THE LORD OF THE RINGS Tabletop RPG THE ONE RING is Getting a Second Edition
The One Ring is a tabletop RPG based on the world of The Lord of the Rings created by J.R.R. Tolkein. Well, a Kickstarter recently went live for a new, second edition of the game by Francesco Nepitello. The campaign has smashed through its funding and at the time of writing has approximately $986,800 raised. The game is being published by Free League and will feature updated and streamlined rules based on player feedback. In addition, the Lone-lands of Eriador in the year 2965 of the Third Age will be added as a new setting. Of course, with a new edition comes new art and graphics as well.
The One Ring is set in the Twilight of the Third Age, a time-frame comprising the events narrated in The Hobbit™ and the start of The Lord of the Rings™. Encompassing more than six decades, this period is ushered in when Bilbo the Hobbit finds the Ruling Ring, and culminates with the war fought by the Free Peoples against the Dark Lord Sauron, and the destruction of the Ring.
The year is 2965 of the Third Age, and the players create a Company of heroes, Hobbits, Dwarves, Elves and Men seeking adventure in the Lone-lands of Eriador. It is a desolate country, a vast land that once saw the glory of the North Kingdom of the Dúnedain, the Men of the West. Here, many wars were fought, and countless ruins dot its landscape. Shadows move along its paths, and not all of them belong to the living. It is here that the One Ring lies, a seed of the past that will one day lead the world to open war against the returning Shadow.
When it comes to gameplay, there appear to be two main phases of gameplay that alternate: the Adventuring Phase and the Fellowship Phase. Sadly, there doesn’t seem to be any elaboration on what happens in those phases, but it’s said to be what the core gameplay revolves around. One cool thing is that the second edition of The One Ring is set to be compatible with first edition modules with “only minor tweaking.” This should help players keep the costs down a little at first.
The One Ring second edition is launching with a Starter Set that will contain a story focused on the Shire, a number of pre-generated characters, condensed rules, and more have been added as stretch goals including custom dice. You’ll need these or 1d12 and 6d6 dice.
You can score yourself a digital copy of the Core Rules and Starter Set if you pledge roughly $37. That’s a steal! What’s your ideal character like for The One Ring second edition?
