Captains are the most under-rated class in The Lord of the Rings Onlineâ„¢: Shadows of Angmarâ„¢. They are the most hybridized class I have seen in any game, and they still work. We are used to seeing broken hybrids, either brokenly powerful (and therefore overshadowing the classes they are hybridizing) or too weak (so just wait until you get the first-best for whatever your gap is). Captains, while rarely required for a successful group, contribute meaningfully in any role they can fill, without over-shadowing the original class.
Captains are melee buffers, a rare decision to make. Beyond being The Lord of the Rings Onlineâ„¢: Shadows of Angmarâ„¢’s primary buff class, a Captain is also an off-tank, secondary healer, secondary DPS, pet class, and teleporter. They also have a little ranged DPS. They are the go-to class for in-combat rezes and curing fear effects.
Beyond the usual damage and tanking that you expect from meleers, Captains bring to the table some bonuses not found on other classes. Whenever an enemy hits the ground, good things happen (like healing). They can mark targets for more damage or for life leech. Banners and buffs add massively to your morale. With the critical hit buff, my Hunter clears 25%. Their late-game buff is the mighty In Defense of Middle Earth, which adds +50 to everything for everyone. That is huge when stats cap at 500. They also have the ultimate in survivability: when Last Stand is active, the Captain cannot die.
Hybrids and buffers are hard to sell in most games, difficult to make or play well. Props to Turbine for a viable hybrid melee buffer.
: Zubon
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