Seriously considering a warden but a few questions.

[angelbound]

When I ask in game it is not clear what a wardens role actually is, I understand it is tanking but I hear groups wont let wardens tank?

Anyways I want a class that will invite me to groups often from 20 and up, I want to be able to atleast fill more then one role. If anyone here has played eq2 could you tell me if the warden feels anything like a monk in the group? The monks in eq2 where fast very fast attackers, could tank, offheal and of course dps.

Are wardens actually fun in groups?

And lorewise where do there abilities come from? They are very flashy and look almost magical, and do you get allot of flashy melee attacks?

Lots of questions I know, but im tired of trying characters ive pretty much narrowed it down to burglar, warden, and loremaster possibly a minstrel.

I dropped my captain he has my favorite playstyle but I hated his melee style I do not like slow 2hander weapon types.

Thank you everyone.

[Darmokk]

I had no problem finding tanking jobs with my Warden.

They take longer to decide, though, presumably looking at your gear and your equipped traits. They don't want to die horrible deaths after entering the dungeon, you know?

[tanis0]

When I ask in game it is not clear what a wardens role actually is, I understand it is tanking but I hear groups wont let wardens tank?

Anyways I want a class that will invite me to groups often from 20 and up, I want to be able to atleast fill more then one role. If anyone here has played eq2 could you tell me if the warden feels anything like a monk in the group? The monks in eq2 where fast very fast attackers, could tank, offheal and of course dps.

Are wardens actually fun in groups?

And lorewise where do there abilities come from? They are very flashy and look almost magical, and do you get allot of flashy melee attacks?

Lots of questions I know, but im tired of trying characters ive pretty much narrowed it down to burglar, warden, and loremaster possibly a minstrel.

I dropped my captain he has my favorite playstyle but I hated his melee style I do not like slow 2hander weapon types.

Thank you everyone.

This will be quick because the new House is on in like 5 minutes. :P

Getting a job tanking as a Warden isn't nearly so hard as it used to be. People have warmed to it. There are a lot of bad Wardens, but you're already on your way to become a good one by being here. Be sure to read the sticky. If you roll a new character, I suggest doing it on Riddermark as there is a warden chat channel and an all warden kin with some of the top wardens from various servers that have decided to start over and are happy to give advice.

At 20ish, tanking is a little harder, but it's doable. You'll rely mostly on Precise Blow (fist, spear). If there's a guard, let him tank. Our DPS is still pretty substantial at level 20, so you can fill that role until you get closer to the cap.

Wardens are a blast to play as group tanks if you like having to think on your feet. If you are good at it, it's spectacular how you can save the group's behind at times. If you're bad at it, it's extremely painful though. It takes some research and some practice, but it's not that hard once you get used to it.

I'll let others speak to the lore. It's not really my thing. I know we're ostensibly based on some elf or another, but realistically, we have more in common with Spartans....

[angelbound]

For sparta! Hehe anyways, I don't know if thats anything like the eq2 monk I had. Also for a warden if I decide to play it, should I roll an elf for the extra stealth? In what way does it help? And how do elf animations look with the spear/jav combo?

[Laurjo]

None are "magical". They just have nice effects. Shield up or Defiant Challenge or Impressive Flourish all have flashy effects, but basically, you're either hitting, demoralizing, or infuriating your enemies or inspiring yourself or your fellows. Nothing is really "magical" although the RK's effects sure damned look like it.

[tanis0]

For sparta! Hehe anyways, I don't know if thats anything like the eq2 monk I had. Also for a warden if I decide to play it, should I roll an elf for the extra stealth? In what way does it help? And how do elf animations look with the spear/jav combo?

I can't really speak to the Elf animations (or to EQ2), but I assume they are as good as any other race. The art team is generally pretty good here imho, though I usually play zoomed out anyway.

Race is a much debated thing. The general consensus is that Man is the best if you are a number cruncher, (but it's not by enough to make or break you), but Hobbits and Elves have stealth which can be useful for avoiding trash mobs in some places. Race is a fairly minor choice as far as numbers go. Here's a quick breakdown of the main, non-cosmetic points: (all of these require a racial trait slot unless noted as passive)

Elf:
Stealth with a half-hour cooldown
Big, very useful parry buff with an hour cooldown
+2% damage with swords

Hobbit:
Stealth with a half-hour cooldown
Feign Death with an hour cooldown
+2% damage with clubs (probably slightly less useful than swords)

Man:
+5% incoming healing PASSIVE (no trait need be slotted)
Large heal on an hour cooldown (less useful the more morale you have, but not trivial at 65)
+~.5% each to block, parry and evade (depending on current ratings)
+2% damage with swords

The reason Man is generally considered the best is because we heal ourselves so much and we tank, so that 5% gets applied much more often than it would be for any other class. Still, it's not like anyone is going to turn you down as a tank because you're the "wrong" race. Though I might avoid you if you roll a hobbit. They have small hands and smell of cabbage.

[angelbound]

Actually runekeepers and loremasters are magical regardless the elves themselves are part of magic, they can feel bad things around them they are empathic.

But flames coming out of your shield come on dude seriously, lore wise it does not make sense if he can simply do it, so the question is where does it come from?

On a side not. I will try both.

Now for the name I am thinking maybe something like vonyan would make sense for a warden or Valehk something along those lines what do you think?

I am assuming that wardens are swift and strong so something inbetween.

[ANewMachine]

Actually runekeepers and loremasters are magical regardless the elves themselves are part of magic, they can feel bad things around them they are empathic.

Well, what we'd call magic and what is called magic in Middle-earth are different. Magic in ME is (generally) sorcery, the black arts of the Enemy. The abilities used by Gandalf and the other Wizards aren't even properly magic - Gandalf and the Wizards are angels inhabiting human bodies, so it's more displays of demi-godly power than anything like "magic." Empathic abilities seem to just be inherent in Elves, along with foresight in the higher kindreds of Elves and Men (the Dunedain/Numenoreans). This isn't magic, but a gift of the kindred. You couldn't teach it, as you can teach sorcery.

But flames coming out of your shield come on dude seriously, lore wise it does not make sense if he can simply do it, so the question is where does it come from?

That's all just effects. It'd be pretty boring (and lacking in visual feedback) if your gambits didn't do anything but trigger the little icon under your character. Just wait til you get Shield Mastery - nobody thinks that by crouching, you're causing an electrically-charged bubble to surround yourself. Just there to show visually that you successfully performed the gambit. I mean, Burglars using Gamble skills have giant dice appear above the enemy's head. I doubt that's meant literally either.

[anwar]

When I ask in game it is not clear what a wardens role actually is, I understand it is tanking but I hear groups wont let wardens tank?

Anyways I want a class that will invite me to groups often from 20 and up, I want to be able to atleast fill more then one role. If anyone here has played eq2 could you tell me if the warden feels anything like a monk in the group? The monks in eq2 where fast very fast attackers, could tank, offheal and of course dps.

Are wardens actually fun in groups?

And lorewise where do there abilities come from? They are very flashy and look almost magical, and do you get allot of flashy melee attacks?

Lots of questions I know, but im tired of trying characters ive pretty much narrowed it down to burglar, warden, and loremaster possibly a minstrel.

I dropped my captain he has my favorite playstyle but I hated his melee style I do not like slow 2hander weapon types.

Thank you everyone.

Both Wardens and Rune-keepers are the best choice if willing to start somethng new. Since they are "premium" classes, they will always be made desirable so they will be worth the extra money to the FtP crowd.

[tanis0]

Both Wardens and Rune-keepers are the best choice if willing to start somethng new. Since they are "premium" classes, they will always be made desirable so they will be worth the extra money to the FtP crowd.

I don't think that's true. The classes who have gotten updates so far are Captains and Hunters, and Loremasters are up next. It's unlikely that they will nerf everyone or buff Wardens and RK's just to try to get people to purchase them, especially since anyone who plays the game for any length of time will need to buy Moria which includes them in the price.

If I were making a new character on a premium account though, I'd definitely go either Warden or Hunter. Most swift travel is currently VIP only (which is ridiculous imho), so the ability to port around is even more useful than it is to subscribers. Hunters are arguably the best class for non-VIP's because they can port, they have a run-speed buff and they grind deeds very quickly.

[angelbound]

Well I am viip, and im sorry guys but I still think flames out of a shield is magic, you might as well called loremasters and runekeepers a nonmagic class as well.

[Angagon]

I also think that being smashed in the face with a club by a troll & then feeling better because someone played me a song is magic too.

[geoboy]

Well I am viip, and im sorry guys but I still think flames out of a shield is magic, you might as well called loremasters and runekeepers a nonmagic class as well.

I don't know what being a VIP has to do with anything, but I'm going to go with the blue name on this one. If you think otherwise, you are welcome to your opinion, but it is not the opinion of the developers of the game.

The effects for the Warden's skills are just that, FX. (I play with all FX turned off, so I hardly ever notice any.) They are purely for those who desire flashiness. Nothing magical implied.

[tanis0]

I'm debating two different snarky responses, so somebody pick one for me:

1. I guess Wardens are magical in the sense that beauty, elegance and cookys are magical.

2. Well I am viip, and im sorry guys but I still think pictures and sounds out of a computer is magic, you might as well called televisions and radios nonmagic as well.

Seriously though, I know it's a strange tapdance that Turbine has done to try to mash together flashy graphics and a world where magic is super-rare, but that's what is going on here. Loremasters, Runekeepers and every other class are non-magical. That's why all spell-like skills say tactical and not magical.

Example: You never actually take damage to your health in LotRO, you just get more and more scared until you retreat. People don't heal your health, they heal your morale. When someone "rezzes" you, they just help you calm down so you don't run away. You never actually die and get brought back to life.

[Laurjo]

Well I am viip, and im sorry guys but I still think flames out of a shield is magic, you might as well called loremasters and runekeepers a nonmagic class as well.

Hold on, I missed something. Why do you care, again?

Also, you should stay away from Minstrels, Captains, and Guardians, too, since they all do things with yelling that, clearly, humans (elves, dwarves, hobbits) can't do with their voice, and certainly not to things that don't speak [strike]english[/strike] westron. That leaves Champs and Burgs. Oh, but wait, Burgs can do a thing where they let the whole fellowship summon an eagle, horse, ent, or spider to aid them, so they're clarly magical, too. And champs can participate in those. Plus, they can hit 10 mobs with a single swing! That ain't right either.

Huh, looks like you'll just have to suck it up or go without. Oh well.

[angelbound]

I was not trying to be snarky but now I will be since you all like to assume allot, I was answering someone who said wardens and rks are not for premium unless you buy with the vip comment, bad english I know. But a runekeeper uses magic regardless he uses a form of energy whatever you want to call it, but this is not a sci fi game it is fantasy purely fictional, if the genre is fantasy then it has magic, that is why it is under fantasy. All books that say fantasy has some form of magic or another, there is a reason why lord of the rings is under the genre fantasy not fiction but fantasy.

Calling the elements is a form of magic in a fantasy world, if you could use the elements through a freeze gun that would be sci fi, but calling the elements with words out of thin air is fantasy and magic, it is dnd whatever you rather call it. I am sorry if you have a problem with magic but maybe your playing the wrong game oh well.

[BINKLEY1]

Are wardens actually fun in groups?

I play several wardens at all levels of the game.

They are not fun at all in groups, you should know.

They are HELLA fun*.

Also, the melee style is as near an exact opposite of the Captain as you will find. Quick, varied, range and melee, lots of mob debuffs and self buffs.

One thing Warden does share with Captain, in the end game both can run as main healer in the easier instance, and secondary healer everywhere, while still running frontline dps. (Burglar and Guardian can do this as well because of CJs/FMs, in all honesty.)

* http://www.popsci.com/science/articl...hella-si-units