What's the Best System for Running LotR?

RobShanti · Oct 12, 2012

You folks rock. Thanks for your many informed responses!

If you get a chance, I'd like to hear you weigh in on my other question about the best era to run in, which I've posted in a new thread.

DragonLancer · Oct 12, 2012

mmadsen said:
Best system or best materials?

Both.

The source material that ICE put out were second to none. I really wish other publishers would look to those sourcebooks for ideas of how to do a regional campaign resource.

As for the system it fitted very well. I am the sort of person who thinks that the system needs to fit the setting. You can't just play any old system. I couldn't run Middle Earth with D&D/Pathfinder for example. The more simple MERP (when compared to Rolemaster) system was just right for my thoughts on what to use when running games set in Middle Earth.

Evenglare · Oct 12, 2012

You could easily run a LOTR game in GURPS... but yeah One ring is awesome as well.

Olgar Shiverstone · Oct 13, 2012

Eridanis said:
Is this what you're thinking of? Probably, since you contributed to the thread!

http://www.enworld.org/forum/conversions/20298-new-middle-earth-d20-thread.html - August 2002

I remember it for some great discussion and some sublime epic spells contributed by Sepulchrave II. (In fact, that's how I found it - I went to my old 3000-page 3E spell document to get a spell name, then searched for the thread...)

Yeah, that's the thread, though I was thinking of [MENTION=363]ColonelHardisson[/MENTION] 's Middle Earth d20 page, which had some of the more refined product. I was one of the champions of "Low Level ME", while many other preferred the "high level" approach.

Thanks for the raise thread!

ColonelHardisson · Oct 13, 2012

Olgar Shiverstone said:
Yeah, that's the thread, though I was thinking of [MENTION=363]ColonelHardisson[/MENTION] 's Middle Earth d20 page, which had some of the more refined product. I was one of the champions of "Low Level ME", while many other preferred the "high level" approach.

Thanks for the raise thread!

By strange coincidence, I was just looking at some of the material from that old EN World sub-site today, then came by EN World and saw I was mentioned in regard to it.

I haven't done much as far as LotR and D&D in a good while, though I have had some thoughts about using elements of 3e and 4e. I don't know what system I'd use; I'm really partial to Decipher's old CODA system LotR RPG, which I feel always got a bad rap. The main rulebook's organization was bad, but the game itself, after a bit of errata and tweaking, ran really smoothly and felt like Tolkien's work. But, I'm still a D&D fan, and I'd likely end up using it, modified in a number of ways and using elements of different editions.

Tangentially to all this, I have a blog where, among other things, I've been posting a series of reviews/overviews/ruminations on the old ICE MERP books I own. Those interested can find it here.

chaochou · Oct 13, 2012

Aside from The One Ring, I'd take a look at Burning Wheel if you get the chance. It has very Tolkienesque roots.

Dwarves have Greed, Elves have Sorrow, Orcs have Hatred, Humans have Faith. The Monster Burner has character creation rules for Trolls, Giant Spiders and Great Wolves. Not that you need let players play those things, but the rules are there for their cultures and characters.

The game also has colour coding (called shade) for skills, health and equipment - you have black (mundane), grey (superhuman) and white (epic). So, for example, inflicting a superficial wound on a dragon requires 10 black damage. But inflicting a mortal wound on a dragon requires 1 white damage.

It's a neat scaling mechanism for Middle Earth. It means you don't need huge numbers to give theat epic flavour. Mortals can't hurt Nazgul? Of course not, cos Nazgul require grey shifted damage to hurt them and there ain't a lot out there that does grey shifts to damage. They'd probably require white damage to kill permanently, much like Sauron would.

I could go on about BW. It requires a certain playstyle to make the most of. But it's certainly a game I think is worth having in your repertoire, and not expensive.

Olgar Shiverstone · Oct 13, 2012

The discussion of the One Ring system convinced me to order a copy to check it out -- thanks for the recommendations! I have the original Decipher game, so it will be interesting to compare.

alien270 · Oct 13, 2012

I'll throw in another vote for The One Ring; it might just be my favorite system right now. The Tolkien "feel" is present in nearly every aspect of the game, from the emphasis on journeys, to the encounter structure, to the shadow, hope, fellowship, and fatigue systems, etc. The arrangement of the social skills helps steer players in a Tolkienesque direction as well; instead of your typical Bluff, Diplomacy, Intimidate skills you get Awe, Courtesy, Riddle, Persuade, and Inspire. Also the fact that Riddle and Song are both skills at all is pretty awesome (and in fact I have one player for whom Song is probably the most frequently used common skill).

The combat system emphasizes quick, cinematic, narrative play, but offers enough tactical depth (the stance system and battle rolls for combat advantages) to keep it from becoming stale. The wealth system is very abstract, keeping in line with the fact that money is not often mentioned in Tolkien's works. Finally, I especially like the Traits system, which gives players plenty of narrative control and is a great conduit for creativity. Things like Smoking and Elven-Lore can provide different approaches for using the existing skills, all while emphasizing character development.

And as others have said, the books are really pretty too.

RobShanti · Oct 14, 2012

DragonLancer said:
I couldn't run Middle Earth with D&D/Pathfinder for example.

DragonLancer, I'd be interested to know why, exactly. What is it specifically you feel D&D and Pathfinder are missing to make the systems fit the Middle Earth feel?

Nytmare · Oct 14, 2012

RobShanti said:
DragonLancer, I'd be interested to know why, exactly. What is it specifically you feel D&D and Pathfinder are missing to make the systems fit the Middle Earth feel?

I can't speak for DragonLancer, but for me the power level and combat focus of "out of the box" D&D et alii doesn't mesh with where I'd want the power level and focus of a Middle Earth game.