Quote from: Philotomy Jurament;1030847Well, I picked up AiME from my FLGS and have been going through it. You're right: it's impressive. It seems to have the Middle Earth feel correct, and I'm not seeing anything that feels off, to me. The books are also quite nice: I like the art (which is unusual -- I rarely find modern game art to my taste).

Excellent! The slayer class feel slightly off but only slightly.

Quote from: Philotomy Jurament;1030847I know you've advocated (based on experience) just using it as being a lot less work, and I get where you're coming from, but I'm leaning towards writing up some OD&D classes and sub-classes based on the AiME classes and going with that. I haven't decided 100%, though...

I realize I am contradicting myself a bit, but if you have the time then go for it. My issue is that I got too many creative irons in the fire before I take my own crack at it. Toned done it makes a excellent template for a low key magic version of OD&D.

The supplements for AiME are equally good in their own way. Granted setting stuff is just the The One Ring material reformatted. However while I never cared for the The One Ring RPG, the supplements (once I started getting them after AiME) are top-notch. The AiME specific stuff is also nicely done as well. How they handled the Nazgul was nice. You can defeat them but all you doing is destroying the form they inhabit. They do for some of the more powerful adversaries like the Werewolf as well. Very cleverly done.

If you were going to start from a blank page and create a D+D campaign for middle earth something like BD+D is probably the best way to go - and that's speaking from experience. But AiME is quite good and tons of people think of 5E as the 'living' version of D+D in general. So, I don't see the point of swimming upstream on this one - my advice would be to just buy the stuff in print and have at it.

Warhammer Fantasy Role-Play with some trimmed down and rechannelled career paths.  From experience.

I have used Basic D&D (only three levels worked well) and Rolemaster/MERP.  I didn't love MERP back in the day but I think I would appreciate it more now.  

I own Adventures in Middle Earth and would love to try it.  Lion and Dragon was mentioned and some of it would translate quite well, especially the magic system.  Clerics as elves methinks, which fits the lore surprisingly well.

A nice mix is Basic or 1E Advanced D+D with the MERP modules, where you divide all NPC levels by 3 (MERP has notoriously jacked up NPC levels...). I can't think of a single negative experience running this way.

Quote from: estar;1030848Excellent! The slayer class feel slightly off but only slightly.

I'd probably just fold slayer into Fighters. Maybe a subclass...maybe not.

QuoteI realize I am contradicting myself a bit, but if you have the time then go for it. My issue is that I got too many creative irons in the fire before I take my own crack at it. Toned done it makes a excellent template for a low key magic version of OD&D.

I think I'll make a pass at it. If I get too bogged down I'll look at just using AiME as written.

Quote from: Philotomy Jurament;1030908I think I'll make a pass at it. If I get too bogged down I'll look at just using AiME as written.

One key elements which made me go wow, is the elimination of the entire spell list. They didn't repurpose it like I did for the alternate spellcaster in my Majestic Wilderland, the spell list is gone completely. The next thing is they effectively a level of magic item beneath classic D&D one shot and +1 weapons. Even the potions while useful are less.

Also I think there has to be limit on how often one can be healed from any source based on level. In AiME because of the 5e roots they use the Hit Dice Recovery mechanic to manage this. For example AiME has a healing potion that when you quaff does a hit dice of healing. But if you are say 5th levels you can only drink 5 different ones until you have rested in a secure location i.e. their version of a long rest.

I own both The One Ring and AiME and have tremendous respect for their design, but neither is a game I'd want to play because of their interpretation of Middle Earth. I don't like the timeline (Late 3rd Age) or the setting (Wilderlands) relative to other places and eras available in Middle Earth, and I don't particularly like their minimalist approach - e.g. no spellcasting, no playable Dunedain or High Elves, very few magic items, etc.

I tend to agree with Michael Martinez's interpretation of Middle Earth on most matters:
https://middle-earth.xenite.org/can-men-use-magic-in-middle-earth/
https://middle-earth.xenite.org/how-rare-was-magic-in-middle-earth-should-gamers-have-lots-of-magic-items/
Etc.

Thematically, I found Decipher's LOTR RPG was probably closest to my view of Middle Earth, but the system was flawed. I'm currently running a Middle Earth campaign set in T.A. 1970, during the final confrontation between Arthedain and Angmar, using ACKS Heroic Fantasy, which I more-or-less wrote specifically so I could run Middle Earth and Hyboria in ACKS.  Anyone who has Heroic Fantasy Handbook and wants my Middle Earth specific adaptations (which I couldn't publish due to copyright), feel free to hit me up.

Quote from: amacris;1031130I own both The One Ring and AiME and have tremendous respect for their design, but neither is a game I'd want to play because of their interpretation of Middle Earth. I don't like the timeline (Late 3rd Age) or the setting (Wilderlands) relative to other places and eras available in Middle Earth

That looked to be a limitation until I saw what the The One Ring had. Given that they, Cublicle7 are working hard at getting AiME caught up the One Ring I don't think this is going to be an issue for much longer. For anything involving Arnor and Angmar, Rivendell add support for that region easy enough to backport in time to the Arthedain/Angmar period.

Quote from: amacris;1031130no spellcasting, no
playable Dunedain or High Elves, very few magic items, etc.

Dunedain is in the core AiME, and High Elves just been detailed as part of AiME release of Rivendell. As for spellcasting, there is magic but it is bound up in the abilities and virtues the character acquire. Right now in my ME campaign, the Dwarf Farin has a Raven friend who proven to be a boon to the party as a look-out and a source of information. Enoch is a scholar who opted for the healing path and inching close to legend territory with his skill at the healing arts and herbs.

https://middle-earth.xenite.org/how-rare-was-magic-in-middle-earth-should-gamers-have-lots-of-magic-items/
Etc.[/QUOTE]

Again AiME Loremaster Guide has a lot of magic items most of it low key. The recent Rivendell release has rules for the higher powered stuff. To me magic abounds with the AiME rules it just not the flashy kind that most fantasy RPG in terms of abilities or items.

Quote from: amacris;1031130Thematically, I found Decipher's LOTR RPG was probably closest to my view of Middle Earth, but the system was flawed. I'm currently running a Middle Earth campaign set in T.A. 1970, during the final confrontation between Arthedain and Angmar, using ACKS Heroic Fantasy, which I more-or-less wrote specifically so I could run Middle Earth and Hyboria in ACKS.  Anyone who has Heroic Fantasy Handbook and wants my Middle Earth specific adaptations (which I couldn't publish due to copyright), feel free to hit me up.

Can't argue with that. That really what it takes sometimes writing your own. Enjoyed it a lot BTW, I got into the kickstarter.

Quote from: estar;1031163 Dunedain is in the core AiME, and High Elves just been detailed as part of AiME release of Rivendell. As for spellcasting, there is magic but it is bound up in the abilities and virtues the character acquire. Right now in my ME campaign, the Dwarf Farin has a Raven friend who proven to be a boon to the party as a look-out and a source of information. Enoch is a scholar who opted for the healing path and inching close to legend territory with his skill at the healing arts and herbs.

Hmmm. I am going by memory but I could swear that in neither AiME nor TOR were Rangers and High Elves available in the book. I thought they appeared in later supplement(s) as advanced characters you could introduce into a campaign. But I might be conflating the two systems. AiME with TOR. In any case I think their interpretation of ME is certainly valid and several of my favorite bloggers (you included) swear by it, it's just not quite to my taste. But I'd certainly play it if someone else was running it, for instance.

Thanks for the kind words on the Heroic Fantasy Kickstarter!

AiME sound surprisingly interesting.

I run a campaign around Mt. Gundabad using Tales of Blades and Heroes.

Tales is a great game; highly overlooked.

Quote from: amacris;1031188Hmmm. I am going by memory but I could swear that in neither AiME nor TOR were Rangers and High Elves available in the book. I thought they appeared in later supplement(s) as advanced characters you could introduce into a campaign. But I might be conflating the two systems. AiME with TOR.

Yeah they mixed it up with the release of AiME. in ToR, Dunedain (Men of the North) and High Elves (Elves of Rivendell) were detailed in later supplements. In AiME the Men of North were part of initial release while the High Elves are going to be released as part of the Rivendell supplement. I just got the pre-order PDF for that book.