New One Ring and Lord of the Rings Starter Sets Launching at Gen Con

Free League has announced two new starter sets for its parallel Middle Earth-based TTRPG lines. The One Ring uses a bespoke system for Tolkien-themed roleplaying, while Lord of the Rings Roleplaying is powered by 5E.

Releasing on July 31st, Over and Under Hill will sell for $29.99 and include a poster map, rulebooks, pregenerated characters, tokens, and dice, as well as the titular adventure set in the wildlands of northern Eriador.

'Not far ahead were dreary hills, rising higher and higher, dark with trees. On some of them were old castles with an evil look, as if they had been built by wicked people.'

You are enjoying a rare, quiet evening at the inn in Bree when a hunter joins your table to share a tale about a dark threat looming over the North Downs. However, you are not merely simple guests at The Prancing Pony — you are members of a Company. It is your self-appointed duty to inquire about the bone-chilling dangers that might emerge from the houseless hills beyond. Are you ready to take the road to adventure?

These new and beginner-friendly Starter Sets for The One Ring™ tabletop RPG and The Lord of the Rings™ Roleplaying 5E, based on the works of J.R.R. Tolkien, provide all you need to embark on your journeys in Middle-earth. Immerse yourself in a world set between the time of Bilbo’s first adventure and the events of The Lord of the Rings™, exploring the Lone-lands of Eriador and taking on the roles of characters whose stories are yet to be told.

The One Ring Starter Set – Over Hill and Under Hill and The Lord of the Rings Roleplaying 5E Starter Set key features:

• Condensed rules for action resolution, combat, councils, and journeys
• The complete adventure Over Hill and Under Hill, bringing the heroes deep into the wild lands of northern Eriador to face a dark threat
• A large full-color map of the lands of Eriador, with a combat stance diagram on the back
• Beautifully illustrated cardboard stand-up figures for Player-heroes and Adversaries for use on the combat diagram
• Five pre-generated and illustrated Player-heroes
• Special dice engraved with custom symbols*

You can also pre-order them on Free League's website and get the PDF version immediately.

 

[Skywalker]

I can't get over what a great deal these starter sets are. In the US, they are $29.99. The One Ring Starter Set includes the dice that Free League sells on their website for $22.80, so you are paying $7.19 for the rest of the materials in the set. It seems Free League is running a narrow margin on the starter set to provide an inexpensive gateway to The One Ring.

Starter Sets are usually loss leading products for exactly that reason.

It's interesting how the 5E version has a different name and different artwork. Most publishers would just keep the same name (The One Ring) and stick a "compatible with 5E" badge at the bottom of the 5E version.

This has been the case with The One Ring for 10 years now. The 5e adaptation is pretty significant and well thought out (though I find The One Ring to be my preferred version), so maybe they didn't want to make it seem like they just slapped D&D5e on to The One Ring.

 

[Crusadius]

I just purchased the TOR one. I don't have anything against Hobbits, but the original Starter Set didn't feel like the Players were preparing to challenge Mordor.

 

[Skywalker]

I just purchased the TOR one. I don't have anything against Hobbits, but the original Starter Set didn't feel like the Players were preparing to challenge Mordor.

Who would think that Hobbits could challenge Mordor, destroy the One Ring, and become captains of Gondor and Rohan?

 

[Arnie_Wan_Kenobi]

Well took me 90 minutes of resistance before I folded and pre ordered bothView attachment 410790

I don't think I made it 90 seconds from when I saw it posted in the One Ring Facebook group to hitting "Order." I had them ordered even before I got the notification email from Free League.

I, too, have a Starter Set problem.

 

[sevenbastard]

I, too, have a Starter Set problem.

Sign me up for the news letter.

I bought two copied of the Pathfinder Beginners box 1e because I wanted to have a unopened spare, even though i dont play Pathfinder. I own three copies of Lost Mines. Two of Dragon of Icespire Peak.

Definitely picking at least one of these up even though I have the Hobbit one and never used it.

 

[Crusadius]

Who would think that Hobbits could challenge Mordor, destroy the One Ring, and become captains of Gondor and Rohan?

Yeah, but the first Starter Set didn't end with the hobbits fleeing the Shire being chased by 9 undead riders. My criticism is that there wasn't a good mix of heroic cultures. This new Starter Set fixes this for me.

 

[Spectral Anomaly]

I can't get over what a great deal these starter sets are. In the US, they are $29.99. The One Ring Starter Set includes the dice that Free League sells on their website for $22.80, so you are paying $7.19 for the rest of the materials in the set. It seems Free League is running a narrow margin on the starter set to provide an inexpensive gateway to The One Ring.

Not arguing that this isn't a good deal, but you're treating it as if Free League is barely making any money at all on those $22.80 dice sets, when in fact they are almost pure profit.

 

[John R Davis]

Starter sets must make very little profit I imagine, as they are rammed packed full of goodness
May start a thread to further feed our addiction to them!

 

[Arnie_Wan_Kenobi]

Yeah, but the first Starter Set didn't end with the hobbits fleeing the Shire being chased by 9 undead riders. My criticism is that there wasn't a good mix of heroic cultures. This new Starter Set fixes this for me.

I'm running the first starter this fall. Maybe I'll tack this on to the end.

 

[Youshang]

Probably a good decision as I thought the current starter is a bit too cozy compared to the grittier reality of the actual game. Not that the old starter is bad but I never thought it is a good fit.