Numerous forum posts lament the declined state of crafting in post-MoM LOTRO, and I sadly share that disappointment.  I had some time to kill the other day - along with a couple of pints of Southhampton’s May Bock - so I settled down to pen my crafting wish list.  It rapidly morphed into a monstrous wall-of-text to which no forum reader should be so thoughtlessly subjected (and I’m certain I’ve missed some things!) - so I’m posting my tome here.

I WISH…crafted gear was on-par – not the same – but comparable to the best drop/reward gear.

I WISH…crafted products had a dynamic aspect to them.  Crafters are too constrained.  We either produce utterly static items or, in the case of LIs, are totally subject to luck.  Personally, I’d love to see total customization, but that may be beyond what’s possible in the game code.

Crafters should be able to introduce (IF they wish – it should NOT be a recipe requirement or dependency) one or more ingredients (by virtue of rarity and/or unique combination) that:

• Produce a new item stat or resist;
• Enhance an existing stat or resist;
• Enhance an existing proc (e.g., increase a weapon’s chance to stun, etc.) in the case of armor,  weapons, or jewelry; or
• Add new procs, either reactive OR “castable” (e.g., morale boost, HoT, mob/enemy debuff, etc.).  Anything “castable” would be of short duration with reasonably long CDs.

Luck could still play a role, in that the amount by which a stat increases or the potency of a proc is variable within a set range so as not to be game-breaking.   For example, you know Rare Item X will increase Might, but you don’t know by how much until you craft – it could fall somewhere between +A and +G.

Turbine could somewhat easily do this by re-introducing the rare item drops from mobs that we used to need for crits prior to shards AND changing the drop rate to chance.  Each item could yield a unique quality in crafting.

Crafters could also create rare crafting ingredients by combining unique items.  Some combinations could result in new craft items with multiple benefits but of lesser value or potency than singular items (e.g., increase Might, but only between +A and +D AND increase Will, but only between +A and +D).  Other combinations could result in new craft items that feature one of the more powerful benefits (e.g., a HoT proc craft item doesn’t drop – it’s ONLY the result of combining the rare ingredient that gives +Morale AND the rare ingredient that gives +Morale Reflection).  Crits could either yield multiple craft items or slightly more powerful versions of the non-crits.

I WISH…radiance would be incorporated within crafting.  In keeping with the idea above, it could be a completely new rare item, random world drop (i.e., you can’t farm a named, mob species, or location to get it).  Even then, it could only be a crit benefit and in smaller amounts than raid gear (i.e., you couldn’t fully substitute all crafted radiance gear for instanced gear – players would have to do some instance raiding for pieces to garner sufficient radiance to participate in Watcher raids and the like).

Wishes #2 and #3 alone would VASTLY improve character/class customization, as well as having the added overall benefit of breathing some life into Eregion which is, at times, eerily empty since Moria.

I WISH…there was greater crafting interdependency.  It seems a tough nut to crack given that so many players have crafting alts at this stage in the game.  That said, one thing might boost interdependency:

• Allow for combinations of existing craft ingredients for a chance to yield new ingredients (upon a crit) to ENHANCE the properties of crafted, drop, and quest items as described in Recommendation #2.  For instance, a Metalsmith could augment the smelting process with polished gems from a Tinker for a crit chance to yield not just multiple ingots but also a rare gem-infused ingot that might enhance armor value or increase durability or the like.  A Scholar might crit rare runes while making crafting or combat scrolls that give a weapon specialization against a certain mob or enhance armor against certain types of damage.  The opportunities here are almost limitless.
• Restrict the ability for such combinations to crafting guild-ONLY recipes to promote crafter interdependence.

I WISH…Turbine introduced some chance, however small, for some high quality purple, teal, yellow, etc. BoE items with totally randomized stats to drop in the world AND/OR keep the world drops as is, but allow them to be improved by crafters.  This would be yet another way in which players can equip, customize, and diversify their characters and specializations.  Outside of instances and raids, gear drops in LOTRO are abysmal.  They have zero viability as equipped items.  They are, if fact, SO bad that I’m somewhat surprised that Turbine even wastes code and database/server space on them, when all they are worth is vendor trash and even that’s debatable considering they’re not stackable and thereby consume precious inventory space.

I WISH…ALL crafted and drop items were salvageable.  The components and amounts salvaged could be limited to only the basic raw materials needed to produce the item (or relative to the approximate tier value of the item in the case of drops).  And in the case of crafted items, the amount of salvaged items should always be less than the amount of ingredients needed to the craft the item and NO rare or unique ingredients unless it’s a crit salvage.  Even then, crit salvage should NOT be a sure bet.  It should only create the chance for full material and/or rare item recovery.

Also, salvage should not be a separate skill.  It should be vocation dependent.  For example, a Metalsmith can’t salvage jewelry; a Tinker can’t salvage a bow, etc.  But a Metalsmith can salvage a cloak.  It should also be somewhat proficiency dependent.  For example, the crafter should be allowed to salvage ANY tier items regardless of his or her highest tier of proficiency, BUT the success rate and volume of salvaged material should diminish relative to the difference between the tier of the item to be salvaged and the crafter’s highest tier of proficiency.

I WISH…all gear – whether crafted, drop, or reward – had a MTBF factor.  It could be a fixed figure equaling the maximum durability points repaired over the life of an item (i.e., item X has 4,000 total repair points – when that total is reached, the item is no longer usable).  If need be, this could be appropriately scaled by armor type (i.e., a heavy armor item has a higher total than a comparable light armor item).  It could even be possible that one or more rare item drop/ingredients, as described in Wishes #2 and/or #4, could restore some MTBF points when applied to an item, thereby extending the useful life of the item.

I WISH…one of two things would occur in connection with LIs (but NOT both!):

• Crafters would be able to produce 3rd-age LIs with 3-5 legacies, with the crafter selecting 1-3 of those legacies depending upon the total legacies.  For instance, the crafter could be allowed to pick 1 legacy in a 3-legacy LI, 2 legacies in a 4-legacy LI, and 3 legacies in a 5-legacy LI.  Items with only 3 legacies should have higher starting tier values than items with 4 or 5 legacies.  This effectively means players have a choice:  fewer legacies with greater, focused potency or more legacies with lesser, but broader potency.  LI crits could yield a teal 3rd-age LI (with the same DPS as regular LIs, in the case of weapons) that allow you to level them to 50…

OR…

• Keep 3rd-ageLIs as is and allow crafters to make 2nd-age LIs and 1st-age LIs.  Creation of 2nd-age LIs and 1st-age LIs would depend upon two new ingredients:  one for 2nd-age and one for 1st-age.  These items could come from very rare, random world drops and a small chance from crit salvage of 2nd-age and 1st-age LIs.  Limiting it to crit salvage compels players to carefully evaluate the choice to salvage or to deconstruct.

Even if Turbine did nothing else to improve LIs, the present total random factor needs to go and the crafter of a LI should be given some control over some legacies.

On a cool, rain-soaked spring day, this dish seems to be the perfect remedy to take the edge off the day’s chill.  It so happens that this dish is also quite good for you!  Kale, king of the cruciferous vegetables (aka “super-veggies”), is packed with beta carotene, vitamin K, vitamin C, lutein, and other nutrients that combine to give kale some pretty powerful antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties.  There are lots of savory variations, but I prefer a healthy, heart-friendly, carb-conscious, and low-fat version.

Farfalle, Spicy Sausage, Cannellini Beans, and Kale (serves 4-6)

1 pound uncooked, durum wheat farfalle (or other pasta of choice)

1/4 cup oil-packed, sun-dried tomatoes, drained (over bowl – reserve 2 teaspoons of tomato oil) and sliced

1 medium onion, chopped

2/3 cup chicken broth

1 pound hot Italian turkey sausage

1 garlic clove, minced

1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper (adjust to taste)

1 bunch fresh kale, chopped (discard tough stems and center ribs)

1 can (15-oz.) cannellini beans, rinsed and drained (optional, some prefer to omit)

1/4 cup Parmesan cheese, grated or shaved

Cook pasta according to package directions.  Drain and keep warm.

Peel and discard casings from sausage.  Place sausage in a large Dutch oven over medium heat, and cook about 10 minutes or until sausage is brown, crisp, and crumbled.  Drain sausage on a paper towel, if necessary or desired, and set aside.

Return pan to stove on medium-high, and heat reserved tomato oil.  Add onion, garlic, and sliced sun-dried tomatoes, and cook until onion and garlic soften.  Add broth and crushed red pepper to pan, and stir in kale.  Cover, reduce heat, and simmer about 5 minutes or until kale is tender.  Stir in pasta, beans, and sausage to heat through.

Serve with grated or shaved Parmesan cheese.

Spring has finally arrived.  The sun and warming earth have chased away the last frost, the grasses are greening and growing, the trees are budding, and the 2009 spring seasonals are abloom!  Maibocks, weizenbocks, doppelbocks, helles bocks, and some not-so-traditional but equally delightful seasonals have begun their spring migrations from breweries near and far to my bar.

Weyerbacher’s Slam Dunkel – Crafted as a weizenbock-style ale, this Double Dunkelweizen pours into a glass with a dark caramel body topped with a tan head.  Banana, clove, and lightly-toasted wheat notes comprise both aroma and taste.  A slight, caramel sweetness and mild carbonation make this a very drinkable beer as you sit outside on one of those warm spring days kissed by the sun but with just a touch of coolness lingering in the shade to remind us that “Winter Was Here.”  And if you should feel that slight chill, Slam Dunkel’s 7% ABV should give you just enough warmth to chase winter away for good!

Southhampton’s May Bock – Truth be told, Southhampton Publick House hasn’t disappointed me with a beer yet, and its May Bock is no exception.  The beer entices the imbiber from the start with its coppery-orange body and frothy almond head that laces quite nicely.  Subtle notes of sweet malt, toffee, hops, caramel, and maybe even orange strike the senses and foretell of the parade of tastes to follow – all of which delightfully mask the alcohol as a good maibock should.  Light carbonation gives it just the right pop for a soft, refreshing finish.  At 6.2% ABV, this maibock slightly trails most other maibocks and “bock” cousins, but its drinkability is sooo good that you’ll find a couple of bombers go down far too easily!

Aventinus – One word singularly describes this weizenbock:  AWESOME!  That word is most often uttered in a hushed, reverent tone followed shortly by a beaming smile of contentment after one of the uninitiated quaffs his or her first sip.  Don’t let the cloudy brown body and thick, foamy off-white head fool you.  This libation is a gift from the heavens.  Notes of spiced wheat, fruit, clove, and a splash of hops are perfectly balanced.  And the taste – oh, the taste! – starts off surprisingly crisp and light, aided by a nice punch of carbonation that settles down later on.  The expected spices and grains begin to emerge as the beer breaths, only to be unexpectedly replaced by flavors of raisin, banana, and perhaps even chocolate as the beer warms.  Never does this beer become heavy or cloying.  Be warned, though, that this celestial beer’s 8.2% ABV is nearly undetectable.  A couple drafts or bottles of this beer on an empty stomach and you’ll be doing handstands in your neighbor’s yard in your underwear!

Being a PA resident, I have to make a shameless plug for native brewers whose craft and skill are deserving.  Two PA-based breweries make my top 5 spring seasonals list this year:  Sly Fox’s Brewhouse and Eatery (Phoenixville, PA and Royersford, PA) and the Bullfrog Brewery (Williamsport, PA).

Sly Fox’s Instigator Doppelbock – This German-style doppelbock took a bronze medal at the 2007 Great American Beer Festival and with good reason.  It’s simply a classic, dark beer brewed with top quality German malts and hops that is lip-smacking good.  Depending upon the light, this doppelbock has a rich walnut to mahogany to reddish hue with a bountiful tan head that leaves a nice lace as it settles.  Notes of sweet toasted malts dominate with hints of toffee, coffee, and cola.  The taste is quite creamy, perhaps a tad coarse, but ripe with malts, brown sugar, toffee, and bitter dark chocolate.  There is room for improvement, but all-in-all this is a very nice doppelbock.

Bullfrog Brewery’s Hands Off Maibock – Dark golden or amber with a white, foamy head, this maibock greets the senses with notes of warm biscuits, butterscotch, vanilla, and punctuated with hops.  The first sip of this beer will rush at you with strong nutty flavors, fruit – maybe pear or apple and possibly strawberry, and a slight punch of hops.  Like most of the beers brewed under the sublime craftsmanship of head brewer, Terry Hawbaker, this beer clocks in big at 8.0% ABV.  The Bullfrog Brewery has been perfecting its offerings since 1996, and a recent gold medal at the 2008 Great American Beer Festival preceded by gold and silver medals in the 2004 World Beer Cup should give you ample reason to try any of the brewery’s many excellent beers.

We had a house full of guests this past weekend, and yours truly, Chef Fereleth, was as usual scrambling to feed 10 hungry men and women of Bree-land!  Suddenly, it dawned on me that simpler is sometimes better, so I grabbed a couple of Auroch steaks and whipped up this delicious favorite.

Balsamic Marinated Flank Steak (serves 4-6)

1 beef flank steak (about 1 ½ pounds)

Marinade:

¼ cup balsamic vinegar

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 tablespoon fresh basil, chopped

1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

1 tablespoon light brown sugar, packed

1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

1 teaspoon dried rosemary leaves, crushed

1 small garlic clove, minced

Whisk the marinade ingredients together and pour into in a ziplock bag.  Add the flank steak, seal the bag, and turn several times to thoroughly coat the flank steak with the marinade.  Refrigerate 20 minutes to 4 hours, depending upon the desired marinade infusion.

The marinade can easily be doubled (as I did for my recent guests!), tripled, etc. depending upon the number of steaks.  And the ingredients, of course, can be adjusted to taste.

Heat grill to high, remove steak from bag, and place on grill.  Discard marinade.  Grill steak 4-6 minutes.  Turn over and grill about 3-4 additional minutes for medium rare.  Add 1-2 minutes for thicker steaks, but avoid overcooking.  Remove steak from grill, cover with foil, and let stand for 5 minutes.  Slice steak against the grain to desired thickness.

I personally like very thin slices on the bias, and RARE steak so I grill the steak a little less than stated above.  This was SOOOOO good with Smoky Baked Mac-n-Cheese, Asparagus with Lemon Zest and Honey, and Citrus Salad with Poppy Seed Dressing – though next time, I’m going to pair this steak with Kemen’s Sweet Potato Fries!

For occasional readers of the Pen and Porter Pub blog, you’ll likely know already of my support for the PUG.  I recently spent about 10 hours in 3 instances with 2 different PUGs that showcased the vastly different experiences a player can have in a PUG.  Both groups were generally kin groups – not my kinship incidentally – that lacked 1 or 2 players, so I was one of the “fill-ins.”  My recent instance marathon shed some light on some basic rules of PUG etiquette that can very easily make the difference between a bad experience and a good experience.

Leave no man behind – LDs are inevitable, but that’s not opportunity or cause to immediately replace the player.  No one appreciates logging back in to find he or she has been dumped from the group, especially if the player has been with the group through much of the instance or through several instance runs.  Waiting for a player to return can be frustrating, but it’s only fair particularly if that player has contributed to others in the group achieving their objectives.

First come, first served – PUG configurations often change, but good PUG leadership and courteous sportsmanship among players will be mindful of player objectives and manage the group/loot rolls in such a way that players are treated fairly and equitably.  This rule is especially helpful in repeat instances where several players are seeking the same item.  Good PUG leadership will alert replacement players who among the original cast is next-in-line for a specific item.  Personally, I don’t even roll on rare items if I’m a replacement player brought into an established PUG on my first run or to complete a boss encounter (unless, of course, no one else can use the item, but that’s mighty rare!).  You might be surprised how often my initial “pass” – and I do let the group know that I’m passing – spurs additional runs to help me with my objectives and/or is remembered by players who then seek me out for future PUGs.

Communicate your objective upfront – Sometimes, players join PUGs simply to help out a friend or kinsman, but most players are in a PUG in search of specific objectives.  As a player in a PUG, share your objectives with fellow players.  You may not always accomplish your objective, but it’s pretty hard for the group to help its individual members if no one knows what is hoped for.

Know your role/class for loot rolls – We all make mistakes in our haste to clear our screens of timer-driven loot rolls, especially in combat, but as a general rule of thumb, players should stick to rolling based upon role/class usability.  This should be obvious in most cases, and even in questionable cases, one should defer to the role/class with the greatest potential for usability.  For example, I certainly would NOT roll on an item with block enhancement, if I play a class that CAN’T utilize block and especially if there are classes present which can.  Even in the case of Legendary Items (LI), I again limit my rolls to items specific to my class.  Sure, I can convert a LI outside of my class to a usable relic, BUT a player whose class specifically matches the LI can utilize that LI to far greater efficacy.

While kinship-based groups may instinctively avoid many of the problems attributed to PUGs, common sense, a little courtesy, and these basic rules of PUG etiquette can go a long way to making the experience of a PUG in LOTRO more enjoyable.

My recently-found new friend, Kemen (check out Kementari’s Sanctuary if you haven’t already), inspired me to share a favored recipe.  I seriously doubt the cuisines among the varied races of Middle Earth had anything like it, but I had a hankering for a little mid-Winter fiesta the other weekend.  Ten minutes in the kitchen; a bag of crisp, salty tortillas; and a couple of Dos Equis I chilled in the frigid snow still laying on my deck – my wife and I found ourselves enjoying this zippy, creamy, smoky black bean dip; looking across the snow-covered valley that is our backyard; and dreaming of the warm sands and blue waters of Mexico.

Creamy Chipotle-Black Bean Dip

1 1/2 cup fat-free sour cream

1 can black beans, rinsed and drained

1 garlic clove minced

1 tablespoon chipotle pepper flakes

1 teaspoon cumin

1 teaspoon dried onion flakes

1/2 teaspoon dried cilantro (optional)

1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional)

As always, the ingredients can be varied to taste and preferred level of spice.  I usually add a little more chipotle pepper than shown here, but I favor things a little more spicy than most.

You can prepare this the traditional way by mashing the beans with a fork and then mixing together the remaining ingredients, but it never gets quite creamy enough for my personal taste.  So, the easy and quickest way is to toss everything into a food processor, blender, Magic Bullet (pick your culinary weapon of choice) and blend until the dip has the desired creaminess and consistency.  Enjoy!

Mid-February unofficially denotes the end of the winter seasonal beers – at least for me it does since I’ve bought most of the local distributors out of their stock!  So, for my fellow seasonal aficionados, here’s my top 5 list of 2008-2009 winter seasonals (but in no particular order because I like them all!):

Sierra Nevada’s Celebration Ale – Laden with hops typical of the American big-hopped ales, this ale is an annual favorite.  Add some spice notes and crisp, clean finish and you’ll be looking forward to this ale’s appearance every winter.  It’s no wonder this is one of the top-selling winter seasonals for the past 15 years!

Brooklyn Brewery’s Monster Ale – Characteristic of an English barleywine, this ale is thick, syrupy, and sweet, with floral and spice notes, just the right amount of hops, and a bright amber glow that radiates in a snifter (this one needs to breath, and should served at about 50 degrees!).  The finish is just a tad understated, but on a cold, winter day when the warmth of a high octane libation is needed to chase the chill from the bones, this ale is the ticket.  Clocking in at about 10.5% depending upon the vintage, this ale is most aptly named.

Stone’s Russian Imperial Stout – Richly-dark with a hint of cloudiness suggesting perhaps less filtration, this stout assaults your senses with a wonderful aroma of roasted grains, chocolate, currents, coffee, and hints of vanilla and banana.  And as stouts go, this one is pleasantly light-bodied.  This is not a beer.  It’s a beer masquerading as the best chocolate shake you’ve ever had!

Corsendonk’s Christmas Ale – In the medieval tradition of Belgian Trappist monks, this dark Abbey-style ale is sure to please.  Poured into a snifter and allowing it warm slightly will unlock the complex aroma of cherries, plums, anise, and toasted malts.  A bit of carbonation gives this ale a little bite while keeping it crisp and clean.

Otto’s “Winter Warmer” – Unfortunately (or fortunately, depending upon your location!), this winter seasonal is only available at Otto’s Pub and Brewery which is only located in State College, PA.  Nevertheless, I have to include this ale among my favorite of this season because this vintage is arguably the best winter warmer I’ve ever had.  Malty, chock full of cherries, honey, and with hints of nutmeg and cinnamon, this medium-bodied ale ably masks it heart-warming 11.5%.  Prior vintages have been over-spiced, but this vintage is near perfection.  I’m not sure if Otto’s is still serving the “Winter Warmer,” but if it is, stop by for a glass or better yet, take a growler home with you!

We’ve all heard, read about, and suffered the throes of PUGs – so much so that many players flatly refuse to participate in PUGs. Though understandable, I, for one, won’t give up on the PUG format. After all, THE Fellowship was a PUG, was it not?

I personally find PUGs one of the most challenging and rewarding aspects of playing LOTRO. I admit that I’ve been in a few PUGs that were hopelessly doomed by some utterly clueless players who either could not or would not learn. In those rare cases, breaking fellowship was the only option.

Much of the time, however, I find PUGs have a dynamic playability that I don’t find in a well-honed fellowship of tested, familiar players. In a PUG, I truly need to be alert and more observant of other’s play and what is going on around me. I find myself playing my character in such a way (e.g., reserving certain skills or abilities) that I try anticipating the “what if” scenarios created by not knowing how exactly my fellows will play and by not having the “ideal” or preferred group configuration for the encounter.

Of course, like any other player, I prefer success to failure. I’ve experienced a multitude of failure in PUGs, but I’ve also experienced a lot of success. Truth-be-told, I find the successes in a PUG to be most rewarding precisely because the uncertainties created by not being familiar with my fellow players challenges me to play my class better.

I think the story of THE Fellowship shows us just that.  Men, dwarves, elves, and hobbits - some seasoned and skilled and others green and inexperienced – brought together by a life-and-death purpose which invariably challenged each of them in different ways to stretch beyond what was familiar.  Their objective was the destruction of the One Ring, but their accomplishment was that they both became better and made one another better by their shared experiences.

Maybe we can become better players and help others be better players by seeing the PUG as opportunity and not an instant recipe for failure.

In a day and age where many eschew smoking, I confess my passion (or vice) for a good smoke. I prefer a pipe, especially one tamped lightly to just below the brim with a delightfully heady blend of red Virginias, sweet burleys, and perique.  Its aromatic, creamy smoke might just make a hobbit happy to sit down and prop up a hairy foot next to yours whilst comparing smoke rings, savoring a robust dark ale, and discussing crops or pies or nosey neighbors.  Now, if only I could conjure a little of Gandalf’s wizardry to shape those boring ole’ smoke rings of mine into a display of something a little fantastical!

P.S.  And yes, for you fellow aficionados of the pipe, the blend mentioned above – called Old Toby - is available at a purveyor of gentlemen’s fine things, Just for Him.  Check out the other Middle Earth pipe weeds too!

Yet once again a handful of Meneldor’s self-appointed, self-anointed, self-righteous, self-aggrandizing PvMP police have sought fit to publicly ridicule some heathen players who have violated the unwritten warrior’s code of PvMP.  This thread - http://forums.lotro.com/showthread.php?t=240107 - is undoubtedly like so many before it and, to be sure, like so many that will come after it.

So beware you gankers, you rez-circle campers, you greenies, you zergers, you OPed classes, you FCers, you NPC-huggers, you leechers, you PvP noobs who cowardly want to play with your kin and friends, and all you other so-called PvMPers who dare to have fun your way!  There is no your way!  There is only the perpetually mystic way of us, the PvMP leet - a way from which we ourselves are exempt!  For we are among a select few who have dedicated ourselves to a code of combat that you can only hope to one day know - when you are like us - which you never will be - because we said so!

It’s too bad these guys don’t apply as much fervor and energy to coming up with serious, concrete solutions to PvMP’s problems as they do to criticizing other people’s play.

EDIT:  It appears that the LOTRO forum gods are also doing some policing, as the referenced thread has vanished!