OOC Thread

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Jun 2, 2025 3:27 pm
Do it here.
Jun 2, 2025 3:44 pm
Thanks for the invitation! I played RMC in the 90s, and ran a Spacemaster campaign for two years, but haven't gotten to play RM since.

I've got a bunch of RMC PDFs somewhere and looking forward to flipping through them.
Last edited June 2, 2025 3:44 pm
Jun 2, 2025 4:35 pm
Welcome!
I think I wrote somewhere in the interest-check thread that you can find most if not all of the relevant material on Scribd.
Jun 2, 2025 4:54 pm
Can we confirm which books, exactly, we're using. I have several versions, but I don't know which Character Law is right.
Jun 2, 2025 4:56 pm
To clarify is this the 2007 reprint version they actually called Rolemaster Classic, or version 2 from 1984ish? (I understand them to be basically the same.) Or original version?
Jun 2, 2025 5:34 pm
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rolemaster#Second_edition_(RM2):_1984%E2%80%931994

Some good pics are here:

http://www.waynesbooks.com/rolemaster.html

Scroll down to where the sub-heading is "2nd Edition"; the three basic books (and the box they came in) I have are there.

If you scroll down a little farther, you get the sub-heading "Rolemaster (2nd Edition, Revised) [BOX SET]". The PDFs I have are of those books. The two sets of books are basically the same material (and I'm sure they have the same numbering system).

I'll also be using at least some material from the various RoleMaster Companions (not the Elemental, Spell-User's, or Alchemy ones; just the seven ones notated in Roman numerals), which you can find if you scroll down more on the same page.
Jun 2, 2025 6:20 pm
Got it. I was looking at the first edition books and the chapters don't go as high as the ones in your options thread. Will pull out the 2nd and look at choices.
Jun 3, 2025 11:07 am
I have a PDF set of the Rolemaster Classic line from 2007. According to the Wikipedia link above, it is a re-issue or Rolemaster 2. Does that work?
Jun 3, 2025 3:02 pm
Hmm. I really don't know for sure; I'd assume so if it's a re-issue.

Let's try a couple of tests. First, go to the front cover of your Character Law; does your cover match any of the covers I pointed out above via the link to Wayne's Books? Second, still using your Character Law, what's the title for rule 14.26?
Jun 3, 2025 3:46 pm
Diogenes wrote
Quote:
Can I just get a random pre-gen character? I'm no too familiar with the Rolemaster rules, but I'm happy to go with whatever the dice give me.
Hmm. The problem is that there aren't any pre-gen characters in RM, exactly. There is bare-bones information for different levels of the basic character classes (and I'm giving options for other classes if anyone wants to play them), but they don't include the actual stats for the attributes (the list is supposed to be used for "spear-carrying NPCs"), so at least some of the stats would have to be rolled up anyway.

How about this? You give me a rough idea of what you want your PC to be based on D&D concepts eg "cleric with high WIS and STR but really low INT, don't care about the other stats; he's a fighting priest". I can translate that into enough of a concept to give you feedback and some options.
Jun 3, 2025 4:07 pm
Diogenes, some surprising and good news!

I forgot that I have a copy of the RM book, "Heroes and Rogues", which has plenty of fully fleshed-out characters! They're only made with the professions from Character Law (the basic character-creation rules in RM), but there are plenty to choose from. All you need to do is give me an idea of a class, and I can send you the choices.
Jun 3, 2025 4:25 pm
OldGameMasterFox says:
Hmm. I really don't know for sure; I'd assume so if it's a re-issue.

Let's try a couple of tests. First, go to the front cover of your Character Law; does your cover match any of the covers I pointed out above via the link to Wayne's Books? Second, still using your Character Law, what's the title for rule 14.26?
The PDF I have is the same as this one (DTRPG). There is no section 14, it goes up to 11. Apparently the rules have been reorganized for this edition.
Jun 3, 2025 4:34 pm
Just a generic thief or warrior type would be fine.
Jun 3, 2025 4:58 pm
kwll says:
OldGameMasterFox says:
Hmm. I really don't know for sure; I'd assume so if it's a re-issue.

Let's try a couple of tests. First, go to the front cover of your Character Law; does your cover match any of the covers I pointed out above via the link to Wayne's Books? Second, still using your Character Law, what's the title for rule 14.26?
The PDF I have is the same as this one (DTRPG). There is no section 14, it goes up to 11. Apparently the rules have been reorganized for this edition.
Hm. The quickie reading I did suggested strongly that your books are largely compatible with mine . . . .

Let's try it and see for now how things go.
Jun 3, 2025 5:01 pm
Diogenes says:
Just a generic thief or warrior type would be fine.
OK, that narrows things down nicely.

Howabout we wait and see whether a thief or warrior would work better with the group. Note also that the class "Rogue" is a combo of thief and warrior: not as good at one profession or the other as the "pure" practitioner at their job but better at the skills than most of the other classes.

Go with a rogue or wait and see whether fighter or thief would be more appropriate?
Jun 4, 2025 4:01 am
Are we restricted to just playing one character at a time? I've often seen people play multiple characters at once to pad out the party's numbers are a little lacking. If you're allowing troupe play, I'll just play like a warrior and a rogue, that works for me.
Jun 4, 2025 4:25 am
Numbers aren't that big of a deal in this type of setting, and I normally only allow one PC per player in any event.
Jun 5, 2025 2:27 am
Whatever, I’ll just play a warrior then.
Jun 5, 2025 3:56 pm
Just FYI, might be getting a new player in the group . . . .
Jun 5, 2025 4:19 pm
Diogenes says:
Whatever, I’ll just play a warrior then.
OK, there are two available: The Tank (_very_ strong, armoured in chain, uses two-handed sword almost exclusively but can throw an axe fairly well) and The Archer (primarily a bowman but good with broadsword, armoured in plate, strong and fast). Does one appeal to you right away, or would you rather have a look at both (caveat: changes to both will have to be made as they were made with some rules I'm not allowing) before deciding?
Jun 5, 2025 8:08 pm
Got an idea for the setting time, based on what seems to the raison d'etre of the group.
You'll come to Sanctuary between the end of the first series and the start of the second one.
(Those of you in the know can start shitting kittens any time now . . . .)
Jun 8, 2025 8:46 am
The Archer sounds good, I'll go with that one.
Jun 9, 2025 1:27 am
OK, Diogenes. I still have to go through the character and see what needs to change, but you'll be the second fighter for the group.
Jun 12, 2025 1:29 pm
Okay, when's the game kicking off?
Jun 12, 2025 4:10 pm
>blandly<
When character creation is done.
Jun 13, 2025 1:35 pm
I have never played Rolemaster before, and I am thrilled to try the game, with all bells and whistles and everything. However, I came across Lightmaster lately, and was wondering if anyone had tried it? Is it worth it?
Jun 14, 2025 2:21 am
Nope. It's a new one on me.

Diogenes, I've done the skills for your PC's first level. It's as I thought: I had to re-do the skills due to the change in how we calculate development points. TWo more levels to go; I'll try to get them done by Sunday.
Jun 20, 2025 3:20 am
Still fighting to get enough sleep and handle my games and other stuff.
Be back tomorrow (morning I hope [last morning had unexpected stuff happen; hope it doesn't happen again]).
Jun 23, 2025 3:39 am
So Qralloq quit, citing a distrust of my rolling the dice for everything and it taking so long to make characters.
If anyone has something they'd like to talk about, do speak up. I'd rather hear about complaints and try to deal with them before people just up and leave.
Jun 23, 2025 11:56 am
I don't mind you rolling the dice, and RM is notoriously slow for character creation, so no surprise here. I don't know the system and don't have as much time as I would like to read it, so it would be a real boon if you could come up with a list of steps, possibly with references to the rulebook(s), to help me understand the progression (it would help newcomers as well, I believe) and what to do next.

I will understand if it is too time consuming though...

I will try to come around and assign skill points to my character between today and tomorrow.
Jun 23, 2025 6:27 pm
My biggest issue with you rolling all the dice is that you roll well for other people :) [can I steal some of Qralloq's rolls? Only the good ones, I promise.]

I assume once we get into the game play you won't roll all the dice (I'll need to look up the syntax for open ended rolls, but once we have that it should be straightforward.)
Jun 23, 2025 7:07 pm
The reason why I usually insist on rolling the dice myself is that there are times in a game when I'd rather the players not know the results of certain rolls. It's also makes player absence less of a pain in, say, combat as I can make the rolls, interpret them "artistically", then write out the results, requiring input from players only wrt unusual tactics they want to employ.
A related notion also involves trust on my part ie how do I know a player actually made the roll. The website I use has been accredited by various international and national bodies that regulate gaming. And then there's my quirk about algorithms vs. "actual" random numbers.

I'm willing to compromise some on dice-rolling, however. Howabout players roll when I indicate it's OK? Like a in-person game, I can just say, "OK, Bullseyepsa, make a roll for X action." Rolling to-hit would, naturally, fall under this rubric, too.
Jun 23, 2025 7:14 pm
kwll says:
I don't mind you rolling the dice, and RM is notoriously slow for character creation, so no surprise here.
Well, it's only slow for us because I can't set aside the time required for us to get it all done in shot. Qralloq pointed out that it only takes an hour or so to make a PC, but I can't normally guarantee setting aside that kind of time for just one game.
kwll says:
I don't know the system and don't have as much time as I would like to read it, so it would be a real boon if you could come up with a list of steps, possibly with references to the rulebook(s), to help me understand the progression (it would help newcomers as well, I believe) and what to do next.
You mean steps to follow for character creation? It's given already in ChL in section 10 in my book.
I can certainly copy and post it if you like; it just seemed a little redundant to me.
Jun 23, 2025 7:28 pm
kwll says:
I will try to come around and assign skill points to my character between today and tomorrow.
Thanks.
Jun 23, 2025 7:51 pm
Just FYI: I'll be busy this evening, so it's unlikely I'll post then as I usually do.
I'll check in tomorrow during the day.
Jun 23, 2025 8:11 pm
OldGameMasterFox says:
The reason why I usually insist on rolling the dice myself is that there are times in a game when I'd rather the players not know the results of certain rolls. It's also makes player absence less of a pain in, say, combat as I can make the rolls, interpret them "artistically", then write out the results, requiring input from players only wrt unusual tactics they want to employ.
A related notion also involves trust on my part ie how do I know a player actually made the roll. The website I use has been accredited by various international and national bodies that regulate gaming. And then there's my quirk about algorithms vs. "actual" random numbers.

I'm willing to compromise some on dice-rolling, however. Howabout players roll when I indicate it's OK? Like a in-person game, I can just say, "OK, Bullseyepsa, make a roll for X action." Rolling to-hit would, naturally, fall under this rubric, too.
I have no ptoblem with you making rolls (in game) for things we woudn't necessarily know about (I acutally think it is one of the places where PbP can be superior to FtF in that players don't even need to know when perception/notice/whatever rolls are being made) and even sometimes in active use, where the PC might not know if they succeed. I also have no issue with pseudorandom numbers because they're indistinguishable for gaming purposes (if I were doing science work a machine with a true random noise based generator would be preferable, but if it's just if Grog hits or not, I don't need that accuracy).

As for time, I play some games that use more collaborative character and, even, worldbuilding so session 0 goes for a long time before we have playable characters, so taking the equivalent of a "session" online doesn't bother me much.
Jun 27, 2025 2:09 am
Early rise tomorrow morning. Nothing from me tonight; I'll check in tomorrow when I can (certainly by late afternoon).
Jun 27, 2025 12:22 pm
Maybe I missed it, but is there a gameplay thread I can post in to start playing?
Jun 28, 2025 1:19 am
Gameplay hasn't started yet, Diogenes. Characters are almost done.
Do you have any questions about your character? You should also put him into the character section.
Jun 29, 2025 12:58 pm
What happened to this game?? It is marked as retired on my side!

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