Lord of the Rings Online

Raes · Jul 28, 2020

sukik said:
It may look odd now because of the promotion that's giving everything to everyone. The way it normally works: Buying the expansion gives you access to the area, then you can get VIP(aka a normal game subscription) to access the quests, or buy all the quests in game outright. It was their version of free to play, since LOTRO, like many of the games of it's era, were subscription only. Lotro wasn't designed with free to play in mind, so this is what we got.

TLDR: Expansion=access to zones, Subscription(VIP) or Quest Pack=quest access.

Nope. Buying the expansion gives you access to all quests in the expansion zones. VIP gives you access to all the in-between expansion zones quests. Or did, before the giveaway. Which is why they added the new perks to VIP to compensate. Everyone has "access" to every zone. And you could play through the Main Story quests up to Mordor without a sub or purchase.

Aaron · Jul 28, 2020

If you want the game to look even prettier then there are a few good ENB settings you can download from the Internet. I don't do it myself, since one of the problems is that they affect EVERYTHING, including the UI, and I don't like that, but many people use it to spiffy up the game even more.

Tearofsoul · Jul 28, 2020

created a lvl1 runemage, damn feel so lonely doing quests lol

Downhammer · Jul 28, 2020

Population might depend on server and race. Made a beorning on Brandywine the other day and there were a half dozen or so in the newbie Archet area. Even in it's prime the non-man race areas were always sparse since Bree is the common staging area prior to Moria. Man quests are kind of more spokes in a wheel while elf/dwarf/hobbit are more linear which also contributes to other races feeling more lonely.

sukik · Jul 28, 2020

Raes said:
Nope. Buying the expansion gives you access to all quests in the expansion zones. VIP gives you access to all the in-between expansion zones quests. Or did, before the giveaway. Which is why they added the new perks to VIP to compensate. Everyone has "access" to every zone. And you could play through the Main Story quests up to Mordor without a sub or purchase.

I like this, but it does make vip much less appealing. I'd rather just buy lotro points for mithril coins, crafting bags and inventory space.

Xaxius · Jul 28, 2020

In Update 27.1 they added additional benefits to VIPs which made inventory management and crafting more managable/enjoyable.

VIPs can speak to Wenda Cranesbill in Bree or in any of the housing neighborhoods near their Task boards to accept a daily quest that awards:

A 48 hour Town Services item

This item opens a UI from which a player can choose Sell, Repair, Vault, Shared Storage, Wardrobe, and Auction House by default. The item provides a Forge and Relic Master services if the character is at least level 45 and in possession of the Seeker of Deep Places trait.

Subscriber's Jug that grants accelerated Crafting times and item wear prevention buffs for 48 hours.

Update 27.1 Release Notes

In addition, they added a new coupon today in response to the server issues. Use THANKYOUGIFT in the LOTRO Store.

We apologize for the recent downtime you have experienced as we worked to resolve issues outside of our control in the data center and other environments. As an appreciation for your patience you can redeem the following items using the code THANKYOUGIFT in the LOTRO Store:

Skill and Slayer Deed Boost x5
Enhanced XP Supply x5
+5000 Enhanced Reputation Supply
+2000 Virtue Acceleration Tome

This coupon code will be available to redeem once per Account through August 31st, 2020.

We will have more information about a VIP subscription extension in the near future. That information will be posted into this thread, in addition to this original post. We are working to finalize this information at this time.

Again, we do apologize for the recent game downtime, and we are thankful to have you here.

Thank You Coupon (and a quick apology)

Rajaah · Jul 28, 2020

How much rested EXP can be "banked" at a time? In WoW it's something like 1.5-2 levels, or used to be anyway.

Also, yall think Minas Morgul is gonna be the final area? I don't know what they could top it with. It'd be weird if the desert of Harad or plains of Rhun came out and had higher level bosses than the Minas Morgul area. I'd say keep MM the final tier of the game and expand laterally from there if they're going to keep expanding at all (i.e. no more level raises, just more level 110-130 content in whatever new areas they add).

I'd like to see the southern part of Mordor (Nurn etc), and whatever is on the east side of Mordor since we've never seen that in ANY media that I know of and it looks interesting. I presume most of this isn't in the game yet because the Mordor expansion looks like it's just the northwest quadrant.

Other than that the world looks pretty "finished" at this point. One of the reasons I stopped playing back in 2011 or w/e was because the world was so incomplete at that point and I wanted to wait and come back when it was finished. I.e. when I could run from the Shire to the slope of Mount Doom if I wanted to.

Rajaah · Jul 28, 2020

Skill and Slayer Deed Boost x5
Enhanced XP Supply x5
+5000 Enhanced Reputation Supply
+2000 Virtue Acceleration Tome

What do these things do? Sounds like EXP potions but "supply" is an odd name. Before I claim anything are they activate-able later like EQ's exp potions or are they like immediate effects for that day?

Downhammer · Jul 28, 2020

The deed boost gives you 2 credits for each skill/kill. Kill 100 becomes effectively kill 50. 90 minutes I believe.
Enhanced xp is like rested xp.
Enhanced reputation and virtue gives double of those xp for the next 5000/2000 points.

I imagine they're the same as the ones they sell which are inventory clickables that you can save for grind sessions.

Brikker · Jul 28, 2020

Rajaah said:
VIP is totally worth it to me for one thing in particular: Rested EXP. Leveling is unbearably slow even as early as level 33 without it.

There is an heirloom-type item for cloak slot you can buy on the store that gives 25% to all exp bonus and stats for your class. Also pocket item that gives 25% kill exp.

Rajaah · Jul 28, 2020

Brikker said:
There is an heirloom-type item for cloak slot you can buy on the store that gives 25% to all exp bonus and stats for your class. Also pocket item that gives 25% kill exp.

I don't like microtransactions, but for a game like this I'll take it. Anything that helps me stick with it this time so I can see the rest of the game.

Don't want to level too fast and miss out on areas either, but something tells me that won't be an issue.

Ultimately I'd like to hit max level and be able to roam around the LOTRO world with impunity just because I'm such a deeply-ingrained fan of that world.

Xaxius · Jul 28, 2020

Rajaah said:
Also, yall think Minas Morgul is gonna be the final area? I don't know what they could top it with. It'd be weird if the desert of Harad or plains of Rhun came out and had higher level bosses than the Minas Morgul area. I'd say keep MM the final tier of the game and expand laterally from there if they're going to keep expanding at all (i.e. no more level raises, just more level 110-130 content in whatever new areas they add).

I'd like to see the southern part of Mordor (Nurn etc), and whatever is on the east side of Mordor since we've never seen that in ANY media that I know of and it looks interesting. I presume most of this isn't in the game yet because the Mordor expansion looks like it's just the northwest quadrant.

Other than that the world looks pretty "finished" at this point. One of the reasons I stopped playing back in 2011 or w/e was because the world was so incomplete at that point and I wanted to wait and come back when it was finished. I.e. when I could run from the Shire to the slope of Mount Doom if I wanted to.

Minas Morgul is not the final area. There will be another zone added this fall and the next "expansion" is scheduled for Spring 2021 which will focus on Gundabad. They've also mentioned that they have plenty of content to support the game for the foreseeable future.

sukik · Jul 28, 2020

I remember that once I hit later expansions, I'd hit max level for the expansion 2-3 zones in because I like to do most of the quests. Same thing just happened in Mordor. I'm a level over and I have one or two zones to go. They got me with those craft bags though. I bought two as soon as I saw them on sale. I went ham and leveled all crafting skills the last time I played, so most of my inventory in shared and on alts, was taken up by crafting materials.

Breakdown · Jul 30, 2020

Ok Im gonna give this a go. Loigged in and have no memory of characters I played again. Got all the free shit. Decided to just power through from level 1 AGAIN lol.

What server you all on? Think im gonna make a minstrel or hunter

Aaron · Jul 31, 2020

it is very easy to over level, especially if you do all the quests in each zone. And to be honest, this is one of those games where you want to do that. This isn't WoW where the "real game" starts at max level.

But you can get this item in the store that stops XP gain, so you won't over level.

As I have said before, this is very much a game where the journey is the game, not the destination. If you want to rush through everything and raid at max level, you'd best find another game.

Brikker · Jul 31, 2020

Breakdown said:
Ok Im gonna give this a go. Loigged in and have no memory of characters I played again. Got all the free shit. Decided to just power through from level 1 AGAIN lol.

What server you all on? Think im gonna make a minstrel or hunter

I've been very casually playing a dwarf guardian (all of level 10) on Brandywine.

This is a game I hop onto when I want to immerse in LotR fantasy.

Malkav · Jul 31, 2020

If you're going for the VIP sub, you can also play on a legendary server where xp is reduced for the old classic experience.

I'm sad I lost my old account back when Codemasters or whatever was managing EU servers and it was an opt-in transfer and I missed it a the time. I really want to get back into the game because I loved it back then, but with limited time to spare it's really slow going and some things are really starting to show their age.

sukik · Jul 31, 2020

I'm on Arkenstone, but I think everyone else is on other servers. I went ahead and picked up the expansion since I'm having fun and I want to support the company. I'll be ready for it in a week or two anyway.

Rajaah · Jul 31, 2020

Aaron said:
Shouldn't be too bad, especially if one can duo as a tank/healer. If you both go one tank one healer you'll have no problems finding people to join your groups. They "buffed" characters a while back meaning mobs and instances are easier, so you usually don't even need a full group to do an instance, as long as you have basic rolls covered and know what you're doing.

Check this link to see what classes cover which rolls: Class - Lotro-Wiki.com

Going to run with a Hunter/Ministrel combo. Is that a particularly good combo? I like being a Hunter and need a support class ally. The only LOTRO classes that I ever really got into were Hunter and Lore-Master and I ended up settling on Hunter for a main. I get the impression Ministrel is like a bard, but with heals. We'll need to fight things at range since neither is a tank, though.

Raes · Jul 31, 2020

Rajaah said:
Going to run with a Hunter/Ministrel combo. Is that a particularly good combo? I like being a Hunter and need a support class ally. The only LOTRO classes that I ever really got into were Hunter and Lore-Master and I ended up settling on Hunter for a main. I get the impression Ministrel is like a bard, but with heals. We'll need to fight things at range since neither is a tank, though.

Unless you're doing endgame raiding, the entire game is solo-able. There's a few roaming elite-types that you have to be a little cautious with, but quests trash mobs are nothing, and as a range class will probably never even touch you, unless they are also ranged. The only "required" instances are Book (main story) quests and there's a solo godmode option for those.

So, if you are duo-ing it doesn't really matter which two classes you choose. Also, they allow you to run multiple instances of the client, so you can just dualbox a healer, if you wanted.

Lord of the Rings Online

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