How to describe Strider's combat on Weathertop

[ColonelHardisson]

But game balance isn't simply about being equally powerful; it's about being equally powerful at the same level or for the same cost. Fortunately 3E provides an ECL mechanic, but we could probably just as easily make all Noldor high-level. They could have the same stats as mere Humans and still be super-powerful that way.

Err, yeah, but it seems you disagreed for the sake of disagreeing. I don't see how any of that refutes what I said. With ECL, a race with ECL of, say, +1 will be more powerful than a race without ECL bonuses when both races are of the same class level. So how does what you said go against what I said?

 

[mmadsen]

So how does what you said go against what I said?

I offered up an alternative: We could probably just as easily make all Noldor high-level. They could have the same racial stats as mere Humans and still be super-powerful that way.

 

[ColonelHardisson]

Speaking of Glorfindel, just what is he, as a powerful elf lord, doing through most of the trilogy?

I can't say for sure, but he was a powerful asset for Rivendell. Rivendell was one of the last places in Middle Earth that was a home for Elves, and the Dark Lord would have dearly loved to know where it was. There had to be some reserves in case the Fellowship failed; after all, Aragorn and Gandalf were part of the Fellowship, and if they fell, something really bad was going to happen to Middle Earth - Sauron would have the Ring and all the works of the Elven rings would be laid bare to him.

Elrond's sons Elladan and Elrohir went about the wilderness on errantry, fighting evil where it could be found. I figure Glorfindel did the same.

Look at it like this - the provinces of Gondor didn't send their full forces to Minas Tirith; they held most of them back to defend their homes. I doubt Elrond would have wanted to send his single most powerful ally on a quest like the Fellowhip had. He would need him later for a defense of Rivendell. Glorfindel was also a great general, as alluded to in the timeline - at least that's my impression. Aragorn was the best outdoorsman of his time, which made him a logical choice to be part of the Fellowship. Glorfindel was not exactly a good choice for stealth - the Black Riders, for example, would be able to see him clearly, from a distance, due to how brightly he shone in the spirit world.

 

[sword-dancer]

True. Of course, that's true of just about any Hollywood movie. Wider, easier-to-follow fight scenes require actors with some real stunt-fighting skill (as in Hong Kong). Editing together countless, hard-to-follow, tight shots is much easier.

On www.netsword.com the fight scenes, especially with Sarumans Uruk-Hai get critics as well done.
BTW I´ve seen enough Swordfights in medival/fantasy films were they used swords as foils or or played eastern ballette show.

Give an arab a sword ....
Could i have that for my daughter....

 

[ColonelHardisson]

I offered up an alternative: We could probably just as easily make all Noldor high-level. They could have the same racial stats as mere Humans and still be super-powerful that way.

Then they wouldn't be balanced, as I was saying. Again, how does what you said go against what I said? How would that balance a Noldor against a Hobbit? If you start everyone out at the higher level, then the Noldor wouldn't be more powerful - which they clearly were.

 

[JerryLove]

I can't say for sure, but he was a powerful asset for Rivendell. Rivendell was one of the last places in Middle Earth that was a home for Elves, and the Dark Lord would have dearly loved to know where it was. There had to be some reserves in case the Fellowship failed

If the fellowships failed, only fleeing to the gray havens would save Middle Earth. Even if the Ring was kept for Sauron, it was presumed that Sauron would overrun Middle Earth unless the ring was either destroied or used against him. (see the discussion on giving the ring to Bombadill while in Rivendell).

While I have no doubt that Glorfindel was a great asset to Rivendel, he wasn't "too good to send". Gandalf was certainly more useful.

the Black Riders, for example, would be able to see him clearly, from a distance, due to how brightly he shone in the spirit world.

What do you think Gandalf must have looked like. After Kaza Dum, he actually shone like a bacon in the mundane world.

This is why the party was smal, and why Gandalf avoided usinghi power... to avoid attracting attention.

 

[mmadsen]

On www.netsword.com the fight scenes, especially with Sarumans Uruk-Hai get critics as well done. BTW I´ve seen enough Swordfights in medival/fantasy films were they used swords as foils or or played eastern ballette show.

The complaint isn't that the fighting techniques are poor or unrealistic; it's that the filmmaking technique -- lots of close-up shots with aggressive editing -- leads to a choppy scene.

 

[mmadsen]

Then they wouldn't be balanced, as I was saying. Again, how does what you said go against what I said?

I guess I don't understand what you're saying.

How would that balance a Noldor against a Hobbit? If you start everyone out at the higher level, then the Noldor wouldn't be more powerful - which they clearly were.

Our goal is to have the typical Noldor in the game world be far more powerful than the typical Hobbit or Man in the game world. We don't have to boost the racial stats (as D&D handles racial stats) for a Noldor elf to achieve that.

If all the Noldor elves in the game world are high-level, it doesn't matter that the racial mechanics give no special bonuses. Thus, mechanically, the race is balanced (it's no tougher than any other race), but in the game world all members of the race stand head and shoulders above the other races of the world.

A high-level adventurer could be an exceptional Man or a typical Noldor. Each would be 10th level.

 

[Ridley's Cohort]

[Glorfindel] must be doing something while the fellowship is off traipsing about; I just don't know what.

That line of thinking is exactly why the Ring quest succeeds.

Sauron spends his time worrying over the actions of Glorfindel, Galadriel, Elrond, a few other noteworthy elves, Saruman, Gandalf, and their three buddies because obviously these are the real players in the world capable of bearing the One Ring against him.

He doesn't even know about Aragorn until later. Aragorn is Elrond's secret weapon. To find an heir to Isildur capable of defying him openly through the Palantir was quite a shock to Sauron -- a real wildcard against his plans to steamroll over the humans in Gondor. Aragorn would be the most obvious candidate to bear the Ring as well.

 

[JerryLove]

He doesn't even know about Aragorn until later. Aragorn is Elrond's secret weapon. To find an heir to Isildur capable of defying him openly through the Palantir was quite a shock to Sauron -- a real wildcard against his plans to steamroll over the humans in Gondor. Aragorn would be the most obvious candidate to bear the Ring as well.

Sauron assumed that the powerful of Middle Earth would do what he would do in their place. He was afraid that Aragorn would use the ring, and with it's power, overthrow Sauron. That Aragon would, in effect, become another Sauron, was not consoling.

Sauron never dreamed that they would attempt to destroy the ring, Gandalf is quite clear on that point. It is Sauron's assumptions that cause his defeat (another point Gandalf is quite clear on).