LOTRO’s first major patch and Keen’s plans

Well it’s finally that time LOTRO fans!  The first major patch or expansion or whatever you want to call it is upon us.  Included in this patch are changes to PvMP, bug fixes, balance changes, new content ala Shores of Evendim, and much more.  So much more in fact that Turbine’s patch notes are broken up into three different parts.  The big changes that interest me most at this point are surprisingly PvMP related.  I’ve slowly begun to take a back seat to the PVE aspect of LOTRO.  I’m not sure whether it’s the fact that I am currently playing EQ2 which has vastly superior PVE or if I am just burning out from playing LOTRO semi hardcore for a few months.  Either way PVMP has promise.

I decided yesterday that I was going to create a monster and jump into the pvp end-game side of LOTRO.  I have nothing to lose and I need a pvp fix until I am either blessed with a Warhammer Online beta invite (hint hint, gimme gimme) or another game quenches my lust for player combat.  Now the tough decision making process of which server to battle it out on.  I hear Meneldor has decent PVMP guilds and is fairly organized so right now that’s the server I am looking at most.  Another tough decision is which monster class I want to play.  In the patch notes they clearly state the Blackarrow was nerfed and the Spider was really buffed up.  I’m not sure which I’ll choose and I’ll probably remain unsure until it’s time to actually create my monster.  I’ll keep you guys updated with my monster project and get some screenshots up and stuff.

  • Well I might pick Keen back up. He’s my champion and I still really enjoy playing him it’s just… the PvE aspect of teh game is pissing me off. Not sure why. So until I resume my PvE I will be playing a monster. Monsters can’t be in contact with the Free Peoples anyway and the monster play on Silverlode is really really slow.

    I shall return eventually!

  • I agree with you somewhat Bildo on the fact that there are a few to many group quests. I do feel an accomplishment when I finish one of the group quests, probably more then any other game because the quests are tough yet you can win if you do things right.

    I have found that if you are part of a large group of players, all leveling at about the same time, you are able to get into fellowships to complete the many group quests. But you better not fall behind those players to much. You better not go on vacation, go to work, eat meals, have sex, use the restroom or you will fall behind, LOL. The players that have completed a quest, rarely help others with quests they have already completed. They are already looking for groups to do other group quests so they don’t fall behind. So I, every so often, take a step back and help the level 20’s do some quests.

    I am almost level 33 and even with the new area just opening, I do not have any solo quests remaining in North Downs or Lone Lands. Maybe this weekend I’ll just kill things to work on my traits and closely watch the chat to finish something like 26 group quests I have remaining.

    I am not to keen on Monster Play. It’s alright for a change but its not as good as RvR or PvP. I understand all the lore etc…. so I just get my PvP or RvR fix with another game.

    Have a good weekend and a Happy Fathers Day.

  • That feeling of “staying caught up” is the worst feeling for me in the world. When playing an MMO it’s the biggest cause of my quitting. If I feel like all is lost because I have to give up any form of a real life in order to continue to play then it’s usually when I stop playing the game.

    While Monster Play is definitely nowhere near RVR or PVP it’s definitely a distraction when other games or the LOTRO pve gameplay gets boring. 🙂

  • Thus the age old topic of keeping solo leveling as an option rears its pretty little head. Simply put, in today’s age of the MMO – soloers need the love the most. Because there are simply more people with less time these days as all of us old schoolers grow up and have, gasp, real lives. 🙂

  • Yep, exactly. The generation that started the MMO revolution is slowly growing up. I remember the days of pulling EQ1 all-nighters. Now the thought of staying up past 11 makes me tired. 😉

  • I had a great Fathers Day weekend. Cigars, a Lowe’s gift card, a great dinner and uninterrupted game play. I was living large.

    As I searched further into the new area I found numerous solo quests. Most of them were easy search, find and turn the item in quests. I completed most of them and I am now close to level 34. Of course the majority of the game world was also exploring and completing the new solo quests. I failed to find anyone advertising for kinships nor did I get any responses when I requested kinships. So as it stands I have the same number of group quests that I had since my last post, 26. There is always next weekend.