Retro games online – It is important for people to understand how the mechanics of Lord of the Rings traits and deeds work before playing. In most MMOs, it is possible to jump right in and start playing because the majority of the systems are similar to those in other games. This isn’t always the case with LotRO as it features many systems that set it apart from other games.
The Trait System
In Lord of the Rings Online, a character receives traits and titles for performing certain activities or completing certain quests. As they earn traits, they may go to one of the bards in any major settlement and switch traits around to customize certain aspects of their character, a process called ‘slotting.’ Each trait is unique, giving a specific bonus set or special ability.
There are four types of traits:
Virtues: A Virtue is a common trait that you get for completing missions within certain areas, defeating certain foes or completing certain tasks. These are the most common traits and each of them has three bonus values.
Class: These are the traits you receive for completing class specific missions or using specific class abilities a requisite number of times. These traits fall into categories within each class and slotting multiple traits that fit within a certain category unlock even more bonuses.
Race: A Racial trait allows specific bonuses associated with a race to come forward, such as an elf’s natural ability with a bow. Generally, a character earns a Racial trait by defeating a certain number of a specific racial enemy.
Legendary: Legendary traits are a type of ‘super’ class trait. They bring out a powerful special ability, unique to a certain class. These traits are gained through quests and item unlocks.
Deeds and Traits
Most traits are earned by completing deeds. A deed is the actual requirement for the trait, for instance ‘Complete 15 quests in the Lone-Lands’ is a deed and the reward is the trait ‘Charity.’ The first time a character does something that is required for a deed the name of the deed pops up on the screen and a small box appears in the corner. In the above example, the first time the character completes a quest in the Lone-Lands, the deed would pop up.
The small box in the corner will open the Deed Log. In the Deed Log, a character can look at every open and completed deed unlocked by that character. The deeds are separated by type and location, making it easy to figure out where the character needs to go and what it needs to do to complete them. The progress bar on the deed page will let the player mouse over it and tell them exactly how many missions they need to complete, monsters they need to defeat or skills they need to use before the deed is finished.
Deeds for Customization
By customizing your character using the traits you get from deeds, you can make someone unique from other members of your class. This is an easy and useful way to distinguish yourself from the rest of the pack. For a newer player, understanding how traits and deeds work will allow them to improve their character quickly and easily.
Lord of The Rings Online Crafting – Levelling Up
The main goal of players who choose to pursue a LOTRO crafting vocation is to level up until they achieve Grand Master status. As each crafting skill tier is mastered, the player gains experience points and can create items that are sought after by other players.
This is extremely important on the role-playing servers, where players attempt to emulate a Middle-Earth lifestyle. It can provide an enhanced interactive experience for the individual player, as well as the opportunity to earn ‘money’ within the game.
LOTRO Crafting Levelling Up TerminologyNPC: Non-player character. An in-game character that gives quests, or buys and sells items.
Recipe: A list of ingredients that need to be gathered, harvested or purchased from other players or NPCs before the crafted item can be created.
Critical Success: Measured as a percentage, the likelihood of creating an enhanced version of a crafted item once the crafting tier has been mastered.
Profession: A field of crafting specialization, for example, Cook, Scholar.
Vocation: A group of 3 professions. Each LOTRO player can only have one vocation.
MMO RPG: Massively multi-player online role-playing game, such as Lord of the Rings Online (LOTRO) or World of Warcraft (WoW).
Tier: The ranking system for all resources and recipes. Each tier requires a certain number of points to be gained before you can advance to the next tier.
Node: Gathering professions such as Prospectors or Forestors harvest crafting components from nodes. A prospector would mine ore from an ore node, whilst a forestor would collect wood from a tree branch node. Farmers can harvest fruit from bushes, honey from hives, etc.
Tracking Skill: An equippable skill which assists the player in locating nodes. Players receive the appropriate tracking skill(s) when they choose their vocation. See Lord of The Rings Online Crafting for more information on vocations.
Levelling up in Lord of the Rings Online Crafting.
Whatever vocation is chosen, a player needs to advance their crafting skills through the same tier structure. The proficiency levels and points needed to advance are shown below. A player cannot master a higher level without completing mastery of the previous level.
Apprentice: 200 points. Opens the Journeyman tier.
Master Apprentice: 400 points. Allows critical success in crafting apprentice tier items.
Journeyman: 280 points. Opens the Expert tier.
Master Journeyman: 560 points. Allows critical success in crafting journeyman tier items.
Expert: 360 points. Opens the Artisan tier. Can require Superior crafting facilities, found only in specific locations.
Master Expert: 720 points. Allows critical success in crafting expert tier items.
Master: 520 points.
Grand Master: 1040 points. Allows critical success in crafting master tier items.
Critical success can be enhanced by a combination of:
Lore scrolls obtained from scholars, which provide temporary advantage.
Superior crafting implements, which can be ‘bought’ from other players or NPCs.
Bonus recipe items, usually gained by killing unique enemies or animals within the Lord of The Rings Online MMO RPG.
With the exception of the Farmer, Prospector and Forester professions, advancement from the mastery of one tier to the basic level of another is done via quests issued by NPCs. Each quest will have an associated recipe and a set of instructions on where to find certain necessary items. This encourages the player to travel through the MMO RPG world of Middle-Earth.
Nodes for the Prospector, Forester and Scholar professions are linked to the expected character level for each tier of crafting proficiency. It can be extremely challenging to attempt to harvest nodes in areas where the basic survival level is higher than that of the player’s character.
Levelling up a crafting profession takes time, but is an enjoyable and profitable way of interacting with other players within the Lord of The Rings Online MMO.
