Post originally by Rasyr at 2004-01-24 04:21:08
Converted from Phorums BB System

HARP is not a new version of MERP (I have never owned MERP so any similarities are entirely coincidental).

Some features of HARP that are different from RM:

1) Resolution - in RM you normally need 111 or higher to succeed, in HARP it is 101 or better.

2) Difficulty rating - HARP uses multiples of 20, which makes things easier to read.

3) Skills - HARP is more like RM2 than RMSS/FRP with its skill system. You cannot buy ranks in categories, only in skills. However, there are ONLY 2 skill costs in HARP. 2 points for any skill that is in a Favored Category, and 4 points for all other skills. Favored Categories are based upon the profession selected.

4) Talents - Yes, like RMSS/FRP HARP has Talents, however in HARP you can buy them using your DPs (same thing used to buy skills, stat increases, Training Packages, etc...).

5) As mentioned, Combat is very streamlined, and you only need to consult the critical tables if you hit and do damage (which is determined without the use of a table).

6) Scalable spells - individual spells that can be customized at the time of casting. HARP also does not have realms like RM. In RM you have Channeling, Essence, and Mentalism. In HARP a spell is the "formula" used to manipulate magical energy. The source of that energy is up to the GM to define (be it deities, material components or internal)and are considered flavor rather than a rules component.

7)HARP is not a scaled down version of RM. HARP was designed from the ground up, rethinking many of the core concepts behind the game itself. It WAS designed to also be somewhat compatible with RM, but it is a full stand alone game that will get its own support as we go along.

For those who are interested, there are a number of character sheets and such available on the HARP website http://www.harphq.com as well as some goodies like a pdf with non-adventuring professions, and another pdf with 50 common training packages that can be used with the game.

8) FLexibility is the keyword for HARP. You want to add a new skill? Easy, just define it, determine what stats go with it, and select a category for it. Since skill costs are based on teh category, it is instantly priced (i.e. the cost for a profession to acquire it) as soon as you decide what category it goes in. You can even add new categories in the same manner if you like. They are automatically non-favored for the profession, so their costs are again immediately defined.

9) along with number, it is important to note that with the way that they skill system works, you would easily be able to do a cross-genre game (once we do a sci-fi version in 2005) as there would be no need to figure what the skill cost for sci-fi skills would the fantasy characters require...