I think it's safe to say that the community is keen to play a D&D-style Lord of the Rings RPG, because a crowdfunding campaign for one is approaching $2.1million in pledges with the speed of an airborne Nazgûl.
Developed by Free League, The One Ring is a tabletop roleplaying game like D&D set between The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings. This crowdfunding campaign provides a beginner-friendly update to a system that's been earning industry acclaim since it launched in 2022, but the overhaul also provides a full bestiary for the first time alongside a campaign expansion that takes us to Gondor and Rohan. This Lord of the Rings RPG revamp was aiming for $50K in crowdfunding, but hit $500,000 in around an hour. As I write this, the Backerit page is now sitting pretty at $2,089,055. I suspect it'll have jumped up again by the time you read this.
Thanks to this level of support, the crowdfunding campaign has already blown past all of its stretch goals (including cardboard standees for use on battlemaps, extra monsters, and previously unseen locations) so had to make new ones. These will either be added into the relevant books or, in the case of separate items like special dice, provided as rewards with certain pledge levels.
While this is a major update, previous One Ring books will still be compatible with the revamp. You can find the majority of these at Amazon or direct from Free League, and they range from a journey into Moria to a jaunt through the Shire.
It isn't just The One Ring that's being given a new lick of paint, however. The system has already been adapted for D&D under a different name (The Lord of the Rings Roleplaying), and this ruleset is also getting the same three books… albeit with tweaked names as well as unique covers. They'll include the stretch goals mentioned above.
Here's what's featured within the campaign:
- Core Rules: No matter whether it's for The One Ring or its D&D equivalent, the new Core Rules provide re-ordered, clarified, and refined mechanics to make learning or reference easier. That includes tweaked combat and character creation, alongside a solo game mode – Strider Mode. This had been released previously, but was digital-only.
- Bestiary: The One Ring is finally getting a bestiary. Called "Creatures Strange and Foul" (or "Of Orcs and Evil Things" for the D&D version), this tome brings together all sorts of foes the party can cross swords with. While orcs and trolls obviously feature, you're also getting rules for the Nine Ringwraiths, Oliphaunts, dark powers like the Balrog, and more. Not all of the entries are villainous, of course; beings like Ents also feature here.
- Gondor/Rohan campaign guide: The game has largely focused on northern realms until now, so this is the first time we're getting rules to explore the southern kingdoms of Men. Besides offering detailed breakdowns of Gondor and Rohan, it's full of adventure hooks to hang new quests on. It's called "The White Tower and the Hall of Gold" for The One Ring, or "Realms of the South" for D&D.
Considering how far over the goal this campaign is, I think we can assume fans are excited about it. Frankly, I don't blame them. The One Ring has been one of my favorite roleplaying games for a long time, and it's got pride of place on our list of the best tabletop RPGs. Part of that is down to its accessible yet cinematic rules, yes, but the thing that really appeals to me as a Lord of the Rings nerd is how true to Tolkien it feels.
The novels have a specific vibe that's hard to replicate without getting carried away and veering into swords 'n' sorcery, but The One Ring manages to thread that needle. It's not just about emulating how Middle-earth should look (judging by Tolkien's writing, Dark Ages chic) or sticking to the rules of its world; it's about capturing the story's theme and heart. As an example, it turns the feeling of fellowship and encroaching shadow into key mechanics.
There's no release date for these three books yet, but the hardcover versions are estimated to ship in October 2027. You'll also receive PDF versions of them with most Backerit tier levels, though there's no date for delivery on those. If it's anything like other tabletop RPG campaigns or releases, it could well be sooner.
You can check out the campaign for yourself at Backerit.
This isn't the only cool Middle-earth shaped reveal today; these new Warhammer Mordor Orc models are reeling me back into the Lord of the Rings wargame again.
- See the current One Ring lineup at Amazon
