Cradle to Grave Build Advice

[Earthsuit]

Greets.

I'm wondering if anyone has or knows of a build guide for hunters from inception to lvl 100. I've looked at the Trait Tree Planner, but there is no explanation of the strategies for the various builds and it is no longer current.

I'm currently lvl 39 and have been using the red line due to focus generation. But, I'd like advice (in plain english please since I'm relatively new to LOTRO) in building out all three lines.

Thank you in advance.

[Agantas]

Maybe something like this for a cradle red build:

http://www.lotrottp.lotrostatus.com/l.php?c=3H8

The correct way to use fast draw trait is to shoot another quick shot while the fast draw buff is still active. Quick shot every five seconds or more often should do it. After three quick shots, you'll have full benefit of -30% induction from the fast draw buff. But if you let the buff fall, then you'll lose the stacking benefit and have to start from the -10% induction again.

Heart seeker or not is also something you must decide. A good way to use heartseeker with 2 points traited is to shoot it at crowd controlled foe (foe is in your trap, slowed by quick shot or feared with bard's arrow). It helps to have fast draw fully stacked at when inducting the heartseeker.

Then you trait Draw Weight:

http://www.lotrottp.lotrostatus.com/l.php?c=3H9

Now, you need to put at least one trait point to any trait you want. True Shot, Heart Seeker, Burn Hot and Press Onward are the most likely choices here. Rain of Arrows is lackluster if it is not fully traited with four points.

Red hunter's core build + 1 point in Press Onward:

http://www.lotrottp.lotrostatus.com/l.php?c=3Hr

Then you pick the traits you want to have. Note that it is good idea to pick Quick Draw trait from blue tree at some point. Blue tree costs 2 trait points for red hunter, so it is a bit on the expensive side, so whenever you want to invest in that. I am personally fully traited in red, with Quick Draw and Strong Draw fully traited in blue.

That said, I'd probably start with a blue hunter if I restarted the game with a new hunter now. Red is best DPS build, but it does need some trait points before you get the full use of it. Red does work best in the classic tank-healer-DPS group setting, which is what instances are. Blue hunter uses focus bow a lot and kites the enemy as he moves and shoots. Yellow is a trapper build and you want at least piercing trap before it is worth it. The One Trap is best trap of yellow tree and along with the other traps and advanced placement, one of the must haves of the tree.

Maybe something like this for cradle blue build:
http://www.lotrottp.lotrostatus.com/l.php?c=3Hv

For cradle yellow, maybe:
http://www.lotrottp.lotrostatus.com/l.php?c=3Hw

[Earthsuit]

Thank you Agantas for the thoughtful explanations of some of the reasons for the build process you use. Especially the red line. I'll spend some time experimenting with it and mixing in some of the blue and yellow. Thanks.

[MagicVoice]

For my money, any line is viable up into level 60. That's where Blue (my favorite) really starts to fizzle, and it becomes hard to take down enemies without running out of power. Power becomes a huge problem as blue line grows. Also, Blue isn't supported well by Legendary legacies. Every LI weapon feels like a Red weapon.

I had to switch to Red around level 75 (was stubborn), and I hate Red play-style, but I do more DPS, can manage mobs, and I don't run out of power. Unfortunately, "cradle to grave" may be a misnomer, as I hear things change at lvl 100 due to some outlandish gear with buffs for different hunter skills, and being able to max your crit rating.

That said, I think (cradle to grave) I'd keep to Red or Yellow. It's pretty impossible to run Blue between lvl 75 and 100.

[gctwuna]

along with the other traps and advanced placement, one of the must haves of the tree.

Personally I do a lot better on my hunter in yellow without using advanced placement. You have to be better at aiming based off where you are, but for me having to manually place the traps would usually brake the flow of battle.

[Thorgrum]

It's pretty impossible to run Blue between lvl 75 and 100.

No it isnt impossible its extremely potent and viable it requires a different skill set then Red and a broader usage of skills then Yellow but "pretty impossible" isnt even close. I have been in blue line since HD play that line in the moors and have done all of the content since HD( ya I know thats not a ringing endorsement) in blue line with no issues except time to time power.

Even in the moors, because I can kite and shoot on the run I proc more DPS then my red line friends who once targeted loose potency do to limitations of the line and die much faster than I do. Of course in PVE, if thats what the OP is going to do primarily there really isnt a reason to go away from Red, all the mobs will run directly at you and your line of fire.

[MagicVoice]

No it isnt impossible its extremely potent and viable it requires a different skill set then Red and a broader usage of skills then Yellow but "pretty impossible" isnt even close. I have been in blue line since HD play that line in the moors and have done all of the content since HD( ya I know thats not a ringing endorsement) in blue line with no issues except time to time power.

Even in the moors, because I can kite and shoot on the run I proc more DPS then my red line friends who once targeted loose potency do to limitations of the line and die much faster than I do. Of course in PVE, if thats what the OP is going to do primarily there really isnt a reason to go away from Red, all the mobs will run directly at you and your line of fire.

Oh, yes. I've never played PvP, and I have no idea how any line plays in the moors. Sorry. Should have made that clear.