Since I own both the FRPG and RMU Core rules and use them with ERA, I want to start by saying that without ERA, I wouldn't have resumed playing Rolemaster after a 24-year hiatus due to the lack of local players. ERA has truly been a game changer, allowing me to go online and recruit players from around the world. Additionally, it eliminates the need to remember every single rule, as the system provides guidance and reminders for both you and your players. ERA does not include the rulebooks, so I will here summarize the evolution of RM FRPG to RMU:

Looking to the difference between FRPG and RMU:

The Rolemaster system underwent significant evolution between the 1999 and 2024 editions. Comparing the chapter outlines reveals key changes in approach and content:

1999 Edition (Rolemaster Fantasy Role Playing):

Part I: Introduction: Provides a general overview of the Rolemaster system, its various components (character creation, performing actions, the GM's task), and a list of related products. It also defines key terms and explains dice rolling conventions.

Part II: Creating a Character: Details the step-by-step process of character creation, including race, profession, stat generation, skill development (adolescence and apprenticeship), background options, and final character preparation. It emphasizes flexibility and customization.

Part III: Performing Actions: Focuses on resolving actions in a tactical environment (mostly combat), including attacks (melee, missile, spells), maneuvers (static and moving), and movement. It introduces the concept of activity percentages and action sequencing (snap, normal, deliberate).

Part IV: The GM’s Task: The World System: Guides the Gamemaster on world-building, including plot development, non-player characters (NPCs), setting creation (civilized areas, countryside, adventure sites), and awarding experience points.

Part V: Appendices: Contains detailed reference material on races, professions, stats, skills, training packages, role traits, equipment, creatures, spells, attack tables, and record sheets.

2024 Edition (Rolemaster Unified Core Law):

Chapter 1: Introduction: Similar to the 1999 introduction, but with a stronger emphasis on the evolution of the system and its modularity. It highlights the streamlining of rules and the addition of new mechanics. It also introduces the concept of optional rules.

Chapter 2: Characters: Retains the core concepts of character creation but streamlines the process. It emphasizes character concept and background development more strongly than the 1999 version. The section on races is significantly expanded, including many new races and a system for GM-created races. The profession system is also revised, with a focus on skill costs and the concept of realms. The stat generation method is altered, and stat gains are simplified.

Chapter 3: Skills: This chapter is entirely new and provides a detailed explanation of the skill system. Skills are categorized thematically, and the system for determining skill bonuses is clarified. The concepts of similar skills, complementary skills, and conflicting skills are introduced.

Chapter 4: Talents: This chapter is also new and introduces a system for optional talents and flaws. Talents provide special benefits or bonuses, while flaws impose disadvantages or penalties. The system for purchasing and improving talents is detailed.

Chapter 5: Maneuvers & Movement: Combines and streamlines the movement and maneuver rules from the 1999 edition. It clarifies the distinction between Absolute and Percentage maneuvers and introduces new mechanics for encumbrance and fatigue.

Chapter 6: Equipment: This chapter covers equipment, including breakage and repair. It provides a simplified system for determining the cost and weight of equipment.

Chapter 7: Weapons & Armor: This chapter details the rules for weapons and armor, including improvised weapons and armor. It provides a revised system for Armor Types and clarifies the mechanics of attacks and defenses.

Chapter 8: The Combat Round: This chapter details the combat round, including actions, initiative, movement, and action sequencing. It introduces the concept of Action Points and clarifies the rules for resolving attacks.

Chapter 9: Attacks: This chapter details the rules for resolving attacks, including melee, ranged, and spell attacks. It clarifies the mechanics of criticals, fumbles, and other attack results.

Chapter 10: Attack Tables: Provides the attack tables for various weapons and attack types. The tables are streamlined and improved for consistency.

Chapter 11: Critical Tables: Provides the critical tables for various attack types. The tables are streamlined and improved for consistency.

Chapter 13: Health: This chapter covers health, healing, and death. It provides detailed rules for treating injuries, including the use of medical skills, herbs, and spells. It also covers the mechanics of death, decomposition, and revival.

Chapter 14: Psychology: This chapter covers the psychology of NPCs, including initial reactions, social skills, fear, morale, and rallying.

Chapter 15: The Environment: This chapter covers environmental hazards, including biomes, drowning, extreme temperatures, falling, falling objects, poison, and disease.

Indexes: Provides indexes for professions, skills, talents, and tables.

Key Differences Summarized:

Streamlined Rules: The 2024 edition significantly streamlines the rules, making the core mechanics more consistent and easier to understand. Many exceptions and complex rules from the 1999 edition have been removed or simplified.

Expanded Content: The 2024 edition expands on several areas, particularly races, skills, and talents, providing more options for character creation and customization.

Modular Design: The 2024 edition emphasizes a modular design, making it easier for GMs to customize the rules to fit their specific game worlds.

New Chapters: The 2024 edition introduces entirely new chapters on talents, and psychology, providing more depth and detail in these areas.

Revised Combat System: The combat system is streamlined, with a greater emphasis on tactical decision-making.

Improved Tables: The attack and critical tables are revised for greater consistency and clarity.

Detailed Appendices: The appendices are more organized and easier to navigate.

In short, the 2024 edition represents a significant refinement and expansion of the Rolemaster system, building upon the foundation of the 1999 edition while addressing criticisms and incorporating new ideas. The shift is towards a more streamlined, customizable, and player-friendly experience.

Great asset for our group running RMU. Looks like it handles the other flavors as well.

The best RM ruleset so far.

Definitely plays better with a lot of automation/spreadsheeting, but not required. I played more complicated RM versions without any of that for decades.

Leagues more fulfilling than D20 systems.

Wow, this book is jam packed with endless lists of stuff. There's nothing else out there like it. I love to let players roll their treasure random and man the lists of available treasure is mind boggling.

The ultimate atlas for one of the best and largest Fantasy world for RPGs

Using ERA with Rolemaster RMU still wanting creatures modules to be released. Has all the functions my players need. Helps speed up combat.

The content is excellent, but the pdf contains low-resolution graphics, which are not pretty when printed.

Content: 5 Illustrations: 1 Total: 3

Excellent spell lists, solid rules that work around them and interesting professions. The only thing letting this down as well as core law is the artwork. Looking at the old rolemaster and especially the Harp cover art had more character in my opinion. The cover art for RMU is a puzzling choice indeed. Basically I love the rules but are a little disappointed each time I pick the book up and look at the cover.

It took a long time for this edition to reach the fans, but it was worth the wait. Rolemaster Unified brings the Rolemaster style of dynamic detail, crunch, character depth and ease of play into a streamlined edition for both new and old fans alike. RMU is for dedicated roleplaying with a wide range of options and moving parts to create heroes, villains and monsters to tell stories of drama, conflict and perilous adventure in your choice of setting. I am thoroughly impressed with what ICE did with this new edition, look no further!

An amazing collection of spells and the rules to handle them in your story and setting, true to the Rolemaster tradition but in the brand new and excellent Rolemaster Unified edition, bringing this awesome system into the current rpg era with a bang.

So of the three currently published RMU books, Treasure Law is by far the most insane. Pages and pages of text and details about item creation, crafting and spells. Thousands of gems and metals and woods and everything else you may need.

Not essential for your game... but so much detail you can use for some many things... it's a must buy.

Lots of information and good examples. For lovers of deep roleplaying and items with interesting stories, its a great resource.

Okay, full disclosure: I was the primary author on this book. However, I'm also quite capable of being dissatisfied with my own work. There were a number of goals I had for a new Spell Law, and I believe these were largely achieved.

As noted, there are no more gaps in the 1-20 spell levels. I added two additional high level slots to give higher level characters more to play with. You just get more with each spell list.

I also wanted to strengthen the character of the Realms, so when I added spells, I tried to make them distinctive, and some things got moved around. I added some extra lists to Essence so that the "elemental" Realm wasn't the only one where some characters did not have access to an elemental bolt attack. Each Realm now has its own spell failure tables. More could be done, of course, but that is going to be setting-dependent (and there is some discussion of how to adjust magic rules for individual campaigns).

I also wanted to distinguish the approach of the pure spellcaster from that of the semi-spellcaster, who develops more mundane skills. One obvious example is the way that Clerics and Paladins handle the Undead. In previous editions, both had spells that would simply blast the Undead (inspired by the venerable "Turn Undead" ability of the most famous RPG). Now, Paladins have spells that enhance their physical attacks on unholy foes, while Clerics attack directly with Undead-blasting spells.

There was also a lot of work put into making the spells consistent over the various lists. You may still see the same spell with a parameter of "self" in the Mentalism version and targetable to another in the Essence version. That's a difference of Realms. The spell effect, however, needed to be identical if the spell name was the same. There were actually quite a few cases that required cleaning up in this respect.

There's a general streamlining of rules, as well as a good deal of work in clarity of rules and consistent treatment across the system. I don't think clearer rules for spell research or ritual magic have ever been published for Rolemaster.

Is the result a perfect spell system, destined to eclipse all other lesser tomes of game magic? Of course not. It is, however, a work I present to the world with pride.

This is a fantastic rpg in the tradition of Middle Earth Role Playing and Rolemaster. I run multiple home campaigns with it and it is a concise, dense ruleset, incredibly detailed and as light or heavy as you want to make it. I cannot recommend it enough!

Great update to Rolemaster. No more empty spell levels. Better description of spells and great artwork.