The Lord of the Rings: Return to Moria — 5 Best Tips for Beginners

Are you ready to reclaim the mines of Moria in Free Range Games’ The Lord of the Rings: Return to Moria? If you are, then be sure to brush up on these following tips before you take up your hammer and chisel and make way for Tolkien’s world. Not sure where to begin? Don’t sweat it — we’ve got you covered.

5. Don’t Neglect Your Four Needs

To survive the wrath of the mines of Moria, you’re going to need four things: food, warmth, light, and a place to rest your head. Fortunately, you can keep on top of all four of these things by building a small Camp Hearth around the mines, which will in turn provide you with the tools and amenities to boost your morale, stamina, and energy. However, it is worth pointing out that, while smaller bases can be useful in situations that involve traipsing back and forth between certain areas in the mine, you will need to pour the bulk of your resources and attention into a communal hub area, which will serve as your go-to haven when the going gets tough.

The good news is, you can whittle down your hunger meter by not only eating cooked meals, but raw foods, too. And while the latter isn’t exactly the most beneficial for your health, consuming whatever’s in your pocket will certainly bat away those wasted calories. As far as stamina goes, that’s all pretty self-explanatory; you need only sleep in a bed to restore it. Maintaining warmth and comfort, on the other hand, is as simple as setting up torches in dark areas and staying within close proximity of the heat source.

4. Rebuild Statues

To return Moria back to its former state, you’re going to need to innovate and expand. And not just that, but work on rebuilding the statues that also call the corridors of Moria home. There’s a plus side to this, too: reworking a fallen statue will reward you with a crafting recipe; the more of these you have, the more you’ll be able to add to your chamber and tool belt. And to truly understand the ins and out of Moria, you will of course need to learn every trick of the trade—a path that will involve experimenting with new items and blueprints.

As it turns out, repairing a statue isn’t a case of just throwing a hammer at it and watching it fix itself. Instead, you’ll need to tick a few boxes and meet the requirements before reaping the rewards. That said, it’s definitely a secondary objective you’ll want to keep tabbed during your travels — especially if you’re planning on transforming the entirety of Moria into an underground metropolis.

3. Leave Burning Breadcrumb Trails

In any normal situation, you could quite easily romp through the darkness and out onto the other side without any major setbacks. Unfortunately, Return to Moria doesn’t quite work like that, as it pretty much forces you to establish frequent light trails to prevent your dwarven landscaper from rolling into their cocoon. So, to stop this from happening, you’re going to want to carry a torch around with you wherever you go — even if it’s down a few tunnels only yards from the central area.

The bad news to all of this is, well, you can only do so much with one band. And, seeing as your spare hand will be needed for lugging a flaming torch around, it’s best that you use whatever tools you have to erect walls. Thankfully, walls can host torches, which means you can eventually create numerous trails around the network and light up each and every nook and cranny. If you can help it, aim to ignite as much of  Moria as you can as early on as possible — if only to keep the darkest of shadows at bay.

2. The Forge Is Your Best Friend

Of all the things you’ll come to craft in Return to Moria, the Forge is, without doubt, the most reliable thing you’ll ever need and want. Simply put, the Forge can provide you with better weapons, armor, and tools—three things that any avid miner will need in order to progress deeper into the tunnels and make a house a home. Or in this case, a mine an underground fortress.

In addition to the Forge, you’ll also want to use your accrued Iron Ingots to build a Smithy—a valuable work station that can be used to repair weapons and items. So, given the fact that you’re more likely to break things in the very beginning, you’ll definitely want to consider locking down a Smithy as soon as possible.

1. Don’t Get Greedy

As a miner, it’s only natural that you’d feel the urge to pocket everything you touch. Take note, though, that picking too much will only lead to a more sluggish character, which in turn means less crafting, and slower progress. It is worth mentioning, however, that you can, technically, learn recipes just from examining an object out on the floors. So, while it may not be a great idea to get greedy with your exploits — it certainly pays to be curious.

As you comb through the caverns and crevices in Moria, you should aim to obtain as many new materials as possible, as this will unlock new blueprints, and thus, new technologies for you to implement back in your communal region. In other words, don’t think that a satchel full of Iron Ingots are enough to rebuild an empire.

So, what’s your take? Do you have any useful tips for The Lord of the Rings: Return to Moria newcomers? Let us know your thoughts over on our socials here.