Is it possible to reconfigure Rolemaster into a slick, elegant fantasy game engine? If you combine old school efficiency and generosity with clever game design born of long experience, the answer, surprisingly, is “yes, indeed.\"
Beautiful work as always, Dan. I keep putting off writing reviews because I want to be able to write them as well as you do, a daunting task to say the least!
I've only read the HARP Lite sampler PDF (available free at www.harphq.com for anyone who wants a sneak-peek at the game), but it seemed less like Rolemaster and more like Middle Earth Role-Playing to me. Then again, it could be argued that Rolemaster was an amped up version of MERP. The mechanical similarities are amazing.
Quote:
Everything you need really does reside in a mere 192 pages. And at $33 for hardbound, $20 for softcover, or $10 for PDF, it’s hard to go wrong – not unless something I’ve described to you sounds like a complete and total turn-off.
FASA quality with a Palladium price tag... sounds like a winner to me. I think I'll be picking up the softcover very soon.
Last edited by Spectral Knight; 05-01-2006 at 06:58 AM..
Reason: Including link that was mistakenly omitted
This review was originally to be recorded for airing on <A HREF="www.rpgradio.net">RPG Radio</A>, so I was working with a maximum word count. Looks like I inadvertently forgot to list the attributes in the process and missed that fact while revising the review to match my more in-depth RPGnet review style.
Here it is:
Strength (ST)
Constitution (CO)
Agility (AG)
Quickness (QU)
Self Discipline(SD)
Reasoning (RE)
Insight (IN)
Presence (PR)
Payers either make eight percentile rolls until all results are 40 or higher, or else start with 550 points and spend them like so:
Stat Range......Cost per Point
1–90................1
91–95..............2
96-100............ 3
101-105...........10
My apologies for the omission, folks!
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Beautiful work as always, Dan. I keep putting off writing reviews because I want to be able to write them as well as you do, a daunting task to say the least!
Thank you very much, SK! You're far too kind, though. I'm sure you'd do a great job.
Quote:
I've only read the HARP Lite sampler PDF (available free at www.harphq.com for anyone who wants a sneak-peek at the game), but it seemed less like Rolemaster and more like Middle Earth Role-Playing to me. Then again, it could be argued that Rolemaster was an amped up version of MERP. The mechanical similarities are amazing.
I have MERP but haven't ever gotten around to reading it. What sorts of similarities to you see?
Quote:
FASA quality with a Palladium price tag... sounds like a winner to me. I think I'll be picking up the softcover very soon.
I hope you enjoy it!
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Running: ---; Prepping: Earthdawn; Playing: Buffy; Reviewing: GODSEND Agenda; Reading: Earthdawn, Corporation The hat of me know no limit! "Did you know that your reviews take on an entirely new light, if you picture them as being read aloud by Frylock, as Meatwad listens intently?" - Cith, in #rpgnet "You're more the lovable sort of odd. Like a retarded bear" - an IRL friend
Then again, it could be argued that Rolemaster was an amped up version of MERP.
As I recall, MERP was actually a streamlined (that being a relative term) version of Rolemaster. Hence the persistence of such spells as "nasal repair" in MERP. Sounds loopy, but there really was the possibility of getting your nose chopped off, Tycho Brahe style, in an altercation involving bladed weapons.
Re: [RPG]: HARP: High Adventure Role Playing, reviewed by Dan Davenport (5/5)
Decent review. I really liked HARP too, but I have been an RM fan for a long time and it seemed like it got the style of RM with a more modern sence of style... now if I could only find peopel to play it with... sigh.
Re: [RPG]: HARP: High Adventure Role Playing, reviewed by Dan Davenport (5/5)
Dan,
Thanks for another informative and interesting review. I have HARP and like it, and I think your points are pretty spot on.
My only real problem with the system is something you mentioned: I think the Development Points (points used to improve skills and attributes or buy new special Talents) should be fixed per level. Otherwise, it effectively encourages min-maxing and penalizes players that don't sit down and play with numbers for a while.
Joe Average PC with 70,69,69,69,69,68,68,68 gets 32 Development Points per level, Joe Tweaked PC with 71,71,71,71,67,67,66,66 gets 36 Development Points per level, and Joe MinMax with 91,91,91,91,91,88,1,1 gets 53. Now having 1s in two scores is a weakness, but with the extra 17+ Development Points the character gets (34+ at level 1) compared to the average character he can boost the important skills linked to those attributes enough to offset the attribute penalty and still come out ahead.
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Re: [RPG]: HARP: High Adventure Role Playing, reviewed by Dan Davenport (5/5)
Quote:
Originally Posted by theCimmerian
Dan,
Thanks for another informative and interesting review. I have HARP and like it, and I think your points are pretty spot on.
My only real problem with the system is something you mentioned: I think the Development Points (points used to improve skills and attributes or buy new special Talents) should be fixed per level. Otherwise, it effectively encourages min-maxing and penalizes players that don't sit down and play with numbers for a while.
Joe Average PC with 70,69,69,69,69,68,68,68 gets 32 Development Points per level, Joe Tweaked PC with 71,71,71,71,67,67,66,66 gets 36 Development Points per level, and Joe MinMax with 91,91,91,91,91,88,1,1 gets 53. Now having 1s in two scores is a weakness, but with the extra 17+ Development Points the character gets (34+ at level 1) compared to the average character he can boost the important skills linked to those attributes enough to offset the attribute penalty and still come out ahead.
What my group did was give 40 dp per level and did not base it off the attributes at all. It worked very well and had no problems. You will find many people house rule that part as well.
As always, a beautiful and nice review by Dan.
One question though : is the book suppose to be setting-less ? Even if a specific setting do exists, Cyradon.
How about world-building info for the aspiring GM ? any of those in the book ?
Actually, after reading your great review, I'm almost sold to this game, and thinking seriously of purchasing it.
Yes, the book is setting-less.
While the book does contain some information/guidelines for the GM, it does not include any specific world building information.
There is also a whole line of products called the HARPer's Bazaar that present you with many different options that you can use to customize your game.
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