stat em up

[Ron]

Except for Sauron, I haven't found any reason to use epic rules in any character from The Lord of the Rings. As far as I can remember (I've read it about 15 years ago), there are only two instances where high levels should be assumed to justify the feats performed: Gandalf fighting the Balrog and Aragorn tracking the hobbits with amazing precision. The first one can be adjusted as we don't really know how strong the Balrog really was (very impressive, but was it powerful too?), while the second requires a high skill level, but not really epic.

The problem with adapting any literature character to D&D is that the game assumes a very high level of magic. As a matter of fact, D&D is more like a superhero game than a fantasy one at higher levels. As such don't be surprised of the relatively low level I place Gandalf. I would stat him as a Half-celestial CG 7th level Wizard, 3rd level Loremaster with very high abilities stats (at least 18 of Constitution and perhaps more than 18 of Charisma).

Lord of the Rings' characters were done to death in many other threads. There is even a d20 site dedicated to it. What about move to other books or movies?

 

[Elder-Basilisk]

A few things for comparison:

1. The balrog. Balrogs have a long history in middle earth. That particular balrog is spoken of as Durin's Bane and is principally responsible for the dwarven abandonment of Moria. So he's obviously something beyond the capabilities of an entire city of dwarves whose glory and craftsmanship had continued undiminished from the first age. The balrogs appear to have been the equal of the great elf-lords of the first age. Glorfindel fought a balrog and won at the fall of Gondolin. Ecthelion slew Gothmog, the lord of the balrogs at the fall of Gondolin. Gothmog IIRC slew Fingon, at the breaking of the siege of Angband. Several balrogs slew Feanor, the greatest of the elf-lords. The elf-lords appear to have been similar in power to Sauron. Luthien bewitched Morgroth. Fingolfin withstood Morgroth for a time in single combat and wounded him grievously. Gil Galad who I've always thought was a shadow of the great elf-lords of the first age, together with Isildur and his father defeated Sauron at the dawn of the third age. The balrogs were not the equal of the great dragons but they were close and the dragons gave even the Valar pause. I think this points towards D&D Great Wyrm status for the great dragons like Ancalagon and Smaug and to balrogs being in roughly the pit fiend-balor range.

2. Also there is Aragorn's wresting of the palantir of Orthanc from Sauron's control--a great feat even though he had the benefit of being its rightful owner. If Denethor's ability to use the palantir of Minas Tirith at all and to avoid domination by Sauron (if not subtle manipulation) was a sign of his strength then Aragorn's feat is rather impressive too.

3. More impressive than Aragorn's tracking of the hobbits after several days over a battlefield is his tracking down Gollum through the Mirkwood, to Mordor and beyond after many months.

4. There is also Gimli and Legolas's orc-killing competition at the battle of Helm's Deep to consider. At 40+ orcs each, they are clearly mid-level since Saruman's Uruk Hai were no orc warrior 1s.

5. Boromir's defense of Merry and Pippin agains the band of Uruk Hai is also quite impressive.

All told, I think the information points toward the kind of level range that ColHardisson used in the conversion hosted by these boards. Aragorn as high level, Gandalf as very high level/low epic level, and Gimli, Legolas, and Boromir as mid-level characters.

Except for Sauron, I haven't found any reason to use epic rules in any character from The Lord of the Rings. As far as I can remember (I've read it about 15 years ago), there are only two instances where high levels should be assumed to justify the feats performed: Gandalf fighting the Balrog and Aragorn tracking the hobbits with amazing precision. The first one can be adjusted as we don't really know how strong the Balrog really was (very impressive, but was it powerful too?), while the second requires a high skill level, but not really epic.

The problem with adapting any literature character to D&D is that the game assumes a very high level of magic. As a matter of fact, D&D is more like a superhero game than a fantasy one at higher levels. As such don't be surprised of the relatively low level I place Gandalf. I would stat him as a Half-celestial CG 7th level Wizard, 3rd level Loremaster with very high abilities stats (at least 18 of Constitution and perhaps more than 18 of Charisma).

Lord of the Rings' characters were done to death in many other threads. There is even a d20 site dedicated to it. What about move to other books or movies?

 

[kolikeos]

There is even a d20 site dedicated to it.

i think i know this one but i forgot the url adress, can you give it to me please?

What about move to other books or movies?

lets see what characters are gonna come up for gandolf and spiderman, i'll think of someone else for tomorow



this is what i think spiderman should be
human monk level (mid-high) aligment: LG (obviouse no?)

but how can a mere spider bite give you levels? here is another possibility:

expert level 1
with LOTS (50?) of dex & str gaind from the spider as permanent alchemical bonuses

 

[Talon5]

Think about what Gandalf did- what spells he cast.

Just say Two Towers the other night (again)- he deflects an arrow, an axe and Heats a sword to the point where it has to be dropped.

Heat Metal is sun2/druid2 (in 3.0e- sorry, don't have my 3.5e w/me). He's perhaps a 3rd lvl cleric or a 3rd lvl druid at the very least. Druid is out because he used a bastard sword- right?

In Return of the King he was kicking some but with that staff (a two handed weapon) and his sword. Count the feats.

He seems to be able to ride so consider that when your thinking about his skills- where did he get the points for riding? Spent double from somewhere, or was the GM kind and just let him look like he can ride?

Was Shadow Fax (sp) a Phantom Steed and that was just how he called it or was that horse a SNA?

Consider what he did, follow the path that leads you down.

I am a fan of the movies, never have had the time to read the books (I know- a gamer that hasn't read the books- ahhh!). So be clear when you make statements- "this was in the book," or "in the movie- he did X."

Lots to consider.

 

[TheBadElf]

Gandalf's capabilities in the books can be debated pretty much eternally. As far as the movie version goes, I would say that he would best be represented in D&D terms as a Paladin with a custom spell list - an idea I got from someone on this board uite a while back.

 

[Evilhalfling]

Santa Clause

I stated this up this morning but convinced myself not to start a new thread ..
Low and behold here one is that fits it. almost

20th level dwarf Paladin - Saint template
Str-18, dx 16, Cn 16, Int 15, Wis 18, Chr 23
Feats Cosmopolitan - Move Silently, Servant of Heavens, Leadership(32)
Gift of Faith, Alertness, Words of Creation.
(3 exalted feats for saithood)
Skills: Move Silently 28, Handle Animal 27, Climb 26, Craft Toys 25, Spot/Listen 5
Magic Items-
Bag of Holding(type VI), Ring of size alteration (enlarge or reduce at will)
Boots of Haste, Belt of gaint strength +6, gloves of Dex +6, Flying carpet - 5x10 (looks like sliegh)
Artifact - North Pole +2 staff, Primary power - persistant world wide time stop - 1 per year x-mas only. Secondary power - invisiblity 10r persistant
This santa only actually finds out who is naughty and who is nice as he lands on the roof (within 60'ft), the other raindeer are prolly full celestial flying raindeer. They are included in his leadership feat -

Mount - Rudolph- half celestial flying reindeer - (daylight at will)

 

[smetzger]

Druid

 

[Ron]

A few things for comparison:
All told, I think the information points toward the kind of level range that ColHardisson used in the conversion hosted by these boards. Aragorn as high level, Gandalf as very high level/low epic level, and Gimli, Legolas, and Boromir as mid-level characters.

Yours is not a bad reasoning. However, except for the Balrog confrontation, Gandalf doesn't appears to be able to produce magic in the same rate of a high level D&D wizard. I wonder if the fire ring he uses wouldn't protect him entirely from fire based attacks, denying the Balrog of his best weapons. This is certainly a problem of inadequacy of D&D, which was not written to emulate LotR. As such, I am not confortable to give him more than a 7th level of an arcane caster class. I am starting to think of him as a Sorcerer, as he doesn't appear to need books. I would also add some levels as expert (about five or six) to give him all the ranks of several knowledge skills he would need and, finally, high ability scores (what about Str 12, Dex 14, Con 18, Int 17, Wis 21, Cha 22?) and the half-Celestial template, to justify his excellent fighting skills (I can't see him as a fighter or warrior, although the paladin idea was a pretty good one), fantastic perception, diplomatic capability, and the fact that he's not human anyway.

Aragorn sounds to me as a 12th level ranger, perhaps a little more, whereas Boromir, Legolas, and Gimli would be 10th level fighters. The hobbits would be 1st to 2nd level in the beginning, although they should be about 5th level by the end of the book.

Anybody would try the cast from The Three Musketeers (as in the beginning of the book)? Here's my shot:

Athos N 1st/6th level Aristocrat/Fighter (high Cha)
Porthos (C)N 1st/4th level Aristocrat/Fighter (high Str, low Wis)
Aramis N 3rd/2nd level Aristocrat/Fighter
D'Artagnan (C)N 2nd level Fighter (high physical ability scores)
Richelieu LN 7th level Expert (high Int, Wis, and Cha)
Rocheford LN 4th level Aristocrat
Milady NE 8th level Rogue (high ability scores, specially Cha)

 

[Dogbrain]

if gandolf was all that powerful like you say he is, why then did it take so long to get to mount doom and destroy the ring?

Because that was not his mission. He was sent there by the demiurges to help fulfill God's purpose. He was under orders specifically to act as an advisor and avoid direct action as much as he could. Gandalf was older than Middle Earth, less powerful than the demiurges, but still more powerful than any being born.

and if he is a high level arcane caster, why not use teleport?

Because such direct action was divinely forbidden to him.

and why give the ring to some low level hobbits? certenly an epic level char would be able to resist the rings power lots longer

The Hobbit had unusual spiritual purity. Likewise, Frodo's lack of power SHIELDED him from the ring. The more powerful a being was, the greater the risk that the ring would take over the wielder.

Have you ever actually READ the books and background material?

 

[glass]

The first person to name the system I'm refering to gets a free...uhhh...compliment.

Well the obvious answers are either MERP or Coda. Don't know though, just guessing.


glass.