Thread: Quest Packs Guide

Last updated October 1st, 2012.

Hi! When I was just starting out being a premium player, I would wonder just what quest pack would be best for me. I looked around on YouTube and the forums here, and found some very helpful things. However, they weren't as detailed as what I was looking for, and there still isn't anything that detailed. Now that I have all the quest packs except the Misty Mountains, I feel I have enough knowledge to give my opinions and thoughts.

Before I start, I have to thank two people. First there is Hassan_the_Assassin, and his "What zones to buy with your tp's" guide. I’m going to be using his stats on how many tp's you can earn in each zone if you take that into consideration when you buy packs. His guide can be found here:

http://forums.lotro.com/showthread.p...-with-your-TPs

Also, it was suggested to specify what "TP's" are. That’s a great idea, and much appreciated. TP's are Turbine Points. These are your currency in the lotro store. You can buy quest packs, instances, cosmetics, and pretty much anything else you want(at a cost of course.) Sometimes, Turbine runs specials in which some items are discounted, or the Turbine Points themselves are discounted. You also earn these in-game for deeds and mob kills, so if you only need a small amount and happen to be short in cash, just play the game.

NOTE: There is also a "Turbine Web Store". You can buy certain things, like the Rise of Isengard Expansion there. It does not use turbine points, it uses cash. In my experience, something is going to cost more if you buy all the turbine points for it. I know RoI is cheaper to get using cash as opposed to buying $30 of TP's.

Secondly, there's WilliamHillard from YouTube. You may also know him from his "Lotro Premium Experiment" videos, which were hosted on A Casual Stroll to Mordor for a while. His quest pack overviews were really helpful to me, and I enjoyed them as well. His channel can be found here:

http://www.youtube.com/user/WilliamHillard

Note: It seems William has removed the videos on his channel, so you can't view them anymore. It's a shame, because they were really helpful. But, I'll leave his link here just to make sure he does get credit.

Also, for general LOTRO videos on YouTube, the best, most consistent source I could find is Darrinus. He has a great lp that's up to 105 or so parts so far.

http://www.youtube.com/user/Darrinus

I've also decided to add a sort of scoring system, on a 1-10 scale. I'll do a short rating of each of the zones in the following categories:

Bang-for-Buck(Takes into account how long you spend in the zone, amount of tp's you can earn, fun factor, ect.)
Quality of quests(Self-explanatory. How enjoyable are they?)
Visuals/Musical Score(Is this a zone you WANT to just stop and stare at? Does the music immerse you into the world?)
PopulationHow many people will you see running around? Is it easy to find help if you need it?)
Overall experienceTaking all of the above into consideration, and then factoring in personal enjoyment, what would the final rating of the zone be?)

Ok, now to actually start.

Ered Luin

Cost: 0
TP: 235
Levels: 1-15(later on, there are quests for your late 40's from Thorins Hall.)
Quests: About 80
Local Faction: Dwarves of Thorin's Hall

Ered Luin is the starting area for the Elves and the Dwarves. The Eastern section of the map is the elves domain, and has many trees, fields, and other beautiful fauna. Its Elves, what else would you expect? The Western section is the Dwarves area. It's rather cold and tends to snow. The main feature is Thorin's Hall, a city the dwarves dug out of a mountain. It has everything you could need, even an Auction House! I don't know why, but I tend to lag around Thorins Hall, so if you have a low-end computer watch out for fps drops!

The zone as a whole is not my most-liked area, but you can earn tp's here quickly. Taken as a whole, if you like dwarves or elves, you'll really like this starter area. On the rep side of things, if you get kindred with Thorins Hall, you can get a goat for use in Moria before you ever enter it. Trust me, you'll want to get that.

As for reputation, you’re going to want to go to Sarnur. It's rather close to Thorins gate, heading south. I typically get 35 or so first age relics per hour. That's non-stop grinding while being over-leveled though. You shouldn't have trouble if your on-level, just note the drop rate won't be as high.

Bang-for-Buck: 10(It's free.)
Quality of quests: 6.
Population: 8.
Visuals/Musical Scores: 7
Overall Experience:7
Total Score(Out of 50 possible): 38


The Shire

Cost: 0
TP: 200
Levels: 1-15
Quests: About 100
Local Faction: The Mathom Society

Ahh, The Shire. Land of the Hobbits. Untouched by evil(for now!!! *cue evil laugh*), and always sunny. When you come here, you just get all happy! You can even try to track down an elusive Shire rainbow. You can visit Bag-End, the Inns of the Shire, and many other places from the books. Good place for a lore-junky. The quests here tend to be a lot of fetch this, deliver this type quests. Of course, sometimes this is great when you get tired of fighting the enemy all the time.

My advice with The Shire is to take your time and enjoy yourself. It is one of the most relaxing zones in the game. If you like to RP, this is a great zone for that as well. Pretend you’re a normal hobbit! Gather taters, cook yourself some food, have multiple meals a day, and fish! Even if you are another race, but don't like your zone, come here. Rep items are easy to find on the AH for the Mathom House, and Well-Kept Mathoms drop off many monsters in game.

Bang-for-Buck: 10(Free)
Quality of quests: 8
Population: 8
Visuals/Musical Scores: 10
Overall Experience: 9
Total Score(Out of 50 possible): 45



Bree-Land

Cost: 0
TP: 305
Levels: 1-30
Quests: About 200
Local Faction: Men of Bree

Bree-Land is the starter area for men in the game. It has the most quests of any of the starter zones, and the most tp potential. It actually contains the villages of Archet, Combe, and Staddle as well as the largest city in the game , Bree. There is a good chunk of the Epic Story in Bree-land as well. Bree itself tends to be the hub of lower-level players in game, as it has all the things you would need, including a giant Crafting Hall. When you get up to your mid- 20's, there is the Barrow Downs and the Great Barrow instances for you to do. I would for sure do the GB, as you get a very good set of armor for yourself. Also, the Old Forest is located in this region. Not many quests, but its fun to explore for all the lore junkies out there.

I enjoyed Bree-Land the most out of any of the starter-zones, simply because it has the most to do. You will be staying here for quite a while. Watch out for the chat though, it can get sort of annoying and trollish. Rep with the Men of Bree is easy to get, and rep items are always on the AH. Trust me, I bought my way to kindred here.

Bang-for-Buck: 10(free)
Quality of quests: 9
Population: 9
Visuals/Musical Scores: 8
Overall Experience: 8
Total Score(Out of 50 possible): 44


Lone-Lands

Cost: 0
TP: 230
Levels: 22-32
Quests: Around 100
Local Faction: The Eglain

The Lone-Lands used to be a part of the kingdom of Arnor. It includes the ruins of Amon Sul, now known as Weathertop.(plug, Weatherstock is coming up! It's on top of Weathertop.) The landscape is no longer green as in Bree-Land, it turns a yellowish-brown color. There are short, stubby trees dotting the area, and some dead looking grasses as well. You'll be sent here to help the wizard Ragadast the Brown with problems he's been having, and eventually come to the swamps of Agamaur and Garth Agarwen. Nasty places those.

This zone used to not be free, but then Turbine realized they probably needed to give a little more free content. Even when this zone cost tp's, it was still worth the purchase. When I went through here, it was a very smooth leveling experience that I really enjoyed. It’s free, why not do it? Rep here isn't as easy to get as the starter zones, and the rewards might not be worth the grind.

Note: There are no rep items for the Eglain, it's purely quests. At level 75 on my champ, I still have not got kindred. It's tough.

Bang-for-Buck: 10(free)
Quality of quests: 7
Population: 7
Visuals/Musical Scores: 7
Overall Experience: 8
Total Score(Out of 50 possible): 39



North Downs

Cost: 595
TP: 195
Levels: 22-40
Quests: Around 125
Local Faction: Rangers of Esteldin

The North Downs is a forested area with quite a few pine trees. It is a large, widely varied zone. There are men, dwarves, and elves here. There are quite a few group quests here, and it is a pretty challenging zone. On the plus side, you get the Fornost instance, which is a fun thing to do. In my opinion, this zone is really not necessary now that Lone-Lands is free and Evendim got revamped. I would highly recommend going that route. But if you have done that and want something different, pick this up. It will be tougher than the other route, but there is plenty to do.

Oh yes, if you’re going to Dol Dinen, get a group. Trust me. Dol Dinen is the number one thing I hear my kinmates say that they are having issues with.

Bang-for-Buck: 9
Quality of quests: 7
Population: 5
Visuals/Musical Scores: 7
Overall Experience: 7
Total Score(Out of 50 possible): 35


Evendim

Cost: 595
TP: 285(this includes Annuminas)
Levels: 28-40(higher if you are doing Annuminas)
Quests: About 200(thanks revamp!)
Local Faction: Wardens of Annuminas

Evendim is one of favorite zones in the game put simply. And ever since the revamp, it’s even better. Lake Evendim is the most visually stunning thing I have ever seen in a video game to date. The sky is wonderful to look at, and the ruined mansions even more so. Questing here is very enjoyable, and can be done rather quickly as well. You also get to meet a bunch of rangers, which is a big plus. And for the price, the amount of content can't be beat. You even get Annuminas, a massive ruined city which also includes 3 different instances. Please, if you haven't, go buy this zone now! You won't be sorry you did.

On the topic of the instances, these aren't run so much anymore. Maybe with them being scaled they will, who knows? They are fun though.

Bang-for-Buck: 10
Quality of quests: 10
Population: 9
Visuals/Musical Scores: 10
Overall Experience: 10
Total Score(Out of 50 possible): 49


Trollshaws

Cost: 595
TP: 195
Levels: 32-45
Quests: About 75
Local Faction: Elves of Rivendell

The Trollshaws is a forested zone with ravines, many cliffs, and lots of trolls. Honestly, if you’re looking for a zone for the most bang for your buck, this isn't it. It is cool, and it contains Rivendell, but the quests here are very, very spread out. Also, I've fell to my death more times in this zone than any other. It is really just a hassle to navigate, and quest in. The quests are also not easy by any means either. If you REALLY love elves, then pick this up. If you aren't the biggest fan, then avoid this zone for now.


Bang-for-Buck: 4
Quality of quests: 5
Population: 3
Visuals/Musical Scores: 6
Overall Experience: 5
Total Score(Out of 50 possible): 23

Misty Mountains

Cost: 695
TP: 170
Levels: 39-50(higher if you do Helegrod)
Quests: About 70
Local Faction: Some quests with Rivendell, as well as some with Thorin's Hall.

It’s snowy, and has lots of mountains. Not a lot of mist though. You'll be facing goblins and giants, and worms for good measure here. The thing that makes it worth it to buy this zone to me is Goblin Town, the place of Bilbo's fellowships capture, and Bilbo’s riddle game with Gollum. Plus, it’s just fun to slaughter tons and tons of goblins. The mobs here are thick, so be warned. Of particular interest now that the Hobbit Trilogy is 2 months away from launching.

On reputation, Goblin town is a great place for Rivendell items. Also try the stairs to Helegrod. You'll need Rivendell rep if you want the elf-ambassador horse. Some quests in the zone also give rep with Thorin's Hall.

Also, on the eastern side, there are constant blizzards if you stand still. These wreck my framerate, so try to keep moving to avoid that. After updating my graphics card, it still wrecks it. Sigh.

After playing more, it is actually a fun zone. It's different then almost all the other regions, and a nice change of pace. I wouldn't recommend it over Forochel, but it is a good filler for some of those awkward mid 40's levels.

Bang-for-Buck: 6
Quality of quests: 6
Population: 4
Visuals/Musical Scores: 6
Overall Experience: 6
Total Score(Out of 50 possible): 28


Angmar

Cost: 795
TP: 490
Levels: 40-50
Quests: About 200
Local Faction: Council of the North

Angmar is the only zone I hate in this game. I think it's because it’s so darn bleak and depressing. Really, you will not enjoy your time here. It’s one of the hardest zones in the game, harder than Moria, at least for me. There seems to be a floating layer of spirit things floating in the sky, and it is sort of creepy. If you go into the eastern half of the zone, make sure you've done book 6 of the epic story. No spoilers though. Try it if you want. Also wondering around the eastern half are various elite mobs you do not want to be fighting. Also don't go near the Circle of Despair. Also don't go near Carn Dum. Also don't go in the barrow area. You know what, take my advice and don't go in Angmar! Of course if you like a challenge, you'll love it here. Angmar does contain some very good instances though, including my favorite, the Rift. It has a Balrog in it!

You know what, I changed my mind. Go buy Angmar right now and go run the Rift. Then you can never come back.

Months later, I still have the same opinion. It's simply not worth the difficulties you’re going to face when Forochel is waiting for you.

NOTE: A certain reader enjoys Angmar very much . I probably should not say you won't like Angmar, as you very well could like it. I'm just warning you it's slightly depressing, and pretty darn challenging if you’re not geared right. So, Forochel becomes the best option in my mind. At least for your first time through.

Bang-for-Buck: 9
Quality of quests: 8
Population: 8
Visuals/Musical Scores: 5
Overall Experience: 7
Total Score(Out of 50 possible): 37



Forochel

Cost: 595
TP: 190
Levels: 44-50
Quests: About 100
Local Faction: Lossoth of Forochel

This is the land where Arvedui, the last king of Arnor fled after the Fall of Fornost. Sadly, he died on a ship in the ice bay. You'll see him though, don't worry. Forochel is all tundra, and the most under-used game in the zone. You'll almost never find anyone else questing here when you are. I don't know why, maybe because it is very out of the way. I find this zone very enjoyable though, and it is a good alternative to Angmar(shudder..). This is a solo-friendly area, and you shouldn't have trouble with all that much. Check out the northern light effects btw, there very pretty. The epic story takes you here eventually as well. In terms of rep, the Lossoth don't like you. This means you have a 6th tier of rep to get, making it the longest in the game.

Also, rep items for Forochel are fairly rare on most AH's, so it could be hard for you to get kindred as well.

Bang-for-Buck: 7
Quality of quests: 9
Population: 6
Visuals/Musical Scores: 9
Overall Experience: 8
Total Score(Out of 50 possible): 39


Eregion

Cost: 695
TP: 325
Levels: 48-53(higher if you are doing the School and the Library instances)
Quests: About 100
Local Faction: Some quests with the Elves of Rivendell

This zone is full of rolling hills and elvish ruins. That’s why a lot of the quests feature Rivendell rep. You'll go through here on your way to Moria, and in my opinion, my as well do it so you'll be more prepared to enter. Questing here won't be hard for you, it’s a soloing dream. Pretty much, you got to an elf camp, get quests, move on to the next camp, ect... It could get tedious, but it really doesn't take all that long. If you’re a lore-junky check this place out. It also includes 2 three-man instances, which don't take long to complete, and are rather fun.

Honestly, it's camp with quests, camp with quests, camp with quests, and so on. But hey, some like that kinda thing. Something about its proximity to Moria made it interesting enough to me, so I'd check it out.

Protip: A experienced player told me that you are going to need a lot of wound potions for all the wargs running around. I'd listen.

Bang-for-Buck: 7
Quality of quests: 7
Population: 7
Visuals/Musical Scores: 7
Overall Experience: 7
Total Score(Out of 50 possible): 35


Moria

Cost: 1495(quest pack)
TP: 1125(with instances)
Levels: 50-60
Quests: About 350
Local Factions: Iron Garrison Guards and Iron Garrison Miners

Moria was the first expansion put out, and it is the single largest dungeon in video game history. Moria is actually multiple distinct zones, each with their own flavor. It’s dark, scary, and a challenging place, but it's supposed to be. It’s Moria! The mob density is very high, and you'll fall of cliffs quite a bit until you find your way around. Just a tip, the mini-map isn't very useful here. Many people bemoan the zone, but trust me, if you stick it out and be patient, you'll start to really enjoy Moria. In my opinion, Moria also contains some of the best instances in the game.

You'll need a goat here to ride around, horses don't work. If you find anything to hard, just grab a partner. I promise, you'll really enjoy this place. There is also a expansion available, it comes with 2 character slots and 2 new classes as well as this quest pack.

A note on reputation. With Update 5, Turbine changed the rep items for the factions. I haven't messed around too much with it myself, but as a warning, some of those rep items you've been holding on too may or may not work for both factions.

Bang-for-Buck: 10
Quality of quests: 9
Population: 10
Visuals/Musical Scores:9
Overall Experience: 9
Total Score(Out of 50 possible): 47



Lothlorien

Cost: 695
TP: 330(with instances)
Levels: 57ish to early 60's
Quests: About 100
Local Faction: Galadhrim

Lothlorien the Golden is even more of an elf zone than Rivendell. It’s always sunny and nice here, and you'll hardy ever feel threatened once inside. Some of the mobs have [protected] tags on them, and this means that if you kill them, you lose rep. with the local faction. Don't do that. Before entering Lorien proper, you'll need to get acquaintance standing with the Galadhrim, or you'll get shot to death by the elves here. Lothlorien was intended to be a break for the people who had been in Moria for a long time, and it reflects that. It’s a wonderful place to look at, but the quests here can get a tad repetitive. This is a heavy solo zone in case you are interested in that.

I got to kindred easily, in less than 2 days with the Lorien elves. The quests are enough to get you there, so you shouldn't have to worry too much.

Bang-for-Buck: 7
Quality of quests: 8
Population: 7
Visuals/Musical Scores: 10
Overall Experience: 8
Total Score(Out of 50 possible): 40


Mirkwood

Cost: 995
TP: 395(with instances)
Levels: 62ish-65
Quests: About 150
Local Faction: Malledhrim

Mirkwood is the second and most current expansion for Lotro. Because of this, it is a very large zone, and will take you a while to clear. The atmosphere is more Moria than it is Lorien. It's very gloomy with orcs and other evil things around every tree. Of course, this is fitting. Mirkwood is the second home of Sauron, as he used to reside in Dol Goldur. You’re taking it to the enemy, and the zone reflects that. Its wartime, and wartime is not happy. It is fun though! Even if you don't get this QP, go see Dol Goldur. Simply put, video game magic.

I think you'll find reputation extremely easy to get here, as well as barter items. You really won't have to grind all that much in order to get what you need out of it.

If you do happen to pick up this zone, visit the Haunted Inn. Rumor has that if you’re lucky, and are around at the right time, you'll see the spirits of the restless dead from long ago. Just a rumor of course. Surely ghosts aren't real, right?

Bang-for-Buck: 9
Quality of quests: 8
Population: 7
Visuals/Musical Scores: 7
Overall Experience: 8
Total Score(Out of 50 possible): 39




Enedwaith

Cost: 695
TP: 325
Levels: 60-65
Quests: 150+

Local Factions: The Grey Company and The Algraig


Enedwaith was the first zone Turbine launched after making the switch to a F2P model(to be more specific, exactly at the same time). It is a level 60-65 zone. The goal here is to follow the Grey Company south as they try to meet up with Aragorn. Some people don't like the graphical design here, as some of the areas are a tad small, causing them to stick out from the other areas. It is a little odd, but I think it still looks good. The sky at night is very cool as well, go see it immediately! You get here coming through Eregion in case you were wondering.

I have to say, some of the quest chains here are amazing! Demon goats, evil spirits, welsh folklore? Sign me up! Also, if you have RoI, and have seen the Huntsman, he is featured in this zone as well.

This zone won't last you forever, but it is a neat place to go when you’re at the level cap. The rep here is not easy to get by any means, so you might stay here grinding for quite a while if you are a completionist.

As of October 2012, the zone has been moved to a level 60-65 range, to act as a alternative to Mirkwood.


Bang-for-Buck: 8
Quality of quests: 10
Population: 7
Visuals/Musical Scores: 9
Overall Experience: 9
Total Score(Out of 50 possible): 43

Dunland(Dunland, Gap of Rohan, The Wizard's Vale)
Cost: Quest Pack only- 3250
Dragioch's Lair- 1250
Instances- 1495
Bundle- 4995
TP: ????????????????????
Levels: 66-75
Quests: Over 375
Local Factions: Men of Dunland, Theodred's Riders

This area was launched with the Rise of Isengard expansion. There is now a bundle for 4995 tp's you can buy if you want the expansion, or you can still use cash.

Anyway, on to the regions.

Dunland itself is a region of many different biomes. There is a snowy mountain region. There are rolling plains and hills. There's even a giant swamp. All of it is really well designed and looks great, so hat's off to the art and environment teams. Here, you'll be assisting the various tribes of Dunland in ridding themselves of the iron fist of Isengard, while also assisting the Grey Company in moving south. There are a lot of quests here, but some people struggle to get all the way to 75 without some sort of supplement. The quests are interesting for the most part. I never got bored here, and the progression was fairly quick compared to Moria for instance. There aren't as many things to bog you down(like falling off cliffs). The zones are varied, and it stays fresh.

The Gap of Rohan is a small region on the banks of the river Isen. A encampment of the Men of Dunland, Wolf's Cleft, is located here, along with 2 camps of the Men of Rohan. You'll be scouting the area out and disrupting the evil men and forces of Isengard. A central feature of the eastern side of the gap is a giant hill covered in purple flowers, and it will be a central location in the fight between good and evil.

Another feature of the area is the Slave Pen/Mines/Forge called the Pit of Iron. Dug into and under a mountain near the entrance to the Vale of Isengard itself, it has a few sub-bosses and creatures you haven't seen since Moria. There is no mini-map however, and it can be a tad frustrating, but it doesn't take you long to clear at all.

The Wizards Vale(much cooler than the official Turbine name of course) is the valley in which the Ring of Isengard is located. There are few friendly faces here. One brave ranger and Quickbeam the Ent are just about it. Oh yes, and a dwarf. Not THAT dwarf though. You'll pick up some "kill this", "explore that" quests, and the region is pretty challenging as a whole. Of course, you should expect nothing less from Isengard. Don't go in the front gate for heaven’s sake, the trolls are NOT nice to you. Go around to the right of the ring, and you'll find an easier way.

I should include a little about the instances as well. Dragioch's Lair is a 12 or 24 man raid depending on your difficulty setting. Dragioch himself is actually a boss that speaks to you, which is a nice touch. It's not a challenging raid by any means, but it is fun. Is it worth the 1000+ turbine points? In my opinion? No, not at all. You can get a lot more bang for your buck with other, cheaper instances. Heck, you can buy almost 2 quest packs with those points. But, if you are in to raiding, and the cost doesn't bother you, it is a good raid. It can be hard to fill 24 slots at times though, so keep that in mind.

With Update 5, launched on the 12th, 5 new instances were adding involving the region. If you've previously bought the expansion with cash, you automatically have them. I have ran through the 3-man’s so far, and they are quite good. They are very doable on tier 1 even for the most casual of players.

Lastly, I apologize for not having a figure for how many TP's you can earn in the RoI regions. My sources have all shut down or quit updating, so I'll go in game and attempt to figure it out myself.

Bang-for-Buck: 9
Quality of quests: 8
Population: 10
Visuals/Musical Scores: 8
Overall Experience: 8
Total Score(Out of 50 possible): 43

The Great River(Anduin)

Cost: 795
Tp: ?????????????????????
Levels: 75. Can be done earlier if needed(72 or so)
Quests: 170+
Local Factions: The Riders of Stangard(Rohirrim)
Heroes of the Limlight Gorge

The Great River is a region just south of Lorien(really? You can walk from Lorien all the way to the Limlight river in 5 minutes? Grrr map scale) which you get to(get this) by walking south out of Lorien. Who knew. That's the only access point for now, and probably forever considering how the geography works. At least you can walk through Lorien without getting elf-sniped now.

It contains the first real settlement of the Men of Rohan that you'll see in your journey through Middle-Earth, some assorted Elf camps, and many other types of scenery. Quests range from meeting some Eagles to killing orcs or wolves, or *insert mob here*. Typical lotro stuff. For you lore-nerds like me, the Brown Lands are also contained in the region. You'll know them as the place where the Ent-Wives were, until Sauron blasted the land at least. Now, sadly for Treebeard, they are simply nowhere to be found.

The unique thing about this region is the Limlight Gorge, an area of the map that borders the Limlight River and Fangorn Forest. The Gorge contains Elite level 75 trolls, spiders and trees, along with purely grouping quests to go with them. It is really only a grouping area. I've found you typically need at least 4 people to have any success in the region doing almost any of the quests. In spite of the difficulty, it is my favorite area in the region, as there hasn't been something like it added to LOTRO in years.

Ah yes, there is also a 6 man instance, Roots of Fangorn, that comes with your purchase of the region.

Overall, it's a fun region to play in. I'm a completionist, so I bought it, and I did enjoy it. If you've made it to level 75, I would imagine you'll want to buy it as well. 795 could be considered a little high though, so if you aren't close to the level cap yet, then wait for a sale.

Bang-for-Buck: 7
Quality of quests: 8
Population: 9
Visuals/Musical Scores: 9
Overall Experience: 8
Total Score(Out of 50 possible): 39



Final Rankings


Evendim- 49/50
Moria- 47/50
The Shire- 45/50
Breeland- 44/50
Enedwaith- 43/50
Dunland-- 43/50
Lothlorien- 40/50
Forochel- 39/50
Mirkwood- 39/50
Lone-Lands- 39/50
The Great River- 39/50
Ered Luin-38/50
Angmar- 37/50
Eregion- 35/50
North Downs- 35/50
Misty Mountains- 28/50
Trollshaws- 23/50



Well, that’s it! I hope this ends up helping somebody, and if it does, the time was worth it! If you see any errors in my post, please feel free to correct me! Thanks!


Thanks again for reading!

Not a bad guide at all. I`ll throw in my uusual objections to Eregion (coma inducing quest design and pointless level range, amongst other things) and my usual props for Forochel (while it does have a 6th tier of rep, it`s actual not that long a grind because pretty much everything drops rep items. This actually makes it one of the easier rep grinds if you put your mind to it.)

Always nice to see things like this as what QP to buy is such a commonly asked question.

Very, very helpful! Why can't everyone be as constructive as you?

Nice post! A bit heavy on the opinions perhaps, but that's fine if the reader takes into consideration the fact that this guide comes from your own opinions. Good for you, seeing a need and stepping in to fill it yourself.

Originally Posted by Elinnea

Nice post! A bit heavy on the opinions perhaps, but that's fine if the reader takes into consideration the fact that this guide comes from your own opinions. Good for you, seeing a need and stepping in to fill it yourself.

Yeah, that was actually the point of it. There are already fact based guides, so I though there needed to be an opinion guide.

"Its dark, scary, and a challenging place, but it's supposed to be. Its Moria!" Ok, but then why does the dark, scary, and challenging Angmar get such bad press? I mean, it seemed like you sort of slammed Angmar for the same things that really exemplify Moria.

One comment on the Trollshaws - the Tal Bruinen armor set is the best in the game in the low to mid-40s. And from talking to kinmates a lot of people don't even know it exists! Also some great lore-junkie quests - riddles with Bilbo, the "Bill, Bert, and Tom" quest (my personal favorite), Wisdan's quest sequence in Tal Bruinen.

Not sure why you think Angmar is harder than Moria. And a major reason Angmar should be a must-buy for most players (unless they *really* like skirmishing) is the level 50 class quests - gotta have Carn Dum and/or Urugarth for those. I haven't found a group for Moria instances yet so to me those two are the best instances in the game so far.

Originally Posted by Banaticus

"Its dark, scary, and a challenging place, but it's supposed to be. Its Moria!" Ok, but then why does the dark, scary, and challenging Angmar get such bad press? I mean, it seemed like you sort of slammed Angmar for the same things that really exemplify Moria.

I slammed Angmar because of the number of elites wandering around mainly. And I don't know why, but the darkness of Moria feels fun to me, and the challenge makes it more fun. Angmar's darkness and difficulty wants me to jump off of one of the Witch-Kings towers. Its just a different feeling about each place.

And remember, this is in no way how everyone will feel about the zones, its just my opinion.

After re-reading what I wrote here, some of it was not near as detailled as I would like it to be. I've played a couple more characters on some zones I really haven't touched as much as I would have liked before, so I can add more as well. I'll be working on that, and hopefully turning this into a better, more helpful resource for players looking for opinions on quest packs.

I know it's a little older, but I'm replying because I thought this thread was super helpful! I know what packs to get next now.

One correction (sort of): there aren't any true rep items for the Eglain, but there are crafted items. I was able to get to kindred around level 32 with my tinker (there's a rep ring to make and turn in). I also obsessively do tasks, so I'm sure that helps too.

Originally Posted by Arqueni

I know it's a little older, but I'm replying because I thought this thread was super helpful! I know what packs to get next now.

One correction (sort of): there aren't any true rep items for the Eglain, but there are crafted items. I was able to get to kindred around level 32 with my tinker (there's a rep ring to make and turn in). I also obsessively do tasks, so I'm sure that helps too.

Thanks! I'll edit that to make it clearer.

Great Guide for new players....thxalot

Do NOT avoid Carn Dum. Do NOT avoid Urugarth. Love, love, love the Angmar instances, though I'm with you on the landscape - it's bleak, and it can be hard to get around certain areas. It still has the best dungeons in the game, though, and you shouldn't avoid Angmar.

A strange thing I noticed the other day when I was in Esteldin on a high-level character. There were quest rings (not faded ones) over some of the NPCs. It seems there are North Downs quests for level 60s that offer Item XP.

Who woulda thunk it? But there are some there. Pretty big gap from the normal questing level in ND, but still, they exist and may be worth chasing down - have a couple in my log now, will let you know how it goes.

Originally Posted by Chanah

A strange thing I noticed the other day when I was in Esteldin on a high-level character. There were quest rings (not faded ones) over some of the NPCs. It seems there are North Downs quests for level 60s that offer Item XP.

Who woulda thunk it? But there are some there. Pretty big gap from the normal questing level in ND, but still, they exist and may be worth chasing down - have a couple in my log now, will let you know how it goes.

They're just repeatable bounty quests. Go to X area kill a mob return for reward. Also you don't need the QP to do these quests.

Originally Posted by josh13333

Angmar is the only zone I hate in this game. I think it's because its so darn bleak and depressing. Really, you will not enjoy your time here.

This is really not cool and is patently untrue. It is so good of you to tell me what I will or will not enjoy. Express this as your own view and don't bother telling people what they will or will not enjoy. I think as you grow up you will discover that most people will differ from you in most ways and will have different opinions that don't align with yours.

I personally consider Angmar to be one of the best zones in the game, with some of the best quest adventures in the game. Yes, it is a bleak and bleary place. But, well, it's ANGMAR, home of the freaking Witch King! What did you expect? Daisies and gingerbread houses? It is a credit to Turbine that they are able to elicit emotional responses from players that are based entirely on the 'atmosphere' of a place. Angmar is bleak and spooky looking because it is supposed to be a frightening place. That doesn't make it "not fun" nor does it make it something "you will not enjoy." On the contrary, many players will find the immersion here to be superb.

The moral of this story is: don't try to shove your personal views down everyone else's throats.

On the plus side, you did a nice overall job of putting this together for folks who are not familiar with the regions of the game, so + rep for you in spite of that one unfortunate comment

You might want to put a KEY at the top of the list to explain what the TP item refers to. Some players might not easily associate the abbreviation, or might not understand that it refers to the TP you can earn in the zone if you do all of the deeds. Just a suggestion

Hey, thanks! This really helps me navigate all the regions of LotRO.
This needs a sticky!

Originally Posted by ButcherMouse

Hey, thanks! This really helps me navigate all the regions of LotRO.
This needs a sticky!

Much appreciated!

Also, updated for RoI.

Added Scoring system, rankings, updated youtube info.

Love the fact that the OP has continued to update this thread. I found it really useful when I first started.

Agreed, this should be a sticky

I would just like to say thank you for this awesome guide. I am VIP and have at least skimmed through all the areas, and for the most part I find your summaries accurate. I know you get a lot of hate for bashing Angmar, but I'm with you. there should not be that many elites wandering around aimlessly. Additionally, I personally had a problem finding solo quests there. At least in Gath Forthnir, there are only about a half dozen solo quests and at least twice that for fellowships. The only thing I could find even slightly wrong is that Misty Mountains has quite a few quests that give Thorin's Hall rep. However, this is understandable, as I believe you said at the very beginning that you weren't as familiar with MM as with other regions. Also, I would like to point out that many people only "stop and smell the roses" in the different areas with their first characters and power level through on all their alts. With that in mind, Eregion is phenomenal, it got me from about 47-52 in about three hours if memory serves.

Angmar used to be my favorite zone back in the day. Yes it's dark and depressing, and the elites everywhere made it a very dangerous place but the atmosphere was incomparable. Not sure how I'll like it when I take my alt through it and can't find people to group with, we'll see.

Very nice writeup of the quest packs though; I've been looking for something like this. It's pretty cool that you can apparently play for free all the way through if you make 3 chars and grind out all the deeds on each (though who would want to do that lol )

Excellent guide and I'm with you on the Shire.
It is a remarkable place with incredible atmosphere. I really felt the hobbits' life and spirit, as I was completing all the deeds there.

I had played the game before, getting to Great Barrows and Garth Agarwen instances and I must say they are superbly done. Especially Garth Agarwen, the place is so masterfully done, it's immersive enough to make me feel oppressed by the evil that shadows Middle Earth.

But yet there is still hope and soon I will face this evil once more.

I would add "get a lot of wound potions" for the Eregion section, it's a great zone but the -25% speed *every* warg/wolf puts on you just before you manage to take them down can really be painful.

Originally Posted by Zombielord

I would add "get a lot of wound potions" for the Eregion section, it's a great zone but the -25% speed *every* warg/wolf puts on you just before you manage to take them down can really be painful.

Will do! Also, I'll add in the part about thorins hall rep in the MM.

Anyways, I ran this through spell checker and came up with a pretty large list of errors in spelling and such that are now fixed. Sorry about that, I really have to start proofreading this stuff before I post it.

Originally Posted by josh13333

Dunland(Dunland, Gap of Rohan, The Wizard's Vale)
Cost: Quest Pack only- 3250
Dragioch's Lair- 1250
Instances- 1495
TP: ????????????????????

There is no "all in one bundle" that you can purchase with Turbine Points.

This is no longer correct. The store currently lists under Bundled Offers > Expansions:

Rise of Isengard ... Includes the Isengard Instance Cluster, Draigoch Raid, and Skirmish Trait Max Rank: 35.

Cost: 4995 TP

This is still pricey, but at least it's about 1000TP cheaper than buying it in parts.

You should also mention the "Skirmish Trait Max Rank: 35" which costs 195 TP on its own.

Originally Posted by JoeJones

This is no longer correct. The store currently lists under Bundled Offers > Expansions:

Rise of Isengard ... Includes the Isengard Instance Cluster, Draigoch Raid, and Skirmish Trait Max Rank: 35.

Cost: 4995 TP

This is still pricey, but at least it's about 1000TP cheaper than buying it in parts.

You should also mention the "Skirmish Trait Max Rank: 35" which costs 195 TP on its own.

Alright thanks!

"I personally consider Angmar to be one of the best zones in the game, with some of the best quest adventures in the game. Yes, it is a bleak and bleary place. But, well, it's ANGMAR, home of the freaking Witch King! What did you expect? Daisies and gingerbread houses? It is a credit to Turbine that they are able to elicit emotional responses from players that are based entirely on the 'atmosphere' of a place. Angmar is bleak and spooky looking because it is supposed to be a frightening place. That doesn't make it "not fun" nor does it make it something "you will not enjoy." On the contrary, many players will find the immersion here to be superb." - Hammerfast

Just quoting the above because it replicates my feelings exactly. Angmar is probably my favourite zone in the game (well tied with The Shire maybe). Players would be well advised to at least give it a try via the Epic Quest line. I love the fact you can be very over-leveled for the zone in general but still get your behind mailed to you if you diss the Elites. I also loved the whole Bastions of Hope idea.

That said, I really enjoyed reading your guide and generally agree with your opinions (apart from Forochel - yetch!). Well done for keeping it updated and I believe any F2P or Premium player will find that your work greatly assists them in guiding their TP purchases.

Originally Posted by josh13333

Secondly, there's WilliamHillard from YouTube. You may also know him from his "Lotro Premium Experiment" videos, which were hosted on A Casual Stroll to Mordor for a while. His quest pack overviews were really helpful to me, and I enjoyed them as well. His channel can be found here:

http://www.youtube.com/user/WilliamHillard

Note: It seems William has removed the videos on his channel, so you can't view them anymore. It's a shame, because they were really helpful. But, I'll leave his link here just to make sure he does get credit.

Wow. I had no idea this was here. Thanks for the mention.

That being said, now that the threat of SOPA and PIPA has passed, I'm considering putting up new quest pack videos. I had originally planned to do so anyway, as some of the information for some of the videos were outdated or just plain wrong (such as certain aspects of the Eregion video).

Finally got around to adding The Great River and editing Enedwaith's level range. This college stuff takes a lot of time you know

This needs a sticky.

Originally Posted by Tungdil-Goldhand

This needs a sticky.

Thanks for the support!

I think I'd have to up the quality before I would want it to be a sticky. As of now, I think I ramble far too much, and some of it probably is too opinionated. I'm probably going to add a picture of each zone to just get some visuals in the thread, so I'll try and clean it up in a few days when I do that.

thank you!

Great guide, this! Nice work!

I like reading guides with opinions because it makes it easier for me to know what I will like. I do it by looking at what kind of person wrote it and what he/she dislikes and why, because that way I'll know if we dislike the same types of stuff. If so, I follow the advice, and if I enjoy the things the guide writer hates, then I'll just do the opposite

Well ...couldn't see that in the guide, might miss it in comments under that...but Angmar has A LOT TP to be earned there.
basing on TP Finder Tool there is 420 TP in single Angmar while Ered Luin is 130, The Shire 150 and Bree Land 200.
Just a detail but might be important for those who want to get as much free TP as they can.


And a really big THANK YOU to author of the post for doing such nice quide to Quest Packs...

Thanks! This guide helped me a lot in choosing what packs to buy for my first alt. Keep up the good work with informing the uninformed josh!