High Adventure Role Playing

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High Adventure Role Playing
Designer(s) Tim Dugger & Heike A. Kubash
Publisher(s) Iron Crown Enterprises
Publication date December 12, 2003
Genre(s) Fantasy
System percentile

High Adventure Role Playing (HARP) is a fantasy role-playing game, designed by Tim Dugger & Heike A. Kubash, and published by Iron Crown Enterprises (ICE).

Contents

[edit] Background

HARP is produced by the same company that produces Rolemaster, but the mechanics of the system are very much simplified in comparison. The system also takes cues from the d20 system,

The HARP HQ website illustrates their simplified philosophy regarding gameplay, "Are you tired of restricting rules and boring combat? Tired of characters that are tied to a rigid caste or alignment system? Are you ready for some action, excitement and adventure?!" [1] This statement serves to distinguish themselves from Rolemaster and d20.

[edit] System

The HARP book is 15 chapters long, with the first nine devoted to character generation.

[edit] Professions

HARP has Professions that fill the role that character classes do in some other role-playing games. The Professions in HARP are: Cleric, Fighter, Harper, Mage, Monk, Ranger, Rogue, Thief, and Warrior Mage. HARP's Professions are designed to be flexible, with a single level progression chart allowing the player to build the character he or she wants from the base profession.

[edit] Statistics

A system of eight statistics are used for characters featuring Strength, Constitution, Agility, Quickness, Self Discipline, Reasoning, Insight and Presence. Statistics range from 1 to 105.

Statistics are generated during character creation one of three ways. First is to roll 1d100 eight times, (rerolling any result below 40,) and assign the eight results. Second is to divide 550 points amongst the eight scores, with an increased cost to raise a score above 90. Third is to roll 10d100 and add the total to 500, then assigning that total to the scores as in method two.

Much of the game play revolves around the ability scores, (the Development Points that are used throughout the rest of character creation are based on these scores,) so a character generated with method one runs a risk of not being playable, though the chance of a highly exceptional score is possible.

[edit] Races and culture

Like the d20 system, player characters in HARP belong to one of a set of fantasy races: Human, Dwarf, Elf, Gnome and Halfling; Harp adds the Gryx, a race who are physically similar to Orcs, with a more peaceful mentality.

Unlike the d20 system, HARP does not directly offer mixed races. Instead characters may purchase Greater and Lesser Blood Talents to customize their character. Greater Blood Talents reflect the more tradional half-race, (meaning that the character is half the Base Race and half the Race chosen with the Blood Talent,) while Lesser Blood Talents represent traits from inter-racial ancestors.

Cultures represent the other side to the nature versus nurture equation. These traits represent the character's upbringing, from nomadic and rural, to urban and underhill. These directly influence the character's background, starting location, clothing, demeanor and language.

[edit] Skills

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 perform). Each profession receives 20 starting ranks, divided among their favored skill categories, and can build from there with development points.

Skills are used by rolling an open ended d100 (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. Difficulty modifiers range from Mundane(ly Easy) (+60) to Absurd(ly difficult) (-100).

Spells are purchased in this stage as well, each spell is purchased as a separate skill. Several professions have a Professional Sphere of spells, and any character may purchase spells from the Universal Sphere. Spells are powered by Power Points, and in order to be able to cast a spell, a character must have a rank in that spell equal to the power points needed. Spells can be scaled upwardly, thereby increasing the required power points and skill ranks needed to cast the scaled version of the spell.

[edit] Talents

Talents are roughly equivalent to Feats in the d20 system. Forty-one talents make up the Master List and include Dark Vision, Blazing speed, Ambidexterity, Familiar, Athletic, Shapechanger and Outdoorsman. Special Starting Items such as an Item of Quality or a Loyal Domesticated or Unusual Animal or Creature are also available. Fate Points are a way to aid in dice rolls, a single Fate Point is worth +50 on the dice and can be purchased at a cost of 5 development points to a maximum of 5 Fate Points.

[edit] Training Packages

Training packages are sets of linked skills that come at a discount and hail from a common background. Characters may take one package per level. Examples include Bounty Hunter, Astothian Archer, Jade Dragon, and Tyrian Sage. This is roughtly akin to d20 system's Prestige Class

[edit] Awards

On August 21, 2004, HARP won the Silver ENnie for Best Non-d20 Game at GenCon. [2]

[edit] Pricing

HARP is available from Iron Crown's website. [3] The Hardcover edition retails for US$25.00, and an Adobe PDF version is available for US$10.00. A demo version of the game called HARP Lite is available for free download. [4]

[edit] References

  1. ^ http://www.harphq.com/whatisharp.htm
  2. ^ http://www.enworld.org/ennies/2004.html
  3. ^ http://store.ironcrown.com/items.jsp?category=9188
  4. ^ http://www.harphq.com/free_downloads/3000L_HarpLite.pdf HARP Lite

[edit] External links

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