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The Mordor expansion for Lord of the Rings Online marked a pivotal moment for the game, as it arrived after the destruction of the One Ring. Rather than following Frodo and Sam, the expansion focused on the aftermath, tasking players with establishing vanguards and opposing Sauron’s lieutenants in a power vacuum. This narrative shift required the developers to create the Black Book of Mordor, a 10-chapter storyline spanning six new zones.
Mechanically, the expansion introduced a disenchantment system for gear, allowing players to earn motes and embers. However, other additions were less successful. The Allegiances system was criticized as a cluttered, fussy reputation mechanic, while the shadow system—which applied debuffs requiring light-empowered gear—was widely disliked and compared to the previous Radiance system.
Reviewing the expansion, the author notes that players generally held negative views. The zones were described as oppressive, and the lack of LOTRO points or virtues for deeds made them feel pointless. Furthermore, excessive mob density turned exploration into a grindy chore, and a scarcity of stable-masters initially made travel tedious.
Despite these criticisms, the expansion was not entirely without merit. The developers eventually tuned down mob density and added more stable-masters to improve the experience. Visually, areas like the spider zone and red bog provided welcome variety, though the expansion remains ranked low among the game's lineup.
