LOTRO grows, ‘Siege of Mirkwood’ expansion announced

continues to grow. This morning, developer Turbine announced a new expansion dubbed “Siege of Mirkwood,” the conclusion to Volume II of the MMO. The new piece of content will introduce, foremost, the area of Mirkwood. It’s described in the official release as a “treacherous” place with trees and an “evil fortress” named Dol Goldur.

Along with the new area comes enhancements, tweaks and smaller additions. The level cap is to be raised for both Legendary Weapons and characters, and the combat will be tweaked for better response times in battle. The official release has all the nerdy information — we’re talking Rune slots here, folks — and it is available below the fold.

“Siege of Mirkwood” launches this fall for the PC. No pricing details are available.

NEW FEATURES [ALL CAPS MEANS BUSINESS — ED NOTE]:

Increased Level Cap — Players will be able advance their characters up to level 65, gaining access to new traits, virtues, skills and class quests.

Answer the Call of War! – Jump into the heat of battle with the new Skirmishes feature.  Skirmishes offer endless action in repeatable, randomized instances where players can create and lead customizable soldiers into battle, training them to greater skill as they earn victories against the forces of shadow.  Answer the call of war wherever violence erupts with the new “World Join” function that lets players and their fellowships band together to fight in various locations throughout Middle-earth.

Take up Arms! – Infiltrate the dark jails, deadly arenas and savage stables of Dol Guldur, the fortress of the Ringwraiths, and strike a blow against Sauron’s forces in new 3 and 6-player instances.  Call upon your fellows to adventure into the most deadly 12-player raid yet and face the ultimate challenge – the Nazgûl Lord!

Major Gameplay Enhancements – Turbine continues to improve the award-winning experience of LOTRO with major improvements to the combat and Legendary Items systems.  Players will experience improved responsiveness when in the heat of battle.  Players will also be able to create and craft their own customized Second and Third Age Legendary Items from raw materials and grow their weapons’ power to level 60.  Achieve new Legacies, new titles, and a fourth Runic slot that will make Legendary Items even more unique and powerful.

The Lord of the Rings Online is an award-winning MMORPG that delivers an interactive experience brimming with life and filled with the familiar people, places and monsters from the most beloved fantasy adventure of all time. From the picturesque surroundings of the Shire to Moria, the great underground realm to the menace of Mirkwood, players will experience the world of Middle-earth as never before.  The Lord of the Rings Online: Siege of Mirkwood will be available as a digital download this Fall.  Details regarding Siege of Mirkwood’s pricing, pre-order offers and availability will be unveiled soon. For more information, visit www.lotro.com/mirkwood.