TOR and your RPG group -- problems, solutions?

[SurrenderMonkey]

Our group is still very new to this system and is mostly experienced with D&D-style games. I can tell that my players like certain aspects but are still making up their minds about it. When I told them it was suggested that combat only occur once every two sessions or so it definitely sent off some alarm bells, but they seem satisfied so far that they still get to chuck dice often enough in other situations.

My question for more experienced LMs -- was there a period of adjustment for your groups? Did they have to warm up to TOR or were they immediately enthusiastic? What did you/they like and dislike? Did you adjust to accommodate tastes?

Thanks in advance. I really like TOR and am just looking ahead for ways in which I can give it the best chance to succeed for my group!

[Glorelendil]

Our group is still very new to this system and is mostly experienced with D&D-style games. I can tell that my players like certain aspects but are still making up their minds about it. When I told them it was suggested that combat only occur once every two sessions or so it definitely sent off some alarm bells, but they seem satisfied so far that they still get to chuck dice often enough in other situations.

My question for more experienced LMs -- was there a period of adjustment for your groups? Did they have to warm up to TOR or were they immediately enthusiastic? What did you/they like and dislike? Did you adjust to accommodate tastes?

Thanks in advance. I really like TOR and am just looking ahead for ways in which I can give it the best chance to succeed for my group!

First, I think it's completely, 100% viable to have combat every session. And you can also provide "near" combats, where the companions have to work (and use common skills) to avoid combat. Between the two there you can have plenty of action & excitement.

I've personally experienced both successes and failures: the failures have been with people who, at their core, really just want to play murderhobos. You can penalize them by piling on the Shadow, but honestly they're better off playing a game where threatening peasants, stealing from merchants, and executing captives is expected.

[Rich H]

Lets take some of your comments in a slightly different order...

When I told them it was suggested that combat only occur once every two sessions or so it definitely sent off some alarm bells, but they seem satisfied so far that they still get to chuck dice often enough in other situations.

For starters, this is pretty silly advice as the length of a game session can vary, can't it! My game sessions are areound 2 to 3 hours long so my options for combat, and players' hunger for it, is going to be different than if my sessions were 6 or 7 hours long. Going with the suggestion of combat once every two game sessions would mean vastly different things to these two options.

There's no reason why TOR can't have regular combat in it. Personally I don't run it too much but when I do it can be pretty heavy and large scale but do whatever fits your group and the type of adventures you're running. For tips, look at C7's published adventures; there's a fair amount of combat in those and they seem to be (on the whole) well received. I think it's more important to make the game entertaining so if your players like 'scrapping over yapping' then go for it - as long as its interesting and what they want then it's all good!

Our group is still very new to this system and is mostly experienced with D&D-style games. I can tell that my players like certain aspects but are still making up their minds about it.

My question for more experienced LMs -- was there a period of adjustment for your groups? Did they have to warm up to TOR or were they immediately enthusiastic? What did you/they like and dislike? Did you adjust to accommodate tastes?

My players haven't been "D&D players" for years now so there was no difficulty from this perspective. Some of the rules are abstracted and one of the players did have trouble understanding/accepting those elements but, for us, the great adventures and story we were creating together quickly overcame any (little) issues we had with the rules. However, I am a bit of a fiddler when it comes to RPG systems, so I have made lots of alterations over time. That said, we'd still have enjoyed TOR in its original state.

Thanks in advance. I really like TOR and am just looking ahead for ways in which I can give it the best chance to succeed for my group!

Keep talking to them about the game! My suggestion is to put aside maybe 10 minutes at the end of each game session to discuss the rules and content of the game; that way you're keeping them engaged, understanding what they like and dislike, and can find ways to overcome such things or alter elements accordingly. You can always post more questions here about specific issues and we'll all try and help based on what you're asking.

As a note, there is also a version of the game that uses the D&D rules (5th edition) so if your players prefer that system and simply can't get to grips with TOR you can always take a look at that. TOR is better though, in my opinion!

[Indur Dawndeath]

My question for more experienced LMs -- was there a period of adjustment for your groups? Did they have to warm up to TOR or were they immediately enthusiastic? What did you/they like and dislike? Did you adjust to accommodate tastes?

We came from D&D to MERP with Rolemaster rules to Decipher CODA, and we have never looked back after playing the first session of TOR.
If you and your players share our love for Tolkien’s Middle Earth, then you will not be dissapointed.
The rules and adventures of TOR capture the feeling perfectly.

We have epic battles, life and death journeys and high political intrigue. No other system can handle all this and still give your players freedom to narate how they are enjoying a winter away from the Road, where they spend time with Gandalf, learning how to smoke a good pipe...

[Glorelendil]

...we have never looked back after playing the first session of TOR.
If you and your players share our love for Tolkien’s Middle Earth, then you will not be dissapointed.
The rules and adventures of TOR capture the feeling perfectly.

We have epic battles, life and death journeys and high political intrigue. No other system can handle all this and still give your players freedom to narate how they are enjoying a winter away from the Road, where they spend time with Gandalf, learning how to smoke a good pipe...

Sometimes I wish these forums had a "Like" button. Not often, but sometimes.

[SurrenderMonkey]

Thanks for all the helpful replies! We just completed our third session. I'm currently running "Don't Leave the Path", but I added an episode near the Elven King's Halls tailored to the characters my players created. It was a farewell celebration for Irime (from "Those Who Tarry No Longer") given by the assembled host of the Wayward Elves. It took up the better part of the session and I felt it was a success in the sense that it felt very Middle-earth to me and that we got to use the TOR rules in many creative ways that emphasize the differences from D&D. I was having a blast, but I'm still not sure if my players are really into it or if they are just being good sports and indulging me, LOL.

[CERETH]

Murderhobos would be a great name for a band.

Thanks for that term, Glor.

[Tuska]

I've played in a group of avid DnD players for years and when we decided to give TOR a go several different DM's gave it a go with varying success. Personally I love TOR, the way it runs, the feel, pictures, even the score you can find on youtube, however in my experience it does seem to require a certain type of player and if you have murderhobos in the group, it just isn't going to work. Especially if they have particular dominant personalities which overwhelm others in the group.

[Random221B]

Murderhobos would be a great name for a band.

Thanks for that term, Glor.

For years, my wife has joked that she wants to form a gaming-oriented band named "Tootie Sixx and the Murder Hobos." (Say the first part of the name out loud and it makes sense. )

[Glorelendil]

Murderhobos would be a great name for a band.

Thanks for that term, Glor.

Not my invention, but happy to share.