Author Topic: Advice for d20 players  (Read 1485 times)

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Offline Kornetto

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Advice for d20 players
« on: November 08, 2016, 06:41:30 PM »
In our group of gamers, who are mostly relatively new to  even a d20 system, we have an experienced role player and GM. His favourite system is rolemaster. After a while he convinced a few of us to give the system a go, with him as GM. His game setting is an open one, where there's no over all arc or campaign but it's set as a mercenary collection. We, as players, can have a pool of characters and select missions. Personally, I love the concept and am quite enjoying the freedom that rolemaster provides in contrast to the d20 systems we're used to. The problem, however, is that we still try and play, through force of habit, like we would in pathfinder or 5th ed. Classic example being the whole "we see enemies and try walk in and hit one of them" scenario. This, in a d20 system, is a reasonable act. In rolemaster, however, seems to always make bad things happen. Having learnt that lesson, I was wondering: is there anything else we should know, in order to postpone the inevitable deaths of our characters?

Offline Peter R

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Re: Advice for d20 players
« Reply #1 on: November 09, 2016, 02:33:33 AM »
Parry!

You can take some, or all, of your OB and assign it to your DB. If you can get surprise then do an all out attack but in a pitch battle start with a lot of emphasis on parrying and if your opponent is not hitting you then shift more towards OB.

Stun is your friend. A stunned foe cannot attack (normally) and can only parry with half their OB. This means you can do all out attacks on them. Heavier weapons and crushing weapons do the most stun.

If you are a fighter type then a shield is essential. The +20 or more DB from a shield can wipe out a half or more of the attackers OB. So by the same token avoid two handed weapons as a primary weapon. Also there are lots of criticals that will render an arm useless so two handed weapons are problematic. At higher levels you can afford to parry with much more of your OB than a shield will give you so shields are more optional.

There are fighting styles that seem really cool like tumble attack and two weapon combo. At low levels these do not work so well as you can struggle to make the skill rolls.
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Offline Witchking20k

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Re: Advice for d20 players
« Reply #2 on: November 09, 2016, 05:43:52 AM »
Try to make combats more of a chess mathc then a brawl
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Offline jdale

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Re: Advice for d20 players
« Reply #3 on: November 09, 2016, 01:07:42 PM »
Combat is not always the best solution to a problem. If you do enter combat, try to gain a tactical advantage, e.g. with surprise, spells, time things to have a numeric advantage, etc. If possible, concentrate your attacks rather than spreading them out among your foes, because if you can gain a numeric advantage by removing some of them, that makes a big difference. Delaying some foes (e.g. stun, preventing them from reaching you, etc) is similarly advantageous.
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Offline intothatdarkness

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Re: Advice for d20 players
« Reply #4 on: November 10, 2016, 10:53:08 AM »
Tactics. If you can open the combat from range, do so. Always try to determine the biggest threat (which isn't always the biggest foe) and neutralize it first (preferably at range). Keep it simple early on. If you have to melee, do so in mass and try to keep from being flanked. As jdale mentioned, concentrate your attacks as much as possible.

In keeping with the range idea, size up the opponents first. If there are too many or they look too powerful, evade! Running away to live to fight another day is a core skill in RM at early levels (and often later as well depending on the personality of the GM). Weapon selection is key, too. A sword isn't always the best choice depending on what you're commonly fighting.
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Offline Witchking20k

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Re: Advice for d20 players
« Reply #5 on: November 12, 2016, 09:30:28 AM »
I also make sure to build encounters based on movement & skills.  One of my favorites is having the PCs have to dart in and out of a burning building or similar toxic environment.  It seems simple enough.  But, you can use the MM table to cover distance and the RR table to resist smoke inhalation and perception rolls to locate items or people to rescue.  A good low-level scenario.  Add in the possibility of heat crits and suddenly it can be non-combat based but still deadly.
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Offline Alwyn

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Re: Advice for d20 players
« Reply #6 on: January 04, 2017, 11:20:47 AM »
Parrying and a pouch of fast acting healing/stun removal herbs are key in Role Master.   :)
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