Lotro Changes with Isengard Expansion and much more

During the last two days Aaron Campbell, Producer for LOTRO and Adam Mersky, Public Relations Director for Turbine had several interviews about the upcoming Lord of the Rings Online expansion, Rise of Isengard and other updates. To make a long story short here are the main facts:

Rise of Isengard

1. With the Rise of Isengard expansion the level cap will increase to 70
2. Three new regions will be added - Dunland, the Gap of Rohan (NOT Rohan) and Isengard which includes Saruman's tower Orthanc.
3. A new monster play area (maybe it will be area around Isengard)

Changes between now and Isengard

1. Changes to cosmetic system: adding new types of cosmetic items and outfits, adding more slots to store outfits, allowing you to customize and change out your character's appearance.
2. Non-combat pets for all classes will be added
   

   They are purely cosmetic in that they run around and don't participate in combat, but they're really a lot of fun for players

3. New raid and instance content will be added (raids for high level players and instances for players right around level 30-40)
   

   With the new raids, we're unlocking First Age legendary weapons for level 65. While the Hope/Dread mechanic will stay in place, radiance will no longer be a requirement for the more difficult endgame raids.

4. Adding Micro-updates
   

   Micro-updates are small updates that do not depend on the epic books. That way we won't have to make players wait for changes we're making, Adam clarified. Feature changes, things that are [based on] feedback, we're not holding it all off until the whole epic story and everything else is done.

5. Mounted combat is coming
   The first step towards the mounted combat will be a new possibility to block/parry/evade while mounted.
6. Updating the Rift off Nurz Ghashu
7. Revamping Helegrod raid
8. New Yule Festival

For the Yule festival we went all out and actually created a new sub-region. It's an entire town just for the festival. It's probably in Breeland on a mountain side but it's off in its own little place. It's called Winter-home and it has its own set of quest lines, snowball fights, an interactive theater where players can go and be the actors and all kinds of good stuff.


The Yule Festival Glittering Horse

Sources: Voodoo Extreme, tentonhammer