Rune-keeper Rumination has been out of commission for a while. Previously I wrote about my experiences playing as a Dwarf Rune-keeper named Risalin. Now I play as Eluveril, an Elf Rune-keeper. In addition to the race and gender change, I’m also on a new server. You can find me on Brandywine now.
Taking on a troll during a Skirmish.
Eluveril recently passed Risalin in level and is currently in the high 40s. This has meant some new skills compared to Risalin, which has been great. I really love the class. It was fun when it was first introduced, but direct and indirect (specifically the combat change recently, which has sped things up for her) patches have made a greater difference.
It also means I’ve been working on my Level 45 class quests, none of which I have actually managed to finish yet. As with every class, you’re stuck collecting some relatively hard to find materials for new weapons and armour. I was a little disappointed that, at least at this point, the weapon you receive is frost-based and not lightning-based.
I’m a big fan of the lightning based rune-stones in the game. While frost and firebased attacks include more debuffs, lightning skills are instantaneous, which is a plus. Any enhancements a lightning-based rune-stone could offer are helpful in this case. In addition to this, a few Rune-keeper skills change based upon your currently equipped rune-stone.
This actually winds up making the Rune-keeper a somewhat effective crowd-controller on a small basis. No one is going to claim you’ll be able to match a Lore–master in this regard, but in smaller battles (and particularly on a solo-scale), it can be a lifesaver.
I wasn’t expecting to write Volume 4 of this column so soon, but the XP curve change bumped me up a couple of levels. Several quests later I found myself at Level 30. I figured this was a good time for an update.
As you may or may not know, Rune-keepers have seen a bit of a bump in their damage output. Some of this was specific to the class, but some of this is related to a change in melee/ranged DPS that left tactical damage alone. While I’m sure there are those with other classes that aren’t too pleased, as a Rune-keeper I’ve been pretty happy with the change. Are we overpowered now? I’m not quite sure, but as I was getting closer to 30 it was obvious that we were definitely underpowered. It was difficult to even take out a couple of enemies below my level simultaneously, which seemed kind of odd for a class with so many attack skills and even a couple of area of effect abilities.
Much to my chagrin, I’ve not had a lot of time to play LotRO in recent months. At least not as much time as I used to have. When I do log in, it’s been to spend time with my Rune-keeper, Risalin.
I finally reached Level 20 the other day. This took longer than it needed to, largely because I found myself compelled to spend time running about the Shire completing deeds. I found all of the farms and electrocuted more beasts than I could probably count.
Last I wrote, I was only Level 12. 8 levels later, Risalin has found himself more powerful and capable of more skills.
It’s certainly arguable that the Rune-keeper is underpowered in terms of attack power. Turbine has admitted this and the class is getting what sound to be decent buffs for the upcoming Book 7 update. That said, it’s not been much of an issue for me thus far, but it can be difficult to do things alone. Many of the Rune-keepers attacks stack and this is their real strength, in my opinion. You can lay many attacks on an enemy that build up and finally take it out. The class also has a dedicated stun and other abilities stun or slow down enemies. I find myself changing targets as needed to manage this and keep as much damage off of me as possible.
Part of the difficulty is the dual nature of the class. It’s similar in nature to Greenskin Shamans in Warhammer Online in a basic sense, but instead of attacks raising your healing, your attacks raise your attack power. As it gets higher, you’re unable to use some of your better healing skills. This is probably well known to many by now, but it bears repeating. It makes it difficult to reverse your attunement so that you can heal after attacking for a while. There are skills that neutralize your attunement, which can be lifesavers … but often I find myself using these beforehand simply because they provide useful benefits (one restores some Power, for example).
It’s been a while since my last post about Risalin, my Dwarf Rune-keeper. Personal reasons have kept me away from the game as of late, but last night I managed to log in a few hours and get a bit farther. Time off of work and the horrible weather out here will probably lead to quite a few hours in-game for me.
I got quite a bit of help from Riac this time around, an Elf Minstrel. Together we formed a surprisingly good team. As a Rune-keeper I could focus on damage when Riac was free to heal. I also could swing over and provide some healing support as well when necessary. Although there are some limitations to what you can do and when (for example, casting several healing spells prevents you from using your most devastating attacks), it worked out very well. I was concerned the class would prove to be useless around the other more established classes (particularly one such as the Minstrel, which is so focused on healing), but at least at this stage, that doesn’t seem to be the case.
Rune-keepers are one of two new classes added with Mines of Moria. I thought it would be nice to play a bit as one and give you an idea of what to expect if you’ve not tried one out yet.
Starting out as a Rune-keeper is just like starting out as any other class. You begin in an introduction area, which you can skip as you like. As I’ve played this as a Dwarf a couple of times now, I skipped it and was handed the items you’d typically get for completing the introduction. I quickly equipped my new tarnished rune-stone. Rune-keepers use rune-stones as their main weapon type and each one is affiliated with a certain attack type. The tarnished rune-stone that I have right now does lightning damage.
As a Dwarf, my early life pretty much focuses on Thorin’s Hall. Nothing seems to be out of the ordinary here, aside from the addition of Warden, Rune-keeper and Crafting Hall trainers. The local Town Crier told me about Moria and Eregion, but at this point those are just distant dreams.
