NDA Drop Discussion

[Mystarr]

The dev dairies indicated we will be able to slot 7 class traits. At what levels do we get the 6tth and 7th clas trait slots?

Do we get to slot 7 virtue traits too?

Do we get to slot 7 racial traits too?

Did racial traits get any attention? (Is man heal still MUCH beter than any of the other racial traits?)

[gildhur]

The dev dairies indicated we will be able to slot 7 class traits. At what levels do we get the 6tth and 7th clas trait slots?

Do we get to slot 7 virtue traits too?

Do we get to slot 7 racial traits too?

Did racial traits get any attention? (Is man heal still MUCH beter than any of the other racial traits?)

7 class trait slots.

3 legendary slots.

No new virtue/race slots.

Nothing about race traits or virtues (still capped at 10) has changed.

[swisskdl]

Ooookay. I'm willing to take the advice, but please tell me what I'm going to be seeing in my stat sheet to inspire despair?

Number wise, you will see what some might call a significant hit to your BPE and Crit %, mitigations too?

What I saw when playing, my crit chain lights up just as much as I remember it doing from live. Mobs are tougher in Moria, and have new debuffs/buffs/corruptions which you have to watch out for and if you don't then I had to use touch and go every once in awhile against a normal mob fight. If you pay attention to their buffs/corruptions, burgs have plenty of ways to counter them and still easily kill at will.

Honestly, I am not a number or stat guy. I didn't check that out when I first got in and I just played. I had no idea the huge change happened and didn't find out until awhile later when people started complaining on the forums.

[bambam21]

5 - Grats on renown/infamy nerf. Now, what's with that terrible math down to the renown/infamy gain for 2-6 players in a grp? I mean, 16%, really? Not 50%, 33%, etc. I guess I'll just hop in vent and run side-by-side with a fellow ally and get 50% :\.

This is being changed with the first patch after the release of moria. Either it was missed or a ton of people complained about that. Too bad there wasn't enough time to fix that will the release.

[atimes]

Can someone post all of the new trait sets for each class? I don't really need much of a description just a list.

Thanks.

[Ignotus]

Runekeeper
weapon reward
12 misty mountain stones
archivist anraig's runes (annuminas)
10 corroded neekerbreeker horns
20 hooked warg claws
sigil of war
rune of winged dominance

Sweet, I guess my minstrel will NEVER get a rune of winged dominance now that I'm competing with both runekeepers and hunters for it. ****ing ridiculous.
From now on, I don't enter CD unless I'm guaranteed the rune. I'm sick of having hunters getting it and I'm not paying 10g+ for it. It will probably be going for 15g-20g now.

[WKking]

Anyone know how long it'll take to level from 50-60?

[cicdle]

are the books mostly solo?

The first 3 books are completely solo. I think books 4 and 5 are solo at first and have a group ending (I am only up to book 4 in beta) and book 6 is group (and hardest by far of the 6 cause it's the last book out).

[sMAk]

Is there any new consumable crafting recipes for weaponsmith / woodworker? With legendary weapons it seems their limited marked may be slashed.

[cicdle]

Anyone know how long it'll take to level from 50-60?

If you are hardcore and don't care for story, scenery or enjoyment... I'd say a week (I think someone was doing it in like 40 hours play time). If you play a couple few hours a day and really enjoy the route I would say 4-8 weeks. If you are just a lore nut....forever. There are so many breath taking places in and out of the mines that I find myself spending hours just exploring randomly.

[Narthalion]

If it only takes that long do we get significantly more xp per quest? Or how much do you need per level from 50-60? It seems to me, based on how long it took to get from 47-50 abouts, that it would take a lot longer to get from 50-60. Just wondering.

[Overtone]

Crafting:

The only legendary items are weapons and class items...bleh...I'm extremely disappointed by this news. Hopefully we will be able to equip some legendary gear in future updates beyond just these two pieces.

Sounds like Weaponsmiths are going to be shoved to the side...

Crafting:

Is Tier 6 crit gear end-game worthy? Or is it easily eclipsed by loot and raid drops as is currently the case?

Are all Tier 6 components and mats to be found in Moria? Does a toon have to be 50+ to go to Moria to farm mats? Goodbye gold-farmers?? :P

When it comes to customizing legendary items, are the components to be found throughout the lotro realm or only in Moria?

Are all current teal items just vendor trash now?

Are item bonuses still stat line bonuses like they are currently? Or are they more like the stats for the Gath raid gear?

Gameplay:

Turbine mentioned that NPCs will be more intelligent in MoM. Is the 50+ content soloable for leveling? Or will it require companions/fellowships? Has -50 content changed in this regard or is it still soloable for the most part?

Have deeds changed a great deal? Are there new deeds in MoM? What are the new caps on traits?

Are there more items available for housing customization?

I like the news that deed items are now pulled out of your inventory and saved within the deed itself. Is this the case for quest items as well?

Are toons still limited to 40 open quests at a time in their quest log?

Did any beta-testers play a Guardian? No Guardian diary has been released that I know of. Are Guards still viable toons with the B/P/E nerf and tanking updates to Champs?

Thanks.

[plato]

The first 3 books are completely solo. I think books 4 and 5 are solo at first and have a group ending (I am only up to book 4 in beta) and book 6 is group (and hardest by far of the 6 cause it's the last book out).

Will I be able to start Moria book 1 if I haven't completed all the books up to this point?

[Cithryth]

My only question: TELL ME EVERYTHING YOU KNOW.

Well ok, and how do Captains stand up in all of this? With the new mastery type Trait Sets, do they become completely useless (because they are no longer a jack-of-all-trades type [except for that third trait set it would seem]) or do they just become epic?

[Cerridwen]

Will I be able to start Moria book 1 if I haven't completed all the books up to this point?

Volume 2, Book 1 is separate from the Volume 1 books. So, yes.

[plato]

Volume 2, Book 1 is separate from the Volume 1 books. So, yes.

excellent, thanks!

[Cassie.Blaze]

Is Tier 6 crit gear end-game worthy? Or is it easily eclipsed by loot and raid drops as is currently the case?

Depends what you want from your T6 crit gear and where you want to go (T6 crafted armour probably won't do you much good in the new raidette).

Are all Tier 6 components and mats to be found in Moria? Does a toon have to be 50+ to go to Moria to farm mats?

Yes, and no - you can get some T6 mats in Eregion (there are two tiers to T6 mats, basically).

Goodbye gold-farmers??

They'll absolutely be gone by next February 30.

When it comes to customizing legendary items, are the components to be found throughout the lotro realm or only in Moria?

The main component used in item customization is dead mobs, so everywhere. High level (50+) mobs may drop legendary items (which won't be of much use to you if you haven't completed V2B1).

Are all current teal items just vendor trash now?

Only the ones that already were. This isn't WoW, the trash drops in Moria won't be better than your Rift gear.

Turbine mentioned that NPCs will be more intelligent in MoM. Is the 50+ content soloable for leveling? Or will it require companions/fellowships? Has -50 content changed in this regard or is it still soloable for the most part?

No real change - you can still solo easily if that's your preference, or do fellowship material if you prefer. There are also some very fun new small-fellow (3-person) instances.

Have deeds changed a great deal?

Nope. Although the mobs for the 'slaughterarbitrarilylargenumb ersofcritter' deeds seem to have been more carefully chosen, and you'll find yourself completing more deeds without extensive grinding.

Are there new deeds in MoM?

Sorry, they've doubled the size of the playable area and raised the level cap by 10, but introduced no new deeds.

If you're a deed/title collector, they've added more hidden 'do deeds in [area]' deed like the ones introduced in Annuminas in Book 14.

What are the new caps on traits?

There aren't any, traits still cap at 10.

Are there more items available for housing customization?

There's a collection of new boss trophies.

I like the news that deed items are now pulled out of your inventory and saved within the deed itself. Is this the case for quest items as well?

Mostly (for quests that require you to interact with the item the item will occupy a bag slot). On a related tangent: key-rings. Click on a key, it becomes a passive skill and disappears from your inventory.

Are toons still limited to 40 open quests at a time in their quest log?

Nope.

Did any beta-testers play a Guardian?

Nary a one. We've all been too busy playing Runekeepers so we can turn our goats into flying mounts with our lightening spells.

No Guardian diary has been released that I know of.

Now you know of one.

[eanamdar]

Ugh... Really? Is this WoW-style normal versus heroic-mode? Will it be required to run hard mode for certain things, such as rare drops, traits, unlocking other instances? If people just want a tougher challenge than this game provides, then why not do the instance with fewer players?

I've been in this since beta, and have seen many chancges, and have tried to find good in all of them. This is pure eliteism, and stinks of WoW...I can only hope this does not happen...it will turn many long term players against the game.

[Jsmooth73]

@gildhur or any other knowledgable champ, a couple of questions

1. Are champs still expected to trait heavy shields to effectively tank bosses, if the need arises for most of the instances, or does the addition of wardens, and then the boost to captains tanking abilities, allow champs to forgo the heavy shields trait and focus exclusively on single and aoe dps? I guess I am asking is it going to be seen as crazy to be a champ without heavy shields traited or is it still seen as a necessity? Does the inclusion of the other classes lessen the burden on what has generally been seen as a champion's role in end group instances?

2. What are the bonuses given for each trait line in the champs three lines?
Meaning what bonuses are given for having 2, 3, 4, and 5 traits for The Deadly Storm, The Bezerker, and The Martial Champion? Does it seem like one trait set is superior to the others or does it depend on playstyle?

3. It feels that 2h vs DW for a champion is pretty comparable, and either style is going to be effective. Since legendary weapons can only be used in the main hand, does it seem like they could tip the scale towards one of these styles, and if so which one?

4. Are the class items totally customizable, or do you have to find/make one that fits what you want to do? Basically is class item a blank slate and you can make it how you want, or are they premade and you have to find one that fits your needs?

5. As a whole, I think champs had legendary skills that were some of the best in the game. How do the new legendaries stack up? Is there a reason not to just trait Controlled Burn, Ferocious Strikes, and Raging Blade?

Thanks for any and all feedback.

[jayspeed]

Anyone reach 60 yet? I'm wondering if there are enough solo quests in the expansion to get you from 50 to 60. I don't want to get stuck at 58 and have to grind mobs until V2B7 comes out.

[Mangar72]

4. Are the class items totally customizable, or do you have to find/make one that fits what you want to do? Basically is class item a blank slate and you can make it how you want, or are they premade and you have to find one that fits your needs?

Thanks for any and all feedback.

The answer to this question is both. All legendary items come with random 'legacies' that do anything from lower the cooldown of skills to increasing the bleed damage of a particular spell. Those are never customizable. 2-handed weapons have 4 legacies to start. Every 10 levels you need to reforge your weapon which adds an additional legacy. You can customize your legendary weapon through use of weapon titles and other items. Each weapon can have one title and 3 slots for gems, runes and settings. One slot for each. Gems, runes and settings have 8 tiers to signify how powerful they are. When added they make your weapon even more powerful. You can also deconstruct unwanted legendary weapons to salvage settings, gems and runes. You can also combine 5 of a specific tier to get higher tier items.

[Mangar72]

Anyone reach 60 yet? I'm wondering if there are enough solo quests in the expansion to get you from 50 to 60. I don't want to get stuck at 58 and have to grind mobs until V2B7 comes out.

There are more than enough quests to get to 60. Also, a lot of people have made it to 60 in beta. Moria is HUGE. Eregion is huge. And there is Lothlorien after that.

Moria itself has around a dozen zones. It is the COOLEST, most atmospheric setting I have experienced in any game. There are many 'Holy %&S%!' moments.

[Cerridwen]

Anyone reach 60 yet? I'm wondering if there are enough solo quests in the expansion to get you from 50 to 60. I don't want to get stuck at 58 and have to grind mobs until V2B7 comes out.

Many have reached 60 and there are plenty of quests to do. I've been spending the majority of my time soloing my warden from around 52 to 57. I'd have been 60 by now, but I've been taking my time (and not playing as much as I used to) and cliff jumping and exploring. There is lots to do and see in this expansion.

[BTime]

My only question: TELL ME EVERYTHING YOU KNOW.

Well ok, and how do Captains stand up in all of this? With the new mastery type Trait Sets, do they become completely useless (because they are no longer a jack-of-all-trades type [except for that third trait set it would seem]) or do they just become epic?

Captains made out really well in MoM. Many of the complaints we've had in the past have been addressed. ICPR isn't quite as crucial as it has been, DPS has been significantly increased, Captain's can gain and hold a single mobs aggro like nobody's business. There's a new path for the Healing Captain. Lots of versatility depending on your playstyle.

There's a few things that need to be hammered out (Archers, and a couple of skills), but most Captains will be very very happy IMHO.

[gildhur]

Anyone reach 60 yet? I'm wondering if there are enough solo quests in the expansion to get you from 50 to 60. I don't want to get stuck at 58 and have to grind mobs until V2B7 comes out.

You can solo your way from 50-60 with just Moria quests. In fact, except for a couple of areas, it's a solo zone. That highly disappointed me, but I suppose that's the market for this game. I'm level 59 and have to cancel 5-10 quests everytime I do a new instance. There are way more quests available than you'll ever need to reach level 60.

1. Are champs still expected to trait heavy shields to effectively tank bosses, if the need arises for most of the instances, or does the addition of wardens, and then the boost to captains tanking abilities, allow champs to forgo the heavy shields trait and focus exclusively on single and aoe dps? I guess I am asking is it going to be seen as crazy to be a champ without heavy shields traited or is it still seen as a necessity? Does the inclusion of the other classes lessen the burden on what has generally been seen as a champion's role in end group instances?

Well, I for one have never slotted Heavy Shield Use ever. If on the rare occasion there's something that I need to tank that I can't do in CB with my Twin Blades of Death, I have a random light shield with some block on it. So since I don't accept your premise, I don't think I can answer your question the way you want it answered.
But yes, since there is a new tank class, there will be more tanks running around, so the likelihood of a Champ having to tank (after enough Wardens hit 50) is that much lower.
BUT. Be warned that Wardens don't bring much else to the table except threat+survivability. So for some people, Champs are still the best tanks around. It depends on who you run with.

2. What are the bonuses given for each trait line in the champs three lines?
Meaning what bonuses are given for having 2, 3, 4, and 5 traits for The Deadly Storm, The Bezerker, and The Martial Champion? Does it seem like one trait set is superior to the others or does it depend on playstyle?

The trait lines are basically going to make the traits you use now even better. If you slot Strikes line now, Berzerker is going to make your mouth water. If you slot Storm now, the AOE line is that and more. If you slot tanky stuff, there's that too. But I'll login and post the set bonuses now:

Berzerker:
2/5: +40% crit multiplier for Brutal/Savage 2nd & 3rd hits
3/5: +944 crit rating (roughly 4%) and 25% crit multiplier for Wild Attack
4/5: -1s on Fervour pips, so pip every 4s instead of 5s.

Deadly Storm:
2/5: +hit chance with AOE skills
3/5: -10% AOE skill power cost
4/5: AOE skills harder to block/parry

Martial Champion:
2/5: +threat to Challenge
3/5: chance to not dispel defeat event with Second Wind & Blocking Blades
4/5: faster Fervour generation in Glory (don't know the exact numbers)

There's no 5/5 bonus, but when you have 5 of a single line, you can then slot (once you acquire) the legendary from that line (the new ones).

3. It feels that 2h vs DW for a champion is pretty comparable, and either style is going to be effective. Since legendary weapons can only be used in the main hand, does it seem like they could tip the scale towards one of these styles, and if so which one?

DW is still king without question. The problem with 2H legendaries is that you're rolling the dice twice. You have to find a 2H item with the stats you want (only 2H things have base stats to balance not having an OH with stats). Once you've done that, you identify the item and you could end up with totally useless legacies. So you have two RNG rolls, whereas a DW Champ can use whatever crafted (some great crafted weapons in T6 btw) weapon they want off hand, make sure they get the legendary with some really good legacies. You've only got one chance to roll **** there with the legacies on the item. But with the legendary barter item drop rate and base item drop rate, your chances are pretty good of finding a MH weapon you will love within a couple levels. The problem then becomes getting it up in DPS to compare with something you'd want to actually use in your MH, but that's a whole new story. lol.

4. Are the class items totally customizable, or do you have to find/make one that fits what you want to do? Basically is class item a blank slate and you can make it how you want, or are they premade and you have to find one that fits your needs?

All legendary items are a blank slate (except 2H, which come with base stats). You get random legacies (2-4 of them) applied when you identify it. So you could loot one for your level, identify it, and throw it away (ie, deconstruct it for relics). Or you could loot one for your level, ID it, and fall madly in love and wish the systems devs would add in-game weddings so you could marry it (like my current Rune: +10% heal for Bracing Attack, +2 (up to 5) second stun for crafted horns, -11 (max 36) second cooldown for Ebbing Ire, and -2% (max 10%) Strikes power cost.

5. As a whole, I think champs had legendary skills that were some of the best in the game. How do the new legendaries stack up? Is there a reason not to just trait Controlled Burn, Ferocious Strikes, and Raging Blade?

I don't plan on using any of the new ones. One costs way too much to be worth it, one doesn't last long enough, and is for the tank line that I'll never slot enough traits in to ever see it. But your mileage may vary.