LOTRO Players News Episode 152: Update 18 Review

Finished All Far Anórien zone quests
- Did the entire Beacon Hills and rider quests in one day
Still going through the Wildermore Epic Story
Had fun with this week’s Bingo Boffin

Arathaert

Deeded with Karv = lightning deeding.
Sammath Gul-ed a couple times
Roleplay character almost in North Downs

Lilikate

Double Bingo Boffin Fun
The Ninny Hammers with our new Songbook v1.8
Explored Eregion for a good-looking Holly Tree.

Teriadwyn

Resumed Epic Volume 4 on Crickhollow!Teriadwyn during my stream on Sunday, finished up Blackroot Vale and headed into Lamedon.
Joined the Mythgard group for Tuesday fun and Saryssa had a “last burglar standing” moment vs. the spider boss… while traited in yellow!
Ran some Epic Battles with Karv, did better than expected.

Karvett

Epic Binge, Epic Binge, Epic Binge
Watched Wigend “slooooowly solo” the first spider boss in North Cotton Farms
Ran Great Barrows with a first timer on stream

Maven

Ran the Rift with 3 other Grrlz, had a “last hunter standing” moment in the giant’s room (with mediocre help from the peanut gallery); finally killed the Balrog
Watched Karv run the final book of the Epic…it was SO WORTH getting up early!
Got kindred with Riders of Rohan, got the hunter guide to Warsteads, and started saving up for my very own Rider of Rohan pet

Pineleaf

Reached level 105 and completed the current epic story on my Arkenstone warden.
Completed the Battle of Helm’s Deep on my video series Beorning
Finally soloed Breaching the Necromancer’s Gate on the full fellowship setting

News Beyond LOTRO

Middle-earth Video Highlights: The Dragon is Withered

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Reviews

This week we did not receive any reviews.

Featured Comments

Kaleigh Starshine left a comment on last week’s show:

“I am a bit uneasy about posting this, as I do not want anyone to misinterpret what I write here as making light of the Guardian’s plight or the frustrations of its players in any way. But I think a juxtaposition may help reveal how badly Burglars are in need of help.

Whereas Guardians are one of the many classes that can solo group content, Burglars are often excluded from such content, with extreme prejudice. The very few who play Burglars at endgame now and wish to equip them usually go through the instances and raids with other classes, and then switch to their Burglar to bring them into the instance before the chests are opened, to have a chance for their loot.

Whereas Guardians now have one trait line that is subpar, all three of the Burglar lines are absolutely anemic, and since all three do virtually the same things, Burglars are the least able of all the classes to adapt to their circumstance, an odd reality for a ‘rogue’ class which would normally have the opposite reputation.

Whereas Guardians save their fellowships time and time again, success in group endeavors comes in spite of a Burglar’s presence, and failure often because of it. Not necessarily because of poor play, mind you, but simply due to the hard limits that shackle the class and the absolute metamorphosis of the game as a whole, in which a class like the Burglar would never be developed in its current state..

Legions upon legions of players have abandoned the Burglar, as has Turbine, it would seem. I am hopeful regarding Edgecase’s stated wish to give us some attention. But the last developer that spoke such things suddenly ‘disappeared’ not long after.

Please do not make Edgecase disappear, Turbine! He/she seems very nice! :)”

Emails

Trotter writes:

“I can now give you my thoughts without spoiling anything for you.

The Epic in update 18 is probably the best that they have ever done, and is my favorite to date, but could have been better.

As an example Vol 4 Book 5 Chapter 8 – The Ride of the Rohirrim, is one of the best parts of the Peter Jackson films, with Bernard Hill wonderful narration, and I don’t understand why Turbine did not narrate this instance.

The real problem for me though is Vol 4 Book 6 Chapter 9 – The City Stands. I cannot think of scenarios where Turbine have changed what is in the books to suit their story.

Horn is buried in Mounds of Mundburg outside of Edoras in the book, Turbine decided that Halros would be buried there instead of Horn, but as Horn. I know the Rangers are pretty useless in the game, but I am sure that Aragorn would be very uncomfortable with this happening and would have stopped it.

As you aware by now Horn dying now depends on Halros, and I have no idea why these two characters have been linked. If you choose in Vol 3 Book 1 – Halros should stay, then Horn possibly does die, can’t confirm this as I can’t remember which of my toons I selected Halros should stay, and will probably find out from Pineleaf’s playthrough on his Beorning as fortunately I suggested that he pick Halros should stay.

This was unnecessary and should not have taken place, Horn dies at the Pelennor fields.

Finally as a Premium Player was not happy at the very high cost of U18, and the small number of quests that you got which were not part of the Epic.”

Aradathalion writes:

“(Could Arathaert read this in Kermit’s voice?) Hi-ho there LOTRO Players News. Wanted to send y’all an email and tell you that y’all are doing great! Had a question for you all. What is the primary set of Virtues you use? I am looking for a set that is good for mixed solo/group play.

Thanks for such a great (maybe even Legendary) show. I have been listening to the podcast since the start. From Pineleaf the skirmish master to Andang (and Tom Bombadil. Yes Andang you can do the Hey-Do-Merry-Do!) and all the hosts in-between great show. Keep up the good work!

Aradathalion L27 Warden Arkenstone

Also had an idea for a sponsor. try, Saurons Build An Orc! take that and run where you will with it.”

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5 comments

Bragenthorne - Gladden / May 30, 2016

Mina Tirith rep being upped, may be connected to 18.2 rewards or barters from the new raid, Houses of Healing content and other important stuff because the zone is not done yet

rangerlilyrose / May 31, 2016

I’m very disappointed in how Halbarad’s sacrifice is being treated by many players.

HALBARAD IS TAUNTING GOTHMOG TO KEEP HIS ATTN FROM THE OTHERS.

He taunts Gothmog, makes him lose his composure, and sacrifices himself to allow his allies to strike. Specifically to keep him away from his King, Aragorn.

Srsly, how can it be that a basic game mechanic isn’t recognized when it applies to the story itself? *sigh*

Lights a candle for the noble and misunderstood Halbarad.

Barnabras / May 31, 2016

As always an excellent podcast. I always realize how little I read the story line until Pineleaf reviews it. More that once I found myself thinking “Oh that’s why I did that quest”. I think the new raid will involve Denethor. Half the raid wil have to fill buckets with water and try to put him out. And the other half will have to chase his servents and try and blow out thier torches. Now that’s a Raid!! The argurment for Horn living is rather weak. To say that is was misrecorded, dismisses the books as a source and gives Turbine a way to alter anything they like. I would rather them say they changed it because it was so minor and it gave a good plot twist.

Trotter / June 1, 2016

Thanks for including my email.

It looks like Turbine did do voice narration for this part of the Epic, but only if you have not muted the in-game Music, game narration is not music!!!, rant over.

When doing the Epic, you have have to un-mute the in-game Music 🙂

Kaleigh Starshine / June 3, 2016

A wonderful review show! And thank you all for supporting the call to aid the Burglar! [Especially Arathaert :)] As a footnote, for those doing the featured instances to gather Long-lost coins, I am getting turned away from about half of the Ost Elendil runs I ask to join, due to my class. That is quite a statement.

As far as the review goes, I suppose it is up to each individual to decide whether or not to treat as a mitigating factor the vastly smaller LOTRO team over what it was in years’ past. There is definitely a case to be made for it, in my opinion.

Pineleaf, if you like crowd controlling as a Burglar, you might try the Gambler line. With the Double Down trait, Provoke applies a Disabling gamble on that foe, which is a daze (like Riddle) of random length (15-60 seconds). If you follow that up with Gambler’s Strike, it automatically upgrades the gamble to Tier 6 (60 seconds). Because those two skills each have a 5 second cooldown, you can eventually daze up to 12 foes at a time, given the time to do so, and not including Riddle. The Gambler line does far more damage than the Mischief line as well.

You can even do a lesser version of this in the Quiet Knife line, by traiting in the Gambler tree enough to get the Double Down trait. The chance to apply the Provoke disabling gamble is doubled when in stealth. Improved Feint Attack allows your next attack (from a pool of skills) to be treated as from stealth and has a 5 second cooldown. With the Gamble Chance legacy, you can increase your chance to apply the disabling gamble to over 90%. Quiet Knife is, by far, the best damage line for us as well.

Looking forward to the next show! 🙂

LOTRO Players News Episode 152: Update 18 Review

Game News