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Razanir
2012-08-11, 06:50 PM
Long story short, I got the idea to recreate Narsil/Andúril for my campaign. I figured I may as well create homebrew for all sorts of Middle-Earthy stuff. Of course I'm starting with Andúril, and afterward I'll try building the Company. This MIGHT include refluffed halflings. Feel free to request stuff you want, but don't expect super high quality because I'm new to homebrewing. Anyway, here goes:

Andúril/Narsil (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showpost.php?p=13714657&postcount=13)
Aragorn II Elessar (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showpost.php?p=13711320&postcount=4)
Dúnedain (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showpost.php?p=13712777&postcount=9)
Glamdring (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showpost.php?p=13726611&postcount=24)
Orcrist (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showpost.php?p=13726611&postcount=24)
Samwise Gamgee (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showpost.php?p=13744443&postcount=36)
Sting (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showpost.php?p=13726611&postcount=24)
Tom Bombadil (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showpost.php?p=13718573&postcount=20)


To do list:

Frodo
Merry
Pippin
Legolas
Gimli
Boromir
Gandalf
Uruk-Hai
More to be added. Suggest something! Either reply with a request or send me a PM


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Credit on fluff to my favorite author, John Ronald Reuel Tolkien

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Note: This stuff is based off the books whenever possible. If I need fluff, then I'll turn to the movies. But the main rule is if the books and movies conflict on something, I'll side with the book.

Eldan
2012-08-11, 07:09 PM
I don't think elemental bursts really fit. That's a bit over the top flashy for most LotR magic. After all, in D&D, many magic items glow (read the section on magic items in the DMG, it says so).

As for the halflings: I don't think refluffing is necessary. They are pretty much identical to LotR halflings, especially in the older editions. Most of their racial abilities are based on something one of the fellowship did at some point.

Razanir
2012-08-11, 07:32 PM
I don't think elemental bursts really fit. That's a bit over the top flashy for most LotR magic. After all, in D&D, many magic items glow (read the section on magic items in the DMG, it says so).

Okay. I'll just specify glow color then.


As for the halflings: I don't think refluffing is necessary. They are pretty much identical to LotR halflings, especially in the older editions. Most of their racial abilities are based on something one of the fellowship did at some point.

Fair enough. Maybe I'll just add some sort of farming related trait if anything

Razanir
2012-08-11, 10:21 PM
Homebrew #2 time! This time I'm giving the sword a proper owner. Born to Arathorn II, then orphaned at an early age, this man grew up as Estel, not knowing his own past. At the age of 20, he learned his identity and received his ancestral sword. He then proceeded to become a ranger and patrol the wilderness. Some 67 years later, he then helped Gandalf the Grey and the rest of the Company of the Ring destroy the One Ring. Ladies and gentleman, Aragorn II Elessar!

King Aragorn II Elessar
CR 5
Male dúnadan Ranger 1/Fighter 1/Paladin 3
LG medium humanoid(elf)
Init/Senses: +0/Listen +4, Spot +4
Languages: Westron, Quenya, Sindarin
AC: 16, touch 10, flat-footed 15
hp: 32 (4d10+8 HD)
Fort/Ref/Will: 9/5/6
Speed: 30 ft. (6 squares)
Melee: Andúril +11 (1d8+6, 19-20/x2)
Base Atk/Grp: +5/+8
Abilities: Str 16, Dex 10, Con 10, Int 10, Wis 16, Cha 15
Feats: Skill Focus (Survival), Negotiator, Power Attack, Track
Skills: Diplomacy +8, Heal +12, Knowledge(Nature) +6, Knowledge(Nobility) +2, Search +5, Survival +12
Possessions: Andúril, mwk Chainmail, and I hate fluffing NPC gear

New race: Dúnadan. LA +0, skill bonuses as a half-elf, also get +2 to Heal and Survival, favored class Ranger

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Dúnadan has half-elfy stuff because they ARE descended from half-elves. Abilities like they are because I'm new to point buy. Normally I use 4d6b3 for PCs and elite array for NPCs. Class breakdown from The Alexandrian (http://thealexandrian.net/wordpress/587/roleplaying-games/dd-calibrating-your-expectations-2). Finally, don't expect multiple homebrews in a day. This was a first day special. They'll probably come out every few days

LordErebus12
2012-08-11, 10:39 PM
+2 Adamantine Bastard Sword
(excluding the adamantine addition; it was a bastard sword in the movies...)

Traits: Glows with a soft, inner light both night and day. Glows brightly (like a torch) when drawn and near Orcish blood (as most elven blades do).

Huntsman: A huntsman weapon helps its wielder locate and capture quarry. When the weapon is held in hand, the wielder gains an enhancement bonus on Survival checks made to track any creature the weapon has damaged in the past day. It deals +1d6 damage to creatures the wielder has tracked with Survival in the past day.

Moderate divination; CL 7th; Craft Magic Arms and Armor, detect animals or plants; Price +1 bonus.

This makes more sense for a Ranger's Weapon.

It ignores hardness less than 20 as adamantine and grants bonuses to your Quarry...

super dark33
2012-08-12, 04:47 AM
For Aragorn, i think its better for him to use the 5d6b3, because that would make him as powerfull as he appears on the books.

Are the paladin levels neccesery?

Eldan
2012-08-12, 06:31 AM
Paladin feels right, for Lay on Hands. The Hands of a King are Hands of a Healer.

Razanir
2012-08-12, 08:30 AM
+2 Adamantine Bastard Sword
(excluding the adamantine addition; it was a bastard sword in the movies...)

Adamantine I might just use. Also, we know it was a one-handed sword. It was similar to Boromir's which was used with a shield. I know that bastard swords can be used one-handed, but it just doesn't seem right to me for it to need training.


Traits: Glows with a soft, inner light both night and day. Glows brightly (like a torch) when drawn and near Orcish blood (as most elven blades do).

I can honestly say it didn't glow near orcs.


Huntsman: A huntsman weapon helps its wielder locate and capture quarry. When the weapon is held in hand, the wielder gains an enhancement bonus on Survival checks made to track any creature the weapon has damaged in the past day. It deals +1d6 damage to creatures the wielder has tracked with Survival in the past day.

Trying to stick to the books. It never helped him with any checks.


Paladin feels right, for Lay on Hands. The Hands of a King are Hands of a Healer.

Exactly. Although I really just used it because of the article :smallbiggrin:

Razanir
2012-08-12, 08:52 AM
And a real stat block for the Dúnedain:

Dúnedain:

Medium: As Medium creatures, the dúnedain have no special bonuses or penalties due to their size.
Dúnadan base land speed is 30 feet.
+1 racial bonus on Listen, Search, and Spot checks.
+2 racial bonus on Diplomacy, Gather Information, Heal and Survival checks.
Half-Elven Blood: For all effects related to race, a dúnadan is considered an elf or a human, whichever would be more beneficial.
Ranger Training: A dúnadan gets Track as a bonus feat at level one. He also receives a favored enemy and wild empathy as if he had a level of ranger.
Automatic Languages: Westron, Quenya and Sindarin. Bonus Languages: Any (other than secret languages, such as Druidic and Khuzdûl).
Favored Class: Ranger. A multiclass dúnadan’s ranger class does not count when determining whether he takes an experience point penalty.

Ranger substitution level one: A +2 bonus to the favored enemy chosen for the racial ability, +2 to Survival

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With the ranger training ability, I'll go back and edit Aragorn to give him another level of fighter or paladin. Also, before anyone asks: the dúnedain (yes, that's the plural) are descended from Elrond's brother Elros. The two were half-elves. That's where the one ability comes from

super dark33
2012-08-12, 11:20 AM
I can honestly say it didn't glow near orcs.


Frodo's sword did.



Now, as for Aragorn's stats, ill roll 5 sets of 5d6b3 and pick the most balanced, IE no 18.

Then its:
16, 15, 14 ,14 ,13, 12.

assign them as you wish.

Remember that in the movies he has a some daggers and/or shortswords and a bow, so take that to account.

LordErebus12
2012-08-12, 12:34 PM
Adamantine I might just use. Also, we know it was a one-handed sword. It was similar to Boromir's which was used with a shield. I know that bastard swords can be used one-handed, but it just doesn't seem right to me for it to need training.

Debatable, i feel that it should be a bastard sword, perhaps it simply grants the user proficiency?

I can honestly say it didn't glow near orcs.

Fair Enough

Trying to stick to the books. It never helped him with any checks.

Heres where it gets down to removing game mechanics from the mindset of the player (aragorn, in this case). Aragorn was a ranger, i like to believe he had favored enemy (undead) like his ancestor clearly had. if this is the case, and aragorn and his ancestor tracked their prey (orcs, undead, animals, etc.) then he'd get additional damage from the ability.

Since Sauron was a Lich King of sorts (sauron was known as the Necromancer, the one ring is a phylactery, etc.) and it could stop a ghost's blade. im thinking he would have it.


GHOST TOUCH!!!

looking in at the character, he was a ranger who dealt increased damage to foes, slayed them fast. mechanics aside, when the ancestor stepped up to fight sauron, he had tracked him, ie: more damage when the attack insued. although it was sundered, the weapon's magic and the favored enemy undead came to aid.

off came the ring and ended the lich king Sauron. all this without giving the weapon vorpal (completely silly and OP for the blade). it was clearly adamantine in behavior, cutting through orc shields and weapons with ease, or so i think. or at least might cleaving, it cut through a lot of orcs with ease, and never did it mention a beheading...

they were a long line of rangers, so the weapons ability favors that lineage.

LordErebus12
2012-08-12, 12:45 PM
+2 adamantine Bastard Sword
Grants automatic proficiency to rangers
Huntsman weapon ability (+1)
Ghost Touch weapon ability (+1)


its a blade that aids a ranger in killing his foes, and allows him to attack incorporeal undead. adamantine so it cuts through soft weapons and armor with ease.

fair enough in my imagination... you agree? or shall we add mighty cleaving?

Razanir
2012-08-12, 05:08 PM
Narsil is being moved down here so I can turn the OP into a dedicated intro/index.

Narsil/Andúril (Minor artifact for history only; it's a legal magic weapon)

Originally forged by Telchar in the first age of Middle-Earth, the blade Narsil was eventually passed on to the house of Númenor. From there, it eventually saw use in by the Last Alliance of Elves and Men when Isildur used it to cut the ring from Sauron's hand. It broke. Passed on through his descendants, it eventually came to Aragorn II. It was reforged in Rivendell and named Andúril, the Flame of the West.

+3 Great cleave, Ghost touch, Adamantine Longsword. Still functional as a dagger when broken, but without the special abilities. Specifically glows red during the day and white at night

Strong evocation; CL 15th.

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Explanation for longsword: I have seen combat knives like the marines use. Two things about the size. They would (in my opinion) fall under daggers in D&D. Also, it seems to be a reasonable size for the sword while it was broken. To me, at least, a dagger seems awfully small for the main piece of a broken bastardsword. Just over all, it seems to me more reasonable for it to be a truly one-handed sword. Feel free, however, to use it as whatever sword you want in your campaigns. For this thread, however, I'm sticking to the longsword.

super dark33
2012-08-13, 01:55 AM
The sword is more then a "hand" long, so its a basterd sword.
At least in the movies.

It would also make sense build-wise, as when its used in 2 hands it deals more damage then longsword and doesnt need profinecy.

LordErebus12
2012-08-13, 02:05 AM
The sword is more then a "hand" long, so its a basterd sword.
At least in the movies.

It would also make sense build-wise, as when its used in 2 hands it deals more damage then longsword and doesnt need profinecy.

My sentiments exactly.

nonsi
2012-08-13, 05:56 AM
I remember someone suggesting that Gandalf is a half celestial favored soul.
This seems quite adequate to me.

Morph Bark
2012-08-13, 06:13 AM
For some reason when I click the links to the posts with Aragorn or the Dunedain in the OP, I go to the appropriate post (#4 or #9), except it has the text of the post with Narsil's stats in it. :smallconfused:

Eldan
2012-08-13, 08:43 AM
I remember someone suggesting that Gandalf is a half celestial favored soul.
This seems quite adequate to me.

That's one possiblity. There's much debate on how powerful Gandalf could be if he actually cut loose. I've seen people call him a full Solar before.

Razanir
2012-08-13, 08:57 AM
I remember someone suggesting that Gandalf is a half celestial favored soul.
This seems quite adequate to me.

Half-celestial makes a lot of sense. I won't use favored soul, though, because I only have access to the SRD.


For some reason when I click the links to the posts with Aragorn or the Dunedain in the OP, I go to the appropriate post (#4 or #9), except it has the text of the post with Narsil's stats in it. :smallconfused:

Fixed. Apparently in the URL p has a different value for each reply.


That's one possiblity. There's much debate on how powerful Gandalf could be if he actually cut loose. I've seen people call him a full Solar before.

Umm... that one's confusing. Gandalf I would not place as a Solar. Olórin, on the other hand, could very well be one. And for anyone who hasn't read the Silmarillion, Olórin is Gandalf when in Valinor (Lord of the Rings Mount Olympus)

The joy of this is once I get through making Gandalf, I'll have Tom Bombadil to deal with *sarcastic eye roll* He is the ONE THING Tolkien never explained

Razanir
2012-08-13, 10:59 AM
I'm getting this one out of the way. What's that I hear? *cups hand to ear*

Hey dol! merry dol! ring a dong dillo!
Ring a dong! hop along! Fal lal the willow!
Tom Bom, jolly Tom, Tom Bombadillo!
Quoted from Lord of the Rings
That's right, folks! It's Tom Bombadil! The single least explained thing in all of Middle-Earth! Pretty much all we know is that he A) is the oldest thing on Arda, B) has power over the ring, and C) is THE bard

Tom Bombadil
CR 40
Male Outsider 20/Bard 20, Divine Rank 0
N medium outsider(native)
Init/Senses: +4/Listen +4, Spot +4
Languages: Westron, Quenya, Sindarin, Adûnaic, etc. We don't know what all he knows!
AC: 33, touch 19, flat-footed 29 (+1 armor, +4 Dex, +13 natural, +5 deflect)
hp: 400 (20d10+20d8+120 HD, divine rank gives max on each die)
Fort/Ref/Will: 25/26/28
Speed: 60 ft. (12 squares)
Melee: Mwk Shortsword +33/+28/+23/+18 (1d6+2, 19-20/x2)
Base Atk/Grp: +30/+25/+20/+15, +32
Abilities: Str 15, Dex 18, Con 16, Int 17, Wis 18, Cha 23
Feats: Acrobatic, Animal Affinity, Combat Casting, Eschew Materials, Improved Counterspell, Iron Will, Lasting Inspiration, Run, Self-Sufficient, Skill Focus (Handle Animal, Perform(Sing)), Spell Penetration, Stealthy, Track
Skills: Concentration +34, Escape Artist +35, Handle Animal +32, Heal +27, Jump +51, Knowledge(geography) +34, Knowledge(history) +34, Perform(Sing) +40, Spellcraft +14, Tumble +41
Possessions: Mwk Shortsword, Mwk Padded, and I still hate fluffing NPC gear

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I've decided. I'll try for a homebrew every day this week, then once a week after that for personal reasons. Divine rank 0 because it comes the closest to his unknown history. Shortsword taken from the Barrow-Downs because I figured he needs a weapon. Mwk not magic, because magic weapons seem odd for anything made second age and on. A lot of the skills were to approximate his insane acrobatics. Handle Animal because of how well he trained the horses. Oh, and a lame joke for the road: Tom Bombadil has power over the ring. In rest of Middle-Earth, ring has power over YOU!

super dark33
2012-08-13, 03:42 PM
As for gandalf:

He is a wizard fighter thing. he does toss lightnings at the balrog, but he still kicks some ass with a sword/stick.

thats a silly gish build that i dont like to get involved with.

Wyntonian
2012-08-13, 03:47 PM
As for gandalf:

He is a wizard fighter thing. he does toss lightnings at the balrog, but he still kicks some ass with a sword/stick.

thats a silly gish build that i dont like to get involved with.

It says he's a wizard in the story, but his abilities are better matched by a Favored Soul. Maybe say his staff is his holy symbol and that he fights with a sword. He only does the staff+sword dual-wielding in the movie.

Zale
2012-08-13, 03:50 PM
Wizard, Celestial, Yadda Yadda Yadda..

We could go on for weeks.

Razanir
2012-08-14, 03:23 PM
Three swords today: Orcrist, Glamdring and Sting.

Note: All three are artifacts, with the same reasoning as for Narsil. The game stats are also the same, with the exception of Sting having a different base weapon.

Glamdring

Forged in Gondolin for King Turgon, this famed sword saw use in the First Age fighting Morgoth's forces. After the Fall of Gondolin, it disappeared for some 6000+ years. Eventually it found its way into a troll cave outside of Rivendell where it was found by Thorin and Co. Gandalf is its current owner and wielder.

Orcrist

Orcrist has the same history as Glamdring except for owners. We do not know who originally wielded it, but it found its way to Thorin Oakenshield.

Sting

Never named until the Third Age, this dagger likely followed Glamdring and Orcrist. Bilbo named it when on his adventure with Thorin and Co.

Game Stats

Glamdring and Orcrist: +3 Great cleave, Bane(Humanoid(Orc)), Adamantine Greatswords
Sting: +3 Bane(Orc) Adamantine Dagger

All three swords glow blue, only in the presence of any humanoid(orc). Small creatures may use Sting as a shortsword with no penalty.

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Bane to couple them glowing near orcs, most stats to match Narsil. Glamdring and Orcrist are greatswords because http://lotr.wikia.com while not the most authoritative source, is still decent (except for accents) and gives Glamdring as two-handed. Orcrist is its sister-sword, and would also be two-handed.

hamishspence
2012-08-14, 03:29 PM
There's a very nice LoTR monster thread here:

LOTR Monster Thread (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=162601&highlight=Boldog)

DMG2 has the Fiercebane upgrade to Bane weapons- that boosts them, and makes them glow within 100ft of the designated foe.





Bane to couple them glowing near orcs, most stats to match Narsil. Glamdring and Orcrist are greatswords because http://lotr.wikia.com while not the most authoritative source, is still decent (except for accents) and gives Glamdring as two-handed. Orcrist is its sister-sword, and would also be two-handed.

Doesn't Gandalf usually have staff in one hand, sword in the other? Such as at the bridge- when he blocks the Balrog's blow with his sword, and smites the bridge with his staff?

super dark33
2012-08-14, 04:24 PM
I dont know about the looks, but Sting definetly counts as shortsword.

Razanir
2012-08-14, 05:48 PM
I dont know about the looks, but Sting definetly counts as shortsword.

If I remember correctly, in the movies Sting is short-sword-sized TO BILBO. In the DMG, there's a chart on eliminating weapon size penalties with size equivalences. S Short Sword = M Dagger. This matches what I've seen online about the sword. Long story short, it made sense to me to make it a dagger.

super dark33
2012-08-15, 06:00 AM
How did it get to be looks?
i meant books.

and by shortsword i mean M shortsword, not S shortsword.

Razanir
2012-08-15, 08:55 AM
How did it get to be looks?
i meant books.

and by shortsword i mean M shortsword, not S shortsword.

http://www.tolkiengateway.net/wiki/Sting

It gives it as a dagger in the books, but a shortsword to Bilbo. No seriously, those were the weapon types it gave when I found the page. It just matched the variant in the DMG exactly, so I went with it.

Wyntonian
2012-08-15, 10:00 AM
Sting was an elven dagger. Elves are Medium. Therefore, Sting is a medium dagger. Bilbo is small. A small shortsword and a medium dagger are the exact same thing.

Just because Medium is the standard size, say it's a medium dagger in your rules text.

Spiryt
2012-08-15, 10:51 AM
Sting was an elven dagger. Elves are Medium. Therefore, Sting is a medium dagger. Bilbo is small. A small shortsword and a medium dagger are the exact same thing.

Just because Medium is the standard size, say it's a medium dagger in your rules text.

I'm pretty sure that it doesn't work this way in 3.5?

For improperly sized weapons, one takes - 2 penalty - so for using medium size dagger Bilbo would suffer this penalty.

Small shortsword incurs - 2 penalty to medium creature trying to wield it.

Razanir
2012-08-15, 11:01 AM
I'm pretty sure that it doesn't work this way in 3.5?

For improperly sized weapons, one takes - 2 penalty - so for using medium size dagger Bilbo would suffer this penalty.

Small shortsword incurs - 2 penalty to medium creature trying to wield it.

Yeah... but then again, these are magic items we're talking about. It's perfectly reasonable to give no penalties to Small characters using a magic dagger as a shortsword

hamishspence
2012-08-15, 11:47 AM
I'm pretty sure that it doesn't work this way in 3.5?


True- but there's optional rules in DMG for doing it that way.

super dark33
2012-08-16, 04:25 PM
Well, Bilbo used sting as a longsword, but its a shorsword.

hamishspence
2012-08-17, 01:05 PM
The Hobbit makes it pretty clear that Sting is a dagger for elf-sized creatures- not a short sword.

Razanir
2012-08-17, 02:25 PM
Continuing with the Company of the Ring, I present the first hobbit. Ladies and gents, Frodo's gardener and best friend, Master Samwise Gamgee!

Samwise Gamgee
CR 3
Male hobbithalfling 3
NG small humanoid(halfling)
Init/Senses: +0/Listen +4, Spot +4
Languages: Westron, bits of Quenya and Sindarin
AC: 13, touch 12, flat-footed 12
hp: 14 (3d6 HD)
Fort/Ref/Will: 2/3/4
Speed: 20 ft. (4 squares)
Melee: Barrow blade (M mwk dagger) +1 (1d4-1, 19-20/x2)
Base Atk/Grp: +2/-3
Abilities: Str 9, Dex 13, Con 11, Int 10, Wis 10, Cha 10
Feats: Skill Focus (Profession (Gardener)), Animal Affinity
Skills: Climb +1, Diplomacy +6, Handle Animal +8, Hide +5, Jump -5, Listen +2, Move Silently +9, Profession (Gardener) +9, Ride +11
Possessions: M mwk dagger, padded armor, and I still hate fluffing NPC gear

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Yes, I gave him the NPC Array (11/11/11/10/10/10), what of it? He's a hobbit. No one expected them to go on adventures. He's much better suited to be a gardener than a ring-bearer. However, it is ironic that he fought better after I decided it was a M dagger not a S shortsword :smalltongue:

super dark33
2012-08-17, 02:51 PM
Medium humenoid?

Id say small humenoid.
they are very small.

Razanir
2012-08-17, 02:58 PM
Medium humenoid?

Id say small humenoid.
they are very small.

My bad. I copied the template from Aragorn