Middle-earth Role Playing: Difference between revisions

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[[Image:merp_logo.png|thumb|MERP 2nd Ed. logotype]]
[[Image:merp_logo.png|thumb|MERP 2nd Ed. logotype]]


'''Middle-earth Role Playing''' (MERP) was a subset of the Rolemaster role-playing game rules set in [[J.R.R. Tolkien|Tolkien's]] [[Middle-earth]] and published by [[Iron Crown Enterprises]].   
'''Middle-earth Role Playing''' (MERP) was a subset of the Rolemaster role-playing game rules set in [[J.R.R. Tolkien]]'s [[Middle-earth]] and published by [[Iron Crown Enterprises]].   


== Description ==
== Description ==
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*(1982) 2500 ''[[The Court of Ardor]]''
*(1982) 2500 ''[[The Court of Ardor]]''
*(1983) 2600 [[Northern Mirkwood (1983)|''Northern Mirkwood'' (1983)]]
*(1983) 2600 [[Northern Mirkwood (1983)|''Northern Mirkwood'' (1983)]]
*(1983) 2700 ''[[Southern Mirkwood]]''
*(1983) 2700 ''[[Southern Mirkwood|Southern Mirkwood: Haunt of the Necromancer]]''
*(1983) 2800 ''[[Isengard and Northern Gondor]]''
*(1983) 2800 ''[[Isengard and Northern Gondor]]''
*(1984) 2600 [[Northern Mirkwood (1984)|''Northern Mirkwood'' (1984)]]
*(1984) 2600 [[Northern Mirkwood (1984)|''Northern Mirkwood'' (1984)]]
Line 98: Line 98:
*(1990) 8203 ''[[Calenhad: A Beacon of Gondor]]''  
*(1990) 8203 ''[[Calenhad: A Beacon of Gondor]]''  
*(1991) 8205 ''[[Nazgûl's Citadel]]''  
*(1991) 8205 ''[[Nazgûl's Citadel]]''  
*(1991) 8302 [[Minas Ithil (book)|Minas Ithil]]''  
*(1991) 8302 ''[[Minas Ithil (book)|Minas Ithil]]''  
*(1992) 3113 ''[[The Grey Mountains]]''
*(1992) 3113 ''[[The Grey Mountains]]''
*(1992) 4002 ''[[Northwestern Middle-earth Gazetteer]]''
*(1992) 4002 ''[[Northwestern Middle-earth Gazetteer]]''
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*(1993) 2004 ''[[Middle-earth Role Playing Combat Screen and Reference Sheets]]''
*(1993) 2004 ''[[Middle-earth Role Playing Combat Screen and Reference Sheets]]''
*(1993) 2006 ''[[Valar and Maiar]]''
*(1993) 2006 ''[[Valar and Maiar]]''
*(1994) 2002 [[MERP: Middle-earth Role Playing Accessory Pack|Middle-earth Role Playing Accessory Pack]]
*(1994) 2002 ''[[Middle-earth Role Playing Accessory Pack]]''
*(1994) 2005 [[MERP: Arnor, The Realm|Arnor, The Realm]]
*(1994) 2005 ''[[Arnor: The Realm]]''
*(1994) 2007 [[Minas Tirith (1994 book)|''Minas Tirith'' (2nd edition)]]
*(1994) 2007 [[Minas Tirith (1994 book)|''Minas Tirith'' (2nd edition)]]
*(1994) 2008 [[MERP: Middle-earth Role Playing Poster Maps|Middle-earth Role Playing Poster Maps]]
*(1994) 2008 ''[[Middle-earth Role Playing Poster Maps]]''
*(1994) 2009 [[MERP: Palantír Quest|Palantír Quest]]
*(1994) 2009 ''[[Palantír Quest]]''
*(1994) 2010 [[MERP: Treasures of Middle-earth (2nd edition)|Treasures of Middle-earth (2nd edition)]]
*(1994) 2010 [[Treasures of Middle-earth (2nd edition)|''Treasures of Middle-earth'' (2nd edition)]]
*(1994) 2011 [[MERP: Moria (2nd edition)|Moria (2nd edition)]]
*(1994) 2011 [[Moria (1994 book)|''Moria'' (2nd edition)]]
*(1994) 2012 [[MERP: Creatures of Middle-earth (2nd edition)|Creatures of Middle-earth (2nd edition)]]
*(1994) 2012 [[Creatures of Middle-earth (2nd edition)|''Creatures of Middle-earth'' (2nd edition)]]
*(1994) 2013 [[MERP: Elves|Elves]]  
*(1994) 2013 [[Elves (book)|''Elves'']]  
*(1995) 2014 [[MERP: Dol Guldur|Dol Guldur]]
*(1995) 2014 [[Dol Guldur (book)|''Dol Guldur'']]
*(1995) 2015 [[MERP: The Kin-strife|The Kin-strife]]  
*(1995) 2015 ''[[The Kin-strife]]''
*(1995) 2016 [[MERP: Lake-town|Lake-town]]
*(1995) 2016 ''[[Lake-town (book)|Lake-town]]''
*(1995) 2017 [[MERP: The Shire|The Shire]]
*(1995) 2017 [[The Shire (book)|''The Shire'']]
*(1995) 2018 [[MERP: Angmar (2nd edition)|Angmar (2nd edition)]]
*(1995) 2018 [[Angmar (book)|''Angmar'' (2nd edition)]]
*(1995) 2019 [[MERP: Mirkwood (2nd edition)|Mirkwood (2nd edition)]]
*(1995) 2019 [[Mirkwood (book)''|Mirkwood'' (2nd edition)]]
*(1996) 2020 [[MERP: Southern Gondor, The People|Southern Gondor, The People]]
*(1996) 2020 ''[[Southern Gondor: The People]]''
*(1996) 2021 [[MERP: Southern Gondor, The Land|Southern Gondor, The Land]]
*(1996) 2021 ''[[Southern Gondor: The Land]]''
*(1996) 2022 [[MERP: Arnor, The People|Arnor, The People]]
*(1996) 2022 ''[[Arnor: The People]]''
*(1997) 2023 [[MERP: Arnor, The Land|Arnor, The Land]]
*(1997) 2023 ''[[Arnor: The Land]]''
*(1997) 2024 [[MERP: Lord of the Rings Poster Map|Lord of the Rings Poster Map]]
*(1997) 2024 ''[[Lord of the Rings Poster Map]]''
*(1997) 2025 [[MERP: The Northern Waste|The Northern Waste]]
*(1997) 2025 ''[[The Northern Waste]]''
*(1997) 2026 [[MERP: Hands of the Healer|Hands of the Healer]]
*(1997) 2026 ''[[Hands of the Healer]]''


== Translations ==
== Translations ==

Revision as of 19:13, 30 October 2010

MERP 2nd Ed. logotype

Middle-earth Role Playing (MERP) was a subset of the Rolemaster role-playing game rules set in J.R.R. Tolkien's Middle-earth and published by Iron Crown Enterprises.

Description

Cover of MERP, 2nd ed.

The system was somewhat like Dungeons & Dragons with character classes and levels. Classes available included Animist (Cleric), Bard, Fighter, Mage, Ranger and Scout (Rogue). The system departed in having a highly detailed combat and magic system.

In the MERP game system, attributes are rating between 0 and 100, and skills can surpass these limits (under 0 or over 100). An attack roll would consist of a percentile roll + skill rating + attribute rating - target's dodge rating. This result was looked up on a table against the victim's armor type (leather/plate). Most hits in combat would cause a 'critical' which would be rolled and looked up on separate tables. For some, these criticals are quite entertaining due to their variety and creativeness, but for others the task of adding and subtracting high numbers and then consulting a table is the height of roll-playing, not role-playing.

Spell casters had the unique advantage in MERP that they learned lists of 10 spells (1 per level) as a unit. Once a character learned the Healing list, he would be able to cast increasingly better healing spells as his level increased.

The setting for this game predates the War of the Ring by around 1400 years (the majority of the modules were set in the years after the Great Plague, ca. Third Age 1640) and as such it represented a version of Middle-earth different to that seen in The Lord of the Rings or The Hobbit.

Metal miniatures

Two different companies issued authorized figures for use with MERP. In 1985, Grenadier Models released their Lord of the Rings Middle Earth series. In 1987, the license was transferred to Mithril Miniatures, which still produces Middle-earth metal miniatures (although post-ICE figures have no reference to MERP).

Publications

  • (Year) Stock# Title

MERP 1st Edition

MERP 2nd Edition

Translations

  • Finnish: Keskimaa Roolipeli (KERP)
  • French: Le Jeu De Role Des Terres Du Milieu (1987-2000)
  • German: Mittelerde - Das Klassische Rollenspiel System (1987-1998)
  • Italian: Il gioco di ruolo del signore degli anelli
  • Japanese: ?
  • Polish: ?
  • Spanish: El Señor de los Anillos (Castellano), El Senyor dels Anells (Catalan) (1989-2004)
  • Swedish: Sagan om Ringen: Rollspelet (1986-1990)

Further developments

MERP has a loyal and strong following, which can be seen in the multitude of material which has been written for the system since ICE lost their license. The main channels are:

External Links

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