"Newbie" Adivce Needed on Questing in General

[LordMichaelPrescott]

I have just gotten to Chapter 1 in Bree (as a Level 16 Dwarf), and am ready to start Aragorn's first quest. On the way to Bree, I did not do much questing in the Shire, although I did do a bit. Is it worth it to go "back" and do a bit of questing there?

Any and all advice is appreciated.

[LagunaD]

You will not find quests awarding any meaningful amount of XP to you in the Shire at Level 16.

You may eventually want to do some Shire quests for the virtues deed. Whether you do this now or later is entirely up to you.

If your goal is leveling, the Shire is not the place to go at Level 16 though.

[Techman10]

The Shire is the starting area for hobbits, just like Ered Luin is the starting area for dwarves (and elves in that little corner). All the different race prologue quests point you toward Bree when you finish them (hence Chapter 1 in Bree).

As the poster before me said, the xp from doing the quests will be negligible since you are past them level-wise. That being said, I would highly recommend going through the area at some point just to get a feel for the zone. I think it's really well done with most of the hobbits in their self-absorbed little world, but with rumblings of danger on the outskirts.

Also, but particularly if you're free-to-play, you'll eventually want to "grind" through the area at some point anyway to complete the deeds in the area, which will net you TP and virtues. Pretty much every area has some standard deeds associated with them: Complete x many quests, kill x many wolves (or bugs, orcs, brigands, etc), find x many landmarks/ruins in the area.

My suggestion is to keep going with the epic story for now, but if you get bored/stuck/sick of what you're doing (I tend to need a break in the Lone-Lands...so BROWN) then head on over to the Shire for a quick break while still collecting TP and virtues.

[LagunaD]

Indeed, the Shire is by far the best of the starting areas IMO, at least flavor-wise (the quest flow is a bit scattered, but you tend not to mind since it's the Shire) and unlike the other areas, it has never needed or received a revamp since the game launched. (Ered Luin, on the other hand, has had two complete make-overs and is still awful, AFAIC)

Personally I would recommend any new player starting in Ered Luin to swift travel to the Shire as soon as you are out of the intro instance (when you arrive at the Michel Delving stable master, head north to Little Delving to start questing).

[LordMichaelPrescott]

Thanks for the replies. I am indeed a free-to-play player. I'm thinking of starting an Elf Hunter as my second character. I prefer to play solo, and will only join fellowships as required by the main quest line (or for "big" quest stuff). Is an Elf Hunter a good solo character?

Also, is there a list of the many and different deeds you can get in specific areas on the web somewhere? Any and all help is appreciated.

[ertr]

Thanks for the replies. I am indeed a free-to-play player. I'm thinking of starting an Elf Hunter as my second character. I prefer to play solo, and will only join fellowships as required by the main quest line (or for "big" quest stuff). Is an Elf Hunter a good solo character?

Also, is there a list of the many and different deeds you can get in specific areas on the web somewhere? Any and all help is appreciated.

All race/class combinations are good for solo play, although some classes are a bit easier than others but which ones are best can change over time as various updates to the game adjust the classes.
Which race you choose has very little effect on the gameplay after the first few levels.

For much information about deeds, quests, and a lot of other stuff see lotro-wiki.com

[Calta]

There are some racial trait bonuses that mildly benefit some combinations-the elf sword and bow bonuses for example. Hobbits get an extra play dead skill, another. But these are slight in the overall scheme of things.

The main difference when you start in my opinion, is ranged or melee. Single target versus area of effect skills, maybe another decision for you.
For example, Hunters are mostly single target, ranged dps fighters, and fairly straight forward and Champions are sturdier, melee aoe/multiple target dps.

The lotro-wiki is your greatest resource for how to's on quests etc. Class forums here are good for specific questions.

Highly simplified Class overview:
Guardians are traditional 'meat shields' tanks -tough but a littler slower to mow things down. Wardens are probably the most powerful solo class, when played well but are harder to learn-they can mow stuff down or bleed it to death while healing themselves. A halfway decent memory (either muscle or mental) is required to learn the gambits. (Some people still are wary of warden tanks. But if you don't plan on grouping for a while that probably won't matter.)

Some of the support classes are more of a mixture. Loremasters and Captains have pets, can buff, LM's can crowd control and do aoe dps, and captains can heal and off-tank for example.

Minstrels and Rune-keepers do ranged damage and/or healing- they are great fun to solo.

Burglars do many things, including lots of damage, but are more complicated. (Yes I'm fudging-who quite knows what burglars are up to? sneak sneak stab stab.)


By the way, all the classes will be revamped and skills 'simplified' (for some reason) later this year**. No one is quite sure what these changes will be. It seems like you'll have a sub-specialisation to aim for on a basic and limited (limiting?) skill tree that you can change between fights. So, if I were a new player, I'd avoid wardens burglars captains and loremasters for now. They are more complex classes with multiple ways of being played/specialised, and if things are going to change 'soon', you may as well learn these more advanced classes after the class changes have been made to them.

Oh and a note of warning. The forums will likely explode when these changes are made: many longer term players have 'had it' with changes they didn't ask for, and which will require endgamers to change legendary weapons, builds, learn new skills, rotations, etc.... You can see the flickering of the fuse now. I am hoping the changes are as wonderful and effective as the changes to minstrels were a couple of years ago. They were so good, we got used to them very quickly and everyone relaxed once they'd got the hang of being overpowered. So, here's a toast to options: specialisation, flexibilty and customisation!


**Quote from Massively for reasoning:

The class revamp is a major part of the expansion, and Turbine was happy to show us an early version of the new trait tree interface. The team had grown unhappy with two major observations regarding class development: that the early game was too unfocused and lacked choices when it came to class builds, and that the late game ended up featuring classes that were all good at more or less the same things. Hence the desire to give meaningful choices early on with an emphasis on creating memorable and focused builds. "

TL;DR
Try your hunter and if you don't love him/her use them for crafting and try something else

I suggest explorer as your first crafting vocation as this is resource gathering.

[LordMichaelPrescott]

Thanks to all for the advice. I actually prefer to play a melee fighter, but had decided to try a Hunter just for the hell of it. I'm waffling now, based on Calta's post. My main is a Dwarf Champion, which I like a lot. It'll probably come down to a spur-of-the-moment choice between Champion, Guardian and Hunter.

[ertr]

Thanks to all for the advice. I actually prefer to play a melee fighter, but had decided to try a Hunter just for the hell of it. I'm waffling now, based on Calta's post. My main is a Dwarf Champion, which I like a lot. It'll probably come down to a spur-of-the-moment choice between Champion, Guardian and Hunter.

Why not try one of each? Even as a free-to-play player you can have two characters on each server, and since there are something like 20+ servers you can easily try all classes before deciding which one(s) you want to continue levelling with.

[LordMichaelPrescott]

Why not try one of each? Even as a free-to-play player you can have two characters on each server, and since there are something like 20+ servers you can easily try all classes before deciding which one(s) you want to continue levelling with.

Oh wow, I didn't know you were allowed two characters PER SERVER! This is good news for experimentation! Thanks so much for this tidbit.

[Techman10]

My first character was a dwarf champ too! And my second was an elf hunter. I like being able to kill the mobs before they can get to me, though you'll want to pull only 1 or 2 at a time, since you're much squishier than a champ.

After that, though, I became an alt-oholic and now I have one of every class spread out across two different servers.

I tend so solo frequently as well, since my play times are erratic. After having taken each class to at least level 20, this is my opinion of the solo-ability of each class:
(*Disclaimer* Warden and Rune Keeper classes are not immediately available to F2P players. You have to either get them individually for TP or as part of the Moria Expansion for real money (or buttloads of TP))

Champ and Hunter kill things the fastest, plus hunter gets lots of nice quick-travel skills.

Warden has good DPS and good self-heals as well to keep you up and fighting. The morale taps are particularly fun...you heal yourself by taking the morale from your enemies! They also have quick-travel skills like the hunter. The combat mechanics take a good bit of memorizing, though.

Minstrel and Rune Keeper do surprisingly well solo for healers. You'll take more of a beating since you're super squishy, but you can heal yourself up immediately between fights instead of waiting for your health to creep back up.

Guards and Captains are heavy armored melee types as well, but their focus is not on DPS, so they kill things a bit more slowly. I love bashing enemies with my shield or swinging a massive halberd around. These guys really shine in groups, but that means when you're not in groups, it kinda feels like something's missing.

Lore Masters and Burglars take the most planning before fights. If you just run in and start hitting things, you'll die pretty quick. This makes me feel like they take more time to get through content. They are both masters of CC and debuffing, and are extremely handy in a group, but they're a lot easier to play when the bad guys are focused on someone else.

[LordMichaelPrescott]

I like my Dwarf Champion, however, in RPG's where you have a choice, I have always strongly preferred the sword and shield approach, and Champions don't allow shields. I've been exploring my options, and I think I'm going to go with a Hobbit Guardian. Just the thought of a small hobbit being this buffed up tank brings a bit of a smile to me! I also can't resist starting in the Shire, as from what I've seen exploring as my dwarf, it is a great location - green, sprawling and you kind of start off like in the films, in the Shire.

[EmyrSelyf]

and Champions don't allow shields.

. . .It seems this changed in late 2011. But Champs are kinda fun anyway.

[LordMichaelPrescott]

If Champions ARE allowed shields now, where do you go to train for them? None of the armorsmiths seem to do it.

Thanks for any and all help.

[ertr]

If Champions ARE allowed shields now, where do you go to train for them? None of the armorsmiths seem to do it.

Thanks for any and all help.

Champions cannot use shields currently. They used to be able to use shields once upon a time, but that was changed quite some time ago.

[YamydeAragon]

Everybody go back to quest to the Shire, regardless how much they swear that they will not do so. The reason is the deeds & you will need them. If you are FTP you will never get too much deeds cause you will need all TP that you can get to unlock all game services & quests packs in the game. So do it now or do it later, is up to you. Warning: later means to die of boredom cause everything at Shire will be too low level.

[DanDonfender]

If you F2P I advice you, not only go back to the Shire, but also to Ered Luin.

You will need all the TP-s you can collect by deeds.

I started to like the classes after level 20, so do not be unhappy if at the begining you do not like a char, and 1 more thing, for me the game come very boring between level 35-45, but at 45 you can start Moria, which I think gives you much better game feeling.

[LordMichaelPrescott]

If you F2P I advice you, not only go back to the Shire, but also to Ered Luin.

You will need all the TP-s you can collect by deeds.

I started to like the classes after level 20, so do not be unhappy if at the begining you do not like a char, and 1 more thing, for me the game come very boring between level 35-45, but at 45 you can start Moria, which I think gives you much better game feeling.

Free player have access to Moria?!

[Crell_1]

Only the epic quests in moria are free. Moria is an expansion everyone has to buy.

[hucklebarry]

I fully quest in the shire (and all lands) regardless of level or sub type.

XP (the xp may be trival, but even gray quests give xp).
Coin (even at level 16, the shire gives money enough for needed skill upgrades/travel/etc.
Task items (for task deed and rep while on level).
Mob deeds.
Discovery deeds.
Meta deeds.
Reputation items/deeds.
Tier 1 mats. (I like to craft along the way. Its a pain to hit level cap and then have to grind 7 tiers of crafting all over the world when you want an item - some of these also sell well because its a pain to hit level cap and then have to grind 7 tiers of crafting to get the item you want :P Hint, sell to lazy people if you don't need).
Bounder bags, anniversary tokens, etc. drop from all mobs.
Story is pretty good.
scenery is worth exploring.
Exploring opens up the stable routes that you will need later.
Talking to vendors, especially rep, allows you to access some otherwise missed items (like nice crafting recipes... know where the anvil recipe is at? )
For any non-grey mobs fighting them advances skill deeds.
Chat varies from zone to zone, you might learn some things or see different runs by holding back in lieu of racing ahead.

[whitering]

Also, in case you ever start a whole new toon, you can run around to all 3 starter areas and pick up their epic quests and other than the initial race intro, you can also do their epic quest lines, which is pretty cool.

[Nosdracir]

Free player have access to Moria?!

Free players have access to the entire landscape of LOTRO and the entire Epic Quest line. Some areas, like Moria or East Angmar, are gated behind Epic Quest lines, so you'll have to complete those epics in order to enter those areas. Of course you'll want to complete the epics for the XP anyway.