From: [s p bcn s p] at [ucl.ac.uk] (Mr Neville Steven Percy)
Subject: MERP Second Ed : Review
Date: Wed, 13 Jul 1994 17:15:25 GMT
[g--eg--o] at [pacific.mps.ohio-state.edu] (Greg Mohler) writes:
>I believe MERP II has been out for awhile, I think, and I'm just
>curious as to whether anyone has seen what changes they've done, and
>if the quality has dropped at all. I've heard rumours that ICE is in
>not-so-hot financial shape (that is, even more so than most gaming
>companies) these days. Thanks in advance.
If anyone else has anything more than rumour to pass on (or even rumours!)
I would be interested to hear how ICE are doing... I know Terry Amthor has
posted here occasionally -- are you listening Terry ?
MIDDLE-EARTH ROLE PLAYING
S e c o n d E d i t i o n
--------------------------
This is perhaps a somewhat grandiose title for it; the book has been completely
re-hashed, but the _game_ is in fact largely the same.
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It is now a MUCH better introductory game -- and given the advantage of being
set in such a famous and popular world I should think it must be about the best
way of introducing new folks to gaming.
It begins with the intro's to what roleplaying is, and then has a several-page
summary of the plot of LOTR itself, which should go down with any but the most
hardened re-reader of the books (and I know there are plenty out there!).
The example of play is the same, but the reason I mention it is because the
incongruous Umli animist has been replaced with a Dunlending, a much better
reflection of the Middle Earth Tolkien wrote about. Then comes the whole
bit about playing the game, all of which is unchanged as far as I could make
out, with the following exceptions:
The _first_ game mechanic they introduce you to is PERSONALITY -- approximately
demeanour as was -- which gives you a 'handle' on your character (as opposed to
restrictive alignment systems), and then MOTIVATION, like Hate Sauron, Protect
the Clan, Seek Knowledge, Heroism etc., and finally ALIGNMENT, which includes
good/evil, law/anarchy, and religion/atheism, ascetism/hedonism and such like
as well. I am really impressed that a game company is instilling the
importance of in-character roleplaying over and above hack and slash. With a
bit of luck a whole generation of kiddies could grow up less munchkinny.
Secondary Skills include most of the same ones, but a lot of the hazier stuff
is now covered by general categories -- you can take whatever you like as
Artistic, Athletic, Craft, or Influence skills. And suggested ones are listed
for each character race, adding a great deal more cultural feel.
Magic is toned down quite heavily by a couple of new mechanics that greatly
improve the Middle-Earthiness of the game. Basically, using evil magic items,
or even using your own magic for anything other than maintaining the 'Balance
of Things' (Eru's vision, and what the Istari or Wizards were sent in to
maintain) runs you the risk of acquiring Corruption Points, via which you become
susceptible to Temptations... And secondly, even when you're doing it for
the right reasons, there is a chance (based on how blatant the magic is) that
servants of the Dark Lord will come and give you a hard time; roll high enough
and you could get a balrog breathing down your neck!
I commented on the AD&D-like nature of magic in MERP before, this system may
require a little creativity on the part of the GM to avoid it becoming
mechanical, but should suitably remind the players what the whole game is
supposed to be about. Sadly, as seems to be the case with most FRP products,
the manufacturers are reluctant to undo things from the 1st edition, and don't
quite go far enough with the overhaul, but I suppose it is for sound business
reasons...
The character design system is left until the end of the main section of the
book, presumably to avoid confusing novice players, who are intended to start
out with sample characters, all twenty of which are suitably Tolkienesque,
complete with a Middle-Earth-specific character background and motivations,
and presented with stats for being played at any level from first through tenth.
One problem I found whilst MERPing years ago was that people just wanted to
play generic FRP character in Middle Earth -- there's a bit more to it than
that if you want to do Middle Earth 'right', and the new version sets a good
example with thesse characters, again, if the new player imitates these sample
characters, they will be doing a whole lot better than if they just generate
a 'standard fighter' or 'generic hobbit thief'.
And with the inclusion of the same old Trollshaws adventures of the ruined
tower of Herubar Gular and the Troll Lair, that's the first half of the book.
Radically, everything else has been put in as appendices!
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The first is the sample characters, giving a good spread of the NW Middle Earth
races, and a couple of each profession (emphasis on Warriors and Scouts). Like
I said, I like these guys, and have quite happily read them all a couple of
times each despite my years of MERPing experience.
Second is the Culture/Race descriptions, which were always one of the best
features of MERP. Despite the danger of being seen as too crawly here, I just
have to say they've greatly improved again.
All the same information is still there, but with special notes and
stipulations which take away a lot of the potential for 'silly' characters.
Outfitting options give the in-character weaponry and armour that a race would
use, and good details of their typical garb, including probably fabrics and
colour schemes, even their starting money is given in culture-specific barter
items!
The background options are also racially modified: most races have certain
inappropriate 'special abilities' replaced with others which are unique to
that race; most have limitations, or at least preferences as to their 'special
items', and not all races can boost all the stats (eg dwarves will only ever
break 100 in Str and Con).
Added to a lovely piece of artwork for each race, this remains a section which
other games will only ever be able to try and match.
The Creatures appendix is the same as the old bestiary section.
The Spell Lists appendix is also unchanged, except for each spell having a
Risk Factor for attracting evil attention -- you might get away with
inscribing Runes all day, but cast a Fireball and someone will notice...
The spells still reflect MERP's roots in Spell Law, rooted in AD&D
(they couldn't quite get away from Sleep being the standard first-level spell!)
but at least with Risk Factor introduced, there's now a damn good reason for
playing a subtle Mage.
It's a bit of a shame, but they still haven't put Rolemaster's Mentalism realm
in. Mentalism is such a good set of magicks, fitting right in with many
quotes of Tolkein's where battles of wills and subversions of minds took place.
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Then comes the optional material.
The first of these appendices introduces newprofessions beyond the standard
(and sometimes limiting feeling) six: Warrior, Scout, Mage, Animist, Bard &
Ranger. These are now joined by Barbarian (primitive warrior, NOT Conan!),
Burglar, Conjurer, Explorer, Monk, Scholar, Warrior Monk, Rogue, Wizard,
Civilian, and (star in its own right:) Shapechanger!
These are all pretty much simple variants on the existing stuff, new
distributions of development points and level bonuses, but enough to add the
spice of variability.
No new spell lists unfortunately anywhere -- you want to buy Spell Law for
that -- the new magical professions are just Hybrids between the two realms.
Nevertheless, it's nice to have Civilian, so that not every NPC has to be a
pseudo- warrior or scout.
Barbarian helps distinguish between cultures, and the magical professions allow
the mixing of realms.
Monk and Warrior Monk I personally hate, but if you're playing ICE's Southern
and Eastern Middle-Earth scenarios, away from the areas specifically detailed
by Tolkien, then you'll neeed them, so I suppose I mustn't grumble...
Shapechanger deserves it's own special mention, and has to be treated carefully,
for this is a fully-fledged Beorn. If you wanna change into a berserk black
bear, then the rules are finally presented properly. I just hope some people
still play normal characters.
Then come some handy bits that didn't fit anywhere else:
Martial Arts (which does cover normal brawling, despite the name)
Females' Stats
Athelas and social status
Optional spell-learning system
New weapons
All of these are quite nice, and should be in the core rules, but because they
weren't in the Gospel: the first edition, they have to be hidden back here...
And finally there are extensive notes on conversion from other systems.
There's ICE's own (even more introductory) LOR - Lord of the Rings game, which
turns out to be a simpler version of MERP (!), and of course their own
Rolemaster, of which MERP is a simplification, and which is therefore also
highly compatible, and adds access to all sorts of goodies which I highly
recommend as well. Then more generally, under the heading of general fantasy
games: converting to Fantasy Hero (which ICE have also bought up), and good
old AD&D.
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I started playing MERP years and years ago when it was new, and was then
introduced to Rolemaster, and have been playing MERP with more or less RM in
it for a long time. I was still overjoyed to see such a lovely new MERP come
out, with some of the best illustrations from a couple of dozen adventures,
plus a lot of new artwork by Liz Danforth (of ICE and Tunnels & Trolls fame),
most of which is pretty damn good.
If you like MERP and your old copy is a bit tatty, this is well worth buying,
especially if you can still get your hands on one of the hardback issues;
If you want a ready-to-run world, then any roleplayer should be basically
familiar with this world system, allowing a hassle-free game start; and
if you want a complete quality introductory game in one book, then this is
for you!
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Neville Percy `-.__ \__/ __.-' [s p bcn s p] at [ucl.ac.uk]
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