Quote from: Razor 007;1105408When I first encountered AiME, I thought; holy shit balls!!! I love the LotR trilogy, this has to be awesome!!!  But then I realized, I don't like railroad adventures; and the LotR would be a huge railroad.

That what I thought as well, but Cubicle avoids this by focusing on different regions and the time period between the Hobbit and the Lord of the Rings. Wilderlands was a particularly brilliant choice because

1) You have a fair amount details of what the region is like after the Battle of Five Armies
2) It was ultimately a battlefield in the War of the Ring
3) How that battle was won wasn't described in detail

These factors allowed Cubicle to present a region and a series of adventures that felt consequential but didn't interfere with the main story of the Lord of the Rings

Similarly the Rohan adventures, Oaths of the Riddermark (only for the One Ring at the moment) flesh out  the reign of Theoden's father Thengel

Another theme for both the The One Ring RPG and AiME is the how the Shadow (the evil of Sauron) is a corrosive force on the characters spirit and psyche in a manner similar to that of Insanity and Call of Cthulu. In some way AiME is about how much you can do to save Middle Earth before you are forced to retire or succumb to the Shadow.

Quote from: rgrove0172;1105336Because it's your character doing the thinking and talking not you.

My goal is to immerse the players in Middle Earth, to get them feel like they are there as their character.  So I use the Audience mechanics as guidance not as a mini-game.

Quote from: estar;1105434Here is an an example from Wilderlands adventures

I like this a lot, as I'm doing something similar.

Quote from: estar;1105434Here is an an example from Wilderlands adventures

Thank you!

How the D20 roll work? Does only one party member roll? Is there some sort of aggregate bonus among all party members? AKA, if everyone is rolling, you're gonna get various results.

Quote from: Spinachcat;1105504Thank you!

How the D20 roll work? Does only one party member roll? Is there some sort of aggregate bonus among all party members? AKA, if everyone is rolling, you're gonna get various results.

Whoever is the primary speaker makes the roll. With the usual 5e mechanics of assistance to grant advantage in play. But in the end it is whatever make sense for the situation. It expected that the typical situation is a fellowship as a whole dealing with a NPC. But if you have a group in Dale or Laketown cutting individual deals then that player rolls. And the modifiers are based that player's roleplaying and circumstances.

Also, regular 5e mechanics work here perfectly well, although most 5e things have almost no relevance in Middle Earth because magic in Middle Earth works slightly differently from D&D magic. Middle Earth also seems not to have any tradional D&D Clerics (Which were drawn from primarily European and Middle Eastern worship practices). Adventures in Middle Earth have thus far been my big 2019 gaming acquisitions, with the purchase of the Player's Guide just before Christmas, followed up with the Loremasters Guide in February. I want to get the Wilderland Adventures book, Eriador, as well as Rhovanion, and I'm really hoping Cubicle 7 will do a book for Rohan & Gondor as well. Looking on the web site now I see they have the Bree-land Region Guide, as well as Adventures in Eriador on sale, so I'll likely have lots of nice new Middle Earth RPG bling under the Christmas Tree this year!

Really have been looking for something that captures the inspirng adventures of Middle Earth ever since ICE folded back in 1998, and I was unable to buy the IP for Rolemaster in bankruptcy court. I was on the American team that bid on ICE's IP after they folded. They had already lost the support of the Tolkien Estate by that time though, however there was still a warehouse with a healthy stockpile of MERP RPG books, adventures, and supplements.

Adventures in Middle Earth fills this void nicely, and is a very solid game, this presents many opportunities for roleplaying that can be enhanced by roll-playing. In game terms "magic" is not a field of study, but a collection of strange supernatural gifts and permissions. Dwarves, for example, can create perfectly hidden doors, and no human or elf could ever learn that art. The elves can speak to the stones, the waters, the trees, and the animals, and this is not a talent that can be taught. Middle earth has Fairy-tale like enchantments, Palantirs or crystal balls, talking animals, enchanted clothes that fasten themselves, magical toys and magic enhanced fireworks. There are rivers that cause forgetfulness, and waters that allow characters who are attuned, to scry. Items have inherent magic powers, There is an unseen spirit world that cannot be perceived by most people, but is inextricably, immediately, and permanently linked to Middle Earth. There is necromancy, and names and songs themselves have magic powers.

Using Magic in Middle Earth at the end of the Third Age will draw the attention of the Lidless Eye of Sauron, for he covets all magic and power for himself, and would not willingly share it, just as the Ringbearers are drawn to possess the one ring, for it is simply the most beautiful as well as terrible thing to behold.

D&D has none of this, so using the rules of D&D in order to run games that include this, seems unfit, or would otherwise defile the setting of Middle Earth, and break the immersion.

Finally on a scale of 1-5, I rate the Adventures in Middle Earth RPG a 4.75 in terms of playability, presenting good opportunities for roleplaying, and in keeping the setting faithful to J.R.R. Tolkien's original Middle Earth. Unlike D&D with it's Vancian magic system.

Quote from: Razor 007;1105408When I first encountered AiME, I thought; holy shit balls!!! I love the LotR trilogy, this has to be awesome!!!  But then I realized, I don't like railroad adventures; and the LotR would be a huge railroad.

You honestly think the game follows the plot of the books?

Quote from: rgrove0172;1105796You honestly think the game follows the plot of the books?

I'd think a well run Mirkwood Campaign would be absolutely mind-blowing.  I love the idea of it taking (in-game) 30 years start to finish.

Forgotten Realms seems a bit goofy and superficial for me

As far as I'm concerned, AiME is the best way to play D&D 5E. The classes fit the literature, and the setting background is great if you like Middle Earth.

Nice thread here to read.
Lots of useful information.

I will SO buy into a Moria boxed set!

So, the bad news is C7 is discontinuing AiME and TOR due to licensing issues. We won't get the Moria box set after all. {Sad Face}

Quote from: Robyo;1115246So, the bad news is C7 is discontinuing AiME and TOR due to licensing issues. We won't get the Moria box set after all. {Sad Face}

I'm absolutely gutted with this news!
https://www.cubicle7games.com/unexpected-tor2-update/

Luckily I have all of the physical books.
I've got Erebor adventures and the Rohan Region guide PDFs from Drivethrurpg and downloaded them now (just in case they get removed).

Maybe they'll work something out, who knows...

Quote from: danskmacabre;1115251I'm absolutely gutted with this news!
https://www.cubicle7games.com/unexpected-tor2-update/

Luckily I have all of the physical books.
I've got Erebor adventures and the Rohan Region guide PDFs from Drivethrurpg and downloaded them now (just in case they get removed).

Maybe they'll work something out, who knows...

Which of the books would you reccomend getting a physical copy for?

Quote from: Aglondir;1115258Which of the books would you recommend getting a physical copy for?

Loremaster book (GM book)
Player guide (Has classes, races, etc.)

All the region guides (they're really good reading and handy to have on hand easily)

You don't really a physical copy of the various adventure books various adventure books IMO. A PDF copy would be fine.
I really like the Wilderlands adventure book and Mirkwood campaign, so if you have the budget for those too, then they're worth buying.

The GMs screen is not required either and it's not that great anyway. The intro adventure that comes with it is decent enough, but nothing groundbreaking.

Alternatively, If you're on a budget, but have a tablet or laptop to run a game from and you're ok with that, then just get the Loremaster book and Player guide and get a PDF of everything else.