The quick, unofficial guide to start roleplaying in LOTRO

Need some tips on roleplaying in LOTRO? Have a look here

A simple guide to roleplaying in LOTRO

EDIT: 1 March 2025. I have gone through the guide and revised it a bit here and there, not least given the new 64-bit RP servers coming March 5. Chapter 2 has been heavily revised, while the rest has seen some minor edits here and there.

Many LOTRO players who have little experience with roleplaying might end up on a roleplaying (RP) server. A warm welcome to you! I hope you find a good new home. If you'd like to try this roleplaying thing as well, here are some tips to get you started!

Introduction

LOTRO players react in various ways when they hear the term "roleplaying". Some behave like deer staring at an approaching light in a tunnel, fearful of being noticed by those driven and altogether weird roleplayers. Others scoff and say that they'll be caught dead before engaging in such silly activities.

So sit back, take a deep breath, and know this: If you have played LOTRO, you have roleplayed already. You are a roleplayer. You're part of the RP group.

There are different kinds of roleplaying, though, and this guide tells you a little about acting in-character. This is based on my own experiences from the Laurelin server, where I played hobbit characters since LOTRO launched in 2007 until moving to the EU Meriadoc RP server in 2025. Hopefully, the information here will be useful for players in other roles and on other servers as well.

There are lots of roleplaying guides on the Internet, but I have tried to write one that a) is geared towards LOTRO, and b) doesn't try to cover all aspects of roleplaying. There will be things missing from this guide if you really want to embrace roleplaying.

However, I hope the guide is a useful starting point for players who are new to LOTRO roleplaying, including those looking for a new home after the launch of the 64-bit servers. This is why I include some details about LOTRO roleplaying policies and etiquette. I have also tried for a conversational style, discussing why things are good or bad, rather than providing absolute and dogmatic rules. In roleplaying, there are few absolute rules anyway.

The guide is structured as follows:

What is roleplaying in LOTRO?
LOTRO roleplaying servers, policies and etiquette
Twelve tips to start roleplaying
Closing words

So bring a cup of tea (or a stiff brandy) and let's get down to it. Here we go!

1. What is roleplaying in LOTRO?

In online games, players roleplay when they assume the role of a character in the game world and act out this role. If you interpret this definition widely, you roleplay when you log into LOTRO, play a character through the game storyline and use the regular game mechanics. So you've been roleplaying all the time already. Why stop now?

When people speak of roleplaying in LOTRO, though, it usually involves acting in character (IC). You talk, act and interact with others like your character would have in Middle Earth, in order to go beyond the game mechanics, to immerse yourself more into the game world and Tolkien's lore. If you'd like to flesh out the details of the character you have running around on the screen, you can roleplay it. If you ever dreamed of being a farmer in Hobbiton, a soldier of Gondor, an elven scholar, a dwarf seeking your lost homeland, or one of the thousands other possible roles, roleplaying gives you the opportunity.

Roleplaying also involves developing stories. Your character can act within the context of the stories offered by the game, or in new player-created stories. You can spend a lot of time preparing new story ideas before bringing them into the game, or you can simply improvise with others you meet to see where your combined choices take you. This goes for the whole range of stories, from epic adventures to tavern-based conversations.

Above all, roleplaying is an exercise in creativity. Using your imagination, you help drive a story forward, either on your own or in the company of others. When you do so with other players, you add to their game experience as well. This often spills outside of the game: Roleplaying communities are home to many talented players who write stories, poetry and songs, paint pictures, create videos and do all sorts of other exciting stuff based on what they do in the game. There are several community resources catering for roleplaying and creativity, like The Laurelin Archives and The Bramblebury Gazette.

So, welcome to in-character roleplaying in LOTRO. Use your imagination to immerse yourself in the game, perhaps by losing yourself a bit in the game world. Filter out your real-life worries, turn off the OOC chat channels, and just embrace the story. It can be quite rewarding.

2. LOTRO roleplaying servers, policies and etiquette

This section gives a quick description of the roleplaying servers in LOTRO, including some words about RP policies and etiquette

2.1. The LOTRO RP servers

From March 2025, LOTRO has two 64-bit roleplay (RP) servers:

Meriadoc, in the EU
Peregrin, in the US

In addition, the old 32-bit servers will also run for the time being. Of these, the two EU servers Laurelin (English) and Belegaer (German) are roleplay servers. The US Landroval server did not originally have a RP tag, but was given a RE (roleplay encouraged) tag back in 2011.

Additionally, roleplaying may occur on other servers as well, both 32-bit and 64-bit.

2.2. Roleplay rules and policies in LOTRO

Contrary to board games or pen and paper roleplaying (like Dungeons and Dragons), roleplaying in online games lacks universally accepted rules or standards. There are no dice to throw or preset tables of success probabilities, outside of what is offered by the game combat mechanics. Still, there are a few policies in play on the roleplaying servers, both official and unofficial ones, and it is good to know about both.

Meriadoc and Peregrin (64-bit)

Meriadoc and Peregrin are RP servers in the sense that they have an RP tag, showing roleplayers where to go to meet each other. The servers come with no additional RP rulesets or policies, beyond the general Code of Conduct for LOTRO.

Laurelin and Belegaer (EU, 32-bit) - now closed

These servers used to follow Turbine's Official Roleplaying Rules and Policy, with restrictions on player names, chat and behaviour.

Theoretically, they did up to the very end, given that Turbine/SSG never formally abolished the rules. Instead, SSG repeatedly removed the sticky for the policy thread on their old forums, to try make it less visible. Players called them out on it for a while, until it was obvious where SSG's interest lay with regard to the policy. So in practice, SSG didn't act on the RP policy in several years, until the servers closed

Landroval (US, 32-bit) - now closed

Landroval never had additional RP rulesets, but it did have a RP-RE tag (RP recommended).

2.3. Local RP etiquette

In addition to the game Code of Conduct, RP servers may have informal guidelines, practices or local etiquette for how to roleplay. These have been developed over time, they are usually not written down, and they might vary between servers or even between different communities on the same server.

It is too early to describe how the local etiquette will be on the new 64-bit servers. For instance, Meriadoc will see a huge influx of roleplayers from Laurelin, bringing practices from that server with them (not least, traditions based on following the old RP Policy). However, the server will also welcome players hailing from other servers and communities, with their own practices. Then we'll see how things develop once players meet and mingle and play together over time.

However, it is still possible to give a general description of RP etiquettte. Roleplay etiquette often springs out from a desire for more realism and deeper immersion, so players act naturally within the confinement of the gaming world.

However, you should remember that local etiquette is not the same as official policy:

While it may be wise to adhere to etiquette, you are not bound by it.
No-one can report you to the GM's for "breaking" etiquette. If they do, the GM's can't sanction against you. They can only act based on the Code of Conduct.
If someone angrily sends you a /tell saying you are breaking standard practices in local etiquette and that they'll report you over this, calmly explain to them that as long as you play within the Code of Conduct, you are good.

It is useful to know that roleplay etiquette exists, and following it might add lots to your own roleplaying. Just don't expect everyone else to follow it, or even to agree with it.

The one exception is when public roleplaying events are organized around specific pre-announced "house rules", like who should attend, how you should dress, etc. In this case, you should play along with the choices of the organizers. Even though those house rules may not be part of the formal RP policy, you could get slapped with a harassment report if you actively sabotage the RP efforts of others.

Outside of this special case: Here are some examples of common RP practices, with some discussion of why they shouldn't always be taken as gospel.

Using character names without former introduction

In LOTRO, you can easily see the name of another player on the screen. When new players that I haven't seen before come up to me the first time, they often greet me by saying: "Hello there, Lina". Which is simple and friendly, but... in some roleplay communities, this is a near criminal offense. How does the other player know my name? Did someone gossip about me? How on earth dare you throw my name around without going through a proper 5-minute rite of introduction with me? Cue angry tells.

Using character names without introduction is perhaps the most regular example of metagaming, where you use information in the game that your character couldn't realistically know. Personally, I think that proper introductions are nice for immersion purposes, but lighten up already. If you're halfway creative, you can easily roleplay around this. Perhaps the other player overheard someone speaking about me? Perhaps it is a long-lost cousin that have just come to greet me? Perhaps my fame preceeded me! Lots of hooks here to keep the roleplaying with the other player going. You can easily do that without drawing attention to a simple mistake driven by friendliness and an eagerness to interact with you.

Emoting your thoughts

Emotes can be a great way to spice up roleplaying. Instead of just doing the basic emotes (/clap, /cheer, /dance), you can write your own custom emotes to flesh out your character further, or to respond to what happens around you, by using the /e command. Emotes like "Lina smiles innocently as Simbo bites into the pie" add a bit of spice to the roleplaying (in particular if there is a fair bit of extra hot spice added to the pie beforehand...).

One danger with emotes is that players might add their inner thoughts, like: "Lina thinks Lobelia is an idiot" or "Lina sits by the fireplace, thinking about times long past". Realistically, no other player would know your thoughts. They can't look inside your head or read your mind. Hence, some say that emoted thoughts are examples of bad roleplaying.

This view has a lot of merit, but as always there is a flip side to the coin. Once again, you can roleplay around it. You can choose to interpret these emotes as if "Lina mutters that Lobelia is an idiot, loud enough that those close by can hear her", or "Lina sits by the fireplace, having a distant look in her eyes. It is just as if she thinks of times long past". In these cases, the think emotes are just an efficient way to speed up the roleplaying and convey things that others can use to interact with you, without having to wait five minutes before you write the whole thing.

Walking, not running

Roleplayers love to walk. When the focus is on immersing yourself in a story rather than moving from A to B as fast as possible, there is no better way about it than to go slow. You have more time to type your dialogue and emotes, to observe your surroundings, to let the story flow. Also, stamina-wise, walking is more realistic than being able to run everywhere all the time.

As a result, some roleplayers absolutely loathe the sight of other players running or riding in areas where they feel it is natural to walk. Run through Bree? Ride into the auction house without dismounting? Ride on the slippery rock floor inside Thorin's Hall? Sacrilege! It's not right and proper. You just shouldn't do it!

Says some. Others, though, accept that time is limited and that you don't spend 24 hours a day living in a Middle Earth simulator. Sometimes you have to speed up in order to get things done, to spend the 30 minutes before your kids come home from football practice efficiently. That doesn't make you a bad roleplayer. It just lets you play the game in the limited time you have available.

Other examples

Other examples of RP etiquette include:

Following the in-game day/night cycle (sleeping while it is dark, only travelling during the day, saying "good morning" when it is morning in-game but evening in the real world)
Adhering to line of sight (not being able to see around corners, behind buildings)
Wearing proper attire and equipment (dress realistically for where you are, don't wear weapons during dancing)

Once again: These things may work for some. They can add a lot of flavour to the game. But no, they don't work for everyone. And no-one should try to force you to follow them all the time.

2.4. Roleplaying is not enforced on RP servers, and non-roleplayers are very welcome

It is a long-standing mistake that roleplaying is enforced on LOTRO's roleplaying servers. This won't be the case on Meriadoc and Peregrin, and it never was the case on Laurelin and Belegaer either. On the old servers, roleplaying was supported by the RP policy, an extra set of house rules that helped offer a more enjoyable RP experience. Most importantly, this was done through guidelines that protected roleplayers from the actions of those who wished to grief or harass them. As mentioned above, this won't be the case for Meriadoc and Peregrin, we'll have to do with the general Code of Conduct.

So, on Meriadoc and Peregrin, we will likely see many players who say they don't have much interest in RP. Then why will they play there? They might like the atmosphere of the server. They might want to take part in a few public player-run events. They might enjoy stories, or seeing others develop them. And that's all good! Non-roleplayers on RP servers are no problem at all, as long as they don’t try to ruin things for those who want to roleplay. Rather, they are a benefit to the server community: The server feels more alive when more players are around, the economy thrives, and it is easier to get help for crafting or groups for instances.

So, are you're worried about the scary roleplayers who are just waiting to clobber your non-RP self into the ground and tap-dance on the remains if you join their server? There's no reason to. We'll be happy to see you there, and we'll greet yer welcome. Come join the fun!

3. Twelve tips to start roleplaying

You've found a RP server, you have heard about policy and etiquette, you have rolled up a character (ideally one with a name halfway working within Tolkien's works). Now is the time! Throw yourself into it and start roleplaying. Here are twelve simple tips to get you started.

Prepare your game client for roleplaying
Observe what others do
Write language, not dialect (or emoticons)
Talk about the weather
Aim for fast and simple, not slow and perfect
Go easy with backstory
Accept that roleplaying is not a one-way street
Be true to the game environment
Don't be a lore lexicon
Don't force others
Don't take it personally
Relax and have fun

The rest of the guide provides some more details for each tip:

3.1. Prepare your game client for roleplaying

From the start, it is important to realize that LOTRO is an imperfect environment for roleplaying. Unless you do voice, you basically have to interact with others only through short text statements in chat channels. This leads to a few problems for roleplayers:

There is so much happening on the game screen that many players can't get a good overview of everything.
Your chat window might scroll by so fast, you're not able to keep up.
Actions by a few players can ruin the roleplaying for many: Using forced emotes, filling the area with noisy cosmetic pets, playing music over others, etc.

However, there are many tricks you can use to prepare your user interface for roleplaying, so you don't miss out when others try to interact with you. I covered many of these in a former post geared specifically towards large events. Much of this is still valid, and the advice there works well for general roleplaying too. Some tricks are:

Turn on chat bubbles (so the /say chat is visible above the chacter who enters it).
Turn off some chat channels (I particularly recommend staying out of the /world channel, if for no other reason for your own sanity)
Use more than one chat window, so you can direct useful channels to specific windows.
Turn off forced emotes
Turn off cosmetic pets
Ignore troublemakers

In addition, there are a fair few plugins that can be useful to enhance your roleplaying. Some of my favourites are:

SongbookBB, which helps you in playing music in-game
Poetical, which helps you recite poems or sing songs in-game
Babble, which helps reduce emote spam at busy events
Predict in-game time, which tracks the in-game day/night cycle and lets you know when it will be morning/dusk etc.

3.2. Observe what others do

There is much learning to be had simply by seeing other roleplayers in action. This is a good way to learn about etiquette, to see how things work in different communities. Some fear that they are "eavesdropping" or creepily stalking others if they stop to observe roleplayers. Don't worry! Most roleplayers love an audience. And after all, you're not really eavesdropping, you're just getting your bearings and learning more about how things work locally.

Also consider attending a few roleplaying events. Even if you don't plan to be a regular event-goer, these are good place to see roleplayers and meet some of those who are active on the server.

3.3. Write language, not dialect (or emoticons)

Plain and simple language works great when interacting with others. Just write proper sentences with punctuation and everything, and the others will understand you. Don't worry if the dominating server language isn't your mother tongue. Most roleplayers are quite forgiving of possible poor grammar or choice of wording, as long as you make the effort.

Avoid strange dialects - unless you're a grand master in linguistics, they usually detract more than they add. Besides, you're just getting started, and sticking to plain language makes it one less thing you have to worry about. Also remember that outside of the Ultima games, no-one uses Ye Olde English like thee, thou and prithee. For immersion purposes, don't use emoticons or internet slang like :) ;p lol or similar.

3.4. Talk about the weather

If you're looking for a conversation opener, keep it simple. You don't have to draw a grand storyline out of your hat to start roleplaying. Just introduce yourself, ask where the other person bought that fancy-looking dress/hat/backpack, inquire where the local inn is (if you're not inside it), and if all else goes wrong: talk about the weather.

It might seem mundane, but remember - you're just getting started. You're trying to interact with another person in-character. Simple things works like a charm to get acquainted with others in the game.

3.5. Aim for fast and simple, not slow and perfect

I find that the best way to keep the interaction going with another person in LOTRO is to keep up the tempo. Speedy replies reduce the chance that players get distracted by other things. So when you chat with someone, aim for short sentences, not page-long emotes. Keep things moving along. Don't bother with correcting simple typos if you've already sent them to the chat channel. Walls of text take forever to write, they clog up the chat windows, and you risk that the other player gets bored or think that you have gone away from your keyboard.

Once you get your RP bearings and understand the rhythm of other players, that's when you can be more advanced. To begin with, though: Quick and simple works great.

3.6. Go easy with backstory

Backstory is of some importance in roleplaying. Basically, this is your description of the character you are playing, which might include: The way the character looks and behaves, a biography, character traits, etc. This gives you a framework to roleplay with, and knowing a little bit about your character is obviously necessary to play the role.

Then again, it is easy to go overboard when creating a character, writing pages and pages of backstory. That works for some, but it might not be the best way for a beginner. Instead, I recommend that you start simple. A small post-it note or a mental check-list with a few vitals is more than enough; Line of work, one or two defining traits, near family, aspirations in life or similar. That's enough to get going. If you really like the character after having played it for a while, you have the chance to let it evolve, by filling in the backstory with more details, allowing it to grow more complex over time. In the beginning, though: Simple is good!

Additionally, when creating your character: Avoid the Mary Sue (or Gary Stu) trap, where you character ends up the most awesome/interesting/powerful/dramatic/perfect being ever, defying logic or reason on the way. You're not really Gandalf's long-lost half brother three orcs removed. You're not the most beautiful and wise creature that ever lived. Mortals do not bow at your feet whatever you do.

Lastly, remember that the backstory is your tool to develop your character. Everyone else doesn't really need to know it. You don't have to spend the first five minutes with someone going through all of your life story. Tempt a little, drop a few hints... that might be good to get the interaction going. But don't preach your biography from the mountains.

3.7. Accept that roleplaying is not a one-way street

When you start roleplaying, remember that RP is not a performance where you entertain an audience all by yourself (unless you play purely on your own). Rather, it is the dynamic storytelling that can arise between two or more players who have a shared interest in moving a story along.

What does this mean for a beginner roleplayer? First of all, sometimes you have to initiate the roleplaying yourself. Don't go waiting for others to come roleplay with you. Offer up a little of yourself, for instance through emotes: "Lina sighs as she drags the heavy-looking bag down the road". That gives others the opportunity to interact with you, perhaps offering to help you carry the bag.

Other times, you just might have to courage up and introduce yourself to others. Just wave to them and say "Hullo!". Many times, the other player will just run off without interacting with you. That's not because they hate you, but because they don't really have an interest in roleplaying. Sometimes, though, you are lucky and the other player talks back to you. And that's how friendships start in the game.

Second, this means that interaction is key. If you roleplay only through reciting massive poems, singing eternal-lasting songs or by telling your long stories, without letting others reply or add their input, you're not really interacting. You're just performing a play. Which is good in some situations, but not the basis for creative collaborative storytelling.

The last point is critical, because it is fun to be the center of attention. The danger, though, is that you end up making speeches instead of engaging in dialogue, hijacking events for your own purpose, or spamming the room by being utterly unable to shut up when others talk. Accept from the start that roleplaying is not all about you, be prepared to have a passive role from time to time, and you stand a much bigger chance of making friends in the game.

3.8. Be true to the game environment

While it is easy to go overboard on the immersion and realism thing, I think it is good to be somewhat mindful of the environment you play in, and the possible consequences of your actions. So try keep your actions somewhat within the logic of the game world. Examples might include:

Don't set off fireworks inside an inn, that'll just make the innkeeper force you to pay for repairs.
Don't wield a 20-foot halberd while dancing in a huge crowd, that'll just result in a bloody mess.
Don't repeatedly swat those nearby with a gigantic flower whenever you turn, that'll just lead them to throw down the gauntlet on you.
Don't roleplay that you use two hobbits as an accordion (that actually happened in the game once... it didn't go well).

Related to this, you should also try to avoid metagaming, where you use information in the game that your character wouldn't know. If someone posts their character's diary on the Laurelin Archives, pouring their inner thoughts onto a publicly available website, this is still no excuse to use this information in your roleplaying. Just go with the information you have available in the game, and you're good.

3.9. Don't be a lore lexicon

Roleplaying in LOTRO is a way to immerse yourself in Tolkien's lore. However, this doesn't mean that you or your character must know the entirety of Tolkien's works by heart, or be able to quote the Silmarillion backwards and sideways.

For the player, knowing a bit of lore is obviously a good way to help flesh out the backstory of your character, and it gives you a framework to roleplay within. For instance, if you're interested in hobbit roleplaying, I heartily recommend reading through the Prologue Chapter of Lord of the Rings, called Concerning Hobbits. This is a short primer on hobbit history, traits and customs, and it isn't too long. However, I'd never say that this is a prerequisite for playing a hobbit in LOTRO.

The important thing is that you don't feel forced to bring too much lore into the game world. This may seem somewhat at odds with the goal of getting immersed in Tolkien's works through roleplaying. However, you should accept that there are limits to what your character would know, based on what role you play. And no, you're not playing Elrond. Your character is not expected to know all that has happened in Middle Earth, or to have heard of all beings, creatures and persons mentioned in Tolkien's stories.

Using hobbits again as an example, the patrons of the Green Dragon would be very unlikely to discuss (or even understand) the details of ancient elven or dwarven history, or the intricacies of powerplay between wizards. They'd have more than enough with what concerns them in the present, like the quality of crops or the upcoming mayor election during the midsummer fair.

3.10. Don't force others

Forcing others is a big no-no in roleplaying, which really undermines the collaborative aspect of storytelling. There are several ways to force others, all of which you should try to avoid from the start:

Avoid emotional manipulation, where you fish for sympathy from others because of harrowing things in your backstory or happenings in-game (murdered parents, burned-down farms, no-one likes me, etc).
Don't do power emotes, which basically forces effects or actions upon other characters (chopping off their legs, throwing them on the floor, killing them with a single blow etc).
Don't do forced emotes, where you force animations and effects upon other characters (using festival items on others while roleplaying, performing captain cheers on dancing crowds etc). Granted, this problem is less now that you can disable most of the involuntary emotes, but the problem still remains.
Don't force your roleplaying story or preferences on others. Others may have limits to their roleplaying that they don't want to cross: Heavy drama, conflict RP, etc. Just accept it and move on if that is the case.

3.11. Don't take it personally

Remember that in-character roleplaying is not the same as real-world behaviour. A player whose character is a hobbit wary of elves isn't necessarily a real-life xenophobe. Players who are gruff and surly in the game just act out their character traits; they don't do this to be mean to you. If players don't interact with you, it might be because they didn't notice you in a busy game setting, or because they were pressed for time. If players interact with you in a certain way, don't go looking for out of character explanations.

The simple version is: Don't read real-life malice into in-character actions. Don't look for excuses to be offended based on roleplaying.

3.12. Relax and have fun

Roleplaying should be fun. Roleplaying IS fun. It isn't much fun, though, if you are afraid of doing mistakes, if you're too shy, or if you don't dare greet others out of fear that you'll trip over all sorts of formal and informal conventions for how to roleplay properly.

Just remember the following: Everyone has been new at this once. Most players you'll come across are good-natured and friendly. They'll know and accept that mistakes can happen. What is important is that you are willing to learn. If you say you're new to this roleplaying thing, there are lots of roleplayers who will spend their time to help you get your bearings.

In short: Worry less. Play more. Learn as you go. And have fun!

4. Closing words

This is not an official guide to start roleplaying in LOTRO, and it is not sanctioned by neither SSG nor the LOTRO roleplaying community at large. Rather, this is my advice for starting roleplayers, based on my own gaming experiences over the years. Other opinions will certainly apply. Although, I see many have shared the guide over the years, and that's been grand to see.

I hope that you have enjoyed reading the guide, and that it will be of some help to those of you who consider trying roleplaying in LOTRO. It is not my aim to have you agree with everything here, nor to have you take this guide as the absolute truth. Hopefully, though, the guide will help defuse some of the perceived "dangers" of roleplaying that beginners often are afraid of. If it also helps you consider various aspects of how to start your roleplaying career, or enable you to find the way you prefer to interact with others, I couldn't be happier. Good luck in your efforts! And don't be shy to stop by for a chat if you're on Meriadoc.

Lastly, thank you for taking the time to look at the guide! Please let me know if you find it to be useful (or not). Are there things you find horribly wrong? Do you have suggestions for improvements, or did you spot errors? Just add your thoughts to the comments below, and they may provide the basis for a future revision of the guide.