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Tomberry73
Member Posts: 11
Hi all,
after some months I am quitting EQ2 mostly because everyone seems to already know and did everything. 
I just would like from you guys a suggestion about:
1. Class/Race, considering I love groups and dungeons
2. The Server (EU)
Any comment appreciated.
Thanks 
Comments
1. I like the Human/Hobbit areas better than the Elf/Dwarf areas... but your mileage may vary. There are more non-combat related quests and quest-lines in the Shire; so if that interests you then check that race out. Humans have a very well-rounded selection of quests from the very beginning. That being said... you could pick whatever race you want and then head over to the starting area wherever you want to. Even as an Elf you could do all the Hobbit quests you want.
Regardless you will be coming to Bree eventually and then to the Barrow Downs. That is where most players experience their first bigger group dungeons. It is also where you will be going to start your journey with the Epic Quest line.
2. I play on the US servers so I'm not sure on that one. I think DB (DonnieBrasco) plays on an EU server... so perhaps he can comment.
Edit: Heh... forgot to comment on a class.
All of them are great classes to play. There are 3 that may take a bit more learning the "tricks" depending on your MMO history. Those 3 are: Burglar, Lore-Master, Captain.
The other 4 play pretty straight-forward.
Minstrel = Healer
Guardian = Tank
Hunter = Ranged DPS
Champion = Melee DPS
There are other factors that come into each of the classes like pets and buffs and things like that, but that's the simplified version.
Welcome to Lotro!
I personally feel there is no perfect group class since they are so well balanced. Some of the classes are more flexible though. Burglars are my personal favourite since they are masters of grouping and they can kick arse alone. As for races... Dwarf and Humans are my personal favourites. Mostly due to a interesting set of adventures for each. Oh and if you ever want to solo and reach Undying rank, try Minstrels and Burglars. There healing abilities make then extremely survivable. Albeit... everything except perhaps a hunter can heal to some extent.
Thx a ton, Dragon. Straight to the point...
About the class, I am asking what tends to be the most required class for groups in game, especially in middle levels.
I don't bother being also a healer.
If you had said overall from levels 1-50 and since you are ruling out the healer (Minstrel) I'd probably say Lore-Master or Burglar. Both of those classes are top-notch with crowd control... LM being a bit better, but Burglar has his own set of "tricks" to make up for that.
However, since you said "especially in middle levels" ... that makes it a bit tougher. At the middle levels you can get by without dedicated CC (although it makes it easier). I'm tempted to say Guardian, as even in the middle levels a tank is always in high demand; and your role will still be wanted even at the top levels as well.
With that being said... there is a reason that Champions and Hunters are the dominate classes (at least on my server). More DPS is never a bad thing, and at the middle levels there are plenty of encounters that sheer brute force will carry you through just fine. Although bear in mind that as you get higher in level you may have to compete with "too many" of your class for spots in Raids, or finding class items, etc.
A Hunter levels the fastest I think, and they are very good solo. They do well in groups as well, but you have to be careful how you play them otherwise you may find yourself dying a lot due to too much aggro.
Champions do very well solo and in groups and sometimes find themselves being the off-tank or even the main tank if a guardian is not available. Their specialty is AoE melee damage, but sometimes it's not wise in a group to do AoE... so some Champions feel a bit hamstrung when in a group that is doing a slower, methodical clearing of dungeons and instances. Not saying that you'd feel that way... but there are some that have trouble adjusting to group play.
Have I confused you enough yet?
Captains are the king of buffs which are always liked by groups, and they function great as the off-tank (or main tank again if no guardian). They also perform well as a back-up healer; however, their heals are situational... so they aren't as flexible as a the Minstrel and their heals. A captain wouldn't be a bad choice... but if you are concentrating on just the middle levels I'm not sure you'd see the best benefits of the captain class.
Now that I've come full-circle... I think I would recommend Guardian for you. They are very slow-going in the lower levels and start to come into their own in the 20's and upwards. As a guardian your main role will be the tank and keeping the aggro of the mobs off your group and onto yourself. Because of this, guardians have the highest repair bill for equipment of any class in the game. It also doesn't help that their equipment (being heavy armor) is one of the most expensive. They do get a few tricks to mitigate some of the repair bills... but it is something you should be aware of none-the-less.
The benefit of the guardian class is that groups are always looking for them. They seem to be in higher demand than Minstrels, and as you get higher in levels your survivability is unmatched. Anyone can play them from the get-go... to play them well; especially in a group, takes quite a bit of skill and dedication.
I've barely scratched the surface for most of the classes, but hopefully that gives you some ideas on what to expect from the classes that you might be interested in.
Pop over to the official forums and look at the class forums. Each one has a stickied thread titled something like "Things I wish other classes knew about X" where x is the class forum. Those threads give you a lot of insight into what the pros and cons of each class is, and gives you the wisdom of players that have taken those classes up to the max level.
Here is the link to the official boards:
forums.lotro.com/
Just scroll down to find the class forums.
Hope that helps you out. Good luck on your adventures.
I play on the European RP server. Basically you can join any of 11 servers (English, French, German language servers are available). Each language has a dedicated RP server where Codemasters will enforce naming policies for characters and kinships, on these servers the /say channel is only used for in-character talk.
I maintain this List of Sandbox MMORPGs. Please post or send PM for corrections and suggestions.
"Freedom is just another name for nothing left to lose" - Janis Joplin
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