Addendum

Index

1. Decide in general what type of character you want to play.

Here are some examples and combinations:

Non, semi or pure spell user. Fighting, stealth, magic, research or flawed.

Evil, Neutral or Good. Headstrong, introspective, leader, ambitious or cowardly.

2. Choose a culture / race for your character.

Your choices in this area will affect the following factors:

Stat Bonuses, Resistance Rolls, Skill costs, Adolescence, Background, Healing, physical appearance, languages

3. Choose a profession for your character.

Your profession dictates your prime stats. For example a ranger’s prime stats are Intuition & Constitution, so these stats would necessarily be high.

4. Determine you character’s realm of power.

Your profession may also determine your realm of power automatically, but non-spell users will have to choose one – Essence, Mentalism or Channeling.

5. Determine additional base spell lists.

If you are a pure spell user you choose four extra base spell lists from your realm of power (Open & Closed Lists). These spells can be developed at the same cost as your profession’s base lists. See Spell Law for your base, open & closed lists.

6. Generate temporary stats for your character. (p 53-54 RSR)

This is new to this version of Rolemaster. You have 600 + 10*D10 points to assign to your ten stats. You may assign them in any way you see fit, except that you must have at least 90 in your two prime stats. This allows far more diversification in characters than that allowed under the old system, where more focus was placed on the character’s profession.

7. Generate potential stats for your character. (See table T1.3 p 54 RSR.)

8. Determine your character’s adolescence skills. (See p 55 RSR)

This includes Hobby Ranks, background options and starting languages – based on race.

Hobby ranks are free ranks but cannot exceed the number of ranks normally allowed in that level progression. They can be used to ‘beef up’ skills that would be expensive to buy normally. For instance, a Thief’s skill cost for the Body Development skill is 5/12 he could buy the first rank using DPs, but the second could be bought using a hobby rank – effectively for free. This reflects previous training he may have done as a hobby.

9. Determine your character’s background options. (See Section 14 p 57 and Table T1.5 on p 58. RSR)

These provide you with extra languages, extra money, extra stat gain rolls, special items, special bonuses and talents. Talents appear in A-5 p 255 RSR)

10. Develop your character’s apprenticeship skills and training packages. (p 59 RSR)

Taking the Development Points calculated in 6 (above).

This is where you assign skills and skill DP costs based on profession, race and stat bonuses. If you wish to develop a skill you must now develop ranks in that skill category as well as the skill itself. The rationale is that you should be able catch a ball if you can juggle three of them. The new version of Rolemaster has halved the skill progress, while at the same time giving you double DP’s and halving the cost of a second or third skill in that category.

DPs expended on Skill Categories do not gain the same bonus as those expended on actual Skill Ranks. (See T2.2 p302 RSR)

Weapons are an exception, these have DP costs associated with them but these can be moved around (but not changed) to suit the player’s weapon preference.

Hit Points:
Hit points now come from the Body Development skill. HITS = 10 + (2x CON Bonus) + SD Bonus + Prof Bonus + Skill Bonus or, to put it another way HITS=10+Total Skill Bonus

Defensive Bonus:
DB = 3* (QUI Stat Bonus – QUI Armour Penalty)

Power Points:

PP = Skill Bonus total

Purchasing spells. It is now easier to get spells. As long as you have access to those lists you can learn as many as you have DPs. But you pay for it, past six lists and your DP cost starts to double and treble. (p 60 – 61 RSR)

You must now buy each spell on a list. It costs you the cost of a normal spell and only varies when more than five are being allocated at once.

e.g. Snarus, a 7^th lvl Sorceror, has already gained quite a few lists but he selects a few to develop all the way to his current level. Checking with the chart (T-2.4 on pg 61 RSR)

All from own realm.

Base List - Solid Destruction – can cast to lvl 5 – 4/4 is the cost to develop to 7^th lvl.

Base List - Flesh Destruction – can cast to lvl 5 - 4/4 is the cost to develop to 7^th lvl.

Base List - Fluid Destruction –can cast to lvl 3 – 3/3 is the cost to develop to 5^th lvl and then 4/4 is the cost to get to 7^th lvl.

Open List - Lesser Illusions –can cast to lvl 6 – 4 is the cost to develop to 7^th lvl.

Closed List - Lofty Bridge – can cast to lvl 3 – 4/4 is the cost to develop to 5^th lvl and then 6/6 is the cost to get to 7^th lvl.

Costing a grand total of 54 development points.

If you wish to increase your stats you can also spend DPs. For every 8 DPs you spend you can take a stat gain roll.

Roll two dice. A double < 6 is double that number and subtracted from your temporary stat. A double > 5 is double that number and added to your temporary stat.

Temp – Pot = Difference
Difference < 10 Add the lower of the two dice to the potential.
Difference > 10 < 20 Add the higher of the two dice to the potential.
Difference > 20 Add the sum of the two dice to the potential.

11. Determine your character’s background.

12. Determine your character’s role traits.

13. Outfit your character.

14. Total your character’s penalties and bonuses.