Naked Adventuring on The Legendary servers

[Boraxxe]

Naked Adventuring; What is that?

Several folks have mentioned this in various threads, mostly in the "Lotro has become too easy" threads.
A few of us noted our experiences and someone (Echoweaver) suggested that we get a thread going to more thoroughly discuss it.

So what is it?

It is playing the game from the start with a character that uses no armor or jewelery.

Why would you do that?

I have found that it greatly increases the challenge so that it feels somewhat like it did back when the game launched. The game is not such a cake-walk when one is equipped this way.

Why on the Legendary servers?
Three things (maybe more) are different about the Legendary Servers.
1. The experience gain rate is reduced by 40% so you have more time to explore/adventure in any region before you out-level the mobs/quests.
2. Some of the old long-since removed quests have been revived specially for the Legendary Servers (Marsh Flies, etc).
3. At least in the short term, no one has a stable of crafters and high-level characters to pass down goodies to your new characters, so you have to get this stuff on your own.

Does it work?
I'll share my stories here:

OK Onyi, you have talked me into it (finally).
I have been resisting because of the nonsense that it seems to be.
I am going to roll a character on Anor and wear NO gear.
It won't be a big shock to look at myself because I only show cosmetic gear anyway.

I have found that playing as usual has become so easy as to be ridiculous. I have gotten 2 characters into the low twenties and even the Red mobs are becoming trivial.
I think it's a combination of having enough time (due to the slower leveling rate) and having lots of skill (playing since open BETA) and also some recent game adjustments which have either nerfed the mobs or buffed the characters.

I will report back when I hit L15 and let you all know the results.

CHARGE!...Naked Adventuring!

PS, I wonder how much extra gold I'll get just vending everything... probably enough to buy food and scrolls and other consumables on the auction hall, so I can skip all the crafting.

Naked Adventurer Reporting In as requested Sir... /Salute

OK, I said above that I would report back on my progress as a Naked Adventurer (play from scratch with no gear) but after completing the Intro, I just have to report early.

I died in the Intro.

Yes, I admit it.
I was paying attention.
I was trying to kill a group of mobs for a quest.
I was not AFK, I was not lagged out.

My wife (Reaboj on the Forums) was actually laughing out loud at me. "You died in the Intro? YOU ARE SUCH A LOSER! How can you die in the Intro?!?"

They have revived some of the old Intro quests specially for the Legendary Servers. One of them involves killing 8 Marsh Flies.
Now, you may not believe this but the Marsh Flies are the toughest mobs in the Intro.
But I was doing fine, had 3 down and 5 to go and they were hurting me, but not greatly. Maybe knocking my morale down by 50%, but not a problem.
So, I just jumped at every bug I saw, trying to get out of the intro with a few extra XP.
I took on the Queen. She had a friend join her.
I was killed by a GD pair of flies!

more to follow after I play in the "real" world for a bit.

Originally Posted by Happybudgy
I don't get the impression that you re-rolled, correct?



I did not re-roll. Pressing on with Biggly, the indomitable hobbit Burglar.

I made it over to Needle Hole and acquired the 3-man Troll-in-a-cage quest. I was (still am) at level 8. This is a level 10 small fellowship instance.
I was feeling bold and strong and ready to take on a puny troll that let itself become caged.

That was a mistake. I don't think a Burg at L8 has enough crowd control (red line and I'm stickin' to it) to keep the 4 or 5 dwarves off my tail.
Died again.
I will come back at L9 and give it another try.

Reminded me of doing this quest in "the old days".

I have to say, Onyi, I am enjoying this.

Now I have achieved level 10. I went back to Needlehole to re-try the Troll-in-a-cage quest.
They still beat me.
I really miss not having HIPS....
But, I think I can take those dwarves out!
I will not give up....I have a plan.

How about others? How has it gone for you if you have tried Naked Adventuring?
Let us know.

[Boraxxe]

Well, my plan worked and I'll keep quiet about it to avoid spoilers.

It worked in the sense that I killed the Troll, but unfortunately, that doesn't complete the instance. His captors kicked my tail.
I was revived outside the instance and have to now start it again and;
1. Kill the Troll
2. Get out of the instance alive.

I have more plans.
I am getting close to L11 and I am hoping I can get this done before I level, but it's not looking good.

I tried to get a fellowship together (Naked adventures only) but no takers.

I shall endeavor to persevere.....

[Boraxxe]

We started a Kinship of Naked Adventurers: Victory's Secret

The only rule is No Armour and No Jewellery.
2 members so far, Hobbit Burg and Beorning.
Crafts: Explorer (sticks and stones for gold and the Tailor will come in handy for Burglar Tools and Satchels, etc) and Weaponsmith (Weapons obviously).

If you play on Anor and want to join up just look for Biggly or Ursanna.

Gonna be fun to see what we can accomplish as nude-but-not-rude.

[Happybudgy]

We started a Kinship of Naked Adventurers: Victory's Secret

The only rule is No Armour and No Jewellery.
2 members so far, Hobbit Burg and Beorning.
Crafts: Explorer (sticks and stones for gold and the Tailor will come in handy for Burglar Tools and Satchels, etc) and Weaponsmith (Weapons obviously).

If you play on Anor and want to join up just look for Biggly or Ursanna.

Gonna be fun to see what we can accomplish as nude-but-not-rude.

This is awesome and makes my day!

[Boraxxe]

This is awesome and makes my day!

Yeah, we are having a good time!

With a 2-man group we finally finished that instance! It was quite easy with 2 of us (Levels 10 and 7) and we both leveled by completing it.

Now, off we go onto our separate Prologue quests (he said as he adjusted his briefs).

It may get harder from this point on, we'll see....

[Happybudgy]

Yeah, we are having a good time!

With a 2-man group we finally finished that instance! It was quite easy with 2 of us (Levels 10 and 7) and we both leveled by completing it.

Now, off we go onto our separate Prologue quests (he said as he adjusted his briefs).

It may get harder from this point on, we'll see....

Makes much more sense to do such quests together, even below level.

Ha - we don't need TMI lol

[LabadalofDorlomin]

Great Idea and I look forward to hearing your tales,

but you could have done this on a general world and included everybody..... As it is only us lifers or vips can join you in your endeavours...

Unless of course it was the -40% xp rate that you wanted?

[Boraxxe]

Great Idea and I look forward to hearing your tales,

but you could have done this on a general world and included everybody..... As it is only us lifers or vips can join you in your endeavours...

Unless of course it was the -40% xp rate that you wanted?

I never considered Naked Adventuring until maybe a week ago. I first heard of it in one of the threads in the Legendary Server forum. We did try to create a sort of Hard-mode a few years back, by gimping ourselves with only dropped gear and no legacy gifts and other things like that, but that never worked quite as well as this.

And I agree, this would work on the normal servers. In fact I may convert one of my lower-level alts on Crick.


Concerning Tales Of The Ancient Naturistaner:
Up to L14 and holding.
Running around prospecting and paying my respects to the various foreign horse-renters, while waiting for my kinmates to catch up.
Finally soloed a 3-man quest but not without significant, repeated recovery costs. The hobbit-in-a-cage quest over near Woodhall.
I am finding consumables to be quite important. They make the difference between success and run-away, run-away, run-away.
I'm trying to stay at level or below except when it comes to the Epic stuff. That's a bit easier in general and I like to share it in a duo or group anyway, just for the camaraderie.

Our kin is growing slowly. We have a good assortment so far; hobbit, beorning, dwarf, high elf. Diverse crafting also; explorer, historian, woodsman and tinker.
We are learning the Virtues are a nudist's best friend.

And now it's quite late and I need my rest before the Seahawks game.

[Reaboj]

Great Idea and I look forward to hearing your tales,

but you could have done this on a general world and included everybody..... As it is only us lifers or vips can join you in your endeavours...

Unless of course it was the -40% xp rate that you wanted?

The -40% is a big factor. As Boraxxe said, we tried to come up with a "hard-mode" on the general servers but no one was interested because leveling was the only goal (for many, if not most) and we would still level too quickly for the quest lines to remain challenging. It seemed more likely we would find like-minded individuals on the legendary server since a lot of the players are really here to find a challenge again, even (especially?) at the lower levels. We lifers are just looking to have fun

[Onyi]

I never considered Naked Adventuring until maybe a week ago. I first heard of it in one of the threads in the Legendary Server forum. We did try to create a sort of Hard-mode a few years back, by gimping ourselves with only dropped gear and no legacy gifts and other things like that, but that never worked quite as well as this.

And I agree, this would work on the normal servers. In fact I may convert one of my lower-level alts on Crick.


Concerning Tales Of The Ancient Naturistaner:
Up to L14 and holding.
Running around prospecting and paying my respects to the various foreign horse-renters, while waiting for my kinmates to catch up.
Finally soloed a 3-man quest but not without significant, repeated recovery costs. The hobbit-in-a-cage quest over near Woodhall.
I am finding consumables to be quite important. They make the difference between success and run-away, run-away, run-away.
I'm trying to stay at level or below except when it comes to the Epic stuff. That's a bit easier in general and I like to share it in a duo or group anyway, just for the camaraderie.

Our kin is growing slowly. We have a good assortment so far; hobbit, beorning, dwarf, high elf. Diverse crafting also; explorer, historian, woodsman and tinker.
We are learning the Virtues are a nudist's best friend.

And now it's quite late and I need my rest before the Seahawks game.

This is super awesome! Please keep the updates going!

And yes, consumables and virtues make all the difference!

[Echoweaver]

And I agree, this would work on the normal servers. In fact I may convert one of my lower-level alts on Crick.

Tell me about your alt on Crickhollow!

I am not on the legendary servers. I have been resisting it because I'm only reaching halfway through the content on Crick, and I want to see the other areas of the game rather than playing through content I've already explored pretty thoroughly. However, there's nothing keeping me from stripping an existing alt down to her skivvies, especially if there are other players I might find to group with.

(I'm pondering creating a character on a Legendary server, zipping through the content like a munchkin, and the parking it until the servers advance. BUT that would still take a lot of time I could spend exploring new stuff on Crick. Alternately, perhaps it would be reasonable to use a Gift of the Valar to jump in when the servers advance. I spend a lot of time playing at low levels with my kid and have the content at levels 1-30 practically memorized. I really want to spend time playing *something else*.)

[Boraxxe]

Update at L15 (on the edge of 16):
Waiting for some of the kin to complete their respective Prologue adventures and catch up and then we plan to do the Epic content as a group until it goes Red.
Then we will go back to solo adventuring and help each other as needed.

I am proud to announce that our newest member completed the Troll-in-a-cage instance at L10, without assistance! Gratz Axemojo!
A dwarf Champion.
He did have some visits to those accursed rock-circled spaces, but as a Champion, he had to take out every dwarf in the camp and then the respawns on the way back out.
Biggly just snuck by all those beard-boys and only had to deal with the cage guardians (oh, and the caged Troll, but the Troll was a piece of cake compared to the 5 dwarves guarding him) and Biggly needed the help of the great one, Ursanna.

I did some of the 3-man and a 6-man quests while leveling up to where I am, but they were Blue-quests by this time and even nekkid, they were quite easy.
It may not get too tricky until we get to Book 2 (Uzorr and Weathertop), I have done Weathertop in a group as a fully geared LM, and as I stated in some thread, somewhere...the only challenge was trying to get a shot off before all the mobs in each grouping were dead.

I am wondering how effective a tank will be with no armor. We shall see. I have a feeling we are going to need a Minnie. I hope we can entice a few more naked adventurers to join us.

Oh, yeah, one important thing to report.
We have decided that there is at least one piece of gear that will be allowed.
Axemojo needed to equip the Stone of the Tortoise to avoid leveling beyond 10 while de-caging the Troll. That piece of gear provides no buffs or protections so it's cool to use that.
I only wish that it also halted exp from crafting as well as mobs and quests.
Yeah, we are still leveling too fast...crafting...

Now, it's back to sleep, er, work.

[Echoweaver]

I stripped all the jewelry off my Burg in Moria and watched most of my stats cut by more than half. I tested that out against on-level foes, and it still wasn't that challenging.

This is what Onyi has already explored, but hey, I'm doing it again.

I guess it all comes off next time I play.

[Reaboj]

I stripped all the jewelry off my Burg in Moria and watched most of my stats cut by more than half. I tested that out against on-level foes, and it still wasn't that challenging.

This is what Onyi has already explored, but hey, I'm doing it again.

I guess it all comes off next time I play.

What level is the burg on Crick? If it gets tricky for you (pun intended- get it? burg= tricky? ) and I have an alt around that level maybe I can hop back onto Crick and get nekkid and we can duo something. (As I read this I can only imagine the inferred double-entendres but I have no time to refine my choice of words- lunch time)

[Echoweaver]

What level is the burg on Crick? If it gets tricky for you (pun intended- get it? burg= tricky? ) and I have an alt around that level maybe I can hop back onto Crick and get nekkid and we can duo something. (As I read this I can only imagine the inferred double-entendres but I have no time to refine my choice of words- lunch time)

Level 52! Wenslydale, like in the sig. Look me up, and we'll get nekkid and busy!

(Can't stop the double entendre!)

ETA: OK, I have stripped off all my armor except chest and leg. Fighting yellow foes, this is starting to feel like it takes some effort. I'm using healing potions and food again, and having an extra foe join the fight unexpectedly has led to some close calls.

I will probably get up the nerve to take off another article of clothing soon. It's strip roleplaying!

Also, the waterworks have HALLUCINATORY TOADS.

That is all.

[Reaboj]

Level 52! Wenslydale, like in the sig. Look me up, and we'll get nekkid and busy!


Also, the waterworks have HALLUCINATORY TOADS.

Feel the colours

Well, I have a level 50 Beorning, a level 53 mini and a 55 burg on Crick. Looks like you are on the other side of the USA from us though so we might have timing issues. Let me know when you usually play so we can shed these duds and mess up some dudes

[Reaboj]

Update: Logged onto my level 53 mini, Oomabel and took it all off! Even threw on a Stone of the Tortoise so I wouldn't level yet. Then I panicked! I decided to start slowly by trying to finish a few quests that were light blue and working on some deeds to improve my virtues. But, even so, it wasn't nearly as scary as I expected. I thought a mini with only ~2100 morale (down from ~5500) and losing ~800 will was going to be a blob of squishiness but I was okay at least with mobs a couple of levels below me. Tomorrow I try on level.

[Echoweaver]

Update: Logged onto my level 53 mini, Oomabel and took it all off! Even threw on a Stone of the Tortoise so I wouldn't level yet. Then I panicked! I decided to start slowly by trying to finish a few quests that were light blue and working on some deeds to improve my virtues. But, even so, it wasn't nearly as scary as I expected. I thought a mini with only ~2100 morale (down from ~5500) and losing ~800 will was going to be a blob of squishiness but I was okay at least with mobs a couple of levels below me. Tomorrow I try on level.

IKR?? I can't believe how not dead I am.

Yeah, time zones might be an issue. I usually play 8-10 ET on weeknights. :-/

[Reaboj]

I may get home earlier than usual tomorrow and maybe I can catch you then! Sounds like you may be a bit ahead of me in Moria on book quests if you are already tasting the colours in Waterworks

[Boraxxe]

/mumble
"....frog lickers....mumble, mumble....."
/end_mumble

[Boraxxe]

Well, Biggs has reached L17 and is patrolling in the northern Breeland area.
Biggly has an alternative-type compadre that is L23 and has been hanging out in the Lonelands, I think he said he was named Boraxxe.

Biggly is a red-burg.
Boraxxe is a yellow-burg.

Biggly has decided to work very hard at being the best naked red-burg he can be. He will work, and study, and toil (grind) his way to exxcellence.

Boraxxe has decided that he will race to Mordor, find the one who constructed it, and rip the soul right out of him!

....

Our kin is splitting into groups; the Completionists and the Gusto-Seaking crazy people.

/que low, slow music

Onward Tolkien nudists...

/end music

....

I am finding that the red-burg has a tougher time dealing with above-level mobs than the yellow-burg does.
And that is a bit weird, because this is the first yellow-line burg I have ever played. I have played many red-line burgs.

Crowd control seems to favor Naked Adventuring. "If yer not gettin' hit, yer not dyin!"
The redline burg, at least at these lower levels, has trouble with severe morale loss when more than one tough mob challenges him.
Two, he seems to be able to deal with, when more team up on him, "Green is slip-sliding away".

Must get more DPS.
Must hit faster.
Must not nod off.....

Our next Epic adventure involves Tom Bombadil and his merry band of wights.

[Echoweaver]

I may get home earlier than usual tomorrow and maybe I can catch you then! Sounds like you may be a bit ahead of me in Moria on book quests if you are already tasting the colours in Waterworks

It looks like it might be closer to 9-11pm ET tonight. Would you believe it's the night of my company holiday social?

I might be ahead of you or not. I have been incredibly random in my exploration of Moria. Right now, I'm actually pursuing a couple more pages of Bingo's journal in an attempt to help him regain his memory. I'm in the Waterworks because I fell down a well and thought the place was pretty.

I was playing on pocket tortoise, trying to get to a challenging quest difficulty. Then I found naked adventuring!

ETA: I done got myself killed! By accident! I got ambushed by a water salamander and just barely survived, and then a spider found me before I could heal. Legitimately overpowered.

I'm not totally nekkid. I seem to be able to keep a decent challenge soloing with no jewelry and two pieces of armor. It's nice to have SOME armor. I haven't gotten any slotted armor yet, but it would be nice to mess with it.

Alternately, one could choose a single item of jewelry and a single item of armor, thus getting a little bit of thrill out of gear -- one can pick whatever single thing is best from the spoils of questing and crafting.

I'm fighting a lot of yellow foes, though. I'll have to see if I actually get on-level, if it's still interesting this way.

I'm also equipping the pocket tortoise for tasks and crafting.

[Boraxxe]

L18 and advancing.
I have been questing in The Old Forest.
All of the quests so far are L15 (3 levels below me) and seem like on-level quests (based on my recent experience running same class (clothed) on Anor).

Our crazy Go-for-the-gusto group has been running around in Nan Wathren, dying, and having a good time in general.
We tend to just go for it, when a conservative, group-engaged approach would be smarter, but we make no claim of intelligence in this crowd.

2 new members (if we ever manage to be on-line at the same time).

Our courageous Beorning just slaughtered Baugrach (elite warg wandering in The Chetwood) declothed and on-level! Grats Ursanna.

Virtues, Food and DPS.
Get a lot to be the Best!
(Our new fight song)

We have decided that a right of passage in our Kin will be attempting the Troll-in-a-cage instance solo and on level. There is no penalty for failing, but we all have to try.
My red-line burglar couldn't do it.
Our Champion succeeded.

We continue:
Buff Burglar, Bare Bear, and Disrobed Dwarf

[Echoweaver]

Arrrgh. It sounds like so much fun on Anor, but I have so much new content to see!

Reporting from Crickhollow, I attempted a yellow instance with no pants, and it was a debacle. I was forced to put my pants back on.

When I finally get on-level with where I'm playing, I shall attempt to once again feel the breeze on my behind.

For soloing, I think I like the strategy of one item of armor and one item of jewelry. That retains the excitement of getting better STUFF, and it does well for keeping challenge. With one item of jewelry and two items of armor, the yellow instance was just right. I died twice and had to pull out all my burglar strategy to isolate my enemies and pick them off by ones and twos. Very satisfying.

[Boraxxe]

Arrrgh. It sounds like so much fun on Anor, but I have so much new content to see!

Reporting from Crickhollow, I attempted a yellow instance with no pants, and it was a debacle. I was forced to put my pants back on.

When I finally get on-level with where I'm playing, I shall attempt to once again feel the breeze on my behind.

For soloing, I think I like the strategy of one item of armor and one item of jewelry. That retains the excitement of getting better STUFF, and it does well for keeping challenge. With one item of jewelry and two items of armor, the yellow instance was just right. I died twice and had to pull out all my burglar strategy to isolate my enemies and pick them off by ones and twos. Very satisfying.

That is one of the drawbacks to naked adventuring. You keep getting that thrill when you see some really cool piece of gear as a reward for a quest...and then you remember, "I can't use it anyway...rats!".

But I am getting used to it and hoping every new quest will have some kind of weapon as a reward.