Dungeons & Dragons Meets Tolkien in Free League’s The Lord of the Rings™ Roleplaying

Free League Publishing sent us a physical copy of the book for the purpose of this review. As always, all opinions are entirely our own.

What is the The Lord of the Rings™ Roleplaying?

As someone who was introduced to be D&D and Lord of the Rings at a formative age, I’ve always loved both Tolkien’s world and Dungeons & Dragons. The idea of combining Middle Earth with 5e mechanics seemed like a dream come true, and I have personally run my own Lord of the Rings-inspired games using homebrewed rules (to varying degrees of success).

Being heavily a D&D 5e player, I’d followed the evolution of The Lord of the Rings™ Roleplaying adaptation from its origins with Cubicle 7’s Adventures in Middle-Earth, but I was eager to see what Free League had done with it after acquiring the rights.

Free League has also published The One Ring™, which is a RPG built from the ground-up to mirror Tolkien’s world. Free League’s version is the second edition of this game, the original having been made by Cubicle 7.

The Lord of the Rings™ Roleplaying is the culmination of these licenses trading hands, as well as upgrades and refinements made on Free League’s side.

The Initial Look

When I first got my copy of Free League Publishing’s The Lord of the Rings Roleplaying 5e core rulebook, I was immediately impressed.

Right off the bat, the quality of the physical book caught my eye. The hardcover feels solid and sturdy, like something you could throw in your pack and adventure with to Mordor. I like to do my initial read with a physical copy and use a PDF for easy searching during sessions, so having it paired with the PDF version allowed for maximum compatibility with my playstyle.

The first thing I noticed is that the artwork in this book is stunning. The maps and character illustrations (including familiar faces like Gandalf) do an amazing job of pulling you into the atmosphere of Middle Earth. It also includes a double-sided poster map of Eridor and the North and South Farthing.

There’s a perfect mix of full page art, clever design choices, and Tolkienesque pen drawings, so your eyes are never bored and it makes leafing through the book an absolute treat.

Another aspect I love is the feel of the paper. It’s not glossy, like most TTRPG books I have. Instead, it feels like parchment, which may not hold up wells to spills but looks and feels amazing.

Play Overview

The game is set in the Third Age, right after the events of The Hobbit and just before The Lord of the Rings. What I found particularly exciting is that it explores Eriador, which we see some of in the films and books, but it goes beyond those details and helps flesh out the region into a playable setting. The shadow of evil is creeping back, and you get the chance to adventure through areas largely untouched by Tolkien’s more famous tales. There’s a sense of mystery and danger, with a world that feels both familiar and fresh at the same time.

Before I go any further, I’d like to point out that it is pretty imperative that you and your party are familiar with D&D 5e for this book to make sense as a purchase. If you’re just starting out with fantasy TTRPGs, it might make sense to go for The One Ring™, which is its own system, just so you don’t have to learn two different RPGs. 

However, if you’re one of the many fans of D&D, your party is familiar with it, and you want to launch into the world of Middle Earth, this is a good choice.

Where this adaptation really shines is how it tailors the traditional 5e rules to fit the low-magic, high-peril setting of Middle Earth. If you’re used to the high fantasy style of typical 5e games, this one’s going to feel different—but in the best possible way.

Instead of the Arcana and Religion skills, you’ve got Old Lore, which adds to the ancient, mystical feeling of the setting. The game also expands the Survival skill into three distinct ones—Explore, Hunting, and Travel—which highlights just how important wilderness navigation is in this world. You’re not just dungeon-crawling and casting fireballs; you’re trekking through perilous landscapes where every decision counts.

It also notably only goes up to level 10, which restricts your player character’s power level to the more grounded feeling that Free League is trying to achieve for their Tolkienesque TTRPG.

Nitty Gritty

One mechanic that really stood out to me is the Fellowship Points. These are earned throughout gameplay and can be used to support the group, reinforcing the importance of teamwork. Plus, there are iconic patrons like Gandalf and Bilbo Baggins who offer their aid and guidance to the party. This sense of camaraderie feels so fitting for a game inspired by The Lord of the Rings. There’s also a Fellowship Phase, where the characters can rest and recover from their adventures, which is a great reflection of the long, grueling journeys Tolkien’s characters faced. You even get to reduce the Shadow you accumulate, representing the mental and physical toll these journeys take on your characters.

Combat is still familiar to anyone who knows 5e, though it is certainly lower power. But it’s not the combat that makes this system shine, it’s what comes between: additional mechanics like Council and Journey. Council introduces more strategy to social interactions. Instead of just rolling a Persuasion check, you need a set number of successes, which makes conversations with NPCs more engaging and tense. And then there’s the Journey mechanic. Traveling in Middle Earth is no joke, and Free League makes sure you feel the weight of those long treks. Each party member takes on a role—guide, scout, hunter, lookout—and how well they perform can determine the outcome of your travels. This is where the game really captures the spirit of Tolkien’s world, where the journey itself is as important as the destination.

I also loved how character creation is rooted in Middle Earth’s cultures. Whether you’re a Hobbit, an Elf of Lindon, or a Ranger of the North, your background and cultural heritage have a strong impact on your character’s traits and development. The classes—called Callings here—are classic archetypes with a Middle Earth twist. You can be a captain, a scholar, or even a treasure hunter, which adds a lot of flavor to your character without feeling like you’re playing a standard D&D class.

The level cap of 10 might seem low to those used to more traditional 5e campaigns, but it fits the tone of the game perfectly. The stakes feel higher, the challenges more dire, and your characters more grounded. However, for those who want to keep the adventure going, there are optional rules for progressing beyond level 10.

Be Careful Stepping Out Your Door!

In the end, Free League’s adaptation of The One Ring into the 5e system is a fantastic blend of Tolkien’s world and the D&D mechanics we know and love.

It’s clear they put a lot of thought into keeping the themes of The Lord of the Rings intact, while making sure 5e players would feel right at home. The low-magic setting, combined with the focus on fellowship and journey, makes this a deeply thematic and immersive experience. Whether you’re a longtime Tolkien fan or just looking for a fresh take on 5e, this game is absolutely worth exploring.