Planning ahead for Group Adventures

Just a quick heads up for people - I'd like to stress one thing here - a Rift run starting at 8pm on a Sunday evening will not be completed in a couple of hours. What I'd like to see if we do this is a smooth, careful and pleasant run with friends having fun, and to see how far we get with the potential of killing the big bad at another date. If there are those who don't know how the fights go, we will need to explain. We're likely to need to refresh memories. I'm not saying this to frighten anyone off. I just want to clarify that point so that no-one comes in with any overly high expectations.

What I WOULD suggest is that, if people want to minimise time spent on explaining tactics, if you have little or no idea about the rift or need a quick refresh, go glance at the guide Maz has written. We do things slightly differently, but the overall fights are the same and it's a pretty good and comprehensive guide. We'll also almost certainly be using voice for co-ordinating stuns, and to keep people aware of various things wounds, and "run, run, run!" at certain points. But you're not expected to use voice yourself, we've just found it helps a little more during the fights.

And on the plus side, you have at least two people on the run who already have full armour and weapons. So less competition for those pretty things! And if we're careful and we work well together, the repair bills should also be pretty! (As in pretty small!)

Having spoken to Rem last night about this, he's prepared to sit out any rift run he may be invited to tonight. Likewise I am, and Rosie is also prepared to, even though she could do with going this week.

I would not say it's a perfect complete resource by any means, but the boss list at the bottom of this page is good for reminders of things that matter, and has a nice summary of each fight also:

http://lotro-wiki.com/index.php/The_Rift_of_N%C3%BBrz_Gh%C3%A2shu

I would prefer to go as Minstrel Vinyalindo, but am not too worried. I will take the opposite to whichever you do!

I've done up to the two ugly twins and can remember most of it. The one tough bits I remember was early on with some big beast and lots and lots of adds and something that looked really simple involving hugging the edge of a room to stop lots of beasts noticing - worms I think. That was really nasty due to horrible Annuminas camera angles.

Don't know if anyone else notices but there are points where the camera goes behind walls and all you can see is stone. I've only off-tanked in the Rift willing to learn the main tanking but will need clear orders on where to move things and keep them still.

I am really interested in going but do not know any of my friends plans yet, they're worse at organising than most Raids

I'll post well in advance if I'm going to be delayed. Sunday evening should be free

Edit:
Be sure to carry at least 10 of each:
- Pure Essence of Athelas or Pure Athelas Extract - running low on this if any Scholars can make more it would be helpful,
- Pure Celebrant Salve or Pure Celebrant Oinment - Plenty of this
- Pure Flask of Connuith (Fear up to level 55) - Yep
- Pure Flask of Lhinestad (Disease up to level 55) - No will get some - never used it before.
- Pure Healing Draught (Wound up to level 55) - Yep
- Pure Milkthistle Draught (Poison up to level 55) - Yep

Be sure to carry at least 3 of each:
- Brilliant Edhelharn Token (+5 Hope for 15 minutes) - yep
- Glorious Edhelharn Token (+5 Hope for 30 minutes) - will get some.
- (Improved) Battle Lore - Not got any
- (Improved) Warding Lore - Not got any

Remember also to take with you any food you might want to use. - Yep - will try and make some more before.

Renn wrote:One more thing, there was no mention of weapons with damage types, I assume people know what to bring or have read the guides.

Haven't mentioned weapons and damage types indeed, since our tactics do not involve the need for anything specific. Basically: bring your favourite toys!

Overall the most efficient damage type in the Rift is Beleriand, followed by Light. Generally, Light is more than good enough. The only damage type except those two that can be significantly useful is Ancient Dwarf-make - for Zogtarks drakes.

As is correctly mentioned in Maz' guide, Barz and Zurm are highly resistant to Fire and Light. However, this is a concern only for the main-tank! The difficulty at Barz and Zurm lies not in the DPS on the boss himself, but in dealing with the add waves.

Consumables
- Potions against fear, poison, wound and disease can be purchased from regular vendors. Those in your housing instances will give you discount (10% standard house, 15% kin-house, 20% deluxe house - not stacking). Just be careful to purchase the one with the highest effect (i.e., up to level 55).
- Improved Battle Lore differs from regular Battle Lore only in the duration, not the effect. That's why I put it in parentheses, for most cases, Battle Lore is enough, Improved is just more convenient and gives you more cushion. Lore is produced by Scholars, not a vendor item.

I am so pleased that a short notice idea has turned into what should be a very enjoyable visit.

Thankyou all

Let none of us forget the most important thing we have all learned in this thread. NEVER accept mid raid snacks from Lachlan... what he would like to do to the Balrog will leave me every suspicious of hard to indentify pieces of meat he is carrying!

Well, we are going to get busy soon, and I also hate canceling quests. Should we have a quest night or two to finish some plots around Eriador (mainly in Agmar). Vin has only few left, but Miktho and specially Turms have too much to do.

Other thing I would like to mention..... Fornost. We have new recruits and I asume Edge and Flame are quite redy to enter the place. Miktho has every quest to that place in his log, so I wonder.....

Firstly, thankyou everyone who came along on the Nuin Giliath Rift run last night. Although we finished the night on a bit of a down-turn, I would like to say that, up until that point, we worked very well together, and had come through a few bad pulls and tight moments with flying colours.
From experience I know that the Thrang fight can be a major stumbling block, and the difference between success and deferred success can be very subtle.
I am well aware that, for example, I was having difficulty judging the exact distance to stand from the fumaroles, and a step here or a step there can make the difference between a wasted fumarole if one is too far away, and a stunned and dying Guardian if one is too close.
Partly, and I'm sure this is the case for a number of us, that we were starting to tire, and Thrang requires clear heads, bright eyes and bushy tails.....or something..

I have absolutely no doubt that Tuesday will see the fall of both Thrang and the Rog, and am looking forward greatly to celebrating with my beloved kin over the hacked and bleeding corpse of Thaurlach.

And so, I shall see you on Tuesday, I believe 8 o'clock was mentioned, and Nuin Giliath shall triumph over the minion of Melkor.

So we got a kicking from the big bad Thrang.... we have the option of going in and kicking his big bad backside right back, and felling the Rog with sweet delight.

Rem, Colt and I are all ready and prepared to do this thing. And I know a number of you are too. So, please sign up and let us know. If we're not going to get enough we could go beat a dragon up. But we don't want to beat a dragon up. We want to get the big bad rog with friends and share that satisfaction of the big bad thump as it hits the ground at our feet.

We want to go in there and show that Rog that the people of Nuin Giliath are not to be trifled with. We want to go in there and be able to come out with big happy smiles on our faces.

This Tuesday (tomorrow/today?!) 8pm. If you want it, come get it!

I wanted to upload before and after images of Tiersatiffany's stats, but am having problems with my server.

I know I need to keep a good distance from Fumeroles and do a better job of keeping line of site without getting into melee damage range. I have also read and taken good notice of all the good tactics advice in the other thread.

For a bit more durability Tiersatiffany has made some efforts since Sunday night:

Completed Circle of Despair
32 quests in Bree land for the trait
Lot's of gold donated from Aloisa for nice clothing
Nice gifts from Celothranor and Vinyalindo
Attempt to kill 300 Angmarim in East Angmar (this is the first time it has ever upset me that they closed the servers for maintenance. I know I would have done it otherwise. (194/300). Still time to complete before 19:00 after opening).

Unbuffed morale from 2566 to 2732. ICPR improved greatly.

I want to go and hunt a Balrog!

Older instances not getting played?! Hey, some of us are looking forward to going in and beating things up. Any champs up for duo-ing the Balrog with me when we're high enough?!

Helegrod is still a mystery to me but not sure if that's a fun Raid or just torture to endure for completeness sake.

I've always found it's what you make of it. If you go into something with an "I'm not going to enjoy this" frame of mind, then likely you won't. If you get scuppered with lag in a big raid, chances are it'll be harder and you may well not. ((I'm perverse, I enjoyed the challenge of the big bad, even with stop start animation and being unable to see further than my nose on a postage stamp size area.))

Helegrod for me isn't as subtle as the Rift, it doesn't require as much teamwork and bonding, except for the very end fight. But you get a good team, and the banter and the friendliness can over-ride that. And some of the big bads ARE big! I'd also not advice it if you're very arachnophobic!

And you know what? I think people will go back. Not every week, not every month, but once in a while for old times' sake, it'll happen. You watch....

I need to return to Helegrod for few more times. The rate I am getting some items is ridiculous and after carrying them around this long I am not just going to throw them away. Wich leads me to Fornost. Anyone want to go there tomorrow with Miktho. He is speaking something of "finding evidence for several old hobbit murder cases" or something...

Should be available for a Fornost Trip Viny.

I may need to recollect some of the quests, unless Miktho can share. Is Fornost one of the wierd places where you get a quest on the other side of Eriador?

While we're spamming the planning. Anyone up for helping a slow old Dwarf read his 10th Book Thursday or Friday? Chapter 1 or 2 I'm on I think.

Carn Dum (Azgoth) or Annuminas tour this evening, do we have people interested? Bregowines hunt for innocence still continues in those places and soon most of the challenge will be lost for good.

So does anyone else have wish to adventure at Carn Dum. We could get shot at Barashal (Guardian class item), Helcham (many classes) and Azgoth. Or if Barashal and Helchie arent needed we could storm Mordiriths casttle.

At Annuminas, Bregowine needs to finish all 3 and relatively quick instances.

I ll be around after 21:00 GMT.

Sign in!

Miktho is still looking for confidence from slaying Angmarim in the Castle. Sadly I am busy all weekend. Can we have another go on Monday ot Tuesday? Or Annuminas... He needs all the instances....