A quick LoTRO update today to end the week.
Aria and I hit level 18 after wrapping up our first trip into the Barrows. Since most of the quests in that place are multi-part, we will be making another trip shortly. I really like the Barrows area, the whole ‘giant graveyard’ with undead all over the place just works for me. Once tiny detail that I noticed during the little girl escort quest (too lazy to look up the name, sorry) is that her missing cloak is now visible on the ground. Either I missed it before, or that was added in some patch, but it was cool to actually see her find it before going off to meet the prince, who tries to kill her of course. Good stuff.
We also did a bit of questing in the Great Forest, which thankfully now has a map built into the game. No more getting lost FTW!
Our Captain/Minstrel combo is working really well so far, as we have plenty of healing/buffs with decent damage output, plus the Captains ‘run away fast’ ability to save ourselves. Hopefully this weekend we do our first run of the Greater Barrows instance, and see how we fare in a full group. So far even group quests near our level we have been able to tackle with just the two of us, so we have yet to play in a full group.
Hardcore Casual 
if you want exciting but possibly too hardcore, try the great barrows at lvl 20. If you just want to complete it do it at lvl 25-30. :) Glad your having fun there I still do with my lowbie friends.
I mean lvl 20 being the group level average of course, not just your level.
Yea we ran GB when LoTRO launched (no idea if they have changed it at all) and I remember it being a bit rough, although a lot of fun. I think the whole group dynamic is something special in LoTRO, the classes just really compliment each other well.
I think we will try to run GB as close to the ‘recommended’ level as we can. I know our Kinship has a lot of people with alts around that range.
They have changed it minimally.. They added a collectible item you can put up in your house which I still want: Sambrog’s helmet. It will be changed loot-wise a lot in book 14 I think when they revamp their dungeon loot. GA is a lot of fun also but you need to be lvl 30 and remember to come back to it again after the lone lands if you want to beat the red maiden. Its hard to recommend a level on Fornost since its such a big dungeon with a wide range. The boss is lvl 40 tho. I still think they need more ladder dungeons and I have told them so. Three is not enough for so many levels. Wow on the other hand had almost too many to experience without having massive alt-itis, like yours truly.
Yup did GA and Maiden back when we played as well. Never say Fornost, and really looking forward to it, the space outside with the ghosts and everything is great stuff.
I have not heard about the dungeon revamp, what are they planning?
they are gonna improve the ladder dungeons.. make the loot from bosses in them something people go after.. kind of like wow used to be in the old days (cruel barb and other drops from VC in Deadmines being a good example)
p.s. I’m doing a vote/contest on my blog of bloggers’ favorite game for 2008, closing at the end of this month. Then I’ll post the results and/or send them to you also if you would like.
Please come vote, I think this could be fun to find out what the blogosphere thinks, and see which game wins :) and if you like any posts directing people to come vote are also welcome.
My blog is http://thallians.blogspot.com/ of course.
I leveled a Hunter, Captain, and Minstrel to level 50 and had a couple level 30ish alts. I have been sooo tempted to return to LOTRO given that AoC is probably going to be a flop. If they updated some of the later dungeons it would definitely go a long way toward enticing someone like me to return.
Grr… you guys suck playing on a different server :(
Was hoping to do a Fornost run before this trip but it didn’t pan out. I have 3 days off once I get home, hopefully then. I hear it’s a great dungeon, although everyone in my kin complains that it needs to have more break points; that it’s too long in one shot.
If AoC flops, and WAR is still a ways off, I think I’ll resub to LoTRO or Eve for the summer. Probably LoTRO. I only played it for a couple months, so there’s plenty more for me to see. Turbine made a pretty damn good mmo.