LotRO: Echoes of the Dead, First Impression

Three days in with the new content, it is time to give a first impression.

I managed to finish the book quest on my Minstrel and my Hunter. Volume 3, Book 3, has eleven chapters. All of it is soloable. It does not offer a huge amount to do, but gives some nice loot (ixp rune and lvl 65 second age class item). I loved the instances with Isildur and chapter seven, where you attack different groups whilst storming the hill.

Of the new instances, I ran the Oatbarton one most (on Rune-Keeper, Hunter, Minstrel (twice) and Captain (unsucessfully)). The first boss, a spider, does not offer much resistance. If you switch your attacks to the egg fast enough and or at least kill the hatchlings, this fight is finished soon enough.

Next fight is against a cauldron. One of the most funny fights in LotRO. As it is a bit a dps-race, one of the three (with the highest dps) will constantly attack the cauldron. The others have to /slap hobbits, avoid dropping pools in the wrong spots and probably a bit of dps and healing. With a healing Rune-Keeper, a Warden and a Captain, we just didn't have enough dps.

Last fight is also very nice. Mostly the Tank has to watch his steps, when he does, the fight is fun and easy. Power can run out easily, so use pots as often as possible.

Stoneheight, I only briefly visited so I can't tell you a lot about it.

I also ran the Glaciel Fortress instance with my Minstrel. One thing I learnt, is that you don't have to attack the bears, you can just run by them if you don't stay too long in their vicinity.

The Lost Temple is the one instance, I didn't even step into.

The Ost Dunhoth raid consists of five wings, I have been in the mammoth wing, the tree wing, the Balrog wing and to Gotheron, the end boss. As there were a lot of sign-ups (and I was mostly not on the list), I was on no successful run on tier 2. I did the Balrog on Tier 1, after some failed Tier 2 tries.

There is nothing bad in the new instances and I am sure, we will have some fun in them. I got some usefull loot, a nice cloak from the farm for example. But I am happy, that there is a lot to do again.