Mob

Naming Conventions

In LOTRO, and at Lotro-Wiki.com there are two terms used to refer to enemies. While often used interchangeably, consistent usage on the Wiki is defined by:

• At Lotro-Wiki, use "Mob" when referring to enemies encountered INSIDE an Instance or Dungeon.
• At Lotro-Wiki, use "Creature" when referring to enemies OUTSIDE an instance, prowling the landscape.

LOTRO Threat Indicator

A third term: Non-player Character (or NPC), is used to describe characters which are not aggressive toward the Player Character, but who may be toward others.

A "guard" is a typical NPC who will attack any approaching Creature or MOB, but who will ignore Player Characters and their allies.

Generic, Computer Gaming Usage

Back in the early days of on-line gaming called MUD -- Multi User Dungeons -- the term "Mob" derived from shorthand usage to describe a "Mobile" or "Mobile OBject" as opposed to a static object. That object was usually, but not always, a hostile enemy or "monster." Today, those Mobs would be called "Pathers" as they are moving in some computer described, usually repetitive and therefore predictable, path.

• In MMOs today, the term Mob has come to be a generic term describing any enemy -- static or moving -- that can be attacked by a player; a hostile, computer-controlled, non-player character (NPC). Depending upon the game, all such characters in a game may be referred to as "mobs"; or usage of the term may be limited to hostile NPCs and/or NPCs vulnerable to attack. The various terms are frequently used interchangeably by players simply to describe any animal or race or creature in the game who will attack you. The distinction is more often simply player jargon whose usage varies from player to player than any actual difference.

Also, in MMOs today and especially LOTRO, enemies don't have to be mobile. They frequently simply lie in wait for the unsuspecting player to approach or may be completely invisible until the unsuspecting player is attacked. Enemies may be aggressive or neutral, social or single, beast or humanoid, dumb or 'intelligent'.

• Creatures on landscape generally have a threat radius of seven meters (less in Rohan), and show a white indicator overhead when they become aware of a nearby player and are preparing to attack.

• LOTRO also has "Creeps" which are Player Characters found in Monster Play (PvMP).

Difficulty Level

Landscape Difficulty is a user-selectable modifier to mob damage and enhanced buffs on Landscape and Skirmishes.

Creatures and Mobs are also named in such a way to indicate difficulty.

Adds are normal mobs who appear after you have attacked your original mob, in other words they are additional enemies who join your ongoing fight. They can be scripted to attack in waves as you defeat a certain number or may simply react to "Threat" ("Aggro") generated by you.

Signature mobs or named mobs are those that have a unique name and sometimes drop important loot such as shards, click to start a quest items, or trophies. A signature mob frequently appears as |part of a quest, and are often referred to as a "boss." They usually have higher morale than a |similar mob at that level, and may hit harder, but aren't elite.

Elites are the supreme bad guys, not to be treated as any other mob. Elites will say elite when you select them.