There are certain classes in LOTRO that offer you more independence for solo playing - but which ones?

LOTRO classes

Good day to you, fellow Middle-Earthers! If you are looking for advice on how to survive leveling in LOTRO on your own, and be a one-man army while cleaving the ugly mugs of orcs, I'm your man!

So, you're a LOTRO player (or looking to become one), you enjoy MMOs, occasionally entering a raid and roaming about with a crowd, like any other bloke. But you wish to know which LOTRO character class would enable you the most freedom and independence while leveling through Middle-Earth. 

These classes will grant you the ability to go solo, slaying multiple mobs with ease, precision, and no lack of style:

5) Captain

Captain - the class that does it all...

The Captain is a truly unique class. If you tried comparing the Captain to certain classes in some other well-known MMOs, it would be really difficult for you to put this class in any established category. You could say that the Captain is the strangest mix of warrior-type classes, holy warriors/paladins, and certain "pet-tamers" in some other MMOs. I know, weird...

Captains wear heavy armor, wield melee weapons (either a one-handed weapon and a shield, or one large two-handed weapon), and depending on which specialization you choose, they can perform any role you wish, whether it is damage dealing, buffing themselves (and allies), and debuffing enemies, or tanking, thanks to their heavy armor and huge healing capacity. Yes, healing too! Captains are a true swiss-army-knife type of class, great for cooperation, but also as a solo class. 

One of the Captain's main perks for going solo is that you'll be getting your very own herald! Heralds are your bannermen who follow you around and help you (something like your personal bodyguards) by buffing/debuffing and getting all that aggro away from you. With your herald by your side, you'll truly never walk alone.

So, apart from being unique, fun, and adaptable, the Captain is very self-efficient and there's plenty of reasons to choose this class. Bear in mind though, Captains can be a bit slow in XP advancement even though they have a great capability of taking on multiple opponents, and that's the reason why they are at number 5.

Why Captains are great for solo:

- Heavy armor and high sustain;

- They can heal/buff themselves in solo combat;

- Multiple approaches to battling mobs - DPS, buffing, and/or  healing;

- Heralds are your staple plus one;

- Fun and unique playstyle that never gets old.

Pick the Captain if:

- you want a dynamic approach to combat;

- you want a high capacity of adapting to various situations;

- you like heavy armor and melee classes;

- you admire great captains and leaders in LOTR lore, such as Aragorn, Boromir, Faramir, and Elendil;

- you like classes with pets/companions.

4) Champion

Champion - the melee menace...

The Champion is your go-to hack-and-slash class. Simple, easy to use, durable, and incredibly capable of dealing huge amounts of damage, they present the perfect choice for your LOTRO solo experience.

They wear heavy armor, wield either a two-handed weapon or dual one-handed weapons, which, paired with LOTRO's amazing outfit options, look beyond awesome. You also get to wear a ranged weapon (bow/crossbow) as you progress in the game and use it for certain skills (not as an auto-attack).

So, if you want a class that's going to take a lot of damage without any trouble, deal even more of it, and chop their way through piles of enemy flesh, Champion is your perfect choice. The reason for the Champion not being a little higher on the list is that they are a little too simple for some MMO players that seek some diversity of abilities. With the Champion, there are abilities, you click on 'em, the Champion kills. Not a lot of science to it. But then again, maybe that's exactly your cup of tea!

Why Champions are great for solo:

- Heavy armor and high sustain;

- High DPS and capacity of taking on many mobs;

- Quick XP progression;

- Easy and simple to use.

Pick the Champion if:

- you like melee combat;

- you are into warrior-type classes;

- you prefer the simple approach to gameplay;

- you like great melee warriors in LOTR lore such as Gimli, the dwarf;

- you want an epic character appearance.

3) Guardian:

Guardian is a heavy cavalry class

The Guardian is your basic tank. Extremely high Morale (that's your health bar in LOTRO), heavy armor, heavy shield, abilities specialized for attracting all that aggro to yourself - all of that makes your Guardian a walking Humvee.

But, apart from their tank specialty, they have a trick up their sleeve. They can also specialize in DPS and wear a two-handed weapon, in which case they become extremely efficient orc-removers. You will be surprised by how much fun and explosive it is to play the Guardian as a primary damage dealer.

The gameplay is fun and dynamic, your abilities combine well, give you boosts, and there is a well-designed flow to the Guardian's battle mechanics.

Apart from providing you with a stable solo experience, they are versatile in battle and look great in all of that armor/shield bulkiness.

Why Guardians are great for solo:

- Heavy armor and very high sustain;

- Versatile as both a tank and a solo DPS;

- Fun combat mechanics;

Pick the Guardian if:

- you like having a lot of health to spare;

- you like melee combat;

- you enjoy combating multitudes of enemies;

- you admire great guardians in LOTR lore such as Samwise Gamgee;

- you love a very tanky/bulky character appearance.

2) Warden

Wardens are never separated from their spears...

Wardens are a hybrid class that was introduced in the Mines of Moria expansion, back in 2008. 

In essence, they are tanks. What's quirky about them is that they wear medium armor. So, how can they be tanks, you may ask yourself. Well, what they lack in their suit of arms, they make up with the unique Warden's shield that gives them that extra defensive edge. 

But, their hybrid nature doesn't end there. They wear spears in combination with their Warden shields, completed by throwing javelins for ranged attacks.

Ok, if that was too much, let's sum it up for you. They are medium armor-wearing tanks with special shields, spears, and unique ranged attacks. Crazy, right?

However, their abilities make it all work. They have high single-target damage, high threat, amazing sustain in combat, and depending on your specialization, their damage-dealing mechanics can change from melee (red specialization) to ranged (yellow specialization).

What does that do for the Warden's solo-playing capacities? Well, in short...everything. You can choose to be a tank in more dangerous conditions, mix it up between ranged and melee, being tanky will never affect your DPS capacity, and you will get so many options to slash through enemies, that your mind is going to explode.

Why Wardens are great for solo:

- High DPS paired with high sustain;

- Great efficiency in combat;

- Very versatile playstyle;

- Unique MMO class experience.

Pick the Warden if:

- you enjoy an aggressive attack-oriented style of playing;

- you like having a lot of health to spare;

- you seek versatility between melee and ranged combat;

- you admire great wardens and spear-wielders in LOTR lore such as Haldir, Eomer, or Gil-galad.

1) Hunter

Hunters are the epitome of solo adventure.

Well, if you haven't guessed it by now, the number 1 spot goes to the Hunter. This class is a solo masterpiece. 

Hunters wield their bow, which is their basic source of damage dealing. But also, they are equipped with two one-handed weapons for close combat situations. They wear medium armor, deal extremely high amounts of single-target damage, and are uniquely suited for solo gameplay.

First of all, they have increased running speed when they are on foot, which is invaluable when you need to search for quest items or explore terrain without a mount. 

Other than that, Hunters have the fast-travel abilities, that enable you to go to various locations in Middle-Earth. The number of locations that you can instant-travel to grows as you level up and this ability of the Hunter speeds up your leveling process like you wouldn't believe. It's extremely useful, especially for players that are not VIP since these players don't have many fast-travel options.

Hunter's playstyle offers so much fun, versatility, and it stimulates the player's imagination.

You change stances, use ranged abilities to slow, stun, and cripple mobs, then approach them and slash them with your dual weapons, if you're feeling like it. You set traps, track animals or artifacts, travel light and quick. 

What more could you wish for as a solo player?

Why the Hunter is great for solo:

- Great single-target DPS;

- Various approaches to combat;

- Faster running, traveling, XP progression, and collection of crafting materials;

- Stunning appearance;

Pick the Hunter if:

- you want a smooth and effortless experience of leveling your character;

- you like to use mostly ranged combat style;

- if you like ranger-style outfits that involve medium armor, hoods, and cloaks;

- if you admire great hunters of LOTR lore such as Legolas, the elf.

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