Codemasters Online today announced The Lord of the Rings Online: Mines of Moria, the first retail expansion for the company’s MMO The Lord of the Rings Online. The Lord of the Rings Online: Mines of Moria is expected to release later this fall.
The Lord of the Rings Online: Mines of Moria will expand the online world of Middle-earth to let players explore the ancient underground cities of the dwarves, battle epic characters in the depths, face off with the Watcher and be part of the fateful release of Durin’s Bane.
The LOTRO expansion will also include an increased level cap, two new classes and the introduction of a unique item advancement system.
Not surprisingly, LOTRO: Mines of Moria will feature the ancient Dwarven capital of Moria. This enormous underground cavern in northwestern Middle-earth comprises an immense network of tunnels, chambers, mines and huge halls that run beneath and through the Misty Mountains. For the first time, The Lord of the Rings Online players will enter this ancient city to battle hordes of goblins and the Nameless of the Deep. These battles will just be part of players’ journey through hundreds of new quests within six new kinds of environments.
The Mines of Moria will also introduce a new item advancement system by which players can forge weapons and class-related equipment and evolve them to build their own legacy a la Bilbo’s Sting and Gandalf’s Glamdring. These weapons will level-up along with the player, allowing customization by advancing the item’s virtues, adding runic legacies, modifying its titles and forming fables.
This expansion will also introduce two new classes, the Rune-keeper and the Warden, the first new classes to be introduced since the launch of the game.