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Andrew wrote:
And no, Rangers and High Elves are still capped at 6 Valour and Wisdom. Both have starting attributes that go up to 8, however...

That means that with a favoured bonus of 3: "this one goes to 11".

EDIT: Rich, I'm looking through the rules and all the references to Fellowship Pool say it can be used to "recover spent points". I can't find anything about spending those points directly instead of using your own.

The only thing I never noticed before is that if you don't get permission from the group to do so, you can still use the points but you gain a Shadow Point for each Hope Point so taken.

Can't wait. This looks great!

Rangers have higher attributes, but are dis-incentivised from spending Hope and gaining the bonus (because Hope is harder for them to regain).

High Elves have higher attributes, but are dis-incentivised from spending Hope and gaining the bonus (because they need more Hope to resist their increasing pool of Shadow).

Well played.

Yusei wrote:I'm not sure I would allow a Ranger or High Elf in a group of newbies, unless they all are OK with one of them being more powerful. However, they seem to be an interesting alternative when adding a new character to an experienced fellowship.

A Ranger or High Elf in a group of new characters may work fine, as long as the player behind is experimented and is more interested in playing his role than being better than the other.
I would allow it, but I would put a restriction on the players (which is sometimes quite difficult to handle, since it creates jealousy, but since I play mainly with friends it works).

I don't see the issue, but then again, I also will note that I think "balance" in RPG's is a delusion.

It will be interesting to work out the math underlying this second tier.

It's nice to find an issue on which I agree with aramis!

I don't see "balance" as an issue, either; it's just more opportunity for role playing. One of the features I really like in the game Dungeon World is that's feasible for 1st level characters to play with 10th level characters. TOR has that as well, if to a lesser degree.

aramis wrote: ...I also will note that I think "balance" in RPG's is a delusion.

Agreed. It is good to see TOR is dispensing with this ridiculous notion.

bigsteveuk wrote:
I think the content in this book is going to be superb. I am loving these previews as well, great way to show of the product.

My sentiments exactly.

I don't see the issue in allowing them in a starting party either. Assuming that the GM explains up front the difference (in both greater abilities and how more is asked of them), then anyone choosing another character background is saying, "I don't want that."

We'll likely be starting up Darkening of the Mirkwood soon (and may be podcasting it), and will definitely allow these in the starting group. In that case, Rangers and High Elves will be missing out in the "this is my home, and these are my people," action that really makes the campaign sing.

Beran wrote:

aramis wrote: I don't see the issue, but then again, I also will note that I think "balance" in RPG's is a delusion.

Agreed. It is good to see TOR is dispensing with this ridiculous notion.

Except it isn't dispensing with it; it's balancing out the power disparity between Rangers and High Elves vs other cultures with disadvantages specific to those two cultures. Not a bad thing as I think balance is important between PCs but there are different instruments to achieve this of which TOR is using some, as do other games.