Quote from: migo on March 29, 2023, 03:20:14 PM
A somewhat local game shop has a shrinkwrapped boxed set for MERP 2nd Edition (in German) along with some supplements.

Not what you are asking, but if it's a game shop I assume they know what they have got and are pricing appropriately? Just in case you could flip it on eBay.

Quote from: GamerforHire on March 30, 2023, 07:59:39 AM
It is my understanding that the more recent "Against the Dark Master" rpg is based on the MERP system, and many like the game.

Against the Dark Master is on sale at DTRPG today (30 Mar) for $5.00.

It's a gateway drug to Rolemaster and I suppose it's adequate as such.While it's an impressive piece of compression, I always feel MERP really isn't enough more than D&D to really show the strengths of the system.  In many ways its the downsides of the system without the upsides.

Quote from: Marchand on March 30, 2023, 10:44:07 AM

Quote from: migo on March 29, 2023, 03:20:14 PM
A somewhat local game shop has a shrinkwrapped boxed set for MERP 2nd Edition (in German) along with some supplements.

Not what you are asking, but if it's a game shop I assume they know what they have got and are pricing appropriately? Just in case you could flip it on eBay.

Seems like they just haven't lowered the price since it was originally published. It looks in line with what you would expect an equivalent new release to be.

Quote from: David Johansen on March 31, 2023, 12:05:54 AM
It's a gateway drug to Rolemaster and I suppose it's adequate as such.While it's an impressive piece of compression, I always feel MERP really isn't enough more than D&D to really show the strengths of the system.  In many ways its the downsides of the system without the upsides.

What are the downsides?

The downsides are charts and math.  And the average gamer's absolute terror response to double digit numbers.  It's not really all that complex.  d100 open ended on 96-100, check a chart.

The upsides are detail, structure, and just the sheer volume of stuff.  It also handles high level play well.  The open ended rolls, diminishing returns on skill ranks, and availability of access to spells from other classes all help to keep things functional when you've got characters over twentieth level.

One thing they did a lot in MERP was give NPCs classes or spells from Rolemaster.  So I ended up buying the RM spellbook to use in play, which worked fine.  They also bent the rules for high level NPCs like Galadriel, etc., by giving them all kinds of unique magic items that negated critical hits and the like.  I presume this was to ensure that they survived till the end of the Third Age. 

I still have dreams of running a high level MERP game using some of the prominent NPCs just to see how they are in play.  One scenario would be the White Council going into Dol Guldur like in The Hobbit movies.  Imagine a party with Saruman, Gandalf, Elrond, Galadriel, and Radagast up against Sauron and several ringwraiths, not to mention the other rather cool and unique monsters ICE put into Dol Guldur like Shelob's daughter and a demon-werewolf jailer?

Or running a spy mission into Mordor led by Aragorn and the twin sons of Elrond?  Pretty cool.