One of the search questions my blog tracked recently was “how do I change my damage type?” I’m assuming that the questioner was interested in finding out how to change the damage type on their legendary item (LI) weapon. It’s a good question and one that I had going through the mines until I reached Dolven View.
To change the damage type of a LI, you need to talk to one of the quest-givers for the solo instances. There is one quest-giver in the town just outside the mines and there are two in Dolven View. The first thing to do is talk to the quest-giver. They’ll usually ask for a special stone or mineral before going through the instance. The minerals are random drops from mobs throughout Moria. I believe the level of the mineral is based off the level of the mob. So a 53 mob will have a chance to drop the lower level ones while the 60 mobs will drop the higher level ones. Once you have your mineral (and it’s a different one depending on the instance level you want to go into) go back to the quest-giver and start the instance.
Each instance has its own gimmick. For example, there’s one I run to get Goblin-piercer which involves collecting shard drops from the mobs inside the instance. I get a number of shards, and then kill the signature boss at the end. Completing the boss kill opens up the anvil so I can create a refined mineral. Another instance involved looking for a morrovail runner and trying to stop them from escaping. I’ll be working my way into the instance and see text something like “morrovail runner is trying to escape” at which point I run to the entrance and take them down before they get out. Once you figure out how to beat the gimmick, the instances are mostly fun and somewhat challenging at the appropriate level.
Once you’ve beaten the instance, you’ll get to use the anvil and create your refined mineral gizmo. After that, just leave and turn it in to the quest-giver for the scroll of your choice.
Some points of interest:
- Damage types with the expansion aren’t as cut-and-dry as they were in the Shadows of Angmar (SoA). Common isn’t a “bad” damage type anymore. Depending on what you’re fighting and whether it has a weakness to a particular damage type is more important than other factors. On a mob with no damage type weaknesses, common damage is just as good as ancient-dwarf damage. If you have an old LI and a superior new one, use the new one even if it doesn’t have the scroll buff yet – it will be better with the buff but it’s not broken without one.
- Due to the number of orcs I’ve had to fight in Moria, I generally pick up Goblin-piercer or the orc-specific damage modifier. The damage type is still common, but the weapon does more damage to orcs.
- Enough gems drop throughout the mines that you can actually run the instances and keep a scroll collection going so you can swap out damage modifiers as you see fit. I’m working on a trait to slay drakes in the mines so I may swap to a drake-slayer modifier at some point to take care of that.
- The solo instances are a great way to level a second (or third) LI for the sole purpose of deconstructing it. Deconstructing a LI gets you gems which you can use or combine with other gems to create more powerful ones. Once your destructible LI is level two, you stand a much better chance at getting more gems than you’d get with it at level one. I believe the mobs in the solo instances also help advance your slayer deeds as well (not 100% sure on that though).
- The instances are doable at the appropriate level (where they con yellow or white) but they can be tough. Take your time and use strategies appropriate to your class. You shouldn’t need hope tokens but having buff food and potions (heal, wound, fear, etc) is probably a good idea.
