I HAVE IT!! AT LAST, IT IS MINE!!! MINE, I TELL YOU!! MIIIIIINE!!! (LotR)

[Fenris]

Stop it, Stop it, Stop it!

Really, I can't stand it anymore! You are making me way too excited about this system and I have neither the time or the money for it. But hey I am a gamer and will succumb. My question to you lucky ones to have read it: How would the system lend itself to D&D? I ran a MERP game long ago and it was a complete flop. Other than the players disliking the system (sigh) I found out only one of my regular gaming group had even read the trilogy! So the wonderful setting went to waste. I have been working on a homebrew world for a while and I wanted to make it low-magic and it is very Tolkienesque. How hard would it be to take those rules (and flavor) and put it in D&D terms? Thank you all.

 

[The_Gneech]

Re: Stop it, Stop it, Stop it!

I have been working on a homebrew world for a while and I wanted to make it low-magic and it is very Tolkienesque. How hard would it be to take those rules (and flavor) and put it in D&D terms? Thank you all.

Well, check out the fanbrew Middle Earth d20 site, that's a great place to start. The Decipher game is very cool, lots of good suggestions about getting across the ME "feel," but in terms of straight mechanic adjustments, the website will probably be more useful.

-The Gneech

 

[ErikF]

Can someone tell me about The Stats of non-mortal powerful beings like Gandalf, Saruman or Balrog? Is Sauron given stats? What about First and Second Ages?

As already noted, Saruman and the Balrog are both statted in the core book. (There is some report on the Decipher boards that a forthcoming Moria supplement will contain beefed-up Balrog stats, however.)

Sauron is not statted, because the developers feel that his power should simply be unapproachable for PCs. If players try to confront him directly, they're toast.

Decipher's license doesn't let them develop First or Second Age material, but some elements of the history of those ages are mentioned in the core book.

 

[ErikF]

By the way, how does the game handle Beorn's ability to transform into a bear? Is it racial? Magical? What?

Thanks!

Beorn isn't statted, but the magic chapter addresses his powers specifically. Some spells can be developed into innate magical abilities, and it is also possible (by paying 10 advancement picks, the full total for two character advancements) for a non-magician/wizard to purchase such an innate power. Beorn's transforming ability is of this sort, based off the spell "Mastery of Shapes." If the GM were willing to let a player do it and planned to let the characters start with several advancements, a player could create a Beorn-like character at the beginning of a campaign.

 

[ErikF]

Do statistics of Gandalf and Saruman reflect their Maia heritage, do they have some extraordinary powers because of it?
Also, would Man Of Darkness be suitable for Black Numenorians?

Sauron has a "racial" ability of Agelessness that is clearly meant to reflect Maia heritage, and several of his attributes are beyond anything a Man (or most Elves) should be able to achieve in the game. I would guess that Gandalf's stats, when published, will be similarly influenced--but note that the book doesn't explicitly identify the Five as Maiar.

"Man of Darkness" is meant to represent the various Easterling and Southron groups who fall under Sauron's influence (the Wainriders, Balchoth, Haradrim, and Men of Dorwinion and Rhun). The book treats Black Numenorians as Dunedain.

 

[Scribe Ineti]

This book rocks!

I got my copy last night at my FLGS in Chantilly, VA. I've read bits of it as I've had time, and am really, really impressed.

For those interested in porting it over to d20, don't. The mechanics of Decipher's Coda system are very similar to d20. But the underlying concept is nowhere close to D&D.

The most important thing I think a lot of gamers are missing is that LOTR is Epic in scope. It's much more geared toward role-playing and role-playing truly heroic characters. Dungeon crawling for kills and loot and trolling for easy marks doesn't really fit the LOTR universe, and the RPG really tries to focus the Narrator and players toward playing heroes fighting to save the world from the evils of Sauron.

More comments as I read more, but I'm really thrilled with this book, esp. since I've never read the series. I was introduced to Tolkien through the films, so every page of the book has something new.

 

[mmadsen]

Re: This book rocks!

For those interested in porting it over to d20, don't. The mechanics of Decipher's Coda system are very similar to d20. But the underlying concept is nowhere close to D&D.

So why do you say not to convert it? It's mechanically similar to d20 but with LotR's epic feel. Why not actually d20 with LotR's epic feel?

More comments as I read more, but I'm really thrilled with this book, esp. since I've never read the series.

Excuse me? Get reading!

 

[Scribe Ineti]

Re: Re: This book rocks!

So why do you say not to convert it? It's mechanically similar to d20 but with LotR's epic feel. Why not actually d20 with LotR's epic feel?

Because the more I read about the Coda system (in both LOTR and Star Trek) the more I am convinced that it's the better system, at least for the type of game I want to run.

I've wanted to run a fantasy game, but I wanted subtle magic, a fatigue system, and a way to tie magic use into fatigue much like SW d20 has Vitality and Wounds. I also wanted to get away from the hack and slash mindset of D&D. LOTR Coda fits what I wanted almost exactly. I would have had to tinker with d20 to get it to where I wanted that it wouldn't have resembled d20 all that much.

Excuse me? Get reading!

Working on it. I'm in FOTR right now, just after the Council of Elrond.

 

[ColonelHardisson]

Re: Re: Re: This book rocks!

Because the more I read about the Coda system (in both LOTR and Star Trek) the more I am convinced that it's the better system, at least for the type of game I want to run.

Fair enough. Who knows? I may find out the same thing. But that's an individual decision. I think what irks people is when someone says "don't do this, because I don't like it." So, what should I have for breakfast, then? What type of car should I buy? I'm kidding, but making such statements often has the effect of putting people on the defensive on the internet. Your intent might have been better put forth by saying - "those of you who want to prt it over to d20 - give this system a try first. You might like it. I did." And then list what you liked.

I mean this in a friendly spirit.

 

[Apok]

In all honesty, I don't think it would be too much trouble to do a port of this over to d20. Colonel Hardisson, Wolfspider and many others are doing a wonderful job at their Middle Earth d20 Conversion site and I highly recommend it as a resource.

However, like Scribe Ineti, I intend to use the LotR Coda system for my homebrew campaign. To be perfectly honest, I like Coda better than d20 and I'm even thinking of converting D&D into the Coda system!

I just feel that Coda is an even more elegant and flexible systme than d20 so I will probably be using it more often in the future. Now, just gotta tweak their mass combat system...