I have been thinking about running a LOTR campaign using Pathfinder rules here on the forums as a PbP. I was wondering if these house rules are appropriate for this type of campaign.(P.S. the PCs would be replacing members of the Fellowship and could make different decisions than in the books and movies.)
15 point buy
Humans,dwarves,elves,and halflings only
No bards, clerics, druids, monks, paladins, sorcerers, alchemists?, inquisitors, oracles, summoners, witches, gunslingers, ninjas, samurai, arcanists, bloodragers, investigators?, shamans, skalds, or warpriests. (Some of the arcane classes might be used instead of wizard if someone wishes to fill Gandalf's spot. Also will allow archetypes for spellcasting class archetypes that ditch the spells. Rangers and Hunters will get skirmisher tricks instead of spells.)
No Eastern weapons or firearms.
Hero Points
Siege Engines
Possibly Wounds/Vigors
Chases
Possibly Exploration
Possibly Retraining
Mass Combat
So would these work? Any advice is appreciated :).
Also had an idea where the PCs are captains in Sauron's army, searching for the Ring to please their master. Races in that would be goblins, hobgoblins (for orcs), and orcs (for Uruk-hai).
"Wizards" in Middle Earth are more akin to outsiders with racial hit dice than a character with class levels. Magic wielded by mortals is virtually unheard-of in Arda, with crafting of magic items being one of the only ways mortals can wield magic. I'd say avoid spellcasting classes altogether, and don't offer the wizard as an option. Keep the character levels low to avoid balance complications due to the absence of those spellcasting classes.
I would second the caster issue. As a second option for "healing" you can replace magical potions with herbal potions for such as CLW. Also, traits such as Sacred Touch would be very handy for a party member to posses. You can reflavor it to match LoTR; think Aragorn from the books in Return of the King, specifically this quote: “The hands of the king are the hands of a healer, and so shall the rightful king be known.”
Sacred Touch: You were exposed to a potent source of positive energy as a child, perhaps by being born under the right cosmic sign, or maybe because one of your parents was a gifted healer. Benefit: As a standard action, you may automatically stabilize a dying creature merely by touching it.
You might even think about throwing in the optional armor as DR rules. Change up mithral a little, assuming you even allow your party access to such items. I would say mithril should be a combo of mithral and adamantine.
Eh, I wouldn't do all that.
Follow the same general quest but go E6.
that way the spells are very powerful or un balancing,
eliminated prepared spell classes, that way the spontaneous ones only have a few limited spells they have access to.
That's how I would suggest doing it.
If there are bothersome spells, like fly, ban them.
Otherwise, allow the lower levels and limited casting, it will be fun.
Ok, but what exactly does E6 mean?
E6 is a special house rule that means characters don't advance above level 6, so there are no abilities or spells more powerful than what a 6th level character can do.
When they would normally level above 6 they still get to choose feats and what not, but they don't get more spells or abilities that are 'game breaking' to this kind of campaign.
you would do the same thing for a game of thrones type world.
Ok thanks. Also, still reading the books (still in Fellowship at the moment) but would divine spellcasting be out? I've never heard of any religion in Middle-Earth.
I gotta agree with the others that Spellcasting as a whole should probably be out of the question for PCs.
Whether or not there's structured monotheism in Middle-earth, it certainly never got cited as the source of any spellcasters powers.
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taking spell casting out completely is a really bad idea.
Healing will be very important, and unless you want to fiat the little bottle of healing potions hiding in the forest behind rocks, like a video game you are going to need some spells cast.
Peter Jacksons Middle earth should be a better medium.
Tauriel, Elrond, Arwen and Aragorn are all depicted as having healing abilities (read low level spells)
Keep the game moving, let the players have access to a game system they are familiar with, but stick to the story and realism of middle earth and it will be fun.
Otherwise, I would suggest actually using a game system designed for middle earth, because pathfinder is not.
A few magic missiles, the occasional lightening bolt and 3d6 channeling are not going to break the entire story for the characters.
Rule out any spells like fly and you will have the same type of fun as depicted in the books/movies.
I would definitely play in a Middle Earth E6.
But you won't like my Elf, muahahaha.
"Wizards" in Middle Earth are more akin to outsiders with racial hit dice than a character with class levels. Magic wielded by mortals is virtually unheard-of in Arda, with crafting of magic items being one of the only ways mortals can wield magic. I'd say avoid spellcasting classes altogether, and don't offer the wizard as an option. Keep the character levels low to avoid balance complications due to the absence of those spellcasting classes.
This is untrue. Only in the movie does it make you think that. Elves use magic all the time. They don't call it magic though.
Many of the black numerians are noted sorcerers.
Aragorn needed Atheleas to cure Merry and Eowyn, but he used magic to make the spell work (Atheleas was a material component).
In the Hobbit: men of Dale can understand Beast language: " Suddenly out of the darkness something fluttered to his shoulder. He started Ñ but it was only an old thrush. Unafraid it perched by his shoulder and it brought him news. Marvelling he found he could understand its tongue, for he was of the race of Dale.
The Hobbit (236)
"
Some otherwise mortal people in Middle Earth, like Beorn, are able to change shape.
Even Dwarves can cast, "Then they brought up their ponies, and carried away the pots of gold, and buried them very secretly not far from the track by the river, putting a great many spells over them, just in case they ever had the chance to come back and recover them .
The Hobbit (51)
"
Utility spells not combat ones it seems.
The 2 blue Wizards were said to have gone to the far south and east starting cults of magic, this shows that it is possible that the mortal races can learn the magic of the Maia.
Only reason I was worried about magic was the whole "There are only 5 wizards" deal. But elves would have magic and Aragorn has his powers because of being a Dunedain, I assume.