The Lord of the Rings Online Champion Revisited

[GameBanshee News]

Turbine's official The Lord of the Rings Online website has been updated with a list of changes being made to the Champion class in the game's Book 12 update. A snip about stances:

Fervour

Fervour is the base Champion stance and is the basis for all Champion balancing. There are no changes to Fervour in this update.

Ardour

Ardour is intended to fill the gap in the Champion's stances. The high cost of Champion skills, in power and pips, really limits their ability to function without being in some kind of stance. Fervour comes with severe penalties to the Champion's defense, however, and Glory is only available at higher levels. For most of the level range, Champions that needed some defense but still wanted to be effective with skills were out of luck

Ardour is a new Toggle skill exclusive from Fervour and Glory. It's gained at level 10, granting power regeneration and fervor pip generation at a rate somewhat less than Fervour but more than Glory (but with no inherent damage bonus). Parry and Evade defensive skills receive a percentage based penalty rather than being de-activated as with the Fervour Stance. The Block skill is unaffected. The Ardour stance will also convert the Flurry skill into Ardent Flurry.

Ardent Flurry - This skill has the same effects as Flurry, but is activated only on a monster defeat event and lasts until the current combat ends. Switching out of Ardour stance converts the Ardent Flurry buff to normal Flurry.

Glory

Glory is getting a few tweaks to make it a more effective defensive stance for the Champion. It's been perceived to be too penalizing a stance for Champions, and also comes very late in the level progression -- far after the Champion is called upon for tanking duties.

Glory is now available at level 30 instead of 46. A Champion in the Glory Stance will generate Fervour pips over time, though not as fast as in the Fervour or Ardour stances. The threat modifier has been increased and the damage penalty has been decreased to help the Champion hold the attention of enemies, but his power regeneration will be somewhat reduced to help offset these changes. The Glory stance will also convert the Exchange of Blows skill into Glorious Exchange.

Glorious Exchange - This skill has the same effects as Exchange of Blows, but is activated only on a monster defeat event and lasts until out of combat. Switching out of Glory stance converts Glorious Exchange into the normal Exchange of Blows.