Okay, so there’s this jacket that drop from the instance The Ruined City Tier 2 that I have wanted from the moment I saw it in game. I actually don’t even remember if I saw it first while playing or while looking at LOTRO outfit ideas on line, but the second I did I had to have it. There were some immediate obstacles in achieving this goal, however. First and foremost, this jacket only drops when the instance is run at level 100 or higher, and I had no toons at that level. Yet.
Second problem? My highest-leveled toon was my champ – a heavy armor class. So even when I finally got him to a point where I could run the instance, it wouldn’t drop for me. So then I turned to my next highest class – a Lore Master, light armor. Third highest? Rune keeper – also light armor. So that meant that in order for me to get this armor piece that I wanted more than any other cosmetic in game, I would have to roll a medium armor class and level it all the way to cap.
Oh, yeah, and then there was the third, and probably worst problem at all – Ruined City is an outdated instance. It doesn’t drop top tier gear anymore with the proper stats, or scrolls of empowerment or star-lit crystals. Meaning? Not many people run it anymore. And keep in mind that in order to get the jacket you had to run the instance at T2 – which is significantly harder than T1. So let’s say I managed to roll a medium armor wearing toon, level them up to 100, and actually find a group to run it with, our chances of succeeding would not be great. Sure, I could level my toon up way past 100 and a trio of cap-level players could breeze their way through it, but it’s not easy to convince a bunch of players intent on raiding to run an old instance with you so that you can get a cosmetic reward. So basically, I gave up.
And then one day I decided to roll a hunter – just to try it. The memory of the jacket had all but faded to the back of my mind, all hopes crushed. But hunters seem to be SUPER OP at endgame, so I thought I might as well try one. I’m gonna be honest, I didn’t really like the class at first. But I also really wanted to have an end game hunter that I could use to help gather gear. My champ is amazing, but it helps to have multiple toons at cap if you’re serious about getting good gear and rewards.
So I decided to splurge and buy an Aria of the Valar. I’d gotten one when I’d bought the Mordor expansion, but I’d used it on another champ for some reason. As soon as I got the Aria, however, it dawned on me. THE JACKET.
All those dreams that had been crushed suddenly sprang back to life, and I was consumed with one single thought: MUST. HAVE.
Now I know what you’re thinking, “aren’t they just pixels on a screen?” And yes, they are. But I was going through a rough patch in my actual life and I just REALLY wanted a win.
So to finally end a really long story with a short ending, I used the aria to boost my hunter to level 105, got MINIMAL gear, convinced a couple of truly kind-hearted kinnies to run the instance with me over and over for three days until I finally got it. There were a couple more hiccups along the way…Like the first time I ran the instance with my champ to get the feel of the dynamics and the box dropped but I couldn’t take it and then didn’t drop again for THREE WHOLE DAYS, or like when it finally did drop and I was able to loot it, it was bugged and was level 120 for some reason EVEN THOUGH we’d run the instance at 100…so then I leveled up my hunter to level cap and finally I had it.
I spent a good week of my life dedicated to getting this jacket in the game. And I don’t regret a single moment. When I finally got to put that item in the wardrobe, I was so fricking excited!!! And as I’m writing this it just hit me that I probably could have put it in the wardrobe the minute I got it…but oh well, it got me another character at level cap and it gave me some distraction from real life. So here it is! The jacket! Modeled on my main champ – the character on which I first discovered it – and looking awesome as all get out.
Achievement and success don’t always come in the obvious forms, but damn does it feel good!
OUTFIT:
Shoulders: Light Shoulders of the Grey Mountain Stalwart (black)
Chest: Jacket of the Osgiliath Huntsman (black)
Hands: Heavy Plated Dunlending Gauntlets (black)
Feet: Reworked Boots (default)
Back: Veteran Guardsman's Cape (black)
WARSTEED:
Head: Head-Piece of the Northern Herald (black)
Body: Burglar's Caparison (black)
Saddle: Dol Baran Saddle
Legs: Dagorlad Leggings (default)
Gear: Hunter's Gear
So here’s to the small victories in life! What would we do without them?
LOTRO Adventurer 