Servants of the Secret Fire

Guide to the Lore-master Tactics

By Darkgolem



Lore-masters are an unassuming class, not pictured as being
particularly powerful in combat, and to an outsider, the role of a
lore-master may be unclear.  However, lore-masters are a very
powerful class because of their debuff and stunning abilities.  In
solo combat, they are able to shut down multiple opponents, and destroy
individual opponents piecemeal.  In a fellowship, lore-masters are
one of the most valuable allies you can have, because they can make
most combats become an entire fellowship against a single opponent,
while the remaining opponents in a combat are shut down by the
lore-master.

Lore-master Basics

Lore-masters have an eclectic mix of abilities.  Most of these
abilities are debuffs or mezz affects.  However, each ability has
a specific circumstance where the ability applies most
effectively.  In addition, lore-masters have pets which have
various uses in combat.  These pets include lynxs, bears and
ravens.



Bears can draw aggression, ravens can increase opponents vulnerability
to fire damage, and prevent ranged attacks from a single
opponent.  Lynxs have a powerful attack (from stealth only) and
have some area of effect attacks too.



href="http://lotro.tentonhammer.com/modules.php?full=1&set_albumName=album17&id=Soloing&op=modload&name=gallery&file=index&include=view_photo.php"> alt="Lore-master about to fight"
src="http://lotro.tentonhammer.com/files/gallery/albums/album17/Soloing.jpg"
style="border: 2px solid ; width: 250px; height: 173px;" align="left">The
most important think to remember about making and playing a lore-master
is to understand the best time to use their abilities.  A great
example of this is the air mastery attack the lore-master has. 
This is an area of effect attack, but you don’t want to use it except
in the beginning of a combat, or against a single opponent.  This
is because most of the lore masters mezz abilities will break if your
opponent takes damage.  It takes a lot of fast choices to fight
with a lore-master effectively.

Soloing with a Lore-master

Lore-masters are not an optimal class for href="http://lotro.tentonhammer.com/index.php?module=ContentExpress&func=display&ceid=548">soloing. 
They can do so effectively, but they do not do damage as quickly as
other classes, and they tend to have to exchange hit points for time to
defeat an opponent.



The main way to fight with a lore-combat against a single opponent is
to attack the opponent quickly, debuffing the opponent, and then either
mezz the opponent while waiting for attack buttons to recharge or
healing, or (if your using a bear) to have the bear draw fire and
finish the opponent with your help.



For example, one of the lore-masters abilities is "Beacon of Hope", a
heal ability which draws morale from yourself and gives it to
another.  You could initiate combat by having your pet attack,
then debuff your opponent by using "Sign of Power: Command", and "Fire
Lore" while your pet does damage.  Then when your pet is lower in
hit points, you heal your pet using "Beacon of Hope".  Once your
pet is a little lower in hit points, you open up with your attack
abilities, finishing your opponent off.  After the combat, your
pet is a little low on hit points, like yourself.



Another example is (using a bear) to attack, while you open up with all
your attacks, then mezzing your opponent, backing off, and ordering
your pet to attack.  Your bear uses his ability to draw aggression
(forcing attacks to be on your bear for 10 seconds), while you finish
off your foe.



When fighting multiple opponents, you need to use your "Blinding Flash"
ability.  "Blinding Flash" will daze a single opponent for 30
seconds, which is long enough to perma-daze an opponent.  Even
named enemies can be dazed easily.  You should always avoid
fighting multiple opponents, but you can handle two, or if they are
easy opponents, 3.  You will note that as you get better at
fighting, you will find that you can “juggle” multiple opponents with
skill and care, especially once you have gotten “Light of the Rising
Dawn” a heavily damaging attack that stuns opponents for a short time.



Against undead you should remember that some of your abilities will not
work as well, though others will be available as you approach level
20.  "Bane Flare" hase a slow recharge, but effective way to daze
undead enemies.

Fighting in Fellowships

href="http://lotro.tentonhammer.com/modules.php?full=1&set_albumName=album17&id=Othrongroth&op=modload&name=gallery&file=index&include=view_photo.php"> alt="Fellowship success"
src="http://lotro.tentonhammer.com/files/gallery/albums/album17/Othrongroth.jpg"
style="border: 2px solid ; width: 250px; height: 173px;" align="right">Fellowships
are a different story for a lore master.  First and foremost, your
role changes distinctly from damage dealer to href="http://lotro.tentonhammer.com/index.php?module=ContentExpress&func=display&ceid=163">
crowd control.  Your interest is to provide (very) backup
healing, to distract and control enemies who are not being fought by
your allies. You can do this against ranged opponents with your raven,
against all href="http://lotro.tentonhammer.com/index.php?module=ContentExpress&func=display&ceid=142">opponents
for a short time using your bears ability to draw agg, and your various
stunning attacks to shut down opponents.



Here is a list of ways you should affect combats with a fellowship:

• With the Raven, use it’s special attack to distract a single
  ranged opponent.
• With the Bear, use it’s special ability to draw aggression off
  one “side” opponent.
• With your “Blinding Flash”, shut down one opponent who is not
  being fought by your guardian.  I suggest telling your fellowship
  who this is before combat.
• With your “Bane Flare” turn off a group of undead for a short
  time while your party deals with one of them at a time (remember it is
  a point blank attack)
• With your “Light of the Rising Dawn” disrupt the opponent who
  your guardian is fighting, or use it to finish off an opponent who is
  almost dead.
• With your “Sign of Power: Command” debuff your guardian’s
  opponent.
• With your “Beacon of Hope” ability, provide emergency healing
  from any fellowship member who is not taking damage fast (your party
  minstrel will be dealing with the opponents taking heavy damage).

The Last Chapter of Lore

When your playing as a lore-master, you should focus first and foremost
upon understanding your varied and interesting range of abilities and
how best to use them.  Try out different styles of combats and
pets both in and out of fellowships to find the most effective style
for yourself to use.  Look for fellowships whenever possible,
because of your excellent ability to control crowds, you can multiply
the likelihood of success of a fellowship more than almost any other
class.



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