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Hello,

I'm a new loremaster for TOR and i have questions about how to start playing that game.

FYI : I'm from France and even if i can read/talk English and translate English to french, i prefer to stick with the french version of TOR books as it is easier for me and for the players of my group.

Here is my project :
1/ buy the folowwing extensions :
- Loremaster screen & Lake-Town guide
- The heart of the wild
- Tales from widerlands
2/ apply the corrections/enhancement of the revised edition.
3/ start playing with smalls scenarios in order to lear and master the rules system and become "fluent" with them
4/ play the "Tales from widerlands" campaign

Now, i see that in this forum there are many house rules that could enhance my TOR experience. But i wonder which ones i should use as some are maybe complex / not compatible with recent or future extensions / covered by the last revised edition.
In fact, i'm interested in house rules that :
- correct official rules issues that are not corrected by the revised edition
- add missing cultures, cultural blessings, cultural virtues ...
- are not modifying the TOR way of play in order to stay compatible with the current/future official extensions (rivendell, north ruins, gondor, rohan ...)

Thanks in advance for your advices

Ghorin

Welcome, Ghorin!

My advice would be to try playing things RAW (rules as written) first, before deciding what you want to tweak. I'm usually one to heavily house rule stuff, but with this game I've found it really isn't necessary. It's just so balanced and well designed that most things function best when left alone.

The Revised rules really cleans up a few problems from the original (slipcase) version. The only real "corrections" I'm aware of (more clarifications than anything) would be for Denizen of the Dark and characters who have been disarmed.

C7 has clarified that the special ability Denizen of the Dark only affects rolls made by an adversary, not rolls against it.

The only other clarification I've noted is that it has been spelled out a little more clearly how a character deals with being disarmed (this is in the rules, but it's hidden in one of the Rewards or Virtues)

Disarmed
A disarmed character may either choose to use their backup weapon or attempt to regain the one that they lost. To get their weapon back they must assume a Forward stance (if a PC) and succeed at an Athletics test. This is a significant action, so generally nothing else may be done that turn.

Thanks Magestic for this interesting opinion. I understand your point of view about sticking with RAW (which is balanced and fully playable) and go to house rules only after i have a deep understanding/mastering of RAW and only if i need house amendments.

You mentioned short adventures to learn the rules, I'm not certain if you've check out my Theft of the Moon?

An (much) older version of the adventure was translated into French, La Serpe de Pleine Lune. You might use that as it exists, or it might provide a guide for the newer (and bigger) English version.

Hi zedturtle,

I have started downloading all TOR adventures scenarios that i can find in both English and French TOR forums and resources web sites. Then i will quickly read them all in order to define what would best suit our need for first play (easy to play, use most of TOR functionalities ...).

I take note of your advice for Theft of the Moon (i would use the french version to help me translate the last English version). Thanks for that advice

Ghorin

And then there where another Froggy...

We are legion !

Hi Ghorin


Welcome to the forum ! I am also Loremaster in France (Toulouse region) and will happily help you with anything TOR-related. I am the one who worked on the translation of the Theft of the Moon adventure, but I am a bit late in updating with zedturtle's excellent latest version. I played the adventure in a couple of 2.5 hrs sessions and it worked really well.

As previously said there is already a great collection of house-rules, but the best is to start with the RAW (including the minor updates from the second edition), and progressively incorporate rulings only where needed.

Sometimes you may feel that something is off and needs tweaking when reading the rules, but if you play carefully by the book you will realize it usually stands perfectly on its own without any change.

Happy gaming !

Tom

If i decide to play the Theft of the Moon adventure and if you have not yet translated the latest English version, then I will do the translation and send it to you to have your opinion, enhancements and corrections so that the french translation is done with same vocabulary and spirit.
Now it is not going to be played very soon as i first need to read the TOR books (rules & extensions) and get a deep understanding of this game. I believe i may play it in february or march (we are also playing other rpg games).

Eric

The only house-rules I've found needed are in combat actions and healing.

Namely, for cinematic feel... My players prefer a feel slightly closer to the movies.
So, we add the following maneuvers:
Volley (rearward stance) - hit one target on success, two on great, 3 on exceptional. All hit for basic. Only one may be wounded.
Snap Shot (Open Stance) - Use a bow as a melee weapon. Base TN is still 12 to hit, but only 9 to be hit.
Tactical Acumen (Open) - no attack; Battle roll: on success, give one bonus die to an ally. Two on great, 3 on exceptional.
Shield Bash (forward): Add shield bonus to damage instead of to parry
Evasive Action (Defensive): No attack; athletics or weapon adding 2 to parry (Great adds 4, exceptional 6).

For healing... treating the unwounded allows favored heart endurance recovery instead of basic heart.

And we added one wood-elf-spell: Songs of Hope and Home: Make a song roll TN 14 ; all listeners who make a TN 14 song roll gain one hope. Can be used once a season. Costs 3 XP to learn.

But really, try it RAW until you get a good feel. The rules are solid as is.

Rivendell adds several key rules elements:

• Songs - mechanics for inspiration from them.
• Magic and Jewels in treasure hordes
• The Eye of the Enemy
• Elves of Rivendell and Dunedain characters

they can be added separately or together.

You now have ALL my house rules. (And, most of them originate with other posters.)