LOTRO Tonight

I spent some time playing LOTRO tonight. So far, it really is a great game. It does have shades of World of Warcraft in its design (primarily crafting and the quest system), but overall it's a fine game - with much more involving content (for me, at least) than WoW.

I think I've figured out the crafting system. Endemonia is a scholar, Feltspar an armourer, Gooseberry a tinker, Leafwyn a Woodsman, and Eleanor an Explorer. That gives me all of the major professions, and the ability to mail resources back-and-forth and not depend upon the auction house. I'm never a fast leveller on the crafting scale, but I'm having fun with it!

So far, my characters:

• Endemonia, level 7 human loremaster. I haven't really played her enough to comment on the loremaster, but she seems solid enough.
• Gooseberry, level 9 hobbit burglar. I'm not a big fan of burglars, so far - sneak and inflict damage doesn't really do it for me. I think it will pick up when I take some more time to learn the class.
• Leafwyn, a level 7 elven huntress. She's the classic elf with a bow, and quite a lot of fun. Hunters (archers) are much better balanced in LOTRO than they were in other Turbine games; they are very good at range, but weak if surprised.
• Eleanor, level 10 human captain - complete with a herald following her around waving a flag. She's a lot of fun. Captains are a hard class to solo at first, but every time I've been in a fellowship (group), I've felt really useful. It's a lot like the Paladin of Diablo 2: mediocre damage, mediocre buffs to oneself, and great buffs when you have friends along. In particular, after the fellowship slays a monster there are various battle-cries you can issue - providing buffs ranging from heal-over-time to everyone, to attack bonusses. She can also make the whole fellowship run faster.
• Feltspar, level 12 dwarven guardian. Guardians are a pure melee tank class, and play like one: you can take an absolute beating, and still ask for more. Damage output is on the low side, but when you can take the slow'n'steady approach and know you can outlast most things - it doesn't matter. I've had a blast with Feltspar, so far. I've discovered that Guardians are in high-demand for groups - their aggro control is really good, and with a bit of effort you can keep everyone else safe. Poor Feltspar has died once, when the healer in the group decided that melee was more fun than healing. :-

So overall, very much worth the pre-order. If anyone wants to join me, I'm on Elendimir.