Which Middle Earth RPG?
Baron Opal II
Hero
Which one had mechanics for travel? Weather, encounters, &c.? I remember someone being enthused about it.
jdrakeh
Front Range Warlock
Both editions of The One Ring and the new The Lord of the Rings Roleplaying (an adaptation of The One Ring to D&D 5e's ruleset).
Baron Opal II
Hero
Since I have you here, do you find it meaningfully different that what's in the DMG?
jdrakeh
Front Range Warlock
I don't know. I haven't read any of these games. Hence this thread.
HOWEVER, I'm led to believe that all of these games do much more work codifying all of these things with detailed mechanics than base D&D does.
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I never experienced either of the Cubicle 7 games, but I have played TOR 2e and have read through the LotR Roleplaying core rules. I think TOR 2e a fantastic game. I know that some TOR 1e afficianados are displeased by a few of the mechanical changes, but I can't speak to that.
In your position I would definitely choose one of the Free League games, for the same reasons given above: they will continue to be supported into the near future (and hopefully beyond), and the materials for them will remain widely available at reasonable prices.
Between the two, I think the choice should be made based on the group or groups you plan to play the game with. If you have a group that is committed to D&D 5e and is reluctant to learn new systems, opt for LotR Roleplaying. Though the basic 5e system remains intact, the LotR rules do change 5e up quite a bit, for example by replacing 5e's classes with all-new classes (or "callings"), drastically reducing the superheroic feel of 5e, etc., and within D&D's very non-Tolkienian constraints the game seems to do a great job of achieving a Tolkienian experience. Otherwise, opt for TOR 2e; its mechanics are very cleverly tailored to the setting from the ground up and make the game feel Tolkienian in its basic operations.
There would be one major nonmechanical motive to choose one of the Cubicle 7 games, assuming that you can gain access to all the published materials for those games: they covered a much broader swath of the setting than the newer games have managed to do thus far. The Free League games so far have covered only the region of Eriador—that is, the area west of the Misty Mountains, with an overview of the whole area in the Core Rules, the Shire in the Starter Set/Shire Adventures, Rivendell in the Loremaster's Screen, and a number of specific sites in depth in Ruins of the Lost Realm/Ruins of Eriador and Tales from the Lone-lands/Tales from Eriador. Many of the most iconic areas from Tolkien's novels, such as Mirkwood, Rohan, and the Lonely Mountain, were covered in depth in the C7 games (which also covered areas of Eriador such as Rivendell and the Bree-land) but may not be brought into the Free League games for years to come. The new games also have released only shorter adventures and so far lack any official full-length campaign, whereas the Mirkwood campaign book published for both C7 games is widely acclaimed.
And a whisper from an old thrush: the next big product for the Free League games should be announced soon—the long-awaited Moria supplement initially conceived when C7 still had the license.
In your position I would definitely choose one of the Free League games, for the same reasons given above: they will continue to be supported into the near future (and hopefully beyond), and the materials for them will remain widely available at reasonable prices.
Between the two, I think the choice should be made based on the group or groups you plan to play the game with. If you have a group that is committed to D&D 5e and is reluctant to learn new systems, opt for LotR Roleplaying. Though the basic 5e system remains intact, the LotR rules do change 5e up quite a bit, for example by replacing 5e's classes with all-new classes (or "callings"), drastically reducing the superheroic feel of 5e, etc., and within D&D's very non-Tolkienian constraints the game seems to do a great job of achieving a Tolkienian experience. Otherwise, opt for TOR 2e; its mechanics are very cleverly tailored to the setting from the ground up and make the game feel Tolkienian in its basic operations.
There would be one major nonmechanical motive to choose one of the Cubicle 7 games, assuming that you can gain access to all the published materials for those games: they covered a much broader swath of the setting than the newer games have managed to do thus far. The Free League games so far have covered only the region of Eriador—that is, the area west of the Misty Mountains, with an overview of the whole area in the Core Rules, the Shire in the Starter Set/Shire Adventures, Rivendell in the Loremaster's Screen, and a number of specific sites in depth in Ruins of the Lost Realm/Ruins of Eriador and Tales from the Lone-lands/Tales from Eriador. Many of the most iconic areas from Tolkien's novels, such as Mirkwood, Rohan, and the Lonely Mountain, were covered in depth in the C7 games (which also covered areas of Eriador such as Rivendell and the Bree-land) but may not be brought into the Free League games for years to come. The new games also have released only shorter adventures and so far lack any official full-length campaign, whereas the Mirkwood campaign book published for both C7 games is widely acclaimed.
And a whisper from an old thrush: the next big product for the Free League games should be announced soon—the long-awaited Moria supplement initially conceived when C7 still had the license.
damiller
Adventurer
My Vote is 2nd Edition TOR
I have played 1st edition TOR (5-6 months), Revised TOR 9 (2 years), and 2nd Edition TOR (1.5 years). I've also played the Cubicle 7 5e version (1.5+ years).
Hands down if you want a Middle Earth experience: TOR 2. Any of the TORs really. With almost no work I get a feeling of Middle Earth. The mechanics do a great job.
That said, I had a pretty sweet 5e campaign once the players got used to the "lower" power level of the characters (one character almost died the first session in an attack by wolves). The rules are basically the same as 5e, its just that the classes have very little access (read none) to magic. I would'nt say that the classes are weakened because they are all less optimal than regular 5e classes. But since those classes are not options it shouldn't matter.
As for why I prefer TOR 2 one simple reason: FAR BETTER organization. I could not for the life of me find ANYTHING in TOR 1e or Revised. In fact, after the 3+ years of playing Revised and 1 e TOR, I could never really explain anything beyond the core rule roll 1d12. The rules just did not stick in my brain. Not the case with TOR 2e. Plus, the rules changes were much more streamlined, and easier to use.
I cannot comment on the newest 5e version.
I have played 1st edition TOR (5-6 months), Revised TOR 9 (2 years), and 2nd Edition TOR (1.5 years). I've also played the Cubicle 7 5e version (1.5+ years).
Hands down if you want a Middle Earth experience: TOR 2. Any of the TORs really. With almost no work I get a feeling of Middle Earth. The mechanics do a great job.
That said, I had a pretty sweet 5e campaign once the players got used to the "lower" power level of the characters (one character almost died the first session in an attack by wolves). The rules are basically the same as 5e, its just that the classes have very little access (read none) to magic. I would'nt say that the classes are weakened because they are all less optimal than regular 5e classes. But since those classes are not options it shouldn't matter.
As for why I prefer TOR 2 one simple reason: FAR BETTER organization. I could not for the life of me find ANYTHING in TOR 1e or Revised. In fact, after the 3+ years of playing Revised and 1 e TOR, I could never really explain anything beyond the core rule roll 1d12. The rules just did not stick in my brain. Not the case with TOR 2e. Plus, the rules changes were much more streamlined, and easier to use.
I cannot comment on the newest 5e version.
Arnie_Wan_Kenobi
Aspiring Trickster Mentor
No ICE MERP? Kidding. I have not yet played, but I have read through everything for One Ring 2E and the core book for Lord of the Rings RPG 5E. I would lean toward One Ring 2E for all the reasons given here: flavor, rules, and the books are just dang beautiful. Also, they've turned me into a complete Free League fanboy, so careful there. (Kidding, again).
Nikosandros
Golden Procrastinator
Another vote for TOR 2.
I haven't played the 1st edition (except for a brief playtest game before its release), so I don't feel qualified to discuss the differences, but I like TOR 2 a lot and, being in print, it is generally more accessible.
I haven't played the 1st edition (except for a brief playtest game before its release), so I don't feel qualified to discuss the differences, but I like TOR 2 a lot and, being in print, it is generally more accessible.
