The One Ring Roleplaying Game

5 out of 5 rating for The One Ring Roleplaying Game

UPDATE: I have since noticed that this review is for the Hardcover book - no matter, I have that too. So with the exception that it's one book instead of two and doesn't come with the dice there are no real changes to be made in my commentary except Hardcover - yay!!!! There have been some small updates and additional content added but it is either minuscule in scope (changes) or a value addition (additional content) That it offsets the dice minus, of course the approx $20 drop in price is reflected as well.


So, the first time I cracked open my copy of TOR:RPG I was struck by several things, one - the artwork was phenomenal, two - the feel of the sourcebook was similar to Tolkien's actual works (though a little better laid out), three - this was not like anything I had ever seen before. So with that in mind I'll give this the ole' once over and see if it piques your interest. Layout and Construction: So, the lay out of the books is extremely well handled from the obligatory "This is what an RPG is" to the Appendix I did not feel that anything was out of place. That alone is so radically different from what I'm used to in a manual that it could garner 4 out of 5 stars on its own. The artwork, as stated above, was stunningly simple yet elegantly breathtaking, some of the monsters are far from what I would have imagined, but on reflection were perfect for what Tolkien had described in his texts. The softcover manuals are worrisome to me, because if history serves, these books are in for a short lifespan, however they have released a comprehensive Hardcover, so I won't dock anything from this review, just be forewarned. The nicest touch in the included dice (6d6 and 1d12), which are system specific, which is a nice feature all on its own. Instead of 1 or 6 you have the "Eye of Sauron" and the "Rune of Gandalf" and depending on who is rolling (good or evil) depends on whether each is a 1 or 6 - one die two results, brilliant. The d12 is likewise marked. Content: If J.R.R. Tolkien had been a role-player, I think he would have played this game. The emphasis on storytelling versus mechanics is evident but the mechanics that are required don't interfere with the storytelling and that's a bonus. Either quotes or para-phrased passages from the books pepper the pages and it really goes to tie the system and the game to the stories. Speaking of which, the storyline for the game is set between the "The Hobbit" and the "The Lord of the Rings", but there is some guidance which could allow you to set it far earlier than that. Value: This boxed set comes with a Adventurer's guide, a Loremaster's guide, a set of dice and a full color fold out map of Middle-Earth. It retails for $59.99 (U.S.) and that seems just about perfect. If you are looking to play a game set in the Middle-Earth, this is worth your time and effort to obtain and learn. If you're trying to get the true feel of Tolkien's world, you'll get far more satisfaction from this set than trying to play using another system.

5 out of 5 rating for The One Ring Roleplaying Game

Super surprised by this game. So glad I took the time to read through it.

5 out of 5 rating for The One Ring Roleplaying Game

Title says it all, really. The rules of the game fit the setting like a tailored suit. The mechanics are appropriate and elegant (ie. not overly complex, even though the combat requires a bit of abstraction), and the whole system adapts perfectly to the "power level" of Tolkien's Middle Earth - low on magic, although not too low. A note on writing: I reviewed the Italian version, which is well-written and well-edited, but I can't speak about the English translation. On production value, it's hard to beat it, and Howe's illustrations are beautiful and evocative.

3 out of 5 rating for The One Ring Roleplaying Game

I've wanted to try this game for quite a while, and after having done so, I have mixed feelings about it. On a positive side, the books are presented really well and very much portray the feeling of Lord of the Rings. The gameplay feels gritty and corresponds to the many ordeals the characters in the books have to face.However I have questions if this correlates to engaging gameplay. The game feels very prescribed and regimented. Character development options seem very limited. Things that are often glossed over in other games, such as travel and rationing food are given a lot of attention, but I didn't really find these aspects fun.I think most of these observations stem from the fact it is a Lord of the Rings game and to be faithful to the books it has to be this way. For purist LotR fans, this is probably spot on.

5 out of 5 rating for The One Ring Roleplaying Game

I've long advocated that system must match setting in the game, and The One Ring is my argument-winning final move. The entire game seems built from the ground up to help create the stories that we find in the source material and to help explain why the heroes in said source material acted the way they do.

Why does Gandalf bring a passel of Hobbits on the most important Quest in the Third Age? Hobbit-sense means that they'll allow everyone else to regain spent Hope that much sooner.

Why does no one but Gimli (and Frodo, but that's a special case) wear heavy armour? Because dwarves get a reduction in the Encumbrance of armour. And not wearing armour is a perfectly valid choice... you're stay un-Weary for longer, but a Piercing Blow is more likely to cause you lasting harm.

Why is bringing Glorfindel on the Quest a bad idea? Seems like there's these Eye of Mordor rules that would make the heroes more likely to run into a lot more trouble if they've got a Scion of the First Age running around with them.And it goes on and on.

The game system... Endurance versus Fatigue, Hope versus Shadow, Wounds, Traits, AP/XP, etc. create situations and provide incentives for the game to emulate the stories we have of the Third Age of Middle-earth. This does come with some challenges, of course. Experienced gamers often struggle for a little while getting a handle on the system whilst those who have never players RPGs but have read Tolkien more times than they care to admit do just fine (as one of my players said... 'We're going on a journey in the wilderness, of course we might get tired and hurt!'). And the game benefits from a Loremaster (GM) who's familiar with the source material and is working with the system and not against it.

Simply put, this is a game that is amazing, and as long as you know what you're going to get (a faithful rendering of adventures in the Third Age of Middle-earth), will reward you deeply.