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Although not a true Rolemaster Moment, it is within the
same RPG System. This
is actually a Spacemaster Moment. =================================================================
One
night, my wife was the G.O.D. (Gaming Operations Director). She
also knew how much I loved the Kobayashi Maru test used in Star
Trek. She decided to create her own. However, it was NOT a
computer simulation.
My character was the Commanding Officer of the Battle Frigate (only Dreadnoughts and Battleships are bigger) T.E.W. Despoiler. The fleet his ship was a part of was to defend the Kurandon System and Sector against highly probable Snekra assault. It happened. They attacked.
The Snekra came with a fleet almost twice our size. During the battle, a Snekra Dreadnought had destroyed the Despoiler's Auxilliary Bridge with a Pulsing Plasmatic Torpedo. Later, the Bridge was partially destroyed from the overload effect of a Snekra Pulsed Fusion Ion Cannon blast upon the Despoiler's Barrier Shields. Needless to say, the Bridge was left a mess. However, as our only Battleship, the T.E.W. Massacre was being detonated by massive fire, the Despoiler was left as the largest capital ship to defend the Kurandon Sector. Otherwise, all we had were a few Destroyers and Cruisers. (Yes, in this world, Frigates are much larger than Cruisers, and Cruisers larger than Destroyers.)
Big problem, the Despoiler's Weapon Control Console was damaged. The Despoiler had no teeth to bite with its bark. Half the Bridge crew were dead. The only available Bridge Officer to repair the Weapons Control Console was my character. Another problem. My character had NO skill ranks in the repair of a Bridge Console System. Due to his training, he did have knowledge. Thus, I went to repair the console and hopefully save the day. Actually, I think I was only trying to stave off the inevitable. I felt we had no chance of winning. Thus, the Kobayashi Maru re-invented. Like everyone else, I dislike losing.
Since I had no skill ranks, this meant a -25 no ranks bonus. However, the G.O.D. decided that since I had knowledge, I could use my Reasoning Bonus of +17. Thus, my starting roll was -8. My wife nonchalantly said, "Roll."
My roll: 98, 97, 100, 98, 34!! This gave me a total of 419 (98 + 97 + 100 + 98 + 34 - 25 + 17). My wife ruled that I repaired the Weapon Control Console so well that it also went on Automatic Point Defense Control (APoDeC). Thus, we were able to hold off long enough for the 401st Dreadnought Expeditionary Fleet to arrive and finish saving the day.
I have always used this incident to prove that the highly improbable, if not impossible, can happen with the Open-Ended d100 roll.
This is what I LOVE about the Rolemaster/Spacemaster system.
Of course, I think I still hold the record for Low-Open also. On
one INCREDIBLE! fumble, I rolled: 03, 98, ,98, 96,
42 for a total of -331. I’ve yet to see anyone roll lower. BTW:
This fumble DID behead myself. Ouch?
=================================================================
My wife always tells me that I still hold both records within our Role Playing Group. However, for some reason, I still refuse to believe the High-Open incident happened.
I know the incredible Fumble happened. How can one forget actually beheading themselves? However, that is another story.
Way back in '95, I got my first introduction to Rolemaster. The GM handed everyone pregenerated characters -- I ended up with a 1st-level cleric (I don't recall his patron or anything about his faith) who, despite an impressive skill-level with a sword, didn't seem to be able to hit the right side of a fat cow. It didn't matter what sort of bonuses or circumstances I was in, it was like I was totally incapable of rolling a net score over 40 for this character. Not that I didn't try.
Only one exception to this ever came up, and it wasn't until we were around 7th level or so. The group had stumbled into a drake's lair, and everyone went in swingin'. The paladin went right for the face, meaning to keep it occupied; the archmage stepped back and started flingin' death-magic. The rogue went for a flanking position, and my hapless cleric went for the other flank (any chance to get another bonus...)
This went as expected for about five rounds of combat, with me consistently scoring well below average. When my turn came up on round six (or so), everyone else started reaching for their dice, certain their turns were about to come up. Instead, I surprised everyone by rolling a ninety-six.
Followed by a ninety-eight. THEN a ninety.
For the first time in his career, the cleric had managed to open-end an attack roll -- and did it TWICE.
It gets better. When the GM asked, "What's your OB?" I stood up and proudly yelled, "DOES IT MATTER? I HIT HIM!"
I, (Xaon Windsong) the Bard, made my... tolerable performance with the aid of a rogue to, "earn" some money. After my performance a kind man gave me a drink if I were to leave the tavern, so I kindly accepted the offer. Later the Rogue and I went to a general market to try to steal some goods, seeing that we were broke. Why I am not sure, but the Rogue was caught stealing 10' poles, and exclaimed, "Get the bard, he's helping me! He made me do it!"
So my... err, friend and I were caught and thrown in prison. While our higher level monk was attempting to enter the keep (due to the fact that he had faction against the keep), the rogue told me to play my lute left to me by my somewhat rich nudist father, so play I did. The Rogue FINALLY picked the lock and made his way out to the door, where it opened to show one guard blocking his way, and 3 guards in the room behind him playing "D&D." So the Rogue used his martial arts skill to kick the guard, but he grabbed the foot. So the... less than clever rogue tried again... soon the guard brought the escapee by dragging him on his back, opened the cell door to a bard with fingers dripping blood from the non-stop playing.
Then a few hours afterward the guards brought us to a series of caves, gave us somewhat decent equipment, and told us to stop the kobolds and goblins. Well the Rogue and I made one last attempt at thievary, as I began to speak to the mass of heroes. Even with some hints within the speach to tell the rogue to try to steal something, he criticized me in front of the public. I gave up on speaking and went over to bash his head with my sword when I realized it's not there... IT WAS GONE!!! I looked over at the Thief in the party... and understood that her 6th level power clearly was superior to mine. So I dared not accuse her and when the rogue checked for his stuff... well you can guess :). I was given a sword by the nice Thief and we went in the first cave in sight. Soon we were up against a dozen kobolds. The monks looked at each other and decided their move. I pulled out my lute, the Rogue his rapier, and the thief her bow... well the one of the monks tripped into the trap while the other got shot and his arm fell to the ground... soon to become a pin cuission for 4 more arrows. The thief took care of all of the Kobolds and saved the... less than alive party.
From there we thought that it was a... "well played" session and the time was of late. But there you have it, The first chapter in the epic tales of Xaon the Bard!
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