Yesterday brought exciting news for tabletop gaming enthusiasts: D&D Beyond is now offering the sourcebook for The Lord of the Rings Roleplaying, crafted by the acclaimed Swedish publisher Free League. Announced as a “brand new adaptation,” this guide, which first saw the light last year, draws inspiration from the second edition of Free League’s The One Ring TTRPG created by Francesco Nepitello. Regardless of its novelty status, this award-winning ruleset, tailored for the fifth edition of Dungeons & Dragons, has quickly become a fan favorite among those exploring J.R.R. Tolkien’s legendary Middle-earth. Now, it’s ready for seamless integration into D&D’s custom virtual tabletop.
This expansive 240-page guidebook introduces players to an intriguing array of options: six distinct classes, 12 subclasses, 14 playable species, and an impressive 42 unique feats. All these elements are readily available for use in D&D Beyond’s character creation tool. Free League has meticulously developed journeying rules that capture the adventurous spirit of Tolkien’s original narratives—works that have inspired countless modern fantasy tales, including D&D itself. The sourcebook is packed with adventure paths tailored for party levels 1-10, complemented by new maps and monsters. And these assets sync perfectly with D&D Beyond’s tactical virtual tabletop, Maps, which has recently entered its beta phase.
The mechanics of the sourcebook have been carefully refined to align with the fifth edition of Dungeons & Dragons. While it doesn’t directly incorporate the latest 2024 updates, its backward compatibility ensures that players can incorporate the Lord of the Rings themes into their 2024 adventures. Currently, the D&D Beyond version is being offered at a tempting price of $29.99, in comparison to the original book, which is priced just over $50 on Free League’s website.
