A watchful snowman?
12 Aug 2010 Leave a Comment
I’ve been chugging along on my little (literally) dwarf Champion just for fun this week. He’s been a bank alt for most of his short existence (ah, the height jokes, they never end.. okay, I’m done) but I thought I’d give him a try. Also, I ran out of copper ore and he happens to be a prospector. I’ve been having fun kneecapping mobs – at low levels at least he’s a quick killer, although some AOE or a ranged pull would be handy.
While searching for more hendrovail to kill in the Vale of Thrain, though, what did I find up on a high hilltop but.. a snowman! I took a photograph for posterity. Here’s my old man.. er.. dwarf and his chilly new discovery. It’s like an Easter egg except with snow – a Winter egg?
Skirmishes!
09 Aug 2010 Leave a Comment
Well, I attained my level 30 goal over the weekend and promptly ran to the skirmish captain to complete the introduction. So promptly, in fact, that I forgot to train my level 30 skills until afterward. Whoops.
After successfully graduating from skirmish school, I dove right in and played through Trouble in Tuckborough, and then Siege of Gondamon. I had a great time! I died once in Tuckborough thanks to a careless pull that brought more mobs to me than I could handle all at once – mind you, if I’d noticed that I hadn’t traited my soldier at all before starting my first non-intro skirmish, that might have helped too. Somehow I missed the part where selecting the bannerman reward from the intro quests didn’t actually turn my soldier into one right off the bat.
I liked Tuckborough overall, although I was a little bit confused here and there about where I was supposed to be going next. Playing solo, the Lieutenants weren’t any more difficult than a regular signature mob. My soldier died once, but I don’t think I let any of the NPCs die – I’m not entirely sure how many there were to be saved in total, so perhaps I missed some along the way. Siege of Gondamon felt much more hectic with all of the running back and forth, but it was a lot of fun too. I was confused when the ‘flag dropped’ message popped up, and until I ended up at that gate to defend against the next wave I didn’t see the box/flagpole I was supposed to interact with. I nearly missed seeing a few mobs nearer to the end head straight for Magni – by that point I was expecting everything to come from the north/south/west gates instead of having enemies appear up top with him. In the end, however, success! Both Tuckborough and Gondamon felt very satisfying and fun, so I’ll definitely be running more skirmishes. Having them available as daily quests is a good incentive too.
I picked up a couple of marks (rank, campaign and challenge), but I’m not quite sure where to spend them just yet. One of the things I haven’t found yet in LOTRO resources is a nice clear database – with WoW database sites I’m very used to being able to enter in, say, “First Mark” and obtain a full list of everything that I can obtain using that piece as currency. I’ve run into the same issue when trying to see where certain recipes and the like come from.
Hm, now to figure out my next goal..
The Hunter Update
06 Aug 2010 Leave a Comment
I’d originally intended to take more of a ‘blow-by-blow’ approach to LOTRO blogging during my process of exploration and learning game mechanics. Now, I find myself with a level 28 Hunter and a blog archive absent of detail since the days when she wasn’t accruing equipment damage (i.e. the single digit range). Whoops. Update time!
I really enjoy the Hunter class, as evidenced by the fact that she’s now 10 levels beyond my next-highest level character. It’s very viable to play solo, including signature mobs and multiple-mob pulls, although since I lingered a bit too long in Bree-land I’ve not been challenging myself with much that’s significantly above my own level range. I’m currently questing in the mid-Lone-lands area (around Nain Enidh) with a few diversions into the North Downs for a change of scenery. The only thing that proved to be beyond my solo abilities a couple of levels back was attempting to complete the quest ” The Goblin-leader” in Minas Eriol. I got him down to 22 morale before dying.. and aggravatingly enough, probably the only reason I didn’t succeed was that when I’d died to a careless pull just before, I’d forgotten to re-activate my Strength stance upon reviving and was missing the damage buff. Boo. I was frustrated enough that I didn’t go back, although I could probably complete the quest without a problem now since I see that the quest mob is a level 25 Signature.
I’ve been working on two things in terms of skills, primarily: more intelligent use of skills while attempting to complete some class deeds. I’m still more comfortable with keeping enemies at range – now, before you laugh and say that of course that’s true, I’m playing a ranged class – I do also appreciate that LOTRO hunters have a diversity of melee skills. My most recent other ranged character is my hunter in WoW, where attempting to melee anything will get you laughed right out of a group, and that’s reinforced by the noticeable lack of melee skills. (Wing clip-raptor strike, what?) With that background, I find that when I let mobs get close enough for melee attacks on my hunter in LOTRO I feel foolish, as if I’ve just proved myself to be the Worst Hunter Ever. Combine that with wanting to increment the Swift Stroke class deed, and.. well.
Ranged pulls feel smooth and efficient to me. Set a trap, generate some quick Focus, and pull. I’ve been experimenting with priority order after that point. Penetrating Shot is a tempting opener with that nice full Focus bar. I often choose to open with a non-instant shot, though, since I don’t want to waste time waiting on induction while the mob is already running up to hit me in the face. Barbed Arrow is nice for that – I can take the time for the brief induction and apply a DOT at the same time, then follow it up with Penetrating Shot and maybe a Quick Shot to slow run speed (when I’m in Strength stance, ie. most of the time – solo play doesn’t leave me with Focus issues so there’s little drawback, although I haven’t compared it much with Precision). The double-hit of Swift Bow is nice, but I’m still undecided whether it’s a more useful long-induction opener – note to self, look up the actual damage done. (Hooray, theorycrafting!) I -might- even admit to using Rain of Arrows occasionally on single-mob pulls (when Penetrating Shot is on CD).. partly because it’s an extra instant when I have a full Focus bar, and partly because I like the animation.
Well, that’s all for now. I hope to reach level 30 this weekend so I can try out the Skirmish system!
Oh, and I never did work up the nerve to find a Great Barrows group while I was in Bree-land. Perhaps I’ll try it out on the beta realm where I can be an anonymous chicken instead.
Lucky Duck!
28 Jul 2010 Leave a Comment
in Amarylliss, General Remarks
Okay, I’m a little late posting that. I did manage to acquire the Lucky Duck title on my Warden, though, to my great delight. I worked through it in order one-by-one and, with a couple of strokes of luck, finished with much less trouble than some folks seem to have had. Darn you, RNG!
I’ve been fairly busy lately, which hasn’t left me much time to play (and consequently, not much to blog about). However! I also received a beta key, which is super exciting! I’ve created new characters from each race, and.. well, that’s probably as much as I’ll say. I do hope to be able to make a contribution to the beta in terms of feedback and bug-checking. Frustratingly, the original invitation ended up in my gmail spambox, so I didn’t even realise I’d received a beta key for three weeks when a reminder email came through. Boo!
To return to Blog Posts Unrestricted by the NDA.. in my limited game time lately, I’ve been working up some crafting skills and indulging my rampant altoholism even further. I now have six characters on Arkenstone, yikes! I took a bit of a pause today to go back to the forums and read up on some basics like which stats are good for the various classes. This should help me plan out things like which character to send BOE gear drops, or what to craft while levelling crafting skills.
Well, I think I’ll play a little tonight – maybe my little level 7 Captain this time. My hunter has reached level 22 and I’d love to see Great Barrows since it’s level-appropriate right now, but I’m a big chicken and don’t want to look like a noob in a group instance. Maybe I’ll work up the nerve to join a fellowship with my next level 20+ character. I know exactly what my class should do in a WoW dungeon and how to handle the boss encounters – maybe that’s spoiled me for unfamiliar settings.
Hooray!
21 Jul 2010 Leave a Comment
in Amarylliss
My Warden won this round’s Welcome Wagon lottery! Yay!
Now to dash home from work so I can actually log on and play…
Altoholism strikes again..
19 Jul 2010 Leave a Comment
Busy week last week, so I hardly had a chance to play. However, when I did actually have time, what did I do? Make new alts!
Yes, I’m a card-carrying member of Altoholics Anonymous. I’ve shown this time and again in WoW, where my main server is maxed out on how many characters I can create – let’s not mention how many servers I have characters on – and I’m making a fine start of it in LOTRO too. I now have a Warden, a Hunter, a Minstrel, a Rune-keeper, a Captain and a Champion. In my defense, three of the six are below level 10!
I’d meant to work on my Hunter over the weekend. She’s still in Bree-land, and I’ve been questing in the Barrow-downs… but then I was thwarted by the Lalia escort quest. Three attempts, three failures. I know, I know, I probably just need to improve my playstyle and a long-time player reading this would probably just shake their head and deem me a hopeless noob. Every time I’d get her to the pack of three or four enemies that pop up after she’s gotten her cloak back, though, I just couldn’t kill them all fast enough. Usually something else would aggro along with them, I’d die, and then she’d die and I’d have to run back in from Tom Bombadil’s House. I know I just need to go and try again, but out of frustration I just switched to a new character for a while.
Enter.. the Minstrel. I’ve really wanted to make a Minstrel. My WoW main is a healer. I’m working on having an endgame-ready healer of each of the four WoW healing-capable classes. I love healing, whether it’s raids or heroic instances or something else entirely. So far, though, the Minstrel is not proving to be very intuitive for me, and the sounds linked to some of the abilities make me slightly crazy. However, my girl’s only level 10, so I’ll continue to practice and work at getting the hang of the class. I’ve not paid close attention to each skill she’s acquired, so I’m fairly sure I’m also not using those skills optimally – which could explain why questing seems so painfully slow.
Well, that’s it from my corner of Middle-earth today. Perhaps tonight I’ll try that escort quest again.
Goal!
11 Jul 2010 Leave a Comment
I’d made it my goal for the weekend to reach level 20 on my Hunter, and I just did! Just in time to go to bed, which is less exciting. I also just broke 1 gold for the first time! Maybe that part isn’t so exciting for long-time players with gold overflowing in their (metaphorical) coffers, but for me it’s not half bad. I sold a couple of nice purple recipes on the auction house along the way, which helped for sure.
In less thrilling news, apparently LOTRO isn’t immune to people being insulting in chat channels. I suppose it was inevitable. Am I really the only person who thinks that ‘huntard’ is an insult? (No, that wasn’t the channel conversation, but it did appear therein.) I dislike the term in WoW, and I dislike the term in LOTRO. I understand that some classes are easier to pick up than others, that some classes are more frequently played, and that both of those things together makes it more apparent when a player is unskilled. Still doesn’t make it okay in my books. I might be biased in LOTRO since I’m a new user with a limited grasp of the game mechanics, but I am also a staunch defender of people’s ability to play a game how they choose, whether that’s as a hardcore raider, a ‘casual’, or someone who runs around soloing mobs with all the wrong gear on. I also think that means that players are entitled to play the game how they choose without being insulted for not being on the cutting edge of game theory, gear and progression. Mind you, that also reflects how I think that people deserve to be treated in a general sense – with courtesy.
Okay, rant over, sleep incoming. Tomorrow I’ll see about buying myself a horse, if it’s not too expensive!
A night under the stars
10 Jul 2010 Leave a Comment
in Cerelinde
Okay, I guess that only applies while the stars are still out in-game. I have the rest of the evening entirely free, so it’s time to head for Buckland! I do love the stars, so questing in the night-time is something I particularly enjoy, combined with the subtle yet soothing game music. (Does it seem like I have a little stress to alleviate? Maybe a lot, in fact.)
It’s really enchanting to me to be at a point in the game where I’m roaming among Tooks and Brandybucks and Bracegirdles, and following in the footsteps of Frodo and his companions. I’ve just gotten to Book 1, Chapter 7, and I’ve been sent to Crickhollow to investigate after the passing-through of the Nazgûl.
The Hunter is proving to be a nicely accessible class through these teenage levels. I have to stop thinking of it as a pet class, though, and start playing like a ranger instead. Most of the time I forget to set a trap (not so important with one mob I’ll shoot down before it reaches me, more useful with multiple enemies). I’m working on improving how I coordinate attack selection and use of Focus.
Pardon me a moment, I’m going to sit on the Brandywine Bridge and look out over the red-tinted water in the foredawn light.
Okay, so it looks more orange than red here.
On to Buckland! Also, I adore the title ‘Shirriff’. Little things, they make all the difference.
Adventuring in Bree-land
10 Jul 2010 Leave a Comment
in Cerelinde
Whew, what a week. I’m ready to relax this weekend with a little extra time for playing my Hunter. Since my last post I’ve gotten her up to level 17 and am just a few quests into Bree-land. I’m not so tight on money since I got a purple recipe as a random drop and managed to sell it for several hundred silver on the auction house. Hooray! Of course, being able to afford personal housing is still a good ways off.
I’m up to Volume 1, Book 1, Chapter 5 of the epic quest. I think that this is a great inclusion in the game. I won’t say that all of the individual chapters so far have felt ‘epic’, exactly, but I really enjoy having a major storyline thread to quest through, and it’s very exciting to me to be able to have that interaction with major lore characters. I love exploring the zones, and working my way through the quests (being more than a little bit of a completionist), but having that major story to return to lends a nice feel of consistency. No, that’s not quite the word I mean, but it’s 3am and I can’t quite dredge the word I did intend to use out of my overtired brain.
As a side note, I’m always surprised when I receive random whispers from people asking if I’m looking for a kinship to join. I’m so used to recruitment-based membership these days that this seems very strange! How would they know if I’m even a nice person to have in their kin? Maybe I’m over-thinking this. Maybe the social element is simply very different – even earlier today that was apparent, come to think of it. Someone made a ‘joke’ in rather poor taste (read: racially-based) in OOC, and instead of it eliciting similar troll-like conversation, someone asked them to stop – again, no troll-like remarks in response, the person apologized and that was the end of that. How refreshing.
Before I’m forced to surrender to unconsciousness for the night, here’s another thing that was refreshing to me, in light of recent events at Blizzard: I could go to my Turbine account and change my email address and the name on my account simply by filling out the form and clicking the button to accept. That’s it. I’ve become too accustomed to the WoW account management system: to having to have an authenticator linked to my account for improved account security against the constant hacker threat; to the idea that if I’d wanted to avoid having my legal name tied to forum posts I’d have to have had documentation for a name change.. so complicated, and so painfully corporate. I like feeling in charge of my own account. For that matter, I like being able to leave all of the chat channels visible without being subjected to gold seller spam or the often-repugnant trade channel chat.
Leaving Celondim
05 Jul 2010 Leave a Comment
in Cerelinde
Darn, it’s too hot outside to do yardwork. I’ll just have to stay inside and play my Hunter! I’ve finished the quests I could take in Celondim, so I’m moving north to the Vineyard and then Duillond. I finished the first tier of Ered Luin questing deeds also, giving me my first Virtue (Charity) with some nice resistances and regeneration bonuses. I’m taking my time on the way up to do some gathering, which feels relaxing so far. It’s fun to explore without feeling rushed or as if there’s something I absolutely have to be doing.
Cerelinde the Undefeated! I know that getting through the low levels isn’t that tough, but it’s still satisfying to have not died once. I don’t think I’m quite adventurous enough, mind, to attempt to play a character that, once dead, is permanently dead. I also earned the first tier of the ‘Goblin-slayer’ deed, and my first set of Destiny Points. I think I’ll bank those for a while till I really need them.
I really like how movable every UI element is. No fussy third-party mods, just drag them where it suits me best.
Figuring out the crafting system too – I’ve gathered enough materials along the way to make myself some new armour as well as smelt some copper, tin and bronze ingots. I feel very productive!
