Looking for a home

[Nebu]

I've decided that WoW just isn't doing it for me and this new expansion looks pretty interesting.  That being the case, I thought I'd ask where the more active groups of people are playing these days?  I have a few toons on Brandywine but I'm willing to reroll anywhere.  I'm interested in finding social people that don't mind answering a stupid question or 8 on occasion.  I'll even play a class to help with late game content.

If anyone wants some company a few evenings a week, let me know.

[ghost]

I'm running around in this now some.  I'm always up for a good chat.  I'll try to post some of my toons names when I get on my PC.

Edit:  My toons if you get bored.

Lurvy-  Burglar
Larenaitis-  Hunter
Doret-  Minstrel

[Yegolev]

The Riders of Middle Earth is still active on Brandywine.  Bloodworth is on a lot, plus the usual non-F13 suspects, but personally not finding a lot of time to devote to it due to work-related  .  It comes ahead of Fallen Earth, if that means anything.

[rattran]

I'm on more now that it's vacation time, and the expansion dropped. There's typically a pile of reasonably friendly people on in the Riders, though it's pretty quiet late-night.

[Mrbloodworth]

Yeah, we are still active. I am still willing, as always to group with anyone. Unless i am in the middle of grouping with others.... Also, some times you can shut me up, and I try to answer anyone's questions if I know the answer.

We do need to start recruiting more though. My main play night is still Wednesdays before 9-10. Now that the expansion has come, more and more seem to be coming back from woodworks.

[rattran]

More recruitment! We haven't had anyone steal everything from the kinhall in months!

[Nebu]

I'll probably be playing my warden Tyrk at first.  I have a burglar as well that I think is already in the fellowship. I didn't notice if I had been booted from the fellowship yet, so I'll check that this evening.

[Mrbloodworth]

I'll probably be playing my warden Tyrk at first.  I have a burglar as well that I think is already in the fellowship. I didn't notice if I had been booted from the fellowship yet, so I'll check that this evening.

I would never boot you from the kinship. Its part of that secret package schild sells. I may or may not be on this evening, I have to many corporate party's to go to (joys of subcontracting!)

More recruitment! We haven't had anyone steal everything from the kinhall in months!

lol.

[Nebu]

Ok, I took a look at Brandywine and I have a Burglar, Warden, and a hunter.  Any tips on leveling solo or on choosing a class?  I prefer hybrids, but would rather play a caster/ranged or a healer given the choice.  I'd also like to play something that is less common (if that's even possible).  Any suggestions happily welcomed.  I played my level 13 toon a bit and realized that I have forgotten everything about the game.  This may be like starting from scratch!

[ghost]

Captain is a good hybrid class.  It has a bit of everything, really.  Kindof like a Pally with a pet

[rattran]

Minstrel is a healy class, but solos well, and can be played in a bunch of different ways at endgame. Some people focus on healing, some on sword and shield shouty dps. Runekeeper has been overpowered for ages, and got buffed in Mirkwood, so if you like being OP and don't mind the small possibility of a nerf, it's a good healer/nuker.

The only thing the Kin has plenty of is hunters. We had 8 people on just before the expansion, all hunters.

[Nebu]

I'm kind of liking the warden, but it feels pretty overpowered.  I can use my gambits for cc or dps and the self HoT seems a tad overpowered.  I thought about playing a minstrel or guardian, but there seem to be a lot fo them out there.  Captain seems like it may have potential. 

I just don't want to play a class that will never be useful.  Seems like hunter falls into that category.  I played a hunter and rogue in WoW and gave up on ever grouping because dps is never needed. 

[rattran]

I just don't want to play a class that will never be useful.  Seems like hunter falls into that category.  I played a hunter and rogue in WoW and gave up on ever grouping because dps is never needed. 

Hunters have the best travel utility in the game, decent dps and a bit of cc. Fun and easy to solo, useful in groups. Wardens seem really good at soloing, but about as in demand at endgame as chimps, very little. Minstrels are ALWAYS helpful, and the class I see people asking for the most at every level of the game. I think there's a lot of Minstrels and Guards at early levels, but endgame there's still quite a demand for more of both, and people don't seem to stick with Minstrel past mid20s.

[Nebu]

I think there's a lot of Minstrels and Guards at early levels, but endgame there's still quite a demand for more of both, and people don't seem to stick with Minstrel past mid20s.

That's great information.  I think I'll roll one of each and see which I enjoy more.

[Mrbloodworth]

Let me (Grimst) know toon names, :)

[Nebu]

Playing Nebu the level 8 Minstrel.  Interesting class thus far.

[EWSpider]

Playing Nebu the level 8 Minstrel.  Interesting class thus far.

Just FYI, but a lot of people find the Minstrel difficult (slow going) to play before level 20 (solo).  If you're interested in the class, but start to get frustrated try to push through to the mid 20s at least to give the class a fair shake.  Their offensive power really starts to come into play then.  They get the War-Speech offensive stance and more damage abilities that key off it.

[Nebu]

Just FYI, but a lot of people find the Minstrel difficult (slow going) to play before level 20 (solo).  If you're interested in the class, but start to get frustrated try to push through to the mid 20s at least to give the class a fair shake.  Their offensive power really starts to come into play then.  They get the War-Speech offensive stance and more damage abilities that key off it.

I made it to 14 yesterday and the class seems pretty strong.  Not as strong as my warden, but it does well enough.  I can see that 15-20 will be a bit rough as I'm already taking a bit of a beating from things as their hp increase.  I'll stick with it to 30 or so to see how it shakes out.  I just want a toon that a) I can solo, b) isn't common, and c) will help our fellowship groups.

[rattran]

If you need gear, ask in kinchat. You can't be twinked as far anymore after the last craftables balance pass, but good purple gear still makes a world of difference at middle levels.

[Nija]

I finally called it quits. I've hit a brick wall in the 30s on three different characters now.

With the game being out as long as it has been, they really need some fucking solo content to get you to the end game. My quest logs are filled with groups quests, scattered all over the various zones, so travel is a pain in the ass.

The only groups I find are people who are leveling alts, so there will be a level 60 guy and a guy who is my level. We run around picking up gears and orc ears and assorted bullshit while the level 60 two shot things. Not fun.

Now it's even worse with the new expansion and less people leveling alts.

[Mrbloodworth]

I have a 35. also, you are 30 now, you can play skirmishes solo.

[Stormwaltz]

At 30, there's upper Lone Lands, mid North Downs, and lower Evendim (which was designed later and is friendlier to soloers), and the tip of Trollshaws.

I have a 28 LM on Brandywine, but I've been leveling my crafting alts on Gladden since SoM was announced...

[Reg]

I stopped playing a few months ago in the middle of Moria. The grind just got to be too much.  I have no intention of returning until they make the story line quests accessible to everyone. No more forced grouping for me thanks.

[Nebu]

Any recommended sites for learning about the nuances of this game?  I hate bugging you all in kin chat.

Thanks!

[Mrbloodworth]

I hate bugging you all in kin chat.

No one minds. Not one bit.

This has some rudimentary stuff in it, some may be out of date.

Some stuff I found on the main forums about your current class.

[Numtini]

If you're a minstrel, I also liked this as the "good minstrelling" guide is out of date. It's more end game oriented, but it gave me an idea of stuff I should be thinking about.

http://forums.lotro.com/showthread.php?t=301733

I've found the most good information on the boards, but they're awfully chatty.

[Nebu]

Thanks for the input.  I'm still learning the class, but levels 1-14 have been pretty fun. 

[Numtini]

I finally called it quits. I've hit a brick wall in the 30s on three different characters now.

I'm still enjoying it, more or less, but I have to admit, the wheels fall of this one at 30 in a very big way.

Up until then, everything feels very hand crafted, fined tuned, and generally well done. The zones are familiar and you are left with the wonderment of simply being in Middle Earth. The trollshaws are too dangerous, too group oriented, hard to find ones way around, and just generally irritating. The game starts to use travel to slow progression and in a very obvious way. Experience progression slows down and it's when you really detach completely from the epic quests. And to fix it, they did a quickie zone and Evendim shows it--probably the worst zone I can think of in any game. It's a total mess with mobs scattered randomly using the 1 mob/(x-1) where x = aggro radius. No apparently real story or purpose. And Ost Forod, the most confusing quest hub I've ever seen. I can't even find my quest givers, nevermind the quest mobs.

I still have hope for after, and a solid guild who's been raiding and such, but while going from 30 to 35 it crossed my mind more than once that I had quit the game twice between those levels. I've been avoiding most quests other than the easy ones, abandoned the epics, done a lot of crafting, and taking best advantage of and thoroughly enjoying the skirmish system. But the 30-something range is not this game's shining moment.

[Cheddar]

Thanks for the input.  I'm still learning the class, but levels 1-14 have been pretty fun. 

Minstrel is extremely versatile, especially post 20.  Guardian is pretty solid also.  Most people stop playing them because they never bother experimenting.

For example, most people do not use 2 handed weapons with Guardian.  2 handed Guardian does decent DPS and is pretty nifty to solo with!  Mistrel and Guardian are the 2 most wanted classes come end game, especially minstrel.

Also, minstrel is the most involved class ever in a group.  EVER.  Especially with PUGS.  Well fuck, I need to resub.  Be on in a few :D

[Nebu]

My minstrel is approaching 20.  Seems like a fun class with a group, but solo it's pretty boring.  I may give warden and guardian a try.

I also feel like I spend far too much time running between objectives and far too little time fighting/exploring.  Does this improve?

[Numtini]

I also feel like I spend far too much time running between objectives and far too little time fighting/exploring.  Does this improve

Don't ask.

[Nebu]

Don't ask.

I'd go back to WoW, but none of the classes in that game really did anything for me.  If I have nothing to look forward to in this game, all I have left is EQ2.  Ok, that or Star Trek Online... 

[Cheddar]

My minstrel is approaching 20.  Seems like a fun class with a group, but solo it's pretty boring.  I may give warden and guardian a try.

I also feel like I spend far too much time running between objectives and far too little time fighting/exploring.  Does this improve?

20 gives you a bunch of new abilities that make solo much much much more enjoyable.  Travel does improve somewhat with a mount.  A lot with a mount, actually.  Key is to locate decent hubs of activity quest wise.

For some reason my password didn't work when trying to login to account page, which is odd because I am pretty certain its correct.  Did a password reset, been waiting well over an hour for the e-mail.  Has anyone had a loooong delay with Turbines password reset thingy?

[Tannhauser]

Minstrel is a tedious class to play at high levels solo.  If I had it to do over again I'd go Rune Keeper.  Overpowered class with two different roles in a group.
Best thing to do with a Minstrel is to group, group, group.  And since you're a Minstrel you'll get more groups than Tiger Woods gets mistresses.

Unfortunately Minstrels have a lot of pressure on them in group instances, especially in pugs when Hunters gleefully fire away and draw aggro.  It's a pretty thankless job. 

But I'm not bitter. 

[Numtini]

I hope someday to get these groups, but other than directly at launch, even before Moria, low level groups were pretty much impossible to get, even for a minstrel. I see some people LFF in the late 50s, but I've pretty much written off anything before then.

OTOH I don't know what the high end game is like, but soloing with a minstrel so far compared to the last time I played is insanely easy.