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Posting-Version: version B 2.10.1 6/24/83; site mmintl.UUCP
Path: utzoo!linus!philabs!pwa-b!mmintl!franka
From: franka@mmintl.UUCP (Frank Adams)
Newsgroups: net.games.frp
Subject: Re: MERP Criticals
Message-ID: <500@mmintl.UUCP>
Date: Thu, 18-Jul-85 14:13:04 EDT
Article-I.D.: mmintl.500
Posted: Thu Jul 18 14:13:04 1985
Date-Received: Sat, 20-Jul-85 17:34:57 EDT
References: <161@ukc.UUCP>
Reply-To: franka@mmintl.UUCP (Frank Adams)
Organization: Multimate International, E. Hartford, CT
Lines: 17
Summary: A typical problem


In article <161@ukc.UUCP> tgm@ukc.UUCP (T.Murphy) writes:
>	I have been playing MERP (Middle Earth Role Playing) for a short
>time now [...]
> After playing it I find there are
>*too* many criticals.

This is all too typical of such rules, and reflects a lack of understanding
of probability.  This relates back to the recent discussion of the Runequest
fumble table.  The problem there isn't that it is unrealistic to hit oneself
for max damage, but that it happens much too often.  This applies to weapons
breakage, as well.

Fixing such problems depends on the system.  A minimal solution which will
work for any system with a critical hit/fumble table is to make a preliminary
role when the system says to consult said table, and usually (maybe 5 times
out of 6, maybe more often, maybe less) ignore it and just apply the normal
result.