tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7652921.post6677791174670292186..comments2024-03-27T22:32:17.055-05:00Comments on Jeffs Gameblog: MERP memoriesJeff Rientshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17493878980535235896noreply@blogger.comBlogger8125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7652921.post-49136877205145707742012-08-16T21:11:38.300-05:002012-08-16T21:11:38.300-05:00Because of the lethality of the MERP combat system...Because of the lethality of the MERP combat system, I eventually introduced "fate points" into my games. PCs would earn the fate points as they gained levels and could burn the fate points to offset combat criticals and other disastrous rolls. To give the system more of a LOR feel than a AD&D variant feel, I tended to discourage non-human characters and eliiminated most minor magic. If you had a magic item, it then became a REAL, REAL big thing. For example, a PC had a Dwarven helm with more-or-less a fear spell in/on it. Until the owner actually needed to use the artifact, he had to keep it under wraps for fear of thievery and Dwarven attempts to retrieve the artifact.<br /><br />CarlAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7652921.post-7388054138032168662007-06-26T11:19:00.000-05:002007-06-26T11:19:00.000-05:00Loved the RM/MERP critical tables. Movement/Maneu...Loved the RM/MERP critical tables. Movement/Maneuver...not so much. But, they were easily forgotten.<BR/><BR/>After D&D we cut our teeth on MERP and then worked in bits of RM (additional crit tables, classes, etc.). It was great fun, didn't really feel like "Middle Earth". Our party consisted of: Brave Sir Eric: the chicken-hearted elf-wizard who always wore armor (even tho with it on he couldn't cast spells). The Half-Troll and the The Orc rounded out the group. Good Times.<BR/><BR/>If I remember right, wouldn't the 3rd level dude who stuck the Wight get boku experience for killing such a high-level opponent, thus like launching him several levels up?<BR/><BR/>RichAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7652921.post-65558501982855143862007-06-21T15:43:00.000-05:002007-06-21T15:43:00.000-05:00This comment has been removed by the author.Kathleenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11248105744263116792noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7652921.post-72139447561788355442007-06-21T10:40:00.000-05:002007-06-21T10:40:00.000-05:00"[...]It was only within the last five or six year...<I>"[...]It was only within the last five or six years that I've read the Lords of the Rings from start to end.[...]"</I><BR/><BR/>Out of a general, vague sense of obligation to do so, I've tried several times to choke that sucker down, but I've never made it past Helm's Deep.S. John Rosshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12284417121877141161noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7652921.post-9354746319489037892007-06-18T00:25:00.000-05:002007-06-18T00:25:00.000-05:00Morale to this story: Don´t mix the paradigms of A...Morale to this story: Don´t mix the paradigms of Adventure Gaming!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7652921.post-53440033300263902362007-06-16T10:55:00.000-05:002007-06-16T10:55:00.000-05:00Our group had pretty much the same experience with...Our group had pretty much the same experience with <B>MERP</B>. We ended up going after the trolls in the Trollshaws rather than barrow-diving. Three trolls, five players, and the combat lasted I think two hours in real time... and was finished by three criticals in quick succession against the trolls. After that we all looked at each other and said, "Let's go back to D&D."<BR/><BR/>I've always liked the <B>MERP/RM</B> critical system and the spell point system, and have adapted bits of it to various pre-<B>3E D&D</B> campaigns over the years, usually with less than spectacular results. Most players I've encountered just don't like the extra detail, even when it goes in their favor. And gods forbid you try to bring a non-<B>d20 System</B> element into <B>3E D&D</B>! Nearly had a riot on my hands that time. One of the reasons I hate <B>3E</B> as I do, I suppose.<BR/><BR/>I've jury-rigged a spell point system and a critical system somewhere shy of the level of detail found in <B>MERP</B> for my current <B>Castles & Crusades</B> game. We'll see how this group likes it... maybe next time I can try out the full <B>MERP</B> crit tables!James Mishlerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10588233931813111541noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7652921.post-52150482408972698862007-06-16T00:47:00.000-05:002007-06-16T00:47:00.000-05:00Keep on blogging. You'll note that i've again used...Keep on blogging. You'll note that i've again used your thoughts as a springboard for my own over at Adelaide Gamer. I never got to play with MERP, couldn't deduce it from the modules and never saw a copy. Loved the modules for themselves (Can't say that about the TSR equivalents).Adelaide Gamerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02052999343460635401noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7652921.post-84064264776371135552007-06-15T18:12:00.000-05:002007-06-15T18:12:00.000-05:00MERP was definitely not tailored to the world. I r...MERP was definitely not tailored to the world. I recall playing in a convention game of MERP and being a little put off by how much it didn't feel like the Hobbit or Lord of the Rings.<BR/><BR/>ICE games (other than Silent Death) were always somewhere between "a little" and "way the hell" above the level of niggliness I cared for in a game.* I still have a copy of Star Strike, but only because I haven't yet found someone to trade it to.<BR/><BR/>*Other games that vary between niggly and insane: Phoenix Command, Rolemaster (ICE!), Champions...I think I avoided any others.Alexhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04200883230437111275noreply@blogger.com