How to go from creepy and crawly to deadly and horrifying.
So you want to be a spider. Spitting poison, weaving webs, and making
life difficult in general for your adversaries sounds like a pretty
good way to do things, doesn't it? I agree, which is why I chose the
spider as my first monster to play in
Lord
of the
Rings Online
and I'm glad you have too. Despite what some of the more obnoxious
players may (and most likely will) say when you're out there in
Middle-Earth, the spider plays a critical role in the destruction of
all that is good in the world. We've got a lot to cover as
we
talk
about what to
expect when you take your first
steps out into the Ettenmoors, so
let's get started.
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Yes!
You finally get to kill hobbits!
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Getting to Know Your
Eight-Legged Friend
In the time I've spent hunting down the do-gooders in Ettenmoors, I've
come to discover that I'm normally the only spider in the area (at
least on my server). It didn't take long to figure out why. In general
(so that means "not everyone"), players that gravitate toward PvP tend
to have a need for instant gratification, or at the very least, a need
for being able to have a 50/50 shot at killing an opponent when they
start that character. For that reason, the spider does not seem to be a
popular choice because you will die. Not only will you die swiftly in
the beginning, but you will also die *often*. I can't stress how much,
so be prepared.
Despite this (or perhaps because of it), I think the spider is actually
a very fun monster to play. I've mentioned before that I'm fascinated
with the ability to experience a creature out of the norm in the gaming
world and in this case, the spider doesn't disappoint. From the moment
you begin crawling around, you realize you have just inherited an
entirely different set of objectives and needs for fulfilling your
character. Unfortunately, it also doesn't take long to realize that
you're insanely weak.
When you first enter the game as a monster, you'll find yourself near
the northern most point of the Ettenmoor map in a small outpost. From
there, you'll find a number of quest givers designated by the eye of
Sauron burning above their heads. Personally, I thought that was a nice
touch and couldn't help but give a small chuckle when I saw it. Collect
all the quests you can find and get ready to rumble.
Digging In
Unfortunately, the only rumbling I'd advise doing in the beginning
revolves around the limited PvE portion of the Ettenmoors setting. You
should head out of the gate and go east until you reach a set of trolls
that have been stuck in the sun. Search them and you'll grab a number
of troll stone slabs. These reappear at a fairly brisk pace, so come
back often. These stones can be turned in later on at one of the other
outposts, so be sure to grab the stone from these every chance you get,
even if you do not currently have the quest in question.
Once you've found the trolls, head south until you come across a set of
pools with Bloodsucking Leeches surrounding them. You've just
discovered your first target! This will also probably be the first
ass-whooping you receive so be prepared. The spider's strength lies in
its ability to do large amounts of damage not only from a distance, but
over time as well. Sadly, you don't have a lot of options this early in
your character's career, so just do the best you can and continue
attacking. As soon as an ability's cooldown timer has reset, use it
again. Rinse, repeat, rinse, and repeat some more. Eventually, you
should defeat your first few opponents.
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