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I disagree with Redcoat on one point. You do not need the D&D core set, you only need the D&D Basic Rules, which is a free download. The combat and adventuring rules are in Basic, as well as the ability and skill rules, so the PH is unnecessary. The MM is good for a few monsters, but is most...

The difference between Tales and Ruins is that they both provide landmarks (adventures), but Tales has a chronological flow to them, so it may be played as an adventure path. Ruins is more based on geographic areas. Tales has an increasing difficulty as you go. Ruins has difficulty as written for ea...

Coming from MERP, it doesn't matter which you go with. Both are completely different systems from MERP. I've played both. I'm currently running 5e because that's the system my players are most familiar with. Personally, I don't feel a difference in "flavor" between the two. Many say they d...

The umbrella was first used in England by Jonas Hanway (d. 1786) yet the Hobbits of the Shire have them as Useful Items. The vélocipède was patented in France in 1818 and was in vogue in England in the early 1820s. So I see no reason to think that the velocipede would be out of place in the Mathom ...

In a group I'm LMing, we have a Barding Warden. That's hard to justify too. A Messenger could be just that, someone who delivered a message to someone in Eriador, maybe a future Patron like Elrond or Bilbo. For the Warden, it's more difficult because a Warded Land must be chosen and he isn't from th...

I think a good beginning is to approach each culture and calling individually. The core rules have very good descriptions and explanations of what they can do, but what I think players also need is advice on HOW to play them and how to enact the various features in a manner consistent with Tolkien's...

I also did the Shire adventures but I was pleased my players found another solution to stealing from the Mathom house, and if they had stolen the map I would have awarded them a shadow point. One of the players was an Elf with Cartography, so they just went to the Mathom house and asked permission ...

In Tolkien, there wasn't much looting, just the troll hole treasure. Unless you count The One Ring. The Arkenstone wasn't looting, Bilbo was sent in to find it and kept it as his share, which he was free to do with as he pleased. Some might say that his betrayal of Thorin is the result of taking the...

I know its stupid, but did you check your spam?
Also, have you logged into DrivethruRPG? It may have an option to buy it for free, courtesy of Free League. Mine did.

I was toying with the idea of writing a roleplay primer for LotR. It would be intended for players unfamiliar with Tolkien. Players more used to Conan, Elric, GoT, etc. should learn how to adapt to a setting where good and evil are absolutes, not shades of grey. Many people have never read the books...