THIS WEEK: Mariner Preview on Bullroarer!

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Cordovan

Community Manager
The latest: This happens tonight! Starts at 6p Eastern with our private invite-only preview, then Bullroarer opens at 10:00 AM Eastern tomorrow for everyone. Bullroarer will remain open until 5pm Eastern on Friday.

This is a first preview of the upcoming Mariner class! Take a look at the Mariner and give it a run and get us your feedback this week. Here's some info:

The Mariner is a sword-wielding melee fighter who is not afraid to face opponents head-on! They have two core mechanics: Balance and Swordplay. Balance is a two-directional pip system which represents your overall combat position, where you can be balanced, leaning fore, or leaning aft. If you lean too far in either direction, you become unbalanced (with consequences!) Swordplay encompasses the fact that your combat skills give selective bonuses to other skills when used in a direct sequence. This means that after using any swordplay skill, you'll gain unique bonuses to a small number of other swordplay skills, allowing shred players to construct devastating sequences of skills.

From a role perspective, the mariner has three trait lines:
  • The Shantycaller line is a group support role focused on increasing the damage your allies deal, while also providing some defensive support and minor healing. Shanty-calling is (obviously!) focused on sea-shanties, which motivate and buoy the morale of your fellows.
  • The Duellist line is a damage dealer focused on swordplay skill combos to apply relentless pressure. The duellist is a primary damage-dealer, and forgoes much of the fellowship support available to shanty-callers and rovers in order to maximize damage output.
  • The Rover is the first new 'true' support specialization added to the game since its launch, and will allow players to CC and debuff monsters the way players are accustomed to on yellow-line Burglars and Lore-masters. Rovers focus on strange materials and concoctions to confound and impede enemies.
Class Difficulty: Advanced

Role: Offence/Support

Gameplay: Mariners are confident melee fighters who wield swords deftly to challenge the forces of evil. Mariners have an innate sense of the flow of combat, and use their balance to adjust their fighting style to best fit the moment. Mariners also know how to use combinations of individual movements to create powerful skill chains. In fellowships, Mariners can use shanties to coordinate and motivate their allies, as well as craft strange concoctions to confound and disrupt foes.

Lore: Mariners are resourceful combatants, capable of using strange devices as well as their surroundings to aid them in battle.

KNOWN ISSUES:
  • Stout-axe and High Elf are not rendering correctly in Character Creation.
  • The Cosmetic outfit in the River Hobbit starter 'Instance: Humble Beginnings' is not rendering correctly
  • ctrl+ \ does not allow the relocation of the Balance Panel
 
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maartena

Drinks Coffee All Day!
Will you also be streaming that evening for a special "Cord of the Rings" Mariner stream?
 

Grotmaggot

sends his regards!
AHOY ME HEARTIES! 'TIS TIME TO SET COURSE TO THE LANDS O' BULLROARER!
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HOIST UP THE ANCHOR! YAARGH! PREPARE THE CLIENT YE SCURVY SEA DOGS!
 

Lorianna

Well-known member
I still do not understand why we get a seafaring class when 90% of Lotro is on land. Mariner going to Bree and quest through Eriador, Moria, Dunland, Rohan, most of Gondor to spend a few days with sea air.
 

Elmagor

The Knights of Round Table Ambassador
I still do not understand why we get a seafaring class when 90% of Lotro is on land. Mariner going to Bree and quest through Eriador, Moria, Dunland, Rohan, most of Gondor to spend a few days with sea air.
Eriador have a lot of rivers and lakes, even The Shire have rivers
 

Harvain

Well-known member
I still do not understand why we get a seafaring class when 90% of Lotro is on land. Mariner going to Bree and quest through Eriador, Moria, Dunland, Rohan, most of Gondor to spend a few days with sea air.
Well one reason being that you can't look at it purely from a "Content in LOTRO" standpoint. Navies are a very key part, although not expressed in proper form, to what has happened throughout Middle-earth's History. Marines or Mariners are a very key aspect throughout all the events going on, even if they usually never get their time to shine. (This being that Tolkien doesn't talk about Naval Battles.)

However, whether in the Lord of the Rings or our own History: there is no distinction between a "Sailor and a Soldier", when on Ship, you were expected to do both the duties of the Ship itself & to fight in Combat.
  • Go look at Rome 2 for the Total War Franchise for Youtube Videos.
  • This can highlight how even Naval Forces can be used on land as you can put your "Sailors" on shore and now they are fighting as Soldiers.
One thing people have to keep in mind, fighting on a Ship isn't any different to fighting on land when it comes to Hand to Hand Combat. Using our own World History, Marines aren't only used for Naval Warfare. Even once "Marines" were becoming an established role they could be used to provide support in Naval Operations for Shore Objectives.
  • For those who know their Roman History: the Romans made use of their better Land Soldiers by trying to always bring "Naval Battles" into "Land Battles on a Ship".
  • This would give them a key advantage over their enemies such as the Carthaginians who were famed Sailors.
  • Later they would become greater Sailors themselves.
  • The Romans, during the Roman Empire in the Late 60s AD, eventually had 2 Legions who were made up of mostly "Marines" from the Roman Navy.
  • These "Legionary Marines" would go on to serve in various roles across the Empire.
  • Legio I Adiutrix, one of those 2 Legions made up of Marines, would fight in the First Battle of Bedriacum in Northern Italy not long after their founding as a Legion:
    • Some of the heaviest fighting was where Otho's I Adiutrix legion, recently raised from the marines of Classis Ravennas at Ravenna, clashed with Vitellius' veteran Rapax.
    • The Adiutrix acquitted itself well, capturing the eagle of the 21st, though its commanding officer was killed as the 21st strove to recover it.
    • Elsewhere on the battlefield, Otho's 13th Legion was defeated by Vitellius' Alaudae and the Adiutrix eventually gave way when a force of Batavian auxiliaries took them in the flank.
 

Lorianna

Well-known member
MARINER:
somebody who navigates or assists to navigate a ship at sea.

This is the Webster definition. Why would a mariner leave his ship and do battle on land instead? At the time of LoTR we have fights at sea but not in the game. This name is connected to Umbar, not all ME.
 

auximenes

Well-known member
MARINER:
somebody who navigates or assists to navigate a ship at sea.

This is the Webster definition. Why would a mariner leave his ship and do battle on land instead? At the time of LoTR we have fights at sea but not in the game. This name is connected to Umbar, not all ME.
If we're arguing semantics then what part of the Webster definition precludes a mariner from also acting on land? As explained quite effectively earlier in this thread real-world examples of 'mariners' most certainly also fight on land.
 

Rondoe7869

Blade Master
As a retired USN Sailor this always gave me a laugh.
Marines- My Arse Rides In Navy Equipment Sir.

(this is not derogatory-all branches of the US Military poke fun at eachother)
 

Duncadda

Rohirrim
I still do not understand why we get a seafaring class when 90% of Lotro is on land. Mariner going to Bree and quest through Eriador, Moria, Dunland, Rohan, most of Gondor to spend a few days with sea air.
Easy to explain..

SSG are tapping into the Rings of Power series, hoping to build a bridge between the fandom (small one) there and to this game.
Just as they did with the brawler that was inspired by Helm Hammerhand, which again can be connected to upcomming Rohirrim anime movie.

That being said, a mariner could give us hope for ship travels, more of the gondor coast towards Eridor etc... So no problem that the class is included.
 

YamyDeAragon

Student of Lady Galadriel
As a retired USN Sailor this always gave me a laugh.
Marines- My Arse Rides In Navy Equipment Sir.

(this is not derogatory-all branches of the US Military poke fun at eachother)
That is a fact! Just like the military cadence that get twisted over & over to make fun at the other company or branch. & what is a
cadence somebody ask? THE WAR CHANTS!
 

Elmagor

The Knights of Round Table Ambassador
MARINER:
somebody who navigates or assists to navigate a ship at sea.

This is the Webster definition. Why would a mariner leave his ship and do battle on land instead? At the time of LoTR we have fights at sea but not in the game. This name is connected to Umbar, not all ME.
In real life every man working on sea need spend some time on land for rest. And, you know, outside of port mariner just normal human who know how reach other port, have home, family and friends. Mariner not mermaid who can live only under water. Hobbit can leave The Shire, Legolas can leave Mirkwood and Gimli can leave Erebor. Why mariner can't leave ship?
 

Fjorgynr

Active member
I still do not understand why we get a seafaring class when 90% of Lotro is on land. Mariner going to Bree and quest through Eriador, Moria, Dunland, Rohan, most of Gondor to spend a few days with sea air.
From an RP standpoint I can see this could be an issue, after all your mariner will be spending a huge amount of time on land should you use the class for questing, although I believe the class may have porting abilities that may link in to established places by sea or river. But that could be the sum total of involvement with the water. Thus a narrative would need to be developed if your Mariner is to explain being on land so much, although your mariner could just hang aroundon a port looking for grog lol.


One possibility is the mariner develops severe sea-sickness or heard the call of the land and just felt the great need to adventure on land perhaps getting land-fever one time when set off the ship with other crew mates for supplies or to give military support to soldiers. Also as with your race, your character is meant to be exceptional and a land-lubber mariner is certainly unusual.
 

Cordovan

Community Manager
We apologize, but an issue came up during preparations for tonight's Mariner preview on Bullroarer that require us to postpone this preview by 24 hours. The invitation-only Mariner preview will now begin at 6pm Eastern (-4 GMT) on Wednesday, September 13th! We will open Bullroarer to the general public on Thursday, September 14th starting at 10:00 AM Eastern (-4 GMT). You will continue to have access to Bullroarer until 5:00 PM Eastern (-4 GMT) on Friday, September 15th, when the preview concludes and the server is closed to both invitees and the general public. Thank you!
 
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