Author: pineleaf

Pineleaf’s Pictorial Primer to Skirmishing: Doom of Caras Gelebren

Welcome back to Pineleaf’s Pictorial Primer to Skirmishing. In this series, we will look at each of the skirmishes in The Lord of the Rings Online. In this installment, we will look at the first new skirmish to be released in years: Doom of Caras Gelebren

This information in this guide is up-to-date as of Update 34. You can download the PDF here.
Now it’s time to keep Sauron from stealing the Rings of Power. What can go wrong?

 

Skirmish Responsibly,

Pineleaf Needles

Before the Shadow Preview: The Doom of Caras Gelebren

Before the Shadow will be released on November 8, 2022 (barring any unexpected delays). One of the features of this update will be a new skirmish: The Doom of Caras Gelebren. Unlike most skirmishes, which are set during or near the main LOTRO timeline, this new skirmish is set in the distant past during the fall of Eregion during the Second Age. This skirmish will be available to anyone who orders the expansion.

I recorded the skirmish in two parts. The first part includes the first three assaults.

The second part includes the final two assults:

Will we save Celebrimbor and the rings? Unlikely, but we should at least take several orcs nd goblins down with us.

Pineleaf Needles

Pineleaf Previews: Before the Shadow Goodies

Before the Shadow will be released on November 8, 2022 (barring any unexpected delays). If you order either the Collectors Edition or the Ultimate Fan Bundle, you will receive a number of items prior to the release of the expansion. The video below, I look over the various items you receive when you complete your order.

 

The most important part of the order is, of course, the game content itself. I plan to preview this when it reaches the preview server later this month.

Pineleaf Needles

First Look at the Brawler

Over the course of the year, we’ve been hearing rumors and teasers related to the upcoming brawler class. Finally, we have our first official preview of this new class. What are the features of this new class?

  1. The brawler may be selected by any race that can select a class (i.e., excluding only Beornings).
  2. The brawler’s primary weapon is a set of battle gauntlets.
  3. They are a heavy armor class.
  4. They have two lines a specialization: a tanking/support line and a damage line (with a third tree that’s only used to supplement the other two trees).
  5. Many Brawler skills build or expend Mettle. Mettle both provides fuel for the more powerful skills and to provide a buff for damage (and defense in the tanking line).

As this is a first look, there are still several points that still need to be implemented. I expect these issues to be addressed over the upcoming weeks.

  1. Many skill names and icons, as well as the class description, are still using placeholders.
  2. As the Moria questline is still tied to the old Legendary Item system, brawlers will need to use the Eyes & Guard tavern to gain Legendary Items and/or enter Moria.
  3. The most reliable source of brawler equipment is through the E&G tavern. Gauntlets have not yet been added to most quest rewards, vendors, and crafting recipes.

The following video takes a look at the early stages of the career of a brawler.

How to Start Missions

When I posted my first article on missions, the intro mission was not working. Since then, SSG updated the preview build and fixed the introductory mission. In response to this, I created a video showing how to get started with missions, including how to get to the camp from Bree.

Naturally, everything seen here is subject to change. We will surely see some changes in future build.

Pineleaf Needles