How is Lord of the Rings Online for Solo play nowdays?

[ChrisGrenard]

About a month ago there was a significant patch that affected the xp grind within the game. In the same way that WoW did a long time ago, the developers wanted to shift everything to make it easier to level. So with that in mind, and knowing about how many solo-type players we have here, I thought I'd give my impressions of the game at this point.

Q. How's the grind?

A. Very, very easy at this point. You can play through areas pretty quickly, completing probably less than half of the quests per area before you need to go. The human starting area, in particular, takes probably under 2 hours to actually get to level 10. This, in turn, is excellent for a few of the classes.

Q. Is it solo friendly?

A. Depends on the class, but in general yes. Warden is supremely solo-friendly, as it's a tank/dps/self healing class. Minstrel is still probably the hardest to solo with, but it's not bad at all. Just slower.

Q. What was that about the level 10 thing?

A. Many of the classes start out very weak. Captain and Burglar in particular. They don't get their class-centric abilities till 10, so the time before that is somewhat meh. That's why the faster grind to there is nice.

Q. How about after 10?

It's still pretty easy all the way till you get to stuff like Esteldin (25+) or Trollshaws (30+) at which point you might have to actually take your first group of more than 2 people. Not for that many quests, mind you, but the "Book" quests (aka, the storyline quests that give the best rewards and sorta guide you through the game) will start needing a larger group then.

Q. How's the economy?

A. Honestly, somewhat weak for everything under level 50. It's not bad around level 30-40, but especially the weapons and armor market at 45-50 is terrible, as all that stuff pretty much got invalidated by the patch. Beryl shards, once the greatest crafting items ever, are now sold for a fraction of the cost of the same sorta items for the level 30 crafting. However, after you get to the new area you'll find it works great up at the level 50+ stuff.

Q. Do you recommend the game?

A. Overall, yes. If you haven't played it, I find the focus on a rather authentic-feeling Lord of the Rings universe to be quite nice. That said, if you're more into it for storyline than anything else, it could well be more useful to you to play to about level 40 right now, cancel your account, wait for another expansion or two then resume at that time. The cost of the game itself is VERY cheap (like 20 dollars with the expansion!), so really the monthly cost is the only thing you should be concerned with.

Q. Final question: How's the Legendary Weapons in the expansion?

A. Fun but overrated. You literally pick up HUNDREDS of legendary weapons, which you tend to mostly break down and turn into little "Runes" for further stat stuff.

[ChrisGrenard]

Some followup things I thought up:

Q. What class would you play if you were just starting out?

A. Champion is fun, as is Warden and Rune-Keeper (the two newest). Hunter is also pretty good, but it's almost startling how bad their Hand-to-Hand is.

Q. What server is Chris on?

A. Jeikh and Elwood (Roommate and myself) are on Elendilmir. Most of the other OO'ers are on another server that I cannot recall the name to.

Q. I like music?

A. YES YOU DO! The ingame music system is amazing. Long story short, visit The Fat Lute and learn how to play ".abc" files which are awesome. I have about 120 songs in my library, and nothing beats playing "All I Want" by The Offspring on a lute.

[Enigma]

I'm thinking about resubbing to check out the warden class and the game world now. If I want to try the expansion (I already own the initial game) do I just buy the complete edition here: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001FS ... d_i=507846 and get the expansion? Can I just add that serial # to my account? Will I get a free month with it?

I tried to upgrade my current subscription directly from turbine and they wanted $29.99 to get the expansion. What is the best way to do it?

[ChrisGrenard]

Yeah, buy the boxed Moria. Not only does it have the expansion (which Turbine wants 30 dollars for) it also has a month free (which Turbine would like another 15 dollars for).

I did it the sucker way.

[Enigma]

Thanks for the fast reply Chris. I would like to give my money directly to turbine and cut out the middle man, but I just can't give up an extra $25 to do it. Pity, I have to wait for the game to arrive once I order it....that is my opportunity cost I guess.

[godhugh]

Landroval is where all the OOers are. LOTRO really is an excellent game and probably my favorite traditional MMORPG. I've got my new Warden up to lvl 42 and it's been a ton of fun. Looking forward to getting a little bit higher and finally seeing Moria and Lothlorien.

[hepcat]

I just recently resubbed to see what was up. At first I was overwhelmed with the number of changes since last I played (which was last summer). There's been a staggering amount of content added since then. I had quit after reaching 40 with my man burglar (heh...man burglar) when I discovered a distinct lack of skills and things to do at that level and beyond. Since that time, Turbine has turned it around.

I'm on landroval with the Eyes of the Watcher. I know a few of us have returned recently. My main is Dagg (the aforementioned man burglar...heh). But I've been having a blast with a Warden.

[ChrisGrenard]

One other note for higher level chaps. At 45 I recommend you go to the new area south of the Trollshaws. It's pretty much level city down there, prepping people for the entrance into Moria. The grind from 42-45 took forever, then 45-50 was REALLY short.

[hepcat]

One other note for higher level chaps. At 45 I recommend you go to the new area south of the Trollshaws. It's pretty much level city down there, prepping people for the entrance into Moria. The grind from 42-45 took forever, then 45-50 was REALLY short.

excellent, thanks! i'm going to hit 45 tonight, as a matter of fact.

p.s. should i access this new area through trollshaws?

[ChrisGrenard]

Yeah, down near where you trapped Gollum (or tried to) there's a road that goes up the side of the mountain. Follow it to the new area.

[hepcat]

thanks, i'll do that tonight!

[Blackhawk]

Hunter is also pretty good, but it's almost startling how bad their Hand-to-Hand is.

LotRO hunter = WoW mage. Pure ranged DPS.

[Daehawk]

I actually won a copy of the game with the Moria addon from Warcry a while back but haven't got back to the game yet. I was in beta. In beta I was one of the first to figure out the music system and play midi files in game on the intruments. great fun to have a crowd around you dancing and such.

Anyways how crowded is it? would be my most want to know question. I like a lot of people around me and to play with. Is the starting areas bare now?

And Minstrel being tough to play saddens me because I like to play the music so much.

[ChrisGrenard]

Well, my main is a minstrel, and it's pretty doable if you spec yourself for it. Just slow to kill stuff. The solo instances can be done in half the time by my roommate that they take me.

The game is moderately crowded right now. Opening areas are decent, but sometimes hard to get a group together for the fellowship quests (which, again, are really not needed at all anymore for leveling). In Moria, though, it's VERY crowded. Lots of people out there.

[godhugh]

If you go with Brandywine or Landroval you will have no problems getting a group at any level. Also, you can play the instruments with any character type.

[ChrisGrenard]

If you go with Brandywine or Landroval you will have no problems getting a group at any level. Also, you can play the instruments with any character type.

Hmm..... semi-true on that second part.

Okay, so Minstrel's naturally can play every instrument (some have level requirements though). However, almost all non-minstrel classes can play 3, all of which include Lute (the best anyway). Furthermore, a Minstrel, for 500 silver, can produce a training book to train you on new instruments. But this only adds another 3 or 4 instruments you can play. A non-minstrel will never get access to, say, either the cowbell or bagpipes via this training.

Not that you really want those normally. My cowbell rendition of "Peace of Mind" was so bad I stopped it within 5 seconds.

[Fuzzballx]

Wait, you can play bagpipes in game?

Suddenly i'm a little more interested:) But i wouldn't wanna play a minstrel...sad...but for lack of good games, i may try this game now anyhow. I havnt tried it since Beta!

[ChrisGrenard]

Here's an example song I found that includes bagpipes.

[Smoove_B]

Interesting. I picked up a copy of the original game on the cheap. I had no idea there was an expansion...though in retrospect, that's probably why I was able to get a copy of the base game so cheap.

I too was in the beta but didn't feel it had enough going for it at the time to justify a subscription. Jesus...was that really two years ago? Good lord.

I should have some time in the next three weeks to give it a good effort. Thanks for the writeup.

[YellowKing]

I recently resubbed and joined the Eyes of the Watcher on Landroval. Having a great time (though unfortunately have been very busy so haven't played as much as I'd like to). If I'm being honest with myself, LOTRO was my favorite modern MMO behind EQ2 - the only reason I quit when I did was due to lack of content at the high end. Of course with Moria out (and a bunch of new areas added), that's no longer valid.

The best thing about it is that no MMO comes close to it in terms of storytelling - it really is a blast to visit places from the book and feel like you're helping the Fellowship on their quest.

The community (at least from my experience on Landroval) is outstanding and very mature. I've had no problem finding pickup groups, and most of the ones I've grouped with have been very friendly.

[tylertoo]

Hunter is also pretty good, but it's almost startling how bad their Hand-to-Hand is.

LotRO hunter = WoW mage. Pure ranged DPS.

My hunter is also a scholar, and I recently sent him on a scholar quest, solo, that was meant for a fellowship and a level or two above his. I sniped all the way, hiding behind trees and picking off members of a pack of wolves carefully so as not to draw a mob. I moved in verrry slowly and finally took out the pack leader, grabbed the quest item and high-tailed it back to town. I love the hunter class.

[neofit]

The best thing about it is that no MMO comes close to it in terms of storytelling - it really is a blast to visit places from the book and feel like you're helping the Fellowship on their quest.

The instances with scripted sequences and a story were pretty good. Unfortunately I couldn't experience much within groups, people always try run through it and I don't have time to read any kind of text nor smell the roses. The best times in LoTRO were, AFAIC, when I could do the instances alone, being a few levels above. But unfortunately this over-leveling voided the material rewards. And a bit too many outside quests that gave good rewards were group-only too.

I've never had any problems soloing (i.e. leveling) at release, up to the mid-thirties when I quit, but I wished they opened those story instances to solo players. And, assuming a defensive position here, before people go again into the "Fellowship" thingy, I am playing the Fellowship of ''I want to pay at my own pace and schedule and pay money for it".

[Chaz]

I had the same issue with the storyline quests, where I wanted to actually figure out what I was doing and why, but the groups I was in always wanted to just bowl through them.

I did love playing my lute. I never used the autoplay trick because that's cheating. You could actually get some good-sounding improv songs by just doing arpeggios with one hand and playing a melody with the other. I'd frequently draw a crowd.

I keep thinking I might want to grab the expansion and re-sub. Depending on how much time I find myself with over the summer, I may do that.

[tru1cy]

So I picked this up today and I'm looking to join a Fellowship. I had a Captain, but I think I'll try a new class to see how the new toons play. Anyway, can Iget into the fellowship?

[ChrisGrenard]

A fellowship implies the current group of 6 or less people working on a quest. You probably mean kinship, which is the whole guild-thing.

[hepcat]

Sheesh, take one wrong turn on your way to Eregion from Trollshaws and you end up swimming down countless dead end rivers.... Finally made it though.

Is Moria strictly doable only by fellowships? or does it include some solo play stuff?

[ChrisGrenard]

Moria is primarily solo, actually. About the same fellowship ratio as the rest of the game. Maybe higher once you hit the highest level stuff, of course.

[CSL]

Dammit. You people really need to play on Nimrondel with all the QT3 people. We got at least half a dozen people on every night and two dozen on every Monday for the dedicated Monday night festivities.

[godhugh]

Dammit. You people really need to play on Nimrondel with all the QT3 people. We got at least half a dozen people on every night and two dozen on every Monday for the dedicated Monday night festivities.

Yeah, but I have 2 lvl 50's, a host of Grand Master crafters, and about 100g on Landroval. It would be kinda hard to start over with nothing.

[tru1cy]

Well, I've got my Warden, Forgge, up to lvl 13. Looking to join the fellowship on Landoval. Been looking out for folks, but I don't think the /who system is working when I look for the OO guild. it might be that no one is online. Can I get a kinship invite?

[euriyggdrasil]

Okay, so Minstrel's naturally can play every instrument (some have level requirements though). However, almost all non-minstrel classes can play 3, all of which include Lute (the best anyway). Furthermore, a Minstrel, for 500 silver, can produce a training book to train you on new instruments. But this only adds another 3 or 4 instruments you can play. A non-minstrel will never get access to, say, either the cowbell or bagpipes via this training.

Not that you really want those normally. My cowbell rendition of "Peace of Mind" was so bad I stopped it within 5 seconds.

Actually, anyone can be trained on any instruments. The minstrel manuals on how to train people in certain instruments are very rare drops, and are often 4G+ on AH. Any minstrel that knows how to play that same instrument can read the manual on how to train that instrument.

Well, I've got my Warden, Forgge, up to lvl 13. Looking to join the fellowship on Landoval. Been looking out for folks, but I don't think the /who system is working when I look for the OO guild. it might be that no one is online. Can I get a kinship invite?

Message me on Eureth, Euri, or Urdis. If not, message Lia, Liaura, Minuette, or Esmorand and tell them that Euri said it was ok too invite.

[Daehawk]

I still have hope to play this. The other day I spent 3 hours just reading the wikis on all the LotR characters, the story, and the movies and such. After that I had a huge hunger to play this. Instead I downloaded Runes of Magic and made a Arwen and Strider character