One Ring RPG

 Based on J.R.R. Tolkein's fantasy novels, the One Ring RPG is superb at embracing the environment and themes of the books. Here are the items I have purchased so far. On the top row is the first edition and Tales from the Wilderland supplement. On the bottom row is the second edition rulebook, starter box, and GM screen.

I played the first edition, from Cubicle 7 Games, a little less than ten years ago at a game convention. I was impressed by the skill resolution system, combat, and especially travel. It felt like everyone was contributing to a story and not number crunching the best of the best. 

The dice are what helps this come about. You roll a feat die (d12) along with a number of six sided dice equal to the number of dots in the skill or ability that you are using. The six sided dice are added together and if you get over the target number you succeed. For every six rolled, the die has a special symbol indicating an elvish symbol and those count as superior successes which can be used for additional effects. The feat die has a symbol of Sauron and a symbol of Gandalf. If the Gandalf symbol is rolled you automatically succeed in the check but if it is the Sauron symbol it counts as zero. Otherwise it has numbers from one to ten. 

The travel portion of the game has players take various rolls, hopefully the ones they are better at than others, and depending on the events that occur will determine which role has to conduct a check. 

There is also Hope points that enable you to do special actions but if you use too much as well as Shadow points and scars that are gained when you conduct or experience things that are foul and profane. Your character will not last long by being adventurers on a lark for treasure and power for that is the domain of Sauron and his minions.

Which brings me to the best part of the game in my opinion...time. Each adventure is a few game sessions of traveling around and diminishing the power of Sauron over the world of Middle-Earth. There is then a Fellowship phase of resting up, improving your character, and learning more about rumours and hints of the forces of Sauron's activities. That is a season or two. Every year there is a Yule phase during the winter months where the group splits up and goes home to rest, about every three fellowship phases. In this phase you have special Yule Fellowship options, including raising an heir! Since the game time starts 25 years after the Battle of the Five Armies (end of the Hobbit book) there is a period of 75 years until the events of the Fellowship of the Ring Trilogy. Since most races do not live that long their adventuring time is short, about 20-40 years except elves. There is also the accumulation of shadow and shadow scars that are difficult to remove. Eventually you will play your heir and likely their heir then their heir, before Sauron is defeated. 

The art is good in parts and alright in others. The bonus item was the players and GM maps.

The first edition, and second edition of that first edition from Cubicle 7, took place mainly in the area to the West of the Misty Mountains: Bree, Lonely Mountain, Lorien, Rohan, Mordor. They made 14 supplements detailing this area except for one on Rivendell and areas to the north of it.

I also have Tales of the Wilderland with seven adventures that can be played standalone or as a campaign.

The starter set for the new edition of the game is masterful as it is set in the Shire of the Hobbits. It is a perfect setting because there is danger but not too dangerous for players new to the game. It has dice, a small book of the basic rules, booklet on the shire, and adventures to start things off. It has very nice character sheets for the starter adventures, and a double sided map of the shire and Eriador (East of the Misty Mountains), travel/combat cards, and images on the inside of the of the box with mini GM screen info and GM map of the shire.

The GM screen has a booklet on Rivendell as well including rules to play High elves.

The Free League edition of the rules has cleaned up items from the original and was improved by some of the original group who made the original products. 

The inside cover has a player map of the realm of Eriador and the back of the book has the GM one (with hexes for the travel phase).

The art is consistent throughout; a little grim and serious. It also has quotes from the Tolkien books sprinkled throughout which adds to the mood and setting.

Character creation is still simple with lots of options.

Adversaries are streamlined with hints for the GM to describe their actions. 

I hope to play this someday and perhaps GM it. It would be very rewarding when done right.