#4 Letter From Resolina: Guide to the Lotro Store

[Resolina]

Resolina's Letter #4 (6/20/2021)
Guide to the Lotro Store

Are you a low level wandering around trying to figure out the lotro store? Or are you a lifetimer who wants to know what to do with those 30,000 lotro points you've accumulated over 5 years? I'm here to boil down what lotro has in store for you. Although you can potentially earn lotro points through deeds on every character you create, you are highly restricted to what you are capable of doing. In fact, you will not have access to Swift Travel at all (other than the Writ of Special Passage: 1 Hour from your Gift Pack) without going VIP. If you enjoy playing the game, then I suggest - Go VIP for one month ($15) and create five characters to unlock features (must log them in).

VIP

1. Character-Related Perks

• 3 Inventory Bags (Free, 45 slots) -> 5 inventory bags (75 inventory slots) permanently.
• 1g Currency Cap (Free) -> 9999g Currency Cap (normally costs 395 lotro points) Note: Characters not logged in during VIP will now have a 5g "premium" currency cap *Update 32 offered this for free
  
• All Trait slots unlocked: Class, Racial, Virtue (Each slot costs 95 lotro points per slot and only per character. It costs an arm and a leg) *Update 32 offered this for free
  
• Swift Travel permanently unlocked.
• Riding Quest "Proving Your Quality" at level 20 (though the skill can still be bought anytime for 95 lotro points after the introduction has been finished)

2. Account-Related Perks

• 2 Character Slots (Free) -> 7 Character Slots (VIP, enough for one of each "basic" class) -> 5 Character Slots (Premium, surplus becomes locked - your choice).
• [unconfirmed] 20 Shared Storage unlocked permanently (costs 995 lotro points).
• Play around with all the zones, quests, instances, and skirmishes all but the most recent expansion (currently Gundabad) U33.
• Play with any Monster Class in PvMP (Reaver is free, Other classes are 795 lotro points)
• Play any character at least level 20 in PvMP (normally costs 20 Mithril Coins for 6-hours while you are logged into the character; for reference - 25MC costs 250 lotro points) Note: The "scaling" of your gear to the maximum level will not entirely match one that currently is at cap level.
• Craft Guild access (you cannot progress any higher once VIP expires; 295 lotro points per craft).
• Use of 20 slots in wardrobe (you cannot add more after your VIP expires but you still can use what was placed inside beforehand).
• 30 Auction House listings (will revert back to 5 Auction House listings after VIP expires).

3. Bonus Perks

• 500 lotro points.
• VIP character portrait frame.
• 30% of your next level as bonus XP per day; log out anywhere (the time spent playing on that character isn't added on).
• Weekly gold hobbit present (alongside daily silver hobbit present).
• Use Destiny Points (Shift + Z) earned by leveling.
• Use mail anywhere.
• Any exclusive VIP cosmetics offered that month from the company, War of Three Peaks Table decoration, and use of Premium Ingredient Crate.
• Quest: VIP Rewards giving you two items with 2-day timer that provide:

  • Accelerated crafting speed
  • Immunity to item wear from combat, crafting, and defeat
  • Field access to a shop for selling, buyback, and repairs
  • Field access to vault, shared storage, and wardrobe
  • Field access to auctions
  • Field access to forge-master and relic-master services

Content

I hope you aren't trying to skirt by just doing Bingo Boffin and The Epic. Once that VIP runs out, you might want to consider buying some zones. Personally I would buy them all but that is entirely up to you. All quest packs up to level 120 come to around 17,330 lotro points (excluding Mirkwood). Expansions get a little trickier to calculate and are listed below. Just know that you can earn 915 lotro points within the 4 free zones (The Shire, Ered Luin, Bree-lands, and Lone-lands) and at least 6,300 lotro points from all other zones (I stopped counting after the wiki ran out of data). It costs $20 for around 1,600 lotro points or $40 for around 3,150 lotro points. Right now let's consider what you can get with cash and lotro points...

Quest Packs

1. Eriador

• Recommended: Eriador Bundle for 3995 lotro points. Includes 8 zones (levels 18 to 65) - Angmar, Enedwaith, Eregion, Evendim, Forochel, Misty Mountains, North Downs, and Trollshaws (total value 5260 lotro points).
• Levels 18 - 40: North Downs (Fornost) and Evendim (Annunimas) cost 595 lotro points each.
• Levels 32 - 52: Trollshaws and Forochel (don't get enough love) cost 595 lotro points each.
• Levels 40 - 52: Angmar cost 795 lotro points and includes Carn Dum, Urugarth, Barad Gularan, and Rift.
• Levels 39 - 55: Misty Mountains (Goblin-town Throne Room, Helegrod) and Eregion (Library/School of Tham Mirdain) cost 695 lotro points each.
• Levels 45: Wildwood costs 1195 and includes Agoroth the Narrowdelve and Woe of the Willow. Note: 10 Missions are also included.
• Level 65: Enedwaith costs 695 lotro points and includes "In their Absence" instances Lost Temple, Northcotton Farm, Sari-surma, Stoneheight, and Ost Dunhoth. Note: This zone is meant to be played as a break between Mirkwood and Isengard yet some people choose to level in this zone in place of Mirkwood.

2. Rhovanian

• Level 55 - 60: Lothlorien costs 695 lotro points and includes Mirror-halls of Lumul-nar, The Water Wheels: Nala-dum, Halls of Crafting, and Dar Narbugud
• Levels 72 - 75 & 83 - 85: Great River (Roots of Fangorn instance) and Wildermore costs 795 lotro points. Note: These zones are meant to be played as breaks between Isengard, Riders of Rohan, and Helm's Deep, yet some have suggested the option to buy these zones to level up instead of buying Riders of Rohan and Helm's Deep expansions.
• Levels 60 - 65: Mirkwood (technically an "expansion") costs 695 lotro points and includes Sword-hall, Warg-pens, Dungeons of Dol Guldur, Sammath Gul, and Barad Guldur.
• Level 115: Legacy of the Necromancer (Strongholds of the North) cost 795 lotro points and includes The Lay of Rust & Rime Episodic Quests and The Secret Stone scavanger hunt.
• Levels 115 - 120: Where Dragons Dwell (Ered Mithrin) costs 1995 lotro points and includes Caverns of Thrumfall, Glimmerdeep, Thikil-gundu, and The Anvil of Witherstitch.
• Level 120: Vales of Anduin costs 1495 lotro points and includes The Depths of Kidzul-kalah.
• Level 130: Mists of Wilderland (Wells of Langflood) costs 1295 lotro points and includes Askad-mazal: Chamber of Shadow.
• Level 130: Blood of Azog costs 1695 lotro points and includes The Fall of Khazad-dum. Note: 10 missions are also included.

3. Gondor

• Levels 95 - 105: Western Gondor (decorations), Central Gondor (4 trait points), East Gondor (1 trait point, The Sunken Labyrinth, The Ruined City, and The Dome of Stars), Old Anorien (2 trait points), March of the King (decorations), Battle of the Black Gate all cost 795 lotro points.
• Level 100: Far Anorien costs 1995 lotro points and includes Blood of the Black Serpent, The Quays of the Harlond, The Silent Street, Throne of the Dread Terror.

Expansions

1. Real-Life Cash

• Lotro Expansion Trove for $60 and contains all expansion "content" up to level 115 including Moria, Mirkwood, Isengard, Riders of Rohan, Helm's Deep, and Mordor. You will not receive any previously included items from the expansions like Runekeeper & Warden class from Moria or Aria of the Valar from Mordor.
• Minas Morgul for $39 (w/Stout-axe Racial and Character Slot).
• The War of Three Peaks for $20.

2. Lotro Points

• Moria for 2495 lotro points includes Moria Quest Pack (1495), 2 character slots (595 each), warden (795), rune-keeper (795), and Skirmish Trait 7 to 15 (195). Note: Reclaim Moria Bundle does not contain the expansion despite it being 3495 lotro points. It only contains the Goat of the Moria Sentinel, Gandalf emote (250), Hollin Gate Fireworks, Hollin Gate Wall Engraving (295), Moria Welcome Mat (195), Tome of the Sentinel-in-training (595), and assortment of consumable Dwarf-candles in 7 colors in stacks of 50 (100 lotro points for a stack of 25).
• Mirkwood for 695 lotro points. Note: Skirmish Trait 15 to 25 (195) must be purchased separately.
• Isengard for 2495 lotro points includes Rise of Isengard Quest Pack (1495), Instance Cluster: Isengard (1495), Draigoch's Lair (1250), and Skirmish Trait 25 to 35 (195). Note: Draigoch's Lair is not included in the Instance Cluster.
• Riders of Rohan for 2495 lotro points includes Rohan Quest Pack (1495), Instance Cluster: Rohan "The Road to Erebor" (1495), Mounted Combat "Light" (595), Mounted Combat "Heavy" (595), Steed of the Eastemnet, Title: Friend of the Mark, and Skirmish Traith 35 to 40 (195). Note: Mounted Combat "Medium" can still be obtained without purchasing the expansion.
• Helm's Deep for 4295 lotro points (that is not a typo) includes Epic Quests: Volume III  Books 11-14 (only time epic quests are not free), 5 "Defence of Rohan" Epic Battles, Hauberk of the Hammerhand, Title: Enforcer of Helm, and Skirmish Trait 40 to 45 (195). Note: 5 Trait Points come from each of the quest chains and 2 come from each 100 "promotion points" (395 lotro points for 10 *eyeroll*) from epic battles (that can also be earned from any of the other 3 "War for Gondor" Epic Battles).
• Mordor for 2495 lotro points. Note: Skirmish Trait Max Rank: 45 to 50 has to be purchased separately even for VIP members.
• Minas Morgul for 2495 lotro points.
• The War of Three Peaks for 1995 lotro points. Note: Includes 80 missions.

Rich Man Scenario

1. Character Creation

• Racial: High Elf and Stout-Axe Dwarf at 1000 lotro points each.
• Classes: Warden, Rune-keeper 795 lotro points each. Note: The Moria Expansion will have both of these classes and Skirmish Trait (195 lotro points) for just 1,000 lotro points more than just the Moria quest pack.
• Class & Race: Beorning 1000 lotro points (Racial & Class wrapped in one) or 1295 lotro points with a character slot (character slot normally costs 595 lotro points).

2. Experience Items

• Token of the Hornburg (pocket item): +25% xp up to level 99 (that is not a typo) for 495 lotro points.
• Shield of the Hammerhand (back item): +25% xp up to level 85 for 995 lotro points.

3. General Items

• Journeyman riding (account) automatically raises all your mounts speed (32%, 62%, or 68%) to 78% for 2995 lotro points.
• You could buy Universal Toolkit: 100 lotro points (20% critical chance crafting and -3 seconds mining resources) or Enduring Universal Toolkit: 450 lotro points (20% critical chance crafting  and -4.5 seconds mining resources) Note: A metalsmith can create tools equivalent (20%, -3s at level 45) or better (25%, -4s at level 90).
• Recommended: Return to Lalia's Market for 3 mithril coins (50 lotro points for 5 mithril coins). If you have a few mithril coins leftover from buying a house or whatnot, this is probably the perfect thing to use them on.
• Recommended: Premium Wallet Upgrade. The number of things that you no longer have to carry around when you buy this for 995 lotro points astounds me. Practically anything you can barter from the taxidermy, festivals, and instances gets put away. By the time you reach North Ithilien and start collecting flowers, you will be begging to have this upgrade. *Update 32 offered this for free
  

Housing Options

• Recommended (for lotro points): If you are going to buy a premium house, Middle Earth Essentials Pack for 1000 lotro points (only bought once per account) includes Riding Skill (95), Steed Selection Box (Steed of Bree, Steed of Michel Delving, Steed of Rivendell, or Steed of Thorin’s Hall - 3 of which cost 2495 lotro points each), Modest Virtue Pack, 6 Housing Writs (1500 lotro points value, enough for a premium stately house in Belfalas Neighborhood), Universal Toolkit (100), and 500silver.
• ...or also recommended (for cash): You can pay $10 for the Special Offer and get the High Elf race and Small Crafting Carry-all on top of everything else listed above.
  
  
• You can also buy Premium Housing Writs for 250 lotro points each (though the total for 6 would be 1,500 lotro points). This method is primarily used when gaining a handful from a previously lost house.
• Normally a premium house would be bought with mithril coins. A stately house can cost 137 or 145 mithril coins. This means you need to buy 100 Mithril Coin Package (costing 850 lotro points) and two 25 Mithril Coin Packages (costing 500 lotro points) for a total of 1,350 lotro points.

Other Options

• Experience Disabler: "Stone of the Tortoise" for 100 lotro points if you want to experience content without going over the level. Perfect for slotro.
• 2 Instances: Halls of Night and Inn of the Forsaken cost 195 lotro points each.
• 8 Skirmishes: Defence of the Pony, Ford of Bruinen, Icy Crevasse, Attack at Dawn, Stand at Amon Sul, Survival Barrow-Downs, Thievery and Mischief, Storm of Methradas all cost 195 lotro points each (total amount of 1,560).
• Shared Wardrobe Space: If you are not VIP, I do suggest buying Shared Wardrobe Space I (10 slots) just so you can pass character-bound, class-bound, or set bonuses (that now have a maximum level limit) around your account for 595 lotro points (though I would probably wait for a sale).
• Milestone Skills: You can buy Milestone Skill II for 350 lotro points.
• Inventory Slots: +5 Inventory slots for 395 lotro points each.
• Vault Upgrades: +15 Vault slots for 895 (for the first two upgrades) or 995 lotro points.
• Character Rename: I'm actually kind of surprised this only costs 995 lotro points.
  
  

Decorations

I would not be able to call myself Resolina if I didn't have a handle on which decorations are worth getting from the lotro store. Some of the items can actually be earned in the game. The Collections tab (Shift + C) will generally list where the various emotes can be obtained. However, I will list the ones that are worth getting if you do decide on spending some lotro points.

1. Pets

• Little Mumak Pet (with rack): 595 lotro points Note: Little Mumak Pet (without rack) drops from Throne of the Dread Terror and is usually on the Auction House for 400g.
• Sentinel-in-training goat pet: 595 lotro points

2. Emotes (All cost 195 lotro points except the Gandalf Emote)

• Gandalf Emote (costs 250 lotro points)
• Ground Roll
• Howl
• Mount Emote Bow
• Mount Kick
• Mount Rearup
• Orb Red Note: Orb Blue is given to all those with 9-year Accounts.

3. Cosmetics (All cost 295 lotro points)

• Silver Quiver
• Campaign Backpack
• Hooded Cloak of Helmingas (red)
• Hooded Cloak of the Eorlingas (green)
• Hooded Cloak of the Westfold (white)
• Cloak of the Mountain Wolves Note: An Internet joke on a t-shirt.
• Recommended: Inn League Survival Pack
• Cook's Pack Note: The other similar item, Cook's Trappings, can be obtained via Skirmish Camp
• Sage's Pack
• Elk-hunter's Pack
• Dwarven Miner's Helmet

4. Housing Decorations

• Canopy Reflecting Pool: 495 lotro points
• Hedgehog Burrow: 595 lotro points Note: Clicking on it will have a hedgehog appear.
• Ingredient Crate: 995 lotro points Note: You are able to use anyone's crate, even those at the kinhouse, and obtain 3 Universal Ingredient Packs (another 3 if using premium crate while VIP). You don't actually have to own one.
• Crafting Workstations: Gondorian Forge, Gondorian Study, Gondorian Workbench, Bread Oven, Gondorian Oven, and Farming Garden all cost 495 lotro points each. Note: The Gondorian Study, Bread Oven, and Gondorian Workbench can be included inside your house as well.
• Culumalda Tree: 195 lotro points (Still looks like a banana tree to me)
• Terebinth Tree: 195 lotro points
• Alchemist Bookcase: 295 lotro points
• Alchemist Workbench: 395 lotro points
• Intact Model of Minas Tirith: 595 lotro points Note the Destroyed Model of Minas Tirith is earned from Volume IV Book 6, Chapter 8: On a Field of Red.
• Sleeping Cat: 495 lotro points
• Bird Bath: 395 lotro points

Did you know that... you can barter for Lorien Rally Horns in Caras Galadhon?