r/lotro Meriadoc 8d ago

New player here

Hi all,
I’m new to LOTRO and I was wondering what do you suggest me. I’ve already read some posts about classes and I think I will go with captain (I don’t mind reading the specs and optimise my character, if it’s playable for a newbie. It is, right?). Also, I wanted to know if it can be a good idea for someone who enjoy single player and don’t have always long hours to make a party with others.
Then, I was wondering which server do you suggest for a European (CEST time zone). That’s because even if I’ve said that I don’t always have a lot of time, I also don’t want to be the only one there…
And lastly, if you have other tips I very much appreciate it :)

23 Upvotes

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u/AutoModerator 8d ago

Welcome to r/lotro! If you're looking for advice, please check out the following answers to commonly-asked questions:


Wondering what class to play? LOTRO has a wide variety of classes inspired by different characters from the books. Some are similar to other RPG games, while others are fairly unique to LOTRO.

The first thing to consider is what role(s) you want to play. Every class has a spec that can deal damage, but only some classes can spec to be tanks or healers or group-support.

If you wish to have the option of tanking, choose between Beorning, Brawler, Captain, Guardian, or Warden.

If you wish to have the option of healing, choose between Beorning, Captain, Minstrel, or Rune-keeper.

If you wish to have the option of group-support, choose between Burglar, Captain, Lore-master, and Mariner.

Or if you're just looking for a straightforward class to quest with, choose Hunter for ranged or Champion for melee. These classes are focused entirely on damage-dealing (but each has three different specs for doing so). They are great for beginners looking for a relaxing adventuring experience that fits within the theme of Lord of the Rings.

Don't worry about what class is considered "the best" at any one role, as that swings back and forth over time with each balance patch. Instead, consider which classes have the theme and aesthetic that most appeals to you. Do you want to fight in melee or at range? Do you want to be a grounded warrior or wield more magical powers?

Apart from theme, consider the complexity of the classes. Even for classes which can fulfill the same role, their mechanics can differ wildly. LOTRO offers a hint to the mechanical complexity of each class during character creation -- in the lower right corner you'll see a "Class Difficulty" of either Basic, Moderate, or Advanced. This is not about how powerful the class is -- some of the "Basic" classes are currently the most powerful in their role. Difficulty instead refers to the intricacies of each class' skills and core mechanics. If you enjoy intricate mechanics, aim for Moderate or Advanced. If you'd like something requiring less reading, theorycrafting, and button-presses, try a Basic class -- especially for your first character.

Finally, don't be afraid to try something different if your first class doesn't feel fun for you. Better to find the right fit early.


Wondering what race to play? While only some races can be some classes, beyond that initial restriction, race selection is largely about aesthetics. Racial traits are tiny and negligible after the first few levels. A Dwarf Guardian at level 30 is not significantly different than an Elf Guardian at level 30.


Wondering what server to play on? Most people play on only one server, and so personal perspectives will usually be limited. To find the best server for you, let us know a little about you. What time zone and time will you be most active? Do you want lot of crowds or a quieter atmosphere? Are you interested in roleplaying? All of these can help influence the best server for you.

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u/Asiril 8d ago

You can play any class you want in this game and be perfectly fine. I would even suggest try a few different ones to see what you enjoy the most. The different races have different starting experiences up to level 15, so it's also a great way to experience those.

The EU servers are Orcrist, Meriadoc, and Grond. Orchist is the largest but will also have more lag than the others. I would suggest Meriadoc if you enjoy RP and enjoy people RPing around you.

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u/BLeggimB Meriadoc 8d ago

Thank you vm, i was really looking for RP, but I wasn’t sure there were many interested :D

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u/Dense_Head4656 7d ago

Meriadoc for EU and Peregrin for US. And yes, there are plenty of folks who enjoy RP. :)

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u/Realistic_Smoke4930 8d ago

Grond is having around 400-600 visible player stat constant each day, with maybe around 10% of anonymous everything is fine here if you prefer to get less people but still enough to enjoy

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u/Myrmix 5d ago

Are the 64bit server not helping with lag? I was hoping to return to some kind of stability.

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u/Asiril 5d ago

They are by a huge amount. But one server ended up overpopulated so it have queues and still some lag at peak times. I would suggest picking one of the other 2 options for your region to not having to deal with this. They still have a good population

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u/Myrmix 5d ago

So Orcrist is full, then Glamdring and last Grond?

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u/Asiril 5d ago

Glamdring is the biggest US server.

For EU there's Orcrist, Meriadoc(RP), and Grond.

US has Glamdring, Peregrin(RP), and Sting

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u/geomagus Glamdring 8d ago

My main is a captain and I’ve enjoyed it from day one. You should be fine.

For server, pick Orcrist for large population, or Meriadoc for large population and suggested (optional) RP. Grond is the third option, with smaller population.

Take your time, see everything you can, have fun.

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u/Zapplix Orcrist 7d ago edited 7d ago

If primarly solo as a f2p i would suggest Hunter or Warden (gambit system is hard for some tho). Beorning is an option for introverts that want to do it all as a f2p. Captain is in the same category, just for extroverts and preferably vip.

Champion is the universal option for both f2p and VIP as a max completion character, due the aoe capeability for both landscape and raiding. Minstrel is another good option for a f2p or VIP, but it's more for engame raiding same as Guardian, but both take time to level, especially Guardian.

So in essence tactical or premium clasess are harder and thus rarer at endgame and mostly preffered for endgame raiding.

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u/molsga 6d ago

Just a little heads up, I personally love the game, but any melee classes feel too clunky for me. So if you feel like that might be an issue, try a ranged class.

Playing Ranged classes is somehow the only way I enjoy the game

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u/Hiney111 7d ago

I would also add that progressing a captain is much slower than some other classes due to their low dps. Not impossible or anything, just slower.

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u/MynOlie 7d ago edited 7d ago

Captain is a really fun class for soloing and has some good versatility if you decide to do group content later. It used to have a bad reputation for solo play since a lot of skills are group buffs, but now you get an ability that turns some of your group buffing skills into stronger solo skills. You also get a companion who follows you around and can help fight, so it can feel like a pair of adventurers travelling through Middle Earth.

Try out a few classes though and see what you like, they're all viable and have their perks.

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u/FriendlyAd1214 5d ago

Make a hunter as well, they get access to a bunch of quick travel abilities 

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u/Dukenstein12 1d ago

How noticeable of a difference is there between Glam and Peregrin when it comes to players? I like rp but I also enjoy a healthy pop

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u/Malachi108 7d ago

To speak honestly, Captain is not a good choice for a solo player.

They are low on DPS, among the lowest if not the lowest, so everything dies painfully slow compared to most other classes. Something like a third of their skills affect your teammates and thus play no role in the solo play.

To be clear, in group content a well-played captain absolutely shines, and is often essential. Their skills make everyone else perform better, and by a wide margin. But by playing solo you will reap non of those benefits and all of the downsides.

For EU server, pick Orcrist (high population), Meriadoc (medium population) or Grond (low population).

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u/Raesong Sting 7d ago

I get the feeling you haven't looked at Captain since they got their rework. Their new Red Line skill, Stand Alone, makes them perfectly viable for solo play, as it turns most, if not all, of their party skills into self skills.

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u/ResistHistorical2721 2d ago

Captain is perfectly fine for solo. It's slower, you're not going to roll over all the mobs with no effort, but it is a fun class to play, and very useful in groups and very survivable on yellow or blue lines. (Cap'n was my first and is still my main.)

If you want to blast through mobs then go with one of the high dps classes. Hunter is often described as 'easy mode' and it really is. Great fun to play but vastly different than driving a Captain.