17 – Cultures & Races

Part 17 – Cultures & Races

This article examines the differences in Cultures & Races between Rolemaster Standard Rules and Rolemaster Fantasy Role Playing and RMFRP Character Law in detail. Overall, there are very few differences in the Cultures & Races between RMSS and RMFRP. A Character created under either system would be perfectly valid in the other.

RMSS A-3, RMFRP A-1, CL 1.0

The material in section A-3 in RMSS is covered in section A-1 of RMFRP and section 1.0 of Character Law. The section on Superb Hearing for Elves in RMSS has the following additional text that is missing from RMFRP – “…,no doubt accounts for the Elven skills with music. Their reverence for song is unparalleled and has affected their language and way of keeping precious records. The Elves were first to use spoken words and have taught the other races of the gift of speech. All of their speech has a musical quality when spoken properly, lending itself well to verse. Elven Bards, then, have had little trouble in maintaining the histories and epics of their race as a collection of wondrous songs and spoken poetry.”

The Race descriptions in RMFRP do not include notes on the Talents available to those races, but these notes are included in Section 1.0 of Character Law

RMSS A-3.1, CL 1.1 – Common Orcs

Talents change from “Reroll ‘spell user’ and ‘high-culture’ results.” in RMSS to “All available.” in RMFRP

RMSS A-3.2, RMFRP A-1.4 – Dwarves

Special Skills includes Smithing as an Everyman skill in RMSS but not in RMFRP. Also included as a Hobby skill in RMSS. RMFRP adds “(other than Missile Artillery)” to the Weapon skills line under Hobby skills. Talent wording changes slightly, from “Re-roll all ‘spell user’ results” to “May not select mystical talents.”

RMSS A-3.3, CL 1.2 – Greater Orcs

Talents change from “Reroll ‘spell user’ and ‘high-culture’ results.” in RMSS to “All available.” in RMFRP

RMSS A-3.4, CL 1.3 – Grey Elves

No changes

RMSS A-3.5, CL 1.4 – Half-elves

No changes

RMSS A-3.6, CL 1.5 – Half-orcs

No changes

RMSS A-3.7, RMFRP A-1.5 – Halflings

Under professions, RMFRP drops “; in fact they are unheard of.” From the sentence “Halflings make very, very poor spell users; in fact they are unheard of.”

Talent wording changes slightly, from “Re-roll all ‘spell user’ results” to “May not select mystical talents.

RMSS A-3.8, CL 1.6 – High Elves

Very slight wording change under Armor, from “…rather than from encumbering leather or metal.” in RMSS to “…rather than from encumbering armor.” in RMFRP.

RMSS A-3.9, RMFRP A-1.2 – High Men

The description for Professions in RMSS includes the following at the end which is missing from RMFRP,: “(e.g., sword-making and observations though Seeing-stones).

Under Hobby skills, RMFRP adds the caveat that Weapon Skills does not include Missile Artillery skills.

RMSS gives High Men three background options, RMFRP gives them four background options. Note that the Adolescence Rank Table in RMSS had High Men listed as having four background options.

RMSS A-3.10, CL 1.7 – Hillmen

No changes.

RMSS A-3.11, CL 1.8 – Mariners

No changes.

RMSS A-3.12, CL 1.9 – Nomads

No changes.

RMSS A-3.13 Ruralmen, RMFRP A-1.1 Common Men

RMSS Ruralmen has stats for Common Men and Mixed Men, in RMFRP the stats for Mixed Men are not included and the title is changed from Ruralmen to Common Men.

RMSS A-3.14, CL 1.10 – Urbanmen

No changes

RMSS A-3.15, RMFRP A-1.3 – Wood Elves

No changes

RMSS A-3.16, CL 1.11 – Woodmen

No changes