December 9, 2020

A Guide to Level 100 on the Legendary Servers

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A major update is nearing for the Legendary Servers of Anor and Ithil, with all level 100 content being released on December 16th, 2020. In this post, I want to give an overview of what to expect in the update and share some tips I have for players ready to advance to triple digits in their level as we journey to Gondor and Anorien!

This guide features many links to additional resources if you are interested in learning more!

2020-12-19 Update: Updated efficient leveling section based on the path I took.
2020-12-15 Update: Updated Morgul Crests information and some notes on gearing.
Guide Layout:

Features and Content Overview


Content wise, we will get West Gondor, Central Gondor, Eastern Gondor, and Old Anorien. All of the content is included with VIP - no extra quest packs are necessary! For reference on the original patches, here are the LOTRO-wiki pages:


Major content features include:

Other major features of the new level 100 content include:


Endgame Progression & Gearing


For a general overview, endgame revolves around maximizing your imbued Legendary Item set and utilizing the essence system to its fullest extent for your gear. Based off memory and recent research, you have a few options for the different endgame systems.

For long-term character progression, I highly recommend prioritizing your focus: trait points > legendary items > virtues > crafting, then you can work on temporary systems like end game gear and essences.

1. Trait Points

These are acquired through:
  • (4) The four Central Gondor quest chains
  • (1) Osgiliath quest-line Ashes and Stars Chapter 4 (Eastern Gondor)
  • (2) Old Anorien meta deeds - Quests and Deeds of Old Anorien
  • (2) One for each 100 promotion points you earn in the Epic Battles system (note: you may have these from West Rohan EBs already)
  • (3) Volume IV - Book 2 Chapter 9; Book 4, Chapter 10; Book 4 Chapter 11
  • (2) Levels 97 and 99
In total, you can have 80 trait points at level 100. In my next guide, I plan to have 80-trait-point trait builds for every class and spec to help you get started on building your character for this content (I will edit that in when I finish it).

For a full list and reference on trait points, check out the LOTRO-wiki page on Class Trait Points.
 
2. Imbued Legendary Items and Their Accessories

For a general overview of imbued LIs, I recommend checking out the external guides linked such as this one from LOTRO Players.

To acquire your LI-boosting items, there are a few options:
  • Skirmish camp (marks, medallions, and seals)
  • Various reputation barterers for each new region and faction
  • (Rare) instance/raid chests and EB boxes
  • Various quests occasionally reward LI-boosting items.
In addition to other methods, you can get an unidentified first age LI from the Roving Threats currency, Gift-giver's Brands at a RT Quartermaster.

Remember to save all your LI boosts for your first agers!

3. Virtue XP

Virtue experience is straightforward in this update - you still acquire it from deeds and if you own War of Three Peaks, through Missions deeds.

4. Gear (Armour)

One of the best armour choices can be obtained by running through the Osgiliath istance cluster and using your Morgul Crests currency to barter for 5-slot pieces (note: by 5-slot, that refers to 5 essence slots). Morgul crests are obtained in the instances on tier 2 at level 100 and for tier 2 challenge chests (needs to be confirmed that it requires level 100 and will not drop from a T2 chest levels 50-99) and occasionally from Roving Threats and may be bartered at the Osgiliath Quartermaster. These require a lot of crests and will likely involve a lot of farming to get the full armour set!

The other best armour choice can be obtained through the Minas Tirith reputation faction. More info on these two armour choices in the next section.

Anorien metalsmiths and tailors can make solid baseline level 100 3-slot armour (i201).

5. Gear (Jewellery and Accessories)

Slotted jewellery can be obtained through the Ogiliath instances (see the loot section here for reference) while non-slotted jewellery can still be obtained through Epic Battles (such as Retaking Pelargir, one of the most commonly run EBs). Accessories such as class items and other slots can be obtained through Osgiliath instances and various reputation barterers.

The best cloaks are from Volume IV - Book 4, Chapter 13. Other options are fairly limited.

Anorien jewellers can make solid baseline level 100 3-slot jewellery (i201).

6. Essences

You have all these gear pieces with empty boxes that you want to fill with something useful?

Essences are mostly obtained through crafting, Epic Battles, and bartering. Essence recipes for crafting are mostly obtained through reputation bartering and require the infamous Universal Solvents (which may be bought on the LOTRO store and sold in the AH/traded as well as acquired through various in-game means). Epic Battle boxes have a small chance to reward the best quality (gold/supreme) essences. Skirmish camps offer purple-quality essences for level 100.

Class-specific essences can be obtained in Central Gondor through the reputation factions. These are unique, so you can only have on equipped, but often provide very valuable effects!

For reference, the essence tier for level 100 is tier 7. Essence range in quality from gold>teal>purple>yellow. They are unbound and can be traded and sold on the AH.

For an in depth guide on level 100 essences when they were new, Kaleigh Starshine wrote one on LOTRO Players here.



What to do at Level 100? & Best Gear


While my strategy will be refined over time as we rediscover things, I will share what I, and other LOTRO players, did at the level 100 cap when these content pieces were initially released. I would generally recommend this priority for endgame content (trait points and virtues can be filled out on your own):
  1. Osgiliath instances (on Tier 2 and doing challenge mode)
    • This will allow you to get endgame gear including some of the best socketed armour - 5-slot i201 armour sets from the Morgul Crests barter currency (i201 refers to item level of 201)
    • These also have socketed jewellery
    • Finally, they offer accessories such as class items, off-hands, and other slots
    • Tier 1 will not give the best loot drops (purple instead of teal) and will not give the Morgul Crests currency for the 5-slot essence pieces.
    • Marks/medallions for skirmish camp
  2. Epic Battles (Retaking Pelargir is most common one to farm)
    • Additional jewellery options
    • Stars of Merit currency
    • Supreme (gold) essences
    • Other endgame/LI goodies from their reward boxes.
    • Marks/medallions for skirmish camp
    • (Promotion points for trait points)
  3. Roving threats if 1st Age LI is needed (or wanted to be sold)
  4. Landscape dailies/weeklies for currency and reputation (including Warbands)
    • Central Gondor factions can be used to barter for class-specific essences
    • Defenders of Minas Tirith faction can be used to barter for essences, essence crafting recipes, various goodies
    • Defenders of Minas Tirith also offers some of the best socketed armour - 3-slot i204 armour sets
    • (Virtue XP as you complete landscape deeds)

Note on best armour: Comparing Osgiliath 5-slot and Minas Tirith 3-slot depends on the stats available and what your character needs. 5 essence slots offer more flexibility in stats which can be valuable to hit target stat goals, while MT 3-slot gear can technically allow for more stats (although may be more of unneeded stats). From my original level 100 experience, often players ran with the 5-slot Osgiliath armour (which may be referred to as "Faramir" if you come across that). The MT armour requires a lot of Minas Tirith landscape farming while Osgiliath armour requires a lot of Osgiliath instance farming, depending on which playstyle you prefer. As my kin progresses with finding which armour is best/most accessable, I will update this with that info.

Efficient Leveling 95-100


This update offers a lot of level 100 content with only one region dedicated to leveling from 95 to 100. However, I want to suggest an alternative efficient leveling and landscaping path to 100:

  1. Skip West Gondor landscape (you can go back to this if desired)
  2. Do Volume IV Books 1-2
  3. Start your main questing in Central Gondor along with Book 2, acquiring the 4 trait points
    • Reputation and currency here will help you get your class-specific essences, too
  4. Complete Ashes of Stars (Osgiliath story quest-line), but skip Eeastern Gondor landscape (you can go back to this if you wish)
  5. Do Volume IV Book 4 (can be started without any prerequisites - confirmed)
    • Chapters 10 and 11 each reward a trait point
    • Chapter 13 rewards the best available cloak
  6. Complete Quests and Deeds of Old Anorien for 2 trait points (and the Virtue XP)
  7. Do Epic Battles for promotion points (for trait points) and to fill in character XP, especially if level 100 content in Central Gondor is too difficult at first (also rewards various goodies)
  8. Do Roving Threats for 1st Age LIs and to fill in character XP
  9. Do Warbands for deeds, to fill in character XP, and get some region-appropriate currency, as well as other various goodies

Final Thoughts


By now, I hope you have learned about what you can expect for level 100 on the Legendary Servers in LOTRO! Here are some of my final notes:
  • There is a lot of content in this update, focus on what is most fun!
    • (In addition to the Osgiliath instances, I plan to run many Roving Threats, discover the new Epic Battles, and do group landscape content with my kinship. While solo, I am preparing to experience Gondor, some of it for the first time)
  • I will update this post as we re-explore and rediscover the content if there is anything that needs updated information.
  • If you have any input or have anything I forgot, please comment or reach out!
  • I plan to make a sample 80-point trait build overview for every class/spec to help you get started and in the right direction with your character (this will be covered in the upcoming December 2020 update). Note: I am working on formatting for this - it may be delayed until late December or January.
  • Looking forward to level 105:
    • Pelennor instance cluster (including Throne of the Dread Terror multi-boss raid)
    • Featured instances
    • Flower picking
  • All of this applies to the regular servers as well!
  • Special thanks to the LOTRO-wiki contributors for having so many resources for me to points towards!



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