New Lord of the Rings RPG!

[darjr]

Somebody somewhere said it's the book license they are playing with.

I'll try and find a link.

I'm actually excited about this. I hope they manage to make a rules set that is evocative of the setting.

 

[Truth Seeker]

Let it be non-D20 please...

Somebody somewhere said it's the book license they are playing with.

I'll try and find a link.

I'm actually excited about this. I hope they manage to make a rules set that is evocative of the setting.

 

[Keefe the Thief]

It´s an entirely new system, designed just for LOR. See the respective RPG.net thread where the publisher answers questions.
And its going to be LOR + Hobbit - no other stuff. The current licenses are based on deals JRRT made himself back in the day. The chance that, forex, the Silmarillion can be included in anything ever are exactly nil.

 

[fuzzlewump]

I don't see this as a good idea. If its combat oriented, the hobbits should be at a big disadvantage. Casters probably wouldn't exist, and even if you allowed playing as Gandalf, Saruman or the Brown guy, what spells would you give them exactly?

 

[Aus_Snow]

I don't see this as a good idea. If its combat oriented, the hobbits should be at a big disadvantage.

Buffy (the RPG) is just one example of a successful licensed RPG wherein you can have a powerful PC (e.g., Buffy) and a relatively hopeless one (e.g., Xander) in the same party, and have it work just fine. I'm sure they have thought about such basic [potential] issues. What solution they will favour, I have no idea. But I'm willing to bet there will be one (. . . or more than one, perhaps.)

Casters probably wouldn't exist, and even if you allowed playing as Gandalf, Saruman or the Brown guy, what spells would you give them exactly?

Have to wait and see, I guess? There will probably be previews, fairly soon-ish. Well, hopefully.

 

[Nikosandros]

The current licenses are based on deals JRRT made himself back in the day. The chance that, forex, the Silmarillion can be included in anything ever are exactly nil.

That's what I know as well. It's sad, but it's the way it is...

 

[Thanee]

A customized Pathfinder variant would be pretty neat!

Uuhh... no thanks. d20 + LotR = fail.


The advertisement sounds quite intriguing, though.

Bye
Thanee

 

[JohnRTroy]

That's what I know as well. It's sad, but it's the way it is...

Actually I think it's sadder that Tolkien agreed to a bum contract to Saul Zaentz that didn't have a time limit and revocation rights. Most modern licenses have a time limit. It's these perpetual licenses that get people into trouble.

Somebody could also try to get a license from the Tolkien estate for the other books, but that's another ball of wax.

One question is do they also have the film rights, or is this going to avoid dealing with the films. One of the tricky things was that computer games had to not only license from TE, but they had to also license from New Line because otherwise they could not reproduce the distinct look used in the films, but I doubt they are needed for a paper RPG.

 

[Moogleproof]

I concur, John Howe's art work is just phenomenal. Just the thing to inspire DMs.

First few things that popped into mind that would be on my wish list:

-As accurate a description as you can have of the Middle-Earth. By this I mean that you won't be a wizard or such because there just weren't casters around, no flashy light-effects etc, and the game isn't balanced - if your ancestors were from Numenor or you are a Grey Elf, you probably are better than a hobbit or any other man from pretty much anywhere.

-It would be at least a tiny bit more forgiving if you try to play narratively than MERP was (I know this could kind of clash with my first point, but luckily I'm not a designer). My friend has told me countless times of the instance he played a hobbit adventurer:

HIM: I climb atop the roof to see the area better.

*DM rolls*

DM: You fall and die.

HIM: Oh. Well, that was fun...

 

[Thanee]

At least he didn't trip over an invisible turtle.

Bye
Thanee