Lord of the Rings Online: Monster Player vs. Player Overivew

Stradden

MMORPG.com Lord of the Rings Online Correspondent Malcom Calivar has written this overview to the monster player vs. player system, the alternative to standard PvP, in Turbine's Lord of the Rings Online.

Lord of the Rings: Online offers several innovative features, many of which are designed to attract both casual and dedicated players. Today, I hope to be able to introduce new players to the aspect of Monster Player vs. Player (MPvP): one of LOTRO's most amazing designs. This unique feature is unlike faction play seen in other MMORPGs where players from each faction go up against each other on a normally equal footing; that is, every faction has access to gear that can make them almost identical to a player of the opposite faction. In MPvP combat, the mould is broken by giving each faction immediate advantages and downsides. For one, monster characters are given no equipment slots, meaning they can not have any sort of gear, and must be improved through the use of equipped class/race traits, passive skills, and active skills.

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The monster play feature becomes available when you reach level 10 with any character on the server you're playing on. If you have higher level characters on one server, but wish to engage in MPvP in a server you've never played in before, you will need to reach level 10 before you are able to do so. You will receive an in-game notification the first time you hit level 10 on any given server informing you that you have now unlocked monster play.

Read the article here.

Lizante

This article clearly explains the unique "Player versus Monster Player," or "Creep versus Freep" game play that is unique to Lord of the Rings Online.

Very well done.

Orodruin

I have played the game for more than a year but actually never tried out the monster gameplay. I might give it a go after reading this article.



Thanks for the good information.

Clattuc

The only thing it doesn't discuss is the Freep side.  They need a reason to be there too, or the Creeps don't have much fun.  I would consider adding some discussion of their rewards, gameplay etc.  PvMP is an important game system iin LOTRO and one that many veteran players find themselves enjoying the most after a while.

Lizante

Originally posted by Clattuc


The only thing it doesn't discuss is the Freep side.  They need a reason to be there too, or the Creeps don't have much fun.  I would consider adding some discussion of their rewards, gameplay etc.  PvMP is an important game system iin LOTRO and one that many veteran players find themselves enjoying the most after a while.

 

Good point.

The author if this article may not have played the game long enough to actually have level 50's.  Or, if he does, maybe this article is part one of a two part series (if the latter is the case, that should have been mentioned at the end of the article).

If the former is the case, the issue may be the fact that while a player can "roll" a creep when your player character is level 10 to start PvMP from the monster side (as noted in the article), your player character really needs to be level 50 *AND* have decent equipment, solid top-level traits and friends/kin mates along for forays in the Moors; all must be prepared as I've noted here to "rumble" with creeps for you, as freeps, to have any chance of success.  PvMP is group play -- although some folks like doing it solo (certain Burglars come to mind LOL), most players really can't solo Ettenmoors much unless they enjoy getting rolled by zerging enemies a hella lot.

I won't go into details of playing a Freep in this post -- let this article's author or another correspondent do that in the second part of this article

 

Mrbloodworth

Great overview here. Good stuff.

BesCirga

Good Read

I think the PvMP idea was great and a good replacement for the "normal" PvP aspect, but it has three major flaws, which is really a game breaker for me.

1. Too much crowd control skills. The Immunity System isnt working very well, and imo, they should just remove the effects of such skill in PvMP. No mezz. minimal stuns, roots and slows. ( I play a lvl 50 Lore Master and the things I can do in PvMP is ludicrous) 
2. Collision system.
3. Auto-face targeted enemy.

If these things were fixed, Lotro would actually satisfy my PvP need. And Lotro would definately have been my MMO of choice, since the PVE, graphics and crafting is much better than WAR.  

NotArkard

Originally posted by BesCirga


Good Read
I think the PvMP idea was great and a good replacement for the "normal" PvP aspect, but it has three major flaws, which is really a game breaker for me.

Too much crowd control skills. The Immunity System isnt working very well, and imo, they should just remove the effects of such skill in PvMP. No mezz. minimal stuns, roots and slows. ( I play a lvl 50 Lore Master and the things I can do in PvMP is ludicrous) 
Collision system.
Auto-face targeted enemy.

If these things were fixed, Lotro would actually satisfy my PvP need. And Lotro would definately have been my MMO of choice, since the PVE, graphics and crafting is much better than WAR.  

 

To be honest, if LOTRO were to add or fix the aspects in a manner you saw fit, I doubt it'd take preference over WAR if your main interest is PvP. MPvP and monster progression are unique on their own, but as PvP systems they will normally leave hardcore PvP fans wanting more. It's clear that Turbine's direction with LOTRO is that of a PvE-centered game, but at the same time, the developers should be applauded for having an open mind and finding a creative way to insert a PvP system in their [mainly] PvE oriented game.

 

I agree on most points about the crowd control in MPvP, and I absolutely loathe Lore-masters and Burglars as a monster player. However, since PvP doesn't seem to be the main course in the game's menu, changing abilities around that could hinder a class' PvE mechanics just seems like a waste of time.

WSIMike

 Very good article!

Informative and didn't come across as a thinly veiled advertisement for the game as some for other games do.

I've had some crazy times in PvMP as the battles there can rage on for hours. I've been in an all creep raiding party, going after Freep-controlled locations for 3 hour straight... logged out at like 2 AM and when I logged back in the next morning - hours later - some of the same people were still there, having not slept; the battle still raging. There would be lulls as either side regathered, or waited for fresh blood to replace some who may have logged out... but it was usually not more than 20-30 minutes, then the battles would begin again.

Overall, outside of castle sieges in Lineage 2, PvMP in LoTRO has led to some of the largest and longest on-going battles I've personally ever experienced in an online game.

And, as you gain in power and become more effective and lethal as a creep it really can become addictive.

As a quote from a movie I can't remember at the moment says: "Being bad feels pretty good".

Good stuff.

BesCirga

Originally posted by NotArkard

Originally posted by BesCirga
 

 

To be honest, if LOTRO were to add or fix the aspects in a manner you saw fit, I doubt it'd take preference over WAR if your main interest is PvP. MPvP and monster progression are unique on their own, but as PvP systems they will normally leave hardcore PvP fans wanting more. It's clear that Turbine's direction with LOTRO is that of a PvE-centered game, but at the same time, the developers should be applauded for having an open mind and finding a creative way to insert a PvP system in their [mainly] PvE oriented game.

 

I agree on most points about the crowd control in MPvP, and I absolutely loathe Lore-masters and Burglars as a monster player. However, since PvP doesn't seem to be the main course in the game's menu, changing abilities around that could hinder a class' PvE mechanics just seems like a waste of time.

 

I agree. Though I never meant that Lotro would take, as you said, preference over WAR if your main interest is PvP. I meant only for me. I dont want Lotro to be a PvP centric game, but that doesnt mean things in PvP cant be fixed... For me, its just 3 simple fixes thats needs to be done; 1. Disable certain CC skills once you enter Ettenmors, or any other PvMP area. 2. Auto-face enemy. 3 collision detection. These changes wouldnt affect PvE at all.

angerbeaver

Well I'm a r4 War Leader and I normally will take on an LM as long as one other person is there, but Burgs just scare me regardless of their level. Maybe I just run from what I hear and what I see them do with other freeps around, but whenever there is one around my skills seem to grey out for a looong period of time.

Balance is still an issue imo

foxninja

For me that i dont consider my self a hardcore PvP player LOTRO brings me the oportunity of having PvP in moderate ways. When i want get out frustration i gone to Ettermores spanking some creeps ... ok ok sometime (more than i want) they spank me. The oportunity of choice to go to a PvP area and do things there its the best way for me so LOTRO full fill my needs for PvP as someone already say in this post for hardcore PvP WAR is the choice you should take.

Regarding playng creeps side i already try it its very funny having a spider as char we can burry ourselves in the ground, i dont play much creeps side because i really enjoy my main char in freeps but time to time i gone sneack my spider poison in the battles.

Very good description about PvP or more correctly call MPvP in LOTRO