The One Ring vs Ultraviolet Grasslands and the Black City
Compare The One Ring and Ultraviolet Grasslands and the Black City side by side. See differences in complexity, dice, genre, and more.
| The One Ring | Ultraviolet Grasslands and the Black City | |
|---|---|---|
| Genre | Fantasy | Fantasy, Sci-Fi, Post-Apocalyptic |
| Tags | Journey, Corruption, Character-Driven, Tactical, Resource Management, Inventory Management, Low-Fantasy, Exploration, Licensed IP, Strong GM Support | Journey, Exploration, Sandbox, Resource Management, Inventory Management, Random Tables, Improvisation, Strong GM Support, Gonzo, Weird |
| Core Mechanic | Roll a d12 Feat Die plus d6 Success Dice equal to the relevant skill rating, then total them against a target number. Gandalf’s rune succeeds automatically, while the Eye counts as zero and causes automatic failure for Miserable heroes. Sixes on successful rolls grant superior results. | Roll d20 + the relevant stat + a trained skill bonus to exceed a target number. A natural 1 fails and a natural 20 succeeds. Advantage adds a die and keeps the better result; disadvantage keeps the worse result, and the two cancel. Some tests instead read the total on an outcome table. |
| Dice | d12 + d6 dice pool | d20 |
| Complexity | High | High |
| Availability | Paid | Free quickstart |
| Runnability | 5 of 5 book tools | 5 of 5 book tools |
| License | Proprietary | Proprietary |
| Third-Party Publishing | No verified route found | Commercial publishing allowed — When Time Fades compatibility license |
| Summary only, not legal advice. Check current terms before publishing. | ||
| Publisher | Free League Publishing | Exalted Funeral Press |
| Year | 2021 | 2019 |
| Languages | English, Czech, French, German, Italian, Japanese, Polish, Portuguese, Spanish | English, Portuguese |
| Best For | Groups who want Middle-earth campaigns where dangerous journeys and the struggle against corruption shape their heroes. | Groups who want a long science-fantasy caravan campaign centered on exploration, trade, and survival across an open-ended world. |
| Highlights | Journey roles give each hero responsibility for the company’s travel. Hope improves rolls while Shadow threatens heroes with lasting flaws. Fellowship phases provide recovery and personal undertakings between adventures. | Weekly travel procedures connect supplies and setbacks to the time available for exploration. Discoveries award experience for reaching and investigating unfamiliar places. Market research and trade-route investments let a caravan turn geographical knowledge into income. |
| Considerations | The core’s cultures and virtues tie character options closely to Middle-earth. Carried equipment can make injured or fatigued heroes Weary. Repeated corruption can force a hero to retire. | The included SEACAT rules are an excerpt rather than the complete engine, and most spells are omitted. A week of rest normally restores only one damaged attribute or condition. The setting includes slavery, drug addiction, and body horror. |