Thread: Do I need to buy the expansions with F2P?

Hello all,

I'm currently downloading LOTRO and it is going to be my first time playing it. I was a WoW player from release all the way to when I completed everything I wanted to do with the Cataclysm expansion. I've also played Warhammer Online and SWTOR and enjoyed both of those a lot. However, I'm a HUGE LOTR fan and after lurking around these forums it seems this game sounds exactly like what I want in an MMO, especially a LOTR one. I'm a bit confused about the content of the game though, I was wondering what exactly comes in the F2P version and things I should probably purchase? Are the expansions free with the game or do you have to pay for them? What else should I look into purchasing if I really end up enjoying this game?

Appreciate any help guys, I'm looking forward to playing this game a lot.

Originally Posted by Abtar

Hello all,

I'm currently downloading LOTRO and it is going to be my first time playing it. I was a WoW player from release all the way to when I completed everything I wanted to do with the Cataclysm expansion. I've also played Warhammer Online and SWTOR and enjoyed both of those a lot. However, I'm a HUGE LOTR fan and after lurking around these forums it seems this game sounds exactly like what I want in an MMO, especially a LOTR one. I'm a bit confused about the content of the game though, I was wondering what exactly comes in the F2P version and things I should probably purchase? Are the expansions free with the game or do you have to pay for them? What else should I look into purchasing if I really end up enjoying this game?

Appreciate any help guys, I'm looking forward to playing this game a lot.

This might help.

http://lotro-wiki.com/index.php/F2P

Btw if you want to get the expansions and what not, buy Rise of Isengard (RoI) legendary. It's $24.99 right now. And it gives you a lot of stuff. It gives you the fellowship pack (Trollshaws, Eregion, Mines of Moria and Lothlorien) plus Mirkwood, plus all of Isengard (Dunlund, Gap of Rohan, Isengard) plus raid cluster, three mounts with three matching cosmetics, plus 1000 turbine points. Definitely worth it. Plus I believe if I'm not mistaken (please correct me guys) it gets you to premium instead of F2P which gives you more perks as well. Honestly the only thing if you get this would be to buy a month's subscription of VIP to unlock all trait slots, gold cap, swift travel and a couple more perks.

Go to store.turbine.com for details on that. I just bought it for my gf and I and honestly there's really not much else to buy unless you want ALL the areas. What's left to buy would be North Downs, Evendim, Forochel, Misty Mountains, Angmar and Enedwaith and the Great River. You can get to cap with what RoI gets you though.

Hope this helps.

Originally Posted by Abtar

I was wondering what exactly comes in the F2P version and things I should probably purchase?

youll get the quests in the 4 starter countrys, shire, bree, eried luin, thorins gate and lonelands
2 character slots
can hold upto 2 gold max
3 bags
epic story line quests upto 75
see this chart to get an idea of whats what
http://www.lotro.com/betasignup/vipchart.html


you can explore all the world and level to 75, you can also earn an unlimited amount of Turbine Points to purchase anything you need ie quest packs and expansions. but you can only earn TP in zones you own a quest pack for

Are the expansions free with the game or do you have to pay for them?

no expansions are purchased by everybody either with cash or with turbine points

What else should I look into purchasing if I really end up enjoying this game?

Appreciate any help guys, I'm looking forward to playing this game a lot.

imho the best thing you can purhase is one months sub aka ViP, youll retain a few benefits on toons logged on during your ViP time once you downgrade to premium
see here for more
Answers to Your Questions


or you may want to buy the gold cap removal, riding skill and a few quest, extra bag space and trait slots,
packs and\or expansions

Yes, it's gotten pretty confusing for newcomers. Let me try to give you an overview.

As a free player, you can:

• Create up to 2 characters per server
• Play as long as you like
• Reach the current level cap of 75 (and probably whatever cap is whenever they raise it)
• Travel to any zone (once you meet any level or reputation or quest requirements)
• Do the Epic quest series in any zone

You get access to all the quests and deeds in the starter zones of Ered Luin (for elves and dwarves), the Shire (hobbits), and Bree (humans), plus the Lonelands (where the Forsaken Inn and Weathertop are). It's as if you "own" the quest packs for those 4 zones. After that, if you want to get quests and deeds in a zone, you'll need to unlock the quest pack for that zone.

You unlock content primarily by purchasing it with Turbine Points (TPs). You earn TPs as you play; primarily by completing deeds. You can also buy TPs directly with real money. Once you make a purchase (of any kind) using real money, your account is upgraded to Premium. Permanently. Premium players:

• Get up to 3 characters per server
• Have a gold cap of 5g (instead of only 2g for Free players)
• Can send and trade in-game currency
• Place up to 5 auctions in the Auction House per character
• Have fewer chat restrictions than Free players

If you choose to subscribe (pay a monthly, quarterly, or yearly fee), you unlock:

• All non-expansion quest packs
• 2 more character slots per server (for a total of 5)
• 2 more inventory bags (for a total of 5)
• 25 more auction slots per character (for a total of 30)
• 20 shared wardrobe slots
• All trait slots (once you are high enough level to use them)
• All swift travel routes (once you discover them)
• 500 TPs per month, which you can save up to spend on expansions or whatever

If you choose to stop paying, you lose access to the quest packs, character slots, wardrobe space, auction space, and 500 points per month, but you keep the rest on any character you log in with while VIP.

Whether or not you need to buy expansions or not is up to you... and it's not a decision you need to make right away. The first expansion zone, Moria, starts at level 50. Mirkwood starts at 60, and Isengard starts at 65. (We believe that the Rohan expansion, due in the fall, will start at 75.) For Moria and Isengard, you can choose to buy either the quest pack OR the expansion. Expansion packs contain the quest packs plus other good stuff.

Hello, and welcome! Lots of good advice here already.

One thing I'd recommend is not to buy everything right away - just get in and play. There's quite a lot you can do at the beginning before putting down any cash, and most of the f2p restrictions don't actually seem very restricting until you get into the game a bit.

If you decide you like the game (and I sincerely hope you will) you'll have a better idea at that point of what you want from it, how much money you're willing to spend, and how much a Turbine Point is worth in played time or real money. Then you'll be better informed for deciding whether you want to subscribe, or buy the next quest pack, or whatever.

Also, if you're looking to buy something with TPs (the Moria expansion, for example) but don't need it right away, watch for sales. Most items in the store go on sale fairly regularly, for 20% up to 50% (though a half-off sale on a big-ticket item is rare). I try not to buy anything not on sale if I can help it, because there's nothing as frustrating as paying full price for something only to see it go on sale the next week.

Thanks for the quick responses guys, all I was looking for. I think I'll take Elinnea's advice and try the game out for a little first and then take all your guys advice and probably buy a one month sub.