The Gamer's Experience

I am soon to be writing an article that will hopefully address some of the common cocerns newbies to the game, either experienced or not, should know about or pieces of advice they should consider when running or playing in a game using Decipher's CODA LOTR RPG. Depending upon the response, the article may span more than one issue.

I have come up with a number of things already based on Q&A from here and through the Postmaster section of The Hall of Fire, but I am looking to solicit the forum's assistance in compiling your wisdom as well.

Please keep in mind, the intent of this thread (and subsequently the article) is to look at big issues concerning playing the game, concepts, and such, not to nitpick individual items such as a specific ability, maneuver, etc. nor debate someone's ideas either (please take it to another thread), just list them.

EDIT: This also includes where you have found issues with the game mechanics (inadequacies, lack of info or options, etc.), problems that has arisen while gaming referring the setting, etc. and how you dealt with the problem.

What you submit may or may not be included in the article, but all who contribute will be given credit for their participation.


Anything you wish to add to this effort is greatly appreciated.

Thank you

Without doubt the biggest problem was dealing with the damage/wounds system in CODA when it came to LotR. The problem was threefold:

1) As it stood, damage was too low to quickly take out "horde" critters - ordinary Orcs, for example, would stand toe-to-toe with PCs for several rounds.

2) The "mook" rules were unsatisfactory, as described in HoF, in that Hobbits and others with high "to hit" scores but low damage potential would take out more enemies than mighty warriors.

3) Upping the damage was not a solution, as this would kill of PCs too quickly.

The solution we use is still in a state of flux. In many ways, we are experimenting with it each time we play. At present we are using a simple damage multiplier (I hope this formats correctly):

Exceed TN................Multiplier
0............................x1
1 - 5.......................x1
6 - 10......................x2
11 - 15....................x3
16 - 20....................x4
etc.

This is applied before armour (armour never seems to stop Gimli's axe or Aragorn's sword).

Thus far, it works well. Damage is still a factor, and it still allows the occasional freakish damage done by a lucky strike by an Orc, but in general favours the more highly-skilled character (which is usually a PC).

The other thing we have considered using is the modified "mook" rules also mentioned in (IIRC) Edition 3 of Hall of Fire. I haven't yet decided, but we'll probably test it next time we play.

Cool, thanks for your reply.

In the context of this RPG, what are some of the most egregious player behaviours that have been or could be a detriment to your games and how have you or would you deal with them? Examples are: powergaming, rules/setting lawyer, and whiner/sulker.

a rules lawyer has to be the worst player to have. You have to be firm and say "It might say that in the rules but this is MY game. Play by MY rules or leave" That tends to work.

I haven't actually experienced it in my own Chronicle, but I know of others who have run into the problem of characters looting every corpse and robbing every grave, as if they were playing a certain other fantasy roleplaying game! :D

Very un-Tolkinesque, if you ask me. My players' characters (when a similar situation arose) burned a very nice sword (actually a Dunedain blade) that was being wielded by an Orc along with the carcasses of the Orcs they had slain. The theory was that they wanted nothing tainted by Orcs, especially not a blade that had likely tasted the blood of Men and Elves in the hands of an Orc. They buried all the dead Men with all honour they could, along with all their weapons and armour, the latter repaired as best they could and the former clasped in dead hands.

Considering they gave up hundreds of silver pieces worth of "loot", including at least one "magical" weapon in order to roleplay in the universe, I rewarded them with stacks of experience and had the whole scene witnessed by Gondorian scouts, giving the characters positive Renown bonuses within Gondor.

I've rarely been so proud of my players.

How to stop it when it happens? Well, there's always the old experience penalty, plus there's the opposite of what I did. What would be the reaction of a Wandering Company of Elves should they witness the characters despoiling the dead? (Assuming the dead are Men or Elves). And what would be the reaction to them wielding weapons obviously once held by Orcs? (Assuming the dead are Orcs).

In an RPG like LotR, in-game solutions often work better than meta-game solutions (like talking to the players directly). Another possibility is that the weapons or "loot" may be cursed in some way, and that curse will activate on the characters. See Pirates of the Carribbean: Curse of the Black Pearl for some nasty ideas along those lines! :D