%% date:: [[2022-09-18]], [[2022-10-09]], [[2022-10-24]], [[2022-10-26]] %% # [[The One Ring RPG]] [site](https://freeleaguepublishing.com/en/games/the-one-ring/) The One Ring is an RPG based on [[Tolkien]]'s [[Lord of the Rings]]. It was created by [[Fria Ligan]] and is in its second edition. It uses the [[Year Zero engine]]. ## System summary Setting:: Medieval, low-magic fantasy ([[Lord of the Rings]]) Classes:: Yes, *callings* - Captain, Champion, Messenger, Scholar, Treasure Hunter, Warden Races:: Yes, *heroic culture* - Bardings, Rangers of the North, Hobbits of the Shire, Men of Bree, Dwarves of Durin's Folk, Elves of Lindon, High Elves of Rivendell Tests:: `d12 + Xd6` vs. character's Target Number (TN) Degree of success:: Yes, for every 6 rolled on success dice Attributes:: Strength, Heart, Wits Player agency:: Low PC hardiness:: Medium - hits reduce Endurance, no return from death PC power level:: Low ## Distinctive features ### Dice pool system Instead of modifying rolls to represent skills or advantages, TOR increases the dice pool, or total number of dice rolled. The One Ring uses two types of dice: d12s (called *Feat Dice*) and d6s (called *Success Dice*). When a skill check, combat roll, or a shadow test is made, the character making it rolls one feat die and a number of success dice according to the character's skills or features. The test is a success if: - A 12 on the d12 is rolled. The 12 face is replaced with a Gandalf rune on the custom die. Regardless of the results on the other dice, a 12 is an automatic success. - The total of the dice rolls (feat + success dice) is equal to or greater than the character's **Target Number** (TN), which is like a Difficulty Class (DC). The test is a failure if: - A 11 is rolled on the feat die. The 11 face is replaced by an Eye of Sauron rune on the custom die. - The total (feat die + success dice) is less than the character's TN. ### Individual Target Numbers Instead of having global Difficulty Classes ([[Dungeons & Dragons|D&D]]) or Difficulty Ratings ([[Mörk Borg]]), every character has their own Target Number (TN). This mechanic means that if two characters roll a 12, but their TNs are 12 and 18 respectively, the first succeeds while the other fails. Having individual TNs discourages comparison among characters and gives players more dials to tweak when trying to shore up their weaknesses. ### Degrees of success A character rolling a 6 on the success dice is awarded a degree of success, which they can use to get an extra benefit, such as: - doing the activity being rolled on quickly - doing the activity stealthily - increasing the scope of the task (such as affecting multiple people instead of just one) - in battle, dealing a piercing blow ### Magic is friendship TOR 2e is a low-magic system with a low-magic setting, but many of the magical buffs and debuffs can be accomplished through the help of friendship. Every character chooses another to be their *fellowship focus*, which means that they can help that person with their checks while also gaining a Shadow Point when their focus is *wounded*. The system also has more social skills (and rules to accompany them) than other systems do. Each of these social skills are tied to one of the core attributes: - *Strength*: Awe, Song, Craft - *Heart*: Enhearten, Insight, Courtesy - *Wits*: Persuade, Riddle, Lore ### Combat stances In addition to choosing actions for combat, each character must choose a combat stance to be in, each of which may confer a benefit or detriment as well as giving characters an extra action to choose from: - *Forward:* +1d6 to attack rolls, but adversaries have +1d6 against you as well. Extra action: *Intimidate Foe.* (Awe roll, and enemies may be *weary.*) - *Open:* Extra action: *Rally Comrades*. (Enhearten roll, and all party members get a 1d6 in the following round.) - *Defensive:* Adversaries get a -1d6 to attack you, but you get a -1d6 to attack as well. Extra action: *Protect Companion.* (Battle roll, and protect another hero and give their attackers a -1d6.) - *Rearward:* You can attack with ranged weapons, and can only be targeted with ranged weapons. Extra action: *Prepare Shot* (Scan roll, and you get a +1d6 on your next ranged attack.) ### Highly structured game phases A game of ToR shifts through four distinctive phases during play. - Adventuring phases - *Combat* - Physical confrontations against foes - *Council* - Social encounters during some sort of meeting or formal gathering where The Company stand to win or lose something valuable. - *Journey* - Travelling through land and water to get to a destination - *Fellowship phase* - Downtime, when the company retrain, rest, and carouse. Going through the different phases encourages the use of all types of skills, not just combat ones, allowing different characters to shine. ## My impressions of The One Ring 2e ### What I like - Everything about the mechanics of the game is explained by, and reinforces, the setting and lore inherent in [[Lord of the Rings]]. Everything makes sense, and the two work seamlessly together. - The fellowship focus is thematic and *immediately* builds camaraderie between characters because when you choose someone as your focus, you can help them the way others cannot, but you also get a *Shadow Point* when they are wounded. This means you have to build story reasons very quickly about why you have such a strong bond. - There are three ways to modify a roll: whether or not it's favoured for you, how good you are at it, AND your target number. So being good at one of the main attributes makes it more likely you'll succeed on any of the relevant skills, which makes sense. ### What I don't like - It's definitely skewed towards being "gritty" and unforgiving in an OSR way, which matches the books too. It's hard to succeed on tests, and some things are plain impossible (excepting the Gandalf rune). The only way to improve your odds at this level is by giving each other hope, which is thematic but is definitely on the harder side. - TOR has phases for everything (combat, travel, social interaction, downtime) and I'm not sure it's necessary. It feels quite rigid sometimes. - Character creation is limited. - The rules are as old-fashioned as the books, sometimes to their detriment. The language in the rules are not as inclusive. "Northmen, Men of Bree, Men" are used a lot when describing races. - Combat is surprisingly crunchy and complex, for a system that is not combat-focused. ### Other resources - [[The One Ring 2e Cheat Sheet]] ### My games of The One Ring 2e - [[ttrpgs/Fellowship of Loamy Heather/World|Eriador]] (player)