Tolkien-Style Combat in The One Ring

Tolkien-Style Combat
for the One Ring
In Professor Tolkien's writings, detailed combat often plays second-fiddle to descriptions of vistas,
wandering the wilderness, and interacting with fascinating characters. Instead, we see the grand
arc of combats, with occasional high-points that are described, which rapidly lead to a resolution.
Tolkien-Style Combat is an attempt to make The One Ring combat system reflect his literary
style. Combat is still a high-point in the narrative, but it is also brief and unforgiving. War and
combat are dangerous and frightening, and even the best warrior cedes some control by entering
it.
Tolkien-Style Combat focuses on transforming The One Ring's rounds of combat (with
many different rolls for player heroes and enemies to resolve a single round — each representing
a second or two) to more wide-spanning and descriptive exchanges of combat (with one of two
rolls for the player heroes to resolve a single exchange of combat — each representing an
extended time of concerted combat that spans minutes or hours). It does this without changing
the underlying rules of The One Ring system and allows for much faster resolutions.

Ambushed?
If the enemy is waiting to ambush the company, the Loremaster must determine whether the
Company is surprised or not. All heroes roll AWARENESS. Those that fail have been caught off-
guard and cannot fire an Opening Volley before the exchange and any Endurance damage
suffered in the first exchange is shifted up by one (-1 becomes -2, -2 becomes -5, -5 becomes -10
etc...)

Opening Volley
Those heroes not surprised may make an Opening Volley with ranged weapons (if the
Loremaster deems it appropriate). This roll can represent a single shot, or dozens of shots over a
minute or two. Results are determined on the Combat Skill Roll Table and successes here are
counted towards overcoming the Attribute Rating of the adversary.

Make Battle Roll

Before entering combat each hero rolls BATTLE to determine how well or poorly they use tactics
or terrain to prepare for the fighting. Heroes whose players take great care in planning can gain
bonus dice for their next Combat Skill Roll.
Heroes roll BATTLE once per combat, no matter how many Combat Skill Rolls are called for.

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BATTLE ROLL RESULTS DESCRIPTOR

Success + Gandalf +2d to your Combat Skill Roll; PROTECTION ROLLS are You find a strong defensive position,
FAVOURED. perhaps even a stone wall, or ancient
fortification.

Success + Tengwar +2d to your Combat Skill Roll You find a significant defensive position, a
defendable break in the ground, a hill, or
cluster of impassable trees.

Success +1d to your Combat Skill Roll You find a turn in the rock, or a copse of
trees that offer natural cover.

Failure -1d to your Combat Skill Roll You end up in an area that mires your free
movement (high grass, gravel, a cliff).

Failure + Eye -2d to your Combat Skill Roll; PROTECTION ROLLS are What you thought was a sound location
ILL-FAVOURED turns out to be treacherous and you need to
be rescued from certain doom.

Select Combat Stance

The heroes select a combat stance: Forward, Open, Defensive, or Rearward. Once in any
exchange, after any player's turn, a hero may spend 1 Hope to activate Combat Heroics
according to their current combat stance. Heroes may choose to change Combat Stance at the
start of each exchange before every Combat Skill Roll that they are called to make by the
Loremaster. While in that combat stance, the bonuses and penalties apply to all relevant rolls.
STANCE EFFECT COMBAT HEROICS

Forward +1d to Combat rolls and −1d to Protection rolls Intimidate Foes

Open no modifiers Rally Comrades/Cast Spell*

Defensive −1d to Combat rolls and +1d to Protection rolls Protect Companion

Rearward Attack only with a ranged weapon; if the enemy does not outnumber you, Prepare Shot
lose Endurance only if the enemy has ranged weapons or if the hero’s
combat roll fails with an Eye

✦ INTIMIDATE FOES: Spend 1 HOPE to attempt an AWE or BATTLE roll. If it succeeds, it

grants +1d to your or an ally’s next PROTECTION ROLL. Each Gandalf or Tengwar
extends the bonus to another ally. The enemy is fearful and their rage is tempered by your
threats.
✦ RALLY COMRADES: Spend 1 HOPE to attempt an ENHEARTEN or SONG roll. It grants
+1d to your or an ally’s next COMBAT SKILL ROLL. Each GANDALF or TENGWAR
extends the bonus to another ally. Your allies are lifted by your words and gather resolve.
✦ CAST SPELL*: Wizards only, of course. Spend 1 HOPE to attempt a SPELL roll (as
determined by spell with normal spell effect — this is rolled as a Combat Roll - see
below). Magic of any significant sort invariably draws attention to the Wizard.
✦ PROTECT COMPANION: Spend 1 HOPE to attempt a BATTLE roll. On a success, it
reduces an ally’s ENDURANCE loss at any point in that exchange thereafter (your choice)

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by −1d. Each GANDALF or TENGWAR extends the bonus by −1d. To get to your ally, the
enemy must go through you.
✦ PREPARE SHOT: Spend 1 Hope to attempt a Scan roll. grants +1d to your ranged
Combat roll during that exchange. Each Gandalf or Tengwar extends the bonus by +1d.
(You may trigger this anytime before you roll your ranged Combat roll). You aim your
shots carefully.

Combat Order
Heroes roll in Combat Stance order. If the adversaries include multiple archers, those all heroes
suffer an ILL-FAVOURED PROTECTION TEST from a ranged attack each exchange until the
archers are dispatched. Then Forward>Open>Defensive>Rearward from then on until the
exchange ends.

Combat Skill Roll

Each hero makes a Combat Skill Roll (a weapon skill roll). The target number if the hero's
STRENGTH TN. The goal of the Combat Skill Roll is to score enough successes during an
exchange to make or exceed the enemy's Attribute Rating. When enough heroes succeed and
overcome the Attribute Rating of the adversary, the battle is ended.
COMBAT RESULTS DAMAGE TO PC DESCRIPTOR
SKILL ROLL

Success + A number of Successes None (A magical or near magical success.) The

Gandalf (and equal to the base success hero confronts the most threatening
Tengwar) plus Tengwars. If you enemy and surpasses them in a grand
have an artifact, it can manner. The hero is the focus of the
trigger a magical effect. combat.

Success + A number of Successes None An exceptional success noticed on the

Tengwar equal to the base success battlefield. The hero maneuvers effectively
plus Tengwars. If you and attacks multiple enemies, powerful
have an artifact, it can enemies notice them.
trigger a magical effect.

Success 1 Success −1 ENDURANCE The hero maneuvers effectively and

attacks multiple enemies.

Success + 1 Success −2 ENDURANCE A stumble and near ruin, caught and

Eye turned to success at the last moment.

Failure No Success −5 ENDURANCE The enemy attacks savagely.

Failure + No Success −7 ENDURANCE and roll PROTECTION A failed attack, caught out by an adept
Tengwar against a WOUND, Enemy can activate enemy.
FELL ABILITY

Failure + Eye No Success −10 Endurance and roll PROTECTION The hero is overwhelmed by the enemy
against a WOUND, Enemy can activate suddenly, outmaneuvered and is either
FELL ABILITY struck down, or surrenders.

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Unconsciousness and Death

If a hero hits 0 ENDURANCE or sustains a SECOND WOUND (note, they suffer the normal
wound effects) in the midst of an exchange they have several choices.
✦ FATE: At no cost the player may roll a die on the Fate Roll Table.
✦ TREACHERY: The heroes gains SHADOW SCARS equal to the SHADOW COST of their
MISDEED but gain FAVOURED PROTECTION TEST by doing something evil
(abandoning their friends, feigning surrender or service of the enemy, oath-breaking,
cowardice, etc..) If it succeeds, they survive with 1 ENDURANCE and 1 WOUND but are
no longer in combat; somehow having slunk off.
✦ LAST GASP: The hero expends all HOPE and is permitted a final PROTECTION TEST. If
it fails, they are slain. If it succeeds, they survive, unconscious and bloody and overlooked
by the enemy as a corpse, or dragged downstream away from the battlefield where they
later wake, exhausted.
FATE ROLL HEROES OUTNUMBERED HEROES EQUAL TO ENEMIES LESS HEROES THAN ENEMIES
TABLE OR SUPERNATURAL
ENEMY

Eye Hero Slain Hero Slain Hero Slain

1 Hero Slain Hero Slain Hero Captured

2-3 Hero Slain Hero Captured Hero dead in 1d6 hours

4-7 Hero Captured Hero dead in 1d6 hours Hero dead in 1d6 hours

8-9 Hero dead in 1d6 hours Hero dead in 1d6 hours Hero overlooked

10 Hero dead in 1d6 hours Hero overlooked Hero overlooked

Gandalf Hero overlooked Hero overlooked Hero overlooked

Combat Outcomes
During each exchange the balance of combat is determined by the amount of successes scored
by the heroes.
COMBAT OUTCOME OUTCOME MECHANICAL EFFECT

All Heroes Succeed and The enemy is destroyed or routed. Combat ends.
Exceed the Attribute Level of
the Enemy

All Heroes Succeed The enemy is hard-pressed. Next exchange begins.

Half the Heroes Succeed The enemy is held off. None.

More Heroes Fail Than Reversal. ENEMY ATTRIBUTE LEVEL +1, all Hero
Succeed actions -1d for next exchange

All Heroes Fail The heroes are overrun. ENEMY ATTRIBUTE LEVEL +2, all Hero
actions -2d for next exchange

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Disengagement
Before the heroes are to choose their Combat Stance they may attempt any of the following to
disengage from combat.
✦ RETREAT: Spend 1 HOPE to attempt a BATTLE or EXPLORE roll. If you Fail, you remain
in combat and your next Combat Skill roll is Ill-Favoured. If it succeeds, you have exited
the battle, and lose −3 Endurance or gain 1 Shadow (Dread), your choice. Those allies
that also make the roll can regroup with you shortly thereafter nearby. The enemy is
likely still nearby and still hunting you, but you are permitted a new BATTLE roll before
they find you to possibly gain advantage.
✦ HIDE: If there is sufficient cover, or it is dark, spend 1 HOPE and attempt a STEALTH
roll. If you Fail, you remain in combat and your next Combat Skill roll is Ill-Favoured.
On a success, you find a location where you may remain overlooked for a time. Gain 1
Shadow (Dread). The enemy is likely still nearby and still hunting you.
✦ FLEE: Spend 1 HOPE. Run blindly from combat in terror with no plan to meet up with
your compatriots. No roll is needed but you gain 2 Shadow (Dread). The enemy is likely
still nearby and still hunting you.

Loss of Combat
If the heroes are all captured, fled, unconscious, dying or dead, the combat is lost. The following
Fate Roll Table outcomes apply:
✦ Hero Slain: Your hero is instantly slain upon the battlefield (beheaded, a limb cut off, or
run through with a lance). This costs 2 Shadow (Dread) for friends to witness.
✦ Hero Captured: Boxed in by too many enemies to fight without being slain, knocked to
the ground and unarmed, or even overwhelmed and bound and gagged. Either suffer an
Ill-Favoured Protection roll and lose −1D6 Endurance or capitulate and gain 3
Shadow (Dread).
✦ Hero Dead in 1D6 Hours: Roll on the Wound Severity Table and roll a 1D6 to measure
the number of hours. If the mortally wounded hero does not receive HEALING within
that time in hours, they die.
✦ Hero Overlooked: You were struck down in combat and either appear dead, or were
knocked somewhere the enemy did not search. When you wake from your
unconsciousness, you find an empty field of battle save whatever bodies were left behind.

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