Relevant Skills

[Beran]

I understand how the over all Relevant Skills rules work, but the one thing I'm a little confused on is how are skill levels for other skills (not so Relevant to the character) used by a LM Character? For instance say you have Elrond leading a party of Elven Warriors into battle with a raiding party of orcs . Does the LM just give a skill rating for his sword rating that seems right given his experience?

[Glorelendil]

I wouldn't give him a sword skill at all. I would abstract their part of the battle, and tie it to Gandalfs/Eyes on the part of the heroes. "You rolled a Gandalf. Just then you see a flash of light from Elrond, and his warriors break through the enemy lines, cleaving orcs right and left."

Then again, I wouldn't ever have Elrond leave Rivendell to take up arms, but if I did that's how I would handle it.

[Majestic]

Yeah, if you've got "Tales from Wilderland", the second adventure ("Of Leaves and Stewed Hobbit") gives a little chart for just that sort of thing. Modifying that chart as needed, or making one's own, would be to me a lot easier (and less time consuming) than rolling a bunch of results for NPCs while the PCs wait.

[Beran]

Ok, Elrond is probably a bad example. But, there are LM characters in the books that could easily be in a fight during a game and don't have a weapon skill listed in the stat block. I'll check that chart that was mentioned. Thanks.

But, as it says in the rules for making LM character to give them whatever you feel fits them. it seems logical to do the same with published LM characters.

[Stormcrow]

To echo and add to the advice already given:

The Loremaster's job is not to simulate things that happen outside of the players' control. If things are going on beyond the players' vicinity, the Loremaster need only determine an outcome. He could roll a standalone combat all by himself, but why should he? If he thinks a thing should happen, it happens. If he's not sure whether a thing happens, he can roll a die, or dice. He can compare attribute levels. He can compare skill levels. Whatever. The players should have little or no idea how the Loremaster goes about determining these things.

On the other hand, if Elrond were to directly engage in the same battle as the player-characters, then he needs to participate fully and needs the appropriate statistics. In this case, make something up. If you let him arbitrarily slay orcs you'll have a strong temptation to have him either do all the work for the players or constantly and obviously change his apparent skill based on how well you think the players are doing.

[Beran]

"On the other hand, if Elrond were to directly engage in the same battle as the player-characters, then he needs to participate fully and needs the appropriate statistics. In this case, make something up. If you let him arbitrarily slay orcs you'll have a strong temptation to have him either do all the work for the players or constantly and obviously change his apparent skill based on how well you think the players are doing."

This is my primary question. I would not be concerned with an LM characters stats if they didn't reflect what was going on directly with the PCs.

"In this case, make something up."
What I figured the course of action should be.

[Indur Dawndeath]

Does the LM just give a skill rating for his sword rating that seems right given his experience?

I think it is a valid question and the answer is to make it up if it becomes necessary.
But we can make guidlines for undefined skills. They should always be lower than already defined skills. And I would not make them Favourite... I would let them autosucceed in any skill if the TN is less than 10+Attribute.
And in combat with multiple NPC allies, I would also use the chart from TfW like Majestic.
Thats it from me.

Cheers