NDA Has been lifted for MoM Beta **SPOILERS INSIDE**

Besiege me with questions.

I've been in MoM beta for well .. it's been well over a month and a half I think.

I can answer most LM, Minstrel, Hunter (though I've not played my hunter a lot), Rune-Keeper's, and some Warden questions.

Guardians: You're threat is broken right now. Until they fix it, a lamp post holds better aggro then you do. Though I do hear that there is a patch in the works for that.

Champs: The 60 champs I've grouped with, well, I've not heard any complaints.

Captains: I have MAJOR issues keeping captains alive when I play my minstrel and for the life of me I don't know why

Burglar: I hear you're partially broken but I have no idea how.

Those are the classes that I don't play and just going by what I hear on the grape vine.

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Everyone: EVERYONE is squishier!

There is now a cap on light/medium/heavy armour now. For those with BPE (Block/Parry/Evade) builds (not me cuz I never cared lol) you're gonna feel this hit the hardest. For light armour its at like 15%. There is a thread in the minstrel forums about this that gives better numbers. I'm sure many more will be popping up through-out the day.

Sig mobs: Now have 9k health

Elite mobs: Now have 18k health.

They changed the combat system overall. Myself, I adapt VERY easily to situations. I personally think that if you don't adapt well to change, you're going to have a hard time right off the bat. (This is my opinion so please don't send me hate mail for it.)

The changed combat system I think is great b/c it no longer puts the game on 'easy mode' as it were. Once you get inside of Moria, there will be times when you need to stop and think about your pulls instead of going "leroy" into a goblin camp. (Don't ask .. but it made for some amusing thoughts afterwards lol.)

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There are new traits sets for every class, three of them. You get penalties and enhancements for each path.

For instance: The Warrior-Skald path for minstrels (which is my preferred solo path), I get more DPS when I traited 4/5 in this path but when I have Warspeech active, I can only heal for 20%.

For Lore-Masters, If I was to go down the DPS path (the nature one I think), then while my dps goes up, my blinding flash (stun) goes down to a 5 second daze (it used to be 2 seconds so don't complain lol).

Hunter: Right now hunters are gods and they will be nerfed down the line. This is my own opinion. That's part of the reason I've not been playing her. Don't wanna get used to the godliness now only to have it taken away. *grin* But when traited with a trait and legacies from a legendary weapon, I've seen a HS crit for 9k damage ... with 6k being the normal.

Warden: All of your skills but like 10 come from the gambit system. Learn these gambits as it is how you fight. You're threat comes from threat over time as opposed to running in and saying hi and using your first threat generating skill.

Solo: The warden is awesome (this coming from someone that is NOT a melee type person).

Group wise: They wear medium armour and since their threat has been upped a little bit (it was very bad at once point), make great off tanks. I've ran an instance where we just had a warden as the main tank while the champ dps'd the adds it worked great, just required a bit more healing. hehe

Rune-Keeper: Great at DPS, Great at healing. Can't do both at the same time. On my 60 RK, I've been able to solo heal the new 6 man dungeons. There were deaths, prolly quite a few more than had I been on my minstrel but as long as we focus on healing one or two people, their great healers.

Damage: These come from DoTs, like fire dots, frost dots.

Healing: We have HoT and they can stack. There is also a massive 1.3k heal but there is a 4 second induction ... so when used correctly can save people. hehe

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Tactical crit: This affects LM's and Minstrel. RK's are fine with tactical b/c they get passives.

It was pretty much cut down by 3/4ths. If you focused on this (which I never did this either ) then it's gonna feel different to you and change how you play.

Also, your line bonuses that you got from your traits are gone, nadda, poofed! (That means if one of your traits gave you +50 morale and +ICPR it no longer does.)

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There are no %'s when it comes to resist's. It's all numbers. However, once you mouse over the number a % does come up. If you can make sense of it, more power to ya! lol

I know that once you reach the cap, your numbers begin spilling over into the partial %'s. That means that if I hit Vay for 200 /thwap damage and he evades it, it's not gonna hit him. However, if I hit him with the same skill and he partially evades it then it will only hit him for like 50 or so depending on his percentage into the partial arena.

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The scenery is beautiful and breathtaking and for those that like to read the quests and enjoy the story lines, you will be blown away.

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Legendary Class Traits:

You get one from doing volume 2 books 1-6.

You get one from being kindred with the moria guards.

You get one from doing a level 58 class quest that involves some instance help but the helpers get a reward for helping you. =)

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Goats: Right now their usable outside and inside (which im not happy about, they should only be used inside pfft). Horses cannot be used inside.

You get a slow goat (think bree horse speed) with friends with the miners of moria. You get a faster goat (think regular horse) with kindred.

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Whut questions you got?

Legendary Items:

Hunters: You get a bow and a main hand weapon. You also can slot books to reduce either your threat or help save power. Their sorta like bow chants but the bow chants got changed to something different.

Minstrels: You get a main hand weapon and a song book which goes in the far right hand slot for those that have seen pictures of the new character sheet.

Lore-Masters: You get a staff and a book as well that will go in the far right hand slot. It replaces the books we currently have.

Burglars: I think you get a main hand and an emblem or something. It too goes in the far hand slot.

Captains: Main hand and an emblem.

Champs: Main hand and some kind of rune thingy for the right hand slot.

Guards: Main hand and a belt for the right hand slot.

Wardens: Javelin and a main hand weapon.

Rune-Keepers: Rune stones (which are technically two handed) and a rune bag for the right hand slot.

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Legacys are random which sucks quite a bit. They go from Tier 1 to Tier 6. You will want tier 6 once you get a higher level weapon.

Tier 6 cost less legacy points.

For instance: The weapon you get for doing book 1 of volume 2 (You have to do this to be able to get into moria and have access to legendary weapons.) is most likely gonna have a few tier 3's and 4's on it to impress you a little bit.

However, I've seen completely great legacies with all tier 1 which I trashed the weapon and crappy ones with tier 6 ...it really is the luck of the draw.

One of the legacies for minstrels is -1000 time for mentor cooldown. Personally I love this legacy and want one to level just so I can switch it in and out when I need to teach someone something. teehee

BTW: Everyone needs to start learning the drum skill but I won't tell you why unless you ask. :Wink:

As of now, you can level 6 Legendary items at once.

With the exception of the start legendary you get for book 1, you can equip your normal weapon and let the others sit in your bag and gain xp. Only the starter one has to be equipped to gain xp.

Let's say that I use a sword and it's level 20/30 (the upper level is based on level of weapon and how good it is and if its a third age, second age, or a first age). I reforge it and then decide I want to start focusing on another weapon or that another weapon is better than this one. I can deconstruct it, I'll get a random selection of relics back (things that improve your weapons stats), possibly some legendary shards (not beryl shards but these are used in making legendary weapons which i'll get to in a bit), and a rune that will give me like 100k weapon xp that I can apply to another weapon so that all that work I put into the previous weapon isn't wasted.

Reforges:

Odd reforges (10/30, 30/40, 50/50 for example) will give your weapon a new legacy.

Even reforges will upgrade an existing legacy on your weapon to a higher tier.

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Oh, and if you should at all times once you start messing with the relic system keep a legendary on you and slotted in that bar, even if you click disable xp. If you get rid of all your legendary weapons, your relics go bye bye too that you've been working hard to get up to tier 8 on.

(I get the feeling I'm am sooo gonna need screenies lol.)

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Crafting:

You can only join one crafting guild per toon.

So, if you're a scholar and a weapon smith, you gotta pick one.

You can level up to supreme master in both but only one guild will take you.

....

I done something illegal and just copied and pasted something that I had typed out for someone else in the beta forums. :p

To join the crafting guild, talk to a guild trainer. I know that the one in Esteldin is by the oven. There is one in Thorin's Hall across from the lore-master trainer, near the work-benches in the crafting area. There is also one in Gondamon that I stumbled across on my low level warden. I seem to remember on in MD near the crafting area as well during my jaunt to talk to the guild leader for cook. Someone also mentioned one in Bree, though I've not checked.

There are more but those are just the one's I've stumbled across.

Once you talk to them, you head to your guild. For Woodworkers, Jeweler's, and Tailors, their in seperate places in Esteldin. Scholar's is in the LHH, 2nd floor under Elrond's Library, Cook's is in MD near the Superior Oven, and Weaponsmith (and I'm guessing Metalsmith) is somewhere in Thorin's Hall.

The guild leader is who you turn in your rep crafting items too.

The guild rewards vendor is who you get your reward recipes from once your repuation level increases. (I.E. Acquaintance grants you recipes from here then once you hit Friend you get more recipes from here.) These recipes take the rep items that you can only craft so often to make lots of awesome stuffs (depending on your rep level and the level of the item).

The other vendor in the room is where you get the recipes from to actually craft the your reputation items. These range from a 1 day cooldown to a 1 week cooldown. Once you learn all of these you'll never have to look at this vendor again. Razz

Things I've noticed that may help you out.

Once you hit Acquaintance, you can craft Expert level item's from the reward vendor.

Once you hit Friend, you can craft Artisan level item's from the reward vendor.

Once you hit Ally, you can craft Master level item's from the reward vendor.

Once you hit Kindred, you can craft Supreme level item's from the reward vendor.

I actually like how these are set up, personally, that is.

Hope this helps =)


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Jewelers: You can craft rune stones for RK's and emblems for other people I think. I don't remember.

Okay, for this example, we're gonna say I'm kindred with Jeweler. All of my cooldown timers are up on my recipes that I used to gain rep (some are on a 1 day CD timer, some on a 3 day, and some are on a week).

I wanna make a legendary weapon to be identified for a RK. I use the week long cooldown recipe and two 3 days (which means that over the course of the week I can craft it). Once done, I use those plus whatever else I need material wise.

Now, my crafted rune stone has no more guarantee over the random drop legendary items that we're sure to get ... but thats how it'll work.

It's quite the debate in the super sekrit MoM Beta forums right now. :p

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For Cook: Let's say, okay, I know the kin is going out into the new dungeons this weekend, I was told to craft food. I can use one of the guild rep items and once I gain access to the right rep reward, I can use the rep item and instead of just making 3 superior racks of lamb and rice, I can make a whole stack.

And let me tell you, you will become gods if you are a cook in this expansion. I go thru so many stacks of food and wound/disease/poison/fear pots its not even funny.

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Weaponsmith: You will be able to automatically crit a weapon using a guild recipe HOWEVER you can only do so once a week. You can however still crit a weapon going the more non-reliable method.

Oh, and you're not gonna wanna rush straight into the mines. It really doesn't take you that long to hit 60.

Do Eregion quests first and book 15. Or maybe start volume 2 book 1 so that you can start using your legendary weapon .. the mines will still be there after the bum rush to go inside. lol

And not all of Lothlorien is open, only the Dimrill Dale. Their gonna open up more of it for either the book 7 or book 8 patch.

And for those that may be curious, you do NOT have to complete book 15 to start volume 2 book 1. I personally think you should, but then again, no one ever ever ever agree's with me either.

/flees_back_to_books

Might I add that I was along-side Kali with Vay inside the Mines as well. So between the two of us, once MoM comes out, we'll have your answers on quests, areas, people, etc!!! If you don't like change, you'll HATE the expansion-- but in my opinion, the expansion is a million times better... so much has been improved overall, and so many little subtleties that make the game!

So yea, the first couple of weeks that I somewhat disappeared, I was grinding Moria Then real-life hit and I couldn't even do that :/

I'm looking forward to filling you guys in!

I promise I'll go back and edit that into a nicer looking format and a more sensible one.

And I was there before Vay ... hes just a follower *ducks smack*

In the mean time, feel free to ask questions. I'll answer what I can. =)

Oh, and vay, if you think this needs to be in another forum.. move it. I didn't know where to post it.

im excited all sounds scary and new but im sure u get used to it

cant wait, thanks Kali for the info

Ah, something I don't seem to find in your information above (unless I just skipped past it somehow):

STOP grinding trolls and such for your virtues. The cap of each virtue has not been raised above 10, and there's a BAZILLION new deeds to complete these virtues without killing countless stupid trolls.

Again, trying to max out your virtues right now is pointless because you'll have a much easier time once Moria comes out to max them out on easier deeds.

*ducks with Kali*
/SMACK
*laughs at her @$$ on the floor*

Yeah...I'm not at all impressed with the guard updates...

as are most guards i've read.

we are going to be spending over a gold a week at the bards to switch our traits for different battles. I have to change from my Group tanking abilites to Boss tanking abilities in the middle of a freaking fight if i go up against a heavy boss. So i think I'm going to try to run either as a Fighter of Shadow guardian, or make myself a form of Hybrid guardian with Defender of the Free Guardian.

But overall, we got our butts NERFED big time!!.

I'm slightly pissed. so for all that hold me up high as a guardian...Be prepared to be dissapointed ATM.

For all the bad stuffs on the minstrel forums, I had to put together a video showing that it iS possible for a minstrel to solo.

I'm ready to strangle someone over there.

ANyway, if anyone wants to see it here it is.

The video quality is iffy b/c of the compression. If I could host it somewhere better I would. Any questions, lemme know. I might do a RK and warden one too just so you all can get an idea.

And I got a PM asking me to show how the whole weapon thingy worked...so I'll do that later .. =)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HdXcujasshs


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Oh, and while yes, you can stop grinding your traits b/c there are other options, for every 40 deeds you complete, you can open up another quest holder space in your quest log. =) And lemme tell you, this is great! lol

awesome vid kali, u rock!

OMG, anyone that doubts it should watch this video ... Minnies kick A$$!!!!!

*picks up calendar to mark off another day*

And for those not following my rampaging through the minstrel forums on lotro.com ...

I was asked ....

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Does it normally take a minstrel 45s to kill a blue mob?
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Also, for what it's worth, I'm not sure if you can see the stats on my sword cuz it's all blurry (grr youtube) but it leaves things to be desired. It's common damage simply because I knew that I wouldn't be keeping it very long and didn't want to use a scroll on it. (Those little double sword animations that kept popping up over my head was a weapon I had in the 3rd slot leveling that I wasn't using yet.)

My DPS isn't maxxed out yet. It's at 33.3 DPS. I have +3% Piercing Cry Damage, +5% Anthem Damage, +25% Still as Death Duration, and -93 Triumphant Spirit Recovery.

My Song book has +4% Raise the Spirit Healing, +5% Bolster Courage Healing, +1 Cure Fear Range on it.

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As for my potion consumption. Yes, I do use more wound / fear / disease / poison pots but that's on all of my character's (I *always* carry a full stack of each on me on live as it is now) and as for my morale and power pot usage ... I think I threw up one power pot and that was after I put myself back into warspeech and disabled my blue bubble so I could finish off the other two.

My morale potion use. I use them a bit on live now as it is. I could be focusing on healing someone else and get a bit of AoE damage. If my morale pot can bring me up w/o me having to target myself and untarget who I'm healing, I'll use it instead. I guess that's just my playstyle. =)

On my food consumption use. I use it all the time on live. I saw no need to change that here in beta. =) I just changed the type that I use.

And the reason that it took me a bit longer to kill the archer that was one below my level is because yes, he decided he'd be cute and heal himself. I normally just chose to smack him through out it. The only time I won't is when he get's off his buff that absorbs my damage and turns it into his morale (which is what happened during that last fight).

To me, this isn't tedius. I have to come up with strategies and it's fun. On live, I never thought to use my blue bubble for anything other than running into new places and seeing how far I can get. Here, I use it to get back into warspeech during the long fights in which I had to drop out of it to heal myself up.

When I group, all I do is stare at everyone's morale and heal, occasionally throwing in a piercing cry or something. That is also fun to me. If it wasn't, I wouldn't play a minstrel. I'd play my Hunter or my Lore-Master (or in the case of beta my RK or my Warden).

And as for quest difficulty, I've never had to ask for help for a solo quest. Granted, I've been skipping a few here and there on my minstrel because I done quite a bit of them on my RK already but I'm up to book 5 on my epics (on this char) and w/ the exception of the ones that required a full fellowship, I've not grouped to do them. And just for fun, when I done one full fellowship quest, I wasn't the healer. We had another minstrel who healed and with the exception of I think twice, I didn't drop warspeech so I gotta be a tank minnie. (Although, I did hide behind the champ )

Am I killing stuff more slowly than my hunter, lore-master, and rk? Yes, but then I'm supposed to kill stuff more slowly. The minstrel is NOT a primary DPS class. (I can't compare to my warden b/c shes only level 21 or 22.)
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And because I was told that I moused over my traits to fast for anyone to see what they were:

Silver-Tounge (Watcher of Resolve Path)
Flow of Harmony (Protector of Song)
Heralded Resolve (Protector of Song) [as an aside, i'm not sure why this one is in this path instead of the warrior-skald path]
Powerful Voice (Warrior-Skald)
Light in the Dark (Warrior-Skald)
Unrelenting (Warrior-Skald)
Herald's Hammber (Warrior-Skald)

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i'm about to take my doggie to the vet to get shots... when i come home, i'll do a quick video on how the Legendary system works and the legacies and points and all that jazz.

/flee

Just a couple pictures before I go hop in the shower





I'll be uploading a couple video's after I get home this evening. =)

ooo that first pic is like a amethyst quartz crystal i likey, likey a lot

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PGxO_M5HtZs

My Rune-Keeper in action. I dread starting back at 1 again :p I'll miss all my skills lol.

I'm uploading a video I spliced together on Legendary weapons. As soon as it's done, I'll add it to this post. =)

Then it's time for a nap =/

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WTuDwDf63X4

ok..its been a long day .. and a crappy day .. and i have to get up and do it all again tomorrow =/

*crawls to bed*