New Member. Curious...

[Tea Jester]

Hello All.
Long time RPG player and fan of all things Middle Earth.
Ive been wanting to start a new RPG with a small group of friends. I tried to start D&D 5th edition a few years ago and it fizzled out due to work schedules and obligations of players. It was a fun game and the times we played we had a good time.
Ive watched the One RIng for some time, reading comments and reviews and I think its spot on! I ws recently surprised to see a a setting book come out for 5th edition D&D. I no longer have my books and not a fan of buying something I already had.
(GET ON WITH IT!)
My question is what are you, the current players, opinion of the D&D setting compared to The One Rings books?
I believe I will be going with the One Ring books but would like to know you good peoples thoughts...

[Majestic]

Welcome, Tea Jester!

Like you, I'm a big fan of Tolkien's Middle-earth setting. To me it's probably the most epic, coolest fantasy setting out there. I love role-playing in this world as well (though I've gotten to do it only rarely, as I mainly am the GM when it comes to this setting).

I also really like the Forgotten Realms, which is the default D&D setting at the moment. I don't find the two (Middle-earth and FG) incompatible; I enjoy each of them for different reasons. Sometimes it's fun to play with other monsters (like a Beholder, for example) that you'd never see in Middle-earth.

Both games done by C7, The One Ring and Adventures in Middle-earth (the 5E version of Middle-earth) capture the epic majesty of Professor Tolkien's world, and I have really enjoyed both systems.

[aramis]

Iv'e got but haven't run AIME. so I'll say only this: if you liked 5E, AIME should be enough to make D&D feel a lot more like Tolkien.

If I'm going to do middle earth, tho', I am going to use TOR, unless the group desperately wants AIME instead. As in, sufficiently so as to buy me the LMG...

... I buy the TOR stuff myself.

The best experience is when the game, the players, and the setting all worth together to make the setting feel right. A group of players who don't know Professor Tolkien's world at all are not as likely to get the feel right with AIME as they are with TOR; the mechanical differences will not shape the setting as strongly.

On the other hand, Smoking as a trait often seems silly to D&D min-maxers...

[Tea Jester]

Thats what I want to get away from, the hack and bash intrinsic games. Where the game is the goal and not the dolling out of XP.
Besides I have a feeling just owning the books would be worth it.

[Kurt]

Hi Tea Jester,

Welcome to the forums. I've been playing D&D for years and recently acquired both TOR books and the D&D5e. I like both games but they have very different styles. I don't have the AiME material as I am sticking with the TOR books for all my Middle-earth gaming needs. For a high-fantasy game with magic and fantastical monsters I play D&D5e.

My players like TOR because it's gritty and dangerous with a frontier feel. The cultures, the hope vs shadow, the traits, the lack of magic and a dozen other mechanics have really immersed the players in Middle-earth. If you're into Middle-earth and want a different game I cannot recommend the TOR system highly enough. It's really really good.

Cheers,
Kurt