TOR vs AiME, can't decide which...

[Geomtje]

I don't think I have much to add since almost everything has already been said; but I have started out with TOR instead of D&D 5E because of the familiarity with the fantasy world. My friends and I are really enjoying ourselves with TOR and we have not regretted if for a second.

Now as far as TOR and AiME goes, pick whatever version you feel comfortable with. I personally really like TOR and its ‘simplicity’. I sometimes get overwhelmed when I take a look at the AiME forum; it seems like there are so many more options to consider with AiME, which might take away from the story aspect of the game. Note that I have not played nor read AiME, so it might be nice if someone with experience in both could confirm or deny this.

[Glorelendil]

Actually, I will add one more thing: some people don't like TOR's combat because it is all TotM and relatively simple. If tactical grids and movement speeds and weapon ranges and all that are important to you, you might want to go with AiMe.

[Irinyir]

Actually, I will add one more thing: some people don't like TOR's combat because it is all TotM and relatively simple. If tactical grids and movement speeds and weapon ranges and all that are important to you, you might want to go with AiMe.

Thanks for your reply.

Does AiME tend to be better played with grids and minatures then?

(Although I assume a good LM could easily add some house rules to the TOR mechanics if they wanted to add a little more complexity to combat).

[Rich H]

Does AiME tend to be better played with grids and minatures then?

TOR isn't about grids and movement of minis on maps - its more left up to the LM and players to describe their actions rather than be limited to things like only being able to move 60' per round of combat, for example. TOR isn't as (over) defined as AiMe/D&D with regard to things like movement, actions, combat rounds/turns, etc which is a good or bad thing depending on your point of view and playstyle. That does mean that there's a level of abstraction within TOR that players and LMs need to work with - it doesn't cause issues if you know how to RP in that kind of way but it can be difficult for some to accept if they're used other styles of play, just like games with heavily defined/explicit rules get players thinking that's all they can do and rules lawyering, etc.

(Although I assume a good LM could easily add some house rules to the TOR mechanics if they wanted to add a little more complexity to combat).

Depends what you mean by complexity - options or, for example, calculating the velocity of an arrow and how its influenced in a storm? I ask because the two are different. There are plenty of options in combat within the TOR system (eg, stances, combat tasks, etc) and the rules allow for the LM to adjudicate and add options as and when needed. This does need a LM willing/able to do this though but that's something you just pick up with experience. The adventures have lots of examples of those kind of things.

[Rich H]

... the Advantage/Disadvantage mechanic is one of the most brilliant ones I've seen in ANY RPG, and is something that even now is being used by many other games (TOR included)

Perhaps as a point of interest(your comment here seems to suggest that you think 5e invented this) the advantage/disadvantage mechanic where dice are re-rolled has existed for donkeys years in lots of different systems. Interestingly, there are a lot of people that don't like it as well, which I suppose means it takes all kinds; it was one of the elements I really liked when I playtested it.

[Rich H]

Actually, I will add one more thing: some people don't like TOR's combat because it is all TotM...

TotM?

[Irinyir]

Actually, I will add one more thing: some people don't like TOR's combat because it is all TotM...

TotM?

Theatre of the mind, I assume?

[Rich H]

Actually, I will add one more thing: some people don't like TOR's combat because it is all TotM...

TotM?

Theatre of the mind, I assume?

Haha! Yes. Of course.

Yep, it's very much theatre of the mind although the rules can be easily expanded either by on the fly rulings or actual expansions to the game. The TOR rules give you a framework and really expects the LM/GM to come up with rulings for additional circumstances using that base framework.

[Glorelendil]

Haha! Yes. Of course.

Yep, it's very much theatre of the mind although the rules can be easily expanded either by on the fly rulings or actual expansions to the game. The TOR rules give you a framework and really expects the LM/GM to come up with rulings for additional circumstances using that base framework.

I meant TotM only in the sense that it does not use minis and map/grid.

[Yepesnopes]

Two factors that should be kept in mind here: (1) 5E is, for myself, many of my friends, and many others, the best version of the game out there; the Advantage/Disadvantage mechanic is one of the most brilliant ones I've seen in ANY RPG, and is something that even now is being used by many other games (TOR included)

I am not sure I follow here. TOR was released in 2011 while D&D 5th was released in 2014. In any case could be that games like TOR influenced D&D 5th, not the otherway around.