Treasure

[Otaku-sempai]

...a Poor character would have no war gear.

I've already shown that that is not necessarily the case, though such gear might represent all or nearly all of a Poor family's wealth. Alternately, such gear might have represented family heirlooms or even been scavenged from a barrow or a battlefield.

You claimed that, but you haven't shown it. The book tells a different story: they "have no time or resources to look for anything beyond the bare necessities, let alone equip themselves for adventure." They cannot equip themselves for adventure. They have no war gear.

Maybe Adventures in Middle-earth is different. I dunno. We have already seen some difference. But The One Ring seems fairly clear.

I DID show that, though it is dependent on how willing you are to apply what is stated in the AiMe Player's Guide to TOR. You are correct about what is stated in TOR. You can accept that at face value OR you can incorporate the additional material in AiMe to modify that position. The settings are essentially the same and what prices we can find for items in TOR are replicated in AiMe. Certainly it is up to a Loremaster as to whether to accept the stated equivalency, but the option is there.

[Stormcrow]

I guess that's the source of our disagreement. You're talking about combining TOR and AIME; I'm just talking about TOR.

[Grey Seer]

So the consensus seems to be that a poor or frugal character would need to spend treasure in order to obtain a shield lost in battle? Unless the LM wants to just supply it?

[Stormcrow]

A Frugal character can replace it; a Poor character cannot. All subject to another character just giving away a shield, of course.

[Otaku-sempai]

So the consensus seems to be that a poor or frugal character would need to spend treasure in order to obtain a shield lost in battle? Unless the LM wants to just supply it?

According to the rules, a shield is war gear and can be replaced at a friendly settlement regardless of the Hero's standard of living. The economic status of the Hero never comes into it.

As seen in the Hero Creation chapter..., at the beginning of the game players may equip their characters with any weapon their heroes have the ability to use, and any shield and suit of armour they choose to carry or wear. If a hero loses or breaks any of these items, they can be replaced automatically, at the next friendly settlement they reach or other appropriate moment in the narrative. At most, a small favour may be demanded if the settlement is not of their own culture, such as the performance of a task, or simply a song or tale.

Under Starting Gear, it states:

All heroes start their adventuring career fully equipped with all the personal items and gear they consider best suited to a life on the road. For the sake of simplicity, the game presents such possessions as a character's travelling gear and war gear.

Travelling Gear:

A hero's travelling gear includes all the typical belongings that he carries when travelling, in addition to his weapons and armour. Players only take into consideration the Encumbrance rating of their travelling gear when they are using the rules for resolving a Journey...

Now, a Loremaster might rule that the travelling gear of an impoverished hero is minimal and of the lowest quality, much of it having to have been scavenged or made by the hero or his kin. However, under the rules, the character does acquire the gear.

Gear of War:

Any weapon, suit of armour, helm or shield carried by an adventurer must be individually recorded on the character sheet, along with its Encumbrance rating. Their total Encumbrance score is taken into account to find a hero's Fatigue threshold...

Weapons
A starting player-hero is assumed to carry one weapon for each of the Weapon skills he has a rating for.

Heroes with Cultural weapon skills may choose one specific weapon among a wider selection as part of his hero's possessions.

Armour and Shields
A newly-created player-hero starts with one suit of armour, and may choose one piece of headgear and one shield. Players should record their chosen armour, headgear and shields on their character sheets...

Stormcrow's house rules are unusually (and, I would say, unreasonably) restrictive; his attitude is more appropriate for the subject of Additional Gear:

If a player would like to expand his character's equipment beyond the scope of a hero's travelling gear and war gear, the decision is up to the Loremaster. If the Loremaster agrees, they should take the character's Standard of Living into consideration, to determine the quantity and quality of any additional items... In general terms, the amount of extra equipment carried is as relevant as a Loremaster and his players want it to be: usually, Encumbrance is closely monitored only as far as war gear is concerned.

Mounts and transportation by boat are dealt with separately under the heading of Adventuring Mechanics.

[Stormcrow]

Now, a Loremaster might rule that the travelling gear of an impoverished hero is minimal and of the lowest quality, much of it having to have been scavenged or made by the hero or his kin. However, under the rules, the character does acquire the gear.

There is no such thing as a Poor hero. So when it says any hero can replace his war gear, that matches what I said: Frugal and better can replace war gear

Stormcrow's house rules

I didn't give any house rules.

[Grey Seer]

OK... So it sounds like I've been making this way harder than I needed to. War gear basically gets hand waived. Lose a sword? No problem. Break your shield? No worries. Want to stay at a nice inn? Well, then you better check your SoL , or have friends with a good SoL or someone needs treasure to raise your SoL. t


Does that sound right?

[Otaku-sempai]

There is no such thing as a Poor hero. So when it says any hero can replace his war gear, that matches what I said: Frugal and better can replace war gear

Stormcrow's house rules

I didn't give any house rules.

I was ready to agree with you until I pulled out the original books and reviewed them. I don't mean to be harsh, but I don't understand how you can argue against the direct quotes from the original rules, none of which are contradicted by later Clarifications and Amendments. Technically, none of the available Heroic Cultures have a Poor standard of living. However, under RAW, if there was one then the rules I quoted would apply. The books simply do not support your interpretation.

All heroes start their adventuring career fully equipped with all the personal items and gear they consider best suited to a life on the road.

ALL heroes; not, "All heroes, with the exception of characters from a hypothetical culture with a Poor standard of living." You don't have to like it. You don't have to run your game that way. However, that is what is stated in the rules and you should not tell a new LM otherwise.

You are not applying the rules as they are written so, yes, you are using your own house rules. It is probably because of interpretations like yours that the rules in AiMe have been elaborated on for greater clarity.

[zedturtle]

OK... So it sounds like I've been making this way harder than I needed to. War gear basically gets hand waived. Lose a sword? No problem. Break your shield? No worries. Want to stay at a nice inn? Well, then you better check your SoL , or have friends with a good SoL or someone needs treasure to raise your SoL. t


Does that sound right?

Generally speaking, yes. Don't sweat the small stuff, and remember that the game is balanced more about the Encumbrance of war gear, rather than its cost.

And most Fellowships have a mix of different Cultures, with different SoLs. So they can cover for each other, in various ways.

[Otaku-sempai]

Listen to Zedturtle you should. Wise he is in the ways of TOR.

A Big Bang Theory moment I have had, I think.