Virtues

Virtues are one of the 4 types of traits your character can gain in LOTRO. 

From virtues you gain bonuses which can be important for your character. These virtue bonuses stack with each other and all other bonuses, and are a way to tweak your character's build for different game-play situations. 

Each virtue gives 3 bonuses to your stats: the largest bonus is given to the primary stat of the virtue. A smaller bonus is given to the secondary stat of the virtue and the smallest bonus to the tertiary stat.

To make the game simple (sic!) there are 20 different virtues, and they can be classified into 3 different virtue groups:

• Group 1: virtues that give a bonus to your character stats, like agility, vitality, might, fate, will, power or morale
• Group 2: virtues that give a bonus to your resistance against attacks
• Group 3: virtues that gives a better power or morale regeneration

You can earn virtues by completing deeds and doing quests in specific areas. In each virtue you can gain 18 ranks. Any virtue higher than rank 18 is stored, but does not contribute to any bonuses at the moment of the current expansion. However, they will contribute after the next expansion, so max scores of a virtue can be beneficial in the near future. 

Virtue Trait Tree

Racial trait bonuses For each of the 4 races (man, elf, dwarf and hobbit) you can also slot one racial trait, which give a bonus to you virtue score. These racial traits are:

• Virtuous Man (Friend of Men of Bree Faction): +1 Conficence, +1 Justice, +1 Patience
• Virtuous Elf (Friend of Elves of Rivendell Faction): +1 Charity, +1 Patience, +1 Wisdom
• Virtuous Dwarf (Friend of Thorin's Hall Faction): +1 Fidelity, +1 Honesty, +1 Loyalty
• Virtuous Hobbit (Friend of The Mathom Society Faction): +1 Empathy, +1 Honesty, +1 Idealism

In the table below, you can see each virtue and the bonuses they will give you (when slotted).

Bonuses from virtues (table adapted from Lotro-Wiki)

Virtue groups
Below tI give you a graphical presentation of the virtue groups and there bonuses. In the table above you can read the raw statistics.


Virtue Group 1: better character stats

Virtue	Primary Stat	Secondary Stat	Tertiary Stat
Determination	Agility	IC Morale regener	Morale
Discipline	Might	Resistance	Physical Mitigation
Idealism	Fate	Resistance	Will
Loyalty	Vitality	Power	Armour Value
Wisdom	Will	IC Power regen,	Resistance
Honesty	Power	Armour Value	Fate
Valour	Morale	NC Morale regen	Might
Zeal	Morale	Physical Mitigation	Armour Value

Virtue Group 2: better protection against attacks

Virtue	Primary Stat	Secondary Stat	Tertiary Stat
Charity	Resistance	Physical Mitigation	NC Power regen.
Compassion	Physical Mitigation	NC Power regen.	Tactical Mitigation
Confidence	Resistance	Will	IC Power regen.
Empathy	Armour Value	Fate	Resistance
Fidelity	Tactical Mitigation	Vitality	Power
Honour	Resistance	Tactical Mitigation	Vitality
Innocence	Physical Mitigation	Resistance	Tactical Mitigation
Tolerance	Tactical Mitigation	Agility	IC Morale regen.

Physical Mitigation: a better defend against melee attacks

Tactical Mitigation: a better defend against magical attacks

Note: tactical and physical mitigation are capped, which means that after a certain value the mitigation bonus has no effect. The cap on how much damage can be reduced depends on the type of armour you are able to wear.

- Light Armour: mitigation caps at 40% 

- Medium Armour or lower: mitigation caps at 50%

- Heavy Armour or lower: mitigation caps at 70%

Armour Value = a better armour value against taken damage

Resistance = Better resistance against wound, fear, disease and poison

Virtue Group 3: better morale or combat regeneration

Virtue	Primary Stat	Secondary Stat	Tertiary Stat
Fortitude	NC Morale regen.	Might	Resistance
Justice	IC Morale regen.	Morale	NC Morale regen.
Mercy	NC Power regen.	Tactical Mitigation	Agility
Patience	IC Power regen.	Resistance	Physical Mitigation

IC regen = a better in combat (IC) regeneration of power or morale

NC regen = a better out of combat (NC) regeneration of power or morale

Slotting Virtues
Previously, you had to visit a bard to slot your virtues, but you can do it now by yourself, at any time and at any place. Just open the Trait Panel, by clicking on the Gandalf 'button' on your toolbar (bottom left on your screen). By pressing "J" on your toolbar, you can also access the Trait Panel.

Earned Virtues can be dragged into the available slots in the center of the panel.
If you click on a virtue, you will also open the deed log, and in this log (ordered by area) you can see what deeds you have to do to earn a rank in a specific virtue. Nowadays, the LOTRO store will also pop open, so you get an advertisement how to earn extra virtue ranks by investing turbine points.

You can have a maximum of 5 virtue slots. They will be open up at levels 7, 9, 11, 17 and 23. Which means that from level 7 onward you can slot your first virtue. Note: free to play players will have a lesser amount of virtue slots, and they have to buy these slots by investing turbine points.

The best virtue for your character
On the LOTRO forums you will find various discussions about the best virtues for each character class. In short, slotting virtues is a personal choice and will change at each game situation. For example: up to level 50 virtues that will give morale can be important for characters with light armour (hunter, minstrel, runekeeper, loremaster) to survive hazardous situation in dangerous areas. At higher levels, the mitigation bonuses become more important, and which one to choose depends highly on your character class and combat situation. Just ask some players which traits they prefer, or read the LOTRO forums to get an impression. Note: please note that after the Rise of Isengard expansion, the trait system has changed. Older posts on forums on the web (period 2007-2011) can therefore be a bit misleading, or are only appropriate for lower levels.