Fifth Element
Legend
fatal.
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4E a good system base for a Tolkein RPG?
- Thread starter Glyfair
- Start date
Calico_Jack73
First Post
Really good question! Setting and theme are truely what make something LotR, Eberron, Forgotten Realms, etc. The setting isn't really swappable but you could do a LotR themed game (power corrupts) in another setting and stick with the races and classes built into the rules. I guess to have a true LotR game you must have both and honestly I can't think of a system besides MERP or LotR that would work without adaptation.
Cinnabar would require some heavy modifications (like a new ruleset and setting and less well cinnabarness)
Obryn
Hero
I heard that McCracken sued Tolkien into removing the Tiger Ninjas, Cyborgs, and Star Alchemists from Silmarillion.
-O
Yeah i think setting is kind of a necessity for most people for it to be LoTR. But i also agree that you would really want to capture the feel, theme, mood etc. and have rules that help drive these issues.
Additionally rules that allow what should appear to be very imbalanced characters to be in play at the same time would be very helpful.
Humility, innocence, or loyalty to the ring bearer being a trait (power/stat/skill/ability etc) with equal potency/utility to sword slashing of doom.
In this case Sam can kill Shelob not because he has good fighting skills or abilities because he has the "loyalty to Frodo" ability
I actually think the rules would have some rules to prevent characters from gaining power (eg risk, less prevalence of use of abilities as you get more powerful) as the power corrupts motif was very strong.
Well the original version of Return of the King does have a Tiger Ninja destroying the ring while doing like 10 billion points of damage to Sauron with a shuriken.
That didn't make it past the editor though...they were thinking about the movie rights and didn't have special effects adequate for Tiger Ninjas...
True Story..really
Scribe Ineti
Explorer
I love Decipher's LOTR RPG and I'm really fond of 4e after running a solid 12-session opening arc to a campaign. I sat down with both games and bashed out 6-7 pages of notes on how to convert the Decipher LOTR RPG into 4e and I think it's definitely workable. It'd require changing some stuff for flavor, and it'll require changing some stuff to fit the different feel of LOTR compared to traditional D&D, but I think it can be done.
A lot of it would come down to the players involved. I know my players and thus I know a 4e LOTR game would work; a different group with a different batch of players will likely have a different experience.
A lot of it would come down to the players involved. I know my players and thus I know a 4e LOTR game would work; a different group with a different batch of players will likely have a different experience.
thedungeondelver
Adventurer
Wrong.
Gary liked the professor's works well enough, he just preferred pulp fantasy more.
Moreover, scrutiny from the Tolkien estate post-original D&D cease-and-desist issue meant that any D&D had to distance itself from anything related to Tolkien.
thedungeondelver
Adventurer
That's OK, WotC turned around and did the same thing for even more colossally stupid reasons.
pawsplay
Hero
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