Spears

[Eclipse]

Many good ideas in the world require a more flexible Loremaster, it's true.

Sure, and even more really bad ideas require a more flexible Loremaster. The thing is, you made statements about the game that are simply not correct, and when that was pointed out you said that the game can be changed by individual groups, which is both true and rather pointless as it is the case with everything in the game.

A word of advice: when talking about your house rules simply make it clear that you are doing so, as it avoids confusion. If I decide to portray Sindarin as short, stocky, bearded axe-wielders in my game, I better make that clear when joining discussions about Elves of the Woodland Realm, or people will be pretty confused ...

[Elmoth]

Peter Jackson seems to be using that last house rule in his games.

[Angelalex242]

Bah.

Elves wield swords just fine in books, particularly the Silmarillion. That's why Glamdring and Orcrist exist in the first place. The problem is, there's not currently a published race of sword wielding elves.

[Eclipse]

Elves wield swords just fine in books, particularly the Silmarillion. That's why Glamdring and Orcrist exist in the first place. The problem is, there's not currently a published race of sword wielding elves.

If one of my players wanted an Elf with a long sword I would not think twice before allowing it, to be honest. First of all because it fits our vision of Middle-earth, secondly because the long sword is not mechanically better than the available two-handed option. Our Elf player wanted to dual wield, so I made up some house rule for that. It is about people having fun after all.

[James Harrison]

Boring post:

I think fell handed does not increase you melee damage - it only increases your damage scored with T runes!

So only dwarves can one shot orcs (2-handed axe + ancient foe thingy)

[Hermes Serpent]

The text is unambiguous and indeed refers to close-combat Damage rating. So a boost to the damage only on a great and an extraordinary success. Didn't realise that. Note that Giant-slaying spear is the same, +4 to your close-combat Damage rating. Grievous becomes interesting as it adds to weapon damage instead and is always on.

Other mentions of Damage rating - note that sometimes a weapon has a damage rating and sometimes a Damage rating so capitalisation isn't consistent. At least once a hero's Damage rating is referred to as Damage bonus.
Dour-handed
Raise your ranged Damage rating by one.
Grevious
The weapon’s Damage rating is raised by two
Giant slaying spear
your close combat Damage rating is raised by +4
Shepherd's Bow
inflict extra damage equal to your Damage rating
Endurance Loss
On a great success, the target loses Endurance points
equal to the damage rating of the weapon PLUS the
Damage rating of the attacking hero.
Damage
Damage: The character’s Damage rating indicates
the potential of a hero to do substantial harm to an
opponent when able to hit with force and precision,
using a close combat or ranged weapon. The smaller
damage box on the character sheet, marked ranged, is
used when a hero’s damage using close combat differs
from that when using ranged weapons.
Combat Rating
Usually, a character’s Damage rating is equal to his
basic Body score, both for attacks made with a close
combat weapon or a ranged weapon.

[Elmoth]

Does the Giant-slaying sword only function if you score a Tengwar, then? it is *your* damage rating, not the weapon's damage rating...

Naming in this game could be less ambuiguous for sure...

[Hermes Serpent]

Yep, A Giant-slaying spear needs a tengwar to do the +4 extra damage. So two will be an extraordinary success and do body+4 twice in extra damage on top of the base Weapon damage of 9.

Generally naming is pretty good in TOR, most game specific terms are capitalised in some way to differentiate them. Look at things like Wound - usually capitalised when referring to the condition imposed by failing a Protection roll.

[Elmoth]

having 2 separate issues called a Damage Rating (a body function and a weapon characteristic) does not seem to follow that, though...

[Angelalex242]

Wow. Fell/Dour Handed and Giant Slaying Spear are far less useful then I thought they were. Means max damage on a weapon is only 11, not 12, unless Dwarven Old Hatred is functioning.

Poor Beorning with Body 7, Grievous Giant Slaying Spear and Fell Handed might think his damage is:
12, 16 vs. large, +7 on great, +14 on extraordinary.

In reality, it's 11, 19/23 on great, 26/30 on extraordinary.