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HARP (High Adventure Role Playing) is ICE (Iron Crown Enterprises) all new generic fantasy role playing game. The idea was to take all the best aspects of Role Master and rework them into a simpler more streamlined set of rules. Other goals were to make the game generic (suitable for any campaign world or style) and complete in a relatively short and inexpensive book.
Grubby Sez: One of the problems with reviews is figuring out where the facts end and the opinions start. In an attempt to rectify this, I will insert these “Grubby Sez” bits in whenever I want to express my opinion on something. If you just want the facts, skip these sections. I’ll start by explaining where my opinions are coming from...I’ve read a TON of Fantasy RPGs, of them all, my favorites are D&D Basic&Expert for their simple, complete, generic rules. Tunnels & Trolls, for it’s sense of humor, lack of recordkeeping and speed of play. Warhammer Fantasy Role Play, for it’s style, bestiary, and quirky percentile mechanics. I have never been a fan of Role Master, though my experiences with it are few. I dislike the multitude of tables, and overly complicated rules. I’ve had more experience with MERP (Middle Earth Role Playing, a simplified version of RM). As a player I found MERP playable, but not near as fun as other fantasy games I’ve played. As a GM, I found it to be not much better than role-master in terms of recordkeeping and chart rolling.
THE LOOK OF THE BOOK:
HARP is a 160 page, softcover, perfectbound book. It has a color cover and black and white interior. The text is double column and standard size. There are sever tables throughout the book. Each page is decorated on the outer edge and top. The top decoration has the chapter title in it. There is an illustration ever couple pages. The illustrations are a bit lighter than the text. Each chapter is prefaced with a one page illustration and blurb explaining what the chapter is about. Space is well used.
Grubby Sez: I have to say, I really like the look of HARP. The cover looks much better than it does on the computer, and is almost stunning due to the use of color in the borders and title. The interior has a very easy to read “old school” look to it. The illustrations are actually very generic looking, and a bit comical. This is important to me, since it doesn’t make me feel confined by a particular setting or style of play. The not-so-serious illustrations lend to my particular style of play, so they really work for me. However, as people have already pointed out, it’s a shame they weren’t printed a bit darker, as that would make them much easier on the eyes in contrast to the crisp text.
After completing the first read, I noticed the cover was starting to sperate from the first couple pages. Sigh. Sad thing is, I’m starting to get used to this when I buy game books.
TONE, TUDE, and STYLE OF HARP:
HARP is written in a very compact tight concise style. There isn’t any space wasted on fluff. What you get are the facts, and sometimes brief examples (that are often enjoyable to read). Experienced players will notice right away that this game is designed to mirror D&D d20...except with a different system. This isn’t in the “opinion” part of the review, because anyone who reads it will be able to see it. While some of the names are changed, you will see the same types of classes, races, skills, feats, saving rolls, ect. However the approach and presentation is much different (as well as all the resolution mechanics).
Before we go further, I should say that the HARP mechanics revolve around open ended percentile rolls. The game uses only d10s. It’s not a “classic” percentage system(roll below a target number on a d100 plus or minus modifiers), so even if you hate percentile systems, you may like HARP.
Grubby Sez: I feel like I’ve stepped back into the 80s! HARP reminds me of most of the “old school” games I used to play (which is a good thing IMHO). There is plenty of crunch, but things aren’t stretched out, overexplained and overdetailed. The game sticks to the basics, and things it is likely you will need. HARP does a good job of showing that a 160 page game can do EVERYTHING a 3 volume monster game can do.
There are some things that bother me about HARP right away. The first is the fact that the game assumes that all the readers will have access to a computer to download some recommended items (quick start character guidelines, character sheets, and chargen programs). While everyone that picks up the game just MAY have a computer, I still have a problem with this, it’s annoying to buy a book and be refered to something else on the first page.
Another thing about HARP is it really isn’t written with beginners in mind. Nonexperienced gamers would have a very hard time picking up this game and playing it (not impossible, just hard). For that matter, I don’t know where the back of the book comes off saying you will be up and playing in about an hour. The character generation process takes you all over the rulebook, and I had been reading for over an hour when I realized I still hadn’t learned much about the system. I had to read almost the entire book before I felt confident that I could sit down and roll up a character, and know how the bits and pieces fit together and worked. I won’t go as far as to say the organization is bad, I just don’t like constantly being told, “this is explained in chapter XX”. In fact,it’s not till page 60, chapter 9, that you actually find out how the game mechanics work (it took me longer than an hour to get there). Mybe a group with a GM familiar with the system can be up and playing in an hour, otherwise it’s an outright deception.
CHARACTERS:
Character generation is fairly standard for a RPG. There is a summary at the beginning to make things easier. Of course, in the end, you really have to give the book a read through before the details in the summary make sense. Of course, it’ll be invaluable later on.
The first thing you’ll decide about your character is his Profession. HARP provides 9 of these, with the option of multi-classing. The Professions are, Cleric, Fighter, Harper, Mage, Monk, Ranger, Rogue, Thief, and Warrior Mage. These are all briefly described along with special abilities(specific to that profession), Favored Categories (skills in these categories are cheaper to purchase and improve), and key stats (stats that you will want to be good if you choose this profession). Most of them are exactly what you would think. The Harper is a Bard, a Rogue is a jack-of-all-trades.
Next comes stats, all ranging from 1-105 (percentile system, remember).There are 8 stats in HARP, Strength, Constitution, Agility, Quickness (reaction speed), Self Discipline (willpower), Reasoning (logic), Insight (Intuition), and Presence (charisma). There are 3 suggested options for determining scores, random (40-100), point buy, and point buy for tougher characters. Each skill has a bonus (much like D&D) that is used for skills and such, and a rating for Development Points, the total of which is what you get to spend on improving your character (learning and improving skills, magic, ect.) every time you level up.
The last thing we choose before getting into the real gritty stuff is race and culture. There are 7 races in HARP, Dwarf, Elf, Gnome, Gryx, Halfling, and Human. Gryx are a peacefull race or orclike creatures. Each race has a short description of how the race looks, acts, lifespan, and special abilities. There are also rules for creating Hybrids of varying degrees (for that half elf, half dwarf we all want to play! :)). Players also select a culture for their players background, there are 7, nomadic, urban, ect. Each culture brings with it a few freebie skills. Along with race we also get height, weight, base movement, our “resistance Bonuses” (Stamina, Will, and Magic...saving throws, in other words). We also get 2 very important skill progression numbers for Endurance (Hit Points) and Power Points (magic Points)..these skills progress a bit different than normal skills (see skills below).
Grubby Sez: I really like how the Professions are briefly described, to allow for maximum customization in any fantasy setting. I think the Harper and Rogue could have been combined into one Profession. The Monk and Warrior Mage could have been dropped. And I wish people would use the word WIZARD instead of Mage all the time. All in all though, the selection will please most people (IMHO).
I have mixed feelings on the stats. I prefer as few stats as possible, just because I don’t like memorizing things (especially new names for stats we’ve all seen before). I think the game could have easily gone with just 6 (or even 4) stats. However, the stats all do represent distinct character traits, so I think most people will be happy with them in play. As far as generating them, I would have prefered a random table like, roll 1d10, 1=40, 2,3=50, 4,5,6=60, 7,8=70, 9=80, 10=90 as one of the options...hey, maybe I’ll just use that table :)
The races are wonderful. They affect me much like the Professions. They are described enough that you know what they are, but aren’t near detailed enough to be anything but generic, and suitable to any style of play. I’ve always been partial to the short races, and the ones in harp feel a little more carefree and “cute”, and that’s fun to play IMHO. Honestly, I don’t like the Gryx (Preparing to be flamed). I think it is a specific setting race shoved into an otherwise generic ruleset, and is very out of place. Since it isn’t generic, and it isn’t described well, I’m left wondering just what the hell to do with the Gryx. It would have been better to save this race for the HARP setting book when it came out, it goes against the “generic” goal of the book.
Cultures are just one of those neat little extras. It isn’t really necessary, but does help to add a little dimension to the PCs background. I think it’s a cool addition.
SKILLS AND TALENTS:
Once you have the above done, it will be time to pick your Skills, and then your Talents (the equivalent of Feats in D&D d20).skills and talents include combat and magic skills, so it is a good idea to have knowledge of how these work (or you’ll have to redo your character when you realize he didn’t pick any weapon skills). Remember, you also received some freebies based on Race, Profession, and Culture.
Skills are learned by spending Development Points (based on stats...remember?). They cost 2 (per level) points when chosen from your favored categories and 4 from unfavored categories There are caps based on your current level Untrained skills start at a negative, and trained skills progress at 5% for the first 10 ranks, 2% for the next 10 and 1% beyond that. A few skills work differently (most importantly Endurance and Power Points, mentioned earlier) but that is the standard progression.
Skills are actually used by rolling an open ended d% (96-100 reroll and add), adding your skill bonus and the related stat bonus, a modifier for the difficulty of the task, and trying to get over 101. Of course, there are variations on this roll, but for now, those are the basics.
There are 10 skill categories with 3-9 skills each, for a total of 60 skills. Some skills have sub-skills (that are a little more difficult to preform). Looking through the skill list, it is pretty standard and complete.
Talents are basicly things you know or don’t know, some are rather costly. There are 41. Some of them are quite interesting (speak with magic creatures, for example).
Grubby Sez:There really isn’t that much opinion involved with the skills and talents. I like the fact that the list is (relatively) short and to the point. As GM, I’ve always liked knowing that I have a good grasp of ALL the rules. Short (but varied and complete) skill and spell lists are always a plus to me.
The progression of the skills is a bit quirky. I assume it represents the added complexity of improving on a skill once you start to get really good at it. It does add a sleight level of complexity, but nothing most gamers can’t handle. Again, for some reason, this rule screams “old school” to me.
I have to say I HATE the use of the word “Chi” in the title of several skills. This gives the game a feeling of drawing from the orient. I feel “classic” (generic, being the goal of the game) fantasy comes basicly from european roots. Oriental adventures isn’t generic. Chi should go the way of the Gryx.
EQUIPMENT:
All characters start with 10 plus 1d10 gold pieces. The monetary system runs 10 to 1 for platinum, gold, silver, and copper. Pretty standard fare for RPGs (the same as D&D d20, I believe).
HARP includes 4 pages of equipment to buy, with a very nice variety. Should be all the list you need.
Grubby Sez: URG! Everything is priced in different denominations! Sure it adds a level of realism, but who wants to do all the conversions from cps to gps to sps??
As my above complaint, the weapon list includes oriental weapons. Imagine the 9 companions from the Lord of the Rings...now imagine Sam jumping into battle with nunchaku!! Yeah, like I said, ruins the classic fantasy feel, these should have been included in a supplement, perhaps the worldbook if it includes an asian nation.
CHAPTER 9! HOW TO DO STUFF:
Chapter 9 covers 2 different things. The first, and most important, is Maneuvers. The second is all those misc. rules, like traps, falling damage, starvation, healing, ect. ect. These second things are covered as well as in any game, and are compatible with the rest of the system.
Maneuvers is probably the most important section in the book. It should have been described right off the bat in the first chapter, so everything else would have made more sense from the start (notice, I didn’t reserve that comment for the opinions, because I feel that it is fact). It is really hard to describe Maneuvers in brief, since the rulebook has already described it as briefly as possible, and it takes 7 pages for them to do so. The standard roll has already been described. There are more details for more specific types of rolls. Basicly, there is one table (that you are recommended to photocopy in the text) that you use for most rolls. There are 4 columns on the table, corresponding to your roll (open percentile roll plus bonuses modified by situation). One column is for difficult tasks, telling you what percentage of the task has been completed. One column represents a bonus on your NEXT roll, if you already rolled for a related skill when attempting a related task. One column represents Resistance Rolls, producing the target number for an opponent when rolling against you (this also applies to resisting the results of spells). The last column is for spell results. You must roll to cast spells and be successful.
There are also several details to consider with each roll. There are certain standard modifiers for some rolls (for example, Resistance Rolls have Stamina, Will, Magic, and Skill vs. skill subcategories). Spell casting has 6 possible outcomes, including fumble. We also get a nice little chart to cover the results of fumbles in all categories (a pretty funny chart to read).
Grubman Sez: Did that make sense? Probably not. Like I said, you have to read the entire section to really get it. While the system is percentile, it is a roll high. The basic mechanic (roll plus modifiers over 101) is nice. If the system would have ended there, I think it would have been much more streamlined and playable. The Maneuver system requires quite a bit of mastery and number crunching. I think HARP is attempting to improve on the way d20 does things. The beginning of the book succeeds in simplifying and streamlining things, but the Maneuver task resolution system starts to show some clunk. One of my major peeves with d20 is the plethora of modifiers involved, HARP isn’t any better...in fact it is worse, instead of adding 1d20 plus 3 plus 2 plus 2 for a result, you find yourself adding numbers like 1d100 plus 9 plus 6 plus 20. Sometimes this result is crossrefferenced on a chart for even more complications or you have to subtract a modifier. does it work? Yes, if you’re not in a hurry to get anything done.
COMBAT:
Combat in HARP involves a number of steps. First you declare your intended action for the round . Next roll Initiative, 1d10 plus 2 stat modifiers, plus modifiers from a list. Then determine the results of the declared actions.
Making an attack is where things get complicated. To make an attack roll, you roll an open ended percentile roll (immediately applying fumbles or re-rolls (each weapon has a different fumble range)). To this roll you add your Offensive Bonus (the total of weapon skill, stat,optional combat styles, magic items and any other misc. modifiers). From this, subtract the opponents Defensive Bonus ( the total of bonuses from quickness, armor, shield, special items, skills, maneuvers, ect. ). The result is called the Attack Roll, if it is 1 or greater, you have hit and add or subtract a size modifier for the weapon you are using...this is called the Adjusted Attack Roll. Look this number up the adjusted attack roll on one of 14 critical hit tables (determined by weapon type) to see what damage was done. The critical hit tables are fun to read (but not as much fun as WFRP) unfortunately, the become monotonus and time consuming in play.
That’s the combat system in it’s simplest form. There are further details and complications that will take way to much time to go over. It should be enough to say that all the standards of role-playing combat are covered, and fit into the above summary.
Grubman Sez: As much as we like to deny it, the combat system is usually the core of any fantasy game system. If the combat system doesn’t work, there is a good chance the game will fail. HARPs combat system works, however, my one session limited experience with it left me with a bad taste in my mouth. Reading through it made me raise an eyebrow, but playing was the real test. There is just to much number crunching (and with large awkward numbers) for the game to be enjoyable for me and to much chart rolling. I’m not saying it is a bad system...it just isn’t right for me. I was under the impression that HARP was supposed to simplify and streamline the ideas from RM and D&D, but I see the same excessive use of modifiers, and HARP adds addition and subtraction to slow things down even further. This review is following the way I felt when I read the rulebook, things started out very positive, but the further I got, the more I started wondering what happened during the development of HARP!? Things started out so strong and streamlined, maneuvers added some unnessesary complications, and combat made the game...well..un-fun! Old School FEEL is one thing, but old school outdated ideas and techniques is another.
MAGIC:
For the most part, spells function the same as any skill. You purchase them the same way, and you roll the same way to cast one successfully (or fumble, as noted earlier). Some spells give the target a resistance roll (savin roll) . All spells cost power points to cast, PPs are purchased and improved like skills also. A spellcaster must have ranks in the spell equal to the PP cost in order to be able to cast it. Spellcasters can also disrupt spells by casting counter spells (making a Maneuver roll plus counterspell bonus plus 2 x insight. The caster must exceed this roll to cast successfully).
Spells are divided into 6 categories. Anyone can cast spells from the Universal category. The other categories are based on Professions, and are exclusive to those (Clerical, Harper, Mage, Ranger, and Warrior Mage). There are 119 spells total (if I counted correctly) described effectively.
Grubby Sez: The spell system reads cool, and the idea of spellcasters battling it out is really neat. After being slightly discouraged by the combat section, the magic section had me ready to try HARP again. Unfortunately, in play, magic suffered from the same drags as skills and combat. To much time consuming math, rolls, and crunching. A player playing a wizard wants to cast frigging spells! When his spells fail 50% of the time, and are countered by enemy wizards a percent of what’s left, he feels cheated.
STUFF FOR THE GM:
Only 35 pages, or so, are devoted to stuff mainly for the GM. A short chapter on Herbs and poisons that some people will undoubtedly have a lot of fun with. A short chapter on Monsters and encounters. There is a large chart detailing stats for 42 monsters. Monsters are further described in a brief paragraph each. There is a very nice section of Magic items. There are some interesting ones I haven’t seen before (but with all the magic item books out there I haven’t read, that probably doesn’t mean much). We finish the book off with a scant 6 pages of GM tips. This is mostly basic stuff to vets, but not enough for newbies, as it doesn’t tell anything about crating adventures and the like. We also learn how to award experience points...GMs fiat.
Grubby Sez: The monster section is functional, but I would much rather have had 10 more pages filled with illustrations of each creature, and more detailed stat blocks. HARP fails in this one area because it becomes obvious that a book of monsters is oing to be produced, taking away from the one rulebook charm of the game.
GRUBMANS CONCLUSION:
HARP is a great idea. A short affordable no frills generic game. It comes in a solid complete package. I feel this game will be the holy grail many gamers are looking for (if there is one thing I’ve learned in my years of playing is different strokes fer different folks). It is very complete, and if I liked the mechanics, or didn’t have any other options, I would be very happy playing it. It works. However, it just didn’t “do it” for me. There aren’t very many original ideas (although I like the couterspell idea) and just not enough to make me switch over from one of the generic fantasy games I already feel comfortable with. While I would love to jump on the bandwagon of a IN PRINT fantasy game, I know I won’t enjoy playing HARP as much as Basic D&D, T&T, WFRP or my own homebrew fantasy game. The game system just has to many modifiers, math, and required tables for my taste.
One of the real questions is how it will compete against D&D d20? To that I think very well. All the concepts of HARP will be familiar to players of D&D d20. Those who like these ideas and long for different mechanics (or more complicated mechanics...I know there are those people out there!) may really love HARP. Players on a severe budget will also find HARP just what the doctor ordered, since it lives up to it’s claim of being everything you need in one short book. It’s only (real) fault is that it isn’t newbie friendly.
HARP left me feeling good about where our hobby is heading. If someone can do the same thing AND make the game easier to master and faster (and again, easier) to play, I’ll be the happiest gamer on the planet.
Last thought...I don’t feel like I wasted my money buying HARP, even though I probably won’t play it again.
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