Remember these MERP/Rolemaster critical hit tables?

I've been tidying up my library. Had a quick browse through the 1984 MERP boxed set and amused myself remembering these. MERP (Middle Earth Roleplaying) was a lighter version of Rolemaster from Iron Crown Enterprises. Tolkein Enterprises subsequently ended ICE's Middle Earth license in 1999.

 

[dragoner]

Oh how I loved MERP, had the ICE poster of Middle Earth on my wall above the bed as a teen. The crit tables were cool, though the setting we used to joke stood for "Magic Everywhere" Role Playing, in comparison to Greyhawk.

 

[SkidAce]

Ahhh, those wild and crazy days of our youth....

 

[Dioltach]

"Shot through heart. Reels 10 feet to a spot suitable for dying. Weapon stuck in spinning victim for at least 3 rounds."

 

[SMHWorlds]

Ah.. the good ole days.

 

[Cherno]

Those tables were great just for reading. I remember some quite cleary:

From the archery table, "Worst shot ever. Ear of attacker shot off."
From the plasma damage table "Torso liquified".
I think one has also an added effect that has all watchers being unable to do anything for a few rounds because they are laughing their butts off after witnessing a particularly embarrassing performance by one attacker.

 

[Quartz]

Oh yes. Fun times.

As for the plasma crit tables, didn't a number of entries have comments like, "Get a mop."?

 

[EthanSental]

Glad I still have mine! Fun times

 

[Alexander Kalinowski]

Oh, most definitely - I love all things d100! I also remember depression criticals, LOL. And my freshly inducted Rider of Rohan - who got vaporized by a random demon encounter. Grrrr! (Didn't Tolkien Enterprises help ruin ICE to get the license back in time for the movies? I seem to remember reading something to that effect in Designers & Dragons.)

For anyone who loved the games, there's a dark fantasy game in development called Against the Darkmaster which looks a bit like a revamped and modernized version of the game(s).

 

[Olgar Shiverstone]

Ah, Rolemaster!

There are dark rumors of a roleplaying system more complex ...