Hides - The best farming places in Lotro
Tier 1 - Light hides
Tier 2 - Medium hides
Tier 3 - Sturdy hides
Tier 4 - Pristine hides
Tier 5 - Exceptional hides
Tier 6 - Magnificent hides
Tier 6 - Extraordinary hides
Tier 7 - Large hides
Tier 8 - Riddermark hides
Tier 1 - Where to Farm Light Hides
Level 1-12 light hide dropping animals are plentiful in the starter areas of Bree-land, Ered Luin and The Shire. If you are still a few short, go to the following areas:
The Shire[best place!]: go to the Wolf Den in the ruins north of Stock, directly north of the river. These ruins are near Puddifoot's Fields (30.9S,64W) and Bridgefields Wall (30.6S,64.2W). If you loot all wolves completely, they will respawn pretty quick and your bags will be in no time full with light hides. An alternative is the wolf-den at 30.5S 72.6W, NW of Hobbiton, near a farm.
Bree-land: visit the Yellow Tree (32.7S 48.0W) in Chetwood South (Bree-land). You can also find lots at the Wolves den in the Combe area (North of the lumber yard).
Ered Luin: alternative areas are the Hunter's Notch (18.6S 100.6W) in north Ered Luin and Nen Hilith (29.0S 94.1W) in south Ered Luin
Tier 2 - Where to Farm Medium Hides
Medium hides drop from beasts, level 13 to 23, in Bree-land, Ered Luin, The Shire, Lone-lands and North Downs.
Step out the West Gate of Bree and you are in a medium hide farming territory. Try also the "boar pit" (27.5S 52.3W), the road area between Adso's Camp (29.3S 56.8W) and the Brandywine Bridge (31.4S 63.0W ) or the area between Thornley's Farm (25.2S 53.8W), Snarling Hollow (24.2S 54.7W) and the Old Greenway Fort (24.0S 53.1W). My personal favorite is the eastern part of the Brandy Hills[best place!] and the adjacent bear den. it is a quiet place with lots of animals which can provide hides for you. But, in Bree-land - which is one of the biggest zones in Lotro - many places are as good as this place.
Two other good areas are the bears at Withywindle in the Old Forest and the yellowfang wolves in the Weather Hills.
Old Forest: starting at Tom Bombadil's house, go downhill and follow the river westwards until it ends. At the end you will find a shallow swamp with lots of bears that drop medium hides.
Weather Hills: at Sawtooth’s area (28.7S, 41.7W) there are many howling and lurking yellowfangs, who drops plenty of medium hides. This place is at the edge between Bree-land and the Lone-lands, northeast of the Midgewaters. It is also known as the Wolf den near the Weatherway in the Weather Hills.
Btw: the Wolf Den in Northern Breeland, is also an alternative
Tier 3 - Where to Farm Sturdy Hides
Sturdy hides drop from beasts, level 24 to 34, in the Lone-lands, North Downs, Evendim and Trollshaws. You'll get some sturdy hides leveling through these areas. But for serious sturdy hide farming, North Downs offers better mob density at the low-end of the tier. Try the level 24-25 wargs and wolves in Haud Eglan (7.7S 49.5W) or the level 28-30 beast dens throughout Northern Kingsfell (8.2S 45.4W).
Best and fast places
North Downs - [best place!]Wargs den in Nam Amlug, just southeast of the entrance to Angmar. At a higher level the aurochs at the lake are an easy meat for you. They drop 2 sturdy hides and they re-spawn very quickly. Best to circle around and clean the area constantly!
Trollshaws - Ruins of Ost Durgonn - just east of The Last Bridge, north of the road. There are lots of cave claws here that drop sturdy hides.
Tier 4 - Where to Farm Pristine Hides
Pristine hides drop from beasts, level 35 to 43, in Evendim, Trollshaws, Misty Mountains and Angmar. With the steady increase in the number of hides required for each crafting tier, this is the tier where the serious farming begins.
Pristine in Trollshaws
Wolf den in Drauglad (35.0S, 13,9W), near the Bruinen Gorges, has a great density of level 35-37 wolves. You can reach it by travelling to Thorenhad (31.7S, 15.0W) and then go south. It is also a place to grind the Trollshaws Wolf-slayer deed (+1 Discipline), so you may have some company there. A wolf named Karnasht, spawns among the regulars and drops an adamant shard.
An other good place is the Bear den, directly south of Thorenhead in Trollshaws. After killing all the bears, go east of the road and kill bears at that spot. Wolves and deers also drop pristine hides. When finished, return to bear den south of Thorenhead and start all over again.
Pristine in Misty Mountains[best place!]
Caldwell Pool (22.6S, 1.2E), has a great density of level 40-41 wargs.It's also a popular place to grind the Misty Mountains Warg-slayer deed (+1 Justice). If you need also the deed, try this spot.When you are of higher level, go to the Hoar-mantle area just above Glóin's Camp (24.9S, 4.0W) . These beasts drop 2 hides per kill.
Pristine in Evendim
Nan Orngon (7.7S, 61.8W), has a great density of level 36-37 bears and you can reach it by travelling to Ost Forod (7.4S, 64.3W) and then go east, downhill. A named bear, Grizzule, spawns atop the spire in the center and drops an adamant shard.
Pristine in Angmar
Cave claws in Ram Duath will drop pristine hides, southeast of Aughair.
Tier 5 - Where to Farm Exceptional Hides
Exceptional hides drop from beasts, level 44 to 50, in Angmar, Forochel, Misty Mountains and Sarnur. The suggested areas below are for the low end of the level range - faster kills means less time spent farming.
Exceptional in Eastern Angmar [best place!]
Dolroth in southeastern Maethad, a place east of Gabilshathûr (in the most southeast corner of the eastern Angmar, 1.4S, 21.4W) has a good density of level 46-47 cave-claws and wargs. Unless you are hoping to advance the Angmar Warg-slayer deed (+1 Determination), focus on the cave-claws around (1.4N, 24.2W) where the density is greater. Go to Gabilshathur (3.6S, 26.4W) and wind your way to the far eastern edge of the map. Turtles in Malenhad drop also Exceptional hides, plus you get the bonus Lethal Sharp claws.
Exeptional in Eregion
The Burnt Tor (49.1S, 10.1W), has a great density of level 50-51 wargs. The level 50 wargs drop exceptional hides and the level 51 wargs drop magnificent hides.
Exceptional in Forochel
Southwest of Voi-teltta, in Itä-Mâ around 9.0 N 72.0 W, there are a bunch of snowmantle cows and they drop 2 exceptional hides. They have a fast respawn rate so you can stay as long as you like.
There are also two good spots near Pynti-leiri (9.2N, 70.6W), which is close to the stable of Pynti-peldot (11.4N, 69.8W) and down the road at Kissa-Sari (5.6N, 78.5W). Both regions have a great density of level 45-46 Sabertooth cats. Paha-Peto, a named sabertooth, can spawn in either location and drops a beryl shard. Both locations advance the Forochel Sabertooth Slayer deed (+1 Fortitude) and the cats drops also Forochel reputation items.
Exceptional in Misty Mountains
The North High Pass (23.3S, 4.3E) area in Misty Mountains has a good density of level 45-47 wargs, especially in the NE corner. There is a stable at Hrimbarg (24.3S 6.9E), so you can reach this excellent place pretty quickly. Moreover, the wargs in the Misty Mountains are also handy for the Warg-slayer deed (+1 Justice). Keep an eye out for Sulmog and The Antlered King, these beryl shard droppers can appear if heavy snow suddenly comes up.
Tier 6 - Where to Farm Magnificent Hides
Magnificent hides drop from beasts, level 51 to 54 in Eregion and Moria. There are only a few good places to farm these.
Magnificent in Moria[best place!]
Katub-zahar (7.0S, 111.0W) in the Great Delving, also known as the library, is the best spot for harvesting magnificent hides. Hunt the level 51-52 deep-claws here, you can do it upstairs and downstairs. It is just north of the stable in Dolven-view (8.5S, 112.2W).
Bonuses: Rocktooth (mithril flake dropper), a named deep-claw, sometimes spawns here. Also, killing deep-claws advances the Moria Deep-claw Slayer deed (+1 Tolerance). Loot also includes IXP runes and Moria reputation items.
The southeast corner of Silvertine Lodes, informally known as the "riddle room" (12.6S, 111.1 W), has a good density of level 53-54 dragonets and deep-claws. A stable is nearby in the Rotting Cellar (15.1S, 112.1 W) of the next zone: The Waterworks. Bonus: Killing dragonets advances the Moria Dragonet-slayer deed (+1 Zeal). These small dragons also drop IXP runes and Moria reputation items.
I recently discoverd by slaying dragonets in Zirakzigil, that they drop magnificent too. Maybe an alternative spot, especially when you combine it with the dragonet-slayer deed to ear +1 Zeal.
Magnificent in Eregion
The Burnt Tor (49.1S, 10.1W), has a great density of level 50-51 wargs. Only the level 51 wargs drop magnificent hides -- the level 50 wargs drop exceptional hides. You can reach it by the nearby stable in Echad Dunann (50.5S, 7.8W).
A second set of wargs can be found in Torech Andraug (50.7S, 9.6W) and even more somewhat south of the river bed. Killing wargs advances the Eregion Wolf and Warg-slayer deed (+1 Confidence). Redhorn Goats, just north of Burnt Tor drop two each, on most occasions. Tál Caradhras in Eregion an alternative place for hunting random wildlife.
Tier 6 - Where to Farm Extraordinary Hides
Extraordinary hides drop from beasts, level 55 to 65+ in Moria, Lothlorien and Mirkwood.
Extraordinary in Lothlorien[best place!]
The best place to farm extraordinary hides is the Golden Wood area. It is packed with level 58-60 beasts and you can quick travel to Caras Galadhon, the elven city in the center of the Golden Wood. An alternative route - if you have never been in this zone - is to use the travel route to the 1st Hall in Moria. If you reach that stable, walk to the exit and you are in the far western area of Lothlorien. After you leave the Mines of Moria, you have to travel to the Golden Wood. Just hit 'M' on the keyboard and you will see on the map the location of the Golden Wood with yellow Mallorn trees immediately.
After you have passed the river Nimrodel, you have plenty of beasts to farm. Just don't kill the protected beasts, otherwise you lose Galadhrim reputation points! There are some rare beasts wandering in this area too, which drop mithril flakes .
Extraordinary in Moria
With its many zones and instances, Moria offers several opportunities for farming extraordinary hides. Places with lots of cave claws in Moria, gives you plenty of extraordinary hides. Second Hall (8.6S, 103.2W) in Nud Melek has a good concentration of level 57-58 cave claws and dragonets (with some orcs and goblins mixed in), but is somewhat remote from 21st Hall.
Extraordinary in Mirkwood
In the Mirkeaves area, Fallug (16.7S, 61.8W) has a great density of level 61 boars. The surrounding area has a good density of level 61 wargs if you run short of spawns. A stable master is nearby in Echad Sirion (15.3S, 61.2W). If you are running the daily repeatables, killing level 65 wargs in Naur-hoit (19.1S, 47.9W) advances a quest from Mithechad (17.6S, 48.2W) while you farm hides.
Tier 7 - Where to Farm Large hides
Known good places are:
- Trum Dreng area, which is located in the upper north-west corner of Dunland, directly south of the Mournshaws. This place has plenty of lvl 66 River-dwelling oxes (neutral, wil drop 1 hide), lots of boars (lvl 66 Wild Thorn-tuskers, will threaten and drop 1 hide) and lvl 66 Trum Dreng Pack-wolves (near Dire Hollow, 76.8S 23.1W, which will always attack, dop 1 hide). There is a relatively low concentration of hostile humans (lvl 66) from the Dragon Clan here.
- The plains of the Starkmoor, which are located in the west central part of Dunland (82.0S, 20.0W) are also excellent.There are large numbers of oxen here as well, plus a warg/wolf den. The signature bulls will drop 2-3 hides. This area is also good for your beast-slayer deed!
- And, if you like: the Warg area in SW Mirkwood, called Drownholt.
Tier 8 - Where to FarmRiddermark hides
For Riddermark hides you have to go to east Rohan. Known good places for farming are:
The Wold
Fang Point (44.4S, 51.4W) is a Warg-camp directly north of the Memorial of Eorl, south of the fast travel location Feldburg. It has two dens with lvl 76-66 wargs, one to the north and one to the south. Around the warg camps, there is a warband running of the lvl 77 warg Hanrun, with 2 Wold Warg Pack-runners as adds.
Alpha packs: the warg packs directly south of Feldburg, around 43S 52W, seems promising, but are not. Only the alpha's and regular wargs drops hides, the annoying adds - Wold Warg Pack-runners - doesn't. So if Feldburg has some busy hidefarmers, travel to the Howling Wood.
The Howling Wood (44.7S, 46.8W) is a Warg-den in the south eastern part of the Wold, near Floodwend, with lots of wargs (lvl 76-77). They have a quick respawn and you can harvest many Riddermarks Hides in a short time.best place
Norcrofts
Âmbal's Den (51.8S, 57.6W), which is located in a huge wolf-area in the stony hills (look at your map!) north of Faldham and south of the stream that runs across the Norcrofts. It is probably the most rewarding area in this zone of the Norcrofts.
A good alternative is the evil bear camp, the Valley of the Láthbears (Láthbears Den). It is situated at 54.1S, 52.8W, in the woods southeast of Elthengels. There is a warband too with a big bear, called Swertríper, along with a pair of smaller Daunting láthbears.
Entwash Vale
The cows south-east of Eaworth.