Newbie questions about the game

[Steelwind]

My sincere thanks for all the replies folks!

@Stormcrow Haha, I misworded that good sir, I didnt mean to say that the movie came out in the 80's, but rather it was the 80's when I first watched it as a little kid. You mentioned spending experience points to gain abilities, the only system similar to that I've played is the Fantasy Flight Star Wars RPG, would that be an adequate comparison? Anyway, thank you for your detailed replies, and for the correction.

@Elfcrusher I think everyone was trying to welcome a potential new player to the fold, sadly you took another approach. I can say that our games are very story focused, and none of our characters have ever become "demigods". You seem to hold much derision for the game of D&D. Honestly I've never understood the whole "my game is better" mentality, we are all RPGers, we are all geeks, we should be united in our geekiness! But you mentioned that the goal in TOR is to survive, is it kinda like Call of Cthulhu in that regard?

I do have to say, Im a bit surprised that high profile options such as Gondorian Knights, Riders of Rohan, Rangers of the North, and Rivendell Elves aren't in the core rulebook, I would think these would be really popular choices for players. But it sounds like the Rivendell book is pretty essential to fill in a lot of pieces. I will look into picking up both.

[Curulon]

I do have to say, Im a bit surprised that high profile options such as Gondorian Knights, Riders of Rohan, Rangers of the North, and Rivendell Elves aren't in the core rulebook, I would think these would be really popular choices for players. But it sounds like the Rivendell book is pretty essential to fill in a lot of pieces. I will look into picking up both.

One of the main draws for The One Ring was the Wilderland setting and playing cultures that aren't explored very much in a lot of other materials. But, they are slowly adding supplements with additional cultures as many have said.

Welcome to the game!

[Glorelendil]

@Elfcrusher I think everyone was trying to welcome a potential new player to the fold, sadly you took another approach. I can say that our games are very story focused, and none of our characters have ever become "demigods". You seem to hold much derision for the game of D&D. Honestly I've never understood the whole "my game is better" mentality, we are all RPGers, we are all geeks, we should be united in our geekiness! But you mentioned that the goal in TOR is to survive, is it kinda like Call of Cthulhu in that regard?

???

I love D&D and am currently playing in one campaign and about to DM another. Sometimes it's fun to play wtfpwn demigods. I was giving an honest assessment about the contrast between the games. I would love for the TOR community to grow, but I don't think sugar coating will contribute to that.

[Stormcrow]

I do have to say, Im a bit surprised that high profile options such as Gondorian Knights, Riders of Rohan, Rangers of the North, and Rivendell Elves aren't in the core rulebook, I would think these would be really popular choices for players.

The designer's approach to the game was to focus tightly on an area of Middle-earth that had a lot of information about it, but very little during the time period in which the game is set: between The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings. Then, as the years advance, supplements cover an ever-expanding area.

Originally, they were going to produce three core sets: the first one which they did, covering the early years of the period; the second one would cover Eriador and the middle period, and the last would cover the South and the last years of the period. They eventually abandoned this idea, apparently because they would have to repeat too much text in each set.

But it sounds like the Rivendell book is pretty essential to fill in a lot of pieces. I will look into picking up both.

I'm sure Rivendell will become an unofficially defacto have-to-have-it book.

[Steelwind]

@Elfcrusher I think everyone was trying to welcome a potential new player to the fold, sadly you took another approach. I can say that our games are very story focused, and none of our characters have ever become "demigods". You seem to hold much derision for the game of D&D. Honestly I've never understood the whole "my game is better" mentality, we are all RPGers, we are all geeks, we should be united in our geekiness! But you mentioned that the goal in TOR is to survive, is it kinda like Call of Cthulhu in that regard?

???

I love D&D and am currently playing in one campaign and about to DM another. Sometimes it's fun to play wtfpwn demigods. I was giving an honest assessment about the contrast between the games. I would love for the TOR community to grow, but I don't think sugar coating will contribute to that.

My sincere apologies then my friend, its hard to tell tone/intent over text. i think it might have been the contrast between your post and the others that led to my false assumption. I appriciate you giving it to me straight.

[zedturtle]

Still not in front of a real keyboard, but I did want to clarify part of what has been said... The One Ring is a game of preserving against the encroaching Shadow but that doesn't mean it's super grim and gritty. Sure, heroes that stand against insurmountable odds will only live on in song and legend, and those that survive their struggle against the Shadow must husband their Hope lest they are made Miserable. But, the characters that are featured in your stories (game) should be worthy of the name 'hero' and face challenges appropriate to their growing legend. In other words, game balance is worth something and Monty Hauls and Total Party Kills are both bad news.

[Hermes Serpent]

@Steelwind I see that you made an assumption about character types. Wrong move. Assumptions usually don't work in this game. Also you need to forget you even saw the films as that way you wont fall into errors about right and wrong in Middle-earth.

Wilderland/Rhovanion was chosen by Francesco as a place to start the adventuring in to avoid running into issues with canon. Players have been known to say 'Why play in M-e, we know how the story ends and we aren't the heroes'.

To avoid that sort of thing heroes are played alongside the Tale of Years that runs between the Hobbit and Lord of teh Rings and while the heroes may interact with some of the notables from those stories they have their own story to tell.

Starting in Wilderland meant hero characters that mostly aren't the ones you expect except for some out-of-place Hobbits (wouldn't be Middle-earth without a Hobbit or two). The Elves of Mirkwood and the Dwarves of Erebor feature heavily in the Hobbit so a game taking five years after the Battle of the Five Armies as it's starting point has to include those. It doesn't and probably shouldn't have heroes from cultures half a continent away.

Only now after long months of getting approvals from the lawyers are the other areas of Middle-earth opening up. The Rivendell book talks of it coming into play after the end of the thirty year campaign covered in the Darkening of Mirkwood. So heroes are probably on their second generation when entering Eriador. The children of those Men that hopefully defeated or hindered the Shadow in Mirkwood are joining their father's Dwarven and Elven companions in a new Company to work against the Necromancer.

[Rich H]

The Rivendell book talks of it coming into play after the end of the thirty year campaign covered in the Darkening of Mirkwood. So heroes are probably on their second generation when entering Eriador. The children of those Men that hopefully defeated or hindered the Shadow in Mirkwood are joining their father's Dwarven and Elven companions in a new Company to work against the Necromancer.

That's not the case, the Rivendell supplement is not set after Darkening of Mirkwood, at least not as far as I can remember from reading it. Would be interested in seeing a quote from the book to put me straight! ... I can see where those who have been with the game from the start would pick that up though (I know I did initially) as even DoM finishes with the player-heroes coming to Eriador but I don't think that is the intent of the supplement. It can be picked up and used from the start of DoM and adventures in the upcoming Ruins of the North were specifically not designed to be representative of an advanced the timeline (beyond maybe a few years).

[Hermes Serpent]

@Rich H
Rivendell p5
The Passing of Years
The material presented in Rivendell assumes the year is
some time after 2951, possibly as far into the Tale of Years
as the year 2977, the ideal date for the conclusion of The
Darkening of Mirkwood campaign.
For Loremasters who wish to set their games in Eriador to
be contemporary with the start of The One Ring campaign
(TA 2946), note that life has changed little in these lands in
the past few decades.

[Glorelendil]

My sincere apologies then my friend, its hard to tell tone/intent over text. i think it might have been the contrast between your post and the others that led to my false assumption. I appriciate you giving it to me straight.

No worries; was typing on my phone so kept it terse; easily perceived as derision.