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Lord of the Rings Online: Dev Journal: Warden Mastery

SzarkSzark News ManagerMember Posts: 4,420

With the launch of the Mines of Moria looming closer, the folks at Lord of the Rings Online have prepared an in depth look at the Warden, one of two new classes that will be introduced in the expansion.

Warden Mastery

The Warden class represents the brave citizen-soldiers of Middle-earth, the vigilant defenders of the realm patrolling at the edge of the firelight, where civilization meets the Wild. Whether she takes after the Rangers of the North or the infantry of Gondor, the Warden is a quick and cunning skirmisher, shunning heavy and restrictive armor in favor of nimble shields and flexible leathers. Joining spear and javelin with gall and guile, the Warden stands ready to fight the Enemy at home or abroad.

As a class, the Warden strikes a new balance between defense and offense. It’s not a straightforward tank like the Guardian, or a focused damage-dealer like the Hunter. It stands midway between those classes, combining flexibility and power to provide an exciting solo-play experience and a valuable new anchor for fellowships.

The Warden is simple to learn and play, but it rewards careful attention and clever planning in ways that no other class does. Some classes reliably play the same no matter who is at the controls, but the Warden lets your own style, gameplay choices, and expertise shine through. It’s a unique, richly interactive class with more than one road to mastery.

Read more about The Warden and The Mines of Moria.

Comments

  • achesomaachesoma Member RarePosts: 1,726

    Sounds interesting but are they going to allow more characters per server so people can try the new classes?

    Preaching Pantheon to People at PAX  PAX East 2018 Day 4 - YouTube
  • RemyVorenderRemyVorender Member RarePosts: 3,991

    Bleh,

    Why on Middle Earth did they not make the Warden a melee/healer hybrid character? There are already 2 tank-dps hybrid classes. It's called "a Guardian with a 2-Hander" and a "Champion."

    All this does is blur the lines of class definition even further. 

    Joined - July 2004

  • SNievesSNieves Member Posts: 22
    Originally posted by remyburke


    Bleh,
    Why on Middle Earth did they not make the Warden a melee/healer hybrid character? There are already 2 tank-dps hybrid classes. It's called "a Guardian with a 2-Hander" and a "Champion."
    All this does is blur the lines of class definition even further. 



     

    I am not trying to be rude but, have you actually read the description of the Warden class?  Think of the Warden as a cross between the hunter and a champion/minstrel.  The weapons features of this class make it distinctive (ranged javelins).  Additionally, the class also has a different way of combat called Gambits (sort of like mini-fellowship maneuvers).  So no, this class is not the same as the others.  Please do some research and understand this class before remarking that the class definitions are being blurred.

    Hasta.

  • GaliasGalias Lord of the Rings Online CorrespondentMember Posts: 70
    Originally posted by achesoma


    Sounds interesting but are they going to allow more characters per server so people can try the new classes?

     

    Yep!  Turbine is added in two additional character slots (bumping the number from 5 to 7) to allow you to give both the Warden and Rune-keeper a try if you wish.

    I'm excited about this Warden class...it's got some of the characteristics of the Hunter that I like, plus the melee DPS of a Champion.  I like it.

    -G

    image

  • achesomaachesoma Member RarePosts: 1,726
    Originally posted by Galias

    Originally posted by achesoma


    Sounds interesting but are they going to allow more characters per server so people can try the new classes?

     

    Yep!  Turbine is added in two additional character slots (bumping the number from 5 to 7) to allow you to give both the Warden and Rune-keeper a try if you wish.

    I'm excited about this Warden class...it's got some of the characteristics of the Hunter that I like, plus the melee DPS of a Champion.  I like it.

    -G

    Cool, good to know.  Thx.

    Preaching Pantheon to People at PAX  PAX East 2018 Day 4 - YouTube
  • Manu20Manu20 Member Posts: 22
    Originally posted by Galias

    Originally posted by achesoma


    Sounds interesting but are they going to allow more characters per server so people can try the new classes?

     

    Yep!  Turbine is added in two additional character slots (bumping the number from 5 to 7) to allow you to give both the Warden and Rune-keeper a try if you wish.

    I'm excited about this Warden class...it's got some of the characteristics of the Hunter that I like, plus the melee DPS of a Champion.  I like it.

    -G



     

    That's AWESOME!  I guess I'll just have to try both then 

     

  • NeoWolf73NeoWolf73 Member UncommonPosts: 29

    I think both the new classes sound nice, but the problem I have with them is one of Theme.. how do these classes relate to or refer back to Middle Earth?  I mean this is Lord of the Rings Online afterall..

    The Warden is blatantly 300 (spartan) inspired and the devs have said as much themselves.. but where is the Middle Earth connection for the class? It has no point of reference within the world it is set.

    Its tantamount to me throwing a roman centurion into Tabula Rasa and giving him a Gun and saying were adding a new Centurion class because its cool.. we kno its doesnt fit..but seriously its Cool! :)

    Instead of putting a class in that has no reference they would have been better served adding classes based on the races and regions.. as those are the source and points of reference we all have for Middle Earth.

    Here endeth the rant lol

  • erandurerandur Member Posts: 727
    Originally posted by NeoWolf73


    I think both the new classes sound nice, but the problem I have with them is one of Theme.. how do these classes relate to or refer back to Middle Earth?  I mean this is Lord of the Rings Online afterall..
    The Warden is blatantly 300 (spartan) inspired and the devs have said as much themselves.. but where is the Middle Earth connection for the class? It has no point of reference within the world it is set.
    Its tantamount to me throwing a roman centurion into Tabula Rasa and giving him a Gun and saying were adding a new Centurion class because its cool.. we kno its doesnt fit..but seriously its Cool! :)
    Instead of putting a class in that has no reference they would have been better served adding classes based on the races and regions.. as those are the source and points of reference we all have for Middle Earth.
    Here endeth the rant lol

    Wardens aren't that weird, defender of the free people, sounds pretty logical. ;) And I'm pretty sure that a ranged javelin is logical too, just didn't see any in the movies, doesn't mean they aren't there. 

    The rune-keeper is a pile of crap though... Might be fun to play, but I doubt they'll ever find a fellowship in RP servers. :D

    You know it, the best way to realize your dreams is waking up and start moving, never lose hope and always keep up.

  • NeoWolf73NeoWolf73 Member UncommonPosts: 29
    Originally posted by erandur


    Wardens aren't that weird, defender of the free people, sounds pretty logical. ;) And I'm pretty sure that a ranged javelin is logical too, just didn't see any in the movies, doesn't mean they aren't there. 
    The rune-keeper is a pile of crap though... Might be fun to play, but I doubt they'll ever find a fellowship in RP servers. :D



     

    I dont think they are wierd I think they sound cool, but the problem is these 2 new classes have as I said absolutely no basis in Tolkien Lore.

    The Spartans inspired class isnt related to anything written or known about any of the major races or regions in Middle Earth, and I dont say that lightly but from the basis of having read and re-read every book Tolkien ever wrote about Middle Earth for a very very long time (Im in my mid 30's).  I mean thier is no precedent for them amongst the Rohirrim, the Gondorians, the Haradrim or any of the numerous factions and cultures of Middle Earth...

    Same with the Runekeepers, those quasi mages dont really fit, the only magic users per se were the Wizards and they were very few and very special cases.  The Loremasters fit because they werent using magic so much as alchemy and wards etc.. that were borderline.. but the rune masters are out and out spell casters... we have departed middle earth and landed on the shores of Azeroth, where whats cool and shiny is included as opposed to what is sensible and appropriate to the lore of the setting.

    So far they have spent all thier time raving about the mechanics of these classes and non on saying this is who they are, this is where they came from.. obviously some artistic license as to the classes origins is expected but so for the lore of them is non existant..beyond we have a quasi tank and a full blown spellcasters... meh..

    Originally I thought these classes were going to be dwarf oriented, I mean Moria was a dwarf hold back in the day after all, before they dug too deep... but seems they have nothing at all to do with dwarves and are just two new roles with no real background, which is a shame as LOTRO has been really good about Tolkien lore and theme so far..

  • OzmodanOzmodan Member EpicPosts: 9,726

    This lore argument is getting to be absurd.    It is a game!  People play it for fun, they could care less whether it has distinct ties to a few books written by Tolkien.  Not one of you know what Tolkien's actual world encompassed,  He only had few books to describe a few events in it.

    The key word here is imagination.  Turbine is using that to enchance their world and they are doing it in a responsible manner.   If Turbine stuck to the limited lore delved from the books it would be a very boring MMO and then all of you would be complaining how boring it is.

    Find something else to rant about, you are just making yourselves look ridiculous on this topic.

  • NeoWolf73NeoWolf73 Member UncommonPosts: 29
    Originally posted by Ozmodan


    This lore argument is getting to be absurd.    It is a game!  People play it for fun, they could care less whether it has distinct ties to a few books written by Tolkien.  Not one of you know what Tolkien's actual world encompassed,  He only had few books to describe a few events in it.
    The key word here is imagination.  Turbine is using that to enchance their world and they are doing it in a responsible manner.   If Turbine stuck to the limited lore delved from the books it would be a very boring MMO and then all of you would be complaining how boring it is.
    Find something else to rant about, you are just making yourselves look ridiculous on this topic.

    I wouldnt know about arguments elsewhere regarding lore, as I have not participated in any, I am speaking only with regards to these two new classes..  and new additions having relevance to the source is far from absurd or irrelevant as this isnt GenericFantasy Online.. it is LORD OF THE RINGS Online.. it is actually based on and set in THE most famous and well regarded literary Fantasy construct in living memory.. so yes for some of us Lore is relevant. 

     

    And no he didnt have a few books, he had over a dozen, all jam packed with information, language, culture, history and so forth for the world he created.  One of the reasons Tolkien was so highly acclaimed is because of the sheer detail he put into creating his world.  And that is not included the books put out by his grandson and his estate after his death that were created from his many many notes and scribblings left behind.  So please dont fall under the assumption that they are just working on a few lines of text and having to make the rest up as YOU couldnt be further from the truth if you tried.. there is masses of lore for them to go by and up until now they have done so with a certain amount of expected artisitic license.

    Also I think your pretty much missing the point.. this is not a Canon vs non Canon gripe.. imagination has no relevance.. the problem is, is the classes dont fit into the setting or its cultures that we know.. that is not to say we cant or wont accept them, but they need a context, they need explaining, and it would have been nice  if some lore or explanation was given to "this is where we some them coming from in middle earth" or "This is how we see them fitting in" as opposed to "they get this shiny power and this special ability and we saw this film and thought  hey that would would make a cool class, cos we like spartans.. yeah lets throw them in".. as so far its all been about the abilities and nothing about the origins.  The devs have said one was inspired from 300.. thats um great but how the hell does that relate to Middle Earth.  Its like George Lucas sticking Iron Man in a Star Wars film.. and rationalising it by saying "well I like Iron Man I thought he'd be cool".. not cool.

    I would suggest that if you do not care about the setting within whose game you play, that you maybe go find somewhere else as most of us do care.

  • erandurerandur Member Posts: 727
    Originally posted by Ozmodan


    This lore argument is getting to be absurd.    It is a game!  People play it for fun, they could care less whether it has distinct ties to a few books written by Tolkien.  Not one of you know what Tolkien's actual world encompassed,  He only had few books to describe a few events in it.
    The key word here is imagination.  Turbine is using that to enchance their world and they are doing it in a responsible manner.   If Turbine stuck to the limited lore delved from the books it would be a very boring MMO and then all of you would be complaining how boring it is.
    Find something else to rant about, you are just making yourselves look ridiculous on this topic.

    It is a game, based on Tolkien's lore, if they ignore the lore, why name it after lord of the rings? Really, if it wasn't for the lore, how many players do you think it would have? You might just as well play WoW then, or any other similar MMORPG.

    You know it, the best way to realize your dreams is waking up and start moving, never lose hope and always keep up.

  • OzmodanOzmodan Member EpicPosts: 9,726

    The two prior posts show that trying to argue with people with blinders on is an impossibility.

    I hope the rest of you enjoy the expansion, it looks like a good one.

  • NeoWolf73NeoWolf73 Member UncommonPosts: 29
    Originally posted by Ozmodan


    The two prior posts show that trying to argue with people with blinders on is an impossibility.
    I hope the rest of you enjoy the expansion, it looks like a good one.



     

    Funny as this reply simply shows that unlike I did you are unable to support your viewpoiint with any relevant facts or information.. and yet according to you we are the ones who have blinders on lol

    If you cannot or will noy support your view when throwing your two cents at someone elses opinion then don't air it, less trollish content for us to have to sift through that way.

    Now go read the books upon which the game is set you may have some notion of what you are talking about then.

  • OzmodanOzmodan Member EpicPosts: 9,726
    Originally posted by NeoWolf73

    Originally posted by Ozmodan


    The two prior posts show that trying to argue with people with blinders on is an impossibility.
    I hope the rest of you enjoy the expansion, it looks like a good one.



     

    Funny as this reply simply shows that unlike I did you are unable to support your viewpoiint with any relevant facts or information.. and yet according to you we are the ones who have blinders on lol

    If you cannot or will noy support your view when throwing your two cents at someone elses opinion then don't air it, less trollish content for us to have to sift through that way.

    Now go read the books upon which the game is set you may have some notion of what you are talking about then.

    See what I said about blinders, Why repeat the facts I already posted?  I have read all the Tolkien books and repeat your comments are just a whine because you lack the main thing needed to enjoy these MMO's, imagination.   I congratulate the Turbine folks for having it, and lament your lack of it.

     

  • NeoWolf73NeoWolf73 Member UncommonPosts: 29
    Originally posted by Ozmodan


    See what I said about blinders, Why repeat the facts I already posted?  I have read all the Tolkien books and repeat your comments are just a whine because you lack the main thing needed to enjoy these MMO's, imagination.   I congratulate the Turbine folks for having it, and lament your lack of it.

     



     

    Your ignorance is as abundantly clear as your inability to support your own point of view.  The fact that you felt the need in light of being unable or unwilling to support your POV by attacking us is sad, you got entirely the response you engendered by acting that way.

    the only thing you should lament is your blatant lack of any knowledge of the setting within which you play despite your claims of having read the books... because if you think Spartans fit into middle earth then indeed the blinkers are yours..

  • OzmodanOzmodan Member EpicPosts: 9,726

     

    Originally posted by NeoWolf73

    Originally posted by Ozmodan


    See what I said about blinders, Why repeat the facts I already posted?  I have read all the Tolkien books and repeat your comments are just a whine because you lack the main thing needed to enjoy these MMO's, imagination.   I congratulate the Turbine folks for having it, and lament your lack of it.

     



     

    Your ignorance is as abundantly clear as your inability to support your own point of view.  The fact that you felt the need in light of being unable or unwilling to support your POV by attacking us is sad, you got entirely the response you engendered by acting that way.

    the only thing you should lament is your blatant lack of any knowledge of the setting within which you play despite your claims of having read the books... because if you think Spartans fit into middle earth then indeed the blinkers are yours..



     

    Not only do these two new classes help the lore, they enhance it.  Your short sighted views none the less,  the game is far better for their addition.  Especially since the Tolkien family signed off on it.  If your nit picky lack of imagination has problems with it, don't play it, no one is forcing you to play this game. 

  • NeoWolf73NeoWolf73 Member UncommonPosts: 29
    Originally posted by Ozmodan


     Not only do these two new classes help the lore, they enhance it.  Your short sighted views none the less,  the game is far better for their addition.  Especially since the Tolkien family signed off on it.  If your nit picky lack of imagination has problems with it, don't play it, no one is forcing you to play this game. 



     

    Short sighted view... I suggest you read what point I was making originally instead of blathering on about points that have never been in contention..  Noone has EVEr said the classes were poor or would not "possibly" add to the game.. the point raised and being argued was one of the classes appropriateness to the setting as there is absolutely NO lore to support these classes.  And even then I said that wasnt necessarily something that meant the classes werent appropriate but they DO need explaining within the existing lore fo the setting and if the Devs have had to produce some lore to support them id much rather see and read that then a list of all the shiny powers they get, which really is something of only any interest to twinks and munchkins.

    The Tolkien estate giving them the license to produce material for the setting for the game is not relevant, as noone is arguing their right to do that only the rationale behind what they create and so far the rationale has been "One of our devs really liked 300"... which is far from explaining the relevance of acceptability of the class within the setting.

    You call me nit picky which is rich considering you dont even have the savvy to follow the argument your taking part in..  if caring about the relevance of content within a game based on the setting I have spent over 35 years enjoying and reading about is nit picking then I wear the badge proudly.  And as you are the one who apparently doesnt care about the relevance of the content I suggest it is you who should go elsewhere... as it is obviously just about the bells and whistles for you and nothing else... sad really. 

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