The Lord of The Rings Online has many expansions and quest packs. There are thousands of quests and an epic adventure of story and exploration ahead in 150 levels. Here we have detailed the LOTRO expansions and quest packs in order to help you find a pathway through Middle-earth.
Note: This is not a complete leveling path but rather a guide to help you determine the order in which to play the LOTRO expansions.
The Base Game: Shadows of Angmar Levels 1-50
Levels 1-50 in Eriador
Beginning in Eriador as a freshly rolled toon or a new character if you prefer, you begin with your tutorial quests in Archet as a human, Ered Luin as a Dwarf, the Refuge of Edhelion as an Elf and so on, usually finishing around level 8.
- Men and Hobbits begin in Archet
- Dwarves and Elves begin in Ered Luin
- High Elves, Beorning, and Stout-Axes have their own starting experience and are then teleported to either Archet or Ered Luin.
Once you complete the intro quests you should decide whether to quest in the area where you started which will offer a questing hub or choose another location.
Where to Start for New Players
For a new player the simplest path is to follow the main story, which are called Epic Volumes and begin after the Intro/Prologue. To do this you would want to begin where you are after the tutorial and eventually end up meeting Strider in Bree at the Prancing Pony and move on from there to level 50. The Epic Volumes will take you from Bree to the Lone-lands to the North Downs to Rivendell and beyond.
For example, if you start in The Shire, likely you are to level to 15 and head north towards Brockenborings towards harder content and to eventually face the level 20-35 content of The North Downs with the Rangers of Esteldin. You can also add in Yondershire for levels 20 to 23 (more on that below).
Then on to Fornost until level 35, or if you prefer at level 30 you may go to Evendim to the West until level 40. In Evendim you assist the Wardens of Annúminas. At level 35 the Trollshaws and Rivendell calls to you until level 40, then you may do that after traveling through the Lone-lands which is where the Epic Volumes will take you.
After level 40 you have a plethora of options from Angmar being the most direct covering levels 40-50, the Rangers and Ruins quest pack for 40-45, or the snowy hills of Forochel at level 44-50 and The Wildwood at 45-50.
If you begin in Ered Luin at Thorin’s Hall or in front of a wrecked Refuge of Edhelion, you could just as well go straight to Michel Delving or West Bree via the stable-master and quest there, or you could use the quest hub in Frerin’s Court to get to level 15 and move along to West Bree along the similar questing path mentioned above.
Before The Shadow: Alternate 1-32 in Swanfleet and Cardolan
In November 2022, Before The Shadow was introduced to LOTRO as a mini-expansion that features a new leveling path from 1 to 32 by way of Swanfleet and Cardolan, two new regions with four new Epic Book quests to adventure through. We have an article with more details about Before The Shadow.
Yondershire 20-23
Yondershire was released on April 20, 2022, with Update 33 and gives us a look past the ruins behind Little Delving. It now connects Needlehole to another piece of the Shire instead of taking you directly to Ered Luin and introduces a more reclusive type of hobbit as well as a landscape similar to the Lone-Lands at first and soon becomes the more familiar Shire with fen, bounders, and a post office and more! Have a look at Yondershire in our overview article.
Quest Pack: Rangers and Ruins 40-45
The Rangers and Ruins quest pack introduces the Angle of Mitheithel a new area for levels 40 to 45. VIP subscribers receive this quest content free and Free-to-Play can purchase it from the LOTRO store. South in the Trollshaws is a wild land of rocky hills and deep pine-woods where ruins of Elves and Men crumble among the trees and the Rangers steal through the shadows, ever watchful, carrying out secret assignments as the north grows more dangerous each day.
LOTRO Expansions In Order
Let’s get right down into the expansions and in which order they were released.
Mines of Moria: 51-60
The Mines of Moria is the first expansion for LOTRO where players visit the regions of Eregion leading into Moria and its massive underground space known to the Dwarves as Khazad-dûm, and the beautiful Elven forests of Lothlórien. Moria introduced the Rune-keeper and Warden classes, a new highest Skirmish Max Trait Rank of 15 instead of 10 as well as additional instances. This expansion is free.
Siege of Mirkwood: 61-65
Also known as Siege of Mirkwood, it is an “elvish” land and an expansion after Mines of Moria that offers you 150 more quests, 3 instances, a single 6-man dungeon and one 12-man raid. It was released on December 1st, 2009, and introduced Skirmishes when it came out. This expansion is free.
Rise of Isengard: 66-75
Also given is the quest pack for Isengard but you do not need to worry about purchasing the quest pack as it is free. The quest pack will offer you 375 new quests and the reputation faction, that is all. The full expansion offers both of those and 40 deeds as well as an instance cluster, Draigoch Raid, and an increase to the Skirmish Max Trait Cap to 35.
Riders of Rohan: 75-85
The quest pack will offer 400+ quests and that is all. The full expansion, “Riders of Rohan” will deliver those 400+ quests, access to mounted combat, a new steed, that being the “Steed of Eastemnet”, a new title, “Friend of the Mark”, an increased Skirmish Max Trait Cap to 40 and an instance cluster for Rohan.
Helm’s Deep: 85-95
Helm’s Deep offers no quest pack but instead just the expansion, which contains over 400 quests, deeds, and more. Helm’s Deep was released in 2013 and with it was released the Trait Tree we all know today. It is free as of the 15th anniversary as well as all of the quest packs before it.
Once you arrive at Helm’s Deep you also raise your Skirmish Max Cap to 45, and receive a title, “Enforcer of Helm”, the Hauberk of the Hammerhand, and Epic Battles. Isengard, Riders of Rohan and this expansion are all free.
Quest Packs: 95-105
- Western Gondor 95-100
- Central Gondor 100
- East Gondor 100
- Old Anorien 100
- Region Pack: Far Anorien 100-105
Through these ten levels there are no expansions and thus you must find your way through quest packs. With this being said we have a provided guide with how to explore those 10 levels.
In Western Gondor you can level from 95-100, or Blackroot Vale 95-97, Lamedon 97-98 and finally Havens of Belfalas 98-100.
After reaching level 100 you can go to Far Anorien to level from 100-104, or go to Taur Druadan from levels 101-102, The Beacon Hills 103-104 and The Battle of Pelennor Fields for level 105 and Anorien (Post-battle) for level 105.
Mordor: 105-115
In the expansion of Mordor, we see the depiction of the destruction of The One Ring and the celebration afterwards. This expansion offers over 300 new quests, many new deeds, an instance cluster, 1 raid and allegiances.
Quest Packs: 115-120
- Legacy of the Necromancer 115
- Where Dragons Dwell 115-120
- The Vales of Anduin 120
There are quest packs for levels 115-120 Legacy of the Necromancer, Where Dragons Dwell, and The Vales of Anduin. You can quest your way through the levels by following the Dwarf-holds 115-120, The Ironfold 115-117, and then Ered Mithrin 117-120 to take you to level 120.
Minas Morgul: 120-130
This is the expansion for levels 120 to the current level cap of 130, released in 2019 as of September 2021. It offers over 250 new quests and deeds, an instance cluster of seven new instances and a raid. This expansion concludes “The Black Book of Mordor” story line that began in the Mordor expansion in 2017.
War of Three Peaks: 20-130
War of Three Peaks is the eighth expansion pack, considered a “mini-expansion” and current end-game that offers you 250 additional quests along your journey beginning at level 20 with additional instances and deeds as well, a raid and endgame Elderslade Missions. It was released in October of 2020 and instead of quests or raising the level cap, it released Missions that scale to the player’s level.
Blood of Azog Quest Pack: 130
Unlocks over 100 quests and deeds and a raid for level 130 characters. Includes the Azanulbizar region, the Blood of Azog Interlude, and 10 missions.
Fate of Gundabad: 130 – 140
The Fate of Gundabad is an expansion for LOTRO adding 10 additional levels from 130 to 140 with new lands to discover, instances, missions and more. This expansion also introduces the Brawler class and an updated Legendary Items system.
Corsairs of Umbar: 140 – 150
Corsairs of Umbar not only unveils four new regions to explore but also brings forth a new combat class, the Mariner. 350 new quests and a new level cap increased to 150, offering unique end-game content, instances, and a new raid to conquer.
We hope you enjoyed our guide to LOTRO expansions! There are many lands to discover across Middle-earth and adventures to be had and of course, if you feel like being a pipe-weed farmer in Youndershire to level 140 then more power to you I say!
