LOTRO Book 10: “The City of the Kings” preview

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Lord of the Rings Online will see it’s second major content update on August 20th, five days away. Yesterday my review of all the content added in Book 9 was posted and I can honestly say, looking back, that I am pleased with the additions to the game yet still left with the feeling of wanting more. Book 10 has been dual named “Battle of the Ettenmoors” and rightly so; it’s more than 75% changes to PVP. You can do a quick search on our blog and find all of my posts about the LOTRO PVP system and my feelings on the slowly dieing Monster Play. It needs something to revitalize the gameplay and take it to the next level.

Available at the Lord of the Rings Online website you can view an article detailing the major changes coming in Book 10. As said before most all changes are related to PvMP and Turbine’s attempt to breathe new life into the greatest aspect of their game (yes, my opinion). Starting off with what I feel are the greatest changes we have class balances. War Leaders are going to become true healers by having their heal abilities double in potency, their revives more powerful, and their buffs stronger. Reavers are going to become more of a threat in the ‘moors by dealing more damage and being a true “offensive juggernaut”. Wargs and Blackarrows are both receiving minor upgrades to single skills and sadly that is all. If you’re thinking to yourself “He missed one..” then you are correct! Spiders have no love coming their way but they don’t need it!

Additions to PVMP are coming in the way of Boiling Oil Cauldrons and murder holes. Both should add much needed dynamics to the offense and defense of keeps. Before it was simply a numbers game and now it might be a mix of strategy as well. Reinforcements are on the way; hey that works on two levels… or are they? According to the article guards will only respawn immediately in areas surrounding the leaders and at the entrance. The reasoning behind this is questionable because right now as it is the keeps are easily flipped back and forth. With the reduction in guards for a period it will only be easier to flip them back and forth between Monster and Free People players.

Creeps are receiving yet even more love in Book 10. The addition of a new tier of Corruption to make them mitigate more damage, Legendary traits, and more consumables should make life much easier for the side of evil. Currently potions and food at lack luster for monster players. The potions hardly make a different healing less than 1/4 the player’s HP and food is similarly useless. This change goes on the list of good ideas.

Free people are not being left out to dry. There is in fact a nice update coming for players by way of “PVP Set armor” from the chests in GV. Now instead of just opening the chest to find a common level 50 purple item you will have the chance to find a class specific armor piece that will rival that found in the raiding scene. Yet another way for any play style to enjoy the benefits of the almighty “phat loot”. For me this is a double edge sword. Helegrod is already a rather pointless adventure (Not that it isn’t well done: read my Book 9 review) but right now there’s just no real reason to go there.

Captains and Hunters are both getting some attention as well in Book 10.  For Captains the use of a Herald is no longer necessary or as beneficial to the group.  Banners are used instead to offer the same bonus of a Herald + another 10% side bonus.  Female Heralds, another DPS move, and the ability to designate someone in your group the “shield brother”.  Hunters have been hit with the nerf bat a bit sadly.  According to many Hunters the use of their ability to deal damage when a mob hits half is being nerfed down to 20% (somewhat of a PVP nerf as well).  But regardless, I think most people will deal well with the changes.
Wrapping up the preview we have session play. Notice I didn’t say chicken play? Yeah that’s because I am trying to forget that little detail and consider it only Rangers and Trolls. Through the use of destiny points players will be able to control either a ranger or a troll in the Ettenmoors. For the mosnters this is absolutely needed because a beefy character is the one thing Creeps lack. From what I hear trolls will have knockback and truly add another element to any battle. Rangers are… well we already have Hunters don’t we? *shrug* We’ll just have to see.

Book 10 is what many players have always wanted in LOTRO but it leaves you once again wishing for more. Right now I have unconfirmed information that there might be a few new instances that go along with the Book 10 quest chain so the PVE side of “The City of Kings” remains unseen. I hope, for the sake of time, this patch delivers the content sufficient to tide us over for 2 more months.