Expansion

An expansion is a purchasable addition to the existing base game.

In the Lord of the Rings Online, an expansion generally includes the following:

• Level cap increase
• New map(s) with explorable landscape content
• New landscape quests
• Epic story continuation
• New game system(s) or mechanic(s)
• New crafting tier
• New reputation faction(s)

Group content and updates

Originally, expansions also included instances and raids. However, in recent years the trend to release content more gradually emerged, and group content has usually been added in separate updates after the expansion release date. Similarly, new reputation factions, gear, crafting recipes and landscape content has been added at a later date. Regardless, this content can only be accessed after the expansion has been purchased.

Payment model

LOTRO expansions can usually be pre-ordered before release. Pre-ordering allows for earlier access to the expansions. Generally, various pre-order versions are available, of which the more expensive ones offer exclusive rewards. After release, expansions may also be bought with LOTRO Points (formerly Turbine Points).

On April 20, 2022, with the release of Update 33, all expansions and LOTRO Store Quest Packs in order of release up to and including Helm's Deep were made free to all players. Additionally, the Standard Editions of the Mordor, Minas Morgul, and War of Three Peaks expansions were made free for VIPs.

Current expansions

LOTRO currently counts eleven expansions. The following table lists them all, ordered by release date. The first five, Mines of Moria through Helm's Deep, are only "expansions" in the historical sense now, since all of that content has been folded into the base game, and is not purchasable separately.

Items marked with a * indicate a level cap increase.

Expansion	Release date	Level Range	Status
Mines of Moria	November 18, 2008	50 to 60 *	Free to Play
Siege of Mirkwood	December 1, 2009	60 to 65 *	Free to Play
Rise of Isengard	September 27, 2011	65 to 75 *	Free to Play
Riders of Rohan	October 15, 2012	75 to 85 *	Free to Play
Helm's Deep	November 20, 2013	85 to 95 *	Free to Play
Mordor	August 2, 2017	105 to 115 *	Free to VIP, or purchase
Minas Morgul	November 5, 2019	120 to 130 *	Free to VIP, or purchase
War of Three Peaks	October 20, 2020	130	Free to VIP, or purchase.
Fate of Gundabad	November 10, 2021	130 to 140 *	Purchase
Before the Shadow	November 15, 2022	1 - 30	Purchase
Corsairs of Umbar	November 8, 2023	140 to 150 *	Purchase

Note that while expansions typically include a level cap increase, the level cap has also been increased in between expansions:

• On July 14, 2014, the level cap was increased from 95 to 100 with Update 14, The Paths of the Dead.
• On April 12, 2016, the level cap was increased from 100 to 105 with Update 18, The Battle of Pelennor Fields.
• On October 9, 2018, the level cap was increased from 115 to 120 with Update 23, Where Dragons Dwell.

Available Quest Packs

All quest packs released before the Helm's Deep expansion in November 2013 are free to play for everyone. Those released since must be purchased by Free to Play and Premium accounts, but are free for VIP players. (See Account Type for an explanation of the differences.)

NOTE: "missions" have a minimum level of 20, and are scaled to the character's level at instance creation time. Maximum level is whatever the Level Cap is.

	Quest Pack	Levels	Points
	Beneath the Surface Umbar-môkh	150	1095
	Gondor Renewed King's Gondor	140	995
	Return to Carn Dûm	140	1495
	Further Adventures of Elladan and Elrohir	missions*	295
	Yondershire	20-23	995
	Rangers and Ruins Angle of Mitheithel	40-45	725
	Blood of Azog	missions* + 130	1695
	Further Adventures of Bilbo Baggins	missions*	495
	The Wildwood	missions* + 45-50	1195
	Mists of Wilderland Floodfells and Misthallow	130	1295
	The Vales of Anduin	120	1495
	Where Dragons Dwell Ered Mithrin and Withered Heath	115-120	1995
	Legacy of the Necromancer Strongholds of the North	115	795
	Battle of the Black Gate	105	795
	March of the King	105	795
	Far Anórien	100-105	1995
	Old Anórien	100	795
	East Gondor	100	795
	Central Gondor	100	795
	Western Gondor	95-100	795

Gallery

This gallery shows the official logo for each expansion.

• 

  Mines of Moria

• 

  Siege of Mirkwood

• 

  Rise of Isengard

• 

  Riders of Rohan

• 

  Helm's Deep

• 

  Mordor

• 

  Minas Morgul

• 

  War of Three Peaks

• 

  Fate of Gundabad

• 

  Before the Shadow

• 

  Corsairs of Umbar

Links

• Ten years of LOTRO: A History of Virtual Middle-earth Ravalation, on 8 May 2017.
• Lotro legendarium: A trip back through LOTRO's expansions Massively OP, on 19 August 2017.

Expansions
Major Expansions: Shadows of Angmar (2007) • Mines of Moria (2008) • Siege of Mirkwood (2009) • Rise of Isengard (2011) • Riders of Rohan (2012) • Helm's Deep (2013) • Mordor (2017) • Minas Morgul (2019) • Fate of Gundabad (2021) • Corsairs of Umbar (2023) Minor Expansions: War of Three Peaks (2020) • Before the Shadow (2022)