User:Elton Robb/House Rules Elton

Anyway, some of these house rules may cause some to balk; or even put pressure to use official rules for simulationist gaming from TSR (i.e. Player's Option: Combat and Tactics). However, I find the tables in Player's Option: Combat and Tactics confusing and distracting.
Arms Law[2] and Spell Law[3] from Iron Crown Enterprises comprise the combat system we will use in Birthright: The Gulf of Coeranys. ICE's combat system is just as deadly as Player's Option: Combat and Tactics and much less confusing. However, incorporating ICE's highly realistic combat system means some powerful changes --- and new options --- for my AD&D game: a boon for players.

These changes come directly from Arms Law (RMSS Edition); I don't think that Arms Law (2003 Edition) has these changes. It's considerably smaller.
Weapon Skill
To calculate the skill with a weapon that a character has proficiency in we use the following formula:
OB = ([20 - THAC0] x 7) + Stat Bonus
To determine the Stat Bonus for a given weapon, look up the most appropriate Ability Score on page 131 of Arms Law (RMSS Edition) (Strength for melee, and Dexterity for missile). A character has a -25 bonus (before stat modification) with a weapon with which he has no proficiency.

For example: Archduke Aeric Boeruine is an Anuirean fighter of level 12. He has a strength of 17. As an accomplished swordsman Aeric has a THAC0 of 9. To calculate his Offensive Bonus we subtract 9 from 20 = 11; and then multiply that by 7 = 77. Then we add his Stat Bonus (as determined as +20 on page 131 of Arms Law) for being so capable: 77+20 = +97. This means that he has a +97 Offensive Bonus, a very dangerous and experienced swordsman.
Level Bonuses
AD&D Levels are not the same as levels in Rolemaster. so we will use the following:
Warriors ........................................ +5 per level
Rogues .......................................... +2 per level
Mages ........................................... +0 per level
Priests of Haelyn, Cuireacen, and Belinik
.................................................. .... +3 per level
Priests of Ruornil ............................... +0 per level
Priests of Laerme, Eloele, and Sera ....... +1 per level
Priests of the other gods ..................... +2 per level
'Offensive Bonus
The remaining factors of OB are the same as presented in Arms Law: Section 5.5 (RMSS Edition). Yes, this means that a copy of the RMSS Edition PDF is required. Fortunately, it doesn't cost that much.
Initiative Points
Under Arms Law, the person with the most Initiative Points often goes first. You convert your Dexterity bonus from a 3-18 bonus to a 1-100 bonus, according to the chart on page 131 of Arms Law.
Hit Points
Arms Law is designed so that a fighter will take just over 100 hits by 10th level. Unblooded and Scion characters without a domain (Law, Source, Temple, or Guild) must multiply their hits by 2 and add 10. Regents, however, must multiply their hits by 2 and add 20! The extra 10 hits conform to the regency 10 hit point rule in the BIRTHRIGHT Rulebook.
Example: Aeric Boeruine, according to Sword and Crown has 100 hit points. Under the Arms Law system, Aeric would have 180 hits plus his 20 for being a regent: 200 hit points!

One of the best things about using Arms Law is having Martial Arts rules that actually work and aren't hard to understand. Although Cerilia doesn't have indigenous monks that does not mean that the Anuireans, Brechts, Vos, Rjurik, or Khinasi didn't improve their abilities to fight with weapons over time. They have indeed developed their own martial arts.
These rules for Cerilian Martial Arts are developed using the Martial Arts Companion[4] for the Rolemaster Standard System[5].

Basic Style --- [35 points; 1 Weapon Proficiency Point]
Description --- Anuirean Swordsmanship has a long tradition going back thousands of years to the first coming of the Andu to Cerilia. The present schools of Swordsmanship have a long geneaology back to the first schools founded by Haelyn and Raesene (the Black Prince) a long time ago. As a result, there are thousands of different schools and styles of Anuirean Swordsmanship. From the common to the most obscure. Anuirean Swordsmanship is designed for combat during war or adventure; and many of the Rules of Swordsmanship were set down by Raesene himself before becoming the Gorgon. The common weapon for an Anuirean Swordsman was the broadsword or the longsword. It is from Anuirean Swordsmanship that both the Brecht Art of Defence and the Anuirean Art of Defence descended.
Recommended Weapon Proficiencies---Dagger, Longsword, Broadsword
Weapon Style Abilities [Core]---Longsword and Dagger melee attack [10 points]; +2 to Initiative [10 points]; +1 to the Critical roll [15 points]

Advanced Weapon Style [45 style points -- 2 Weapon Proficiency slots]
Description --- Khinasi Swordsmanship had it's beginnings in Djapar and Masetia. However, what sets Khinasi Swordsmanship apart from Anuirean Swordsmanship is the presence of Djapar Steel (which has the same properties as Damascene Steel[6]). The Basarji brought the knowledge of how to make this high quality steel from Djapar, and have been improving it. As a result, Djapar Steel is lighter and holds its edge better than Anuirean Steel; although the Anuireans have been improving their steels since El-Arrasi liberated the Khinasi from the Anuirean Empire.
This property of Djapar Steel allows the Khinasi to make their sabers large one handed swords thinner than the standard Anuirean Great Sword (Two-Handed Sword) or Rjurik Claymore. Besides the hacking that Anuirean knights perform when they are fighting with their Great Swords, the Khinasi are able to slash and cut with their sabers and falchionated swords. In fact, it is the the saber that spurred Anuirean and Brecht development of the rapier. Khinasi Swordsmanship have few individualized swordplay schools for the swordsman. Two well known schools are located in Binsada and Ariya. But they all have one thing in common. Teaching a student how to better kill his opponent through slashing, cutting, and thrusting rather than just hacking and thrusting.
Recommended Weapon Proficiencies--- Dagger, Longsword, Saber; feint, disarm
Weapon Style Abilities [Core]--- Saber and Longsword attack [10 points]; +2 to intiative rolls [10 points]; +1 to the Critical Roll [15 points]; +2 AC Dodge Bonus (+10 DB Parry bonus) [10 points]

'''Advanced Weapon Style -- 2 Weapon Proficiency Slots" [55 Style Points]
Description --- As Anuirean war technologies advanced, so did sword technologies. After the revolt of the Khinasi by El-Arrasi, the Anuireans came face to face, once again, with Djapar Steel. Although Roele took the Basarji of Cerilia by surprise and managed to unite Cerilia through his mighty armies and superb generalship; this time the shoe was on the other foot. El-Arrasi led the Khinasi with a fervor to be free themselves. Through the use of excellent strategy, Djapar Steel, Battle Magic, and Realm Magic, El-Arrasi managed to destroy the Anuirean occupation forces.
The Anuireans were summarily defeated and forced back to Anuire. However, they learned from their defeat and created a light-weight sword that was based on Brecht designs. Called the rapier, the sword edge was thin, long, and extremely light. Although the Anuirean longsword and bastard sword will remain staples of Anuirean armies; the Rapier became favored of a few nobles. As a result, a new martial art grew out of Anuirean Swordsmanship that became very different from Brecht styles. The Anuirean Art of Defence, or Anuirean Fencing: relies on accuracy, speed, and agility.
This style is best practiced without armor. Armor gets in the way of the speed of the Art, so the nobles train without it. The emphasis is on self-defense: parrying, feinting, and dodging your opponent's thrusts and repostes. The targets are often the face and the belly in Anuirean Fencing. The lunge, an important aspect in Anuirean Fencing, is a signature trait move. A move eventually adopted by the Brechts.
Recommended Weapon Proficiencies--- Rapier, feint, disarm
Weapon Style Abilities [Core]--- +4 Mobility Bonus to AC (+40 DB Bonus) [30 points], Rapier melee attack [5 points]; +2 to Initiative Rolls [10 points]; +2 Bonus to Feint (+10 OB Bonus to Feint) [5 points]; +2 bonus to Disarm (+10 OB bonus to Disarm) [5 points]

Basic Weapon Style [30 Points -- 1 Weapon Proficiency Point]
Description--- Brecht Fencing is an old sword form, a direct descendant from Brecht Swordsmanship: a swordform so ancient that it's nearly extinct. This part of Brect Fencing describes the 1-handed Style. Klauenstrichen is described below and elsewhere on the Birthright Wiki.
Brecht Fencing, which all Brecht Infantry learn, is superficially like Anuirean Fencing. It relies on speed, but it also relies on finesse. Like Anuirean Fencing, Brecht Fencing emphasizes straight line attacks and the use of the point rather than the edge. Unlike the Anuireans, who developed their Fencing techniques in response to the Brechts and the Khinasi; the Brechts had to develop their Fencing Techniques in direct response to the Vos.
Along the Krakennauricht, the Brechts had to face invasions from the Vos numerous times. The Vos, with their powerful, animalistic way of fighting broke many a Brechtish longsword. As the Vos' swordfighting and weapon art techniques involved forceful weapon breakage and hacking. As both cultures encountered one another their sword arts began to evolve and change. Unlike the flair that the Anuireans developed, the Brechts depended on straight targeting. While the Vos developed a sword art that is as flourishable as Anuirean Fencing. Still, the Art depends on Self Defense. Parrying sword blows, dodging footwork, lunging, and thrusting are very important.
Recommended Weapon Proficiencies--- Rapier, feint, disarm
'''
Weapon Style Abilities [Core]'''--- +2 Dodge Bonus to AC (+10 DB Bonus) [15 points], Finesse Rapier melee attack (Dex based) [5 points]; +2 to Initiative Rolls [10 points]

Advanced Weapon Style [50 Style Points, 2 Weapon Proficiency Slots]

Description

---

The few Vos that worship Lirovka and Haelyn have resurrected this Art from the ancient days of the Vos, when the Vos worshiped Vorynn. The Art was resurrected and re-evolved from fighting with the Brechts and the Khinasi. Resurrected in Melyy and Yeninskiy, the art is beautiful and deadly to behold. The few Vos who practice it use the Jiàn, the ancestral sword of the Vos. It has also carried it's own rules of honor. In it's resurrected form, the ancient honor code of the Vos is blended with the honor code of Haelyn and Raesene the Black Prince. In the Ancient Days of Aduria, Vos Taijijiàn was practiced by the Wudan caste.
The stance of Taijijiàn[7] is standing before your opponent with your jiàn drawn and pointed at your opponent with the hilt behind your ear. Then you attack with beautiful sword swipes, thrusts, and slashes; all in all, 32 forms. Vos Taijijiàn is a tad slower than Anuirean Fencing, but is no less beautiful with its circular movements, strikes, and thrusts. An ancient tribute to the glorious days of the Vos when the Vos did not descend into barbarism.
Recommended Weapon Proficiencies---Jiàn (short sword) weapon proficiency
Weapon Style Abilities [Core]

---

+2 Dodge Bonus to AC (+10 DB Bonus) [15 points]; Jiàn melee attack [5 points]; +1 to Initiative Rolls [5 points]; +2 bonus to Meditation [10 points]; All-around Defense [15 points]

Advanced Weapon Art [40 style points --- 2 Weapon Proficiency Slots]
Description--- The Way of Belinik is the most practiced Weapon Art in Vosgaard today; and can be found to be practiced by almost all Vos in Vosgaard and in the Five Peaks. It is a brutal, animalistic, and barbaric weapon style that has been developed over the centuries from living in Vosgaard. It is a way that has adopted the Vos' style of barbaric honor as its own. Named after Belinik, one of Vosgaard's greatest warriors and the God of Terror himself.
The Way of Belinik stresses strength and raw power. It's almost instinctive in the way it is carried out. It involves a lot of shouting, yelling, and war crying! It is also the one weapon art that is incredibly "dirty" in that it involves a lot of hacking. The principle weapon of the Way of Belinik is the axe, the next is the sword, and the final piece is the shield. This is not the civilized, artistic art of Taijijian; but a weapon art that is worthy of the environment of Vosgaard itself.
Recommended Weapon Proficiencies---Axe or short sword weapon proficiency
Weapon Style Abilities [Core]

---

Axe and short sword melee attack [10 points]; Weapon Breaker [10 points]; Shield Training [20 points]

Click here for a picture of a Sidhe Archer.
Advanced Weapon Style --- [50 style points, 2 weapon proficiency slots]
Description --- Elven archery was developed to be deadly and quick. The Sidhelien of Cerilia usually used a longbow with a 40 lb. draw before the coming of the human tribes. Now, with the introduction of the Dhoesonian Longbow during the reign of Roele, a bow with a 100 lb. draw, the elves have been using the human long bow design to train their archers to shoot fast and furious. The result are elven archers that shoot more rapidly than a human archer.
Eventually, Rhuobhe Manslayer also adopted the human longbow for training. The result was a change in Ghillie Sidhe tactics used by the Manslayer. The quickness as to which Rhuobhe's elven archers can draw their arrows is still a tactical problem for Avanil's, Tournen's, and Boeruine's armies. Although there were times in the past where Rhuobhe had gained significant ground, realm magic was used to drive Rhuobhe back. Thus, Sidhelien Archery is a tactical advantage over human archery. While the Elves of Tuar Annwn and the Lluabraight still use 40 lb longbows in their training, almost every other realm adopted the Dhoesonian Longbow as a training bow for their archers.
Recommended Proficiencies --- Longbow
Weapon Style Abilities --- Longbow missile attack [5 points]; -10 to range penalties [10 points]; +1 to the critical Roll [15 points]; Reloading, greater [20 points]

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