Low-Level Outfitting: Hunter Starting Outfit

For an introduction/explanation of this Starting Outfit series, check out this post.

Like guardian, hunter is an equal opportunity class. Any race can be a hunter. Hunters are excellent archers and are most effective fighters at a distance; they do have a melee weapon as well if needed. Turbine's model representative for this class is Legolas, whose kill record in Helm's Deep kept pace with that of Gimli the axe-wielding dwarf..

Hunters receive a starting outfit of light armor in green and brown tones. The outfit consists of three pieces, one of which is complicated by other classes' starting pieces with similar names or designs.  Please see the post on Sorting out the Confusion for clarification.

1. Chest: Cloth Vest (green and brown)
The green portions of this sleeveless chest piece dye well. The same shirt with sleeves can be found later in-game. If you like the sleeveless look, this is a good piece to keep.

2. Legs: Cloth Pants (green and brown)
These "pants" are skirted leggings whose green portions dye well. There is a crimson stripe around the lower leg that does not dye, and the green belt also stays regardless of dyeing.

3. Feet: Padded Shoes (brown)
These are great, basic shoes. I have a copy of these in my wardrobe in a dozen colors.

This outfit is quite versatile and adapts to many different looks. My take on it here ties in the crimson of the leggings and matches the leggings and shoes to the brown of the vest; it borders on Christmasy but hopefully stops just short!

Full Details:

Chest: cloth vest (crimson)

starting hunter outfit piece, no min. level required
Legs: cloth pants (sienna)

starting hunter outfit piece, no min. level required

Feet: padded shoes (sienna)

starting hunter outfit piece, no min. level required

Low-Level Outfitting: Guardian Starting Outfit

For an introduction/explanation of this Starting Outfit series, check out this post.

Human Guardian

Gelmirian, my main, is a guardian, so I know this class the best of any of them. I chose it because I have an aversion to my characters dying, and the guardian class has enough morale to withstand most fights and tank for another player as well. And now that Gelmirian is high enough level to also use a bow, I can snipe and tank. It's great!

all pieces dyed red

Unfortunately, the starting outfit for guardians is my least favorite due to its dyeing limitations. The outfit consists of five pieces of medium armor in blue and brown tones, but most of the blue areas on this entire outfit are undyeable. In the picture at right, I have dyed each piece red; notice how much blue remains.

Again, all the pieces except the shoulders are complicated by other classes' starting pieces with similar names or designs.  Please see the post on Sorting out the Confusion for clarification.

1. Chest: Leather Shirt (blue and brown)
This shirt is a short-sleeve version of the champion's chest piece. It dyes well and is worth keeping in my opinion.

2. Shoulders: Leather Shoulder Guards (blue and brown)
Chiefly blue, you can dye a ribbon width of trim.

3. Hands: Leather Gauntlets (blue and brown)
Fairly standard design for medium armor bulky gloves; you're just stuck with the blue.

4. Legs: Leather Leggings (brown)
Basic leggings that dye well; worth keeping.

5. Feet: Leather Boots (blue and brown)
These boots dye strangely in two stripes; these might be useful for coordinating complicated outfits with multiple colors as long as one of them is blue.

When I'm designing an outfit and there is a difficult color that I am forced to work with (e.g. the sea blue trim on the Fourth Anniversary pieces), I tend to embrace that color and add more of it. That is what I did with the guardian's starting armor and its unchangeable blue.

Full Details:

Chest: leather shirt (orange)

starting guardian outfit piece, no min. level required

Shoulders: leather shoulder guards (default)

starting guardian outfit piece, no min. level required

Hands: leather gauntlets (orange)

starting guardian outfit piece, no min. level required

Legs: leather leggings (navy)

starting guardian outfit piece, no min. level required

Feet: leather boots (sienna)

starting guardian outfit piece, no min. level required

Low-Level Outfitting: Hauberks

Gelmirian has just leveled to 40, so I'm starting to collect a few of the outfit items that end-game outfitters use constantly. Most of the items in my wardrobe, however, are low-level items, and many of these have no minimum level restrictions. My favorite type of versatile clothing for low-level characters is the cosmetic hauberk.

Reasons to try out hauberks:
1. Low cost
Several hauberks are available at Outfitters for less than 20 silver. Others can be purchased inexpensively by watching the auction hall offerings.
2. Less complicated
one-piece, so don't have to match shirt with leggings
3. Still interesting
Most hauberks dye well in multiple colors for very different looks.  Add accessories for an outfit all your own, and adjust them for combat or for a concert.


For example, in the picture above, Gelmirian is wearing the Leather Hauberk dyed violet along with a violet cloak. The cloak dyed in sienna also looks lovely, and the gloves and footwear can be adjusted to match the occasion. Some hauberks are offered only in one region. Celebrate a character's arriving in Bree by picking up this hauberk!

In the next case Luivia is modeling the Sherriff's hauberk, which can be purchased from the Michel Delving Outfitter for 19 silver and 32 bronze.  The hauberk is paired here with my favorite low-level helm, Torchar (optional quest reward from "Payment in Full" which can be done as early as level 12).

Below, Gelmirian wears the Dwarf-Make Hauberk dyed gold with gold-dyed cloak, gloves, and shoes. This ensemble is quite fitting for questing in Ered Luin or wherever dwarves are found.

Other examples of my use of hauberks can be seen in the posts Spring Festival Mount Outfit and A Tribute to Evandim. A full pictorial of all the hauberks available in LOTRO can be found here; note that the dyable parts are grey.