Response to Woas about HARP

[Greatwyrm]

Two questions for you.

Even though I wasn't really sold on Rolemaster, one thing I liked was the depth of the product line. It seems like they've got a book for everything. How hard is it to convert stuff from the Rolemaster spells, creatures, or whatever to HARP?

Second, do you have plans to develop HARP for non-fantasy games, like modern-day or sci-fi.

 

[Rasyr]

Two questions for you.

Ok, then I give you two answers as well.

Even though I wasn't really sold on Rolemaster, one thing I liked was the depth of the product line. It seems like they've got a book for everything. How hard is it to convert stuff from the Rolemaster spells, creatures, or whatever to HARP?

Conversion should be a relatively easy process as both systems use some of the same concepts at their core, although implemented in a different manner.

For example, spells lists from RM you could most likely use as they are, with a just a little reworking on the costs.

Arms Law can be used with HARP with only minor adjustments.

Monsters - can be readily used. However, monsters in RM used much different methods for their creation, and will often be less powerful than HARP monsters. The simple solution here is to compare a few of the HARP and RM monsters, and to just work out an average bonus to give to RM monsters to bring them closer to being inline with the power level of HARP monsters (which are built as Fighters - yes, all monsters in HARP are built just like PCs are built).

Magic items - the only conversion needed here is anything that produces a spell-like effect of some sort and not always even then.

Second, do you have plans to develop HARP for non-fantasy games, like modern-day or sci-fi.

Yes, Nick Caldwell (who authored College of Magics for HARP, Mentalism Companion, and Construct Companion for RM) is in the process of authoring a sci-fi version of HARP.

Now, while ICE has no plans on doing a Modern version of HARP, we have received interest from at least one person who would like to license HARP and do a modern version themselves. We have also received several other license request for various different settings (all very interesting).

I also have a couple of modern era type game ideas sitting in the back of my brain gathering dust (each is actually a combined setting/game idea, but highly specialized in nature) and those may see the light of day in a few years once we have the resources to further develop them.

 

[Shard O'Glase]

Ok I'll ask my ?'s as I'm going along in character creation. Class necromancer mwahahahahah.
I chose to use the rolling method mwahahah. My rolls are 91, 56 booh, 61, 87, 91, 100, 81, 96. Really good rolls I think. Being a necromancer I want my SD at 100, insight I'll put at 96, reason 91, quickenss 91(the not getting hit stat), 86 in constitution, 81 in presense, 61 in agility, and 56 in strength. So 48x2 96 DP.

I'll be human and spend 2 DP(this seems low) on Dwarf greater my stat boosts for human will be +3 in SD, +2 in insight, and +3 in reason from dwarf I get another +2 in SD from dwarf and +2 in con as well. I assume this only effect future DP not my curent DP. So I know have a 105 SD, a 98 insight, 93 reason, and a 89 con. I'll take dark vision greater and dense musculature(mainly for the +5DB). My +10 bonus in a skill for human I'll put in PP development.

I have 94 DP left and I know 40 are going to eloquence ouch. Leaving 54 only. But hey I'll being an urban dweller and get some snazzy low end skills from my youth. 2 in appraisal, 1 in armor, 3 in crafts lets see lets go with 3 ranks in goldsmith 1 in endurance, 1 in healing, 1 in jumping, 2 lore local area, 1, navigation, 1 perception, 1 runes, 1 stalking and hiding, 2 in swiming(rememebr dense musculature penalty) 2 in weapon skills mellee so 2 in dagger, for missile 1 in dagger.

Now as much as I'd like to pick up more spell option that's 25 points I don't have right now. So another couple ranks in perception for 4 DP so a total of 3 ranks in perception, 2 ranks in each resistance costs 12 points, 2 more ranks in endurance cost 4 more points, taking the apprentice mage package gets me alchemy at 2 ranks, arcane lore(spells) 3 ranks, cantrips 3 ranks, PP development 2 ranks, resistance any 3 ranks(divided among the 3 equally) runes 2 ranks, spell casting 5 ranks in various spells. The package will cost 30 points leaving as of now 4 points which will be in more spells so 7 ranks total in spells, I'll put 4 ranks in inflict injury so I have an attack spell and 3 ranks in boost quickness. I also have my professions base skills which I'l too lazy to type out now but yes I'll have more spells and likely more PP develoment.

When I level up I get 53 DP to spend now I'm a addict for more spell lists I could A spend 25 points on arcane circle thaumaturge(I like item creation almost as much as necromancy) at which point form now on I can freely choose from this list when learning or improving spells or B change classes for 15 points cause I'm human to thamaturge and I gain the master crafstman talent and access to the thamaturge spell list though at this level I don't have access to the necromancy spell list. Is all this roughly accurate.

 

[Sado]

I have obtained a copy of HARP but have since discovered that there are two versions, the 160 page original (the one I have) and a longer revised edition. Am I going to need to get the revised rulebook? How much of the original is useable?

 

[Rasyr]

I'll be human and spend 2 DP(this seems low) on Dwarf greater my stat boosts for human will be +3 in SD, +2 in insight, and +3 in reason from dwarf I get another +2 in SD from dwarf and +2 in con as well. I assume this only effect future DP not my curent DP. So I know have a 105 SD, a 98 insight, 93 reason, and a 89 con. I'll take dark vision greater and dense musculature(mainly for the +5DB). My +10 bonus in a skill for human I'll put in PP development.

The stat bonuses from the Greater Blood Talent add to the stat's total bonus, not to the stat itself. So your stats stay the same, and so do your Development Points.

Additionally, you are taking 3 racial abilities from the Dwarven Blood Talent (Greater), not the 2 you are allowed. Each bullet point is an individual ability that can be gained, thus from the Dwarven Blood Talent you can select two of the following:
1) Dense Musculature
2) Dark Vision (Greater)
3) Stone Sense
4) Stats and age averaging.

Whe you select two, you must trade them out for two of the racial abilities for the base race. Your example Has you keeping the +10 bonus. This means that you are giving up the Professional Adaptability (thus you pay 20 DP for an Additional Profession, not 15, as that discount comes from this ability), and the Bonus Skill Ranks.

I could A spend 25 points on arcane circle thaumaturge(I like item creation almost as much as necromancy) at which point form now on I can freely choose from this list when learning or improving spells or B change classes for 15 points cause I'm human to thamaturge and I gain the master crafstman talent and access to the thamaturge spell list though at this level I don't have access to the necromancy spell list. Is all this roughly accurate.

Looks good except for what I pointed out above.

 

[Rasyr]

I have obtained a copy of HARP but have since discovered that there are two versions, the 160 page original (the one I have) and a longer revised edition. Am I going to need to get the revised rulebook? How much of the original is useable?

If you decide to get the revised rulebook, email customer service at ICE first, and talk with Lori as you are eligible for a $15 discount (this discount can actually be applied to ANY print version of ICE products). She will verify that you have the first printing and then give you your discount.

However, all the changes and additions to the rulebook (for the revision) can be downloaded from the HARP website. Just go to http://www.harphq.com/webextras.htm#revisions and check out the various PDFs in the HARP Revised section.

 

[Rasyr]

For those insterested in possibly getting a free copy of the HARP pdf, please check out the following link: http://www.enworld.org/forums/showthread.php?t=109621

Thanks.

 

[Rasyr]

Over on rpg.net somebody asked a few questions about HARP and a thread was born!

During the discussions, somebody asked me how much it would cost to get all 4 of the currently published HARP books.

You can get all four as part of a PDF value pack for $38, and in my answer to this fellow, I figured out that you can get all four HARP books (in print format!!!) for as little as $41!!!

Rather than repost all that here (I was in Ron Popeil Imitation mode when I made the post, so it wasn't pretty....), I give you the link to that thread so that you can go read it for yourself.... http://forum.rpg.net/showthread.php?t=161125

 

[Zoatebix]

Oh man, I saw that infomercial on food network just the other day.

Anyways, that deal's almost too tempting to pass up, but my current rash of unchecked gaming purcahses will have to stop until I get a paycheck or three over Winter break. A car repair will do that to a gaming addict's habbits.

It just occurred to me that I could get some exercise and walk $30 of d20 stuff over to Goodman St (I'm a UVA student). Weird... meeting people who's posts I've read on EN World I think I've been subconsciously avoiding Alderman for fear of meeting Cthulu's Librarian for the first time and not having a piece of cool gaming news to share

Although this is definately off topic, I noticed the brief mention of Monte Cook on the first or second page of the thread - dare I ask what happened to turn your opinion of him sour?
-George

Edit for clarity: I'm referring to the "venom" comment in post 12.

 

[nahualt]

D20 for Harp Stuff??

First:
Okay I already own Harp and MArtial Law, ANd so far I love it.

Second: Can I trade any d20 book or does it have to be official WOTC books?

3.0 or 3.5?

cause I got a lot of d20 crap lying around...