I apologize for the absence. Most of January and the first week of February weren't kind to me. Having the flu, combined with a case of the stomach flu, left me hospitalized briefly and unable to do very much. Recovery has been slow, but my health has returned to normal. And I'm grateful for that. However, this means I've fallen behind in many aspects of my life, especially this blog. I've run out of scheduled outfits and have had little time for LOTRO. And despite the constant distractions and scramble to catch up, I found time to log into LOTRO and collect the new VIP cosmetic set, the Armour of the Elite Rider. These cosmetics are available to any player on any server so long as he/she is VIP and logs into the game by March 12, 2020.
The Armour of the Elite Rider is a stunning silver, red, and brown reskin of the Armour of the Eastemnet and it's accompanying cloaks, the pre-order bonuses obtained from the 2012 Riders of Rohan expansion's legendary tier. (Click here to see one of my tweets comparing the full sets.) Like the original, this set can't be dyed. Honestly, that's the only complaint I have regarding such an elegant set. As the Riders of Rohan cosmetics are essentially out of print, I can't recommend enough subbing for a month to get this. Especially so for those who started playing LOTRO after Helms Deep's release. Like the Isengard Dispeller's set, it's likely to never come again.
Also, if you're attending the PAX East meetup for LOTRO and DDO players at the Adventure Pub, please feel free to say hello! I look forward to meeting everyone!
Shoulders: Shoulders of the Helmingas (Default, Rise of Isengard pre-order bonus)**
Back: Cloak of the Elite Rider (Default, VIP login event from Feb 12, 2020 to March 12, 2020)
Chest: Armour of the Elite Rider (Default, VIP login event from Feb 12, 2020 to March 12, 2020)
Hands: Vibrant Gauntlets of the Rider (Red, Metalsmith T7 reputation recipe)
Feet: Treiglur-lhopan (Dark clay, Rise of Isengard instance cluster reward)***
Weapon: Polished Wold Sword (Bartered from the Eastemnet Shields, Weapons, Jewellery Quartermasters)
Shield: Wold Strong Heavy Shield (Bartered from the Eastemnet Shields, Weapons, Jewellery Quartermasters)
**I can also provide shoulder alternatives for those who don't have access to the pre-order cosmetics. The Hydre-axle is a choice alternative for something metallic and bulky. The Authranc shoulders (Fangorn's Edge T2C chest) make a wonderful cloth alternative, though it dyes brightly. And, of course, the Shoulderguards of the Elite Rider make a perfect addition, though I'd prefer a more reddish areas in them.
***I've had these boots for many years. Unfortunately, I can't recall which of the non-raid instances drop this. For landscape alternatives that use the same skin, use the RoI cosmetic guide at the LOTRO Stylist.
Good job turning some really common pieces into something special! Or maybe those red shoulders aren't so common nowadays?
ReplyDeleteThank you! Those shoulders, sadly, can't be gotten anymore. They were part of the Isengard tiered pre-order packages, which were discontinued in 2013.
DeleteAnd glad to see you still floating around! I was saddened when your blog content for Plate Metal Jacket disappeared. However, I still find your armored outfits on LOTRO Fashion!
Yeah, I remember when they and especially the green ones were everywhere. Now they're a cool legacy piece.
DeleteI took my blog offline a couple months, but I intend to clean up the posts and reboot it. I started playing the game again end of last year, and I've got 6 or so outfits I need to find the time to screenshot/model and post. But I have to find the time between raiding & gearing alts, and I need to go through yours and others archives to see if I was accidentally derivative. Thank you for carrying the torch though, and especially for your cosmetic database--that's been huge for me, returning to the game with cosmetic weapons and shields a "new" feature to me.