Apologies if there is already a thread for this, but I didn't see one at first scan...
Picked this book up last week and must say I am pretty darn impressed! The presentation is absolutely gorgeous (Paizo and WOTC should take notes from Cubicle 7), and contains a lot of art that is quite in line with the classic look of Tolkein's world.
New options: Cultures replace a character's Race, there are 6 new classes (no casters at all), new backgrounds, a bunch of new Feats (renamed as Virtues), and a Shadow Stat that replaces Alignment. New rules for journeys which looks pretty cool, and rules for fellowship, which is a variant downtime system.
Since there are no clerics and wizards, the Scholar class has some options for healing and some minor spellcraft.
These rules seem excellent to support any low-magic setting. I could quite easily run a Game of Thrones type of setting with this system.
Don't know when I'll get the group to try it, since we're quite enjoying B/X at the moment, but this is really the first 5e book besides the core that has gotten me reasonably excited. Volo's is decent and worth a look too, but this book is really cool.
I haven't had a chance to get a copy of this yet, but I've read through their The One Ring game line and overall I'm impressed with the Tolkien feel that they have established. If this book can capture the same feel using 5E rules then I'm definitely interested in getting a copy.
Does the One Ring And this new 5E version mesh will with the MERP stuff? I've got a huge shelf of MERP books from way back and would love to dust it off and get some use out of them.
You can use MERP stuff with TOR and AME, though the two latter RPGs are more firmly grounded in the late Third Age that MERP is. That may require some work.
AME does a good job of capturing Tolkien's world like TOR did and remains true to the D&D ruleset despite many new character options and rules, including all new classes, races, backgrounds and equipment. I don't think it supersedes TOR totally as the rules are a little wonky, especially compared to the well playtested and stable D&D5e ruleset. But it still a good option, especially if TOR isn't your thing mechanically or D&D5e is.
For completeness, you can run AME with just the Basic D&D PDF that is freely available, but you will likely want the upcoming Loremaster Guide.
Loremaster guide should be interesting. While the player's guide gives you enough to make middle-earth characters up and running, it definitely feels incomplete for running a colorful campaign.
Played some MERP/Rolemaster back in the day... no doubt parts of the older supplements would be useful in an AME game, especially the fluff. Don't know if much else could convert to AME/5e. I'd use MM monsters in place of ones in the module or convert your own. There are no examples of monsters in the AME players guide, but there's stats for a few NPCs.
I was really interested in this until I found you it wasn't standalone.
Quote from: danbuter;931794I was really interested in this until I found you it wasn't standalone.
Technically true, but you can run it with the Basic D&D PDF that is freely available (actually around 20 pages of the Basic D&D PDF
Quote from: danbuter;931794I was really interested in this until I found you it wasn't standalone.
Like Skywalker said below you just need the Basic D&D Rules and those are free.
I really like AME. I think depending on the support could be my favorite Middle-earth game (Decipher's being my favorite). I purchased TOR but I really didn't jive with the mechanics at all. I think they did a really good job applying the 5E ruleset to Middle-earth. Some of the complaints I've read about online come from 5E players that want to mine the game for their 5E campaign. While some things can be mined quite easily the game really is built around the Middle-earth setting. Also, people that complain about feats being called virtue need to go eat a dick.
Quote from: southpaw;931604Does the One Ring And this new 5E version mesh will with the MERP stuff? I've got a huge shelf of MERP books from way back and would love to dust it off and get some use out of them.
MERP is not the same feel as The One Ring/Adventures in Middle Earth. But.... because AiME is using D&D 5e, you can tack on what you need from the core rules to give the same feel as how Middle Earth is depicted in MERP.
Also the vast majority of MERP material set in 1650 in the Third Age where AiME and TOR are set in the 2940's just after the Battle of the Five Armies.
Quote from: danbuter;931794I was really interested in this until I found you it wasn't standalone.
As Skywalker said, The D&D basic rules are sufficient to run this. Just about the only thing that needed are the actual combat rules, and the ability/skills/saves rules. The stuff in the form of race, class, background, and feats ("virtues") are cover in the Players Guild. And equipment as well. You are not going to use magic items, you are not going to be using spells, and when the loremaster guide is out you will probably not be using much of the monsters either.
But if you want to they will work with AiME.
Sounds way better than recent LoTR related rpg-products.
If any C7 people are reading, I wouldn't be opposed to being sent a review copy.
I doubt I'll order it because of the cost as well as shipping unless Canadian Amazon picks it up. On the other hand, should it appear at my FLGS then it's quite likely I won't be able to leave the store without it and I don't even like Lord of the Rings and by don't like I mean I read half the trilogy and ended up throwing it out a window.
Quote from: Krimson;932466I doubt I'll order it because of the cost as well as shipping unless Canadian Amazon picks it up. On the other hand, should it appear at my FLGS then it's quite likely I won't be able to leave the store without it and I don't even like Lord of the Rings and by don't like I mean I read half the trilogy and ended up throwing it out a window.
I can't say anything about shipping to Canada, but I just got a copy from Miniature Market for about $25. I've gotten a lot of One Ring books from them for well under Amazon prices. Another good option I've found is waiting for the big sales that some sites like Noble Knight run periodically through the summer and around the holidays.
Quote from: Brand55;932482I can't say anything about shipping to Canada, but I just got a copy from Miniature Market for about $25. I've gotten a lot of One Ring books from them for well under Amazon prices. Another good option I've found is waiting for the big sales that some sites like Noble Knight run periodically through the summer and around the holidays.
Well it's not like I need it right away. I have two OSRs (Apes Victorious and Low Fantasy Gaming) due to arrive in the mail hopefully tomorrow. This game looks like it could work for low fantasy stuff and well mostly it's shiny and I want it. But it is a book that would likely appear at my FLGS so that's probably my best bet. I got DCC last time I was there and they have lots of Cubicle 7 books there.
Quote from: Krimson;932486Well it's not like I need it right away. I have two OSRs (Apes Victorious and Low Fantasy Gaming) due to arrive in the mail hopefully tomorrow. This game looks like it could work for low fantasy stuff and well mostly it's shiny and I want it. But it is a book that would likely appear at my FLGS so that's probably my best bet. I got DCC last time I was there and they have lots of Cubicle 7 books there.
Yeah, that's understandable. While 5e is far from my favorite system I think AiME would work great for low fantasy stuff; as was mentioned, it could probably easily be hacked for a Game of Thrones campaign or something similar. I could easily see myself using it instead of A Song of Ice and Fire Roleplaying should I ever get around to doing that Night's Watch campaign I've wanted to try.
Quote from: estar;931891MERP is not the same feel as The One Ring/Adventures in Middle Earth. But.... because AiME is using D&D 5e, you can tack on what you need from the core rules to give the same feel as how Middle Earth is depicted in MERP.
Also the vast majority of MERP material set in 1650 in the Third Age where AiME and TOR are set in the 2940's just after the Battle of the Five Armies.
You know what you could use pretty easily? The Decipher products that were released. From what I remember they are both set in the same time frame and they are much more similar mechanically than the one ring rpg. Also, the Decipher Moria supplement is amazing.
I ran the demo adventure last weekend (Nov 26th). I am writing a fuller report for my blog a couple of quick observations.
The players liked the rules, but the books as written is way too verbose and wordy. What saved the day were the character generation reference cards I made. They felt it was padded to get to the $40 list price.
The lack of a traditional D&D Wizard is very different. No Fireball, Sleep, to nail a bunch of goblin in a mass.
Archers ruled the day. The demo adventure goblins were similar to the 5e goblins except for having a reaction called parry that granted them +2 to AC against a single melee attack.
One player was very frustrated at being a scholar, didn't feel he had much to contribute to combat. The other scholar did better as he bought a short bow as equipment. Short bows are considered simple ranged weapons.
The Slayer has Battle Fury which confers resistance to Piercing, Slashing, and Bludgeoning. Nominally you get to use it for 10 rounds, 2 times at first level but due to way the demo adventure is structured (and basically the other adventures I have read from Cubicle) it pretty occurs every combat encounter.
To make the most of this, you really need to develop the roleplaying side of the campaign. The Scholar really depends on this, and the other classes have abilities only work well with a developed backdrop.
Definitely feels more Middle Earth than the default 5e classes.
Every party needs a Wanderer character, roleplaying long journeys a important aspect of AiME and a wanderer is the person you want in the guide role. To bad group's wanderer got insta-killed when a goblin rolled a crit. (13 damage vs. 10 max hit point).
I'm curious to know, among those who have, and especially ran this, how did the non-wizard 'wise dude' class hold up? Do you think it's interesting enough and useful enough to actually play?
Quote from: RPGPundit;934115I'm curious to know, among those who have, and especially ran this, how did the non-wizard 'wise dude' class hold up? Do you think it's interesting enough and useful enough to actually play?
First off when I say roleplaying, it is a shorthand for the things you do to play as a particular character with specific abilities, skills and personality.
The referee will have to put work into the roleplaying and World in Motion side of the campaign to make the class shine. For example one of their starting abilities is.
QuoteNews from Afar
You know many things that are hidden from most and tidings of distant events tend to reach you with astonishing speed. The source of your knowledge is obscure and you do not explain how you know the things you do to others
– it is enough that what you know is true.
At the start of each adventuring phase or after spending time in a Sanctuary, the Loremaster should inform you of one or two events of importance occurring somewhere in Wilderland.
Scholars always know a little bit about everything and the Loremaster should regularly give you rumours or information based on your appropriate Passive ability checks. For more clarity you can always make an active ability check to learn more about a person, place, or event. Once per Adventuring Phase you can add +5 to one of these active ability checks.
For a referee not doing World in Motion as part of his campaign this is something he will need to take into consideration.
Another is
QuoteTongues of Many Peoples
You know a little of many languages. You can hold a simple conversation in any of the tongues of Men or Elves, and know a few common phrases in the tongues of the other peoples – enough
Again if the referee doesn't use multiple languages in his campaign then this is going fall by the wayside. THE mechanic first level scholar get is healing hands. They get 1d8 healing die per level. Not only they can heal with this in combat, they can spend ten minutes and have the result multiplied by their prof bonus, they can use to cure disease, neutralize poison, and remove certain conditions. As they advance what they can do with healing dice expands.
Abilities with heavy roleplaying components are sprinkled throughout the other classes as well as abilities that relate to specific AiME/TOR concepts like audiences and journeys. The Wanderer class has several abilities that greatly help complete a journey successfully but otherwise don't do anything for combat or social interactions.
As whole it like Pendragon which only work if you are willing to roleplay as a Arthurian character. And many of it mechanics work on the roleplaying level.
Quote from: RPGPundit;934115I'm curious to know, among those who have, and especially ran this, how did the non-wizard 'wise dude' class hold up? Do you think it's interesting enough and useful enough to actually play?
The Scholar and, to a lesser extent, the Warden have received from criticism from people who want to use those classes in a D&D5e game or a ME game that holds D&D5e's assumption, especially as they are weaker than any D&D5e class in respect to combat.
However, the classes are built around the wider ruleset of AME which includes a greater focus on journeys, lore, and social interaction, in addition to combat. From this perspective, there is a lot of the Scholar and Warden to do, and in fact they will even excel or dominate these areas in the same was a warrior will do in combat.
The cover of the LMG is now up by Ralph Horsley:
(http://cubicle7.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2016/12/AME_LMG_Cover_Horsley_Tradedress-830x1024.jpg)
Quote from: Skywalker;934178The cover of the LMG is now up by Ralph Horsley:
(http://cubicle7.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2016/12/AME_LMG_Cover_Horsley_Tradedress-830x1024.jpg)
Much better than the player's guide.
Quote from: Ulairi;934179Much better than the player's guide.
I liked the Players Guide cover, but I agree this is better and a great piece of art.
The Scholar's fucked.
Quote from: One Horse Town;934193The Scholar's fucked.
Well they do say that knowing lore is sexy in Tolkienland.
Quote from: One Horse Town;934193The Scholar's fucked.
Does it or does it not reflect how scholars are in Tolkien's writings?
Quote from: estar;934241Does it or does it not reflect how scholars are in Tolkien's writings?
Maybe it does, but the Scholar on the cover is fucked.
All of the PCs on the cover are fucked.
Isn't that supposed to be Thorin & Company in Mirkwood?
Quote from: CRKrueger;934314Isn't that supposed to be Thorin & Company in Mirkwood?
I count 11 Dwarves and 1 Hobbit. Seems likely.
Quote from: estar;934137First off when I say roleplaying, it is a shorthand for the things you do to play as a particular character with specific abilities, skills and personality.
The referee will have to put work into the roleplaying and World in Motion side of the campaign to make the class shine. For example one of their starting abilities is.
For a referee not doing World in Motion as part of his campaign this is something he will need to take into consideration.
Another is
Again if the referee doesn't use multiple languages in his campaign then this is going fall by the wayside. THE mechanic first level scholar get is healing hands. They get 1d8 healing die per level. Not only they can heal with this in combat, they can spend ten minutes and have the result multiplied by their prof bonus, they can use to cure disease, neutralize poison, and remove certain conditions. As they advance what they can do with healing dice expands.
Abilities with heavy roleplaying components are sprinkled throughout the other classes as well as abilities that relate to specific AiME/TOR concepts like audiences and journeys. The Wanderer class has several abilities that greatly help complete a journey successfully but otherwise don't do anything for combat or social interactions.
As whole it like Pendragon which only work if you are willing to roleplay as a Arthurian character. And many of it mechanics work on the roleplaying level.
The sound more like a bard than a non-magic using wizard analogue. Maybe people should change their perception?
I don't know, I don't own a copy.
The Warden is a direct non-magic Bard analogy, so that's why people tend to be confused by the Scholar. There is no direct D&D analogy, the closest being a non-magic Cleric. Their abilities relate to pretty specific (though central) parts of the game such as shadow lore, true names, magic etc.
At high levels, the Scholar pretty much achieves Gandalf, if he was not a Maiar, down to knowing of bad tidings before others, knowing words of opening in many languages, stopping Balrog's with verbal commands, and throwing fiery pine cones.
Does AME give DM advice how Tolkein 5e is different than D&D 5e?
AKA, other than it's low magic with LotR place names, what does AME do in gameplay so I feel I am in ME as envisioned by JRR Tolkypants?
Quote from: Spinachcat;934348Does AME give DM advice how Tolkein 5e is different than D&D 5e?
AKA, other than it's low magic with LotR place names, what does AME do in gameplay so I feel I am in ME as envisioned by JRR Tolkypants?
The book that has been released to date is the Players Guide. The Loremasters Guide is next and will likely have that specific advice.
On saying that, there is a lot of elements in the Players Guide that shift the game toward Tolkien from D&D. These include entirely new classes, abilities, and skills that are prominent in the world like Riddle, new subsystems for Journeys, Audiences, Corruption, and downtime activities, and setting specific details like Cultures instead of Races and Backgrounds with Middle-Earth specific motivations.