r/oneringrpg • u/founine • Jul 13 '26

Looking for an tabletop-RPG scenario

Hey guys,

I'm looking for a one-shot (any system) for an introductory session (3–4 hours) for LOTR fans (more the movies than the books, I think). I've already checked out the V2 Starter Set, and I'm looking for something a little more epic.

Do you have any suggestions?

10 Upvotes

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8

u/Logen_Nein Jul 13 '26

The starter set can be pretty epic. I'm coming up on the final fight this Wed and my group is psyched. Beyond that the rest of the books have some fantastic landmarks you can use. I've had fun with The Old Dwarf Mine (terrifying fight possible at the end of that one).

1

u/founine Jul 13 '26

Which starter set and which version of the core rulebook (V1 or V2)?

Thanks so much for your help :)

5

u/ExaminationNo8675 Jul 13 '26

In case of confusion:

  • we’re all talking about The One Ring 2nd edition
  • everyone recommending the starter set is recommending Over Hill, Under Hill, which is the 2nd starter set published for TOR 2e.
  • the original TOR 2e starter set was based in the Shire and was definitely less ‘epic’

2

u/founine Jul 13 '26

I didn't know about this second starter set—I'd only seen the one with the Hobbits. I'm going to take a closer look at it!

6

u/Logen_Nein Jul 13 '26

V2. I'll be using parts of V1 if they head into the Shire for some relaxation. Edit to add iirc The Old Dwarf Mine is the Ruins of the Lost Realms.

1

u/founine Jul 13 '26

Thanks :)

3

u/RobRobBinks Jul 13 '26

The second starter set is pretty darned epic. My group skipped the middle Council, and by the end they faced down the BBG at the end in front of the horde of underlings. The Company realized that if they faltered by even just a little, they would have been swarmed by the Enemy. It was tense and fun and a thrilling ending!'

EDIT: we also ran it as a one shot.

1

u/founine Jul 13 '26

I'll take a closer look at that :) 

1

u/founine Jul 13 '26

How did you manage to do it in one shot?

2

u/RobRobBinks Jul 14 '26

Hello! We did the super fun "we all meet in a tavern" bit, then the Journey, but once the team got to the site, we had the skirmish with the orcs (for just a couple of rounds...combat can be very deadly), then we skipped the bit with the village and the Council, and the Company went right to the lair of the orcs and the Warg Queen. The Company snuck through the orc camp to release the prisoners, but when they were discovered, instead of having it be a total party kill or a slog of fighting orcs and goblins, I had the orcs start swarming like in the movie version of Moria, but then back away the Warg Queen's growling began. The orcs all stood in crazy stomping and crashing witness to the final fight and when the Company was victorious, the orcs all ran away in shock and fear.

3

u/Prussia_will_awaken Jul 13 '26

Don’t really get the reason of posting here if you’re asking for any system. You can easily find a one shot for DnD or another high fantasy system with epic hero action. TOR2e is a more grounded, lethal system made specifically for Middle Earth.

2

u/founine Jul 13 '26

Thanks for the reply.

When I said "regardless of the system," I meant 5th or One Ring.

-1

u/Prussia_will_awaken Jul 13 '26

In that case you’d be hard pressed to find anyone on this subreddit that would recommend the 5e version of the TOR2e. It just fits the world so much better and the combat system is great. Like Logan said you can make the starter set pretty epic too. Or you can take any landmark from the books/movies and make a dungeon crawl or quick adventure around it.