DnD® comes to Middle-earth®.

[Rich H]

Then why wouldn't they just stay with vanilla D&D?

I think nearly, but not quite, would be the way to go. Looking roughly at the contents of both the PHB and DMG, they have rules for:

• Races
• Classes
• Backgrounds
• Feats
• Alignment
• Social Interaction
• Resting
• Combat
• Mounted Combat
• Spells
• Treasure
• Travel
• Madness and Despair

Seems like C7 could easily build some new races, classes, backgrounds, feats and specific spell/lists on the player side and some ME creatures and magic items on the DM side and it'd pretty much be good to go for playing D&D ME. Maybe a few tweaks here and there to equipment lists, money, alignment, etc but nothing huge and the rest of the DM section on how to apply the 'Middle Earth' feel to the existing D&D ruleset (eg, hold back on this, focus on that, etc) and I think it's there. Which is pretty much like the Thule campaign setting I mentioned in an earlier post.

You depart too much from the existing ruleset and you run the risk of D&D players not being interested in it as its "no longer D&D". D&Ders like new options, and they are clamouring for that kind of thing currently due to WotC's glacial release schedule, but within the rules that they know and love.

[Beran]

Then why wouldn't they just stay with vanilla D&D?

Because they all love Peter Jackson and want to play D&D in Middle Earth. The closer to vanilla that is, the more likely they are to play it.

Then they're playing D&D, and D&D isn't ME. So, why are they part of the equation?

[Beran]

You depart too much from the existing ruleset and you run the risk of D&D players not being interested in it as its "no longer D&D". D&Ders like new options, and they are clamouring for that kind of thing currently due to WotC's glacial release schedule, but within the rules that they know and love.

See you are more-or-less talking about making the setting fit the rules which is a big mistake. It is what TSR did with Lankmar back in the day, and it is pretty much widely regarded as failing to meet the feel of that setting; the rules are going to have to be made to fit the setting. For this to work properly the base system will require some pretty heavy overhauling. If C7 is going to pander to the D&D table top computer game crowd then this project will more-then-likely fall flat like Lankmar did in the past.

[Rich H]

For this to work properly the base system will require some pretty heavy overhauling.

You already have that, it's called The One Ring.

[Beran]

For this to work properly the base system will require some pretty heavy overhauling.

You already have that, it's called The One Ring.

TOR is a good game for sure, but it has some pretty big holes. It is because of these holes that my group doesn't play the game any more. So, if my group is to ever trod the land of ME again it will be with another system. I am hoping that 5E ME might be that system.

[Rich H]

TOR is a good game for sure, but it has some pretty big holes.

Like what?

I am hoping that 5E ME might be that system.

How much 5e have you played?

[Glorelendil]

Then why wouldn't they just stay with vanilla D&D?

Because they all love Peter Jackson and want to play D&D in Middle Earth. The closer to vanilla that is, the more likely they are to play it.

Then they're playing D&D, and D&D isn't ME. So, why are they part of the equation?

You're right. One is a game system, the other is a setting.

If C7 merges the two they might capture the fairly large market (for RPGs anyway) of "Dungeons and Dragons 5e fans who want to play in Middle Earth."

Basically it would be a huge marketing error to target anybody who already frequents these forums. In my opinion.

[Otaku-sempai]

See you are more-or-less talking about making the setting fit the rules which is a big mistake. It is what TSR did with Lankmar back in the day, and it is pretty much widely regarded as failing to meet the feel of that setting; the rules are going to have to be made to fit the setting. For this to work properly the base system will require some pretty heavy overhauling. If C7 is going to pander to the D&D table top computer game crowd then this project will more-then-likely fall flat like Lankmar did in the past.

That's not how I see the Lankhmar setting, at least as how it was adapted for AD&D. There were a lot of adjustments made to the rules and game mechanics in order to accommodate Fritz Leiber's world of Nehwon. And that series of supplements and modules was long enough that I don't think that it could be called a failure, although it might have been only a modest success.

[Beran]

That's not how I see the Lankhmar setting, at least as how it was adapted for AD&D.

Your opinion and not one echoed by many fans of that setting.

[Otaku-sempai]

Your opinion and not one echoed by many fans of that setting.

Maybe so, but the adjustments made to the AD&D mechanics for the setting are a verifiable fact--in particular the changes made to the magic system. And it is a simple matter for the GM to stick to Leiber's races and monsters and impose restrictions on available classes and class-combinations.