The One Ring (Tolkien, The Hobbit & LOTR RPG)

[Ichneumon]

So, does anyone have any experience with The One Ring, the new Lord of the Rings rpg? Any thoughts and feelings?

The book's quality seems very impressive and the rules, although very unconventional don't seem that hard to learn.

I've also found a very cool online character generator (http://azrapse.es/tor/sheet.html) btw.

[Morty]

It doesn't look like anyone has heard about it. Needless to say, neither have I. Still, the character generator seems interesting... it appears to have that "Tolkieny" feel.

[WalkingTarget]

I'm far enough removed from role-playing as a hobby at this point (sadly) that I hadn't heard about this one. Having looked at a few reviews over at RPG.net I think that I'll have to track a copy down somewhere to get a better look at the system. What I've seen so far impresses me, though (I'm especially happy with the lack of dedicated casting and the existence of Hope and Fellowship concepts, for example). Thanks for bringing it to my attention.

[Ichneumon]

I'm far enough removed from role-playing as a hobby at this point (sadly) that I hadn't heard about this one. Having looked at a few reviews over at RPG.net I think that I'll have to track a copy down somewhere to get a better look at the system. What I've seen so far impresses me, though (I'm especially happy with the lack of dedicated casting and the existence of Hope and Fellowship concepts, for example). Thanks for bringing it to my attention.

You're welcome. You can buy a pdf copy over here: http://rpg.drivethrustuff.com/product_info.php?products_id=93673

I've ordered a hardcopy. It got me quite excited and although I am not a huge tolkien fan, I want to try this game out.

[CarpeGuitarrem]

I've heard that it's rather fantastic. The dice mechanic seems wonderfully elegant, in managing what it does, and I've heard about so many awesome subsystems in this game...that I really want to play it. But I'll wait until I can afford the boxed set.

I've talked with someone who GMed a game of it, and he said that one of the highlights of the game was when a player, due to the encumbrance rules, decided to rip their helmet off in the middle of a fight, gaining back an advantage. All nice and dramatic and such.

[Knaight]

I haven't seen it yet, but it sounds interesting.

[The Endbringer Xaraphim]

I'm going to have to dig up a copy of this. It looks pretty interesting.

[JellyPooga]

I've so far run a single game, using the published adventure in the back of the Loremasters Guide...the adventure itself was somewhat uninspiring and the end was very much a let down, but aside from that I have no complaints at all...quite the opposite!

Characters have a very Tolkien-esque feel...Instead of Strength, Dex, etc. you've got Body, Heart and Wits (yes, "Heart" is one of the base stats!), for example. The way "skills" are set up is remarkably neat...each of the three main stats is cross referenced by a "skill group" to give a skill...for example; The "Customs" Skill Group has Song (Body), Courtesy (Heart) and Riddle (Wits), whilst "Personality" is comprsed of Awe (Body), Inspire (Heart) and Persuade (Wits).

Much of the "character" (and stats) each character has is derived from not only their race, but their culture. For example, the Beornings that dwell just east of the Misty Mountains are very different from the Woodsmen that live in and around the southern reaches Mirkwood, even though they're both Human. There's no character "class", as such, but everyone has a "calling", which defines their personality...and their weakness to shadow. Those that would follow the path of the Scholar, for example, are a font of knowledge and arcane lore, but prone to becoming secretive, jealous and duplicitive under the dark influence, whilst a Slayer, a formidable warrior, is more prone to anger, bloodlust and outright murderous intent.

The player characters are assumed to be Heroes, or at least close approximations of...any foul deeds, betrayal or greed is deemed to be the work of the shadow and will eventually lead to madness. Hope, which is as, if nor more, important a stat as your Health, can pull you through a tight spot, but if frittered away will damn even the most robust physique to despair.

The One Ring also has a system of Traits and Distinctive Features, which are not stats in the strictest sense, but work a little like Aspects in Fate. If someone has the Keen Eyesight Trait then in a situation where that character needs to spot something that characters player can invoke that Trait and declare that they spot it! This takes away a lot of the needless dice-rolling you get in a lot of games...of course, if no-one has a relevant Trait for a situation, then you have to resort to a dice roll.

The combat mechanic for The One Ring is elegant. No fiddly movement rules, no second by second cut and thrust...it's all heroics! You decide what "stance" you'll take; an aggressive, forward stance or a more reserved rearward one. That determines both the basic to-hit number you need to roll and the roll required to hit you (thus the more aggressive you are, the easier it is to hit, but easier it is to be hit). As someone has pointed out, fatigue can get you down over the course of a fight, but rip of your helmet in a heroic fashion and all of a sudden you're back in fighting shape! Alternatively, instead of attacking for a round, you can deliver an Awe-inspiring shout of encouragement to boost your allies morale or send your opponents cowering in terror.

Magic is rare. Some characters can get access to minor magic, like a healing song or "fairy" lights, but there's no flash-bang fireballs or the like. There's no "magic" weapons, as such, but your ancestors sword that was handed down through generations and once was used to slay a hundred orcs in defence of your home village can become as deadly in your hands as it once was in your great-great-grandfathers. The reward and xp system works by building your character up into a legend...as he gains Valour, word of his bravery spreads and he receives gifts from those he meets or unlocks hidden powers in his equipment, as his Wisdom grows, he discovers secrets of his craft and his people.

All told, it's one of the most beautiful systems I've seen. Not, perhaps, the best because it's scope is quite limited...you can't play a gang of thieves or an assassin out for revenge against the local duke, for example, but that's not what the system is about. It's about playing a game in Middle Earth in a Tolkien-esque style and it does that perfectly.