Lord of the Rings Online updates its Beta Journal with a look at the Champion class.

For today's Beta Journal, we asked our Beta Program participants to talk about the experience of playing the Champion class.

I started playing my elf Champion at about the time the elf starter adventures were introduced into the Beta Program, so needless to say, there were certain bugs that made her first experience a little bumpy. But boy was she determined! Consummate warrior that she is, she plunged headlong into the fray, butting heads with the troll at the gate again and again until she finally got through the adventure.

Admittedly, I don't have too many role-models for my female elf Champion from Tolkien lore. In fact I can't think of any at all! But I wanted to play an elf and because of my playing style, I chose a class that can stand toe to toe with the enemy and be able to kill them reasonably fast. I find that being a Champion is a happy mix of offense and defense. Although not as tough as Guardians, they can nevertheless hold their own in a tough fight with three or four mobs attacking them. The other thing that caught me by surprise (a pleasant one), was the fact that Champions can dual wield. This makes them an awesome offensive machine, allowing them to plow through their enemies before they lose too much "morale" (hit points).

The first few levels of my elf life were spent doing quests in and around Ered Luin. Talk about immersion! Amid the beautiful forests and waterfalls, the elves are in a quandary about orcs and other fell creatures creeping into their lands. As they grappled with the decision to leave for the Gray Havens or stay and protect the land, my role was to help them remember their reasons for staying, as well as fight the invaders. The early quests were pretty much soloable, especially with my offensive tank of a Champion. But eventually, I ran into rescue missions and epic quests that just weren't possible to complete alone. Luckily, in the Beta, "pick-up group" is not a bad word.

As my experience grew, I was sent into the dwarf lands to the north but the cold was too much for me so I took the road east and into Hobbit land. I joined the Bounders, a title and a feather in the cap that fits any Champion regardless of race, I thought. Here the atmosphere was much lighter. Call me weird, but I had a blast running all over the Shire doing deliveries for the little folk and getting involved in their seemingly mundane problems, which only hinted at the encroaching darkness. Such a welcome contrast to the world-weary elves of Ered Luin!

As I continued to grow, my quests took me further east into Bree-land. Here, Hobbits lived side by side with men and the feeling of danger is more acute. Brigands roam the Chetwood, trees try to eat you in the old forest, and barrow wights haunt the Downs.

My Champion has a long way to go in Eriador, but her journeys have all been exciting so far.

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