LOTRO's version of PvP

LOTRO has a different way for players to engage in PvP (aside from the consentual duals), and it's called PvMP, which stands for Player-versus-Monster-Player. Think of this style of play as something similar to Warsong Gulch, and areas of that sort from WoW. Players can either play as their normal characters, the Free People, and creature characters, Sauron's minions. I will refer to these types as Freeps and Creeps, respectively.

There is currently one area dedicated to PvMP (I'm sure updates will add more areas), and this is the isolated region of the Ettenmoors. It's roughly the size of the Shire, and helluva lot more dangerous. NPCs range from 48-50 (the current max), so treading into the Ettenmoors as a Freep is not wise if you're not prepared, or are alone.

To enter the Ettenmoors as a Freep, you need to head to Rivendell and be at least 40. I've not made the journey myself, but that's your destination. To enter as a Creep, you must be at least level 10 and head to the slums of Bree-Town (near the Burglar trainer, and go to the ominous looking crimson obelisk. From here, you can choose to enter the Ettenmoors or spend your Destiny Points (DP) to buff up your character. PvMP has perks that affect your Freep, as WoW has Marks of Honor. Since you only need to be level 10 to be a Creep, you can expect the journey into the Ettenmoors as a Freep to be very dangerous (hence, all the more exciting).

If you decide to play a Creep, you have a choice of 5 monsters to play as: Uruk Warleader, Uruk Blackarrow, Orc Reaver, Spider Weaver and Warg Stalker. They each play a specific role in combat: tanker, DPS, crowd-control, rogue, and support. The beauty of this is you can have one of each, so don't feel like you have to marry yourself to a single Archetype. Play them all!

When you select a Creep of a type you haven't played before, you get to name it. You can only name it once. I was foolish and made my warg, named him "FuzzyEggs", and now I'm stuck with it. Freeps come riding up the hill, and they face FuzzyEggs on the field of battle. Roar. My point is: make sure you choose a name you're sure you want to stick with. They never explicitly tell you it's a one time naming deal. They might change this later, but for the time being, Creeps are sorta like your evil alts. Also, this Creep type will be saved, and the progress you make carries over like an extra character. So if I play a Warg, then play a Spider, then go back to Warg, my Warg will be with the stats he last left off with.

(5 characers per server, 5 Creeps per Freep = 25 Creeps you can carry per server)

When you enter the Ettenmoors, your HUD will now be red and evil looking, your hotbars changed to reflect your new abilities, new BIO and War stats, etc. Your purpose is twofold. 1) Run repeatable missions from Sauron's many disparaging minions (I get called maggot a lot), and 2) Smite Freeps. Sounds fun? You bet your @$$ it's fun!

Running missions, killing Freeps and all nets you DP. DP is used to upgrade your Creep, OR when you exit the Ettenmoors it carries over to your Freep, allowing you to get some hefty buffs (like amplified XP, increased Morale/Defense, etc.). The choice is yours. The DP that carries over to your Freep only applies from the last Creep you played. If my spider (CreepyCrawly) has 170 DP and my warg (FuzzyEggs, from earlier) has 69 DP, I will only have 69 DP if FuzzyEggs was the last one I played.

Upgrading your creep is essential to being able to "pwn" in the Ettenmoors. Even if it may not benefit your Freep, it's kinda like CoX. City of Villains is puny compared to Heroes, but playing both sides is still fun. When you feel like bashing in a friend's skull, hop on your Creep (again, FuzzyEggs is my Creep of choice) and go to town with a buffed monster.

There are strongholds that can be controlled by Creeps and Freeps. When control shifts, the NPCs shift with it.

If you die during your escapades as a Creep, all unfinished missions get dropped, so you have to be smart about combat and avoiding hopeless battles, if you want to earn DP. The most fun you can have is traveling in packs with players. I went as a group of 25 on my FuzzyEggs, and we just cleaned up as a neat little monster troop. Lots of DP, tons of fun. It's truly a blast.

Those are the basics of PvMP. I can't wait to do the real thing. Maybe rename my damn warg so his name isn't so...terrifying.