Middle-earth Role Playing: Difference between revisions

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(I sensed the wings of the Eagle... ;-))
(Changed ", 2nd ed." to proposed "(2nd edition)")
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*(1986) 8102 [[MERP: Phantom of the Northern Marches|Phantom of the Northern Marches]]
*(1986) 8102 [[MERP: Phantom of the Northern Marches|Phantom of the Northern Marches]]
*(1986) 8103 [[MERP: Trolls of the Misty Mountains|Trolls of the Misty Mountains]]  
*(1986) 8103 [[MERP: Trolls of the Misty Mountains|Trolls of the Misty Mountains]]  
*(1987) 2800 [[MERP: Isengard and Northern Gondor, 2nd ed.|Isengard and Northern Gondor, 2nd ed.]]
*(1987) 2800 [[MERP: Isengard and Northern Gondor (2nd edition)|Isengard and Northern Gondor (2nd edition)]]
*(1987) 3100 [[MERP: Riders of Rohan, 2nd ed.|Riders of Rohan, 2nd ed.]]  
*(1987) 3100 [[MERP: Riders of Rohan (2nd edition)|Riders of Rohan (2nd edition)]]  
*(1987) 3300 [[MERP: Havens of Gondor|Havens of Gondor]]
*(1987) 3300 [[MERP: Havens of Gondor|Havens of Gondor]]
*(1987) 3400 [[MERP: Sea-Lords of Gondor|Sea-Lords of Gondor]]  
*(1987) 3400 [[MERP: Sea-Lords of Gondor|Sea-Lords of Gondor]]  
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*(1989) 3110 [[MERP: Mount Gundabad|Mount Gundabad]]
*(1989) 3110 [[MERP: Mount Gundabad|Mount Gundabad]]
*(1989) 4020 [[MERP: Empire of the Witch King|Empire of the Witch King]]
*(1989) 4020 [[MERP: Empire of the Witch King|Empire of the Witch King]]
*(1989) 8001 [[MERP: Combat Screen, 2nd Ed]]
*(1989) 8001 [[MERP: Combat Screen (2nd edition)]]
*(1989) 8004 [[MERP: Lords of Middle-earth Vol III|Lords of Middle-earth Vol III: Hobbits, Dwarves, Ents, Orcs & Trolls]]
*(1989) 8004 [[MERP: Lords of Middle-earth Vol III|Lords of Middle-earth Vol III: Hobbits, Dwarves, Ents, Orcs & Trolls]]
*(1989) 8006 [[MERP: Treasures of Middle-earth|Treasures of Middle-earth]]
*(1989) 8006 [[MERP: Treasures of Middle-earth|Treasures of Middle-earth]]
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=== MERP 2nd Edition ===
=== MERP 2nd Edition ===


*(1993) 2000 [[MERP: Middle-earth Role Playing 2nd ed. Hardcover|Middle-earth Role Playing 2nd ed. Hardcover]]
*(1993) 2000 [[MERP: Middle-earth Role Playing (2nd edition, hardcover)|Middle-earth Role Playing (2nd edition, hardcover)]]
*(1993) 2001 [[MERP: Middle-earth Role Playing 2nd ed. Softcover|Middle-earth Role Playing 2nd ed. Softcover]]
*(1993) 2001 [[MERP: Middle-earth Role Playing (2nd edition, softcover)|Middle-earth Role Playing (2nd edition, softcover)]]
*(1993) 2003 [[MERP: Campaign Guide, 2nd ed|Campaign Guide, 2nd ed]]
*(1993) 2003 [[MERP: Campaign Guide (2nd edition)|Campaign Guide (2nd edition)]]
*(1993) 2004 [[MERP: Middle-earth Role Playing Combat Screen & Reference Sheets|Middle-earth Role Playing Combat Screen & Reference Sheets]]
*(1993) 2004 [[MERP: Middle-earth Role Playing Combat Screen & Reference Sheets|Middle-earth Role Playing Combat Screen & Reference Sheets]]
*(1993) 2006 [[MERP: Valar and Maiar|Valar and Maiar]]
*(1993) 2006 [[MERP: Valar and Maiar|Valar and Maiar]]
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*(1994) 2008 [[MERP: Middle-earth Role Playing Poster Maps|Middle-earth Role Playing Poster Maps]]
*(1994) 2008 [[MERP: Middle-earth Role Playing Poster Maps|Middle-earth Role Playing Poster Maps]]
*(1994) 2009 [[MERP: Palantír Quest|Palantír Quest]]
*(1994) 2009 [[MERP: Palantír Quest|Palantír Quest]]
*(1994) 2010 [[MERP: Treasures of Middle-earth, 2nd ed.|Treasures of Middle-earth, 2nd ed.]]
*(1994) 2010 [[MERP: Treasures of Middle-earth (2nd edition)|Treasures of Middle-earth (2nd edition)]]
*(1994) 2011 [[MERP: Moria, 2nd ed.|Moria, 2nd ed.]]
*(1994) 2011 [[MERP: Moria (2nd edition)|Moria (2nd edition)]]
*(1994) 2012 [[MERP: Creatures of Middle-earth, 2nd ed.|Creatures of Middle-earth, 2nd ed.]]
*(1994) 2012 [[MERP: Creatures of Middle-earth (2nd edition)|Creatures of Middle-earth (2nd edition)]]
*(1994) 2013 [[MERP: Elves|Elves]]  
*(1994) 2013 [[MERP: Elves|Elves]]  
*(1995) 2014 [[MERP: Dol Guldur|Dol Guldur]]
*(1995) 2014 [[MERP: Dol Guldur|Dol Guldur]]
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*(1995) 2016 [[MERP: Lake-town|Lake-town]]
*(1995) 2016 [[MERP: Lake-town|Lake-town]]
*(1995) 2017 [[MERP: The Shire|The Shire]]
*(1995) 2017 [[MERP: The Shire|The Shire]]
*(1995) 2018 [[MERP: Angmar, 2nd ed.|Angmar, 2nd ed.]]
*(1995) 2018 [[MERP: Angmar (2nd edition)|Angmar (2nd edition)]]
*(1995) 2019 [[MERP: Mirkwood, 2nd ed.|Mirkwood, 2nd ed.]]
*(1995) 2019 [[MERP: Mirkwood (2nd edition)|Mirkwood (2nd edition)]]
*(1996) 2020 [[MERP: Southern Gondor, The People|Southern Gondor, The People]]
*(1996) 2020 [[MERP: Southern Gondor, The People|Southern Gondor, The People]]
*(1996) 2021 [[MERP: Southern Gondor, The Land|Southern Gondor, The Land]]
*(1996) 2021 [[MERP: Southern Gondor, The Land|Southern Gondor, The Land]]

Revision as of 15:27, 10 December 2009

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

Description

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 and as such it represented a version of Middle-earth radically different to that seen in The Lord of the Rings or The Hobbit.

The game has a loyal and strong following.

This was the first licensed role-playing game based on this setting; the second was the Lord of the Rings Roleplaying Game from Decipher Inc.

In Sweden a translated version called "Sagan om Ringen: Rollspelet" was released in 1986, but it never became popular, possibly because the ones who liked the setting already had bought the U.S. version or people preferring Drakar och Demoner.

Publications

  • (Year) Stock# Title

MERP 1st Edition

MERP 2nd Edition

External Links

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