You know what the best thing about renovating / digging through crap that you haven't looked at in years is? Old becomes new again ;)
I've already spoken about rediscovering my AD&D 2e collection, or at least most of it, as some of it is mixed it with my general RPGs that are now boxed up (for the most part). Still, I've been digging out a few gems, like the D&D Cyclopedia, The MERP Softcover book (I have the earlier boxed set buried somewhere), Pendragon, GURPs Discworld, and some more GURPs sourcebooks (GURPs was THE universal system before Savage Worlds' simpler system took much of that corner of the hobby).
So, not only am I far behind in the new games that I need to review, but now I have the urge to reread some of the old games that I haven't touched in 15 years or more. I'll try and get a review up later tonight of one of the newer games. Then I want to spend some time with MERP and maybe compare it to the newly released LotR RPG.
Stonehell: Sewer cleanup
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Session 270 was played on 10/28/24
Morgana, wizard (Rob)
Borumar, Triton Thief (Josh)
Blotto, Goblin Fighter (Lanse)
Nick, Fighter 7 (Me)
Koltic, Cleric ...
11 seconds ago
Wow, we loved that original MERPS (red booklet in boxed set). Sadly it was destroyed in a flood and the only replacement we could get was the newer hardback (circa 1993?) which was a bit more complicated and not quite as magical...
ReplyDeleteI've been keeping an eye out on ebay for a MERP box set.
ReplyDeleteI'm still in the midst of a Judges Guild buying spree, though, so it'll have to wait.
MERP sets do pop up often, though. Also, those awesome I.C.E. Middle-Earth supplements, with the really, really cool maps. Those don't go cheap, but one day...
ReplyDeleteMaybe when I've sated that JG obsession.
My boxed set was beat to hell through some major use. For years, if it wasn't AD&D we were playing, it was MERPS.
ReplyDeleteMy recent reread of the Rules Cyclopedia leads me to see it as really awesome. It's complete, and the magic item creation rules are pretty sweet. It has some rough spots: the weapon mastery tables are kind of ridiculous but the end result is cool. It's a little like weapon speeds in 1E: they make sense and would work, if anyone could be assed to actually use them. My personal gripe about the magic item lists is that they didn't give enchant costs for them, which would represent the magic item sale prices in 1E. I get that they wanted to make magic items more mystical and less like a store-shelf commodity, but it would have really helped.
ReplyDeleteNice Post Tenkar, that is one of the hidden benefits of abstaining from something, you return to it with a renewed appreciation. Congrats on the rediscovery of old gaming friends. I always find the memories that they evoke worth the venture even if I have ignored them in boxes for decades.
ReplyDeleteHeh... like a 15 year long Lenten sacrifice ;)
ReplyDelete