Each class in LOTRO has a unique synergy with a certain race. If you want to create the ultimate character, dive into a detailed analysis...
All races are beautiful in the eyes of Iluvatar.
Good day to you, fellow Middle-Earthers! If you're making a brand new character in LOTRO and are interested in creating the perfect class-race synergy, this is the right place.
First of all, I want to tell you that your dilemma is real. Each race in LOTRO has a very particular set of skills. Ok, let's cut the Liam Neeson references, but it's true. Racial stats and skills can make one race more in sync with a certain class than the other.
That being said, I'll try pointing out the best choice of race for every class. Bear in mind though, some classes will hold multiple choices, depending on which role you prefer, what your playstyle is, and what you want to get out of your character experience.
So, without further ado, let's dive into this:
1) Captain
Ok, you want to make a Captain or, as we LOTRO geeks like to call them, a cappy. And after such a long time, you can finally choose between two races, since for the longest time, only the race of Men could have been able to become Captains. But, the recently added race of High Elf made it all a bit spicier .
So, which to choose?
This is one of the harder ones, to be honest since both choices have their perks.
Man cappy will have more sustain and increased incoming healing rating, so if you want to run solo and be more sustainable/tanky, Man is your staple choice.
High elf, on the other hand, has a Light Type damage bonus which makes your DPS output higher. Also, High Elf looks beyond dope, especially as a cappy, and I cannot bring myself to ignore that fact.
So, what's my final verdict?
It's Man and for one reason only - this race is free while the High Elf must be additionally purchased in the LOTRO store. So if you don't want to spend your money on acquiring the High Elf race or the Mordor expansion just yet, stick to the basics.
However, far from it that I would recommend against getting the High Elf. I just want to make that clear.
Why a Man is great for the Captain:
- The race of Men is significantly more tanky than the other races;
- You will be more self-sustainable as a Man Captain;
- It's a free race.
2) Champion
"What should I kill next?"
The choice for champs is more about what not to choose and less about what you should choose. Just pick anything except an Elf. Why's that?
Well, that is because while all races get some weapon bonuses, sadly for champs, Elves get a boost in bow damage. That is not the most useful stat for you, since you want those melee weapons to get the best bonus.
My personal preference?
Dwarf, since the Champion is a class inspired by Gimli, son of Gloin, the most famous Dwarf ever. I think that's a decent argument.
Why a Dwarf is great for the Champion:
- You'll get a one-handed/two-handed Axe damage bonus;
- You'll get the Might and Vitality bonuses which are great for the champ;
- You'll have the most handsome beard in all of Middle-Earth.
3) Burglar
Hobbits are classy and burglars are sleek. Be both.
The burglar is a rogue-type class. They are sneaky, backstabbing little devils and they are beyond fun.
As for your race choice, you shouldn't worry about it too much. All races get the same dagger damage, so it's not too much about what stats you get.
As a Man, you'll be more tanky (as stated above), while as a Hobbit you'll get a racial skill called Hobbit-silence which is a feign-death kind of ability, plus Hobbit-stealth which gets you one more stealth option.
My choice?
Hobbit, of course. It was a Hobbit, not a Man, that broke into Erebor and pulled off a heist of a dragon. That's the original Burglar. No further arguments are needed.
Why a Hobbit is great for the Burglar:
- You'll be more sneaky and stealth;
- You'll get a Vitality bonus which is always a plus;
- Hobbits are small and tough to spot and catch in PvP which is a great addition to the rogue-style gameplay of the Burglar;
- You'll be choosing the original Burglar since this class is inspired by the Hobbit, Bilbo Baggins.
4) Hunter
What else can a Hunter be?
The simplest choice ever.
As a hunter, your bow is your life. All the most effective skills of the Hunter are performed with a bow.
Only the Elf race gets the Bow damage boost.
The end.
Why an Elf is great for the Hunter:
- Bow damage;
- Bow damage;
- Oh and also, bow damage.
5) Guardian
If you're a Guardian, go for bulky.
What's the best choice for your bulky mass of metal?
Some stats are on the side of Man since that race has the highest sustain. Others would advertise a Dwarf more since Dwarves get the Block chance rating boost.
Both stats are important and useful. What's my tie-breaker then?
It's the fact that there is nothing more handsome than a Dwarf wearing that shiny plate armor.
Why a Dwarf is great for the Guardian:
- Block chance;
- You'll be getting the one-handed or a two-handed Axe damage bonus;
- You'll be handsome as hell.
6) Lore-master
Being a Lore-master doesn't mean you can't be fancy.
Lore-masters are a mage-type class. They wear staffs, summon pets, use abilities that are based on Tactical damage (in LOTRO, that's a kind of magical damage).
Every Tactical class loves a stat called Will. So getting as much Will as possible will be one of your biggest fetishes as a Lore-master.
The only class that gives a Will bonus is the High Elf. I don't have any budget alternatives for this, I'm afraid. If you want the best class-race sync, you'll have to pay for the High Elf.
Why the High Elf is great for the Lore-master:
- You'll get a Will bonus;
- You'll get a Light damage bonus as well, which is also useful for some Lore-master spells.
7) Warden
Warden on the battlefield...
Wardens are the unusual tank class with medium armor that counts on their skills, their stats, and their special Warden shield to make them even more sustainable.
That being said, the most sustain comes from having a Man Warden. The incoming healing rating is also quite useful and as Wardens, Man-characters look beyond awesome.
Why a Man is great for the Warden:
- The most amount of sustain;
- Great image.
8) Minstrel
The Noldor Elves are the fondest of music, singing, and poetry of all races...
What race should your beloved bard be?
It's really hard for me to be unbiased since my main character is a Dwarf Minstrel, but I must admit that the High Elf is the best choice.
High Elves get the Will bonus, and since Minstrels are a tactical class, Will is an invaluable stat for you. Light damage bonus also becomes a huge plus, since Minstrels count on this kind of damage even more than other tactical classes.
As a free-to-play alternative, I can recommend the Dwarf since they do get a shield bonus which is not bad for your Mini, you get a Fate bonus racial trait (Fate is a stat that affects your critical rating which is pretty useful), and you get Virtues that apply nicely on a Minstrel.
But this is all reaching too hard (for the sake of my own ego). The High Elf is the obvious choice.
Why the High Elf is great for a Minstrel:
- Will bonus;
- Light damage bonus;
- Amazing appearance.
9) Rune-keeper
The Rune-keeper is inspired by a High-elf named Celebrimbor, who helped Sauron create all the rings of power except for the One.
Rune-keepers are the closest to the original mage classes, I would say, which doesn't take away from their originality and dynamic gameplay at all. They are a tactical class, which makes you guess which choice is the best.
I'm probably boring you to death by now, but that Will bonus gives the High Elves such leverage over other races that it cannot be ignored.
The answer must remain the same. The best race for Rune-keepers, just as any other tactical class, is the High Elf.
I could try and persuade you that a Dwarf is just as good of a free option, but that just simply isn't the truth, as much as I (a proud owner of a Dwarf tactical class ) would want.
Why the High Elf is great for the Rune-keeper:
- It's Will again;
- It's Light damage again;
- It's that pale blondish handsomeness again.
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