Rolemaster
Arms Law & Claw Law
Author: ICE
Stock #: 1100
ISBN 0-915795-00-0
Published 1984 by Iron Crown Ent.
Cover Price: $12.00
Page Count: 72
Cover/Jacket Text:
The ROLEMASTER Arms and Animals combat systems combined,
including: individual charts for 30 weapons; critical tables for different
types
of strikes; detailed creature attacks and, attack patterns
of beasts real and mythical.
Also included are revised
and integrated Martial
Arts rules.
The ROLEMASTER System
The Fantasy Role-playing game system from
Iron Crown Enterprises has just been completely revised and reformatted!
ROLEMASTER includes the following:
SPELL LAW:
Assembled into a single 116 page book, SPELL LAW is now a single mighty
tome, including over 2000 spells for three realms of power covering 15
character
classes. Featured are: detailed alchemy rules;
individual spell attack tables for elemental attacks; a workable spell point
system; and rules for the use of magic items in a campaign.
CHARACTER LAW/ CAMPAIGN LAW: The complete
character development and campaign guide has been reorganized, indexed and
revised. Includes the unique trait development
system, allowing all characters to increase their ability in any area of
skill. There are no absolute restrictions. Campaign Law includes handy reference
material
invaluable to any Gamesmaster: weather, encounter and price charts, guidelines
for organizing politics, economics, realistic geographies and languages:
running a campaign in a complex, living world.
The LOREMASTER TM Series
This series of campaign & adventure modules are
designed specifically for use with the ROLEMASTER
fantasy role playing game system.
The world of LOREMASTER is dotted with clusters of islands
and small continents.
Myriad cultures and peoples lie separated by
sheer mountains, treacherous reefs, and the
powerful but invisible
Flows of Essence.
Churning like ocean
tides under the Five
Moons, the Essence
ebbs and flows, its
eddys and currents
dictating unseen
barriers and centers of
power. Some have
learned to tap into
that power.
Travel across the
world is perilous,
though some have made it an art: the aloof navigators will transport anyone
anywhere — for
a fee. And of course,
there are the
mysterious, saged Loremasters, keepers of the old
knowledge and consummate wielders of the Essence.
It is they who lead the ongoing fight against the
Unlife and its twisted servants.
The LOREMASTER Series:
THE CLOUDLORDS OF TANARA, THE SHADE OF
THE SINKING PLAIN, and VOG MUR
Notes:
The “Fourth Edition” or printing of Arms Law combines Arms
Law and Claw Law into a single book with a glossy cover. Technically this
is a First Edition Rolemaster product, but most people lump it in with the
Second Edition items. The pages containing the charts are printed on lighter
weight cardstock pages than the
previous
versions, but are no longer perforated for easy removal. A section 10 is
added that contained clarifications on Martial Arts, Critical Results, a Note
on
Canceling Actions, Effects of “Stun” Rounds, Position Bonuses,
The Importance of Parrying, clarification on Missile Ranges, Optional Armor
Damage Rule, and an Optional Shield Bash rule.
The Table of Contents shown below is from the fourth edition, but is similar in the previous editions.
CONTENTS (Arms Law)
1.0 INTRODUCTION 1
2.0 DEFINITIONS 1
3.0 TACTICAL COMBAT SEQUENCE 2
3.1 BATTLE ROUND SEQUENCE 2
3.11 Spell Phase 2
3.12 Spell Results Phase 2
3.13 Spell Orientation Phase 2
3.14 Missile Phase 2
3.15 Missile Results Phase 2
3.16 Movement Maneuver Phase 2
3.17 Melee Phase 2
3.18 Melee Results Phase 2
3.19 Final Orientation Phase 2
3.2 OPPORTUNITY ACTION 2
4.0 DEFENSIVE CAPABILITIES
IN COMBAT 3
4.1 ARMOR 3
4.11 Cloth-Skin Base 3
4.12 Pliable Leather Base 3
4.13 Rigid-Leather Base 3
4.14 Chain Mail Base 3
4.15 Plate Base 3
4.16 Armor Bonuses 3
4.17 Armor Penalties 3
4.2 SHIELDS 3
4.3 DEFENSIVE BONUS 3
4.31 Superior Armor 3
4.32 Shield 4
4.33 Defenders Quickness 4
4.34 Defenders Position 4
4.35 Magic Items 4
4.4 PARRYING OPTIONS 4
4.41 Melee Parry 4
4.42 Missile Parry 4
4.43 Parrying Limitations 4
5.0 DEFENSIVE CAPABILITIES
IN COMBAT 4
5.1 WEAPON/WEAPON COMBINATIONS 4
5.11 One-handed Weapon With/Without Shield 4
5.12 Two-handed Weapon 4
3.13 One-handed Weapon Combinations 4
5.2 OFFENSIVE BONUS 4
5.21 Superior Weapon 4
5.22 Physical Prowess 4
5.23 Expertise 4
5.25 Position 4
5.26 Magic Items 4
5.27 Offensive Penalties 4
6.0 RESOLUTION OF COMBAT 5
6.1 FIRST SWING DETERMINATION 5
6.2 SWING (AND MISSILE ATTACK)
RESOLUTION 5
6.21 The Combat Roll 5
6.22 Result Determination 5
6.23 Concussion Hits 5
6.24 Critical Strike Types 5
6.25 Critical Strike Severity 5
6.26 Unusual Creature Critical Strike Tables 5
6.27 Critical Strike Interpretations 5
7.0 MANEUVERING, ORIENTATION,
AND MOVING 6
7.1 MANEUVER RESOLUTION 6
7.11 Maneuver Roll 6
7.12 Maneuver Results 6
7.2 ORIENTATION ROLL 6
7.3 MOVEMENT CONFLICTS 6
8.0 TABLES 8-46
8.1 CRITICAL STRIKE TABLES 12-16
8.11 Slash Critical Strike Table 12
8.12 Puncture Critical Strike Table 13
8.13 Crush Critical Strike Table 14
8.14 Large Creature Critical Strike Table 15
8.15 Super Large Creature Critical Strike Table 16
8.2 MISCELLANEOUS TABLES 8-11
8.21 Fumble Table 10
8.22 Maneuver/Movement Table 11
8.23 Battle Round Sequence 8
8.24 Armor Table 8
8.25 Shield Parry Table 9
8.26 Defensive Bonuses and Penalties Table 9
8.27 Offensive Bonuses and Penalties Table 8
8.28 First Swing Determination Table 9
8.29 Maneuver Bonuses and Penalties Table 9
8.3 ONE-HANDED SLASHING WEAPONS 17-24
8.31 Dagger 17
8.32 Falchion 18
8.33 Handaxe 19 8.34 Main Gauche 20
8.35 Scimitar 21
8.36 Rapier 22
8.37 Broadsword 23
8.38 Short Sword 24
8.4 ONE-HANDED CONCUSSION WEAPONS 25-30
8.41 Bare Fist 25
8.42 Club 26
8.43 War Hammer 27
8.44 Mace 28
8.45 MorningStar 29
8.46 Whip 30
8.5 MISSILE WEAPONS 31-37
8.51 Bola 31
8.52 Composite Bow 32
8.53 Heavy Crossbow 33
8.54 Light Crossbow 34
8.55 Longbow 35
8.56 Short Bow 36
8.57 Sling 37
8.6 TWO-HANDED WEAPONS 38-42
8.61 Battle Axe 38
8.62 Flail 39
8.63 War Mattock 40
8.64 Quarter Staff 41
8.65 Two Handed Sword 42
8.7 POLE ARMS 43-46
8.71 Javelin 43
8.72 Lance, Mounted 44
8.73 Pole Arm 45
8.74 Spear 46
9.0 SECOND AND THIRD EDITION RULES 70-71
9.1 MOUNTED COMBAT 70
9.2 POLE ARM'S OPTIONS 70
9.3 THROWN WEAPONS AND MISSILE'S
IN MELEE 70
9.4 TWO WEAPON COMBINATIONS 70
9.5 BOW PREPARATION TIME 70
9.6 CHANGES TO TABLES 70
9.7 CLAW LAW 70
9.8 CONVERSION NOTES 71
9.9 THIRD EDITION MODIFICATIONS 71
10.0 FOURTH EDITION CLARIFICATIONS
AND OPTIONAL RULES 71
10.1 MARTIAL ARTS 72
10.2 CRITICAL RESULTS 72
10.3 CANCELING ACTION 72
10.4 EFFECTS OF STUN ROUNDS 72
10.5 POSITION BONUSES 72
10.6 THE IMPORTANCE OF PARRYING 72
10.7 MISSILE RANGES 72
10.8 ARMOR DAMAGE 72
10.9 SHIELD BASH 72
CONTENTS (Claw Law)
11.0 CLAW LAW
11.1 ANIMAL ATTACK TABLES 47-54
11.11 Beat/Pincher Attack Table 47
11.12 Bite Attack Table 48
11.13 Claw/Talon Attack Table 49
11.14 Grapple/Grasp/Envelope/Swallow
Attack Table 50
11.15 Horn/Tusk Attack Table 51
11.16 Ram/Butt/Bash/Knockdown/
Slug Attack Table 52
11.17 Stinger Attack Table 53
11.18 Tiny Animal Attack Table 54
11.19 Trample/Stomp Attack Table 55
11.2 MISCELLANEOUS ATTACK TABLES 56-58
11.21 Fall/Crush Attack Table 58
11.22 Martial Arts Striking Attack Table 56
11.23 Martial Arts Sweeps and Throws
Attack Table 57
11.3 CRITICAL STRIKE TABLES 59-63
11.31 Critical Strikes for Grappling 59
11.32 Critical Strikes for Martial Arts Strikes 60
11.33 Critical Strikes for Martial Arts
Sweeps and Throws 61
11.34 Critical Strikes for Tiny Animals 62
11.35 Critical Strikes for Unbalancing 63
11.4 WEAPON STATISTICS
11.41 Guidelines for Use of Weapon Statistics 64
11.42 Summary of Historical Weapons 65
11.43 Summary of Fantasy Weapons 65
11.5 ANIMAL STATISTICS
11.51 Guidelines for Use of Animal Statistics 64
11.52 Summary of Animal Combat Capabilities 66
11.6 MONSTER STATISTICS
11.61 Guidelines for Use of Monster Statistics 64
11.62 Summary of Monster Combat Capabilities 67
11.7 MARTIAL ARTS STATISTICS
11.71 Guidelines for Use of Martial Arts 68
11.72 Summary of Martial Arts
Combat Capabilities 69
For a detailed look at the various versions of Arms Law and Claw Law from
1980 to 2003, checkout my Evolution of Arms
Law article (pdf)