Iron Crown enterprises (I.C.E.) released Arms Law as a supplemental combat system for The World's Most Popular RPG way back in the 1970's. Arms Law was followed by Claw Law (monster combatants), Spell Law (the magic system), Character Law (the rest of the rules including character classes, leveling, skills, etc.) and finally Campaign Law (referee guide). Entering the 1980's I.C.E. had a complete, detailed role-playing system, one that competed well in an era of the "more realistic" trend in fantasy rules. The Rolemaster rules have gone through several editions, the above picture is of the 4th Edition core rulebook, which is really all that is needed to start playing Rolemaster.
The system name seems to lend itself to generating nicknames and Rolemaster has been called "Rulesmaster", "Chartmaster" and other clever, or not-so-clever nicknames, all suggesting it may be a more difficult system than it really is. The rules are fairly simple and straightforward. Roll percentage dice and consult a chart. There is a little math involved at times, but it's mostly addition and subtraction such as subtract target's defense from your attack value, roll dice and add what's left. There are some fractions involved in chargen and leveling, but that hardly slows down play.
I have found over 30+ years off and on playing this system that organization of your charts is the key to smooth, uninterrupted play. Grab the maneuvers charts and keep them handy. Make sure the players have copies of the charts for their weapons and spells (including critical/fumble tables) and that should keep the action moving fairly quickly.
At various times in its publication history, Rolemaster drew criticism for being an expensive system to get into. One had to buy multiple products in order to have the complete core system. The 4th Edition is an exception. The Rolemaster Fantasy Role Playing book is a complete game as long as you can make your own monsters and treasures. There are some short-cuts taken in order to get a complete game into one 255-page volume, but nine character classes, ten spell levels and a reduced selection of spell lists and skills is the price paid for a complete game in one book.
One of the strengths of the system from the start is the common sense, logical approach the authors have taken to rules design. Everything seems to make sense and seems plausible, almost scientific. The critical tables are elaborate and help players visualize the often dramatic results of particularly good hit or an especially bad fumble. Any PC can learn any spell, but it costs way more for a fighter to learn magic and a magician to learn sword-play since those skills are outside the norm for them.
At this point Rolemaster is an older game available in digital format, but no longer in print. (The copy pictured I picked up second hand at Game Empire in San Diego last summer.) I don't hear of very many people playing it any longer and it has been years since I have done anything with it other than some solitaire play. At its height, Rolemaster and its close cousin Middle Earth Role-Playing (MERP) had a significant presence in the hobby. Is Rolemaster another hobby legend?
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