Need tips for soloing "The Gates of Carn Dum"

[Finduilas88]

I've tried soloing this mission at level 47 and 49 with my Guardian, with no luck. (the quest is level 49) The basic problem is that I need to protect an NPC (Lorniel) who has all the survival instincts of a lemming. Immediately after we defeat a bunch of Anagrim, with a sliver of health, she charges--I'm not exaggerating here--two effin' TROLLS.

I've done a number of 'protect the NPC' quests before successfully, it's usually pretty easy for a guard, but never with a NPC so suicidal. For those who have managed this before solo, what's the secret? Is it just a matter of waiting a few levels?

This is one of those 'really a fellowship but you can do it solo' quests, but I noticed that the damage boost doesn't seem to be a great as in previous quests of this type--it's taking me a lot longer than expected to defeat pretty ordinary mobs.

TIA for any suggestions or advice!

[Elazaer]

I just got there too.
I know that I underlevel it a bit (I'm 44 atm)...

But you are right, i could kill the first few Angmarians but then when the three Angmarians come when she says: Look a fallen ranger! I can manage to stay alive but she dies within a few seconds...

I have always had this when i have to protect someone, with Legolas too, it took quite some time to finish that quest. Somehow I always manage to stay alive with ease, not even using healing skills or potions, but the NPC's always die.

What am I (and the person above me) doing wrong?

I do take the fact into a count that I am too low, but that shouldnt be the reason why she dies all the time.

[dselden]

When I did it on my champ, I had to go ahead and pull the next wave before Lorniel ran up to them so I would gain aggro first. It was tough but you should be able to do it on a guard

[robsolflotr]

It is tough to keep her alive; easily one of the toughest, in my experience. The best I can tell you is, get as much aggro off her as possible. When the first 3 attack, try to get them all to attack you. As a Guardian, you should have all kinds of tricks to draw them to you, and lots of morale to absorb the hits.

Keep doing that with each new spawn, and her health will stay up. She won't move on til' each group is dead, so as long as they're hitting you instead of her, her morale should stay up. And as for yours, I'd recommend some in combat morale/power regen food.

Hope that helps!

[Urco]

I haven't done this in a long time, but there used to be a few places where she stopped and you needed to talk to her to get her moving again, right? One of them was at a gate you had to loop around to open? Or am I thinking of another Epic?

Either way, one tip for escort quests is to use any pause the NPC gives you (like the above) to clear ahead. When you zone in, before you even talk to the NPC to start, if you can run ahead and clear mobs, do it. If the NPC stops for a narration moment which requires you to talk to them to restart, clear as far ahead as you can before starting the escort again. They follow a scripted path which they will follow regardless of if there are mobs there or not.

Another way if you have the space for it is to use/abuse their reset time. The NPC follows this scripted path, when they enter combat it pauses that script (usually). So when they leave combat they'll (usually) go back to the place on that path where they entered combat. You can use this to buy some extra time. Have the NPC enter combat with a mob, then pull that mob as far down the path as you can safely advance without pulling more mobs. Since you're in an instance nothing should reset. Then when the mob dies the NPC will have to reset all the way back to that origial point, giving you time to heal/clear/etc.

[forceofnone]

The first stage of this instance is hard to do with a tank because the inspiration buff doesn't address the mechanic that makes this area difficult. Once she stops to check a ranger, you will have three mobs pop up and they later summon more. If you fight the first batch on top of Lorniel, the second batch will have at least one who targets her and you can easily lose her before you find them. It helps a lot to draw the first wave away from Lorniel. Use whatever AOE taunt you want to get their attention and then move far enough away from the fallen ranger that when the second group comes in you get proximity agro on all of them instead of some picking Lorniel.

The second stage is easier because it isn't a protection quest. Lorniel waits at the gate and you just mop up mobs. Don't waste this time, go as far up the road as you can and pre-clear mobs before you open the gate.

In the last significant phase, you have a huge troll spawn in mid fight. Keep an eye out for that and be sure you not only get agro but turn the troll away from Lorniel.

Basically, this is a crash course in tank positioning.

[Tapdog72]

Another thing is killing the hornblowers before they can summon. This is hard to do with guardian DPS, but if you can stop even one of them, that will help.

[Finduilas88]

Thanks, everyone, very helpful. Unfortunately, this is one quest where you *can't* run ahead right at the start because Lorniel the Suicidal has the key to the gate. However, I appreciated all the tips like killing the horn-blower and pulling mobs away from Lorniel. I'll definitely run ahead to get aggro from the trolls as well.

It sounds like there will be a opportunity to fight ahead where she pauses later in the quest, which is great, if I can ever get to that point!

Thanks again, everyone.

[hucklebarry]

In addition to running forward and aggroing mobs before her (especially in the last "room") you also need to make sure she is behind the mobs. Some of them have AoE and can damage her even if she doesn't have aggro.

Keep tabbing through all mobs and taunt, range (with bow), anything you can do to get all mobs on you. I play this part like a true tank... keep mobs off the NPC

[Kevin2099]

Hi Finduillas,

To throw in my 2 cents, and to recap the previous suggestions. This is one of those instances where you need to know where to get to ahead of time.

1. Try and run ahead of her as best as you can and beat her to the mobs. This includes running against the gate before it opens so once it does, you have a little head start.

2. Stun the hornblowers and kill them as fast as possible or they will call in spawns.

3. Once she stops and needs you to pull a lever to open a gate, run around to the other side, clear the mobs, look for the fallen ranger. Once you open the gate, run to the fallen ranger and prepare to stun and kill the hornblowers.

4. Try to run through the next gate where you'll see a giant crown altar. I ran to the first hillman on the left, started attacking and Lorniel ran past the mob and was waiting for me at the next gate. I thought I saw youtube video where she had to be protected at this point but that didn't happen this time.

5. After you pass the next gate, you fight Mordirith and finish the instance.

I also made a music video of this instance. The link is below. Hopefully this helps.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u8jm_PjOeqo

I also see that you're also on the Arkenstone server. If you're still having problems with this instance, feel free to send me a tell and I'll see if I can help.

[Finduilas88]

Just wanted to give an update, and I'm happy to report with all the great advice, I did it!

Took me a few more tries (3 to be precise) but I stuck with it and learned from the advice given here and the mistakes I made in previous tries.

A few things that might be helpful for the next person who tries it:

1.) The first part is by far the hardest; if you can keep Lorniel alive through it you'll probably make it through to the end. So a high priority should be keeping Lorniel's morale up through the first encounter or two.

2.) Pulling mobs away from Lorniel was tremendously helpful, it allowed me to ascertain if any mobs were targeting her and reduced the splash damage on her.

3.) Sneaky tip: Lorniel won't follow you if you leave one of the Pale Folk alive while she's checking the ranger, which gives you some time to run ahead and clear mobs. This allowed me to take out the two trolls while she was out of the way entirely.

4.) Don't worry about the mobs to the right of the second gate, she'll wait at the gate while you clear them alone. I also killed everything up to the third gate before using the lever to open the second one at let her in.

As frustrating as it was at first, I have to admit that I felt a huge sense of accomplishment when I finally made it through. Thanks again, everyone, for the tips and encouragement!

[Naralanna]

This is an old thread but maybe someone will see this new message and have a tip.

Yesterday I picked up playing a minstrel that's been dormant for at least 5 years. He was level 47 and I decided to get him up to 50 so he can learn one of the heraldry recipes and contribute to the legendary track instead of being a freeloader Anyway I got him up to 49 and tried to do The Gates of Carn Dum with the doomed Lorniel. She died at the very end, probably because I am very rusty on the minstrel.

I then logged in my 140 champ on another account and had her join a Fellowship with the minstrel. They were both standing in Lorniel's room when the mini accepted the quest and chose "travel now." The champ got a message that my fellowship was now traveling to an instance, but she could only hit "OK" and did not get a prompt to join the encounter, nor was there a pop-up "encounter travel" window. Hmmm. So I logged out the champ and brought in a 66 hunter, same issue. Had the hunter leave the fellowship, go stand outside the Gath Forthnir doors, re-join the fellowship, and try it all again. Same thing. Then I logged out both accounts, had dinner, logged back in and tried again. Still unable to get the prompt for the helper toon to join the instance. Lorniel is already dead for these other 2 toons, would that make any difference?

This instance is intended for a fellowship, and I've done it in a group before, but I can't figure out what the problem is this time around. The current plan is to wait a couple levels and try it solo again, but if anyone has advice for a neglected mini he would be grateful.

[Ryvick]

Are you doing this through the reflecting pool for those that have done it?

[Naralanna]

Are you doing this through the reflecting pool for those that have done it?

I have not tried the reflecting pool. How would that work with regard to the minstrel being able to accept the quest from Lorniel while the helper toon uses the reflecting pool? Thanks!

[Naralanna]

Update: Thank you for the tip! My mini completed the instance with the help of his hunter friend who used the reflecting pool. All the years I've been playing this game I did not know that was an option. Always appreciate the insight of the LOTRO community!

I have not tried the reflecting pool. How would that work with regard to the minstrel being able to accept the quest from Lorniel while the helper toon uses the reflecting pool? Thanks!