Rohan, Limlight, runes

Tags

Lord of the rings online, loremaster, Lotro, runekeeper

Lord of the rings online

I have been really busy with Great River and Rohan. First, Great River and Limlight Gorge. Managed to finish all deeds here. Limlight Gorge was easier: I ran 2 dailies, then turned in taskboard items, finally – hunted Huorns for taskboard items and reputation. And it worked – now I am Kindred.

Rohan is fascinating. There are stories everywhere, you could almost feel what NPCs feel. You are involved into things that happen. A perfect region, for me – the best that Lotro has. Wildermore is “so-so”, Gondors, Ithiliens are blank, Wastes are of zero involvement. Only Mordor could compete with Rohan.

And then I wanted to try some new class. My Gosh, this was kind of adventure.

First, Dwarf Runekeeper. Too long starting quests. Almost total lack of DPS, any enemy required at least 10 (if not 12 or more) attacks. I had two weak attacks, one medium attack and one heal. Ok, Runekeeper is wrong, tried Elf runekeeper. Same crap. Wise player told to try Stoutaxe. Tried it – same crap, even had to use heals half the time. My attacks were mostly Damage-over-Time.

Runekeeper deleted. Tried Loremaster. Squishy, relying on Bear and most of times Bear running low on health. Sorry, no love for squishy class with tiny dps. Deleted.

Runekeeper is not for me and would never be for me. It has cool name, nice animations and maybe even story behind that class. What RK lacks is one unimportant thing: DPS. While Burglar has some 30 points per attack, Runekeeper has maybe 6. Any low level class can outperform RK. I felt no excitement to play such class, first thought was – “ok, this needs to be valared to enjoy low-lvl areas”.

A pity. Now I run low lvl. Burglar, called Zhuraza, just to enjoy that class. Pity, Burglar uses no bows.

And so my adventures continue, just without squishy classes that have no dps.

Great River

Tags

Great River, Lord of the rings online, Lotro

Lord of the rings online

Epic quest has finally redirected me to Great River. In shor – having a blast there. So many stories, tales and – Rohan is here – choices.

Elven girl romance with Rohirrim. Tragic, yet interesting. Then – Stangard troubles, as story unfolds, as we see what a real problem Grima became. So much running, yet – no boredom. I was to understand local troubles. Finally, confrontation with Theoden’s envoy, Stangard is safe. It was interesting to hear more about what Great River is and why Rohan law is active here (even if region is not Rohan proper).

First choices: banish shades of oathbreakers or let them redempt their sins. I chose the last, Dunland emissary was grumpy and I lost kindred with Dunland. Have to re-grind it again. Then – quest to locate missing rider. A Nazgul. His fell beast on the ground, rider missing – now it’s up to me to do several quests and confront Ringwraith.

I really enjoy Great River. Some quests – yes – may be skipped of reading. Go, kill 10 brigands, bring me 6 fangs of wild cat: boring. Others make sense, like that shade who took treasures and betrayed Gondor.

So – my adventure continues, I am satisfied with almost everything I meet.

Prison again

Tags

Lord of the rings online, Lotro

Lord of the rings online

Zharaza resumed epic quests. This time I braved imprisoment. Treacherous Lheu Brenin, be he cursed sold me to Isengard.

And then it was long run. Go there, talk here, rush over here, kill 10 rats, carry weapons, talk to orc, carry armour, talk to orc, carry armour… Finally, I managed to plot escape (before that poisoned some Orcs) and exact revenge upon treacherous Falcon clan.

Now epic takes me to Theodred and his riders, their doomed assault against Isengard. I know how it would go, yet I have to take this burden. After that – quickly do everything in Nan Curunir, finish all Dunland deeds and forget this too big and too long region for good.

Of course, Zharaza was terrified to know that Saruman the Wise, friend of Rohan, ally to Dunlendings has turned into evil jailor who abandoned wisdom. No doubt, it is the Ring he wants to make. And no doubt, Sauron the Kind must be informed about such treachery…

I am happy to be that close to finishing Dunland. It takes really too long. And is a bit of tragic. I enjoyed Acca’s story, it was really nice. I realise Theodred’s line is really impressive, yet sad.

The day has ended. More adventures awaits me.

Missions again

Tags

Lord of the rings online, Lotro

Lord of the rings online

Zharaza did some 5 missions, completed meta-quest, chose to receive toon-advancing items. Well, received reputation tome plus 1000 virtue xp. Virtue xp is worthless, would gladly exchange it to, say, 1 gold. Or 10 taskboard items.

Stormsong managed to talk about great and shiny land of freedom – Mordor. About Orcs, who are warriors in quest for honour and glory. About Orcs culture where worst insult is “One who does not read books”.

And that was it. I am still unwilling to sent Zharaza to prison and grind maybe 30 quests there. These are un-interesting, even if lore appropriate.

So the day has ended, a bit lazy in Lotro.

Prison chimeras

Tags

Chimeraland, Lord of the rings online, Lotro

Lord of the rings online

Zharaza was the only active. Logged in, turned in taskboard items. Took some Missions, finished quest to finish 10 missions. Logged off.

World was full of heavy talk about roleplay, so I largely ignored it. Then, it turned into discussion about “evil Chinese misusing face recognition technology”. Not interested in it – what Chinese do, let remain in China.

I am still very, very unwilling to resume epic. It would be about my Stoutaxe in Saruman’s prison and escaping, even if at some cost.

Chimeraland

Turns out, it’s really pay-to-win and is mostly played because of building. Too many negative comments, from clunky UI to rewards for “First Purchase”. A pity, I thought about trying it.

Yet Chimeraland clearly proves one thing: mmo with huge building options may be succesfull. Looks like people want to build, do their best or worst. Character creating is main source of “let’s try it”, basically creating…hybrids (if not to say monstrosities).

What about chimeras?

Tags

Chimeraland, Lord of the rings online, Lotro

Lord of the rings online

No activity. Stormsong ranted about Sauron the Great, got info about Bugan event (alas, instance with bugans has to be on-level…no one shotting). Zharaza practiced on unlucky Training dummy and got one deed finished (+5 Lotro points).

Other than that – no activity. Do not want to rush.

Chimeraland

New title in market. Mobile-PC, open world PvE title. I looked at videos and gosh, impressions are mixed. Idea to tame wild animals that you normally would kill is nice. Or idea to mix whatever animals you want into one super-monster. Free building of your own base. PvP only in one island (or should you go outside your continent without some pre-quests).

But then it comes energy meter – looks like every action costs some. Deplete and probably here you are, helpless within wilds (or you could visit shop, of course). Then you must eat all the time, so I presume half of inventory would always be flooded with food. Random events that may easily kill you.

Graphic: all one can say it that it does exist. Sometimes really bad. Sometimes nice.

I wish to try this strange new chimera mmo…and still not sure if it is wise.

Incoming downgrade

Tags

Lord of the rings online, Lotro

Lord of the rings online

Zharaza turned in taskboard items.

Stormsong ran few instances, grinded LI xp runes – still not enough to get LI reward track to lvl.100 and get mountaneering goat. I sent Naktieskarys to one instance. Champion performed poorly, yet looted another rune and hurray – mount is mine. With this, activities ended.

And only then did I get info about incoming update. Changes are mostly irrelevant for 99% population.

What us relevant: LI xp runes are almost wiped from instances. Now there is absolutely no way to advance LI track at any speed. High levels needs tens of millions xp for one level. Low levels need less, yet de facto would not be able to use runes (because of absence). Then, raids in landscape cannot share quests and benefit from kills. What to do with raid-level Roving Threats, our developers did not explain.

In short, yet another significant decrease of quality of life. Which is logical for people who did not, are not and would not playing their own game, have little ideas on how things actually work. Did they ever try to get some 10 million just for one “reward track” level and get worthless “tracery token”? Of course, not. They see Excel datasheets only. Not players’ reaction.

Speaking on players – ill famous Lotro haters forum went off. When adress is typed, it finally shows “Offline” text. Good to hear this hate and mocking has ended.

As for me – well, LI “reward” track does not exist for me. To get some 10 million xp for one level is near to impossible. Rewards are some 30% usable (runes, high-quality Scripts), other 70% are trash (tracery tokens). I wish developers abandon this “track” and wipe out all LI xp runes.

And so the laaaazy day has ended.

Theodred and runes

Tags

Lord of the rings online, Lotro

Lord of the rings online

Felt a bit lazy, so Zharaza just turned in taskboard items for Theodred riders. Yes, that’s just 7 times – but still better than zero or boring repeatables.

Stormsong ran two Moria instances to grind LI experience runes. These two instances provide a really nice income of LI runes. Nice and easy. Grind all runes, deposit to shared vault, use on lvl.45 toon – enjoy Reward track advancing.

No more activities. Dunland means just too much quests. Endless ones.

Dun-landing

Tags

Lord of the rings online, Lotro

Lord of the rings online

My Zharaza was active. Dunland has so many quests and deeds one could easily get lost. Do this in settlement A, then explore region A, after that move to settlement B and explore it…all while doing Dunland slayer deeds.

Helping Falcon clan is done, I have to return to Lheu Brenin (spoilers: and go to prison for some 18 quests…). I decided to finish what I can – so now am questing for Rohirrim while turning in tasks. After all, Theodred riders are task-repeatable faction.

Which left me with one choice: should I move to Nan Curunir before imprisoment or should I escape first? I was more inclined towards “escape first”, wise folks told the same. It’s decided then: prison-escape tandem first, ruining all around former prison later. So it started – go there, kill that, return to kill more then kill some more… What is good – valuable taskboard items, I hoard them to reach Kindred with Theodred as soon as possible.

When I finish all, except Nan-Curunir, I would have to go to prison. Treacherous Falcon clan, you deserve to be exterminated, all of you!

Stormsong was approached by one former kinnie. Asked why I left – I reluctantly told. Let “the past be in the past”, as Elsa sang. Turns out there were more events when I left and now they are active. Good for House of Wrath.

And so weekend has ended, quite good and active in Lotro.

Evil Horse-lords

Tags

Lord of the rings online, Lotro

Lord of the rings online

Enedwaith finally done, I could turn in some tasks, then practice torturing unlucky Training Dummy and finish some class deeds. Things are just perfect with these deeds.

And then I decided to move to Dunland. First stop – Stag Clan village. Nearby Outcasts wanted to attack village, so I dealt with them.

Village itself: weak clan, no defenses of village, old leader who respects traditions (and his people doesn’t). I aided them: killed some animals, then wolves, then collected various stuff – luckily, no droppings – and finally, it waas ceremony time. From it, I knew how evil Horselords drove Dunlendings from their rightfull lands and that this should never be forgotten. Also, it became clear Dunland is not united for various clans fight amongst themselves and Stag clan was probably the weakiest. Settled in the lands nobody wanted.

To make things worse, some villagers were killed and I knew about incoming attack. Unlucky Stag clan, you have more troubles to face.

But this is for future questing. I do not force-rush through region. Let me enjoy moments, explore world as curious Zharaza.

The day has ended. War with evil clans and Rohirrim has just begun.