41 Class Changing Questions on Today’s Twitter Dev Chat

Turbine has released another round of Twitter questions.  This time they are focused on the class changes coming to LOTRO with Helm’s Deep.  The main message is that classes now have similar trait trees to warsteeds.  Here are what I consider to be the main points and my opinions about them.

Q1: bgriggs: Are the current virtues and traits being incorporated into the new system at all? #LOTRO
A1: HoarseDev: Virtues will remain mostly the same. Traits are now completely rolled into the new system. #LOTRO

I am really sad that the virtues are not really getting changed but Turbine already has plenty to deal with in the class changes.

Q3: Leixy: Using war-steeds as a template, how will trait points be earned and spent on trait trees? #LOTRO
A3: HoarseDev: You’ll earn a point every other level. You’ll also earn points from some deeds. #LOTRO
A3a:You’ll choose a specialization at an early level that will grant specific bonuses and affect the cost of traits as you spend them #LOTRO

It is really good to hear that we are keeping the every other level system.  I think it works really well and keeps each trait point meaningful.  I think if you were to receive a point every level it would cause the points you invest to only make minor changes.  Making it every other level allows the investments into your character be more meaningful.  Also I am glad that the deed system is for points instead of skills or traits.

Q4: WertyJohn: Are you going to revamp combat animations too? #LOTRO
A4: Jinjaah: We are addressing animations on a case by case basis.#LOTRO
A4a: Some are far too long and are being shortened to increase responsiveness.#LOTRO
A4b: Ferocious Strikes for Champions is an example of this. #LOTRO

I am glad that they are really looking at every part of every class to see what needs improving.

njolier: For players who spent TP to unlock trait slots, how will you convert our existing purchases to the new system? #LOTRO
A5: HoarseDev: Your specialization choice gives you access to bonuses as you spend points. #LOTRO
A5a: These are unlocked in the same way as the old slots and those purchases carry over to the new system. #LOTRO

Wait, what?  Turbine is not asking for more money in an extremely labor intensive task?  I don’t even know them anymore!  While they do mention in another question that they will be charging for extra loadout slots beyond two, it is still great news.

Q8: Schinderhannes: Will the update allow us to use 4 legendary traits at the same time? #LOTRO
A8: HoarseDev: No, but the ones you have will be more potent. #LOTRO
A8a: Deviled_Egg: Legendary traits are now a part of each trait tree, and are available for purchase at the end of the tree. #LOTRO
A8b: There is also a Legendary Passive bonus that depends on your specialization.#LOTRO
A8c: This will be unlocked when you spend a certain number of points overall. #LOTRO

It is good to hear that legendary traits will finally be getting more powerful.  I also like the idea of the Legendary passive bonuses being worked into the system so we don’t even have to worry about it.  It sounds like we simply invest in a tree and get better the more we put into it.

Q9: Mildford: Will the new traits system be offered to creeps too? #LOTRO
A9: Jinjaah: Creeps will be getting Corruption Set Bonuses but not full on trait trees. #LOTRO

I half expected a tree but no real surprise.

Q10: Grimdi: Will there be detailed dev diaries on the upcoming class/system changes before HD release? #LOTRO
A10: Deviled_Egg: We are planning to release dev diaries for each class. #LOTRO
A10a: Sapience: I see many long hours of editing in my future… #LOTRO

Only one diary for each class?  With all the changes it sounds like they almost need diaries for each tree.

Q11: Raven-EU: What was the primary driver(s) for this change? #LOTRO
A11: Jinjaah: I think there were two main things that drove these changes: #LOTRO
A11a: 1. We wanted to design the trait trees in such a way that as soon as you leave the intro, #LOTRO
A11b: your trait line starts to play as it was envisioned instead of later on down the road when you began to collect traits. #LOTRO
A11c: 2. We really wanted each trait line to sort of stand out from the rest and reduce some of the class homogenization #LOTRO
A11d: that had slowly occurred over the years. #LOTRO

It is good to hear that we will be seeing classes have a greater sense of how they play early on in the game.  Currently with most classes I feel like you don’t really know what you are getting into until the 15-45 level range.  Also I am really glad they are trying to diversify the classes once again instead of trying to being them together.

Q14: Judi: Will there be a new class added to the game? #LOTRO
A14: HoarseDev: Not for Helm’s Deep. #LOTRO

I am likely pulling at nothing here but usually they answer with something like “it is not on the table” but this is more substantial in that it only refers to the expansion.  I know it is very unlikely but I had to bring it up.

Q15: Laire: Using all of their points, on average how many active skills does a 85 toon have? #LOTRO
A15: Jinjaah: Our goal, and it isn’t the same across the board, is for all classes to have around 20 skills after spending all their points.
A15a: Things like travel paths will not count towards this cap. #LOTRO

Thankfully they are not including the travel path skills as part of the twenty skills.  They have counted them in previous updates and it was just ridiculous to think they go to a skill count.  It is really interesting though that they are lowering the skill count to twenty.  I am really glad they are bringing down the number.  We have too many skills, especially if we are going to get new ones in the future.  I have been really hoping that we would only have around 20 skills with this update to give Turbine a chance to expand the classes in the future.  Considering that currently I have 43 skills on my champion, this is going to make plenty of room on my screen for future skills.

Q16: medwulf: will the class changes affect LI’s and Legacies at all? #LOTRO
A16: HoarseDev: Ugh, we have a lot of updating to do. #LOTRO

This is a very clever way to dodge a question but it is good to know that there is a possibility for change.

Q17: Moochi: How will the new system afford us the same flexibility we have now, #LOTRO
Q17a: without buying many trait sets through the store? #LOTRO
A17: Jinjaah: A lot of time and effort was put into the construction of the trees to encourage spending points #LOTRO
A17a: in trees that you did not specialize in. #LOTRO
A17b: The new system should offer various forms of hybridization to explore.#LOTRO

It is great to know that we will still be able to build up a character that does more than one tree.  Also it was later confirmed that the points mentioned in the question are not talking about Turbine Points.

Q18: @BhorisTheSpider Will the class changes mean a L95 character may be less potent (healing/damage) than an corresponding L85 character? #LOTRO
A18: HoarseDev: They’ll be more potent in their specialization. This will come at the cost of broad utility.

I love the idea that the classes are going to be more powerful now if they specialize.  I can’t wait to see how the classes will play.

Q20: @osmihu Can you give some specific examples of specializations? #LOTRO
A20: Jinjaah The hunter could choose between the bowmaster or huntsman. #LOTRO
A20a: Huntsman has less range, but can induct on the move. #LOTRO
A20b: Where the bowmaster has much greater range, but must plant his feet to deal damage. #LOTRO

Hunters actually being able to move while inducting?  What are they thinking?  OH, I KNOW!  Turbine is sending us to Helm’s Deep, right?  There is also a good chance several of the developers have seen the film version of the battle, right?.  This can only mean one thing, huntsman get to shield serf at Helm’s Deep.  You say hunters don’t have a shield?  Well clearly that is the level 95 skill for Huntsman.  Still don’t believe me?  Well maybe Legola–I mean the huntsman was just walking down the stairs and a shield just happens to fall off an orc and land under the feet of the huntsman while they are going down the stairs.  They don’t have time to step off the shield so they have to ride it down.  While they are riding it they have to be productive and fire arrows until they reach the end of the stair.  At the very least someone can edit a video to make it look like it is happening.

Q23: @osmihu Will skills still be purchased from the trainer or gained from the tree? #LOTRO
A23: JinJaah Some will be gained from the tree, others will be auto-granted based on level. #LOTRO

It is actually interesting there are still level-gated skills but it does makes sense.  They don’t want everything to be based on the tree.  I think this will really come into play with the passive skills of each class.

Q24: @mavegibson Will there be dramatic changes to the skills we have, and will there be skills specific to our trait lines? #LOTRO
A24: All: Yes and yes!

I am really excited about getting dramatic changes to classes.  I think they all have been in need of a major revamp and this is Turbine’s chance to make each of the skills really matter.

Q28: @landlover64 how different will the play style of our characters be with the changes to how they play now? #LOTRO
A28: DeviledEgg They’ll still feel like the class you know, just better versions. #LOTRO
A28a: Jinjaah They should feel better catered to the role they were destined to fill. #LOTRO

It is good to know there are no major changes coming into the feel of the class.

Q36: @eldaeriel can you tell us any timeframes? For dev diaries, beta testing of changes  #lotro
A36: Sapience You can expect to see them “Soon”. You’ll get an 11.3 Dev diary first. End of the week. #LOTRO

I am curious to find out what changes need a Dev diary.  Maybe it is simply talking about fixing the mounted combat lag mentioned later or maybe it has to do with housing or something else entirely.  Whatever it is, I am really excited to find out later this week.

There was also a bonus question from the comments on the forums I thought was worth mentioning.

Quote Originally Posted by Ithrien
I want to be able to say with certainty that all of the classes will have access to 3 ‘trait trees’, but since Sapience/a Dev hasn’t, even when directly asked how many each class will have access to, I won’t.
Go ahead and say it. Three is correct.

I am glad they confirmed the three tree system.  It was not completely clear in the previous parts how many trees there were in this system.

Well there you have it.  We had many questions answered today about the class changes but I am sure there are still plenty to be answered.  What questions or comments do you have about the new system.  I would love to hear about them in the comments below.

Finally I would like to submit a request for a class change.  I think captains should be able to wield an enemy banner to confuse the enemy.  This could be used for stealth as featured below or it could allow him to command enemy NPC’s for a short time.  This will likely never happen but you can’t blame this captain for trying.