[The One Ring] The Marsh Bell: Character Creation

[CaBaNa]

I really like my character, so I'll be keeping him as is. Nice chart Voda Vosa!

 

[Voda Vosa]

I have made some modifications to Kurin Stoneshield. I won't be translating though, the wording is pretty similar and the location of things is the same, so you'll imagine. If not, it's a good chance for you to learn the best language in earth, Spanish.


Nombre: Kurin Stoneshield Cultura: Enano de la montaña Solitaria Nivel de vida: Rico
Bendición cultural: Temible Ocupación: Buscador de tesoros Debilidad ante la Sombra: Mal del dragon
Especialidades: Herrería, Cantería, Hurtar
Rasgos distintivos: Orgulloso, Terco
Cuerpo: 6 Corazón: 2 Mente: 6
Cuerpo (favorito): 8 Corazón (favorito): 3 Mente (favorito): 9
-Habilidades comunes-

• Impresionar: 1 Inspirar: 2 Persuadir: 0
• Atletismo: 1 Viajar: 3 Sigilo: 1
• Alerta: 1 Perspicacia: 1 Buscar: 3
• Explorar: 2 Curar: 0 Cazar: 0
• Cantar: 1 Cortesía: 0 Acertijos: 2
• Oficio: 4 Guerrear: 2 Saber: 2

-Habilidades de armas-

• Piqueta: 2 daño: 8 filo: 10 herida: 18 Imp.: 3
• Espada corta: 1 daño: 5 filo: 10 herida: 14 Imp.: 1
• Daga: 1 daño: 3 filo: G herida: 12 Imp.: 0
• Missing:localizeKey: 0

-Virtudes-: Conjuros Rotos
-Recompensas-:
-Equipo-

• Cota de malla Imp.: 16
• Capacete de hierro y cuero Imp.: 2
• Escudo Imp.: 3

Aguante: 30 Aguante Inicial: 30 Cansancio: 22 Esperanza: 8 Esperanza Inicial: 8 Sombra: 0 Armadura: 0 Cubrecabezas: 0 Parada: 6 Escudo: 0 Daño: 0 A Distancia: 0 Sabiduría: 2 Valor: 1 Experiencia: 0 Experiencia Total: 0

 

[CaBaNa]

I have made some modifications to Kurin Stoneshield. I won't be translating though, the wording is pretty similar and the location of things is the same, so you'll imagine. If not, it's a good chance for you to learn the best language in earth, Spanish.


Nombre: Kurin Stoneshield Cultura: Enano de la montaña Solitaria Nivel de vida: Rico
Bendición cultural: Temible Ocupación: Buscador de tesoros Debilidad ante la Sombra: Mal del dragon
Especialidades: Herrería, Cantería, Hurtar
Rasgos distintivos: Orgulloso, Terco
Cuerpo: 6 Corazón: 2 Mente: 6
Cuerpo (favorito): 8 Corazón (favorito): 3 Mente (favorito): 9
-Habilidades comunes-

• Impresionar: 1 Inspirar: 2 Persuadir: 0
• Atletismo: 1 Viajar: 3 Sigilo: 1
• Alerta: 1 Perspicacia: 1 Buscar: 3
• Explorar: 2 Curar: 0 Cazar: 0
• Cantar: 1 Cortesía: 0 Acertijos: 2
• Oficio: 4 Guerrear: 2 Saber: 2

-Habilidades de armas-

• Piqueta: 2 daño: 8 filo: 10 herida: 18 Imp.: 3
• Espada corta: 1 daño: 5 filo: 10 herida: 14 Imp.: 1
• Daga: 1 daño: 3 filo: G herida: 12 Imp.: 0
• Missing:localizeKey: 0

-Virtudes-: Conjuros Rotos
-Recompensas-:
-Equipo-

• Cota de malla Imp.: 16
• Capacete de hierro y cuero Imp.: 2
• Escudo Imp.: 3

Aguante: 30 Aguante Inicial: 30 Cansancio: 22 Esperanza: 8 Esperanza Inicial: 8 Sombra: 0 Armadura: 0 Cubrecabezas: 0 Parada: 6 Escudo: 0 Daño: 0 A Distancia: 0 Sabiduría: 2 Valor: 1 Experiencia: 0 Experiencia Total: 0

There may be things which are incorrect, or untranslated.


Name: Kurin Stoneshield culture: dwarf on the mountain solitary living standards: Rico
Cultural blessing: fearsome occupation: treasure hunting weakness before the shadow: evil of the dragon
Specialties: Metalwork, stonework, steal
Distinguishing features: proud, Terco
Body: 6 heart: 2 mind: 6
Body (favorite): 8 heart (bookmark): 3 mind (favorite): 9
-Common skills-

Impress: 1 inspire: 2 persuade: 0
Athletics: 1 travel: 3 stealth: 1
Alert: 1 insight: 1 search: 3
Explore: 2 cure: 0 Hunt: 0
Sing: 1 complimentary: 0 puzzles: 2
Ex officio: 4 war: 2 know: 2

-Weapons skills-

Pickaxe: 2 damage: 8 edge: 10 wound: 18 IMP: 3
Short sword: 1 damage: 5 edge: 10 wound: 14 IMP: 1
Dagger: 1 damage: 3 edge: wound G: 12 IMP: 0
Missing:localizeKey: 0

-Virtues-: broken spells
-Rewards-:
-Team-

Chainmail IMP: 16
Capacete of iron and leather IMP: 2
IMP shield: 3

Endurance: 30 hold initial: 30 fatigue: 22 hope: 8 hope initial: 8 shadow: 0 Armor: 0 Cubrecabezas: 0 stop: 6 shield: 0 damage: 0 distance: 0 wisdom: 2 value: 1 experience: 0 experience Total: 0

 

[JoeNotCharles]

There's a thread talking about the game here that has more information too.

Seems like I'm just slowing everybody down at this point. In that case, I'll just answer specific questions you guys have, and assume that the online character sheet gives you enough info to make your character otherwise. (I'll be verbose about how the rules work once we start actually playing, thouhg.)

Still haven't heard anything from [MENTION=84680]treex[/MENTION] - if he doesn't at least post an "I'm here" by Saturday, [MENTION=51930]fireinthedust[/MENTION] can take his place.

Can we pick whatever mundane gear we want and what do the various armors do?

This is a point where I think the online character sheet gets things wrong, so check your gear and Fatigue carefully:

You start with a loosely-defined collection of gear called your "travelling gear", which contains whatever mundane items (not armour and weapons) you think are reasonable. Summer travelling gear has an encumbrance of 1; winter travelling gear has an encumbrance of 2.

If you have any points in the Song skill, then yes your travelling gear can contain a musical instrument. It can also contain anything reasonable for your profession. (Which is just something you make up - if you say "I worked as a smith before adventuring", you are probably not carting an anvil around, but you probably have tongs and a small hammer and whatever else you need to shoe a horse.)

If you want to be carrying anything out of the ordinary, just ask and I'll decide that it's reasonable.

You also start with one weapon for each weapon skill you have (if it's a cultural weapon skill, you get one specific weapon from that group), armour, a shield, and a helm. (You can skip any of these items that you don't want.) Each of these has their own encumbrance.

I'll go through the items listed in the characters you posted so far in the next set of posts.

The other thread has general combat rules but leaves a few things out - are you "Weary" when your Endurance drops below your encumbrance?

Close. You are "Weary" when your Endurance is equal to or less than your Fatigue. Your Fatigue starts equal to the total encumbrance you're carrying, but it can rise as you encounter hardships. (So you could become Weary as you lose encumbrance in combat, or as your Fatigue rises while travelling.) While you're Weary you get a substantial penalty to all rolls - I'll explain the exact penalty when it happens.

When your Endurance reaches 0, you fall unconscious.

Also, Voda Vosa was asking about Virtues and Rewards:

As well as the three Attributes (Body, Heart, Wits) and eighteen common skills, you have Valour and Wisdom. These are rolled as if they're skills for certain important tests (generally to resist things) - for instance, Valour is rolled to resist fear, and Wisdom is rolled to resist the corrupting influence of the Shadow.

You start with 1 point in each of them, and can choose to raise one of them to 2. Later, you will spend experience points to raise them.

Each time Valour is raised by a point (including at character creation!) you gain a Reward. This is a physical item of exceptional craftsmanship (or an improvement to one of your items) that's bestowed on you in recognition of your valour. There's a set of general items that anyone can take (for example, a "fell weapon" that does extra damage, or a "close-fitting helm" that has extra protection), and each culture has their own set of signature items you can choose from (for example, the Dwarves can take an "Axe of the Azanulbizar", a weapon used in a famous battle, while Elves can take a "Bitter Spear" made with wood from the barren hill that is now Dol Guldur. Hobbits can borrow museum pieces from the mathom-house at Michel Delving.)

Each time Wisdom is raised by a point (again including at character creation) you gain a Virtue. This is a special technique you are taught to reflect your knowledge. Again there are some general ones (you can choose to be Dour-handed or Fell-handed to gain different combat bonuses) and culture-specific ones (among other things, Dwarves can learn the "Spell of Opening and Shutting", befriend "Ravens of the Mountain", or embrace their "Old Hatred" of orcs and goblins; Elves can learn "Deadly Archery" or "Wood-elf Magic"; Hobbits can learn the "Art of Disappearing" or become "Brave at a Pinch").

 

[JoeNotCharles]

Everybody has basically the same choices of armour, headgear and shield:

Armour:

When an enemy rolls especially well, they may score a Piercing Blow on you (think critical hit). When this happens, you roll to resist it with the regular d12 plus a number of d6's based on your armour. You can spend a point of Hope to add your basic Body rating to this test.

You can choose from 2 types of leather armour and 3 types of mail:

A leather shirt weighs 4 and adds 1d6.
A leather corslet weighs 8 and adds 2d6.
A mail shirt weighs 12 and adds 3d6.
A coat of mail weighs 16 and adds 4d6.
A mail hauberk weighs 20 and adds 5d6.

Headgear:

A "cap of iron and leather" is a round helmet that covers only the top of your head. It weighs 2 and adds 1 to your rolls to resist a Piercing Blow.
A "helm" also has cheek guards and a nose guard. It weighs 6 and adds 4.

Shields:

When you are attacked in combat, you add your basic Wits rating to the TN to hit you, plus an extra bonus from your shield.

A Buckler weighs 1 and adds 1.
A Shield weighs 3 and adds 2.
A Great Shield weighs 5 and adds 3. (Dwarves and hobbits are too short to use a Great Shield.)

I'll go through weapons separately for each character, since you all have slightly different choices.

You can always choose not to take any item if you don't want to carry the weight.

[MENTION=59043]Walking Dad[/MENTION]:

You're carrying a short sword and a dagger. The character creator already filled in stats for these.

You chose the cultural weapon group (Axes). So you can choose an Axe or a Great Axe. (You can't choose a Long-Handled Axe because it's too big for dwarves.)

Axe does 5 damage - this is what's taken off an enemy's Endurance on a successful hit. Great Axe does 9. (Your short sword also does 5, and your dagger does 3.)

Both Axe and Great Axe score a Piercing Blow (ie. a critical hit) if the d12 on the attack roll is 12 (ie. the Gandalf rune). Short Sword scores a Piercing Blow on 10 or 12 (not 11 because that's the Eye of Sauron). Dagger scores one on 12.

If you get a Piercing Blow, the enemy rolls to resist it. Their target number is 18 for an Axe or 20 for a Great Axe. (It's 14 for a Short Sword, and 12 for a Dagger.)

An Axe weighs 2, a Great Axe weighs 4 (and is 2-handed, so you can't use a shield). Short Sword weighs 1, and Dagger weighs 0.

Your Dwarf-Made Hauberk is a Hauberk (see above for stats), which uses your favoured Body rating if you spend Hope on a roll to resist a Piercing Blow.

You get your choice of headgear and shield.


[MENTION=82643]CaBaNa[/MENTION]:

You have a short sword, dagger and regular bow (since you didn't take any cultural weapon groups, there's nothing to choose here). See Walking Dad's entry for the short sword and dagger stats. The bow weighs 1, takes off 5 damage on a hit, and scores a Piercing Blow on a roll of 10 or 12. Enemies need to beat a TN of 14 to avoid the Piercing Blow. It's 2-handed, so you can't use a shield with it (although you can still carry one for when you're using your sword.)


[MENTION=60965]Iron Sky[/MENTION]:

You have a bow, sword and dagger. Your bow is just like CaBaNa's, and your dagger is just like Walking Dad's. Your sword weighs 2, takes off 5 endurance on a hit, does a Piercing Blow on 10 or 12, and the enemy's TN to resist the Piercing Blow is 16.


[MENTION=6078]garyh[/MENTION]:

You have the same weapons as Walking Dad. Your Axe of the Azanulbizar is a Great Axe which can make enemies Weary if you roll a 12 on the d12 when attacking them.


[MENTION=88601]FourMonos[/MENTION]:

You have the same weapons as CaBaNa.

The sheet you posted has both a virtue and a reward. That's not right - you should only have a reward, for your valour of 2. (Also, you can't get Woeful Foresight as a hobbit - that's a Barding-only virtue.) So I'm going to assume you have the reward of Lucky Armour - if you'd rather take a virtue, change your Wisdom to 2 and Valour to 1.

Your Lucky Armour can be any type of armour listed above. If you're hit by a Piercing Blow, you roll the d12 twice and keep the best result when rolling to resist.

You have listed that you're wearing a Leather Shirt (a Lucky Leather Shirt, I guess) and carrying a Buckler, but not helmet. You can change these choices if you want now that I've posted the stats for everything - whatever armour you take is Lucky.


[MENTION=51271]Voda Vosa[/MENTION]:

By comparing the stats of your weapons to my table, I deduce that you're carrying a mattock, a short sword and a dagger. The mattock is a two-handed weapon, so you can't use a shield while you're carrying it. You should be able to figure out what the stats mean based on what I posted above.

 

[CaBaNa]

what are the trait rules for being small?

 

[Walking Dad]

Is there a benefit for me using an axe over a short sword (besides my currently higher skill).
Will maybe change to Mattock, but I don't find the stats for it above.

 

[FourMonos]

[MENTION=82643]CaBaNa[/MENTION] I agree we should have our hobbits know each other, that would make sense and be more fun

I'm going to look at the character builder again, tonight or this weekend, and see if I'm going to change anything now I know some more about the game.

Thanks for all the info JNC!

 

[Voda Vosa]

There may be things which are incorrect, or untranslated.


Name: Kurin Stoneshield culture: dwarf on the mountain solitary living standards: Rico
Cultural blessing: fearsome occupation: treasure hunting weakness before the shadow: evil of the dragon
Specialties: Metalwork, stonework, steal
Distinguishing features: proud, Terco Stubborn.
Body: 6 heart: 2 mind: 6
Body (favorite): 8 heart (favorite): 3 mind (favorite): 9
-Common skills-

Impress: 1 inspire: 2 persuade: 0
Athletics: 1 travel: 3 stealth: 1
Alert: 1 insight: 1 search: 3
Explore: 2 cureHeal: 0 Hunt: 0
Sing: 1 complimentaryCourtship: 0 puzzlesRiddle: 2
Ex officio Craft: 4 war: 2 knowledge: 2

-Weapons skills-

Pickaxe: 2 damage: 8 edge: 10 wound Damage: 18 IMP: 3
Short sword: 1 damage: 5 edge: 10 woundDamage: 14 IMP: 1
Dagger: 1 damage: 3 edge: woundDamage G: 12 IMP: 0


-Virtues-: broken spells
-Rewards-:
-Team-

Chainmail IMP: 16
Capacete Cap of iron and leather IMP: 2
IMP shield: 3

Endurance: 30 hold initial: 30 fatigue: 22 hope: 8 hope initial: 8 shadow: 0 Armor: 0 CubrecabezasHelm: 0 stop: 6 shield: 0 damage: 0 distance: 0 wisdom: 2 value: 1 experience: 0 experience Total: 0

That's pretty good! I bolded the incorrect words and replaced whit the ones it should be.

I like the verbose explanations. I enjoy reading.

 

[JoeNotCharles]

what are the trait rules for being small?

There aren't any specific rules (unless I missed something), just a list of banned weapons and shields.

Is there a benefit for me using an axe over a short sword (besides my currently higher skill).
Will maybe change to Mattock, but I don't find the stats for it above.

A regular one-handed axe will score a Piercing Blow on roughly 1 out of 12 attacks, but when it hits it will be very hard to resist (TN 18 - the average medium-difficulty TN is 14). A short sword will score a Piercing Blow on roughly 1 out of 6 attacks, but you can expect enemies to resist these blows more often (TN 14). Also the axe is twice as heavy (encumbrance 2 vs encumbrance 1).

Piercing Blows are good, because they inflict the Wounded status (which doesn't directly help get your opponent to 0 endurance, but gives them penalties to attack similar to Weary).

A mattock is that weapon CaBaNa has that's translated "pickaxe". It's two-handed, so it's more comparable to the Great Axe. Here's a chart:

| Weapon      | Damage | Piercing Blow | TN to resist PB | Enc | Notes      |
| Dagger      | 3      | 12            | 12              | 0   |            |
| Short sword | 5      | 10 or 12      | 14              | 1   |            |
| Sword       | 5      | 10 or 12      | 16              | 2   |            |
| Axe         | 5      | 12            | 18              | 2   |            |
| Great Axe   | 9      | 12            | 20              | 4   | 2H         |
| Mattock     | 8      | 10 or 12      | 18              | 3   | 2H         |
| Bow         | 5      | 10 or 12      | 14              | 1   | 2H, ranged |

So a mattock does slightly less damage on a regular hit than a Great Axe, but it does piercing blows as often as a sword, and those blows are as hard to resist as a regular axe.

Huh, I just noticed that a bow is basically a ranged short sword.