Release Nov 18th

[Crell_1]

Actually, they are.

Those exclusive items appear to be the XP cloak, Mount with and without WS appearance, and pocket item.

It is hard to believe that Turbine won't sell this pocket item at launch like the others have been, but I can see them not doing that for the cloak.

[MuncieGuy]

Can anyone tell me for sure (not speculation) what the Legendary Cap increase with the add-on package for $40 gets you? Is it a permanent automatic level 70 for all LI's plus another 10 for the scroll of Delving? Or is it just that you don't have to buy scrolls of Delving. Is the cap even raised by 10 and not some other figure.

[dusken]

But didn't you see, you get free tickets to see the new Hobbit film, ONLY AVAILABLE IN THE US, so a Pre-Order bonus that half the player base cant use. Go Turbine.

Well, we are used to it. It has been years since Turbine started giving prizes from contests or events that only applies on US. We "foreigners" must just look and smile.

[padraxus]

I ordered the premium edition anyway, despite all the ranting in the forums.

[Arvendir]

Helms Deep Battle is the first true battle of the Movies and the book, i love that part and i dont realy understand why Turbine is wasting so much time to make cosmetics and other things that don't realy match with the Gameplay

With Moria there were like six 6-man istances + 2 raids, with Mirkwood there were three 3-4 -man istance and one 6 men + 1 raid that took (and still take) hours and days to be copleted, now we have Helms Deep, one of the most waited Expansion EVER with these Great battles that will take no more then 30 min to be completed, with only one tier and with a PUG group and with no locks, the game is going to be VERY easy, if i wanted to play solo and get the equipments without a good teamplay i would continue to play some Single Player at playstation etc.

If the expansions are going to cost €50+ just for outfits and Mount cosmetics, without a true gameplay content the people will just continue to leave this beautiful game.

I would spend even €150 for a true raid, true istances and a true difference between end game kinships and other gameplay stiles, i've gathered enough in game gold to buy crystal of remembrance and star lit crystals, so i would pay 53€ for a cosmetic armour (that cannot be coloured) and a war steed outfit?

I would understand this policy if there were new contents every 1 or 2 months, but releasing an Expansion Pack without ANY istance cluster (only this Epic battles, farmable in pug) that will last for one year but its content will be farmed like hell for 1 or 2 months and then ignored, it's not soo good.

What will be our goal once we have reached the loot of the Big Battle? Are you going to level up again other istances like Great Barrow and Fornost? I remember you that Great Barrow is the very first istance of the game and Fornost have been an end game content for a While, we want to pay 50€ or more for Rohan content, you gave us Erebor content that don't realy fits with the actual epic line.

Moreover you are letting low levels to partecipate to the Helm's deep battle, why? Why should a new player reach the level cap if he's already playing the "end game" content?

[Damojo]

Pre-ordered

Perhaps I'll be the only one! :P

Nope, I think not

[Burzdolion]

Not worth the price at all.

[LongMarch]

Drama? Check.
Overreaction? Check.
Conspiracy theories? Check.
I see I've arrived at the LOTRO forums. Most passionate fanbase...indeed.

Look, if you're worried about spending your money on a pre-purchase, chances are you should hold onto that money until such time as that worry subsides. Nothing wrong with that and it's probably a wise approach with any transaction.

On the other hand, if you're stoked about getting your hands on the new expansion and the pre-order goodies (understanding of course that class trees are likely to be a major change for all of us and that all new releases come with at least some new headaches) AND assuming the money is not a serious issue for you, then fire away, send in your pre-order funds and enjoy while you wait for the eventual release.

I, for one, can't wait to get online tonight to get my pre-order done. Account-wide shinies are always nice especially with a bunch of mid-level alts in my stable.

[Thorandor]

I am gonna hold out pre-ordering until the NDA is lifted. I don't wanna risk handing Turbine my money to find out the new content / class changes are terrible.

Well, the class changes are going to be applied no matter what. Thats not something that you buy. (At least in my understanding!)

[NeoBasilisk]

Helm's Deep was the most memorable battle in Middle-Earth? That's quite a bold claim. :P

[LethalLethality]

Well, the class changes are going to be applied no matter what. Thats not something that you buy. (At least in my understanding!)

Yes, but why would he pay for an expansion that he may not play if the class change is terrible?

[Throsthall]

My biggest qustion is: do i get Token of Hornburg (+25% Monster XP) just in the basic edition or is it included in the premium pack??

[Crell_1]

My biggest qustion is: do i get Token of Hornburg (+25% Monster XP) just in the basic edition or is it included in the premium pack??

The Token is JUST in the basic editon.

[whitering]

It was really the +10 quests that put the premium edition over the top for me, in a game where there shouldn't be a quest limit at all, see DDO please Devs, like maybe walk down the hall, and check it out, at least as it relates to questing.

So, premium it was and 5000 turbine points because if I can't get more than the legendary gave me for the same amount out of that (I only have 1 high level character, a Warden, unfortunately), I will be really surprised.

[VeryBeary]

As soon as I opened my email, I placed my order. This is "my game" and nothing will change that. I have to have confidence that I will like or adept to any changes that come with Helm's Deep--which has been the case with every expansion. Regardless, I can't imagine not wandering through Middle Earth on my elves or my hobbits, doing the good deed and loving the ambiance. I have always found great happiness here as a casual or a raider or a casual raider.

I'm excited! I'm also glad it is just over two months off so that I can "get more things done" before my main couple of characters take over again. One thing about LOTRO, ALWAYS a ton of stuff to do, things I look forward to and enjoy.

It was happy early holidays for me !

VeryBeary

[Johnny0]

Can anyone tell me for sure (not speculation) what the Legendary Cap increase with the add-on package for $40 gets you? Is it a permanent automatic level 70 for all LI's plus another 10 for the scroll of Delving? Or is it just that you don't have to buy scrolls of Delving. Is the cap even raised by 10 and not some other figure.

It's one free store scroll of delving for every character and future character, same with the other items

[Sapience]

Is there a list of what is included in the expansion that is not free for all players. I know the quests are not free, but the level cap rise and the epic quest lines are free. So what do you get for the money and what is free for everyone.

Sure thing.

Requires purchase of the Helm's Deep expansion pack

• Battle of Helm's Deep (Epic Battles).
• Epic Story.
• Western Rohan/Helm's Deep Content (Quests).

Does not require Expansion Pack Purchase

• Class Changes.
• Level Cap increase.
• Additional Crafting Tier.

[Crell_1]

Sure thing.

Requires purchase of the Helm's Deep expansion pack

• Battle of Helm's Deep (Epic Battles).
• Epic Story.
• Western Rohan/Helm's Deep Content (Quests).

The Epic story is NOT being given away for free?
Shocker.

And no free 'Get your first taste' of big-battles?

[kedarid]

Sure thing.

Requires purchase of the Helm's Deep expansion pack

• Epic Story.
  
  

This is something new. Could you answer a question: Will all scalable instances/raids scale to 95?

[Mar-Evayave]

Um... wow? Free epic quests have almost been a motto for so long... Then bam, HD arrives and now they must be paid for. -.- My sympathies to the f2pers out there. This is going to really suck for them.

Anyone else notice that the work is free and the rewards are not?

Work (free):
New craft tier (involves grinding)
10 more levels (involves even more grinding, now that the epics were removed)
Class changes (relearning a class has to count as some work)

Rewards ($$$):
Epic quests
Big Battles
Landscape quests

[monteeburns]

Sure thing.

Requires purchase of the Helm's Deep expansion pack

• Battle of Helm's Deep (Epic Battles).
• Epic Story.
• Western Rohan/Helm's Deep Content (Quests).

Does not require Expansion Pack Purchase

• Class Changes.
• Level Cap increase.
• Additional Crafting Tier.

The Battle of Helm's Deep is going to have to be earth shatteringly good or it's a $40 quest pack.

[Hundolf]

Requires purchase of the Helm's Deep expansion pack

• Epic Story.

So you're not selling the epic story as a F2P option. Interesting change in direction. Hasn't epic been free since In their Absence?

[Crell_1]

Um... wow? Free epic quests have almost been a motto for so long... Then bam, HD arrives and now they must be paid for. -.- My sympathies to the f2pers out there. This is going to really suck for them.

If you're not supporting the game by Level 85 why should Turbine string you along any further?

I hope this means the level of quality in the epic is going to go up quite a lot.

[Gwuryn]

So, the epic is no longer free? Well played, greedy pigs. Well played.

[Belnavar]

The Epic story is NOT being given away for free?
Shocker.

I expect that's because it involves Big Battles. See the pre-order epic page:

https://www.lotro.com/en/content/fight-rohans-survival

Book 13 is about Helm's Deep.

-Bel