RPGMemes

Rolemaster manages it by making each spell utterly static, give only a minimal and insufficient description and make these spells either pointless or stupidly OP depending on our DM.

Just look at this: http://www.merp.se/spell_lists/Fire_Law.pdf

Boil Liquid — For each level of caster, one cubic foot of liquid can be heated to boiling at a rate of 1 cubic feet per round.

Literally the whole spell description outside of a tiny list of stats. So can I boil oil with this and throw it in people's faces? Does it work on water in a container? Does it have to be a cube of water or can it be a puddle of 1 cubic foot total volume? All left to DM fiat.

Warm Solid — Any solid inanimate, non-metal material (up to 1 cubic foot per level) can be warmed to 37°C at a rate of 1 cubic foot per round of concentration.

This is a spell they wrote. Most low level spells in Rolemaster could be replaced by a prestidigitation effect.

Woodfires — Causes any wood to ignite and burn. All wood ignited must be within a one foot radii.

Another one that just doesn't answer anything. Can I ignite wood that's painted? Can I do it under water? Does plant fiber count as wood? What about barkskin? Can I set a treant on fire with this? If so, how much damage does it do? The spell does not say.

Rolemaster is terrible.

But how many of the Rollmaster spells are actually useful?

Well Rollmaster has multiple authors/designers and the benefit of 43 years of accumulated writing and knowledge.

While I am completely unfamiliar with the system, this information make me want to actively avoid it. Options and details are great up to a point, but past that point it's just adding more stuff for the sake of having more stuff. And if your selling point is "look at this unironically ridiculous and pointless amount of stuff" then I question your priorities and quality standards.

Rolemaster is impressive in many, many, many regards.

Should be “me” and not “I”.