A System Skeleton Inspired by LOTR and the Hobbit

Main Mechanic: Roll 1d20 adding appropriate bonuses equal to or over 11.

Advantage/Disadvantage: The GM may allow a player to roll a d20 check twice and take the higher or lower value if they have a significant edge or hindrance in completing the task.

Enemies and Attacks: The average enemy dies in one hit. All attack rolls are made with that same DC: 11 check. If enemies are stronger, more heavily armored, or protected by magic, they can take more hits. If a blow is particularly effective through planning or if a Natural 20 is rolled, it can deal two hits against a stronger enemy or in the case of weaker enemies it could slay multiple.
However, enemies and their attacks are also the same 11 target number.

Armor and Wounds: Armor worn by player characters can take hits equal to their Armor (Arm) per day, before the characters have had time at the end of the day to repair and maintain their armor. After that, player characters begin taking wounds. Wounds are represented by dice, usually d4s, though larger enemies may deal d6s. Each time a wound is dealt, where it was on the body must be recorded, then that die is rolled and subtracted form any checks related to the wound. Also each time a new wound is gained, all wound dice are rolled. If the total is equal to or greater than 12, then the character succumbs to their wounds, and, unless they are magically healed within three rounds, will die.

Combat: In Combat, PCs go first, followed by monsters. Repeat this order until combat is resolved. Each PC gets and Action and a Move though this can be altered through magic or abilities like Heroism Points.

Advancement and Song: Each time a character accomplishes a noteworthy deed or goes through some great or tragic event and composes a song or poem about it, they gain 1 Song. They can trade in Songs for levels. To get to the next level, you must pay Songs equal to double the level desired and you must pay for each in order. You can also spend Songs to gain Advantage on a check.

Levels: There are only 5 levels, the idea being that by the end of their great journey, the character will have arrived at level 5 and be at the peak of their power, ready to retire to a peaceful life, rule a kingdom, or sail into the west where there are lands unknown and adventures none living shall ever know.

Hero

The Hero is not necessarily heroic because of their goodness but for their ability to perform feats of astounding heroism. No one fights better, and ballads of their deeds fill every tavern.

Ex: Aragorn, Thorin Oakenshield, Gimli, Legolas, Boromir

Heroism Points: Every Hero has a pool of Heroism Points, beginning at 3, gaining 1 each level. Each round of combat you can spend these points to do any of the following things:
  • Make an Attack
  • Automatically deflect a Melee Attack
  • Automatically succeed at a combat maneuver either offensively or defensively. Basically cool things like leaping from a chandelier, leaping on the back of a troll, hitting a specific part of a creature on a successful attack but also deal damage. Things like that.
Human: +3 Might, +2 Agility, +0 Mind

Sword, Medium Armor (2 Arm), Bow or Shield (1 Arm)

Human Heroes perform astounding feats of strength and bravery.

Elves: +2 Might, +3 Agility, +1 Mind

Bow, Light Armor (1 Arm), Dual Blades or Throwing Daggers

Elf Heroes perform feats of dexterity and grace impossible for humans or dwarves. They are also supremely light, not even breaking the surface of snow when they walk across it.

Dwarves: +4 Might, +1 Agility, +1 Mind

Hammer or Axe, Heavy Armor (3 Arm), Shield (1 Arm) or Crossbow

Dwarf Heroes are stout and hardy, performing astounding feats of endurance impossible for Humans or Elves. They are also surprisingly heavy and dense for their stature, allowing them to gain a lot of momentum.

Wizard

The Wizard's main strength is not their magic but it is their supremely long lives. They have been everywhere and know more than anyone else. Wizards might look like elves, humans, or even dwarves but they are are always more than they seem.

Ex: Gandalf

Lore Dice: Every Wizard has a pool of Lore Dice, beginning at 5d6, gaining 1 each level. Whenever you want to answer a question or possess knowledge of something you find, you may roll as many of these dice as you wish, taking the highest result. Each dice rolled is used up until you have taken a night's rest.
  • On a 5-6 you know something immediately useful or get the exact information you were looking for.
  • On a 2-4 you know something potentially useful or part of the answer you were looking for or you know where the knowledge might be found.
  • On a 1 you only know whispers and rumors that are likely to be faulty or of extremely limited usefulness.
Magic Dice: The Wizard also has a pool of Magic Dice starting at 3d6, gaining 1 each level. When you go to cast a spell from one of your Realms of Power, you may roll as many of these as you like, taking the highest result to see how effective the magic is, depending entirely on the situation and negotiation between you and the GM. Each dice rolled is used up until you have taken a night's rest.

Realms of Power: roll (1d12) or pick two Realms of Power which are words that limit your magic to certain concepts as per your negotiation with the GM, roll or pick a new one each level.
  1. Light
  2. Darkness
  3. Force
  4. Fire
  5. Glamor
  6. Weather
  7. Healing
  8. Sight
  9. Transformation
  10. Travel
  11. Speech
  12. Conjuration
Languages: As a Wizard, you speak all languages even old dead tongues of yore.

Stats: +1 Might, +1 Agility, +3 Mind

Mysterious Staff, a Robe, an Interesting Hat, a Sword

Adventurer

The adventurer gets by with wits, stealth, and luck. With a mark on the door, the professional burglar, thief, adventurer, or tomb raider offers his services to all the world when they are not pursuing treasure out in the Wilderlands. Any race might be an Adventurer and it is perfectly possible to have an entire party of these folks much to the chagrin of any local keepers of law and general decency.

Ex: Bilbo, the other Dwarves in the Hobbit

Thief Dice: You gain a pool of d4s, starting at 3d4, gaining 1 per level, called Thief Dice, that can be spent to improve all rolls regarding traps, stealing, and sneaking. They recharge at the end of the day.

Fortune Dice: You make your own luck and have a pool of d6s, starting at 3d6, called Fortune Dice. Whenever you want a lucky break, a convenient escape, pulling just the right item out of your pocket, you may roll as many of these dice as you wish, taking the highest result. Each dice rolled is used up until you have taken a night's rest.
  • On a 5-6 its just the thing you wanted in your pocket, the cart is perfectly placed to cushion your fall, there is a secret door just where you needed to escape the goblins.
  • On a 2-4, you pull something that is near to what you wanted, the cart might just be a little farther away than you'd like, or the secret door requires some way of opening it that you have to figure out.
  • On a 1, the item might be useful in some situation with a lot of creativity, there is a cart to catch you but it begins rolling downhill at an alarming speed, its not a secret door but a trap door and there are spikes down below.
Choose one of these at first level and then every level thereafter:

Swashbuckler: You gain 1 Heroism Point.

Little Tricks: Roll once (1d6) or choose from the following Realms of Power Table and gain 1 Magic Die.
  1. Hide
  2. Trap
  3. Ward
  4. Travel
  5. Deceive
  6. Find
Rumor Monger: Gain 1 Lore Die.

Fortune Favors: Gain another Fortune Die

Stats: Assign: +3, +2. and +1 to your stats as desired.

Choose three: A Melee Weapon, A Ranged Weapon, Light Armor (1 Arm), Thief Tools, A Shield (1 Arm), An Adventurer's Kit (3 Uses ala Dungeon World)

Comments

  1. I really like the wizard. The d&d concept of wizard vs. LotR is imo the most significant difference between the two fantasy concepts, and I think your system embodies that critical difference well. Imo an LotR ttrpg should really be more a storygame than something in the vein of d&d/osr but I like what you've done. I do think a component that should be represented though is the concept of power corrupting. I don't think magic items should be too prevalent in an LotR style game anyway, but to the extent that they are, they should come with great but necessary risks, and more powerful characters should be at greater risk, albeit with potentially greater reward. It should be advantageous to have in a party characters who are higher level and more traditionally powerful, but also characters who are decidedly lower level, who carry a burden of some sort, if none other than being the only ones weak enough to responsibly hold the mcguffin; always just a little suspicious of their more powerful but nonetheless necessary peers.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Your idea of powerful magic items corrupting and tempting more powerful character is a fascinating idea. I don't think I'd put this in obvious mechanical game terms though. I completely agree that the corrupting nature of power is a central theme of LotR and it would certainly be cool to see temptation mechanics in a story game as you say, perhaps centered around the carrying of an item like the Ring. I think you should design such a game, it might well be an interesting task. I think I might give it a shot myself too. However part of my intent with this game was also to simulate some of the Hobbit, and in the Hobbit story magic and magical items are actually quite common compared to LotR whose Middle Earth changes quite a bit compared to the Hobbit's Wilderlands.

      Delete
    2. Sorry for belated comment, but I like this post and wonder if it will be all right with you if I make it into a pdf.

      Delete
    3. (posted in a wrong way - this is a question to Michael Kennedy)

      Delete
  2. Hi, my name's Pablo Parzanini, I'm a rpgist from Brazil, and I liked this too much, share it with brazilian osr community, and now I like to question you, Can I work in a system with some ideas presented in this post? cause it's very inspiring mechanics, elegant approaches and nice cool feeling in that.. Anyway, thaks for that.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Absolutely! If you'd like someone to work with, I'd love to collaborate, but either way, you go right ahead!

      Delete
    2. Wow! Very nice man, send me your e-mail, and I wil try to write take on your system in english (bad englissh sorry) to you. Thanks again.

      Delete
    3. You are most welcome. mikesmix2005@gmail.com is my email.

      Delete
  3. Love it.
    Just one question. How often do you think heroism should points refresh? With a night's rest like the other class abilities?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I envisioned them refreshing each round of combat.

      Delete
  4. Hmmmm... would it almost be easier to get rid of Hero and Wizard and just have everyone play Adventurers, putting points where they like? Xd6 take the highest is a great mechanic I must say.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I mean... yes. It would be easier but I liked the idea of splitting them up a little anyway. I did make the Adventurer the most flexible class and you could totally just have an entire party like that and have people pick and choose as they please. I liked the idea of having the Wizard have access to more destructive or powerful magic and a level 1 Hero would definitely be better at fighting than a level 1 Adventurer. I mostly split them up because it fit with the source material.

      Delete
  5. This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment

Popular Posts