Update 16 Beta 1 Release Notes – PRELIMINARY AND NON-FINAL - BULLROARER ONLY

[Frelorn]

The following release notes are for the Bullroarer public test server only and may not reflect the final list of changes or updates included at release.

These notes are not final and should be viewed as a work in progress and subject to change.

Due to the method of gathering information for the patch notes, there may be duplicate/similar entries or topics that are not included.

The Eyes and Guard Tavern is now open! Please note you will also not be able to advance class and race traits for Beornings at this time.

Important Note: Given the scope of this update please be aware that the build you are seeing here is a work in progress and is by no means the finished Update 16 product. There are many items that are not yet complete or added into what you are seeing. There may also be items missing from this initial list, this is not intentional and will be added as we progress.
You can use Character Copy to bring over an existing character from the Live servers.


With Update 16, the new Legendary Item Imbuement will be introduced. In its current form for this build, the system is nearly functionally complete, but there are some elements that are not yet finished when it comes to polish and the User Interface. Here is a brief overview of how the system will work.

PLEASE NOTE: The New Legendary Item Imbuement system is not yet 100% complete. We did however want players to get their hands on it and give feedback as soon as possible. Most of the work that still needs to be complete is User Interface and Cosmetic, and there still may some functionality that will be adjusted or changed based on feedback.

What Is Imbuement?
Imbuement is a new system we are introducing into Legendary Items that will provide players with a new form of advancement and allow them to grow an item with their character moving forward from update to update. This will make legendary items feel much more legendary.

How does it work?

• Opting into Imbuement will convert your existing legacies (including DPS) into new, extendable legacies that will grow as you accrue IXP.
• You will no longer have to spend points on individual legacies. They will each have their own progress track that fills as you gain IXP. When a legacy ranks up to a higher tier it will become more powerful.
  
  • When an item gains IXP, this experience is distributed evenly among the current legacies you have unlocked on the weapon (including the DPS legacy).
    
    • You cannot disable the leveling of a legacy.
  
  
• Each legacy on a newly-imbued legendary item(as of Update 16) will have:
• Roughly 25 available tiers that can be earned
• 15 additional tiers that can be unlocked via items found in-game or mithril coins
• The resulting maximum tiers would therefore be 40
• The DPS/main stat will have fewer tiers post-imbuement; Roughly 15 tiers with 5 additional unlockable tiers for a total of 20 tiers for DPS/class main legacy.

Are current legacies going to change?

• While many legacies in-game can naturally extend with the imbuement system, some are just not extendable and will be replaced by new legacies.
  
  • This conversion will happen only when you imbue your legendary item and will not affect legacy functionality pre-imbuement.
    
    • Upon imbuement, the UI will display what legacies will look like in Imbuement.
  
  
• Important to note that currently no legacy will just vanish from a player. If a legacy changes, it will have an equivalent legacy upon entering imbuement.
• Once the work is finalized, we will be posting a list of what legacies are changing and what their new legacy will be.

What do I need to qualify?

• All you need is a level 100 legendary item (mounted combat not included at the moment).
• No age requirement to the item. Want to bring a third ager along for the ride? Go for it!
  
  • Age will affect an item upon imbuement, granting not only additional tiers of DPS unlocked compared to other ages, but will start with the number of bonus unlocked tiers already accrued.
    
    • Example: First age items have a bonus of 3 (number TBD). Therefore while a Third Age item would start at 1/10 DPS tiers, a First Age item would start at 4/13.

How does a Reforged LI fit in?

• A legendary item can have a maximum of 7 legacies on it at one time.
• A newly identified legendary item, when imbued will only have 3 class specific legacies on it. The four other slots will have to be unlocked by either mithril (The mithril unlocks on imbued legendary items are not yet functioning.) or by using a Crystal of Remembrance.
• Therefore, a reforged item will keep the legacy slots it has already unlocked, giving that player a leg up on leveling their weapon.

How do the old LI items fit into this new system?
Many of the items that players have familiarity with using on their Lis will continue to work within the new system, while some will have some additional functionality that they previously did not have:

• Scroll of Empowerment
  
  • Unlocks an additional tier of a single legacy.
  • This will also have a mithril option on the UI for those who want a quick option.
  
  
• Star-lit Crystals
  
  • Starlit crystals will unlock and gain an additional tier of their DPS legacy.
    
    • Example: if the items DPS has progressed to 8/10 tiers, using a crystal will increase that progress to 9/11.
    
    
  • There will no longer be a restriction of 3 star-lit crystals that can be applied to an item. The only restriction in imbuement is that a star-lit crystal can only be applied if there is a tier to unlock for the item.
    
    • You cannot use these as a means to power level your weapon up to max.
    
    
  • Crystals that are applied pre-imbuement will be treated exactly how the Ages are treated in the qualified section above.
  
  
• Scroll of Delving
  
  • Scroll of Delving will unlock an additional tier of all class specific legacies on the item.
  • This will keep its limit to one per legendary item and can be used either pre or post-imbuement.
  
  
• Title Scrolls
  
  • These items will not receive any change in their functionality and will continue to work as they currently do in the system.
  
  
• IXP Runes
  
  • These items will not receive any change in their functionality and will continue to work as they currently do in the system.
  
  
• Replacement Scrolls
  
  • Pre-imbuement replacement scrolls will no longer apply to an imbued item. However, legacies can be replaced on the Legendary Item UI.
  
  
• Crystal of Remembrance
  
  • As mentioned above, this item will unlock an additional legacy slot (up to the cap of 7) on an item. The restriction of one per item is lifted.
  • Added functionality to this item will be that upon using this feature, you the player is prompted with a UI to choose the legacy they would like to place in this newly unlocked slot.
    
    • No more blank legacies, no more random legacies. You unlocked it, you choose what goes in it.

Can I deconstruct an imbued item?

• Imbued items cannot be deconstructed. Imbued Legendary Items are meant to stick around, grow with you, become your friend. You wouldn’t deconstruct a good friend, would you?
• You can however, destroy the item out of your inventory if you prefer to erase your friends from existence.

General Changes

• The 'Mirkwood Landing' deed has been adjusted so that it only requires the 'Hilltop Assault' quest to be completed. Now the optional quests are truly optional, and are not tracked by the 'Mirkwood Landing' deed.
• Some travel routes involving Candaith's Encampment will now be available even after 'Book 3 Prologue: Fires in the North' is completed.
• There are 3 new regions available: Upper Lebennin, Lossarnach, and South Ithilien.
• We have added 3 new instances: Sunken Labyrinth 3-man, The Ruined City 3-man, & The Dome of Stars 6-man. (The Dome of Stars instance currently only has the first boss ready for testing on Tier 1 and 2, but all the regular monsters are placed.)
• Epic Book 3, 'Voices of the Past' is now available from Aragorn at the Camp of the Grey Host for players who have completed Book 2.
• Region - Gondor
  
  • Added a stable master to Ost Anglebed
  • Added more travel routes for Pelargir and Dol Amroth

Class Changes

• Warden - Defiant Challenge has had its damage reflect tuned up
• Minstrel - Call to Greatness was mistakenly giving too much of a Max Morale boost to the Guardian skill "Warrior's Heart". This value has been balanced down.

Legacy changes for all classes
Beorning:

• Out-of-combat wrath decay is now reduced for all Beornings. The old legacy has become Bear Form Critical Defense.
• Bear Form Movement Speed is now increased for all Beornings. The old legacy has become Man Form Damage.
• Grisly Cry’s Fear Effect now has increased duration (+4s) for all Beornings. The old legacy has become Cry Damage.
• Call to Wild duration has been increased by 5s for all Beornings.
• Thickened Hide duration has been increased by 5s for all Beornings.

Burglar:

• Cunning Attack Bleed Stack Chance is now increased for all Burglars (by +50%). The old legacy has become Cunning Attack Bleed Damage.
• Stealth Level is now a passive skill for all Burglars (available at level 50) which increases stealth level by 3. If you don’t have it, please put in a bug and talk to a trainer. The old legacy has become Surprise Strike Damage.
• Increased Trick Range is now included for Tricksters. All Trick skills have their range increased by 9m. The old legacy has become Lucky Strike Critical Rating.
• All In Buff Duration is now part of the Gambler’s seventh trait set bonus (Loaded Dice).

Captain:

• To Arms Duration has been increased for all Captains. The old legacy has become Battle Shout Damage.
• Telling Mark Damage is now part of the Advantageous Attack Trait. The old legacy has become Cutting Attack Damage.
• Oathbreaker's Shame Duration has been added to Lead the Charge’s seventh trait set bonus (Master of War). The old legacy has become Grave Wound Damage.
• Pressing Attack Max Targets has been increased to 5 for all Captains. The old legacy remains the same.
• Tactics Durations have been increased for all Captains (+15s). The old legacy has become Muster Courage fear resist.
• Last Stand Duration has been added to the trait Stand Tall (+10s). The old legacy has become Last Stand Heal.
• Words of Courage Pulses legacy has been replaced by Words of Courage Healing.
• Make Haste cooldown reduced from 3 minutes to 2 minutes for all Captains.
• Battle States and Defeat Response Duration have been increased from 10s to 15s for all Captains.

Champion:

• Five extra pulses have been added to Rend. The old legacy has become Raging Blade Damage.
• Targeted Melee Skill Range is now a passive skill for all Champions (available at level 50). If you don’t have it, please put in a bug and talk to a trainer. The old legacy has become True Heroics Power.
• Fight On Duration legacy has been replaced by Fight On Critical Rating legacy.

Guardian:

• Melee Targets have been increased to 5 for all skills that were affected by the Guardian Area Effect Melee Targets legacy. The old legacy has become Area Effect Skill Damage.
• Targeted Melee Skills Range is now a passive skill for all Guardians adding 1.7m to melee range (passive skill available at level 50). If you don’t have it, please put in a bug and talk to a trainer. The old legacy has become Sting Critical Rating.
• Guardian Bleed Pulses have now been increased for all Guardians (+5 pulses). The old legacy has become Bleed Critical Damage.
• Challenge Targets are now 7 for all Guardians. The old legacy has become Reactive Parry Damage.
• Shield Wall’s base range has been increased by 20m for all Guardians. The Shield Wall Range legacy has become Stoic Bubble Strength.

Hunter:

• Find the Path Movement Speed has now been increased for all Hunters by 5%. The old legacy has become Trap Damage.
• Split Shot max targets increased by 2 for all Hunters. AoE Skills Maximum Targets legacy has become Rain of Arrows Damage.

Lore-master:

• Staff-Strike cooldown has been decreased to 3s and Staff-sweep cooldown to 10s for all Lore-masters. The Staff Strike Cooldown legacy has become Staff Strike Damage.
• Ancient Craft’s targets has been increased from 5 to 7 for all Lore-masters. The Ancient-Craft Targets legacy has been replaced with Ancient Craft Armour Debuff Potency.

Minstrel:

• Chord of Salvation cooldown has been reduced to 10s for all Minstrels. The old legacy has become Chord of Salvation Crit Rating.
• Soliloquy of Spirit pulses has been increased by 5 for all Minstrels. The old legacy has become Soliloquy of Spirit Healing.
• Increased Call of the Second Age's Max Targets by 2 to a total of 5. The Call of the Second Age Targets legacy has been replaced with Call of the Second Age Damage.

Rune-Keeper:

• Prelude to Hope pulses have been increased by 4 for all Rune-Keepers from 8 to 12. The old legacy has become Prelude to Hope Power Restore.
• Vivid Imagery max targets has been increased by 2 for all Rune-Keepers.

Warden:

• Defiant Challenge mitigations per target have been added to the Warden Trait "Defiance". The old legacy has become Defiant Challenge Damage return.
• In the Fray Attack Duration has been added to the stance toggle skill. The old legacy has become Recklessness Legendary Skill Critical Rating.
• The movement miss penalty has been removed from all Warden Javelin skills and ranged auto-attack. The old legacy has been replaced with Javelin Skills Critical Rating.
• Wardens with the Assailment specialization will now gain +15m javelin skill range. The Javelin Skills Max Range legacy has been replaced with Ranged Damage.
• Forced March now increases speed by 13% more. The Forced March movement speed legacy has been replaced with Javelin of Deadly Force Damage.
• Inductions for Ambush and Careful Step were reduced by 3s for all Wardens (reducing them to 2s). The old legacy has been replaced with Ambush Critical Rating.

KNOWN ISSUES:

• Imbued Legendary items still need quite a bit of polish. For Imbued Legendary items the following do not work properly: Disable Leveling, Crystals of Remembrance, and Rune-Keeper Smouldering Wrath Power Cost legacy conversion.
• Imbued Legendary legacies have mostly place holder numbers for now.
  
  • Temporarily setting all Physical and Tactical DPS, Incoming healing, and Tactical HPS legacies to a maximum of 20 tiers for Imbuement testing. We intend to increase the number of ranks for launch, but wanted to start at 20 for Instance testing purposes.
  
  
• At various points in The Ruined City Instance, the mysterious figure is not yet visible to follow.
• Osgiliath - Quest: Made to Suffer - Clicking on the imprisoned rangers does nothing.
• Many rewards are not yet present. This is particularly true for the instance cluster and region barter vendors.
• In this build, the following stablemasters are temporarily missing: South Bree, Thorin’s Hall, Michel Delving, and Rivendell.

[Carnin84]

Whaaa... So buff the freeps but not creeps? That is stupid, this update is stupid. Lets make them more stupidly op.

[gildhur]

Wow. It took 7 years, but LIs will finally grow with us. Grats to those who stuck around, I guess.

[loki84]

wow... creepside is totally screwed ahahahaha. looking forward to seeing what the creep buffs are... regeneration and drinker of blood haven't been scaled or repurposed since they were created... hint hint

[Silmelin]

I hope that we one day will have legendary weapons that will grow with us right from the start! You know, the one we get when we're about to enter Moria? I met that same dwarf during a different quest/instance and he asked about the weapon but I had of course switched it to better swords many times and he was a bit sad that I had gotten rid of the "legendary" sword. Made me feel bad

Whaaa... So buff the freeps but not creeps? That is stupid, this update is stupid. Lets make them more stupidly op.

Maybe this is why they need a whole council of PvP'ers this year? To help with feedback?

[Mistermorriss]

New crafting tier? Pretty please?

[BiteMarks]

Yet again sooo many broken promises that the Creeps would be looked after and sorted/buffed but as per usual we all knew that nothing, absolutely sod all would be done to all our classes.

Creeps are the most unloved side of this game yet we are the ones that has kept the pvmp alive to this day. Without those players, some of whom just solely play creep, the Moors would've been dead years ago. Turbine get your head out of your arses and wake up and see how the above Update 16 will affect this part of the game. Seriously look at the effect that all these 'wonderful' pve class buffs will affect pvmp and kill the Moors.

You wont have to create this possible 'new map' for the pvmp as you wont have that many creeps to worry about or is that your desired wish and kill off pvmp .........

[Warmutkan]

Very much looking forward to see how this pans out.

Thank you for the extra stable routes in Central Gondor - these were much needed.

Glad to see new instances in the new zones. Hopefully they are both challenging and worth repeating.

I am worried about the repeated references to MCs in the imbuing system - at first glance it seems like pay to win for many pieces of the system. Hoping that's not the case.

[Mar-Evayave]

Very much looking forward to see how this pans out.

Thank you for the extra stable routes in Central Gondor - these were much needed.

Glad to see new instances in the new zones. Hopefully they are both challenging and worth repeating.

I am worried about the repeated references to MCs in the imbuing system - at first glance it seems like pay to win for many pieces of the system. Hoping that's not the case.

As am I, about numerous things.

For the last paragraph, I too am concerned. I don't want this turning into another grind for materials to work with. The scrolls and whatnot currently can be bought with marks and medallions. I don't want that removed. I don't want it to be 1% lucky drop vs MC.

[Arathaert]

Welp. From reading this I've gotten two impressions:

1. Creeps are well and truly fluffed.

2. Guardians' solo AoE survivability will go wayyy down (only 5 targets to heal off of instead of 10+)

But mainly that creeps are totally screwed :/

[XKSR95]

Wait, so instead of nerfing the OP classes like Guard, Mini, Warden, you decide to buff us even more? Where are the Creep updates? Quick Strikes and Blood Lust are still bugged, no fix for them? I'm afraid I can't see myself Wardening much longer if this continues. Seriously, these class changes are simply unnecessary and are making this game even more of a faceroll than it already is.

[Ksenija]

Welp. From reading this I've gotten two impressions:

1. Creeps are well and truly fluffed.

2. Guardians' solo AoE survivability will go wayyy down (only 5 targets to heal off of instead of 10+)

But mainly that creeps are totally screwed :/

why do you say 5 targets and not 10+?
Traits are not changing and we are getting the bonus that the legacy would give us so the bleeds should work the same as now just with come extra dmg and crit as the legacies will give us

[Areya121]

The following release notes are for the Bullroarer public test server only and may not reflect the final list of changes or updates included at release.

These notes are not final and should be viewed as a work in progress and subject to change.


Atleast wait until the final build before all the complaining about Creeps? U might get something this patch notes seems to just be 90% about Imbuing, for example it dosent even mention the Cluster...

[Arathaert]

Guardian:

• Melee Targets have been increased to 5 for all skills that were affected by the Guardian Area Effect Melee Targets legacy. The old legacy has become Area Effect Skill Damage.

why do you say 5 targets and not 10+?
Traits are not changing and we are getting the bonus that the legacy would give us so the bleeds should work the same as now just with come extra dmg and crit as the legacies will give us

It's not +5 targets, it's 5 targets total. So Sweeping Cut, Vexing Blow, Whirling Retaliation = all 5-target skills. Unless I'm reading this wrong... same with the challenge one. You could trait that up to I think 13-14 targets before. Is it going to be 7 targets total or +7 targets?

[Vulcwen]

The following release notes are for the Bullroarer public test server only and may not reflect the final list of changes or updates included at release.

These notes are not final and should be viewed as a work in progress and subject to change.


Atleast wait until the final build before all the complaining about Creeps? U might get something this patch notes seems to just be 90% about Imbuing, for example it dosent even mention the Cluster...

It did, in 1 line:

We have added 3 new instances: Sunken Labyrinth 3-man, The Ruined City 3-man, & The Dome of Stars 6-man. (The Dome of Stars instance currently only has the first boss ready for testing on Tier 1 and 2, but all the regular monsters are placed.)

[Areya121]

It did, in 1 line:

So i missed it, point is still rlly the same , dont know what will be in next builds.

[BiteMarks]

Atleast wait until the final build before all the complaining about Creeps? U might get something this patch notes seems to just be 90% about Imbuing, for example it dosent even mention the Cluster...

Spoken like a true freep there........ U might get something....... What are you thinking that Turbine will be throwing us creeps a small bone of an update and hope that will mean something. You are so use to having it easy and simple in pve now that you want/expect the same if not easier in pvmp.

You know as well as every knows, creeps needs to have a major overhall on ALL classes yet that will NEVER happen in the games lifetime now. Numbers will dwindle and from the above update that dwindle could become a torent of creeps leaving, and thus leaving you just to fight the npcs that are left.......

[Arathaert]

Atleast wait until the final build before all the complaining about Creeps?

Because this:

[Areya121]

Spoken like a true freep there........ U might get something....... What are you thinking that Turbine will be throwing us creeps a small bone of an update and hope that will mean something. You are so use to having it easy and simple in pve now that you want/expect the same if not easier in pvmp.

You know as well as every knows, creeps needs to have a major overhall on ALL classes yet that will NEVER happen in the games lifetime now. Numbers will dwindle and from the above update that dwindle could become a torent of creeps leaving, and thus leaving you just to fight the npcs that are left.......

Actually the likely result is that any creep revamp or big update will come with the new map (assuming we get one) which you know makes sense.

[Areya121]

Because this:

WELL then if you KNOW that Vyv said later in the year, why is it a surprise that there is nothing there in u16?

[WBS]

Find the Path Movement Speed has now been increased for all Hunters by 5%. The old legacy has become Trap Damage.

The legacy has been replaced on my weapon with Trap Damage, which I don't want at all, (why would you think that all Hunters would want that instead?) but Find the Path Movement Speed is still 15%.

[BiteMarks]

Actually the likely result is that any creep revamp or big update will come with the new map (assuming we get one) which you know makes sense.

The major flaw in that is huge - will there be any creeps left to see this if it ever happens. We've had these 'promises' many many times before and nothing and/or simply a small buff which has quickly been nurfed due to freep QQ'ing. If the U16 happens like has been laid out right now, I very much doubt it

[nubcat]

Wait, something must be wrong...I can see all these freep buffs but absolutely nothing for creeps?

I wasn't expecting the new map this early but to have absolutely nothing whilst buffing every freep class just stinks.

[Thalifea]

It's about time too! P.S. The game is still fun

Wow. It took 7 years, but LIs will finally grow with us. Grats to those who stuck around, I guess.

[XKSR95]

WELL then if you KNOW that Vyv said later in the year, why is it a surprise that there is nothing there in u16?

Because this current build of U16 looks like Freeps are going to be dominating so much that Creeps won't even bother logging in to a farm anymore, that's all that's going to happen. Freeps getting buffed to the point where there's just no effort required at all, yes, LOTRO isn't PvP centered, but PvP is still a feature. You can't buff one side this much without giving the other side some love