Starting Equipment for LotR Characters
Following is a small article I just finished up listing some suggestions for beginning gear for LotR characters.
It is on the side of generous, and should only be used in mostly munchkin-free group, or one where the Narrator has a great deal of trust in the players.
You'll have to forgive the formatting, as I did it in Word, and all of the bolds and italics were lost transferring it here. I added some, but left most of the formatting out.
Comments, suggestions?
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Starting Gear for Lord of the Rings RPG Characters
The Lord of the Rings Roleplaying Game does not go into very much detail about initial funds and equipment for beginning player-characters, leaving that to the Narrator and the players to determine. Some note of this has been made in the official errata, but this article supplants that for purposes of allowing player-characters with more “fleshed out” starting equipment. Following are some suggestions for initial gear, based on basic equipment, then modified by race, order, and skills and edges.
Note that players do not have to automatically accept these items, nor can they “resell” or trade them prior to beginning (or early in the course of) the game, if they take them. Narrators should discourage such attention to niggling financial matters. Furthermore, items which duplicate others should be assumed to be a single item, usually at the superior level of quality if that differs. These recommendations aren’t about loading the characters with extraneous gear – but are suggestions as to how characters of different races, orders, and cultures might equip themselves before setting off in search of adventure.
Additionally, characters should not become over-laden with gear, so the Narrator should feel free to limit this equipment as they see fit. For a good example of this, Bilbo Baggins was forced to leave the Shire on the Quest of Erebor without so much as a handkerchief and cloak of his own.
First, all characters begin with the following items and equipment:
- Clothing suitable for travel. The amount and type of clothing varies by culture, but usually includes boots, a cloak, and perhaps a change of clothes.
- A personal item or two, usually of sentimental value or of some everyday use, such as a pipe and pouch of pipe-weed, or a small carving knife and whetstone, or a non-magical ring of familial importance.
- Food and drink for a few days, usually in the form of dried rations and a small flask or skin of wine, ale, or water.
- Initial funds in the amount of 1d6 silver pieces (or equivalent currency). This might be modified by the character’s class, below.
- A bedroll or blanket of some sort
Next, characters begin with the items or modifications to the above possessions, as based on their race.
- Dwarf – Dwarf chainmail corslet or hauberk, helmet, small shield, a sword or axe, hobnailed boots, cram (instead of dried rations, above), +2d6 silver pieces, a musical instrument if the skill exists (especially if one of Thorin Oakenshield’s party). Possibly possesses a treasure-map, or small cart and pony (see p. 237 of the core rulebook).
- Elf (Noldor) – Fine Elf-garments, a weapon of quality (though not masterwork). If the character is a Noldo from Lorien, they should have Elven-cloaks (p. 195 of the core rulebook) and lembas (p. 106 of The Fellowship of the Rings Sourcebook).
- Elf (Silvan) – Average quality Elf-garments, a skin of the wine of Dorwinion, a weapon of quality (though not masterwork), a long knife.
- Elf (Sindar) – Fine Elf-garments, a weapon of quality (though not masterwork). Additionally, the character can choose between an Elven-steed (p. 237 of the core rulebook); an Elven boat (p. 195 of the core rulebook); or an Elven-cloak, adequate supply of lembas, and a coil of Elf-rope (p. 195 of the core rulebook).
- Hobbit (all) – Handkerchiefs, more food, journal, stationery and writing supplies, stamps for Shire Post, a stout walking-stick, cooking implements (or at least eating implements).
- Man (Beorning) - Sandals, small pouch full of honey-cakes, skin full of mead.
- Man (Dúnedain) – An emblem (cloak pin, amulet, ring, etc.) demonstrating claim to their Númenorean heritage, an appropriate item or weapon of heroic lineage (as described on p. 194 of the core rulebook, subject to the Narrator’s approval).
- Man (Dunlending) – Rough garments, torque, dried rations, ale-skin.
- Man (Drúedain) - Flint knife, feathered headdress, grass skirt, bone and wood talismans. Any other weapons should be fairly primitive (club, spear, javelin, shortbow, etc.)
- Man (Easterling) – Leather or scale armor, strange talisman for Eastern gods, a weapon of normal make, strange food and drink. If the movie versions are adhered to, character has choice selection of elaborate tattoos and piercings.
- Man (Gondoran) – Armor (leather, ordinary chainmail, or chainmail with plate) bearing the Tree of Gondor, a weapon of quality, fine garments, +1d6 additional silver pieces.
- Man (Lossoth) – Snowshoes or skis, winter gear, fur cloak, packet of seal fat, bone spikes and seal-gut rope. Instead of currency, character has monetary equivalent in pieces of polished and carved ivory and horn. If beginning in frozen North, possibly sled and dog team (dogs are described on p. 59 of Fell Beasts and Wondrous Magic).
- Man (Middle) – Weapon of average quality, walking-staff, map of home region, lantern, rope, riding horse (p. 237 of the core rulebook) or average horse and cart.
- Man (Rohir) – Warhorse or riding horse with adequate tack, and barding for the horse if the character is a warrior. Scale armor or chainmail corslet or hauberk, helmet, weapon of average quality (if a warrior, likely a spear), war-horn.
- Man (Southron) – Leather or scale armor, weapon of normal make, talisman for strange Southron gods, make-up, religious garment or prayer mat, +1d6 silver pieces in ivory, amber, or other substance.
Next, the character’s order and order abilities might supply some items or equipment (or modify their previously-granted equipment), as listed below:
- Barbarian – Garments should all be rougher than normal, perhaps with barbaric decorative motifs. If the character has the Brew Poison order ability, 1d6 doses of appropriate poisons. Instead of standard currency, any of their starting monies should be in hack silver or gold (pieces of silver or gold cut off from larger items of those metals).
- Craftsman – Character should begin with portable set of tools required for their field of expertise. They should also begin with a few items of their skill for use as trade items (subject to Narrator’s approval), and potentially one masterwork item either of their own make or their mentor’s. Add +1d6 to their starting silver piece allotment.
- Loremaster – Journal, writing implements (stylus, pen, ink, etc.), paper, several books and/or scrolls full of general and specific lore (though not so useful as the order ability Scroll Hoard), regional maps and possibly maps of other areas, candle and/or small lamp.
- Magician – Staff, journal or spell-book, regional map, token of their mentor.
- Mariner – Rope, good work knife, net, sewing kit, nautical charts, +1d6 silver pieces in small trade goods.
- Minstrel – Fine garments, musical instrument if so skilled, performance equipment (juggling objects, etc.), token of favor from regional lord.
- Noble – Fine garments, +2d6 silver pieces, fine riding horse. The character should also possess an emblem of noble heritage in the form of an amulet, ring, weapon, or scroll showing their lineage. This item may be of masterwork quality, have a heroic lineage, or be of the work of old (as described on p. 194 of the core rulebook), at the Narrator’s discretion.
- Rogue – Lockpick set (if the rogue has the Lockpicking order ability), common garments, dark cloak, +1d6 silver pieces in stolen goods (owners might be looking for them still), a small set of cards or dice for gambling.
- Warrior – Leather, scale, or chainmail corselet or hauberk, helmet, large or small shield, additional weapon of average quality, basic kit for cleaning and caring for weapons and armor.
Finally, the Narrator might allow characters to begin with additional equipment or gear as suggested by skills, edges, and flaws.
Characters with starting skill ranks of 4+ (base skill ranks, not including bonuses from racial abilities, edges, or order abilities) in the following abilities might have an appropriate piece of gear, set of tools, or weapon (at the Narrator’s discretion).
- Armed Combat – a weapon and scabbard for it, if suitable
- Craft – an item relating to the craft subskill, and/or tools to perform the skill
- Games – a small set of playing pieces, board, cards, or dice
- Guise – some make-up and perhaps a few pieces of disguise equipment, a change of clothing, and a token or insignia bearing a false identity
- Healing – a small medical kit containing clean cloth, ointments, needle and thread
- Legerdemain – juggling objects or small toys, small scarves or other items to perform tricks and sleights of hand with
- Lore – a book or journal about the subject at hand, which can be used to refer (perhaps lowering the TN for any Lore attempts, at the Narrator’s discretion)
- Perform – a musical instrument if suitable, paper and writing implements for poetry or verse composition
- Ranged Combat – based on the subskill, this could be; a bow and quiver of arrows with spare strings; a small brace of throwing knives; a handful of javelins; throwing or sling stones; a spear; etc.
- Ride – a mount suitable for the race and order of the character
- Sea-craft – small portable tools for making shipboard repairs, plenty of sturdy thread and a needle, compass or lode-stone, nautical charts, sailcloth
- Smithcraft – a small set of smithy tools (hammers, files, tongs, chisels, whetstone, bellows, etc.) that could include a small grindstone and anvil if the character has a cart or some similar means of transport, ingots of non-precious metals, pieces of items ready for construction
- Stonecraft – stonecutters’ tools such as hammers, chisels, files, picks, etc.
- Teamster – if appropriate, a small wagon, wain, or cart with adequate beasts of burden, or a small string of pack animals, all complete with requisite tack and harness
Edges can also be a source of starting equipment. Following are some suggestions as how these might be manifest or represented in physical items:
- Ally – a small token or emblem of the ally, to show to their supporters to demonstrate the allegiance to the character
- Command – as above, a small emblem of insignia, from bracers emblazoned with the Tree of Gondor, to a cloak-pin indicating military rank
- Craftmaster – as with the craft skills above, a set of personal tools
- Faithful – a small token of the subject of this edge, such as three golden hairs from an Elf-queen
- Rank – as Command, above
Additionally, a Narrator and player might even use a character’s flaws as a source of equipment or starting items, with the following provided as suggestions:
- Duty – the character bears some visible token of their allegiance which must be worn at all times, or affects a manner of dress which indicates the nature of their duty
- Fealty – as Duty, above
- Grasping – some object of value which the character already possesses which could potentially cause them inconvenience if lost or stolen, or some item which is of a size or quality which will draw attention and be difficult to manage and travel with
