Races: Dwarf

[Ramen]

Ready to talk about the Race of Dwarves? Post your thoughts and comments here!

[Ariwen]

I wiash there were Dwarf women, I might actually createe one if there was.

I think the dwarfs are just such cool little guys. All buff and gruff!

You know what they say dynamite comes in small packages, How about a female version??

[Eleman]

Ariwen...

Although I agree with the fact that a stocky, short, female version of the dwarf would be cute... it goes against J.R.R. Tolkien's lore. In Middle Earth, the dwarf women are hard to tell apart from the dwarf men (i.e. - They have beards and such). In fact, in the Lord of the Rings movies, they quote Gimli saying that they sometimes have a problem telling each other apart.

So, as much as we'd like to see this as an option on the character selection screen, it is doubtful the developers will change this rule, especially since it is against the lore of the world... and rightly so.

I'm glad the developers have such a respect for the original work...

[Sojourner]

Although I agree with the fact that a stocky, short, female version of the dwarf would be cute... it goes against J.R.R. Tolkien's lore. In Middle Earth, the dwarf women are hard to tell apart from the dwarf men (i.e. - They have beards and such). In fact, in the Lord of the Rings movies, they quote Gimli saying that they sometimes have a problem telling each other apart.

PJ's films were an addaption and there were changes because of that, but his films never had Gimli say that Dwarves ever had problems telling the difference, just that everyone except Dwarves did!

[Eleman]

Good Point... I stand corrected...

I seem to have a hard time in my explanations... LOL

[Ktwizzle05]

I can't wait to walk around in Thorin's Halls. Only problem with being a dwarf, is the undeniable urge to craft!! Especially chillin in Thorin's Halls with all the granduer and magnificence of it all. Makes you want to take part and craft.

[DaemoneIsos]

What I love most about Dwarves in LotRO is their battlecries; it is fun just having one around. In Beta, I eventually created a Dwarf character just so I could hear that manic laugh as he carved up his enemies.

Other races seem mute by comparison, with the possible exception of Hobbits, whose shouts seemed a bit strange to me....

[JeanCarlo]

Is it true that Dwarves are limited to only 4 classes because they'd be too powerful otherwise ?

[shnar]

Well, since none of us are dwarves in real life, how do we know if we're creating a dwarf man or woman? That "man" you think you are creating could very well be a woman

-shnar

[Yrdach]

I managed to make a distinctly feminine looking dwarf, took some effort. To the average person from any real distance it looked like a typical male, but up close she had silver clasps, a shorter beard, softer facial features, and the slightest hint of maybe having a chest under all that armor haha. Still, takes some serious getting used to.

[Mecaza_beta]

What I love most about Dwarves in LotRO is their battlecries; it is fun just having one around. In Beta, I eventually created a Dwarf character just so I could hear that manic laugh as he carved up his enemies.

Other races seem mute by comparison, with the possible exception of Hobbits, whose shouts seemed a bit strange to me....

Very MALE battlecries.. the only people who couldnt tell it was a male would have to be DEAF! I did try to make a more female one but, apart from having a girly name .. just seemed very male ..

I normally LOVE Dwarf females..

Mecaza
Elf Hunter (who would rather be a dwarf)

[Lorekeeper]

You know, even Female Dwarfs would have ... um ... their chest would be different. That aside, they DO look mostly the same. Also, if you count in a little AD&D lore, a beardless female dwarf is a "lady of the night".

Don't ban me Patience, just trying to throw in a little more info.

Grey

[Sparkle]

I loved me dwarf minstrel and I am female!

He was male,,but was a gentle ole soul -))

IF the area for dwarves went to level 50 I would have never left...ok maybe to wander about for a bit.

[VrtualOtis]

I was already biased and leaning towards a Dwarf before I got into early beta because they have always had a warm place in my heart, but I had initially tried to keep an open mind about it. I started with an elf minstrel and loved it. Then a Hobbit Burgler (I know, too cliche) and a hunter, then a human Lore master and captain before finally rolling a dwarf champion and Guardian.

Don't get me wrong, I thoroughly enjoyed the other races and classes, but after playing a dwarf champion for 5 minutes, I was hooked. The champion could have turned out to be the weakest class in the game and I'd still have been a Dwarf Champion for the shear joy it is to play. No other race sucks you in the way the dwarves do with their warcries. As melee especially. It was either guardian or champion for me and since my friend is a masterful tank and I knew he'd be playing guardian, champion was the only choice.

As I say, I really enjoyed all the other classes and races. But none of them permanently and instantly chissel a smile on my face the way a dwarf melee does. I still giggle every time he says "haHAAA!!!" It's even more fun now that my friend and I fight alongside each other, dwarf champion alongside dwarf guardian. Dueling warcries!

[Felamid]

I can understand restricting the Captain choice to the pitiful humans, but where in the lore are there not dwarven thiefs, what about the whole race of petty dwarves??? And although I cant find a dwarf in tolkein specifically addressing magic, what about all the devices that are magically made by dwarfs???

So my question simply is why no burglar, why no loremaster?


Thanks for listening

Bosco, the wandering hunter in the world of Windfola

[shnar]

I think dwarven lore masters is a bad idea, however I *do* thing that dwarves should have racial traits that let them excel in weapons and armor crafting (not sure if they do already), or maybe have special recipies with extra qualities that are only available for dwarves (though the best 'crafter' in this lore is an elf, so I supposed the same thing should be available to the elves).

-shnar

[Kothag]

I can understand restricting the Captain choice to the pitiful humans, but where in the lore are there not dwarven thiefs, what about the whole race of petty dwarves??? And although I cant find a dwarf in tolkein specifically addressing magic, what about all the devices that are magically made by dwarfs???

So my question simply is why no burglar, why no loremaster?

The Petty Dwarves died out in the First Age. Mim (from the the story of Turin Turambar) was supposedly the last one. If Dwarves could be burglars, do you think that Thorin would have recruited a hobbit?

Magic in Middle earth is not like magic in other worlds. You don't have to be a "wizard" or "magic-user" to make a magical item. Tolkien often uses the terms "craft" or "skill" to describe things we would see as magical. Dwarves, being great craftsmen, and having access to metals such as Mithril, would be able to create "Magical" items without being a Loremaster.

[Starbear]

I think we should see female dwaves, its easy to do since all you need to do is add female parts to the dwarf model, add a "softer" more female face, but keep the beard, thus sticking to the Lore of LotR. It never said there wern't females, and it never realy said they couldn't be adventurers, so just add those minor changes and everyone who wants to play a female dwarf will be happy, as well as those who wish to respect the lore of Tolken, everyone wins!

[Sobkiewwicz]

There's nothing I love more than a dwarf cutting things up in combat. Some great battlecries and animations. Dwarf champions are exceptionally cool. I like the attitudes of shop keepers and all around art for the dwarves and area. Bravo!

[oldjollybob]

Just want to know what the battle cry in the Race of Dwarfs clip means in English. I forgot exactly what it means.

Ok I just watched it again it goes like baruk catat catat imenu is that right? If it is what does it mean again?

[danm]

well, I for one WILL be playing a female dwarf.

It's not MY fault all those sexist upworld scum can't recognize beauty when they see it. stinkin fairies. bah.

Khazad (your "catat") means "Dwarf" -- I forget the exact translation, but it basically amounts to "hooray Dwarves! Dwarves > yuo!"

If I'm lucky, someone will post the full "correct" translation and prove that I'm not the biggerst nerd on this intarweb thing.

[Corvan]

Though i do agree that a female dwarf would be a little bit more fun. i would have to go against it becuase it would tear apart from the story that was set. and Gimli did say that it is near impossible to see a male dwarf and female dwarf differently. They even say we dwarfs just sprout out of the ground!!.

before i even started playing i was going to be a dwarf and i am for that matter and also being a rather effecient tank i went with guardian . so lets just keep dwarfs at male. o and a few more beard models would be nice. .

[haeddu]

Just want to know what the battle cry in the Race of Dwarfs clip means in English. I forgot exactly what it means.

Ok I just watched it again it goes like baruk catat catat imenu is that right? If it is what does it mean again?

"Baruk Khazâd! Khazâd aimênu!" which means "Axes of the Dwarves! The Dwarves are upon you!"

(And thus, in the year whatever somethingorother, Danm was saved from nerdness on the legendary internets of Doom)

[Xix13]

I really have enjoyed playing my dwarf guardian. Unlike elves, and their perpetual whining, dwarves are gruff, businesslike, and use any excuse to get somebody else to do the work so they can go drinking. Perfect. The battlecries are great too.

Thorin's Hall, though, is a bit of a mess to try and find stuf, particularly the armourers. I finally got the landmark though...just head behind my guardian trainer. I'm very impressed by the hall, though. OK, so this is really the first modern game I'm playing with my new NX8800GTX and all the graphics, shadows, etc. on full, but the reflection off the polished floors is amazing! Great work.

The quests are pretty good for dwarves too. Lotsa killiing stuf and no flower-picking. Haven't gotten to a quest that I REALLY don't like yet either (Spider Mama for humans, Dol Ringwest and Hunter's Lodge for Elves, e.g.). I'm looking forward to getting into the armourcrafting, but I'm not quite able to wear heavy armour yet. As with all the areas, though, there seems to be a paucity of copper. You'd think with all those hills and mountains, there'd be a bit better spawn of minerals. But I guess that's a general resource spawn rate concern that can be tweaked before launch. I hope so. I like the crafting in LotRO and just wish that resources were a tad more prevalent.

Good job with the Dwarves, I think. Plenty of atmosphere and no Escheresque architecture.

[silv]

I have a few issues with the dwarven race.

1) The to-hit penalty on axes -- I miss enough with my guardian that it makes axes a non-choice for a weapon -- BUT as a dwarf I want to wield an axe and it will become even worse when the +damage to axe trait becomes an option. Personally I think dwarves should NOT get that penalty to hit with an axe, or at the very least not getting a penalty with an axe should come with the +damage racial trait.

2) There arent enough racial traits that one would really want. The +35 vitality buff is almost weak enough that it could be up 24/7 as opposed to a few seconds every hour vs one that buffs power/hope/hp. Hunker Down(reduction in damage) vs say the 75% to parry anything or 3000 point heal doesnt sound as strong. Our defense is 2%(and block so it only helps if you have a shield) vs the 3% for human or stealth for the other races. Our weapon has a minus to hit as stated above. And our teleport is to the least useful location. Really I have a hard time choosing 5 traits I want for my racial slots at the end game.

----

At any rate I like being a dwarf guardian but I feel that the racial traits could use a little tweaking... Really simply getting rid of the axe penalty for dwarves and say making the vitality buff into a stoicism buff that would say improve everyones resistance to damage for a short time and things would be a lot more balanced.