I was just wondering if C7 was going to follow the path that Fantasy Flight games has done with their Warhammer RPG line. Each new core book has a greater power level than the previous.

For example would an Elf of Rivendell have higher starting stats than an Elf of Mirkwood or would the difference between a Ranger of the North and a Woodman solely be different backgrounds and cultural virtues and rewards?

HN

This is one thing I am worried about. I like the feel of the game and do not think there should be a power creep of any kind IMHO.

For my tuppence worth, I think the newer core settings will cover peoples/cultures that would typically have a higher starting character experience. I think the probable answer will be a little of both. The new books are likely to contain new backgrounds and cultural virtues and rewards, but also start the new characters at a higher level of experience. Possibly the ideal would be to describe the cultures at the base level and then suggest a likely experience point spend for a typical member of that culture. GMs can then adjust the starting experience awarded to their particular campaign and players can decide how they want to spend that experience. A higher level game in TOR equates to more experienced characters and the resulting higher Valour, Wisdom and skill values.

I would hope that the available races and classes that are presented in future books will be presented at equal power levels to those in AOtEotW. That being said from the format of the release schedule it seems that the material will be presented assuming a chronological passage of time, thus requiring the characters created to have more power to deal with increasingly challenging foes of that time.

I never understood this type of system as it seems illogical to me. Why should an elf of Rivendell just starting off as an adventurer be any more 'powerful' than a novice elf of Mirkwood? They both are amateurs as far as experience in the world and there doesn't seem to be any rhyme or reason to the contrary (other than an artificially imposed one of a rules framework).

Just my two tharnis.

I agree, I hope that new characters are similar power levels no matter where they're from.

My thoughts were the along lines of power Calaquendi, were higher than the Sindar, who were, above the Avari.

Likewise, the Men of the West were higher than the Middle Men and they the Men of Darkness.


However, it seems that C7 is using Cultural Virtues as its way to distinguish "power" between cultures.

Either way, I am fine.

HN

I would agree with you both from a mechanics standpoint. As well, I would add that Tolkien provides reasons for differing levels of power. Men of the West were different from their kin left behind after the First Age as well as those who never knew the Light of Aman reflected in the glory of the Noldor returned out of the West. Likewise, the different kindreds of Elves were described by Tolkien in a hierachy. Given that, balance might be struck between mechanics and source material.

I hope the designers capture the greater inherent power in Numenorean blood and Noldorin/Sindarin bloodlines through something other than mere starting experience or cultural skills. Hopefully, they capture this power differential in callings and virtues, rewards and backgrounds.

Either way, the wait is going to be excruciating!

My preference would be for characters to continue to start at a low power level.

I also hope things start at the same level with differing Rewards and Virtues and new weapons and war gear (where it makes sense).

I want to be able to start the other cultures at the earlier times just after the Hobbit if I want to, I would hate that the only time I could (easily) have Gondorian characters during the War of the Ring.

I agree I would like to play other races as the game progresses. It also increases the longevity of the game because of the replay value.