Don't Get Stuck in Diablo 4 Lord of Hatred - Complete Systems & Endgame Guide
MLB The Show 26 Best Pitching Strategies: Meta Pitches Every Diamond Dynasty Player Should Use
Every player who has ever stood on the mound knows that having a variety of pitching techniques is crucial to standing out in MLB The Show 26.
The game features a wide variety of pitches. To help you build the perfect ace pitcher and achieve victory in Diamond Dynasty, this article will introduce several pitches with high success rates in the game.
CutterCutter (cut fastball) is a fastball type of pitch. It looks like a fastball-type pitch when released, but the ball has a slight horizontal shift in the final stages.
Many consider it the other half of the two-seam fastball. Its trajectory shifts slightly in the opposite direction (towards pitcher's non-dominant hand), making it excellent for baiting left-handed batters or consistently aiming for the top of strike zone. It's designed to prevent the batter from hitting the center, rather than necessarily causing a swing and a miss.
Cutter is considered one of the strongest pitches in MLB The Show 26. So why is it so powerful? The reason is simple. It initially mimics the trajectory of a fastball, making it difficult for the batter to predict the pitch's path. The final movement can result in a weak hit or a missed swing. In short, it's a deceptive pitch that punishes batters with poor timing.
Cutter can be used in combination with other pitches to maximize its power. For example, it can be used with 4-seam fastballs; throw a fastball first, then throw Cutter along the same trajectory to confuse the batter. It can also be mixed with breaking balls for better transitions between pitches.
SinkerSinker is also a fastball-like pitch with a significant downward and arm-side trajectory. Initially, it looks like a regular fastball, then drops sharply with a slight horizontal undulation, reaching speeds approaching those of a two-seam fastball.
Sinker remains unmatched in MLB 26. Its descent allows for precise throws to the corners, deceiving batters with what appears to be the center of the pitch until the very last moment when the change in trajectory is noticed. Therefore, this makes it the best weapon for finishing batters (especially those trying to dodge).
However, unlike Cutter, Sinker's triple trajectory makes it one of the most difficult pitches for beginners to master in the accuracy pitching interface. Therefore, many top pitchers in Diamond Dynasty mode rely on combinations centered around Sinker. Pitchers occupy a very important position on a team, so if you have enough $1, I recommend prioritizing upgrading your pitcher.
Sinker can be combined with various pitches. Here are three recommended combinations: Sinker + Slider, Sinker + Cutter, or Sinker + Changeup. Choose to accord with your situation.
4-Seam Fastball4-Seam Fastball is the fastest pitch in MLB The Show 26 and one of the few pitches that seems difficult for AI to catch. This pitch is characterized by its speed and straightness; it has almost no significant lateral or vertical variation, relying solely on pure speed to overwhelm the batter.
In online games, when the pitch count is high, or the game is in a crucial moment, 4-seam fastball can be a safe but situational strategy, used to surprise the batter. When combined with a slider or sinker, it can also be very effective in late-game hits.
However, this fast-paced game is only suitable against inexperienced or AI opponents. Against even slightly experienced batters, its lack of variation is suicidal.
SweeperSweeper is essentially a special slider, but it has a key characteristic: extremely high horizontal movement and relatively low vertical drop. It glides across home plate rather than dropping sharply like a curveball or traditional slider.
Sweeper is slower and has a larger sidespin, often landing on the edge of strike zone. It's the perfect weapon to confuse the batter or force them to hit powerless balls. Simply put, it initially looks like it's going to hit the target, then suddenly slides away to confuse the opponent.
Sweeper can be used in conjunction with 4-seam fastball, or with Sinker or Cutter, allowing you to maximize its effectiveness.
Circle ChangeNext, I'll introduce the last pitch: Circle Change. It's a changeup, but it differs slightly, relying more on the specific situation on the field. This pitch mimics the trajectory and motion of the two-seam fastball, but it doesn't have the explosive speed of the two-seam fastball; instead, it travels slowly toward home plate.
Circle Change can have unexpected effects on the field, but be careful not to overuse it and aim for the outside of strike zone. You can also combine it, for example, with Sweeper and Sinker.
This combination, when used correctly, can potentially win you a crucial run. Remember, just one good batter is enough to turn your strategy into a run.
This concludes the article on the best pitches in MLB The Show 26. The pitches mentioned above are commonly used by top pitchers at present. Players who want to win in Diamond Dynasty can study them carefully and use different pitches according to the specific situation. I wish you success in the upcoming games.
EA FC 26 Season 7 Pass Review | 2 End-Game Icons for just 500k coins?
Players, FC 26 Season 7: South Africa '10 has officially begun! The development team appears to be firing on all cylinders; the overall design, reward density, and player quality in this season all surpass those of previous seasons. Let's dive into the details of this season's Pass!
Pass Mechanics and Value PropositionThis season's Pass runs for approximately 40 days. Players can unlock Premium Pass by spending 500,000 $1 or 1,000 FC Points.
Along the progression path, Premium Pass offers substantial returns in the form of tradable card packs and direct Coin payouts - for instance, reaching Level 9 instantly rewards you with 60,000 Coins.
Based on our estimates - excluding the market value of the player cards themselves - players can expect to recoup at least 200,000 to 300,000 Coins, making the actual net cost of the Pass remarkably low. As it stands, it is well worth acquiring.
Highlights of Free Pass Massively Expanded EVO System Early-Game Defender EVO (Around Level 1): Applicable to up to 20 cards with an 89 OVR cap; allows for significant boosts to Speed attribute for multiple players. Late-Game EVO (Post-Level 20): Grants a +2 boost to all attributes for World Tour players who currently sit at exactly 90 OVR, effectively upgrading them to 92 OVR. Level 28 EVO: Supports cards up to 91 OVR and comes with the added Bruiser PlayStyle+ (Gold). Practical Free Players Early-Game African, Spanish, and Dutch Players: Such as the 4-star Defenders and Wingers available early on; while not top-tier, they serve perfectly well as transitional options. Free Heroes Card (Level 23): Features a Finishing stat of 97 - an incredibly powerful asset for any Striker or Midfielder. Free High-Rated Packs (Around Level 30): Including packs like 5x 89-rated players or 10x 86-rated players, providing an abundance of high-quality fodder (upgrade material). Key Player Cards in Premium PassThe player cards are, without a doubt, the main attraction of Premium Pass. Players should evaluate these specific cards when deciding whether or not to unlock Premium Pass.
Goalkeeper: Casillas FernándezCasillas Fernández may very well be the best Goalkeeper in the entire game.
His stats boast a 97 rating in Reflexes, which - combined with other key Goalkeeper attributes - makes him an incredibly frustrating opponent to face in live gameplay. Furthermore, he possesses Footwork and Finesse Shot+ PlayStyles. This card is expected to remain a viable option all the way through to Futties stage of the game cycle.
Midfielder: Iniesta LujánIniesta Luján boasts a multitude of Gold Traits, including - but not limited to - Finesse Shot+, Incisive Pass+, Intercept, and more.
In fact, even the base version of Iniesta Luján already possesses finishing ability that is borderline absurd; this upgraded version promises to be even more formidable.
We can confidently say that Iniesta Luján alone is worth the 500,000-coin price tag of Season Pass.
Xabi AlonsoXabi Alonso possesses excellent defensive and passing traits, though he lacks traits related to speed.
We strongly advise players never to trade in Iniesta Luján for Xabi Alonso or for a 95 OVR Player Pack - it simply isn't worth it.
Other Premium RewardsAdditionally, there is a wealth of tradable packs available, such as 87×5, 86×10, and 88+ Player Packs. Around Level 30, players can also choose options like 90×6 or 89×5 packs, further replenishing their supply of fodder (players used for SBCs).
An Improving EconomyAnother tangible improvement this season lies in the economic environment, which has taken a turn for the better. The rewards in Rivals mode have been doubled, directly injecting vitality into the game's economy.
If you are currently in Elite Division, reaching the 24-point tier not only nets you 120,000 coins but also grants you one 10×85+ Rare Gold Player Pack, two 15×84+ Rare Gold Player Packs, one 15×85+ Rare Gold Player Pack, plus a 1 of 5 TOTS Player Pick. The weekly rewards for achieving 15 wins can amount to as much as 420,000 coins.
Players in lower divisions benefit just as much; even in Division 1, the coin rewards have seen a significant boost.
EA is clearly injecting a substantial amount of coins into the game - likely in response to community complaints regarding economic deflation and inflated card prices. This allows average players to accumulate a considerable amount of coins each week simply by playing a few matches.
Overall, we highly recommend that players unlock Premium Pass. Even if you don't intend to play for the entire duration of the season, the value is justified by Casillas Fernández and Iniesta Luján alone - two cards that are essentially end-game quality.
Combined with the enhanced Rivals rewards, we anticipate that the efficiency of coin accumulation and squad building will see a marked improvement this season.
It is evident that EA FC 26 Season 7 Pass represents one of the most sincere and generous seasonal content releases in recent years, offering exceptional value for money in its Premium tier. Log in now and give it a try!
Unpacking Diablo 4 Lord of Hatred: Why This Expansion Is a True Turning Point for Diablo 4
Just yesterday, the official Diablo IV account announced a new opening cinematic for Lord of Hatred on YouTube. This excited players, as everyone has been eagerly anticipating Lord of Hatred expansion.
With only five days until April 28th, these are truly the slowest five days in history. Many players are jokingly saying that April 28th will be a sleepless night for many.
This expansion adds a lot of new content and also makes some modifications to existing content. Many players predict it will be a turning point for Diablo 4. What makes players have such high expectations for it?
Additionally, you can skip the first expansion and directly experience Lord of Hatred, or you can skip the base game and expansion and directly create an endgame character.
However, this is not recommended for beginners, as you will be completely confused about the story and gameplay.
Next, I will introduce you to the new classes, new areas and stories, and new gameplay. Let's continue.
Paladin and WarlockTwo new classes have been added, and they look quite interesting: Paladin, representing light, and Warlock, representing chaos and darkness, like a battle between good and evil.
Some players may have already played Paladin and found it a powerful class. Like knights in classic RPGs, Paladins wear heavy armor, wield powerful weapons, and represent protection and order. Therefore, it has become a favorite for some players.
So, I believe you're no longer surprised by it. Now, let's talk about Warlock.
Unlike traditional RPGs, Warlock in Diablo 4 feels somewhere between Necromancer and Sorcerer, appearing darker. In terms of gameplay, Warlock is also more flexible and varied.
Warlock gameplay can be divided into two styles: one is summoning and controlling demons to fight for you, somewhat like Necromancer, focusing on building your own demon army.
Another option is more avant-garde; you might even be able to transform yourself into a demon and wreak havoc.
In combat, you'll constantly summon demons. You can modify them, devour them to strengthen yourself, or detonate them as bombs - sounds wicked, right?
Furthermore, you have a skill that allows you to teleport quickly like a ghost, gaining stackable stealth and unhittered movement while moving. This skill is perfect for launching surprise attacks or escaping danger quickly.
Clearly, Warlock requires players to be adaptable in combat; it demands more reflexes than Paladin.
Additionally, since the level cap for all classes has been increased to 70, regardless of which class you want to play, you'll need enough $1 to rebuild your existing builds.
Skovos and new storiesMany players are obsessed with Diablo 4's backstory, so they'll certainly be looking forward to the new story, which will take place in Sanctuary's newest area - Skovos.
In Diablo series, this Mediterranean-style island is considered the cradle of human civilization, both malevolent and sacred, like the forbidden fruit of Eden constantly tempting players.
Therefore, on this island, you'll find many iconic Diablo elements, such as hordes of terrifying monsters, chunks of human flesh hanging from crumbling walls, strange fragments of corpses, and ancient, broken ruins.
But at the same time, the island also retains beautiful scenery, such as marble ruins, sun-drenched coastlines, and tropical vegetation covering the island, as if proclaiming how small and insignificant humanity is compared to nature.
From mysterious coastlines to hellish volcanoes, you'll witness a vibrant island gradually transform into a terrifying and twisted place, as if the island is silently telling its ancient story.
So, naturally, you'll be curious about the new story. In this story, you'll face Mephisto head-on, a formidable foe. Of course, the most interesting part is that you'll have to cooperate with Lilith.
Some players call Lilith "the beginning of all the stories," a presence that no player can ignore or forget. The development team also mentioned that Lilith's character will be a key focus in this story.
Skill Tree ChangesThis is probably the most anticipated aspect for most Diablo 4 players. Besides two new skill trees, the existing six skill trees in Diablo 4 have been almost completely reworked.
I must say, these changes are fantastic. They've made many skills more meaningful and increased their fun factor. For example, Sorceress can now transform her fire hydro snakes into ice snakes, allowing her to switch freely between different builds.
Warlock can create a demon defense wall to surround and strangle enemies. Alternatively, he can dismantle the demon defense wall at the right time, leaving the surrounded enemies facing a horde of ferocious demons.
Whether you're planning to play the new classes or stick with your favorite class, you'll need to adjust your playstyle and build according to these changes. You'll need to prepare sufficiently powerful Diablo 4 items.
This change allows each player to create a unique class. Imagine how different your Sorceress will be from other players' Sorceresses due to different skill choices. While most popular builds and playstyles will inevitably emerge, you can still stick to your own preferences.
Furthermore, the skill tree previously only allowed you to allocate 5 skill points; now it's increased to 15. Deciding which skills to allocate points to and how many to allocate will be a headache for players. However, this also maximizes the game's freedom.
This concludes my review of Diablo IV: Lord of Hatred, focusing on the aspects I found most interesting and that players are likely most interested in. I hope you share my anticipation for Lord of Hatred; I will continue to follow the latest developments.
Discover Top DPS Tier List for WoW TBC Classic Anniversary Phase 2: Best Classes for SSC & TK Raids
WoW TBC Classic Anniversary Phase 2 arrives on May 14th, whether you're ready or not, it will be here as scheduled. Serpentshrine Cavern and Tempest Keep, 25-man raids, await you and will punish any unprepared guilds.
WoW TBC Classic Anniversary is progressing rapidly, and if you're still considering whether to start preparing for the raid, you're already behind.
Let's take a look at DPS classes that will give you an advantage in TBC Phase 2, choose the right class for you, and prepare for WoW Classic Anniversary.
Druid Feral DruidFeral Druids are crucial in Phase 2. Feral Druids provide a 100 DPS boost to Warriors, Rogues, and Shamans. Adding up this extra damage, a skilled Feral Druid in a typical raid can easily top DPS charts. If your team doesn't have a Feral Druid, you might struggle to deal damage in Phase 2.
BoomkinBoomkin is the second least popular specialization in the entire game; almost no one plays this class. Boomkin's strength in Phase 2 is underestimated. Their abilities can support Arcane Mage, resurrect Lady Vashj, and provide a 3% hit chance bonus to Fairy Fire. Because Boomkin are so rare, you'll easily find a group to team up with.
ShamanEveryone knows Shamans are essential, as in TBC Phase 2, a warrior team with a Shaman gains approximately 150 damage.
Elemental ShamanNot every lineup needs an Elemental Shaman, but they are absolutely indispensable in Phase 2. This isn't just because totems buff crucial groups of spellcasters, nor is it just because they can deal massive damage in a short time. The real reason lies in the most hard fight in Phase 2, Lady Vashj.
This fight involves many phases, one crucial of which is kiting Strider. Any unit that gets close will be inflicted with AoE fear, resulting in a wipe. You can use a Mage, Hunter, or a Druid with potions to kite it.
But the simplest option is undoubtedly Elemental Shaman using Frost Shock, which generates massive threat and effectively tackles one of the most troublesome parts of the fight. If you're looking to play a new class, choose Elemental Shaman.
Enhancement ShamanEnhancement Shaman's buffs provide hundreds of points of free damage to the raid, and it has recently ranked highly in raid damage statistics. Strangely, very few people play this spec.
However, we can expect that in TBC Phase 2, guilds of all skill levels - from average to high-level, and even elite guilds - won't consider playing without an Enhancement Shaman. Therefore, if you haven't decided on a class yet, Enhancement Shaman will be highly sought after.
Priest - Shadow PriestShadow Priests will play a crucial role in TBC Phase 2 raids. Without them, the entire raid will collapse. In SSC and TK, the top-ranked spec in combat is almost always Arcane Mage. Once they acquire two pieces of the Tier 5 set, their main damage output increases by 20%. At that point, their DPS will skyrocket.
However, this set also increases their mana consumption, meaning that in the prolonged battles of Phase 2, Arcane Mage desperately need a Shadow Priest. Without a Shadow Priest, your mage core will rush out of mana.
Paladin - Retribution PaladinRetribution Paladins are definitely a class that can dominate early in Phase 2. However, obtaining the gear they truly need to unleash their full potential might be a bit difficult. In Phase 2, Nether Vortex will be the focus of contention. You can obtain it from dungeons or using $1. Just like many spellcasters want to get Belt of Blasting as soon as possible, warriors believe that obtaining Nether Vortex is essential to reaching endgame gear.
However, the true dark horse among melee classes is undoubtedly Retribution Paladin. Using Nether Vortex grants Retribution Paladin Lionheart Executioner, and its damage cap is higher than other melee classes, meaning extremely high burst damage that can easily overwhelm early bosses.
WarriorWarriors consistently top the damage charts in many fights, and because of Phase 2 changes, they will only become stronger. In Phase 2, Warrior's advantage is limited to certain fights, such as Fathom-Lord Karathress. While their original power spike should have been in the late game, the 40% reduction in fight time means warriors will spend more time using abilities like Berserk, Recklessness, Bloodlust, and Death Wish to build up rage and deal massive damage.
HunterHunters frequently deal the highest damage in Gruul's fight and also top the damage charts in fights like Solaraan and Lady Vashj. Hunters are arguably one of the strongest DPS classes in Phase 2. However, they are currently receiving relatively little attention.
WarlockMany believe Warlock will be the strongest class in Phase 2. In TBCP Phase 2, groups of mobs are a boon for any class with AoE skills, such as Warrior's Sweeping Strikes, Major Arcane Explosion, and of course, Warlock's Seed of Corruption. A well-geared Warlock using Seed of Corruption can easily overwhelm groups of mobs and deal the highest damage in the raid.
However, you need to be aware that most Warriors and Feral Druids simply cannot maintain threat on Phase 2 mob groups, and most Paladins lack sufficient spell power. They cannot generate enough threat for the upcoming groups of Shadow Priests (SSC) and Tank Knights (TK) that can instantly kill large numbers of enemies. Therefore, Warlock's survivability is very limited, and they will almost always be one-shotten when using Seed of Corruption. You need reliable teammates or superior skill to survive in the dungeon.
With Phase 2 approaching, it's time to make a choice. You can choose your class based on the needs of your guild and your personal preferences, and start your adventure in WoW TBC Classic Anniversary Phase 2!
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WoW Series Jan 03, 2024A Boss Strategy Guide To WoW Season Of Discovery Blackfathom Deeps Raid
In the WoW Season of Discovery, one of the prominent changes in WoW Classic is the level-gated content. Initially, in Phase One, players can reach Level 25, which will gradually increase to 40, 50, and eventually 60 in subsequent Phases. At the culmination of each bracket, a new Raid awaits, and for Phase One, the WoW SoD team has completely revamped the Blackfathom Deeps from a Dungeon into a 10-man Raid.
Each boss within the Blackfathom Deeps has undergone a comprehensive overhaul compared to their classic versions. As a result, players must adapt to new strategies to overcome the re-tuned and intensified bosses. This guide offers insights into the Raid preparation and specific strategies tailored for each role—DPS, Healer, and Tank—allowing for quick reference before each encounter.
Blackfathom Deeps - Overview & PreparationLocated in the northwest of Ashenvale, on the northern coast of the Zoram Strand, Blackfathom Deeps is initially available as a Raid at the maximum level in Phase One. However, in subsequent phases, it will transition into an optional Raid that players can engage in while progressing through levels, offering high-tier loot and quest XP. The Raid comprises seven bosses scattered throughout the redesigned underwater maze.
Presently, the recommended Raid setup includes two healers, two tanks, and six DPS equipped with at least a few Interrupts among them. Prior to entering the instance, it's advisable to enchant your gear and acquire specific consumables to aid in handling certain mechanics. Some helpful consumables are:
Shadow Protection Potion, useful for Twilight Lord Kelris' second phase and Gelihast's murloc waves (in certain situations). Free Action Potions, in case Twilight Lord Kelris' abilities remain uninterrupted. A food consumable that enhances your class' primary stats.Additionally, before reaching Blackfathom Deeps, make a stop in Darnassus to obtain the Boon of Blackfathom world buff. This world buff automatically applies to everyone in Darnassus when a player turns in the final Blackfathom Deeps quest. It augments Hit Chance, Critical Chance, AP and SP, and Movement Speed, lasting for two hours.
Baron AquanisHere are strategies for defeating Baron Aquanis based on different roles.
Baron Aquanis DPS TipsMelee DPS should consistently position themselves behind the boss to avoid the Bubble Beam ability.
If afflicted by the Depth Charge debuff, cease attacking and plunge into the water, returning once the debuff dissipates.
For Ranged DPS, maintain awareness and move to evade the boss' Bubble Beam ability.
Navigate between platforms to dodge the boss' Torrential Downpour AoE.
Remarkably, it's possible to attack the boss safely from the water below once the trash is eliminated.
Baron Aquanis Healer TipsTransition to a party or AoE Healing setup, utilizing Runes such as Mass Regeneration and Prayer of Mending.
Navigate between platforms to evade the boss' Torrential Downpour AoE.
Notably, healing allies from the water below is safe once the trash is cleared.
Baron Aquanis Tank TipsRemain vigilant and move to evade the boss' Bubble Beam ability, which targets the main Tank's location, as indicated by the castbar.
Ghamoo-RaHere are strategies for defeating Ghamoo-Ra based on different roles.
Ghamoo-Ra DPS TipsMelee DPS should use rapid weapons and abilities that enhance Attack Speed, like Slice N' Dice, to expedite the removal of the boss' Armor.
Avoid stepping into shell fragments scattered in the area, particularly if you do not utilize Mana as a resource.
For Ranged DPS, employ swift weapons and abilities that bolster Attack Speed to accelerate the boss' Armor removal.
Steer clear of shell fragments scattered around the area, especially if Mana isn't your primary resource.
Ghamoo-Ra Healer TipsReserve Emergency Healing abilities, such as Lay On Hands, in case a Tank accumulates excessive stacks of Crunch Armor.
Promptly activate AoE Healing abilities once Ghamoo-Ra's armor is shattered, as the entire Raid will sustain substantial damage.
Step onto shell fragments only if Mana reserves are critically low, and Tank attention isn't an immediate necessity.
Ghamoo-Ra Tank TipsAlternate Tanks upon accumulating two stacks of Crunch Armor, as Ghamoo-Ra's Triple Chomp ability becomes perilously potent with more than two Stacks.
Consume a potent Healing Potion after Ghamoo-Ra's armor is shattered, enabling Healers to concentrate on restoring the remainder of the Raid.
Lady SarevessHere are strategies for defeating Lady Sarevess based on different roles.
Lady Sarevess DPS TipsMelee DPS should consistently disrupt Frost Arrow whenever it's cast. Rogues and Paladins are particularly adept at this task.
Avoid lingering in the Ice areas, as prolonged exposure may result in temporary immobilization.
Prioritize focusing on Sarevess rather than the Elite for a more efficient takedown.
For Ranged DPS, steer clear of the Ice areas to prevent temporary immobilization.
Prioritize focusing on Sarevess over the Elite for optimized results.
Lady Sarevess Healer TipsAvoid lingering in the Ice areas to prevent temporary immobilization. Maintain maximum range for safety.
Assign one Healer to concentrate on the Offtank, responsible for diverting the Elite's attention.
Lady Sarevess Tank TipsContinuously reposition Lady Sarevess to avoid the formation of Ice areas.
Ensure the boss faces away from the rest of the group to prevent cleave and chain damage.
Disrupt Frost Arrow to support melee DPS in preventing its execution.
Have the Offtank focus on the Elite, positioning it at the periphery of an Ice patch to potentially immobilize it.
GelihastHere are strategies for defeating Gelihast based on different roles.
Gelihast DPS TipsMelee DPS should prioritize eliminating Tendril adds as soon as they emerge to prevent their casting of Mind Flay.
Exercise caution while maneuvering between enemies, refraining from attacking them, during the March Of The Murlocs ability across phases (three total waves).
For Ranged DPS, prioritize eliminating Tendril adds promptly to prevent their casting of Mind Flay.
Exercise caution while maneuvering between enemies, refraining from attacking them, during the March Of The Murlocs ability across phases (three total waves).
Evade Gelihast's Shadow Crash ability, an extensive AoE Shadow damage aimed at Ranged party members.
Gelihast Healer TipsReserve Emergency Healing abilities, such as Rewind Time, should a Tank accumulate excessive stacks of Crunch Armor.
Exercise caution while maneuvering between enemies, refraining from attacking them, during the March Of The Murlocs ability across phases (three total waves).
Evade Gelihast's Shadow Crash ability, an extensive AoE Shadow damage aimed at Ranged party members.
Gelihast Tank TipsSwitch between Tanks once Gelihast accumulates two stacks of Shadow Strike – the boss's damage significantly escalates beyond three stacks.
Be cautious while moving amidst enemies (avoid attacking them) during the March Of The Murlocs ability, occurring across three total waves.
If still affected by the debuff during March Of The Murlocs, consider using a Shadow Protection Potion to counter any potential contact.
Lorgus JettOutlined below are approaches to defeating Lorgus Jett across various roles.
Lorgus Jett DPS TipsMelee DPS should cease attacking Lorgus Jett immediately upon the casting of Corrupted Lightning Shield Totem. Rapidly dismantle this Totem before resuming attacks on Lorgus.
Avoid the boss's Molten Boulder ability, a slow-rolling, high-damage Fire attack traversing the room.
For Ranged DPS, refrain from attacking Lorgus Jett upon the casting of Corrupted Lightning Shield Totem. Swiftly dismantle this Totem before returning focus to Lorgus.
Stay clear of the boss's Molten Boulder ability, a slow-moving Fire attack causing substantial damage on impact.
Lorgus Jett Healer TipsSteer clear of the boss's Molten Boulder ability, a slow-rolling, high-damage Fire attack traversing the room.
Watch out for the boss's Windfury Totem, which significantly boosts the boss's DPS, and be prepared to employ Emergency Healing abilities if available.
Lorgus Jett Tank TipsImmediately halt attacks on Lorgus Jett when the Corrupted Lightning Shield Totem is cast. Rapidly dismantle this Totem before returning focus to Lorgus.
Avoid the boss's Molten Boulder ability, a slow-moving Fire attack causing substantial damage on impact.
Twilight Lord KelrisHere are strategies for overcoming Twilight Lord Kelris in different roles.
Twilight Lord Kelris DPS TipsInterrupt every Shadowy Chains that the boss attempts to cast. It is cast about every 10 seconds in Phase One, so Rogues can Kick it every time on cooldown. Other DPS should focus on Interrupting Mind Blast.
Consume a Shadow Protection Potion right before Phase 2 (at about 35% health) and focus on unleashing heavy damage. Kelris cannot be interrupted in Phase Two and will continually cast Mind Blasts.
Avoid staying within the Shadow Crash AoE area by monitoring your debuffs.
When transported to the shadow realm, eliminate Priestesses until one reveals a Portal to return you to the normal world. Kelris targets the closest players and avoids targeting the same players twice.
Coordinate groups of two (Tank+melee DPS) to stay close and compel Kelris to teleport them. Others should maintain maximum range to avoid becoming targets.
Twilight Lord Kelris Healer TipsMinimize healing in Phase One to conserve mana for the much more impactful Phase Two.
Maintain maximum range at all times to avoid being sent into the Dream realm via Kelris' Sleep ability.
If Shadow Chains isn't interrupted, employ a Free Action Potion to avoid being CCed before it takes effect. Priests can also utilize Dispel Magic.
Consume a Shadow Protection Potion right before Phase 2 (at about 35% health) and focus on heavy healing. Kelris cannot be interrupted in Phase Two and will continually cast Mind Blasts.
Avoid staying within the Shadow Crash AoE area by monitoring your debuffs.
Twilight Lord Kelris Tank TipsPosition the boss so that Ranged party members can still attack Kelris while having enough space to avoid the Shadow Crash AoE DoT.
Assist DPS in interrupting Mind Blast and Shadowy Chains in Phase One.
During Phase Two, employ personal defensive Cooldowns to assist Healers and consume a Shadow Protection Potion right before he reaches the 35% HP mark.
When transported to the shadow realm, eliminate Priestesses until one reveals a Portal to return you to the normal world. Kelris targets the closest players and avoids targeting the same players twice.
Coordinate groups of two (Tank+melee DPS) to stay close and compel Kelris to teleport them. Others should maintain maximum range to avoid becoming targets.
Aku-maiHere are strategies for overcoming Aku-mai in different roles.
Aku-mai DPS TipsMelee DPS always stay behind the boss to evade either Corrosive Blast or Void Blast. The boss might abruptly change direction from the Tank, so maintain proximity to reduce travel distance.
Halt attacks immediately when Aku-Mai summons adds; prioritize eliminating them. Neglecting these adds could jeopardize the success of your attempt.
Towards the fight's end, utilize defensive Cooldowns to aid Healers, particularly if both Tanks become incapacitated – Aku-Mai's attacks are formidable.
Ranged DPS always stay behind the boss to evade either Corrosive Blast or Void Blast. The boss might abruptly change direction from the Tank, so maintain proximity to reduce travel distance.
Halt attacks immediately when Aku-Mai summons adds; prioritize eliminating them. Neglecting these adds could jeopardize the success of your attempt.
Towards the fight's end, utilize defensive Cooldowns to aid Healers, particularly if both Tanks become incapacitated – Aku-Mai's attacks are formidable.
Aku-mai Healer TipsAlways stay behind the boss to evade either Corrosive Blast or Void Blast. The boss might abruptly change direction from the Tank, so maintain proximity to reduce travel distance.
Consider shifting to a single-target Healing focused setup, utilizing abilities like Beacon of Light, as Aku-Mai primarily focuses on a single Tank at a time.
Aku-mai Tank TipsPosition yourself on the opposite side of Aku-Mai to face away from the party, preventing them from getting hit by the boss's Corrosive and Void Blast, and keeping Cleansing Pools nearby.
The Offtank should employ AoE Tanking abilities, such as Thunderclap or Consecration, to generate Threat for the adds that frequently spawn during the fight.
Only utilize Cleansing Pools if afflicted with four or more stacks of Corrosion or Shadow Seep, as they have limitations. Swap Tanks upon reaching this limit.
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Path of Exile Jan 03, 2024Everything You Need To Know About Righteous Fire Hierophant Build In Path Of Exile 3.23
This guide is about the new Righteous Fire skill for a Hierophant in Path of Exile 3.23. The build uses Righteous Fire of Arcane Devotion skill, in contrast to regular RF, not only sources its damage from maximum mana instead of maximum Life but is also affected by all modifiers to spell damage, including increased spell damage from the Indigon helmet. It’s one of the most potent sources of damage that’s rarely explored in dot builds, as the dot damage doesn’t scale with it unless it’s specifically stated.
How It WorksTo get more damage from Indigon, get a lot of maximum unreserved mana and then spend it very quickly with Arcane Cloak to recover all this mana back. Use Armageddon Brand of Volatility with Brand Mastery that recovers 10% of your maximum mana after the brand expires, which happens after merely one activation. When mapping, there's no need to do it since you'll also gain mana on killing with Thrill Killer and/or Mind Drinker.
Hierophant is the ascendancy that specializes in mana, with passives such as Divine Guidance and Sanctuary of Thought. These nodes grant mana damage, reservation efficiency, area of effect, and energy shield, which the build heavily relies on. The damage is sourced entirely from the Indigon. It has a damage cap that you’re able to reach with enough mana, which is sourced from items and passives.
The fire damage over time can be improved with burning damage or dot multiplier modifiers on a weapon. It’s a durable build with over 10k energy shield, a lot of evasion, and reduced Elemental damage taken. It has a low block chance and almost no armor, but the high ES pool combined with Arcane Cloak guard spell will protect you from getting killed in one hit.
Clear speed is great and restricted only by your movement speed. To reach meaningful single-target damage, you will need to spend some POE Currency. The price is high, as expected from an intelligent stacking build, but it can be assembled on a moderate budget.
Gear And JewelsThe build requires a lot of unique POE Items. Your focus is on mana and intelligence. Intelligence grants mana and energy shield, making it important with Shaper’s Touch gloves. It grants Evasion. mana will affect your damage with the Indigon helmet. Transfiguration of Mind adds AOE due to the Sanctuary of Thought. Strength grants mana and energy shield. Indigon increases energy shield and your spell damage alongside mana spent recently, which is the main reason to stack mana and use Arcane Cloak.
All spell damage modifiers affect the damage over time of Righteous Fire of Arcane Devotion. You can’t reserve mana, but you can reserve life, and the Prism Guardian Shield is the most efficient way to do so. Socket your most expensive and important auras here. The Ivory Tower protects you from chaos damage and grants tons of energy shield regeneration, intelligence, and mana.
There is no replacement for this armor. Legacy of Fury boots will significantly improve your damage with powerful Scorch and Explosions on killing. If you can't find any resistances, mana, or intelligence, consider replacing them with rare boots. Use Shaper’s Touch gloves to gain tons of mana with energy shield from strength and evasion from intelligence. Cyclopean Coil is a reasonably priced belt with a lot of maximum mana, attributes, and freeze immunity. Use it before you’re able to afford a better one.
Astramentis is the amulet with a lot of attributes that we recommend using in this build. Eyes of the Greatwolf with suitable rolls will undoubtedly be very expensive. You’re looking for increased intelligence, strength, or all attributes with life regeneration, global defenses, fire damage, or maximum mana. Put Shavronn's Revelation on your right finger to gain tons of maximum mana and energy shield regeneration. Since you don't regenerate mana, the downside won't be a problem. Socket Healthy Mind Jewel near Cruel Preparation to gain much more mana, intelligence, and mana on Split Personality.
A rare amulet can be an excellent option. Look for maximum mana, attributes, and resistances. The best ones will have a synthesized implicit or shaper suffix for increased attributes. On a ring, you shall get the usual mana and attributes, especially intelligence. You will probably need some dexterity too for the Grace skill gem. You can obtain mana, energy shield, attributes, chaos resistance, and Elemental spell damage from Jewels. Use large cluster Jewels to create a suitable environment for 2 of your Split Personality jewels. There are quite a few notables to look for. Most importantly, Scintillating Idea from a lightning cluster Jewel for a 20% increased maximum mana.
FlasksMana and intelligence from Clarity are the best modifier to get on a Watcher’s Eye. Another great one is the Malevolence dot multiplier. Excellent additions may manifest as Clarity, Discipline, Grace, and even Purity of Fire. It may be hard to cap your resistances after you put most of your resources into intelligence, strength, and mana. It can be done with Ruby, Topaz, and Sapphire flasks if you’ve opted for the Traitor Keystone. While searching for burning damage modifiers on your items is an option, prioritize mana and intelligence instead.
Life regeneration will affect your ES with Zealot's Oath and is very important. You need a weapon with a lot of maximum mana and various types of fire damage over time modifiers, attributes, and dot multipliers are too very valuable. We can craft some of these modifiers. Look for boots that offer attributes like movement speed, mana, and resistances. For Eldritch mods, seek life regeneration per endurance charge and maximum fire resistance. On a belt, you can increase your attributes via Hunter or Elder suffix. Try to get some intelligence from the crafting bench. energy shield, maximum mana, and resistances are good too.
Ivory Tower protects you from chaos damage until you have no mana. Use Coruscating Elixir flask to shift incoming chaos damage to affect energy shield if your mana has been depleted and to take less fire damage. You may also use a regular Ruby flask if your chaos resistance is high and you don’t run out of mana. For other flasks, get a Topaz flask with bleed immunity and a Sapphire flask with increased movement speed if you’re using the Trader Keystone for permanent flasks. These are your 3 flasks. If not, you should also get a Forbidding mana flask with a crafted mod for life regeneration during flask effect and a Quicksilver flask with increased movement speed.
Gems And SocketsRighteous Fire of Arcane Devotion deals damage based on your maximum mana to your character and enemies around you in the form of fire damage over time. Link it with Burning Damage, Swift Affliction, Controlled Destruction, Elemental Focus, and Arcane Surge support gems.
It’s important to use some kind of channeling skill with Armageddon Brand of Volatility. Scorching Ray is the top choice because of its powerful fire exposure. Armageddon Brand of Volatility is supposed to recover 10% of your maximum mana when it expires, which it does after activating once. Allocate the specific Brand Mastery to achieve it. It’s a substantial source of mana recovery during boss fights. Link these 2 with Cast While Channeling and Infused Channeling support gems.
The following 3 auras shall be socketed in the Prism Guardian Shield:
Discipline adds energy shield and increases its recovery rate. Grace adds and increases evasion, which you have a lot of already from the Shaper’s Touch gloves. You need a lot of maximum fire resistance to withstand self-inflicted burning damage. Increase the purity of fire skill gem level to 21 additional maximum fire resistance.Malevolence makes you deal more damage over time and increases your skill effect duration if you have no mana reserved. Eternal Blessing support allows you to have one permanently blessed aura of charge with an increased aura effect. Link Malevolence to it. Clarity does nothing with Shavronn's Revelation, but it unlocks some of the best mods on a Watcher’s Eye. If you don’t have it, use Vitality instead or alongside it if you have enough life. Link it with Arrogant support.
Your entire mana pool has to remain unreserved. Activate Arcane Cloak to spend 64% of your current mana and gain up to 2,000% increased spell damage from Indigon. Spending a minimum of 16,000 mana in just 4 seconds is necessary to reach this aspirational cap, but it's not practical to attempt with any other skill. Link it with Less Duration and Swift Affliction to use it again sooner. Flame Dash's ability is the curse that lowers the fire resistance of your enemies. If you don’t want to cast it, get a slightly worse Elemental Weakness on hit as a corrupted glove implicit, as we did. You can link your curse gem to Hextouch support to proliferate the Hex.
Shield Charge is simply used to travel faster. Spending mana within Sigil of Power enhances its strength, leading to reduced damage from enemies.
Bandits And PantheonKill all the bandits in Act 2. You will need the two extra passive skill points the most. For a major God, we recommend the Soul of Arakaali to take less damage over time and less chaos damage over time after an upgrade, which is good if your chaos resistance is not yet capped. The selection of minor Gods offers a variety of bonuses. We recommend something to take less physical damage or less damage over time against the type of damage you struggle with the most. We have picked Shakari for better protection against poison.
Passive TreeThe passive skill tree resembles an S shape to squeeze out more mana and intelligence from forbidden jewels. So if you don’t have them, opt for a more optimized shape. Aim mostly for maximum mana, some energy shield, and intelligence. Fire damage and damage over time are less important. Eternal Youth will be transformed into the Traitor Keystone. Allocate also Zealot Oath, Iron Will, Pain Attunement, and a single brand cluster. Get passive energy shield regeneration and shift the stun threshold to ES. Two energy shield masteries lessen damage taken. As for mana recovery after using Guard skill, as mana Mastery, increased attributes as attribute Mastery, and mana recovery when brand expires as Brand Mastery.
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Diablo 4 Jan 02, 2024Changes And Effects Of Uber Unique Drop Rates In Diablo 4 Season 2
Here, we’ll discuss the latest changes to Uber Unique drop rate in Diablo 4 and how it affects the game.
I feel like many of you are probably not fully up to date on every latest change to the game. Since it’s the end of the season, there usually aren’t vast changes at this point.
And Christmas event that just released is boring and uninspired, to say the least. So you have good reason not to listen closely to what’s going on with Diablo 4 right now, at least until they start announcing details about Season 3.
Duriel’s Uber Uniques Drop Rate ChangesThat being said, one recent change to the game that you may have noticed is that the drop rate for Duriel’s Uber Uniques has doubled. That’s what I want to talk about here, because this change has serious implications for both future and past events.
Hardcore Diablo fans should be very aware that doubling things in a game rarely has the desired effect. Before we talk about this change, we also have to talk about Uber Uniques’ system of dropping a boss throughout the game. Because the system itself is highly questionable, to say the least.
Everyone praised the developers for their decision when they announced that Uber Uniques would be more suitable for the average player. Because the drop rates for these items have been so low since the launch of the game that only a handful of players in the world are lucky enough to get them.
Anything is better than this system, so that’s why everyone cheered when Duriel could drop Uber Unique items with about a 2% drop rate.
InfluenceBut little did we know it was another horrible system that players grew to hate over time. In order to fight Duriel and have a 2% chance of receiving one item, players must go through a heartbreaking grind.
The time varies depending on the class you play. But I think it’s safe to say that summoning Duriel at a time requires at least an hour of farming time.
Now, if a player kills Duriel in a group, it can increase the number of summons by 4x. But the problem remains: long hours of soulless grinding with a slim chance of getting really good items.
Trust me, 2% chance is small, especially if you want a specific Uber Unique. You can easily kill between 5 and 800 Duriel without dropping your target Uber Unique. And you can get multiple other unique items that are actually useless to your class.
It filled Reddit with posts, complaining about how many times they ran it without getting Unique drops they wanted. Other types of posts are where players post screenshots of the items they ultimately earned as proof of some kind of achievement.
But is beating a simple, easy-to-kill boss repeatedly really a tremendous accomplishment? Players are frustrated, and rightfully so. Wouldn’t it be better if it could drop Uber Uniques from any mob, but the chance of a drop didn’t limit them to a handful of players in the world?
Don’t get me wrong, I don’t think the addition of Uber Bosses is completely useless. They serve their purpose well by letting players aim to farm regular unique items, such as Tempest Roar and Malignant Rings. But bundling Uber Unique items with Duriel is a huge mistake in my opinion.
Player FeedbackNow let’s get back to the present and look at the recent changes to Uber Uniques drop odds. The fact that the developers made such a change, especially in the middle of the season, upset more people.
First, this doesn’t solve the problem of Duriel being a single semi-reliable way to get Uber Uniques. But that’s not the only problem. Let’s see how some player groups react to this change.
Players who have gotten Unique items they wanted despite tedious grinding without buffs may feel betrayed by the developers. Because it takes new players half the time to get the same items.
The second category of players are those who obtained Unique by purchasing Duriel summoning materials using Diablo 4 Gold or even real money. I personally see nothing wrong with using gold to purchase materials. But since duping is available to certain groups, material prices can become very low due to the excessive number of duped items being sold.
So, while buying with gold isn’t inherently a bad thing, duping is questionable. As for paying real money to get summoning materials, I do understand the reasoning: people want to skip dozens or hundreds of hours of grinding to reach Duriel by paying. I understand the motivation, but it’s still bad for the game as this is clearly a case of pay-to-win and will ruin the game in the long run.
So, the target group that should benefit from the double drop chances are players who have never obtained unique items and plan to get them later in the season. However, at the end of the season, the number of these players was not as high as the developers thought.
It’s entirely possible that some players who never got Uber Uniques evaded this chore, and they still have to do it after the change. At least the price of summoning materials is expected to drop due to increased drop rates.
ConclusionSo, overall, the developers made a controversial change to an objectively terrible system. They could have redesigned the entire system, or at least they could have waited until next season to introduce the change.
Regardless, this is yet another in a long line of terrible decisions from Diablo developers. Looking at this trend, they really have to do better to compete with the upcoming Path of Exile 2. What are your thoughts on this topic? Are you planning to take advantage of Uber Uniques? See you next time!
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WoW Series Dec 29, 2023How To Craft High Item Level Gear With Spark Of Dreams In WoW Dragonflight Season 3?
In this guide, we will deep dive into WoW Dragonflight Season 3 crafted gear.
General InfoCrafted gear is still a force to be reckoned with in Season 3, despite a slight nerf. The max item level caps at 486, just 3 levels shy of the highest Myth gear.
But don’t let that deter you. It’s still a solid choice. For Stardust, no RNG headaches here, as crafting gear allows you to target specific slots and items, offering a strategic advantage to your gearing journey. So, you can plan ahead and farm the Reagents needed.
Enchanted Dreaming CrestsSpeaking of Reagents, let’s take them one by one and go over the changes this season brought.
Each crafted gear piece requires an Enchanted Crest crafted by Enchanters through the work order system. Or if your main character has enchanting, you’re in luck. It can save you some WoW Dragonflight Gold there.
Enchanted Crest Recipes are found in the Emerald Dream from outdoor activities like rares, treasures, and the Superbloom Event. The drop chance is quite high as well.
Same as last season, we have 3 Enchanted Crests:
Enhanced Whelpling’s Dreaming Crest Enhanced Wyrm’s Dreaming Crest Enhanced Aspect’s Dreaming CrestThe Whelpling crest is utilized for lower-level blue gear, providing an item level of up to 447. Although this is fairly low considering it can drop from outdoor activities as well, it can prove very useful for solo players. On the flip side, the Wyrm and Aspect crests are reserved for epic-quality gear. This is the most powerful gear you can craft, but you also need another Reagent for that.
In WoW Dragonflight 10.2, all crests go directly into the currency tab rather than your bags. Due to this change, an item had to be implemented to convert the crest into a Reagent, allowing for easy transfer to the crafters. This is done by the Nascent Wyrm’s Dreaming Crest, and there are 3 kinds of them: one for each type of crest. All can be purchased from the enchanting vendors throughout the Dragonflight zones.
For example, to craft the highest crest, you need to purchase the Nascent Aspect’s Dreaming Crest by handing in 60 normal Aspect’s Dreaming Crests. To put things in perspective, gathering this amount is equivalent to completing 5 level-16 keys in time or taking down around 6 Mythic bosses. It does take some effort and time, but the high item level makes it worthwhile.
Additionally, you can obtain a free Enchanted Wyrm’s Dreaming Crest through specific milestones. One is rewarded for defeating Fyrakk as part of the main campaign, including all the difficulties. While the other is granted upon reaching Renown 20 with Dream Wardens.
Spark Of DreamsSo far, we have covered the enchanted crests. Now, the second reagent that you have to provide for high items is the Spark of Dreams.
This item is basically replacing the old sparks that we had in Season 1 and 2. You can create it by combining 2 Splintered Sparks of Dreams and 250 Flightstones.
There are 2 known ways to earn a half spark. The first way is by completing the “A Worthy Ally” weekly quest offered by the Renown keeper. It requires farming 1,500 reputation with Dream Wardens. The second way is by completing any of these 2 quests offered by Malicia for PVP players. You can find her in the Valdrakken’s PVP Hub.
As you may anticipate, you can generate a spark weekly by receiving one half spark per week. However, there is a unique opportunity to earn an extra spark through the one-time quest “Dreams Unified” offered by Lady Moonberry. Upon completion, you’ll have 2 sparks. But keep in mind, this occurs just once per character.
If you join in later in the patch, you do not need to fret. There’s a catch-up mechanism in place. Splintered Spark of Dreams can be obtained from raids, dungeons, PVP, and weekly activities until you reach the current spark count.
How To Put An Order & TipsSince we pretty much cover all the universal Reagents across crafted pieces, let’s see how it works in practice.
Firstly, you need to reach out to an enchanter, open a work order for your chosen Enchanted Crest, and find a crafter for your desired gear piece. Consider the cost, quality, and Reagents needed. Many people in trade chat or your guild can help, so don’t be shy.
Besides the spark and the crest, the other Reagents vary depending on the item, and it’s not necessary to provide them yourself. The crafter can also contribute, but take that into consideration for the payment.
The quality of the Reagents is also very important, as it can help to make it faster. The ingredients can be gathered throughout farming, or you can purchase them directly from the Auction House.
So, the consistent Reagents are the Spark and the Enchanted Crest, and these will determine the final item level. If you provide only the spark, then it will be between 450 to 463, depending on its overall quality. However, it’s best to save your spark and enhance the piece further by cooperating crests. The Wyrm crest elevates it from 463 to 476, while the Aspect crest achieves levels from 473 to 486, making it very powerful.
Crafting weapons requires 2 sparks instead of 1, translating to approximately a month’s effort. Hence, it’s crucial to be strategic about the items you choose to craft, considering the sparks don’t come in as quickly.
Aside from that, crests also have a weekly cap of 90 per week, which, of course, increases every week. A good approach is to take notes from the best-in-slot gear guide for your class and spec.
Don’t forget that you can also add Draconic Missive of the Fire Flash for your preferred stuns and Embellishments for some extra Flare, providing fun effects on the piece.
Some items come with building Embellishments, such as the Elemental Lariat, and are so totally worth a look.
All in all, Embellishments give a powerful touch to the gear, and you should always utilize them, but you cannot equip more than two at a time.
Also, keep in mind that if you’ve got any crafted gear from Season 1 or 2 lying around, you can give it a refresh by adding the new Reagents.
PvPPlus, it might even save you a bit of gold, especially if you reach out to the PvP same crafter. That’s all good and well for the PvE players. Now, let’s go over to the PvP side.
Honor and Conquest vendors offer items that let you convert professionally crafted gear into PvP gear. You can find them both in the Valdrakken’s PVP Hub. There are 3 (Greater Verdant) Crests of Honor, which will increase specific slot item levels to 476 PvP item level.
They are sold by Seltherex and they cost different amounts of Honor, depending on the slot you want to use them for. Honor is obtained from doing all types of PvP activities, ranked or unranked.
For the advanced players, there are 3 (Lesser Verdant) Trophies of Conquest, which will increase the gear’s level to 489. These are sold by Calderax and they cost different amounts of Conquest again, depending on the slot item.
Conquest is only earned from rated PvP activities and it has a weekly cap. Season 3 started with a 1,350 limit and it keeps increasing by 550 every week.
Don’t forget that the PvP item level is only enabled during Arenas and Battleground matches. In the Outdoor World, then it’s the actual item level on the piece that counts.
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WoW Series Dec 28, 2023How To Find 5 Most Powerful Runes Of Warlock In WOW Classic SOD?
WOW Classic Season of Discovery has started for a few weeks. Currently, almost all Warlock Runes have been discovered. Some you just click on an item, but some are more difficult to complete, like Metamorphosis Rune.
So, in this Warlock Runes guide, I want to review the five most important Runes of Warlock, which are Runes above level 15.
IncinerateSo let’s get down to business first. The Incinerate Rune deals fire damage and increases the fire damage you deal by 25%.
They dropped Rune of Incinerate from Incinerator Gar’im. This is a level 23 elite found in a cave in Render’s Valley, which is located in the southeast corner of Redridge Mountains, approximately around coordinates [77, 85].
Keep in mind that Redridge Mountains are a contested area, so rival factions on PVP server will attack you here. You’ll also have to deal with other Blackrock orc monsters in the area.
So if you’re at a lower level, you may need a friend. You just have to fight him, knock him down, and then you can loot Rune of Incinerate from him, which is actually pretty easy to get once you get to that level.
Lake Of FireIn Season of Discovery, one of the most valuable Runes you can get as Warlock is Lake of Fire.
This spell is powerful in a fire-based Warlock build. Because it leaves an area on the ground beneath your target, causing all other targets within that AOE radius to take increased fire damage from you and your demons.
To get this Lake of Fire, you first need to find Zixil, a goblin merchant. After finding Zixil, purchase Demolition Explosives from the merchant for a total of 1 WOW Classic SOD Gold. This reagent will be the key to obtaining Lake of Fire Rune later.
Next, head northeast in Hillsbrad Foothills to Durnholde Keep reaching coordinates [79, 40]. There, you’ll find a pile of rocks and debris labeled “Rubble.”
Stand directly on the rubble and use Demolition Explosives purchased from Zixil. If done correctly, you will destroy the rubble and a locker will appear containing Lake of Fire Rune.
If you miss the rubble or stand in the wrong spot when detonating the explosives, the locker containing Lake of Fire Rune will not appear and you cannot get explosives there.
You only have one chance to get this rune, and if you mess up, you’ll have to return to Zixil and drop another gold piece before you can try again.
Everlasting AfflictionIt can engrave rune of Everlasting Affliction on Legs slot and allow Warlock’s various abilities to refresh the duration of your applied Corruption.
We should note that Alliance and Horde players get Rune of Everlasting Affliction differently.
To get Rune of Everlasting Affliction, Alliance players need to turn in Waylaid Supplies until you gain a Friendly reputation within Azeroth Commerce Authority faction. You can then purchase Rune of Everlasting Affliction from the same Supply Officer for 2 WoW Classic SoD gold.
Horde players who want to get Everlasting Affliction need to turn in Waylaid Supplies until you gain Friendly reputation in Durotar Supply and Logistics faction. You can then purchase Rune of Everlasting Affliction from the same Supply Officer for 2 gold.
Shadow Bolt VolleyShadow Bolt Volley is a Gloves Rune that enhances Warlock’s classic skill, Shadow Bolt. When this rune is activated, your Shadow Bolt can attack chain enemies within up to 10 yards, but 20% reduce the damage dealt.
In a raid or dungeon situation, Warlock can easily top the damage charts with Shadow Bolt Volley. While your single target damage may suffer as a result, Warlock still has plenty of other damage options, including pet damage and DOT spells. I highly recommend this rune to anyone running a burst damage Warlock build.
To get Shadow Bolt Volley Rune, travel to Beren’s Peril in the southeastern Silverpine Forest. The entrance to this cave is around coordinates [60, 74], which is a bit hidden. We can find it by following the road south and then northeast into the mountains below Ambermill.
You will then need to kill Ravenclaw Guardians and Ravenclaw Drudgers until one of them drops a Tortured Soul.
To use this item, you must lose some health. Use Life Tap or Health Funnel if needed. Then right-click the item to summon a level 20 elite ghost of the same name. Kill it to Shadow Bolt Volley Rune.
MetamorphosisFinally, Metamorphosis offers the biggest overhaul to traditional Warlock gameplay by transforming spellcasters into melee tanks. This Rune increases Warlock’s armor by 5x, reduces their critical chance, increases their overall Threat generation by 50%, and doubles Life Tap’s mana regeneration.
For such a powerful, class-changing Rune, Warlock must undergo one of the most complex missions of the season. There are four quests in Metamorphosis quest chain, starting with Orb of Soran’ruk.
Orb Of Soran’rukTo us by Doan Karhan brought this assignment to us. Doan Karhan is a neutral NPC east of Camp Taurajo in Barrens.
Karhan requires players to collect three Soran’ruk Fragments and one Large Soran’ruk Fragment. Small fragments drop from Twilight Acolytes inside and outside Blackfathom Deeps, while large fragments drop from Shadowfang Darksoul enemies inside Shadowfang Keep. Collect both, then return to Karhan.
Rumors AboundKarhan will then ask players to collect Orb of Des and Bough of Altek, two new unique quest items.
We can find Orb of Des in Tower of Ilgalar in the eastern Redridge Mountains. Bough of Altek, on the other hand, is located at the top of Tower of Althalaxx in Darkshore. Once you’ve collected these two items, return to Karhan to complete the third part of the quest.
ConjuringHe then asks the player to collect ten Blood of the Legion. These can only be obtained from demonic enemies southeast of Ashenvale. Waves of demonic enemies will spawn here. Warlock must stand among Purple Runes that appear on the ground near the obelisk and use Drain Soul ability to kill these enemies. Survive here and Mysterious Traveler will appear.
Raszel AnderSpeak with Mysterious Traveler to complete Conjuring and begin the last steps of Metamorphosis quest. When Mysterious Traveler appears, he will give the quest Raszel Ander. After picking it up, return to Karhan one last time to complete the quest and get the Metamorphosis Rune.
That’s it for all the major Warlock Runes. These five Runes will make your Warlock even more powerful in WOW Classic Season of Discovery. Remember, patience is crucial when dealing with these challenges.
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Path of Exile Dec 27, 2023What We Can Expect From Path Of Exile 2? -Thrilling New Class, Gameplay & Changes
Path of Exile 2 has revealed new gameplay, a boss fight, and a new class called the Mercenary.
Additionally, new features of the game include changes and new additions to the combat. This is really looking like a straight-up improvement to the isometric genre.
Let's go through the cool new things coming in Path of Exile 2.
New ControlsFirstly, let's go over the confirmation of the new changes to how you can control your character and this applies to any class and any weapon type.
You can now use WASD movement to control and move your character, allowing you to move separately while aiming. You can still use traditional click-to-move if you want to.
On top of this, there are changes to many character skills whereby you can move while casting, increasing the pace and intensity of combat.
Honestly, these changes together are great news to me, and it really does impact how the game will feel to play.
Mercenary ClassRegarding the Mercenary class, then we got a really good look at the new Mercenary class, which is a new crossbow-wielding character.
This class comes with unique crossbow options, mimicking a variety of different firearm types but in crossbow form.
They wanted this class to feel both responsive and snappy when firing the crossbow, similar to how shooting in first-person shooter games feels. So, they've gone deep into making different crossbows that function kind of like a sniper rifle, a shotgun, and even assault rifles.
These crossbows are layered on top with different elemental ammo types and even attachments that all synergize together in different ways.
New Weapon TypesFor your character's equipment, you can only equip 2 crossbows at a time, and there are 3 different types to pick from:
Burst Crossbow: Functions like a shotgun, firing a burst of arrows dealing little damage individually but packing a punch if they all connect to a single target. Power Shot Crossbow: Functions like a sniper rifle, dealing high damaging slow lower hits. Rapid Shot Crossbow: Very fast shooting with a high magazine capacity, allowing for chasing and evading enemies while keeping up the damage. All Ammo AbilitiesThere are also ammo skills, which add another layer of depth on top of how these different types of crossbows function. There are slight differences in how they work across the different types, so let's go through them all.
Ammo abilities include Armor-Piercing Ammo, which makes your hits pierce through enemies, good for taking on a group at once.
However, for the Rapid Shot crossbow, each hit will erode an enemy's armor, eventually breaking it, negating the Burst Shot crossbows' drawback against armored enemies.
Meanwhile, for the Power Shot crossbow, if an enemy's armor is broken, you can then pull out your power crossbow to shoot them, triggering a special weak spot hit dealing massive extra damage and high stun on the enemy.
Then, you have Incendiary Ammo. This is good against single targets as it ignites them. With the Burst Shot crossbow, the more projectiles that connect to a target, the more damage it deals per hit, making it great for super close-range situations.
For the Rapid Shot crossbow, the incendiary ammo charges up before firing. As you continue to shoot, it heats up, dealing more damage per shot. Moreover, it boosts the fire damage of any grenades you launch and automatically ignites oil grenades.
Moving on to the Power Shot crossbow, this ammo transforms into a pseudo-rocket launcher, creating an explosive blast on impact for AOE damage. It synergizes with grenades, causing any fired on the ground to instantly explode.
Permafrost Ammo slows enemies by chilling them and has a chance to freeze them in place. Frozen enemies are vulnerable to a special effect of the armor-piercing ammo, making them explode for huge AOE damage nearby.
The rapid-fire crossbow can also shoot the ground with this ammo type to create ice crystals. These crystals act like mines, exploding when enemies touch them and applying chilling to slow them down. It helps set traps and establish a safe area before engaging in a fight.
The Power Shot crossbow creates ice walls on impact, blocking off areas in corridors and alleys to control enemies. These walls explode when broken by enemies, synergizing with Burst Shot crossbows' armor-piercing ammo for extra damage on Frozen targets.
New Grenade Gear Slots & TypesAdditionally, there are new grenade gear slots and types.
The attachment slot in your crossbow is where grenades come from. It functions as a grenade launcher. It allows you to fire different grenade types with varied effects upon explosion.
These attachments function as skill gems, providing extra skill slots for your character and can be augmented with support gems. Grenades are fired separately from your crossbow's primary shooting and explode after a short delay, based on the type chosen.
There are 3 known types of grenades:
Explosive Grenades deal massive damage with a delayed explosion. Flash Grenades deal slight damage but cause massive stun on enemies. Oil Grenades slow enemies by covering them with oil, leaving patches on the floor.These combinations allow for interesting build potentials. The different crossbow types, ammo types, and grenade varieties synergize in unique ways. Witnessing a character utilizing these synergies against a boss was impressive. The boss fight showcased these strategies in action.
