Following a week delay, Update 37 arrived for Lord of the Rings Online yesterday. Titled “The Humble Homes of the Holbytlan,” this patch revolves around the new River Hobbit racial variant and their associated Lyndelby housing neighborhood.
The River Hobbits (aka “ribbits”) mark the first time that a new type of Hobbit has been added to LOTRO since its launch, boasting a slimmer physique and a plethora of customization options. The race can also roll Captains and Rune-keepers — a first for our pint-sized denizens — and has its own set of traits.
Currently, River Hobbits can be purchased only in the LOTRO store as part of multiple bundles, the least expensive of which inexplicably includes a new character slot and therefore costs 1595 LP. The studio said that it would sell the race independently for 1000 LP – but not until next February.
Update 37 made sweeping changes to the Guardian and Beorning classes, prepped the new Forester gathering event (which will go live on September 1st), and performed an across-the-board stat crunch. This last move has already generated significant pushback as players found some of their characters much less effective than before the patch.
