Note before using
We hope this guide will be useful to you. But 2023 is a year of class changes. Currently use this guide as a start point for your level 140 journey.
Last update: April
Class update status: Unkown
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Red champion
Introduction
Welcome the reader. Explain the build, what does it do and what does it mean to achieve. Who uses it and what for.Red Champion is one of the most fun melee classes to play, it has quick DPS rotations, really good mobility with Sprint skill, and recently got some great defensive buffs, making it one of the very top specs. It still requires some awareness of mechanics, as Melee classes have some restrictions in LOTRO and often get punished.
Other information sources available
Older guide, last updated for U33 – https://lotrohq.com/red-champion/
Stat Goals
These goals are kept with Essence & Gear planning in mind, as to which Essences are to be prioritized over others. These goals can also be used when picking Virtues.
Critical Rating > Physical Mastery > Tactical Mitigation > Vitality
After Critical Rating and Physical Mastery are capped or near capped, save some room for Class & Trigger essences, and then Tactical Mitigation essences can be used. At the beginning of expansion
Virtues
Here are the Virtues which go along with the Stat Goals:
- Zeal (Great for Mastery and Critical Rating)
- Valour (Great for Mastery, Finesse and Critical Rating)
- Confidence (Great for Critical Rating and Finesse)
- Wit (Great for Finesse, Mastery and Critical Rating)
- Loyalty (Great for Vitality and survival)
- If you need extra Survivability, swap Wit with Fidelity
If you don’t have these virtues, here are some alternatives:
- Fidelity (Great for Vitality + Tactical Mit)
- Tolerance (Gives great amount of Tactical Mit, decent Physical Mit and Resistance)
- Innocence (Gives great amount of Physical Mit, decent Tactical Mit Mit and Resistance)
Legendary Items
Champion legendary weapons. Priority upgrades viewable in video. Produced by Gwyn.
A mixed yellow and red rune with a red weapon
Rotations - outdated
Here is what I do on Red Champ:
- Weapon Swapping in Combat is disabled as of U30.3. So this rotation will consist of using only 1 Weapon.
- Your rotation should always start with pre-buffs:
- Keep Fervour at max before entering combat.
- Use Controlled Burn.
- Start the fight with Champion’s Duel .
- Start with Wild Attack to get your 5% crit chance up. If it doesn’t crit, don’t stop, just keep rotation going, use Wild Attack again soon to get that buff up.
- After your buffs are up, use Devastating Strike.
- Now that all your buffs are up, now it’s time to start using spenders. Start with Ferocious-Battle Frenzy-Brutal-Clobber-Swift Strike-Remorseless. These are your spenders.
- When those are on cooldown, keep Wild Attack crit chance up (It lasts for 10s and it helps if you can track it via a plugin)
- Try to also use Brutal Strikes twice every ~10-12s. This will help bridge your rotation gaps. If you still get a gap, use Blade-wall.
- Just like Brutal Strikes, keep Blade-wall also almost on cooldown, this is your filler skill when your Wild Attack Crit is up, and your spenders such as Brutal/Fero are on cooldown.
- You also only want to use Remorseless Strike when your Emboldened Blades stack go over 3 or 4, this can be tracked via a Plugin.
- Your Ferocious/Brutal-Clobber rotation should always be on cooldown. But try to use those 3 Skills after a Devastating Strike, you may have to wait a few seconds for that, so just use Blade-wall to bridge that gap or refresh Wild Attack crit.
- Mostly, Red Champ is all about keeping all your Spenders on cooldown, and managing your buffs simultaneously, this can take some practice but you will eventually get the hang of it.
Consumables
Information regarding consumables, why, which types, differences, etc.