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'''Rolemaster''' is a fantasy [[Role |
'''Rolemaster''' is a fantasy [[Role-Playing Game]] created in 1980. As ''[[Dungeons & Dragons]]'', it is a game system with classes, races, levels and experience points (no [[Character Alignment|Character Alignments]], however). Unlike D&D, it provided lots of optional rules with many detailed tables (one for each of the several dozen weapons) from the beginning. There are dozens of magic-using classes who have hundreds of spell lists available with more than 2,000 spells altogether. Some fans and non-fans call RM "Rulemaster" or even "Roll-Master" for this reason. |
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The game ''[[Middle |
The game ''[[Middle-earth Role Playing|Middle Earth Role Playing]]'' by the same publisher is a streamlined version of Rolemaster. |
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This game provides examples of: |
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{{tropelist}} |
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* [[Armor Is Useless]] |
* [[Armor Is Useless]] |
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* [[Attack Pattern Alpha]]: Combat Languages Type 1 in the Arms Companion supplement. |
* [[Attack Pattern Alpha]]: Combat Languages Type 1 in the Arms Companion supplement. |
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** Critical hits, in fact, are the rule rather than the exception. Whereas in most games a critical hit happens once every 10-20 attacks or so, and results in a simple increase in inflicted damage, each attack type in Rolemaster has an entire ''table'' for determining the effect of a critical hit, at 5 or more different levels of ''crit severity''. A hit that doesn't result in a crit is little more effective than a miss. |
** Critical hits, in fact, are the rule rather than the exception. Whereas in most games a critical hit happens once every 10-20 attacks or so, and results in a simple increase in inflicted damage, each attack type in Rolemaster has an entire ''table'' for determining the effect of a critical hit, at 5 or more different levels of ''crit severity''. A hit that doesn't result in a crit is little more effective than a miss. |
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* [[Diminishing Returns for Balance]]: The skill system |
* [[Diminishing Returns for Balance]]: The skill system |
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* [[Gold |
* [[Gold-Silver-Copper Standard]]: Or in this case, mithril-gold-silver-bronze-copper-tin-iron standard. |
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* [[Hit Points]]: Called "concussion hits". When your hit points reach 0, you're unconscious -- it takes a lot more damage to die. The main form of character injury comes in the effects of various [[Critical Hit|critical hits]], such as loss of limbs, stunning, instant killing, a whole variety of bleed effects, and other "crunchy bits". |
* [[Hit Points]]: Called "concussion hits". When your hit points reach 0, you're unconscious -- it takes a lot more damage to die. The main form of character injury comes in the effects of various [[Critical Hit|critical hits]], such as loss of limbs, stunning, instant killing, a whole variety of bleed effects, and other "crunchy bits". |
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* [[Linear Warriors Quadratic Wizards]] |
* [[Linear Warriors, Quadratic Wizards]] |
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* [[Loads and Loads of Rules]]: A great deal of these are optional, though also add to realism. |
* [[Loads and Loads of Rules]]: A great deal of these are optional, though also add to realism. |
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* [[Pit Trap]] (with [[Spikes of Doom]] at the bottom): In the ''Arms Companion''. |
* [[Pit Trap]] (with [[Spikes of Doom]] at the bottom): In the ''Arms Companion''. |
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* [[Surprise Slide Staircase]]. In the ''Arms Companion''. |
* [[Surprise Slide Staircase]]. In the ''Arms Companion''. |
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The ''Shadow World'' campaign setting has the following tropes: |
===The ''Shadow World'' campaign setting has the following tropes:=== |
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* [[Apocalyptic Log]]: The miner's diary in ''Norek: Intrigue in a City-State of Jaiman''. |
* [[Apocalyptic Log]]: The miner's diary in ''Norek: Intrigue in a City-State of Jaiman''. |
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* [[Fictional Colour]]: Void creature spellcasting creates a rainbow of them. |
* [[Fictional Colour]]: Void creature spellcasting creates a rainbow of them. |
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* [[Ley Line]]: Essence Flows on the world of Kulthea. |
* [[Ley Line]]: Essence Flows on the world of Kulthea. |
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* [[Lightning Gun]]: Krylites have these. |
* [[Lightning Gun]]: Krylites have these. |
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* [[Red Eyes Take Warning]]: Several monsters. |
* [[Red Eyes, Take Warning]]: Several monsters. |
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* [[Scary Scorpions]] |
* [[Scary Scorpions]] |
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* [[Speak Friend and Enter]] |
* [[Speak Friend and Enter]] |
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[[Category:Tabletop Games]] |
[[Category:Tabletop Games]] |
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[[Category:Rolemaster]] |
[[Category:Rolemaster]] |
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[[Category: |
[[Category:Tabletop Games of the 1980s]] |
Latest revision as of 16:15, 23 February 2020
Rolemaster is a fantasy Role-Playing Game created in 1980. As Dungeons & Dragons, it is a game system with classes, races, levels and experience points (no Character Alignments, however). Unlike D&D, it provided lots of optional rules with many detailed tables (one for each of the several dozen weapons) from the beginning. There are dozens of magic-using classes who have hundreds of spell lists available with more than 2,000 spells altogether. Some fans and non-fans call RM "Rulemaster" or even "Roll-Master" for this reason.
The game Middle Earth Role Playing by the same publisher is a streamlined version of Rolemaster.
Tropes used in Rolemaster include:
- Armor Is Useless
- Attack Pattern Alpha: Combat Languages Type 1 in the Arms Companion supplement.
- Beat Still My Heart
- Character Level
- Class and Level System
- Critical Failure: You are capable of failing in many specific ways. The fumble chart is as large as any of the Critical Hit charts.
- Nearly anything you can do can kill you if you roll bad enough. A Killer GM will make players roll to tie their shoes.
- Critical Hit: Combats are often ended by critical hits rather than mere hit point loss.
- Critical hits, in fact, are the rule rather than the exception. Whereas in most games a critical hit happens once every 10-20 attacks or so, and results in a simple increase in inflicted damage, each attack type in Rolemaster has an entire table for determining the effect of a critical hit, at 5 or more different levels of crit severity. A hit that doesn't result in a crit is little more effective than a miss.
- Diminishing Returns for Balance: The skill system
- Gold-Silver-Copper Standard: Or in this case, mithril-gold-silver-bronze-copper-tin-iron standard.
- Hit Points: Called "concussion hits". When your hit points reach 0, you're unconscious -- it takes a lot more damage to die. The main form of character injury comes in the effects of various critical hits, such as loss of limbs, stunning, instant killing, a whole variety of bleed effects, and other "crunchy bits".
- Linear Warriors, Quadratic Wizards
- Loads and Loads of Rules: A great deal of these are optional, though also add to realism.
- Pit Trap (with Spikes of Doom at the bottom): In the Arms Companion.
- Surprise Slide Staircase. In the Arms Companion.
The Shadow World campaign setting has the following tropes:
- Apocalyptic Log: The miner's diary in Norek: Intrigue in a City-State of Jaiman.
- Fictional Colour: Void creature spellcasting creates a rainbow of them.
- Fungus Humongous: In Sky Giants of the Brass Stair.
- Ley Line: Essence Flows on the world of Kulthea.
- Lightning Gun: Krylites have these.
- Red Eyes, Take Warning: Several monsters.
- Scary Scorpions
- Speak Friend and Enter
- Wolf Man: Werewolves can become this.
- Your Soul Is Mine: The Soulslayers of Murlis.