Remember these MERP/Rolemaster critical hit tables?

I've been tidying up my library. Had a quick browse through the 1984 MERP boxed set and amused myself remembering these. MERP (Middle Earth Roleplaying) was a lighter version of Rolemaster from Iron Crown Enterprises. Tolkein Enterprises subsequently ended ICE's Middle Earth license in 1999.

 

[Dour-n-Taciturn]

We used them in 3rd edition D&D on criticals/natural 20's as well. Good times. The d100 system is a little tedious to do arithmetic with, so we usually avoided the base Rolemaster system/s. Reminds me a little of HARN.

 

[drl2]

I owned a few of the MERP books but never actually got around to playing the game. Reading through them, the system struck me as a standard fantasy game sprinkled with a light dusting of artificial Tolkien flavor crystals.

(Not sure what ever happened to those books, but last week while rummaging in my basement I found something called "The Lord of the Rings Adventure Game" which I don't remember buying, but it seems to have a pristine rulebook, punch-out minis, and a starter adventure for a slimmed-down LotR RPG...)

 

[Alexander Kalinowski]

I owned a few of the MERP books but never actually got around to playing the game. Reading through them, the system struck me as a standard fantasy game sprinkled with a light dusting of artificial Tolkien flavor crystals.

I think that is what a lot of us want: standard fantasy gaming but in the world of Bilbo and Aragorn.

 

[pantsorama]

"Shot through heart. Reels 10 feet to a spot suitable for dying. Weapon stuck in spinning victim for at least 3 rounds."

Also - you give love a bad name (-20 on all social interactions)

 

[SteveC]

I know this is a "rise from your grave" thread, but seeing it again reminded me of how my tastes in gaming have changed. I used to love Rolemaster. I had a near complete collection. And even now I have "Versus the Darkmaster" which is very inspired by MERP.

The thing is, with those systems, even when playing as defensively as you can, you're basically a couple of die rolls away from dying. All the time! I'm not sure how to work with that without losing what makes the game unique.

I think if I were playing that kind of a system now, it would be very different in practice.

But I do love the "Vs Darkmaster" system, so maybe I'd give it a try.