LOTRO: Bullroarer Update 30 - Preview #1
On Wednesday evening, Standing Stone Games made Update 30 The Blood of Azog for the Lord of the Rings Online available on the Bullroarer test server. The preview includes the forthcoming raid The Fall of Khazad-dûm and the continuation of the Epic Story from War of Three Peaks. They are also testing some balance changes to all classes in the game. According to community manager Cordovan “we've had to reconsider the balance of certain major group buffs and debuffs that were overpowered in the context of large fellowships. This has led to the reduction of several of these effects in order to hopefully allow for a wider breadth of class compositions in such content. We are balancing this work by not just focusing on nerfs, but DPS increases and other buffs as well”. As ever with content on Bullroarer, it is subject to change and may be altered further before final release.
As I am not part of an active raiding guild, I specifically logged on to Bullroarer to look at the next instalment of the main story. Prince Durin is unhappy with the escape of Gorgar, son of Bolg and the sealing of the gates of Mount Gundabad by Hrímil Frost-heart. He is keen to launch a further assault against his foes, however Glóin hopes that a lesson in history might temper the Prince’s plan. Hence through a clever narrative contrivance, the player experiences the Battle of Azanulbizar in 2799 of the Third Age, through the eyes of Hermáth Stormhammer, a hero of Durin’s Folk. Effectively this is like Mordor Besieged in Update 25 Minas Morgul. This revised map of Dimrill Dale is a cold and harsh zone where the snow falls heavier the higher you climb toward Moria and the Redhorn Pass. As well as PVE quests there are also missions set in Azanulbizar (T.A. 2799).
The new zone extends from the Misty Mountains in the North West to the borders of Lorien in the South East. The entrance to Khazad-dûm is heavily fortified by Azog’s Orcs. A central road runs diagonally through Dimrill Dale, running parallel to the Mirrormere. A further two paths can be found hugging the mountain walls on either side of Dimrill Dale. There are six Dwarven camps in the area, four of which have stables. The major camp is Amdân to the South, on the road that leads to Rohan. You will find Dwarves of many different clans here. Within a short distance of all of these Dwarven camps there are comparable Orc fortifications, which block the roads. There are ongoing battles between both factions in strategic places such as Zirakazhar and Atrad-Zarakh. There are a few wild animals such as wolves, bears and birds in the area. Attempting to pass through the Orc encampments is problematic due to mob density.
As ever, the new zone has a great atmosphere and a suitably rousing soundtrack. There is a rather good preface to the new area in which we witness the history of Thror and Nár and their ill-fated quest to reclaim Khazad-dûm. Thror meets a suitably unpleasant fate at the hands of Azog which then leads to the Sixth War of the Dwarves and Orcs. I tend not to play too much content during these Bullroarer previews but from what I’ve seen the PVE quests are structurally very similar to those in the previous mini expansion. I’m sure that SSG will supply a good story as ever but I am concerned that many of the quests will be repeatable and of the “kill so many things” variety. There will naturally be a new reputation faction to complete and barter rewards. From what I’ve seen, Update 30 The Blood of Azog seems to be standard new LOTRO content. That is not a value judgement but a statement of fact. SSG continues to follow their established formula.
