http://my.lotro.com/character/landroval/benjimir/

Behold. Benjimir in all of his slacker glory.

Observe my stats, and tell me: Can I do better with armor, and how do I get it?

You and I took very different routes my friend.

my.lotro.com/character/landroval/alyxi/

I just noticed I don't have my banner and halberd equipped in that.

But I'm mystified as to what much of it really means.

I'm guessing that my generally low trait levels contribute to some of the differences. But things like the crit levels seem so high. Donno why. I spend so little time really being serious about these things, I just can't keep the stats straight.

i have no clue as to if this would help you, but you might find a good tip in a few podcasts such as this one:www.casualstrolltomordor.com/2010/07/episode45a/

also i would suggest asking the other captains in NG, such as arronthor they may know some stuff that could help you "pimp out" your captin.

i noticed that also your stats are great, but if you experience some power issues you may want to look into booting will and fate, also if you boost fate i believe that both power and morale will get an increase in their in-combat regain.
being that also your 65 you might want to invest some time questing in mirkwood and get your rep up and get some crafted gear made for level 65 players, try to find some better jewlery if you can also. If you leveled your virtues up to at least 5 or 6 that can help to. With a nice amount of armour, jewlery and traits along with a good weapon with good relics you should hit at least 6k in health and proebly be very well off, then again I know little of captins, but what your morale and power look like, its what my 60 burglar has which i don't believe is at all good for heavy armour players

What trait line(s) are you using? If you're heavy on Hands of Healing, you'll definitely want to raise fate and will.

I can't even recall what traits I put in a couple weeks ago. Though the entire thrust was to gear Ben for max crit and percentage, then DPS, then morale. I do most all my work solo, save for the Moors. So I like to get into hard, but fast fights. Fast, at least in so far as a captain can with a halberd. Power generally isn't an issue if I'm taking on no more than 4 or 5 lvl 60s at a time. 2 to 3 65s are doable. And I have a good sword and board and keep my retreat skills and a power pot ready if I need to R.L.H (Run Like Hell)

My approach generally is to be hyper aware of where I am, retreat options, and being able to size-up my ability to engage a situation. I know going in, what my point of retreat is, and that I can escape. If I can't break a fight up, I look for ways to punch-through, etc.

I also avoid fair fights. When I do level, I tend to quest at and as far above my actual level as I can, I piggy-back as many quests as I can, blaze through them, and seek to level with as few quests as I can. This way, I can double back and overwhelm lesser quests. I also tend to grind a set of quests and areas. I ground the gates of Annuminas from lvl 32 through 50. I ground Eregion dry until I was about 54, side-stepping into Moria ONLY to get the LI item. I ground 54 through 65 in the area outside of Lorien.

My plan now, is to take three roads. RP (explore, RP, etc,) empty 100% of the zones in loose order (Angmar, Forochel, Ered Luin, The Shire, Shaws, MM, Rivendell, Moria, Lorien, Mirkwood, Endenwaith,) and find some way to achieve the hyper-rare Moors title of Captain General.

Assuming I'm able to get a copy of Windows 7 installed on my Mac some time this week, I'd be more than happy to start leading some GS/Forge runs again to get the Moria radiance gear for whomever needs it.

Thanks for starting this string Benjimir. I'm not yet maxed out being LV62 but here is Folkwulf's current set up.

my.lotro.com/character/landroval/folkwulf/

I know I need better armor and jewelry and I think I may need to rethink my traits. Like Benji, I mainly solo so the healing arts are not all that important. I'm primarily a DPS/half tank. I seem to crit often and with high damage. I use food to raise Might for the extra damage, coupled with my banner of war. I need some gear to raise morale. The big problem for Folkwulf is that because he does not group enough he never finished the Captain quests in Carn Dum, so Folk lacks some of the legendary traits he should have by now. Not running the group raids has also left him behind in gear.

I'll defer to the more experienced captains on gear, as I haven't reached endgame yet.

I'm taking a track similar to Rae and Maglavodh, pumping stats in fate, will, and vitality. I'll probably go with agility as my fourth area of focus, as I'm looking for crits to open my on-defeat responses. Really, it boils down to the playstyle you enjoy most. Captain is a wonderfully malleable class.

I just began playing a few months ago, but from what I understand, Turbine made changes to weapon damage in Mirkwood that really hurt cappies' DPS. I've seen Youtube videos of captains hitting for damage I haven't even sniffed. Just out of curiosity, Ben and Folk, how much do y'all crit for?

Also, I would be glad to run CD/Uru to help any others out with completing their level 50 class quests, and, as soon as I hit 58, I would love to join any radiance runs.

I don't have a Cappy as of yet (So I hope you don't mind me jumping in), and am still fairly new, but on the subject of CD/Uru and other stuff, as soon as I'm done getting to that level (I'll belt it out to the 50's in hopefully about a week, if not sooner pending on work.) I'll be happy to play meatshield for any number of runs whenever I'm on.

Hromgar wrote:
Captain is a wonderfully malleable class.
Emphasis. There are very, very few downright BAD ways to play a Captain.

Of course the best way to play a Captain is the way you like to play him/her.