LotRO

[Gandelf]

I'm really looking forward to being able to play LotRO. I came across this short article on the LotRO website tonight. It really sounds like it's going to be a fantastic mmorpg and has already whetted my appetite tremendously:-

My wife and i decided to go out and see some sights last night. There is an event scheduled at the Party Tree in Bag End and I took her there so she could get all the Stable Masters along the way. Then we decided to go see Weather Top, even though we were only 12th level. I had been there before with my higher level character and figured we could slip past the mobs without much fighting. It was hard, but with a lot of care, i led her there with my 12th level Lore Master.

Weather Top is awesome in its shear size and the scenery from the clefts is beautiful. After making the summit we started getting adventurous on the way back down, exploring around its slopes. We ran up on a couple of wandering orcs, one at a time, and barely defeated them. But then our luck ran out, we were overrun and defeated.

Back in Bree we were deciding which quest we would work on next. I suggested we try and make for Rivendell. My highest level character is 16 and I have never been further out than Weather Top. The Lone Lands is a dangerous place and Trollshaws is even worse with mobs over 30th level. We knew on that trip fighting would not be an option. But we were feeling lucky, so we decided to give it a shot. I switched to my 16th level Dwarf Guardian and my wife played her 12th level Dwarf Champion and we were soon riding out to the Forsaken Inn to begin our adventure.

The Orcs of the Lone Lands were not a problem now with my 16th level Guardian along. We quickly dispatched any that strayed too close to the road. My Guardian could draw their attacks with his shield bash allowing the lower level Champion to slice them up without being overwhelmed by their attacks. Soon the two dwarves began to rely more on stealth and tactics. The mobs were increasing in level and fighting was no longer an option.

We came upon Trolls wandering the road, huge bears, wargs, and things even worse. After passing the Fords of Bruinen there was no longer a road to follow and the mobs were becoming too densely packed in the narrow mountain passes to slip past. The wolves at that level, 38+, were invisible until they attacked. Bears roamed in packs, other more evil things lurked around every pass. We made several attempts to slip through the mountain passes but being spotted by anything meant quick defeat. There was no clear path to Rivendell, only a labyrinth of passes among the mountains filled with enemies more than twice our level. But Dwarves are tough and not easily turned back.

Standing on a hill, surrounded by 35th level bears, recovering from our last defeat, the dwarven couple decided the only hope was to run for their lives. Stealth, for a Dwarven Guardian and a Dwarven Champion, both in chainmail, was not much of an option and fighting their way through was impossible. We consulted our maps and were off, running as fast as we could with the defender in front to draw agro, if possible, off the champion. Running up through the mountainous passes, bears growling as we fled by, wolves appearing on the Guardians flanks snapping and taking pursuit. The Guardian was able to draw enough agro and pull away the mobs so that the champion got through; but the guardian, slowed by his injuries, was overtaken and defeated. Yet in the chaos the female dwarf had found the pass into Imladris and for the moment was hiding in safety.

Back on the hill, surrounded by bears, recovering from his defeat, my dwarf prepared for his run. This time I had a direction, I could follow the trail of Hildagard on my mini map. Running through the mountains felt like the run to Rivendell by Frodo in the book. There were wolves and bears in pursuit, trolls were throwing rocks as I passed, it was exhilarating. Running through packs of bears, diving off clefts, dodging mobs, trying to stay on course and not get drawn into a dead end pass, then at last jumping over a ravine to loose a warg who had quickly taken me to almost no health I found myself on the path to Rivendell. Then I saw my wife and we were together again and safe. We went victoriously into Rivendell and at last entered into the Last Homely House and bowed before Elrond and Gandalf.
Man this game rocks ;-) My wife and i are having a blast in beta.

[Lieva]

im still trying to decide what char to play

Hobbit of cause
but burgler or loreteller?

hmm

tbh none of the classes seem that brilliant to me - i just like the idea of the game

Love the idea of being in a battle in which the town is distroyed and every time you go back on that char it is distroyed

[Gandelf]

In the absence of any damage-dealing Mage class, I think I'll create a Hunter (Elf of course). I prefer classes that do ranged damage, rather than melée, so the Hunter is the most attractive choice for me. The Loremaster is not really a damage-dealing caster, but more of a healing/pet class, which I don't find as appealing.