magics as they are restricted by the casting times. Even a very powerful item on one party memeber does not really break the game too badly. All it means is that she can pump out more powerful spells to help the party without having to risk blowing herself up.

Ned has a +3 adder which is allowing him to cast some of his higher level heals without risk to himself as well.

As it costs Lindsay so much to advance her skill in Two-Handed Weapons she will never be as good as a combat character in a toe to toe fight and with the casting time restrictions her adder just gives her more scope than she would have normally out of the gate.

Hope that all made sense

Hal

[Qwaz]

I think i'm getting the gist. Few more sessions and i'm sure to be a pro.

I really like how the various crits are assigned descriptions and penalties. Sounds hard to keep track of with many opponents but it jelp the imagination get going which is after all a large part of the role playing

[Hal]

From a GM point of view you just have to be pretty organised. I just write down the effects on my beasties and then tick them off as their turn rolls around. Sometimes I'll miss something and the players will likely tell me, or if not, then they get hit again

Its all good fun! The system can be a bit daunting and I would not blame anyone who just picked it up from quickly putting it back down but I love it. It is flexible and the Shadow World is a superb fantasy setting.

Hal