Midgard (role-playing game)
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1985 (2nd edition)
1989 (3rd edition)
2000 (4th edition)
2013 (5th edition)
 Original rulebook | |
| Designers | Jürgen E. Franke |
|---|---|
| Publishers | Midgard Press |
| Publication | 1981 (1st edition) 1985 (2nd edition) 1989 (3rd edition) 2000 (4th edition) 2013 (5th edition) |
| Years active | 1981–present |
| Genres | Fantasy |
| Systems | Custom |
| Chance | Dice rolling |
| Skills | Role-playing, improvisation, tactics, arithmetic |
Midgard is a fantasy role-playing game from Germany. It was the first role-playing game published in German and the first to be created in Germany.
Midgard is also the name of the world on which the game is usually played (originally named Magira but later renamed due to legal problems). However, the rules of the game are designed in a way that makes it possible to play Midgard on nearly every world.
Despite its name, the game doesn't have anything in common with the mythological Midgard.
Midgard, in its 1985 edition, was the first role-playing game that had a system which separated action points (AP) from hit points (HP). While the number of action points increases with the character's level, hit points usually remain constant. This has the effect that experienced characters can fight longer and cast more spells, but a direct hit can still inflict serious damage.
The characters in Midgard have levels (called "degrees") that are used in regards to how much the character has learned in their life. It is rarely used as a prerequisite for learning something. Action points and base attributes, determined by dice (a D100), may also be increased by using experience points.
There are 15 character classes, and the class a player picks will determine how difficult it is for a character to learn a skill. Most skills can be learned by almost every class, but some classes may not benefit from learning certain skills; a Warrior can learn spell casting, but their strength attribute is higher than their intellect attribute (spell casting).
For dice, the system uses a d100 (usually replaced by two d10), a d20, the classic d6 and, since the latest edition, also the d3 (the number indicates the side number of the dice. See game dice).
Midgard uses D20 for attacks, spells and skills. An action succeeds if the sum of the rolled value and the corresponding success score (usually +4 to +20) is at least 20. The success score depends on the weapon or skill but is the same for all magical spells. Spells, however, cost action points and differ in the number of points they cost.
For attacks and attack spells, the damage is rolled with D6. The number of dice and the modifier depend on the weapon or spell used for the attack. For example, a dagger may inflict 1D6-1 (roll one D6 and subtract 1) whereas a lance may inflict up to 3D6+3 (roll three D6 and add three, in case of a mounted charge). A damage modifier (ranging from -3 to +5, depending on strength and dexterity) is added to the damage roll.
The attacked player may try to parry or evade by rolling a D20. This is successful if the roll plus the character's defense or resistance score is equal to or larger than the sum achieved by the attacker. The character only loses exhaustion points (light damage). Otherwise, the character loses both hit and action points (heavy damage), whereby the number of hit points (but not action points) lost may be reduced depending on the character's armor.
D100 are used for tests against the character's attributes (e.g. strength or magical talent), which range from 1 to 100. The player rolls a D100 (usually replaced with two D10) and the test is successful if the roll is below or equal to the character's attribute score.
Compared to Advanced Dungeons and Dragons or The Dark Eye (editions 1, 2 and 3), Midgard (and The Dark Eye editions 4 and 5) does not emphasise the character's level very much. Characters may learn at any time and are only limited by their experience points. The level increases when the player has spent a certain number of experience points. They may then spend more experience points to increase the number of exhaustion points and there is a slight chance (determined by D100) that the score of one of the base attributes increases.