Update 11.3 and Bounders Bounty Arriving on Monday

The LOTRO Game servers will be down from 7:00 AM to Noon Server Time on Monday (August 23)  to install Update 11.3. At this time, we know of two features that are scheduled to be included in this update.

On the more mundane side,Sapience has noted, “We have a fix coming for some of this, specifically mounted combat lag, in Update 11.3. Along with some additional monitoring that will help us further isolate issues players report as ‘lag’. We’ve learned a lot, including what is absolutely not part of the issue, but we’re not 100% content yet.: I am sure that we all hope that this eliminates the bulk of the lag related to mounted combat.

Bounder’s Bounty

The main news, though, is the addition of Bounder’s Bounties, a new server-wide event that will take place between the release of 11.3 and the release of Helm’s Deep (a release date for HD has yet to be announced). The full Developer’s Diary can be found here.

As you quest through Middle-earth, you will find Bounder’s Tokens. They will drop off mobs, Hobbit Presents, and Loot Boxes. Also expect to see them as rewards for festival quests (I would expect the Farmer’s Faire to be starting soon, though I have yet to see an official announcement). In other words, you’re likely to run into them at constantly, as you do with the tokens you receive during the Anniversary event each year.

Once you collect 50 tokens, you can take these to Michel Delving and hand them over to Meg Proudfoot, the Token Collector for this event. These tokens will be used to restore the statue in Michel Delving. I presume they mean this statue:

Well, it does look a little worn.

What? Repair an in-game object in the starter zone? Perhaps Adso will learn of this at some point and run a similar event.

Yes, that’s all well and good, but what do the good folk that make donations to the cause get out of it (other than a view of an updated statue once the funding and construction are completed)? Whenever you make a donation, you advance a deed that unlocks various awards at the Bounder’s Token Rewards Vendor.

As with any fund raiser, this one has a goal. When the server population makes enough donations to reach this goal, they will unlock the Bounder’s Bounty Vendor. In addition to providing the rewards of the Bounder’s Token Rewards Vendor at a discounted price, the Bounder’s Bounty Vendor will also sell a premium war-steed and mount bundle (the Steed of Michel Delving):

Not too shabby. I have a warden or two that wouldn’t mind riding this steed.

Iy addition, they will carry Tarnished Symbols of Celebrimbor and various store items. The players on the server will also receive the Bounder’s Boon buff that will remain active until Helm’s Deep is released:

I can only hope that this isn’t active in the Moors, as the creeps are in a bad enough state as it is.

Therefore, when you log in Monday afternoon or evening, be ready to collect some tokens and make an occasional visit to the land of the hobbits.

May your shield protect you and your spear never break,

Pineleaf Needles