In my opinion, the Champion is one of the most interesting classes in LOTRO. It’s relatively easy for even a total neophyte to play, but mastering all of the tools available at high levels takes considerable skill. Extending the Champion class through 10 more levels while also maintaining its unique characteristics was an exciting challenge to tackle!

Trait Sets

Trait Sets group each class’s Class Traits into three loosely related sets of eight traits. These Trait Sets give additional bonuses for taking multiple Traits in the set. New class traits were required to fill out the Trait Sets, and I took this opportunity to use these new traits to address some of the concerns of the worldwide Champion community. Almost all of the new traits are a direct response to requested features. Each Trait Set is also linked with a new skill that fits in with the theme of the Trait Set. Champion Traits fell naturally into three sets: area of effect damage, single target damage, and tanking.

The Deadly Storm

Area of effect damage is one of the Champion’s signature abilities and this Trait Set is all about improving the Champion’s ability to unleash the deadly storm. The set includes all of the old traits that modify AoE skills like, Stalwart Blade and Eye of the Storm. This set also has more new traits than the other two sets including traits to reduce the cooldown on Hedge and a trait that increases the target health percentage required to use Dirty Tricks.

Trait Set bonuses primarily decrease the chance that AoE skills will miss or be actively avoided by their targets.

The new skill linked to this Trait Set gives the Champion a short duration buff that reduces the Fervour pip cost of all AoE skills. The legendary version of this skill reduces the pip cost of all AoE skills to zero and resets all AoE skills, allowing the Champion to truly unleash a “Storm of Death.”