Tenkar's Tavern: Anyone Play HARP?

Tuesday, August 21, 2012

Anyone Play HARP?

I have a crapload of the system in paperback - bought when whatever entity that took over for ICE was clearing out inventory. Heck, I just picked up the HARP 2nd edition rules in PDF for 5 bucks (I got a link - if you want the link, let me know - ~~I won't be posting it~~ it's in the comments of the post) and truth be told, I don't know what the differences are.

Heck, I'm not even sure what the difference is between HARP, Rolemaster and Rolemaster Express.

The thought did occur to me that if I wanted to run a smaller group, say 2 to 3 players, a system like HARP (if you want levels with skills) or Crypts & Things would be the more obvious choices. I suspect with the critical charts, HARP would be a tad less forgiving if the players ran into a stretch of bad luck.

So, can someone tell me a bit about HARP? Is it worth me breaking out the books and giving it a serious read through? Is 1e all that different from 2e? Or should I move them on to storage? (I think the Loot book looked portable to other systems, so that might stay)

Help me Tavern Patrons! You are my only hope ;)

4 comments:

Thomas LadegardAugust 21, 2012 at 8:31 PM
Yeah, I'd be interested in that link if you would like to send it over.
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Erik TenkarAugust 21, 2012 at 8:36 PM
@thomas - send an email to trubluniteATgmailDOTcom and I'll get it out to you
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Erik TenkarAugust 21, 2012 at 9:29 PM
linky: http://www.rpgnow.com/index.php?discount=91524

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Tori BergquistAugust 23, 2012 at 2:38 PM
Harp 2E is a bit of an improvement. I ran it for a few sessions; it's a streamlined and improved (refined?) variation of Rolemaster, and it was very akward at the game table, so we abandoned it after three sessions, although everyone agreed it was still more fun than RM.
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Why "Swords & Wizardry?"

Believe me when I say I have them all in dead tree format. I have OSRIC in full size, trade paperback and the Player's Guide. I have LL and the AEC (and somewhere OEC, but I can't find it at the moment). Obviously I have Basic Fantasy RPG. Actually, I have the whole available line in print. Way too much Castles & Crusades. We all know my love for the DCC RPG. I even have Dark Dungeons in print, the Delving Deeper boxed set, Astonishing Swordsmen & Sorcerers of Hyperborea. BOTH editions of LotFP's Weird Fantasy and some dead tree copies of the Greyhawk Grognards Adventures Dark & Deep

I am so deep in the OSR when I come up for breath it's for the OSR's cousin, Tunnels & Trolls

So, out of all that, why Swords & Wizardry? Why, when I have been running a AD&D 1e / OSRIC campaign in Rappan Athuk am I using Swords & Wizardry and it's variant, Crypts & Things, for the second campaign? (Actually, now running a S&W Complete campaign, soon to be with multiple groups)

Because the shit works.

It's easy for lapsed gamers to pick up and feel like they haven't lost a step. I can house rule it and it doesn't break. It plays so close to the AD&D of my youth and college years (S&W Complete especially) that it continually surprises me. Just much less rules hopping than I remember. (my God but I can run it nearly without the book)

I grab and pick and steal from just about all OSR and Original resources. They seem to fit into S&W with little fuss. It may be the same with LL and the rest, but for me the ease of use fit's my expectations with S&W.

Even the single saving throw. That took me longer to adjust to, but even that seems like a natural to me now. Don't ask me why, it just does. Maybe it's the simplicity of it. At 45 52, simplicity and flexibility while remaining true to the feel of the original is an OSR hat trick for me ;)

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Tuesday, August 21, 2012

Anyone Play HARP?

4 comments:

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