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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Edena_of_Neith" data-source="post: 306245" data-attributes="member: 2020">I give Epic Levels to the Ringwraiths because they are thousands of years old.  Even before they became Ringwraiths, they were Lords of the race of Man, and probably had fairly decent character levels.  That was before the long, battle-strewn centuries of the Black Years of the Second Age, the great war of the Last Alliance, the Siege and Conquest of Minas Ithil, and the long war against Gondor.  These guys had plenty of time, and plenty of opportunity, to gain character levels.  The Lord of the Ringwraiths had an additional opportunity.  He founded the realm of Angmar in Eriador, and was leader of that Realm for six centuries.  He led Angmar in battle first against Arthedain, then Rivendell, then in all out war against Arthedain and Cardolan, in which Linden, Rivendell, and Lothlorien were pulled in.  He maintained Angmar against all comers until the day came when he was able to whelm the last Dunedain nation, Arthedain.  His nation was ultimately smashed by Gondor, but he himself survived, and shortly thereafter visited a devastating revenge on that nation by taking Minas Ithil.  - - -  I was asked:  how would the Battle on Weathertop translate to 3rd Edition Dungeons and Dragons.  I tried to answer that question.  What I did not do, and what I cannot do, is translate the way things worked in Tolkien's books (the system of rules, as it were, that existed in his books) into 3rd edition Dungeons and Dragons.  For example, I would not throw even a 20th level character into battle against Galadriel.  Yet, I cannot point to Galadriel and say:  she has x number of levels in this, and y number of powers involving that.  I do, however, know that Galadriel had great power, and even greater power with the Ring of Adamant.  The battle between the Lord of the Ringwraiths, Eowyn, and Merry, I cannot translate into 3rd Edition Dungeons and Dragons terms.  If I tried, the result would be pretty crude:  The Ringwraith strikes at Eowyn, hits, shatters her shield, and almost downs her.  Merry backstabs the Ringwraith - his sword, forged in Arthedain against Angmar, causing a devastating wound to the former Witch-King of Angmar.  Eowyn strikes, effectively making a vorpal strike (sword thrust through throat) against the Ringwraith.  The Ringwraith goes down.  Now, if you use the Critical Hits system they've got in 3rd edition D&D, perhaps a translation could be made ... and as it happens I have not read those rules, and so cannot comment on them, much less use them.</blockquote>

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