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Old 12-23-2006, 12:48 PM   #1
Gavynn
 
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Default Lord of the Rings Elven Racial Template

It is rather ironic that some one posted very recently about the differences between Banestorm and LotR elves, as I have been working on stating out LotR elves myself. I have noticed that we lack a single place online to store GURPS LotR material and I am looking very much forward to running a LotR game with GURPS. As has been mentioned before though, GM prep can be a massive undertaking with GURPS, especially when trying to create as detailed a setting as LotR, so when I get my supplent finished I am going to make it available to the public in .pdf format, but I am going to run my drafts by this board for constructive criticism as this is such a fantastic community.

So here we go, my templates for the Noldor, Sindar, and Sylvan elves. Please note this is just a draft, and not my final form. But I will refrain from saying what I think their short coming are until I have heard other people's comments. Oh, and by they way, I used to play a lot of 3rd ed back in the day and originally was going to make this a 3rd ed supplement, but decided to upgrade to 4th ed and am glad I made the switch. But if you see any mechanical problems, please point those out too. I have the Noldor, Sindar, and Sylvan elves stated out, but all three have the characteristics of 'All Elves' listed at the bottom. Oh, and one more thing. My supplement (and game) will always default to the books - NOT the movies. However, I will be including an appendix covering changes that should be made to represent the movies should a GM desire to run a movies based LotR game, but my defaulr is always the books, so please keep that in mind.

NOLDOR
It costs 392 points to play a Noldor elf.

Attribute Modifiers
+1 Strength [10]
+2 Intelligence [40]
+1 Dexterity [20]
+1 Health [10]

Languages
Sindarian (Native/Fully Literate) [0]
Quenya (Native/Fully Literate) [6]
Westron (Native/Fully Literate) [6]

Racial Advantages
Strong Will (+10) [50] (B.16) NOTE: This replaces the usual strong will for all elves
Fearless (+10) [20] (B.55) NOTE: This replaces the usual strong will for all elves
See Invisible (Spirits) [15]
Ultrahearing (Spirits) [5] (B.94)
True Faith (Turning +65%) [25] (B.94)
Medium [10] (B.68, P.59)
Spirit Empathy [10] (B.88)
Detect (Spirits) [20] (B.48)

Racial Disadvantages
Sense of Duty – Elves [-20] (B.153)

Features
Dying Race [0]
Build – Add three inches to height [0]

Recommendations
Noldor Elves are suitable for the Weapon Master (B.99) advantage and/or Trained by a Master (B.93). Also, the great Noldor Warriors are eligible for weapon skills in the 22 or 23 range. At the discretion of the GM the greatest of all Noldor Warriors may possess weapon skills in the 24-26 range.

SINDAR
It costs 296 points to play a Sindar Elf

Attribute Modifiers
+2 Dexterity [40]
+1 Intelligence [20]

Languages
Sindarian (Native/Fully Literate) [0]
Westron (Native/Fully Literate) [6]

Racial Advantages
Talent (Musical Ability) +2 [10] (B.89)
Voice [10] (B.93)

Features
Dying Race [0]
Build – Add two inches to height [0]


SYLVAN
It costs 270 points to play a Sylvan elf.

Attribute Modifiers
+2 Dexterity [40]

Languages
Bethteur (Native/Fully Literate) [0]
Sindarian (Native/Fully Literate) [6]

Racial Advantages
Talent (Woodcrafty) +2 [10]
Plant Empathy [5] (B.75)

Quirks
Mildly Xenophobic [-1]

Features
Dying Race [0]
Build – Add one inch to height [0]

ALL ELVES

Secondary Characteristics
Increased Perception (+5) [25] (B.16)
Strong Will (+4) [20] (B.16)

Racial Advantages
Magery Level Zero [5] (B.66)
Talent (Animal Friend) Four [20] (B.89)
Temperature Tolerance [10] (B.93)
Appearance (Attractive) [4] (B.21)
Danger Sense [15] (B.47)
Does not sleep [20] (B.50)
Telescopic Vision x5 [25] (B.92)
Fearless + 5 [10] (B.55)
Perfect Balance [15] (B.74)
Rapid Healing [5] (B.79)
Combat Reflexes [15] (B.43)
Unaging [15] (B.95)
Immunity to Sickness [15]
Acute Hearing 4 [8] (B.35)

Racial Disadvantages
Sense of Duty – Nature [-15] (B.15)

Racial Quirks
Distrust of Dwarves [-1]
Sensitive to Black Speech [-1]

Features
Does not grow facial hair (until great age) [0]
Gracefully Pointed Ears [0]
Immune to Fear Caused by the Spirits of Men [0]
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Old 12-23-2006, 01:34 PM   #2
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Default Re: Lord of the Rings Elven Racial Template

good project! I'll just comment on the first template for now.


Quote:
Originally Posted by Gavynn
Strong Will (+10) [50] (B.16) NOTE: This replaces the usual strong will for all elves
Fearless (+10) [20] (B.55) NOTE: This replaces the usual strong will for all elves
Will adjustments should be listed in Secondary Characteristics, as there's no longer such an advantage as Strong Will. Secondly, +10? It might be overkill. Also, there's no reason to take Fearlessness for 20 points, since Unfazeable costs 15.

Quote:
Originally Posted by Gavynn
See Invisible (Spirits) [15]
Ultrahearing (Spirits) [5] (B.94)
True Faith (Turning +65%) [25] (B.94)
Medium [10] (B.68, P.59)
Spirit Empathy [10] (B.88)
Detect (Spirits) [20] (B.48)
Ultrahearing? Do spirits whistle? Medium covers hearing them. Also, if elves can see invisible spirits, do they need Detect? Sure, there are some situations where it might matter, but perhaps it complicates matters unduly. Also, are spirits as common as people in Middle-Earth? Because 20 points is a lot.


Quote:
Originally Posted by Gavynn
Racial Disadvantages
Sense of Duty – Elves [-20] (B.153)
This should be worth -15.
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Old 12-23-2006, 02:22 PM   #3
Gavynn
 
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Default Re: Lord of the Rings Elven Racial Template

Quote:
Originally Posted by JoelSammallahti
Will adjustments should be listed in Secondary Characteristics, as there's no longer such an advantage as Strong Will. Secondly, +10? It might be overkill. Also, there's no reason to take Fearlessness for 20 points, since Unfazeable costs 15.
One of my thoughts is that +10 might be overkill. I'll think on that. I would want passing a will test to be almost automatic though. I considered unfazeable, but I just did not think that it felt right. I don't think they should be exempt from making fright checks. I think intimidation should be able to work on them - maybe not easily, but I can't see making them blanketly immune to them, but I might be open to an arguement otherwise. Maybe for Noldor is makes sense.

Quote:
Originally Posted by JoelSammallahti
Ultrahearing? Do spirits whistle? Medium covers hearing them. Also, if elves can see invisible spirits, do they need Detect? Sure, there are some situations where it might matter, but perhaps it complicates matters unduly. Also, are spirits as common as people in Middle-Earth? Because 20 points is a lot.
Ah, so get rid of ultrahearing. Makes sense. Good catch. I'll look over the detect in greater detail. I am not sure how common spirits are in Middle-earth. The source material is a bit vague. I'll consider in further detail


Quote:
Originally Posted by JoelSammallahti
This should be worth -15.
Noted. Thanks
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Old 12-23-2006, 02:27 PM   #4
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Default Re: Lord of the Rings Elven Racial Template

Quote:
Originally Posted by Agemegos
Are you sure there were racial traits of all Noldor? I would have thought that there were, rather, characteristics of elves who had been in Aman. You can't take Glorfindel as typical: he is an over-the-top supergrossity who killed balrogs in single combat and who walked back from the afterlife.

And on rather a trivial point, I would suggest that the templates be headed by the singulars, 'Noldo' and 'Sinda'.
Good idea about the Noldo and Sinda. Point taken. As to them being racial characteristics of the Noldor. All of the spirit stuff I have down for the Nolfor is based on this quote:

"...in Rivendell there still live some of [Sauron's] chief foes; the elven-wise, lords of the Eldar from beyond the furthest seas. They do not fear the Ringwraiths, for those who have dwelt in the Blessed Realm live at once in both worlds, and against both the seen and the Unseen they have great power."

So this is not just a characteristic of Glorfindel. But the material is not very solid. They are "of two worlds" and I read over a thread I was directed to a few days ago about characters who exist in the physical and the astral plane at the same time. You can see how I desided to model it. I did not give them punches and kicks that could influence spirits, just because I did not think that it felt right for the setting. But they are supposed to have "great power" over the Unseen, so there would probably be as many different interpretations of this passage as there are people on this board...
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Old 12-23-2006, 02:43 PM   #5
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Default Re: Lord of the Rings Elven Racial Template

As noted, you have Strong Will and Fearlessness, but you also list Fearlessness in both the Noldor and "All Elves" categories. That means Noldor have +25 for Fright Checks, which is grossly excessive. The adjustments you make to attributes are bizarrely modest in comparison.

You might give them Unfazeable, and give some of their enemies Cosmic-enhanced Terror. (Even Galadriel might have Cosmic-level Awe.)
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Old 12-23-2006, 02:54 PM   #6
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Default Re: Lord of the Rings Elven Racial Template

Quote:
Originally Posted by Gavynn
One of my thoughts is that +10 might be overkill. I'll think on that. I would want passing a will test to be almost automatic though. I considered unfazeable, but I just did not think that it felt right. I don't think they should be exempt from making fright checks. I think intimidation should be able to work on them - maybe not easily, but I can't see making them blanketly immune to them, but I might be open to an arguement otherwise. Maybe for Noldor is makes sense.
You have a point about total immunity. Then again, I doubt anything less than a balrog or dragon could scare one of them, and such creatures might well have Terror with the Cosmic enhancement.

Since Fright Checks always fail on 14+, an elf with Will 21 and 10 levels of Fearlessness will only notice a difference if the Fright Check has a penalty of -19 or worse. That's a penalty that eliminates any ordinary human's - even a really extraordinary one's - chance to resist altogether. And since Fearlessness both subtracts from Intimidate and adds to Will to resist, they'll be on even terms with someone whose Intimidate skill is 41! I think they might do with a bit of downgrading.
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Old 12-23-2006, 04:02 PM   #7
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Default Re: Lord of the Rings Elven Racial Template

Just FYI, not that your development should stop, but here is how one person did it.
GURPS Rules for Middle Earth Campaigns

RH
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Old 12-23-2006, 04:06 PM   #8
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Default Re: Lord of the Rings Elven Racial Template

Oh, and since many people misunderstand the relationships between the various Elves, here is The Encyclopedia of Arda . See the entry under 'Elves'.

RH
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Old 12-23-2006, 04:22 PM   #9
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Default Re: Lord of the Rings Elven Racial Template

One thing I'd suggest to add to the general elven template is Terrain Adaptation. You could either buy two or three versions (snow, leaves, etc.), or just spring for the Active enhancement, from Powers, which would let elves be light-footed on pretty much any solid terrain.

Also, to the general template, you should probably add a level of Acute Vision and Acute Hearing. Elves are very perceptive all around, but their hearing and vision seem to stand out particularly.

Also, I'd add Language Talent to the Noldo template. The Noldor seem to have had a genunine gift for languages - they picked up Sindar very quickly when they returned to Middle Earth, and they were able to understand human speech quite well. They were also responsible for a lot of the writing adaptations and suchlike that the elves used, and they seem to have actively attempted to make their language "better" deliberately.
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Old 12-23-2006, 05:37 PM   #10
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Default Re: Lord of the Rings Elven Racial Template

I'm always skeptical of the IQ bonuses given to elves. I can definitely see Elrond having a high IQ, I cannot see this for the other main example from the core books, Legolas. I cannot see this for Arwen. Maybe I've drank too much of the purple Kool-Aid from Cult of Stat Normalization rituals, but I do not see the race as a whole having better IQ defaults. Never attribute to attribute what you can attribute to points in skill. (And don't use "attribute" too often in one sentence.)
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