Warsteeds – advice please

[Kalicos]

Hey all, your friendly neighbourhood hardly-ever-logs-on kinnie here :)

So in my neverending efforts to actually get a single character up to max level, I finally hit 80 recently and have got myself a war steed. The problem is that I hate it. Like wow, I really hate it. I feel totally incapable when I try to use it and cannot seem to get the knack of even basic things (like steering my horse through a gate without headbutting into the side of it). Feel free to laugh. I do, right before I start to cry (kidding). :)

I’ve managed to kill a few guys while riding about on the plains and that, but it seems like a lot of weirdly annoying effort involving riding around in huge circles and hoping that what seems like it isn’t in range actually is. Generally, having to complete quests on my warsteed has made my enjoyment of the game plummet and I end up getting overly frustrated and then not playing. Let’s not even talk about when I accidentally run into a warband and die in spectacular fashion.

I’m miffed because in 80 levels of pretty much completely solo play this is the first barrier I’ve come up against that has elicited this kind of response from me – I’m usually pretty gung ho about conquering whatever gets thrown in my face when it comes to LOTRO.

Anyways, I wondered if my fellow Eagles could help with a few questions:

1. Do I have to ride this ruddy horse for the rest of the game? Or can I grin and bear it through x amount more levels knowing there is light at the end of the tunnel (provided I can steer my way into it) ?

2. Is there much of a difference between light, medium, heavy steeds? I currently have the first bridle which I think is medium, is it worth investigating the other two if they make a significant difference in handling?

3. Do you have any advice for the best way to practise and learn? I’ve done the little training course a few times but riding around a glorified NASCAR track a bunch of times hasn’t so far helped me with manoeuvrability, which seems to be my main problem. :)

Thanks in advance and maybe I’ll see you guys in game soon!
Kali x

[Seremond]

I’ll give some answers, from the perspective of someone who really likes mounted combat. I’m sure some other people will answer from the other perspective. :)

To begin, everyone hates it at first. And yes, combat mainly involves riding in huge circles. In towns, you need to either walk or canter slowly to avoid bumping into stuff. Many people, even me, will change to a standard mount if there is a lot of in-town maneuvering to do. Though I like mounted combat, I absolutely am a klutz in towns.

If you are bumping into things because your graphics and the game aren’t synching up with where you really are (you suddenly rubberband and you are face-planted in a wall), that’s a graphics issue to some degree. I finally sorted that problem out, and yet in some areas where the game lags, it still happens.

Now to your question:

1. Good news: once you leave Rohan, there aren’t a lot of things designed to be fought as mounted combat. Of those that are, many people just do it on foot anyway.

2. There’s a difference in steeds. It’s not obvious at first, but you already have access to all three by using the drop down menu at the top of your mount’s trait page. Light steeds are more maneuverable on turns, and heavy steeds are not, but they are a little sturdier. If you run medium or heavy, use legacies and traits to increase agility so you get more tight turns. There are other skill differences, so sure try them all out, but here’s the thing about bridles: The major legacies are specific to that type of mount’s skills. The minor skills are more generic and apply to any type of mount. You won’t want to have two bridles, so figure out early on what you like and stick with it. But in terms of trying out the types, just use your one bridle, that’s probably enough for you to figure out which weight you like. Also, keep switching to higher bridles … the first bridle they issue you is pretty awful. The fury contribution will increase a lot with higher levels. You will hear people say fury doesn’t work, but what they are talking about is the lack of satisfying scaling at the cap level, it’s still useful in Rohan and Gondor.

3. The real thing to learn with mounts is how to use the three stances … as a minnie, for instance, I cycle back and forth between red and blue continuously. My cappy likes yellow and red. So, play with those a lot, changing on the fly. Rohan’s landscapes are huge because you need large fields for mounted combat, so take advantage now. Don’t try to use it in forests. The training track is okay, but you will probably feel better out in the open. Use your fury contribution to its best advantage.

I actually use my mounted skills even when the game doesn’t dictate it (my burg gets mounted stealth everywhere, and my minnie has really good heals on a warsteed).

I think the main thing that turns people off about mounted combat is that it takes patience. There are no huge dps bursts where you just flatten stuff. After soloing for 75 levels, that’s hard to adjust to. But if you change that mindset and come at it from a different perspective, it’s fun to figure out.

[Seremond]

P.S. I had to look up your class ’cause I didn’t remember … melee classes do have more trouble with mounted combat. Use your skill to make your target ride alongside you. My guardian and burg have been problematic, too. Definitely takes longer with them.

[Kalicos]

Hey thanks a bunch Sere, loads of useful info there. I am SO relieved to hear that you are also a klutz in towns, lol. That makes me feel a lot better. It’s not a graphics issue, it’s a me issue so thats fine. I will practice my aim – I was actually trying to escape a warband once and ended up dying because I couldn’t get through the town gate. /facepalm

Sounds like I need to log in and spend some quality time with my horse without trying to actually do any quests or anything at the same time. I will try what you’ve suggested and hopefully come out of Rohan alive!

If anyone else has any info or tips for a Champion then that’d be great to read them. Thanks again Sere :D

[Author]

Posts