A homebrewed, heavily streamlined and simplified compilation of Rolemaster RPG (and related systems) rules.
Types of combat actions: proactive actions, reactive actions, interupt actions.
Action a character can attempt on his Turn.
Action a character can attempt at any time during the Combat Round as a response to a Proactive Action (e.g. as an opportunity attack or response to an imminent threat). Reactive actions always come with a disadvantage, besides losing control of situation - e.g. penalty to roll, additional MP cost, or compromised state. E.g. evading an attack leaves the character prone. E.g. counter-attacking cost additional MP (50%?) or OB penalty. OR critical success when parry, allows a counter-attack (at reduced OB?)
Delayed, conditional Action stated on the characters' turn. Upon triggered, Interupt actions halt an opponent’s Turn at any point. If no change in the tactical situation, the opponent continues the Turn after the character’s is completed. If unable to achieve the original declaration, the opponent’s MP is wasted.
A character can defend against a foe when attacked by taking cover and/or making a Reactive Action to increase their DB.
Extremely Hard maneuver, using appropriate skill, apply 100 minus result to DB.
Against Ranged attacks, halve any DB increase. Dodging is not possible against area attacks.
Extremely Hard maneuver (-30).
Use appropiate Movement skill, e.g. Running, Swimming, Climbing or Acrobatics skill.
176+ Absolute Success: Defender can immediately move up to 10'.
Against Melee attacks. Halve any DB increase, if defender is parrying unarmed against someone with a weapon.
Extremely Hard maneuver (-30).
Use Weapon or Shield skill.
176+ Absolute Success: Defender can immediately perform an undefended counter-attack against the attacker.
Against Melee and Ranged attacks if using a suitable shield or environment cover.
Hard Maneuver (-10).
Use Shield skill.
176+ Absolute Success: Reduce Critical severity by one of any Criticals scored against defender.
A combat round is measured as 100% activity (5 seconds).
During the round, combatants can perform actions up to 100% activity. Each action cost an amount of % to represent the time required to perform that action.
Actions that require skill checks can be performed more quickly at a penalty of -1 for each 1% less that the normal cost, down to a minimum of half the normal cost.
| Attack actions | Cost |
|---|---|
| Ranged Attack | 75% |
| Thrown Attack | 100% |
| Melee | 100% |
| Dodge/Block/Parry | 100% |
Movement can occur as its own action (costs activity) or simultaneously with other actions (costs no activity, but applies Pace Penalty to actions performed while moving).
| Movement actions | Cost | Pace Penalty |
|---|---|---|
| Walk / x1 BMR | 25% | -25 |
| Jog / x2 BMR | 50% | -50 |
| Run / x3 BMR | 75% | -75 |
| Sprint / x4 BMR | 100% | - |
| Mount | 100% | - |
| Dismount | 50% | - |
| Prone <-> Stand | 25% | - |
| Other actions | Cost |
|---|---|
| Perception | 50% |
| Equipment actions | Cost | _ |
|---|---|---|
| Draw weapon/ammo/item | 25% | |
| Draw ammo and load | 25% | |
| Sheath weapon/ammo/item | 50% | |
| Get item from ground | 75% | |
| Drop item | 0 | |
| Shift item to other hand | 25% | |
| Apply first aid | 200% | per hit/round |
| Pick Lock / Disarm Trap | 500% |
Eat or drink (medicals) | 2 | Power supply reload | 8 | Misc. Static Action | 8+ |
Orientation Maneuver | 0 | Result is a delay (penalty to initiative): Failure = can perform no actions in round, Partial success = -20, Near success = -10, Success = 0
Critical tables replace generic double-damage with specific, unpredictable, narrative-driven outcomes that escalate the severity of wounds: Serious Injuries, Bleeding and Stunning.
A "lite" hack for the notoriously crunchy Rolemaster involves ditching all the weapon tables and percentage-based round trackers.
Streamline combat by having players roll 1d100 + OB - DB, resolving damage against a generic difficulty chart, and rolling on just 3 general Critical Tables.
Instead of a complex matrix, all checks are 1d100 + OB - DB.
Keep the signature open-ended rolls. Any roll of 96+ means you roll again and add it to the total. Rolls of 01–05 mean you roll again and subtract from the total.
1d100 + OB - DB. If the total is greater than 100, the attacker scores a hit. The difference between the result and 100 equals the Concussion Damage dealt.
Partial Success (76-100): Target has been knocked off balance (gets some temporary debuff, e.g. staggered, knocked back, knocked prone). Absolute Succes (176+): double crits
Instead of tracking 20 different Armor Types, group them into four distinct tiers:
- None (AT 1): Flat -0 DB
- Light (AT 5): Flat -10 DB
- Medium (AT 10): Flat -20 DB
- Heavy (AT 15–20): Flat -30 DB
Designer Note: Armor subtracts its value directly from damage (Phil: should subtract Critical severity instead). A 30-point hit against Medium Armor becomes a 10-point hit.
A "declaration phase" usually bogs Rolemaster down. Instead, simplify combat turns: Players declare how much of their Offensive Bonus (OB) they want to use for parrying. If a player puts (30) points into parrying, they add (30) to their Defensive Bonus (DB) but lose (30) from their attack roll.Roll initiative or act simultaneously.
Instead of hundreds of weapon charts, use three basic Critical Hit Tables when an attack causes a critical:
- Slash/Edge: Causes Heavy Bleeding.
- Puncture: Causes Organ Damage/Stuns.
- Concussion/Crush: Causes Knockouts/Stuns.
Draw an "A", "B", "C", "D", or "E" severity critical depending on the attack roll. the Mythras approach where critical hits allow characters to choose which combat move(s) to apply to their attack, subsequent to the roll. So they can do extra damage, inflict a number of disadvantages on the enemy, recover from their own disadvantages, etc., according to their own perception of what is most appropriate to the situation.