RuneQuest with the Middle-earth/Lord of the Rings setting
- Thread starter The King
- Start date
danskmacabre
Mongoose
OH boy I would LOVE a LOTR setting with Runequest.
I would SO buy that.
I would SO buy that.
Cleombrotus
Mongoose
Log onto MERP.COM and download pdfs of all the old ICE stuff. While you're there download the MERP rules. Runequest won't get a look in.
Cleombrotus
Mongoose
I always thought that MERP captured it pretty well for me. So much so that I would only ever run ME with Rolemaster/MERP.
It's as much about ICE's attention to detail in the supplements as anything else. Rolemaster as a system was a bit chaotic, but with MERP as a base, it fitted well, IMHO.
It's as much about ICE's attention to detail in the supplements as anything else. Rolemaster as a system was a bit chaotic, but with MERP as a base, it fitted well, IMHO.
Cleombrotus
Mongoose
The time periods could make for headaches, but that would face any game set in ME. I'd always write out a list of the things I wanted, e.g Moria abandoned by the dwarves, No Cardolan (didn't like their treatment of it, but that's an exception), etc, and work out when to set my games after that. It never worked out perfectly so I always had to compromise.
I don't think that any game system could accurately reflect ME magic. After all what do we have to go on? I think that conceptually (i.e spell lists) it seemed to fit the world, and realms seemed to fit as well, so I don't know what you would suggest instead, but flicking through decipher's stuff it seemed too stereotypical and movie oriented (I loved the movies but for rpgs the books have it).
I couldn't imagine a runequest character in Middle Earth. I don't think the system could convey Tolkien's Elves, for example. Not to my satisfaction anyway.
I don't think that any game system could accurately reflect ME magic. After all what do we have to go on? I think that conceptually (i.e spell lists) it seemed to fit the world, and realms seemed to fit as well, so I don't know what you would suggest instead, but flicking through decipher's stuff it seemed too stereotypical and movie oriented (I loved the movies but for rpgs the books have it).
I couldn't imagine a runequest character in Middle Earth. I don't think the system could convey Tolkien's Elves, for example. Not to my satisfaction anyway.
danskmacabre
Mongoose
I wsa thinking more of using the Runequest core rules.
Creating new races, new spells specific to LOTR.
TBH there wasn't really THAT much magic use in LOTR anyway, in the grand scale of things. I always thought MERP (and rolemaster) with all it's spell availability with the classes didn't really work well with in Middle Earth.
Certainly having mages wandering about as PCs seemed a bit strange in merp.
Creating new races, new spells specific to LOTR.
TBH there wasn't really THAT much magic use in LOTR anyway, in the grand scale of things. I always thought MERP (and rolemaster) with all it's spell availability with the classes didn't really work well with in Middle Earth.
Certainly having mages wandering about as PCs seemed a bit strange in merp.
GhostWolf69
Mongoose
Garet said:Lord of the Rings yes, in runequest no
My 2 coppers
Agreed.
/wolf
Cleombrotus
Mongoose
Middle Earth is absolutely stacked full of magic. Most of it is hidden in things that appear to be natural abilities. this was why merp was so good for middle earth, as there were loads of references to things that were magical, and spell lists gave a multitude of minor spell effects that were very middle earth.
There were plenty of spell using classes that had spells not involving firebolts and the like.
Meaningless statement. Please expand.
The King
Cosmic Mongoose
True, but nothing like the MERP lists of spells. The magic of Gandalf in the hobbit or Lord of the Ring is IMO very similar to Le Guin's Earthsea but limited to specific fields (essentially natural elements).Cleombrotus said:
In this register I find the CODA spells much better.
It isn't meaningless. AD&D was essentially based on collecting XPs and the MERP system has much similarities in this way. Moreover, many if not all MERP books included room by room descriptions with the furnitures and the traps, exactly like AD&D. This is a very old concept of roleplaying.Cleombrotus said:
Cleombrotus
Mongoose
I see what you mean now. This isn't an inherent weakness, however. It is a particular style, but I guess that was roleplaying at the time. It wasn't an issue with system. Rolemaster was originally developed as a modular expansion for AD&D as well, so there's that connection. However, the MERP system is consistent and playable and generally rational (although I do remember a comedy moment in a game where we worked out that a Noldorin Elf was running at approx 35mph).
I think that the point about Rolemaster Spell List magic is that practitioners don't "cast spells", they "use magic", if you see what I mean. They achieve different effects within a common theme. I always thought this is what we see Gandalf do in the Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings, albeit rarely - however we know that Gandalf's reticence with magic is for a very specific reason and no reflection on his actual ability to wield magic. A list of Runequest Spells doesn't capture, for me, the depth of variety of the way magic should manifest in Middle Earth.
I would be very very curious to see how MERQ would work, but I can't imagine how it would.
I think that the point about Rolemaster Spell List magic is that practitioners don't "cast spells", they "use magic", if you see what I mean. They achieve different effects within a common theme. I always thought this is what we see Gandalf do in the Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings, albeit rarely - however we know that Gandalf's reticence with magic is for a very specific reason and no reflection on his actual ability to wield magic. A list of Runequest Spells doesn't capture, for me, the depth of variety of the way magic should manifest in Middle Earth.
I would be very very curious to see how MERQ would work, but I can't imagine how it would.
steffworthington
Mongoose
I think any system that uses magic would have to be careful with LOTR/ME.
Magic in Tolkien is more 'ambience'... more feeling and natural aura than 'spells'.
Its basic magic (light for example) or hedge magic would be less than common but the grander stuff would only be in the hands of the great.
The problem ive always seen in AD&D and to a lesser extent RQ magic is that its so commonplace (relatively) as to lose ALL sense of wonder.
If i was to choose the perfect magic system for middle-earth (IMHO)?
Pendragon. most magic described by the referee without any explanation as to how its done, its subtle, rare, and if a pc can use it then it almost entirely depends on time of year, local power (ambient), and the wielder in conjunction to determine its effect.
A 'magical effect expressed' by a christian at samhain at stonehenge would have not nearly as much effect as using the same energies in glastonbury at christmas.
Plus the traits and passions in Pendragon would be PERFECT for middle earth.
Magic in Tolkien is more 'ambience'... more feeling and natural aura than 'spells'.
Its basic magic (light for example) or hedge magic would be less than common but the grander stuff would only be in the hands of the great.
The problem ive always seen in AD&D and to a lesser extent RQ magic is that its so commonplace (relatively) as to lose ALL sense of wonder.
If i was to choose the perfect magic system for middle-earth (IMHO)?
Pendragon. most magic described by the referee without any explanation as to how its done, its subtle, rare, and if a pc can use it then it almost entirely depends on time of year, local power (ambient), and the wielder in conjunction to determine its effect.
A 'magical effect expressed' by a christian at samhain at stonehenge would have not nearly as much effect as using the same energies in glastonbury at christmas.
Plus the traits and passions in Pendragon would be PERFECT for middle earth.
