Is there any form of PvP in LotRO?There sure is. But it’s different from what you might expect. Being that the notion of elves mass killing hobbits was distinctly un-Tolkien, Turbine has created Monster Play for players to help them free the beast within.
What is Monster Play?Monster play, or PvMP, is Player versus
Monster Player. What that means is instead of hobbits and elves fighting it out among themselves, a system has been created that lets players take temporary control of “monsters” and fight the higher level regular player characters of LotRO.
Great, so now instead of worrying about an elf killing my hobbit, I have to worry about roving bands of Monter Players?Not at all! The PvMP system is 100% consensual in nature for just that very reason. Anyone who does not wish to partake in the PvMP never has to, not even for a second. The ongoing battle takes place in the isolated world area of the Ettenmoors, and you won’t find yourself accidentally stumbling into the area either. It’s only accessible through talking with specific NPCs.
Hmm… okay, I’m intrigued. Tell me more about PvMP.Well let’s give you a run-down of its features, and we’ll go from there.
- The Ettenmoors is a large, fully-developed region, about the same size as the Shire.
- Players on each side start in a “no-kill zone”. You won’t be thrown into the Ettenmoors, and immediately waylaid by opponents.
- The objectives that either side must strive to attain are defeating the enemy in combat, completing PvE and PvP driven quests, and of course, maintaining your sides hold on several Keeps and Towers.
- There are five monster classes to choose from when creating a Monster to patrol the Ettenmoors with.
The Monster Play Zone: The Ettenmoors.What classes are available for creating a monster?The five “classes” of monsters are as follows:
The Uruk Warleader – The main tank of the Monster side, this hefty orc is directly intended to be the leader in groups. With powerful in combat and out of combat buffs, as well as the ability to heal and do moderate damage per second, the Warleader is sort of a jack of all trades.
The Orc Reaver – The Champion class for Monsters, the Orc Reaver is your most essential damage doer. Also with the ability to de-buff, interrupt skills, and do some tanking, he’s a crafty foe not to be taken for granted.
The Uruk Blackarrow – And expert Uruk orc Archer, this class is a ranged damage dealer with some crowd control abilities, and a sprinkling of area of effect damage dealing.
The Warg Stalker – A stealthy canine abomination of the Dark Lord’s army. These pups are proficient in doing high burst damage, they can serve as a tank in some pinches, and are capable of interrupting opposing players spells and skills.
The Spider Weaver – Similar to the spiders often found giving travelers trouble across Eriador, these little 8-legged freaks are efficient at crowd control, damage over time, some light damage dealing, and even some ambush attacks. It should be noted that you can’t have alts of your monster characters. You can play one of each class though, and their names are permanent upon creations. So choose wisely.
The Monster Selection WindowHow do I play as a monster in the Ettenmoors?Making a monster character or "creep" as they are so lovingly called is easy!
Start off by leveling a regular player aka "freep" to level 10, once you have done that, monster play is simple! Before log in to your freep,
you will see in your character window a red bar labeled "Monster Play". Once entered on that side, you will have a choice of several
different types of Monster Players to chose from!
Monster Player TabCan I level my monster and make him stronger over time, like a normal character?Yes and no. Your monsters will start as level 50 regardless of what level you first step into its skin. They’re not on par statistically or skill-wise with a level 50 player, but more so like a mob that a player would be fighting at that level.
This was done because Turbine anticipates at all times there being more monsters than players (who must be upper-level to play in PvMP) and therefore the fighting field should be level. Monsters can grow in strength though, through the acquisition of Infamy and Destiny Points.
The Orc Reaver craves the blood of fat hobbits...What are Infamy and Destiny Points?Sort of like experience for monster players, these can grant or enable things like additional skills, improvements to current skills, bonuses to the monster’s Morale, regenerations rates, armor mitigation, and so on. Players can also gain additional appearances to change the look of their monsters over time via the Infamy system.
I heard talk about maps... where do I get these?Glad you asked! One of the most important things to have out in the 'Moors are your maps. There are a total of 15 maps you can get on the Creep side. 3 maps for each Keep:
*Lugazag
*Tol Ascarnen
*Tirith Rhaw
*Isendeep
*Grimwood Lumber Camp
Each map can be obtained by doing quests for each keep. Starting, you need 10 quests to obtain your Crude map to the Keep, followed by 25 quests for your Poor map to that keep, then finally 50 quests total for your Good Map. The Crude and Poor maps all share the same timer, so if you use your Crude Grimwood Map, the timers for the rest of your Maps will start the cooldown also. The only maps that do not share a cooldown are the Good Maps, they are all on a seperate timer.
There is also a Gramsfoot Map you can obtain by "scounting" out the different keeps or (depending on the keep) talking to one of the NPC's there. this you have to do without dying so make sure you steer clear of the fighting!
Okay, now I know how to be a monster, but how do I play my main character in the Ettenmoors?Glad you asked! Of course, you’ll first need to level your character to level 40 though, as that’s the lowest level you can enter the Ettenmoors as. It’s probably a better idea to level him or her a bit higher though, as everything in the zone is geared towards top level players. Once you’ve done this, here’s what you’ll need to do:
- Travel to Rivendell by any means possible
- Find the Horse Stables in the Western section of the area (known as Elrond’s Stables).
- Right click on Stablemaster Remros then select Ettenmoors and click the “Go!” button. You’ll be taken to the Ettenmoors, where you can begin your quest to rid the area of Sauron’s forces. The objectives for the player character side of things are similar to the monster side. Kill the monsters, complete the quests scattered across the zone, and attain and keep control over the keeps and towers in the area. Doing all of these things will reward your player with Destiny Points.
What can my character do with Destiny Points?Destiny Points are earned for the player by completing quests and generally waging war with the Monster Players in Ettenmoors. They can be used for special buffs and traits for your character as well as “per-session” buffs upon entering the Ettenmoors.
Will my weapons and armor take damage when I die in PvMP? Your character’s items will not take damage when he or she is killed by a Monster Player. It is important to note however, that they will take damage if you are killed off by one of the many mobs patrolling the area. But worry not, for no matter who defeats you, revenge is only a few minutes away. You simply need to “rez” at a nearby respawn point and head back into the fray.
What about player character rewards, like items and other things of that nature?Oh, they’re available. Destiny points and general partaking in Monster Play will help you acquire the necessary things needed for acquiring such rewards. I’ll leave it up to you to find out just what is available for your acquisition. Here's a pick of some of the perks available, just to wet your whistle...
Some Monster Play PerksIs there anything else I need to know, before I go smiting the evil (or the good) of Middle-Earth?Just remember to travel in packs, be you on the bad or the good side. A solo-player will likely be eaten up in the Ettenmoors, as most players go with the mob mentality when indulging in PvP. Secondly, remember that defeat is not permanent. If you fall in battle, all you need to do is run back to the fight, and give it another shot. No shame in being beaten. And lastly, remember to have fun. That’s what the game is about. Friendly competition, with the added perks of rewards from all your bloodshed.
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