Classes
The different classes in LOTRO
[Lore-Master] LM Changes in Vol.3, Bk.1
Feb 4th
Edit: After trying out Bullroarer, I have discovered that the new Air-Lore is a toggle ability able to be used on one person at a time and consumes 4 power/second. The 1% chance to negate 24 damage has been changed to a 100% chance on Common Damage. I’m not sure how much Common Damage tanks are taking these days, but it looks to be useful for them when in raids and for our pets when solo’ing. Much better upgrade than I had originally anticipated in the post below.
Sapience released the preliminary patch notes to Volume III, Book 1 today. Within them are a few mentions of LM changes.
Although most are minor and involve changing tooltips to reflect what is happening, we are getting another Level 64 upgrade. Not a new skill – just an upgrade. This means my lightning skill prediction is still awaiting fulfillment! More >
[Lore-Master] Mirkwood Trait Guide
Jan 15th
As I’ve been adventuring in Mirkwood, I’ve been experimenting with variations of Lore-Master specs to find those which are most useful for whichever activity I’m currently engaged in. I thought I would share with you my preferences and ask for your own if they are different.
First, what are the three main specs? MoNF, KoA, and AM, all three corresponding to our three different trait trees. These are not set in stone. Although these are good for most situations, adjust them as needed. I am assuming you want the capstone legendary trait so have given 5 per tree. Make a hybrid build if you so prefer! These are only suggestions.
Skirmishing
For most skirmishes, I trait MoNF and use my sabertooth tiger. What, that thing? Shocking, I know, but it’s actually useful these days. So many of the skirmishes have groups of mobs that Cracked Earth, Gust of Wind, and Sticky Gourd + a few sabertooth swipes = win.
I prefer to keep Proof Against All Ills for situations where I may get overloaded – being able to remove wounds in combat can sometimes save your life. In a skirmish, that’s 10% of your Skirmish Marks.
Dol Guldur
For each of the three 3-man instances and then Sammath Gul, I trait differently.
Sword Halls
Whether HM or EM, I trait MoNF with Power and Wisdom and Proof Against All Ills. There is really no need to mez any of the mobs here, nor is there need for a flank pet. I’m assuming you are in a group that has someone taking damage and someone able to heal it if necessary.
Warg Pens
This is my favorite of the 3-mans. HM is just a lot of fun I find. Here, I trait KoA with a Bog Lurker. You do not want your AoE abilities from the MoNF tree to kill wargs before they eat the meat, nor do you want to reduce the viability of your CC, since getting overwhelmed with wargs can happen, and a timely mez can save the group. A Bog Lurker also provides good support and flanking for the final boss fight when your role will typically be to get the wargs to eat and kill them.
I keep Power and Wisdom traited for this since the last boss can give your group power troubles. I also keep Proof Against All Ills in order to cure wounds, particularly on the tank.
Dungeons
Here, you will not likely need any long mezzes nor are you going to be in under any survivability strain (presumably). Therefore, go ahead and trait MoNF. The dps will help your group clear out the cells more quickly, and in this long instance, speed is always pleasant. You may wish to use a trait slot for Light of Hope so that you can help top off NPCs in the final fight if necessary.
Sammath Gul
This 6-man instance has a few pulls where CC helps a great deal, so I recommend traiting AM unless your group knows the place and is comfortable simply AoE’ing everything down – if this is the case, spec MoNF and blow things up. I have done it this way, but wouldn’t if I were with people I didn’t know or trust. Your most important moment in the instance is the Gorothul fight. A weak or imbalanced group can be helped so much by your skills here. If traited 4+ AM, you can create a warding circle under the boss to increase damage to him. You are able to keep a troublesome Lore-Master Spirit mezzed the entire fight. You are able to root skeletons away from your minstrel. You can bane flare them. You can send your pet after them. Your Beacon of Hope could save a life (or 2). Your debuffs will ease the kill. Gorothul is a very fun fight for our class because we can just do so many different things. Enjoy it.
Barad Guldur
It’s a raid. Trait AM (unless you’re the second LM). At least through the trash up to the second boss, I have not encountered any wounds or diseases, in which case, Proof Against All Ills is unneeded (will be keeping it just in case until I know the rest of the place though). I recommend you trait Light of Hope and Healer in your two non-AM slots (if PAAI remains unneeded). I have Beacon of Hope continually on cooldown during the first boss fight, and often during the Gauntlet. This will likely change as groups get more geared and experienced, but for the majority of the population, the extra healing will be most welcome.
As of yet, I haven’t been further due to a very busy weekend, but this coming one is looking more promising. I will update recommended traits here as I learn more.
What if I’m not 65 yet?
Then you can do whatever you want! If you prefer the more caster-like spec, go MoNF and simply dps everything down before it does the same to you. If you prefer a more pet-oriented playstyle, spec KoA. Kills will be slower, but you will have more tools at your disposal in nasty situations. Personally, I trait MoNF for the everyday, and KoA if I decide to take on bosses all by myself (moderate dps + survivability).
If you are just starting out with your LM, look for another post later on about which traits to focus on first.
Welcome Adarel!
Jan 8th
I am extremely happy to announce that Adarel has joined the LOTRO Reporter team. She will be writing columns about the Lore-Master class.
I’ve been following Adarel on twitter for a while, and I am also a reader of her blog. I’ve always been impressed with her writing and her approach to writing about games in general. She takes a unique approach to discussing a game and I always enjoy reading her posts.
A few weeks ago, I was lucky enough to take part in and read a Google Wave conversation that she started discussing Morale in LOTRO and whether it was anti-immersive. I was once again impressed with her writing style and her ability to clearly articulate very complex thoughts, which is something that I often struggle with. Her first post will be a summary of this conversation, and I have to say, it’s a very interesting read.
You can look forward to future posts by Adarel discussing the Lore-Master class in many different aspects. I know that I’m looking forward to reading them!
You can find Adarel’s personal blog here.
Welcome Adarel!
Warden Blog
Sep 20th
I was lucky enough to have docholidayj make a couple of comments on my column about keeping threat as a Warden. He made some great comments! In fact, the other night I began putting War-Cry in my rotation to gain threat, and it worked GREAT! I can’t say thank you enough!
As a community, we’re all going to be a little luckier now, as docholidayj has started up his own Blog to discuss Warden. I know that I’ll be checking it out regularly, and I would recommend that you do the same.
You can find his site at http://docholidayj.wordpress.com/
Keep going with the blog! I look forward to learning tons about Warden from you.
See you in game!
c
Threat Generation as a Tank
Sep 18th
As many of you have probably heard on the podcast (found through iTunes or the link on the right of the page), my main is a Warden. I’ve gotten him up to the low level 30s now, and am loving the mechanics of the class, as well as playing a tank in instances. As you can see from some comments in previous posts, Bill and I disagree about the mechanics, as he feels that they need an overhaul to make it easier to remember/know the combinations of attacks needed for Gambits, while I find that they work just fine. To each their own!
Overall in LOTRO, both as a Guardian and a Warden, I’ve found threat generation to be very different in LOTRO than in other games. Maybe I’m doing it wrong, but it is nearly impossible for me to have all of the mobs attacking me, while the DPS in the group attacks my target, then we move to the next target, etc. If we do manage to get all of the mobs attacking me, we often have to have our Rune Keeper move to healing, so that both the Minstrel and the Rune Keeper are healing me. Otherwise, I go down quick.
As far as the Guardian was concerned, I found that it was simply a lack of attacks that would allow me to gain threat. The threat increase attacks that I did have where also reliant on a parry or a block before I could use them. I found it very difficult in a group to get ANY of the mobs to attack me. Maybe I was doing something wrong, but it just didn’t work for me.
When I moved to the Warden as my main, I was ecstatic that I had threat generation attacks almost right away. It made it much easier. However, as we go through the game, and keep running instances, I find that it’s large groups that give me trouble. I just can’t get them all to attack me. If I use all my threat attacks, then I don’t have any of my defense buffs up, and go down quickly. If I use my defense attacks to get those buffs up, the mobs attack the other members of the party.
So, what am I doing wrong? I’ve got my Gambits down pat, so I know which ones give me threat, etc. I have found that Maddening Strike is next to useless. I was trying to use it to transfer the threat from my felllowship members to me, and it didn’t do anything. I ended up just going back to Precise Blow and Piercing Strike to attack single targets, and moving from one to the other to keep them off the healers.
Here is how I see the attack so far: I throw a spear to start the pull. Then I use Piercing Strike on the first mob. Our fellowship attacks my target, and I keep using my Piercing Strike to keep gaining threat, but one of the mobs will move to the healer. I then use Precise Blow or Piercing Strike to pull the mob off of the healer. I also use Goad when I have all of the mobs on me to keep gaining threat. The mobs will then start to attack different members of the fellowship, and it is nearly impossible for me to get the mobs back. We do sometime split things up, however, when we are fighting a boss. We might get our hunter and/or our champion to attacks the adds in the group while I stay on the boss. Otherwise, we usually have the group attack my target.
So, please o wise LOTRO Reporter community: What am I doing wrong?
See you in game.
