Mike of Arkenstone Asks:
I was looking at the stat tomes in the LotRO store. The ones that add +10 to might, vitality and the other base characters stats.
My main is a 65 guardian with so-so average equipment with 0 radiance. So far all I’ve bought in the store is shared storage.
As I understand it you can buy up to 4 of the tomes for each statistic, so i could have +40 might, +40 vitality and so on. That would add about 10% to my might and vitality, but 20% to fate and will.
What would this do to my character? Would it break the character by making the game too easy. Would it just make it easier to reach the maximum allowed character stats?
I don’t mind spending the money, but i do want to get value for money. If you can explain a little more about the effects, I could make a better decision.
Ok, before I get on with the answer I want to mention that I’ve been sitting on this question for over a month because I’ve been busy and distracted with a few things. I did however answer this question privately within hours of receiving the mail, as I do with all questions that I won’t be formally writing up right away, so please please please send me any questions you might have so I can help you and continue to make these informative write-ups!
What’s in a Stat…
Each “Parametric Stat” (Might, Agility, Vitality, Will and Fate) has a set of sub-stats that are directly affected and that represent each stat’s real effects.
Might- Might increases your common mitigation, block rating, parry rating, and melee offense rating. The amount of these increases varies on a class by class basis, especially in the case of melee offense.
The following tables gives the benefits of might on a class by class basis. The benefit is figured against 1 point of might and all values are given in “rating” values.
| Class | Common Defense | Block | Parry | Melee Offense |
| Burglar | 1 | n/a | 1 | 7 |
| Captain | 1 | 2 | 1 | 10 |
| Champion | 1 | 2 | 1 | 10 |
| Guardian | 1 | 2 | 1 | 10 |
| Hunter | 1 | n/a | 1 | 6 |
| Loremaster | 1 | n/a | 1 | 3 |
| Minstrel | 1 | 2 | 1 | 4 |
| Runekeeper | 1 | n/a | 1 | 1 |
| Warden | 1 | 2 | 1 | 10 |
Agility- Agility increases ranged and melee crit chances, parry , evade, and ranged offense. Agility also decreases your miss chance.
The following tables gives the benefits of agility on a class by class basis. The benefit is figured against 1 point of agility and all values are given in “rating” values. Miss chance is a hidden stat and so cannot be accurately figured. If it’s ever revealed this table will be updated
| Class | Ranged/Melee Critical | Evade | Parry | Ranged Offense |
| Burglar | 2 | 2 | 1 | 4 |
| Captain | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1 |
| Champion | 2 | 2 | 1 | 4 |
| Guardian | 2 | 2 | 1 | 4 |
| Hunter | 2 | 2 | 1 | 10 |
| Loremaster | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1 |
| Minstrel | 2 | 2 | 1 | 2 |
| Runekeeper | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1 |
| Warden | 2 | 2 | 1 | 10 |
Vitality- Vitality increases your morale, non-common mitigations, out of combat (OOC) morale regen and non-fear resistances (disease, wound and poison).
The following table gives the benefits of vitality on a class by class basis. Benefits are figured against 1 point of vitality. Mitigations and Resistances are listed in rating values. OOC Morale regen is listed as the amount of morale recovered per minute OOC.
| Class | Morale | Non-com Mitigations | Disease/Wound /Poison resist |
OOC Morale Regen |
| Burglar | 3 | 1 | 2 | 7 |
| Captain | 3 | 1 | 2 | 7 |
| Champion | 3 | 1 | 2 | 7 |
| Guardian | 5 | 1 | 2 | 7 |
| Hunter | 3 | 1 | 2 | 7 |
| Loremaster | 3 | 1 | 2 | 7 |
| Minstrel | 3 | 1 | 2 | 7 |
| Runekeeper | 3 | 1 | 2 | 7 |
| Warden | 5 | 1 | 2 | 7 |
Will- Will increases your power, fear resistance, OOC power regen, Tactical offense and healing.
The following table gives the benefits of will on a class by class basis. The benefits are figured against 1 point of will. OOC regen is listed ad the amount of power recovered per minute OOC. Tactical offense and healing rating receive identical bonuses with one exception (captain receives 1 to offense and 10 to healing.) and are listed in the same column to save space.
| Class | Power | Fear Resistance | OOC Power Regen | Tactical Offense/ Healing |
| Burglar | 3 | 2 | 12 | 1 |
| Captain | 3 | 2 | 12 | 1/10 |
| Champion | 3 | 2 | 12 | 1 |
| Guardian | 3 | 2 | 12 | 1 |
| Hunter | 3 | 2 | 12 | 1 |
| Loremaster | 3 | 2 | 12 | 10 |
| Minstrel | 3 | 2 | 12 | 10 |
| Runekeeper | 3 | 2 | 12 | 10 |
| Warden | 3 | 2 | 12 | 1 |
Fate- Fate increases your in-combat morale regen, in-combat power regen, tactical critical chance and tactical critical multiplier.
The following table shows the benefits of fate on a class by class basis. The benefits are figured against 1 point of fate. In-combat (IC) regens are listed as the amount of morale or power restored per minute of IC time. Tactical critical is listed in rating. Tactical critical multiplier is left off this chart due to the fact that it’s not a viewable statistic on the character journal at this time. If turbine ever makes this stat viewable, this table will be updated to include it.
| Class | IC Morale Regen | IC Power Regen* | Tactical Critical |
| Burglar | 1.5 | 1.18 | 2 |
| Captain | 1.5 | 1.18 | 2 |
| Champion | 1.5 | 1.18 | 2 |
| Guardian | 1.5 | 1.18 | 2 |
| Hunter | 1.5 | 1.18 | 2 |
| Loremaster | 1.5 | 1.18 | 2 |
| Minstrel | 1.5 | 1.18 | 2 |
| Runekeeper | 1.5 | 1.18 | 2 |
| Warden | 1.5 | 1.18 | 2 |
*incombat power regen is subject to dimishing returns, each additional point of fate does marginally less than the one previous. The figure given here is the average contribution per point. Calculated my taking 650 fate toon, subtracting any ICPR bonuses on relics, jewelry, etc. from the total and dividing this new figure by the 650 fate.
A quick word on Fate: Though the table shows that fate has the same effect for every class you need to bear in mind that tactical critical and even power regen matter very little or not at all to certain classes. Fate is primarily geared toward Minstrels, Runekeepers and Loremasters but is also quite useful to Captains and Wardens to help them deal with power issues.
Now that the Tables are Set…
“Are stat tomes worth it?”
Yes, stat tomes are worth it. They will noticeable enhance your character. But you can certainly do anything in the game without them… they do make many things easier.
“Are they game breaking?”
Absolutely not, ever had a captain put In Defense of Middle Earth on you and thought that it broke the game, no, I didn’t think so.
“How do ratings convert to percentages?”
At level 65 the conversion for MOST things is 260 rating= 1%
If you want to know what it is for lower levels… Level x 4= the approx amount of rating for 1%.
More Reasons to Love Stat Tomes:
- At the time this question was sent to me rank 4 (+40 total) was the highest store bought stat tome. Since that time they’ve made the 5th rank available, allowing you to now purchase up to an additional 50 points in each stat.
- Tomes had been on sale the entire month of November for 50%. They sold so well at that price that Turbine has dropped their base price from 495 to 295 (40% off the old base price). Tomes will not longer cost you both an arm and a leg, now just one appendage should suffice!
- You can Never have too many baseline stats. Yes there are caps, when you hit them you can adjust your gear to get more stat points elsewhere!
This article is part of the “ Ask Elborigorn” series, where I encourage CSTM readers to send questions to me at: elborigorn@casualstrolltomordor.com . I will then answer the question either with an entire article or as part of a multi-question weekly article.
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December 2, 2010 at 12:10 pm
I am a fan of the stat tomes & have likely bought way too many of them. I like the extra morale & power on my RK.
December 2, 2010 at 12:26 pm
I had no idea of those Stat Caps… Is it possible to reach all stat caps then without buying stat tomes? What do you think it would require?
December 2, 2010 at 12:40 pm
It is very possible to reach two or more stat caps on a single character without the use of tomes. The stat cap is (I believe) Level cap x 10, making the current cap, as of SoM, 650 points per stat. With gear and virtues, you could easily reach at least one cap, but with the use of food, and the captain’s In Defense of Middle Earth Buff(+50 per stat) you could reach multiple caps. Due to the IDOME buff, I would, however, recommend not raising stats over 600, as many groups will have a cap to provide the extra 50 points.
Giltheryn, 65 Cap, Landroval
December 2, 2010 at 12:58 pm
I’m a huge fan of the stat tomes, and have bought all of them on 2 characters now. I don’t plan on doing this with any of my others but it does make a noticeable difference. It is nice to have your main stats at or near cap and be able to dump some points into your other stats to make your character better rounded.
December 2, 2010 at 1:26 pm
Elb, thanks for this for two reasons. One, for clearing up the question and two, for providing an actual formula for the conversion of ratings into percentages. I never knew what the conversions were so I would always go… “hmm, +200 crit rating? well, that SOUNDS like a lot…” but never know.
Yay!
December 2, 2010 at 8:41 pm
Glad I could clear that up for you!
December 2, 2010 at 1:28 pm
The stat tomes are a good thing.
1.) you can buy them if you have points to burn or get them from chests at the end of classic dungeons.
2.) from a low level to end game point of view. the tomes do help out alot at lower levels and alot less at end game levels.
i myself try to farm tomes here and there from dungeons yes its rare as heck but free bonus to my stats is always welcome.
December 2, 2010 at 1:58 pm
First off, I have bought several stat tomes for some of my toons.
That said, I don’t like them. Sure I like the bonus to my characters, but I don’t like that you can buy something in the store that gives your character an unearned boon to your stats. To me it leads to the dangerous territory of “pay to win” and I don’t like the precendent it sets.
I feel the same way about buying virtues. I am more accepting of the deed accelerators, as you still have to do the grind it is just shorter. People play for a mutlitude of reasons and I am sure there are those who would love to buy a level increase, however, I think that harms the soul of the game. Which I see as the grind. I enjoy the ride, the grind. I gain pleasure in making my characters better each time I play, working little by little to attain a goal. If that is lost, my reason for playing diminishes.
There are those who say, that what others do or buy should not affect my game. That is a very valid point, however it fails to recognize the intrinsic value that the player feels for their hard work. Which is defiled by letting people just buy their way. This is why some people were so strongly opposed to selling rep mounts. If turbine is not careful about the path of ingame stats, it will affect my game, as we will be surrounded by folks who purchased bought their toon, their gear and their levels, like buying a college degree but never going to .
To me stat tomes and buying virts are the first cobblestones on the path to buying a level increase, or paying 1900tp for that lvl 65 second age you’ve been wanting. As it stands now it is not that big of a deal, I just think turbine should heed the word of Bilbo and keep their feet so we don’t get swept down the wrong path.
““Remember what Bilbo used to say: It’s a dangerous business, Frodo, going out your door. You step onto the road, and if you don’t keep your feet, there’s no knowing where you might be swept off to.””
I may sound alarmist, and probably am over reacting. I just think the community of players needs to be weary of the road that stat tomes has put us on and mindful that it does not go too far.
December 2, 2010 at 2:39 pm
I feel almost the opposite of you, Dreadhed. I feel like stat tomes and virtues are things that don’t require any great skill to obtain in the game, just mindless grinding, and I think these are the perfect example of convenience items that are 100% appropriate for the store.
I work 8 hours and game for 4, you work for 4 and game for 8 – this sort of evens the playing field if you get my drift. Items like this are a great way for people with a lot of free time to earn something in-game, while also not punishing so severely those who don’t.
I also feel that unlike the recent steed, this doesn’t devalue in-game achievements because it’s “invisible” – plus, at least on my server, there’s a grand total of *3* stat tomes on the AH, and I’ve never seen one drop, ever, so this isn’t as much convenience as it is flatly *allowing* more people the ability to get the stat tomes. If they were more prevalent it might be different.
December 2, 2010 at 4:21 pm
@Caerus I know you are not alone.
Personally, my game time is limited, I work 40/wk have a toddler and a newborn at home. However, I don’t think one should be able to just buy their way through the game. To somehow level the field? Grinding for virtues is mindless? Well maybe some of the killing ones, but running quests I don’t think are mindless. To that point leveling in general could be considered mindless. So let me just buy a fully geared level 65 minstrel. I don’t have the time to level it so I want the playing field leveled by letting me purchase it.
I don’t think turbine would ever go that far… at least I hope not.
I too have never seen a stat tome drop, personally I would be content if they did not exist. I only recently saw my first Symbol of Celebridor drop. Should I be able to buy those too? I have never seen the Anvil drop on any runs in HOC and ive done many. Should I be able to buy that?
You know I really don’t have the time to earn all those superior third marks for the Hele sets, maybe I should be able to just buy them.
Some would think this just fine, as their only goal is reach lvl cap as fast as possible. But the journey to me is the soul of the game. A big part of that journey is the grind. But the enjoyment one gets from the game differs between players, each with an equally valid viewpoint.
Your view is valid, but the path you support I personally cannot.
December 2, 2010 at 8:15 pm
I just want to say that In Defence of Middle Earth may not be considered a game breaker because there’s a five minute duration on that buff. The stat tomes are permanent on the characters you buy them on.
Are stat tomes really game breakers? Honestly, no…but not by the same ilk as IDoME. If you’re a good player, it’s gonna make you better through the increase in numbers. If you’re a bad player, it’s not going to cover for the fact that you accidentally caused your group to wipe.
Just my 2 cents.
December 2, 2010 at 8:41 pm
in defense of middle earth only has a 1 minute cooldown so it’s sustainable as long as you’re with the captain giving it. but in any case, you’re spot on in saying that your skills as a player (or lack thereof) far override the benefits of these stats.
I will add though that a player can flex the advantages of stats to do just a bit, not a ton, better than they previously could.
December 3, 2010 at 5:17 am
Excellent post mate, its really interesting to see the values tabulated like that. I was aware of the effects of the stats, but in brings home in some cases just how little or much some do pro rata
December 3, 2010 at 9:51 am
Great article Elb. Thank you for writing this up!
December 5, 2010 at 5:15 am
I read these more as being leveling bonuses, making leveling easier. +50 might on a lvl 5 champ would be absurdly powerful, but as the toon levels that noticeable difference becomes gradually less as they approach the level cap. By the time they enter the max-level serious competitive play, the difference is pretty minimal.
I wish I could say that the reason I haven’t bought any stat tomes is due to high morals in earning my powers fairly, but it is mainly due to these bonuses not being necessary and not unlocking anything for all my characters. I would rather unlock shared storage/wardrobe/quest-packs/character slots/store-exclusive cosmetic wear/etc before wasting TP on a single-character-only-and-not-really-needed-for-anything buff.
Started with f2p, and now I’m a subscriber with a 500 point allowance,(and i buy extra points still during TP discount sales) I’m sure I’ll reach a point down the road where I have all the account-wide stuff unlocked and these tomes will be nice to speed up the leveling of my alt of the month. Since this post though, I’m tempted to buff up my main that I’m leveling just to experiment on how much difference it really makes, etc.
December 5, 2010 at 6:22 am
Nice info Elb, thanks for that.
I have to admit i am in two minds about all this Lotro store stuff, On the one hand I don’t like the idea that we are able to buy stuff that was once earned “the Hard way” as some may say. On the other hand as someone with 2 x level 65 characters with relevant virtues at level 10 and decent radiance equipment and with there younger sibling (a 61 warden) pushing through to join them in the fight against Mordor…….. All of this done before the Lotro store was released ……… I kind of feel i have done my fair share of “The Grind” and welcome the ability to lessen that on the next few toons by purchasing some of the worse ones.
I dont know i have to say i am kinda on the fence on this one …….