Tobold on LotRO’s Monster Play PvP

For most people, playing online – be it via Xbox Live or an MMO – usually means competitive play. And what best embraces competitive play than PvP? Well though that might be the case, Turbine’s Lord of the Rings Online: Shadows of Angmar (LotRO) is setting itself up for something different.

Player vs Player gameplay usually brings out issues of class balance as in the World of Warcraft. LotRO however gives players a different experience all together through Player vs Player controlled Monster Play. Basically, players have the option of going to the other side and play one of four playable monsters: spider, warg, orc, and Uruk-hai. Tobold shares his experience playing as a spider on his blog.

First he travels to Bree, clicked on the Fel Scrying Pool, and was given a choice between starting monster play or exchanging destiny points for a temporary buff. Temporary buffs include more xp, morale and power, and faster regeneration. Monster play gives players a chance to control level 50 monster of choice. They can’t level up but players can increase their monster’s stats and abilities through destiny points.

Destiny points are monster play rewards for quests like killing mobs or NPC guards. Players can also raid castles that are defended by NPC guards – Tobold notes that this is the best way to get destiny points or rather gives the most points. LotRO‘s PvP zone, the Ettenmoors would most likely be the best place to monster play especially when the game goes live with players playing normal characters and monsters going against each other.

Lord of the Rings Online: Shadows of Angmar would be giving a new player experience, though whether Monster Play will get a positive welcome remains to be seen. Well, for those players who like PvP, there are other MMOs that cater to that need like the upcoming Fury from Auran.

For most people, playing online – be it via Xbox Live or an MMO – usually means competitive play. And what best embraces competitive play than PvP? Well though that might be the case, Turbine’s Lord of the Rings Online: Shadows of Angmar (LotRO) is setting itself up for something different.

Player vs Player gameplay usually brings out issues of class balance as in the World of Warcraft. LotRO however gives players a different experience all together through Player vs Player controlled Monster Play. Basically, players have the option of going to the other side and play one of four playable monsters: spider, warg, orc, and Uruk-hai. Tobold shares his experience playing as a spider on his blog.

First he travels to Bree, clicked on the Fel Scrying Pool, and was given a choice between starting monster play or exchanging destiny points for a temporary buff. Temporary buffs include more xp, morale and power, and faster regeneration. Monster play gives players a chance to control level 50 monster of choice. They can’t level up but players can increase their monster’s stats and abilities through destiny points.

Destiny points are monster play rewards for quests like killing mobs or NPC guards. Players can also raid castles that are defended by NPC guards – Tobold notes that this is the best way to get destiny points or rather gives the most points. LotRO‘s PvP zone, the Ettenmoors would most likely be the best place to monster play especially when the game goes live with players playing normal characters and monsters going against each other.

Lord of the Rings Online: Shadows of Angmar would be giving a new player experience, though whether Monster Play will get a positive welcome remains to be seen. Well, for those players who like PvP, there are other MMOs that cater to that need like the upcoming Fury from Auran.