Feedback: New Player Tips for Lore-masters

[Lythariel]

also learn to kite, this is really bug. learning how to effectively kite while still putting out fairly good dps is very important imo, especially when taking on those big mobs solo.
/quote

What is kite? or kiting? I have a 62 LM and do not understand this. Have heard this term, but have found no explanation of ti.

Kiting is an old school MMO term derived from slowing a MOB and then staying out of its attack range while killing it. Essentially its like you have a kite string attached to the enemy, and as you move it moves with you and you are flying it like a kite, IE running to catch wind so it flies.

A lot of old terms are still used but the root has been forgotten.

Like proc. I read a LM guide that says proc is short for processed. Its actually P.R.O.C. meaning Power release on contact. It came about from weapons in Eq1 like the PGT (polished granite tomahawk) that caused an affect when you hit things with it. The power was released upon the axe making contact with the enemy.

[Porian]

Im a fairly new LM but, call me dumb, but what is debuff exactly? I just want to know.

[Porian]

Im a fairly new LM but, call me dumb, but what is debuff exactly? I just want to know.

Nevermind.

[alidor]

some advice was subpar but most was great and well done. congrats all around and happy hunting all.

[whosjgalt]

Please, for the love of all things holy...release your pets, at least when you go into a town (towns are pretty much safe zones, so you don't have to worry about getting attacked), or, if you just HAVE to have your pet in town, then let it go when you go into a building. Buildings can get crowded enough as it is without bears, ravens, and other animals tailing after their LM. (The same applies to Captains and their allies, but that's another forum). Combat animals are the most troublesome, particularly bears (because they're so large) and ravens (because they're noisy). I haven't really had any experience with other pets, but the same rule applies to lynx and any other combat animals. I know you might really want to show off your animal to other players, but, please...if you HAVE to show it off, at the very least, don't do it in a building. Please be courteous to other players.

Turn down your game sounds, this way, you won't be annoyed by LM's pets. We even have cosmetic ones, just so we CAN run around with neat ones to entertain all Sit back and enjoy the fun, and this way, our Pet's sounds won't annoy you.

Pherenn
Leader of the Knights of Valour
Vilya
Featured Player, Lotro 2011.

[Mellonbeleg]

This thread was really helpful to me as a new lore master, but now I am torn between my Mini(Minstrel) and my LM. I want to use one for repeated grouping with a friend and the other for solo, but which for which as both are support or healing. The friend is a hunter. I still prefer my mini because of the induction time or lack thereof in all of the common Mini skills

[kittypoo]

New Lore-Masters don't often realize that some of the actions on your pet's command bar can be Right-clicked, which will highlight that button with a shimmering box. The pet will then automatically perform that action on its own every chance it gets, without having to be told to. You can turn this back off by R-clicking it again.

I believe that you can also assign most pet commands to hotkeys from the options menu, but haven't done that myself.

finally found the answer I've been looking for! thank you! I was wondering if it's 'normal' because it seemed automatic (the highlight thingie) every time I summon a pet. I always forget to disable it though since it's really useful (cheating perhaps? not learning to cast those skills myself when needed? XDD)

anyhoo, I have a lvl 33 LM, I realized it's a bad choice for a LotRO noob to start with this class (given I'm a noob anywhere else), but I badly want to play it. so I guess I have questions:
1) solo skirm, is the lynx a good companion for it (haven't tried playing with it yet)?
2) foods--fate, will or vit?

thanks in advance!

[whosjgalt]

finally found the answer I've been looking for! thank you! I was wondering if it's 'normal' because it seemed automatic (the highlight thingie) every time I summon a pet. I always forget to disable it though since it's really useful (cheating perhaps? not learning to cast those skills myself when needed? XDD) anyhoo, I have a lvl 33 LM, I realized it's a bad choice for a LotRO noob to start with this class (given I'm a noob anywhere else), but I badly want to play it. so I guess I have questions:
1) solo skirm, is the lynx a good companion for it (haven't tried playing with it yet)?
2) foods--fate, will or vit? thanks in advance!

As an LM with over 9 months of actual game time (before you comment on my post, please type /played on your LM for your actual game time playing your toon) : Please be aware, the LM is one of the most awesome Classes to play in Middle Earth... yes, it is a bad choice for a new player as it's an "advanced class," but if you put in the time learning the class, it is amazing.

For Solo skirm, you may wish to try using a Bear for tanking purposes; there is no need to put yourself in harm's way when your pet can hold the aggro and you nuke from afar... try it and see if it matches your play style. For an LM, there is no one right way; LMs are massively versatile, and by trying each pet in a variety of circumstances will allow you to experience what works for your fun factor.

As to food; when you open your player journal, you can see by hovering over each stat (statistic, i.e. vitality (Vit), Will, fate), what each one will do for you. More damage comes from will, more critical hits come from fate. if your morale is too low, you want additional vitality, so again, try all of them and see which works best. Also, try installing a program called CSTATS (http://lorebook.lotro.com/wiki/CStats_ ) which will help you work through which works best for you. For my LM, he runs around with near 10k morale, and 7k will (non-raid i.e. without buffs; in raid format, 12+k morale), so I prefer fate food for more crits, but thats just because of the build that I prefer... try everything, and then see what works best for you Have fun with your LM!!

Pherenn:
for more information on my LM: Here's Lotro's featured player article :
http://my.lotro.com/user-38/2011/09/...layer-pherenn/

[kittypoo]

As an LM with over 9 months of actual game time (before you comment on my post, please type /played on your LM for your actual game time playing your toon) : Please be aware, the LM is one of the most awesome Classes to play in Middle Earth... yes, it is a bad choice for a new player as it's an "advanced class," but if you put in the time learning the class, it is amazing.

For Solo skirm, you may wish to try using a Bear for tanking purposes; there is no need to put yourself in harm's way when your pet can hold the aggro and you nuke from afar... try it and see if it matches your play style. For an LM, there is no one right way; LMs are massively versatile, and by trying each pet in a variety of circumstances will allow you to experience what works for your fun factor.

As to food; when you open your player journal, you can see by hovering over each stat (statistic, i.e. vitality (Vit), Will, fate), what each one will do for you. More damage comes from will, more critical hits come from fate. if your morale is too low, you want additional vitality, so again, try all of them and see which works best. Also, try installing a program called CSTATS (http://lorebook.lotro.com/wiki/CStats_ ) which will help you work through which works best for you. For my LM, he runs around with near 10k morale, and 7k will (non-raid i.e. without buffs; in raid format, 12+k morale), so I prefer fate food for more crits, but thats just because of the build that I prefer... try everything, and then see what works best for you Have fun with your LM!!

Pherenn:
for more information on my LM: Here's Lotro's featured player article :
http://my.lotro.com/user-38/2011/09/...layer-pherenn/

Thanks for the advice! I guess I'll stick with the bear for a while...I'm changing my foods now to see if additional vit would work better for me. I don't spend time tweaking my toons' stats and CSTATS sound helpful if only there's a way I could download it...it seems all legit links are broken :/

[Hayburn]

Trying to make it short.
- You are CC/support class. Do not focus on doing plain damage in groups.
- Learn difference between stun and daze. Use skills that stun effectively to keep mobs immobilized as long as you can.
- When you get it, realize the importance of SOP:righteousness, SI skill. Keep tank warm and walking so he can take on those mobs that would otherwise kill you. Specially low level tanks need usually all help possible since they are just learning.
- Debuff. You get nice skills already in early levels.
- flanks was already mentioned, but as important is also harried-debuff, get it with pet hitting on enemies back. It will slow them down to make your kiting more efficent.

[whosjgalt]

Trying to make it short.
- You are CC/support class. Do not focus on doing plain damage in groups.
- Learn difference between stun and daze. Use skills that stun effectively to keep mobs immobilized as long as you can.
- When you get it, realize the importance of SOP:righteousness, SI skill. Keep tank warm and walking so he can take on those mobs that would otherwise kill you. Specially low level tanks need usually all help possible since they are just learning.
- Debuff. You get nice skills already in early levels.
- flanks was already mentioned, but as important is also harried-debuff, get it with pet hitting on enemies back. It will slow them down to make your kiting more efficent.

Regretfully, I disagree with Hayburn on certain points: LMs are far more versatile than "just" being a CC/Support class; LMs can do many roles, i.e. off healers, dps and one of my favorites is massive AOE damage class. I can hit with ENTS for 5k "base" dps on 7 mobs (and crits up to 15k), that's a lot more than just "support." Moreover, please don't think LMs "kite" to be efficient. There are thousands of ways to take down mobs, and kiting is just one strategy used by some groups for certain mobs. When soloing, your pet holds agro, and you can nuke from afar. Try everything and then decide what works for you... as Hayburn correctly mentioned: DEBUFFS, learn them it will make your job a thousand times easier to know that you are taking soooo much less damage, and the mob is taking so much more due to properly applied buffs/debuffs. Most specifically, don't let others tell you how to play your toon Use a program called CSTATS http://lorebook.lotro.com/wiki/CStats to evaluate everything you try, and after running it through the numbers, then decide what works best for you. The great part about Lotro is that you can try anything you wish, and find what works best for your play style. Have fun gaming!

[Estelrandir]

I can hit with ENTS for 5k "base" dps on 7 mobs (and crits up to 15k)

You can hit only max 5 targets with Ents, no 7.

[Irin19]

My two cents, and this is just from way too much time playing the class...

In raids vs. larger bosses, your job will primarily be debuffs, CC and off-heals (stun prot as well), this does NOT mean you don't dps, quite the contrary, help your group with your two bread and butter skills, keep 3 burning embers on a boss at all times as well as a wizard's fire, just those 2 skills alone will bleed a huge amount of morale from your target.

I even go so far as to legacy extra DoT time for both of those skills.

[JOHNARA]

Lore masters at level 70 are learning a skill for a new pet:the spirit.This pet is 3 levels higher from you and it is the most tanky pet,it adds to the enemy 5% miss chance and it can heal you,your soldier(if you participate on a skirm or if you have him outide with a token) and your fellows(it recovers the 10% of morale).The best buff for this pet is:Sign of the wild: protection that adds parry rating and -5% incoming damage.The lore master's most dps pet is the lynx so you r using surprise attack lynx's skill to your enemy and after this you r attacking and you should use the other lynx's skills.Lore Master can heal his-shelf so for a skirmish soldier he should use the protector because lore master can hit a lot of damage and heal his-shelf or his fellows/pet/soldier so lore master haven't a lot of morale so they need a tank to help him in the battle.Lore master need a lot of will for more damage but they need and some fate(for power i think) and vitality(for morale).I have a level 74 lore master and hi has 5,5k power 6k morale 800+ will 550 vitality and 450+ fate

I hope my suggestion is helpful!

[whosjgalt]

Lore masters at level 70 are learning a skill for a new pet:the spirit.This pet is 3 levels higher from you and it is the most tanky pet,it adds to the enemy 5% miss chance and it can heal you,your soldier(if you participate on a skirm or if you have him outide with a token) and your fellows(it recovers the 10% of morale).The best buff for this pet is:Sign of the wild: protection that adds parry rating and -5% incoming damage.The lore master's most dps pet is the lynx so you r using surprise attack lynx's skill to your enemy and after this you r attacking and you should use the other lynx's skills.Lore Master can heal his-shelf so for a skirmish soldier he should use the protector because lore master can hit a lot of damage and heal his-shelf or his fellows/pet/soldier so lore master haven't a lot of morale so they need a tank to help him in the battle.Lore master need a lot of will for more damage but they need and some fate(for power i think) and vitality(for morale).I have a level 74 lore master and hi has 5,5k power 6k morale 800+ will 550 vitality and 450+ fate

I hope my suggestion is helpful!

Johnara: I apologize, but respectfully, I must disagree. Pherenn, my main, a Lvl 85 LM has almost 11k morale, 7k will and 35k tac mastery. Lms simply cannot take hits and should not be 'tanking,' nor should our pets unless we are soloing. We have tanks with heavy armor for that purpose. The spirit pet is not for tanking at all; it is a healing pet to add additional healing to the raid or group (or indeed, the LM). However, usually, with enough will/fate (tac mastery is based primarily on Will and regen/crits heavily based on fate) our water lore provides plenty of self-healing. The LM is an incredibly versatile class but to use a spirit pet to try to tank, in my opinion, is a quick way to die. So, as others have stated above, use the Bear to tank...if solo; if you are in a group or raid, let the tanks... tank. Pherenn

[whosjgalt]

You can hit only max 5 targets with Ents, no 7.

There are legacies that add additional AOE targets for your LI. Pherenn of Vilya.

[TinDragon]

There are legacies that add additional AOE targets for your LI. Pherenn of Vilya.

No there aren't.
http://lotro-wiki.com/index.php/Lore...ndary_Legacies

[whosjgalt]

No there aren't.
http://lotro-wiki.com/index.php/Lore...ndary_Legacies

So, let's see, we have on your post legendary legacies, which include as of the time of that wiki page, in increase in target numbers for: Ancient-craft Targets,
Bane Flare Targets, and Fire-lore Targets, all of which increase the number of targets. As mentioned, I stated Ents, however, this was a mistake, I intended to say... massive damage on many mobs But thanks for your clarification.

[TinDragon]

So, let's see, we have on your post legendary legacies, which include as of the time of that wiki page, in increase in target numbers for: Ancient-craft Targets,
Bane Flare Targets, and Fire-lore Targets, all of which increase the number of targets. As mentioned, I stated Ents, however, this was a mistake, I intended to say... massive damage on many mobs But thanks for your clarification.

You quoted a post about Ents, so I assumed you were only talking about Ents. Since none of those actually do damage, I didn't bother mentioning them.
(Side note, in case anyone was curious: Ancient Craft +targets will not increase the number of targets your Lightning Storm will hit.)

[Aedfrith]

I knew that about Ancient Craft Targets, which drastically lowers the value of the legacy in the eyes. Relatedly, I'm currently quite frustrated with Lightning Storm tbh, as Ancient Craft keeps getting resisted - leading LS to be far more flaky than my other big boom-booms.

[whosjgalt]

I knew that about Ancient Craft Targets, which drastically lowers the value of the legacy in the eyes. Relatedly, I'm currently quite frustrated with Lightning Storm tbh, as Ancient Craft keeps getting resisted - leading LS to be far more flaky than my other big boom-booms.

May I suggest you beef your book up for the legs on resistances? After you add some points there, Ancient craft is a must have debuff to use all the time, on every single mob. Forgetting about LS, just the concept of dropping a mob practically a whole armor class is awesome. Try that and see if it works for you.

[Aedfrith]

Yup, I'm just making max DPS books/staffs for levelling right now - will definitely take both -resistance legs when I hit 85.

[Tatuaje]

May I suggest you beef your book up for the legs on resistances? After you add some points there, Ancient craft is a must have debuff to use all the time, on every single mob. Forgetting about LS, just the concept of dropping a mob practically a whole armor class is awesome. Try that and see if it works for you.

I agree, most LMs I chat with only see AC as a precursor to LS. Wonderful debuff. But as a side note, I just did 42.5K damage across all my LS legs a few days ago in OE on level.

[Pithrandir]

1) spirit pet is a nice off tank when LM is soloing crazy stuff. That thing evades way too much to be taken down easily, so it gives the LM time to clean up some mobs. I use it quite often when in mood for a challenge. let it do the pulls and take ur time to kill mobs off. but never in a fs or raid.

2) LMs are amazing tanks. Not the BfE T2 kind of tanks but there are only a few things we can't tank. Self WL is more or less 1kHPS, and we make up for our lower mitigation cap with our debuffs. But of course if u want a relaxed run ull take tank/heal/2dps/CC/Cappy.

3) AC with bear debuff on rat/boss gives a more than fair dmg boost to the fs

[Irin19]

LM's make great tanks for SOME fights. There is a 1.7million HP Drake in the delving that I tank all the time, it dishes out tactical dmg, I am max'd out on tactical mit, with water lore and a couple cappy heals I got that. It leaves the 1 or 2 Guards/Wardens free to pick up the drakelings if they get popped by the creeps.

The only real issue I see with LM's tanking is you have to give them decent time to build up solid aggro and the other folks in your group just need to avoid forced taunts and the like.

No, we are not JUST a CC and debuff class, there are plenty of instances where you will want max DPS, and that is all.

The LM is about situational awareness and preparing ahead of time.

In the times that your role is focusing on group support, you still dps, even if it's just wizard's fire and burning embers thrown in here and there, the dots tick for a huge amount of damage, you are contributing far more than you think!