Finally getting to play this!

[Flutegirl]

I found out about this system more than a year ago, but am finally managing to put together a group to play it. Unfortunately (for my group), I have been elected the Lore-Master for the group.

Anyway, I've been poking around on this for at least the past year, but since I've never really been able to sit down and run a game, I'm still a bit fuzzy on a few of the ways things work... Most specifically of concern right now as I'm going to help everyone build their characters this week is trying to understand the role of the Body/Heart/Wits attributes, and specifically the Favoured rating for each. I think it finally clicked this past week as I was re-reading some of the sections of the core book, but I wanted to try to explain it to people who know how it works to make sure I have it right before I try to explain it to two new players.

The Body, Heart, and Wits scores are used:
1) to calculate the character's beginning Damage, Parry, Endurance, and Hope scores.
2) to increase the value of a roll during play by using Hope.
a) Use the attribute the skill is arranged under on the sheet (ex. Explore uses Body. Battle uses Heart).
b) For a non-favored skill, you spend 1 hope to raise the total value of the roll by the basic attribute score.
c) For a favored skill, you spend 1 hope to raise the value of the roll by the favored score.

Weapon attacks can be raised similarly, either as non-favored or favored. (Cultural) skills may never be favored.

Do I have this correct?

Also, unlike D&D, TOR characters don't have "levels", but rather just spend their Experience points during Fellowship phases to level up their Wisdom/Valor scores (and thereby get rewards or virtues), or to level up their weapon skills, while Advancement points (earned through the course of the RP) are spent during Fellowship phases to raise common skills.

Third, because I just realized this is a confusion point for me - characters CAN use their initial 10 advancement points to raise weapon skills (for 2/4/6 points), but after initial character creation, they may only use Experience points to further raise weapon skills?

And finally, is there a limit to the number of weapons a character can have skills in, if the player is willing to use their Experience points to rank them up? The character sheets only have four slots, but I assume that is just a space-saving measure (or an unconscious suggestion that it's not worth spending the points for more than four weapon proficiencies)?

Thanks in advance for any input - it just always helps me to understand things if I can explain them to myself... Just want to ensure I'm explaining all of this correctly before I lead two more players down this path.

[mirkwoodfalcon]

Welcome to the One Ring community! Very exciting to get to play your first session soon, and I think you'll find that being the Loremaster is plenty of fun.

It looks like everything you've stated is accurate, as far as I can tell. At least, that's the way my group has interpreted the rules and plays.

Body, Heart, and Wits are used in the ways you've pointed out. I think it may be useful to tell your players one point of nuance that isn't terribly intuitive:
- If you want to be a "tank" in the traditional sense, "Heart" is more important than "Body" (because more "Heart" means more endurance!) "Body" should be chosen by a player that wants to deal lots of damage. "Heart" is also good for tanks because it raises the difference between your Endrance and Fatigue threshold, thus allowing you to less riskily wear heavier armor to avoid wounds. Although "Body" is still used for attribute bonuses on protection tests, but those are a bit rarer than you might imagine.

Wisdom/Valour is for sure the closest thing to levels in The One Ring.

Yes, characters can for sure use their starting 10 points for weapon skills, but only up to rank 4 if I recall correctly. After character creation, weapon skills may only be raised using Experience Points.

As far as I'm aware there's no limit to how many weapon skills you can have; keep in mind that most players will stick to just a few weapon skills because carrying additional weapons increases your fatigue threshold, making them wearier faster. None of my players have ever carried more than 3 weapons (1 ranged, 1 melee, and 1 dagger since it's 0 encumbrance.)

Best of luck to you on your first session! Are you starting with The Marsh Bell (from the Core Rulebook?) If so, it's a great little adventure that makes things easy to run by providing you with all the necessary info as it comes up. If not, I also recommend zedturtle's "Theft of the Moon," a fan-created introductory adventure that is available here: https://www.dropbox.com/s/mvkpr810ss5ab ... n.pdf?dl=0

[zedturtle]

Sounds like you've got a good handle on things. Weapons are indeed improved only by using Experience Points and not Advancement Points after character creation. You could invest in as many weapon skills as you like, but it's not practical to do so. For my players, who have been going at it for years, there's no one with higher than a 5 in they're primary weapon skill. The allure of raising Valoir or Wisdom instead is too high.

[Flutegirl]

Best of luck to you on your first session! Are you starting with The Marsh Bell (from the Core Rulebook?) If so, it's a great little adventure that makes things easy to run by providing you with all the necessary info as it comes up. If not, I also recommend zedturtle's "Theft of the Moon," a fan-created introductory adventure that is available here: https://www.dropbox.com/s/mvkpr810ss5ab ... n.pdf?dl=0

Actually, no. I'm hoping to start with the first adventure from the Bree book. I recently got involved in a Play by Forum game on rpggeek.com, and they are doing the Marsh Bell, so I don't want to spoil myself for the story by prepping that one.

Also, I managed a few years ago to addict one of the two other players to Lord of the Rings Online, and Bree is more of the central hub there, so I want to be able to play off her familiarity with the zone there, even though there will be significant differences (like the Prancing Pony having more than three sleeping rooms. )

Oh, additional question - is it reasonable for me as the Loremaster to attempt to also play a character? I was thinking I could use him as an in-character way to provide some insight/direction in case the players got lost or unsure of themselves.

[Otaku-sempai]

Our AD&D campaign has always been fairly short on players so it has not been at all unusual for our GM(s) to also run a PC. It's not ideal, and it might be better when one or more players run two PCs at a time, but if you and your players are comfortable with you having a Hero, go for it.

[Majestic]

It appears you have things down quite well!

I've been running this game for many years, and most of my players only have two weapons; even having three is quite rare in this game.

I don't think there would be any problem with you running a GMNPC, as long as you remember to keep the focus on the other PCs (one of the main dangers with that approach is a GM who runs a "Mary Sue" that hogs the spotlight).

Welcome to the forums, Flutegirl!

[Earendil]

Hi Flutegirl, you seem to have it all well sorted out, and everyone has given you good advice. There's no reason you shouldn't start with the first adventure in Bree, it's a good one and has evidently been written with an eye on helping new players get their heads round the game.

Oh, additional question - is it reasonable for me as the Loremaster to attempt to also play a character? I was thinking I could use him as an in-character way to provide some insight/direction in case the players got lost or unsure of themselves.

It's not unreasonable, but I don't think it's a good idea for the LM to have a character who's an equal member of the group. I tried that once (not in TOR) and it was honestly too distracting trying to play my character while also running the game and playing all the other NPCs. There is also the danger, as Majestic says, of the LM's character taking over a bit, turning the players into spectators or minor players. But that can happen with any NPC ally if you're not careful, especially if they're more powerful than the PCs.

If the players get stuck, I think there's nothing wrong with a little LM advice, especially about things their characaters should know or be able to figure out. If you prefer, you can let them make a roll on an appropriate skill to think of whatever it is, or even have a passing NPC tell them what they need to know (but not hang around to help further).

[Glorelendil]

I agree with Earendil about not playing a Player-hero as the LM. Although I do understand the allure.

To scratch that itch, take the character concepts you want to play and instead create Loremaster characters...some mighty, and some meek...that on occasion accompany the heroes. But (in my opinion) resist the urge to roll dice for them! Instead, simply describe what they do, and what the effect is. There's another thread on this topic here somewhere.

[Vladimir]

Oh, additional question - is it reasonable for me as the Loremaster to attempt to also play a character? I was thinking I could use him as an in-character way to provide some insight/direction in case the players got lost or unsure of themselves.

It really depends; my guess from previous experience is that you're going to get strong, opposing views on the matter (some people are ok with it, others stongly against it). In my play-by-post group, we rotate between two loremasters, and each of us has their own PC, which also participates. It has worked quite well so far, although the loremaster's PC typically fades to the background a bit, simply because as a loremaster there's always so much to write about!

[Rich H]

Welcome Flutegirl and good luck in your adventures using TOR!