General News

In Diablo 2 Resurrected Season 13, Warlock stands as arguably the strongest class currently available, surpassing others in both playstyle and overall effectiveness. Presented here is a build that remains exceptionally potent in the endgame: Abyss Warlock.

This build excels in the later stages of the game due to the fact that magic-immune monsters are almost nonexistent throughout the entire game, with only a handful of exceptions. Let's go over the attribute allocation, skill setup, and gear choices you'll need.

Attribute Allocation

The principle for attribute allocation is simple: invest only as needed. Your goal is to bolster your survivability, relying on gear and charms to cover your resistances.

Points in Strength and Dexterity should only be allocated to meet the requirements of your equipment. Since some gear will grant additional attributes, the actual number of points you need to invest is relatively low. All remaining points should be poured into Vitality to significantly boost your health pool.

Abyss Warlock Skills

Chaos Skill Tree

This is the core damage source for this playstyle, with skill points primarily invested in the right-hand branch of the tree.

• Miasma Bolt: Primarily used for single targets, though its usage frequency is relatively low.
• Miasma Chain: One of the primary skills for clearing areas. In the current version, this skill benefits from a damage bonus bug, causing it to deal far more damage than intended, making it a skill you'll want to use frequently.
• Abyss: Another core damage skill, used in conjunction with Miasma Chain.
• Enhanced Entropy: A passive boost that increases overall damage.
• Sigil: Lethargy: Used when facing bosses to effectively slow their movements.
• Sigil: Death: When a monster's health drops below 13%, this triggers an explosion that deals AoE damage split evenly between physical and fire, swiftly clearing out any remaining foes.
• Sigil: Rancor: An infrequently used skill that can enrage monsters.

Demon Skill Tree

Point allocation in this branch is not fixed and should be adjusted based on your gear. You'll rely on "+skill level" bonuses from equipment to reach key thresholds where skills undergo significant improvements.

• Demonic Mastery: At level 20, this allows you to summon three demons simultaneously.
• Summon Defiler: At level 20, this maximizes the number of Bound Souls.
• Binding Demon: At level 20, this grants your demons access to their full range of affixes, along with an aura.

When equipped with top-tier, endgame gear, you should carefully control the points invested so that the three skills mentioned above each reach exactly level 20 with the bonuses from your equipment.

If your gear is less optimized, prioritize reaching level 20 in Demonic Mastery to secure the third demon. Next, focus on Binding Demon to unlock the aura benefit. Finally, allocate points to Summon Defiler. If points are limited, you can afford to invest less in the latter two skills.

All remaining skill points should be directed into Consume. This skill not only increases run/walk speed but also, when used to consume a Defiler, provides you with a temporary bonus to magic damage and reduces enemies' magic resistance, leading to a substantial damage increase.

Endgame Gear

The equipment listed below is highly valuable. To fully unlock its potential, you will also require Diablo 2 Resurrected Runes. If you're unable to acquire these rare items, alternative options are also suggested.

Weapon: Void Kris

This provides +2 to all skills, high Faster Cast Rate (FCR), magic skill damage, and a direct bonus to Abyss, making it the perfect weapon for this build. An alternative would be a high Faster Cast Rate weapon like Heart of the Oak.

Off-hand: Ars Dul'Mephistos Occult Tome

This grants Warlock skills, Faster Cast Rate, Faster Hit Recovery (FHR), and a substantial -22% to enemy magic resistance, significantly boosting your damage output. A Spirit runeword shield can serve as an alternative.

Helm: Harlequin Crest

Beyond the helm itself, you'll want to socket it with a jewel that reduces enemy magic resistance and increases skill damage. Harlequin Crest also provides a large amount of life, mana, and Magic Find (MF). An alternative helm could be Hellwarden's Will Death Mask, which offers skills, Faster Cast Rate, and resistance reduction.

Armor: Enigma

Enigma provides the unparalleled Teleport skill, vastly improving your mobility and farming efficiency. Chains of Honor is a viable alternative.

Gloves: Trang-Oul's Claws

Trang-Oul's Claws offer Faster Cast Rate and cold resistance. Magefist is another solid choice.

Rings: Sling Ring

Sling Ring provides excellent attributes such as reduced enemy magic resistance, Faster Cast Rate, and Magic Find. There are many other excellent ring options available, such as The Stone of Jordan, Bul-Kathos' Wedding Band, or Opalvein Ring.

Belt: Arachnid Mesh

Arachnid Mesh is the best choice, offering +1 to all skill levels and Faster Cast Rate. While options like Goldwrap or a Caster Crafted Belt are decent, the lack of +1 to all skill levels is a significant drawback.

Amulet: Mara's Kaleidoscope

Mara's Kaleidoscope provides +2 to all skills and resistance to all elements, helping to compensate for any resistance deficiencies from other gear. A well-rolled Caster Crafted Amulet is an equally excellent option and can potentially provide even greater damage if its affixes are optimal.

Boots: Wraithstep Mirrored Boots

Wraithstep Mirrored Boots offer a high amount of Strength and Dexterity, helping you meet the requirements for equipping other gear. Horazon's Legacy Mirrored Boots are similar, though they provide slightly fewer attributes.

Charms: Caster Crafted Amulet 

Prioritize charms that grant levels to Chaos skills. Additionally, aim for charms that provide life or help fill any gaps in your resistances.

This build demonstrates remarkable strength in the endgame, proving highly efficient both for clearing groups of monsters and defeating bosses. It is an experience well worth pursuing for any Warlock player.

Almost all WoW TBC Classic Anniversary content that requires a group requires a team composition that includes all roles: DPS, healers, and tanks.

Even without explicit rules, you'll find that a complete role setup maximizes everyone's potential and increases the chances of winning dungeons or raids.

However, recently, with the upcoming new raids from Phase 2, you'll find it difficult to find tank players when randomly forming groups, sometimes waiting for over half an hour to form a complete team!

So what are the reasons for this phenomenon, and is it possible for it to change? We'll analyze it for you.

What is the role of a tank?

In a complete TBC Classic Anniversary raid team, DPS's responsibility is to deal damage, the healer's is to provide timely healing or special buffs to teammates, and the tank, which newcomers might simply understand as the team's shield.

The tank's primary responsibility is indeed to absorb damage and protect teammates from attacks. However, beyond this, tank players also need to master the optimal timing for defense and threat absorption, as well as techniques for quick clears.

Therefore, most of the time you'll find the tank as the leader and commander of the team. While other specializations can sometimes temporarily fill in as tanks, if the team doesn't have enough tanks, especially a main tank, victory is almost impossible.

Tank shortage is not a new problem

In fact, the tank shortage problem exists not only in WoW TBC Classic Anniversary but also in other new and old WoW servers, and in many MMORPGs, and it has become increasingly serious in recent years.

Excessive pressure

As we mentioned in the tank overview, because of the role-playing mechanics, tank players often bear the responsibility of commanding the entire team.

This requires you to be sufficiently familiar with dungeon or raid mechanics, have a deep understanding of specific combat points, and even some knowledge about other classes in order to better command your teammates.

This not only leads to excessive pressure in terms of knowledge reserves but also forces you to shoulder too much responsibility. Most people play games primarily to relax, not to change their work experience in a virtual world!

Unfriendly social interaction

Even if you love playing tank in TBC Classic Anniversary to the point of being tireless, you might still experience a lot of frustration and even quit the game due to annoying teammates.

Normally, if you're a tank leader, as long as you take your job seriously, failure isn't a big deal - it's just a game, after all.

But frustratingly, there are those who refuse to take responsibility for leadership but shamelessly criticize others' mistakes.

Furthermore, if you ask these teammates for help with certain mechanics, their response won't be friendly explanations but rather sarcastic remarks.

Unless you have a wide network of in-game contacts who can easily find new, reliable teammates, you'll have to endure this terrible team atmosphere at least until the current battle ends.

Perhaps there are hardcore gamers who don't care about others' opinions and only strive for their own goals. But most ordinary players would find it difficult to complete raids under such circumstances.

In fact, this was an occasional phenomenon a decade or so ago, but as more and younger players joined the game, the social atmosphere within the game noticeably worsened.

If you're playing a newer MMORPG, you might already be used to it, because it's always been this way. But for veteran players of established games like World of Warcraft, harsh teammates are like a new kind of virus.

Lack of inclusivity

You can see this factor as an extension of the poor social dynamics. It's not just the leaders; some self-proclaimed expert players also consistently lack patience and tolerance towards newcomers.

As a result, since tanks are more difficult to master than other roles, novice tanks are often forced to quit the game or switch roles before they even have a chance to develop their skills due to the unfriendly environment. Over time, this naturally leads to a decrease in the number of tanks.

How to change this problem?

From the above analysis, it's clear that the core issue causing the tank shortage isn't the game itself, but rather the player community. While individual efforts are limited, it's still possible to find ways to improve one's raid experience.

Join a strong guild

You might not want to join a guild due to time or energy constraints to meet the internal requirements, but it's truly the best way to quickly form teams and ensure reliable teammates.

Stronger guilds have more members and more comprehensive rules, quickly weeding out disruptive and unserious members. They also allow top players to mentor newcomers.

Even if you're not initially qualified for a guild's regular team, established guilds will have plenty of mentors. They'll not only teach you but also introduce you to other skilled guild members.

Alternatively, if you meet a good player in the game, and one of them isn't in a guild, you can invite them to join your own. This not only expands your network but also makes playing together easier in the future.

Switch teammates is possible

If you're already a skilled tank leader and happen to encounter the kind of mean players we mentioned, don't hesitate to kick them out of the team immediately!

Long queue times are due to a tank shortage, but you are the one in control! If you're skilled enough, in today's increasingly fast-paced game, finding a new DPS or healer can solve the problem in minutes.

We hope that before the new TBC Anniversary phases go live, more players will realize the tank shortage issue and its underlying causes, and work together to make changes and create a better gaming environment!

While you might currently be looking forward to the second Diablo 4 expansion, which set to launch in a month, the first expansion, Vessel of Hatred, introduced many new mechanics that remain highly valuable and relevant today.

Chief among these are the rune and Runeword systems. By socketing these into your weapons and armor, you can gain exclusive buffs and benefits that are simply unobtainable through any other game mechanic!

However, the amount of gear you can equip and the number of runes or Runewords you can socket into that gear is limited. Consequently, you might be unsure which runes are the most worthwhile choices for Season 12.

With this in mind, we will focus this guide on recommending Bac and Ohm runes, detailing their specific effects and explaining how to farm them.

Rune system overview

This feature was introduced alongside the launch of Vessel of Hatred DLC and Season 6; therefore, if you wish to utilize runes today, you must first own this DLC.

All runes fall into one of three rarity tiers and belong to one of two categories: Runes of Ritual or Runes of Invocation. The former features a yellow icon, while the latter features a purple one; combining one of each type allows you to form a Runeword.

It is important to note that individual runes are inert on their own; they only become active and trigger their synergistic effects when combined in pairs and socketed into a piece of gear that possesses two sockets.

In essence, runes only become functional once they have been assembled into a Runeword.

More specifically, a Rune of Ritual generates offerings during combat. These offerings serve to empower the corresponding Rune of Invocation and trigger the combined effect of the Runewords. Your objective is simply to fulfill the specific requirements needed to generate these offerings.

What is Bac rune?

In Diablo 4, Bac rune is classified as a yellow Rune of Ritual. It generates 50 offerings, and its activation condition requires you to move a distance of 5 meters from your current location.

The most common application for this rune is to pair it with a Rune of Invocation, such as Ohm or Vex, to leverage their combined synergy and significantly boost your character's mobility.

Additionally, Diablo 4 Bac rune is one of the essential crafting materials required to create Mythic item known as Shroud of False Death.

How to craft Shroud of False Death?

Once you have unlocked Torment I difficulty or higher, you can acquire Mythic items by farming lair bosses or participating in other endgame events within the game; however, the specific rewards obtained through these methods are entirely random.

Therefore, if you wish to specifically obtain Shroud of False Death, crafting is your best option. To do so, you will need to gather the following materials:

• 2 Resplendent Sparks
• 6 Bac runes
• 6 Kry runes
• 6 Moni runes

We will cover the general methods for acquiring runes shortly; however, since Resplendent Spark is a rare item, its primary acquisition methods are as follows:

• Salvaging unwanted or duplicate Mythic items
• Progressing through Seasonal Journey and Reputation tracks to earn rewards
• Defeating Echo of Lilith (drops one upon defeat - one time only)

What is Ohm rune?

As a rune designed exclusively for Barbarian players, Diablo 4 Ohm rune requires its paired Rune of Ritual to provide 600 offerings to activate; it has a cooldown of two seconds.

The rune's sole bonus effect is to evoke Barbarian's War Cry, thereby boosting your damage output by 15% for 6 seconds.

Much like Bac rune, Ohm rune is also one of the materials required to craft Mythic Ring of Starless Skies:

• 2 Resplendent Sparks
• 6 Ohm runes
• 6 Tzic runes
• 6 Cem runes

It is worth noting that the crafting recipe for all Mythic items follows this same pattern: 2 Resplendent Sparks, plus six runes each of legendary, rare, and magic rarity.

How to farm runes?

Broadly speaking, there are two methods for obtaining runes in Diablo 4: farming and crafting. Neither method allows you to specifically target and acquire a particular rune; however, crafting does allow you to influence the rarity of the rune you ultimately receive.

Clearing Kurast Undercity

This dungeon was added to the game via VoH expansion. To unlock it, you must first complete the campaign quest Reunion within this DLC and ensure your character has reached at least level 15.

Afterward, a new quest chain titled The Kurast Undercity will guide you through the dungeon step-by-step until you are fully familiar with the area.

The unique feature of Kurast Undercity is its time-limited mechanic: you must defeat enemies within a specific time limit. However, defeating higher-level Afflicted Monsters will restore a greater amount of your remaining event time.

Defeating enemies does not grant immediate rewards; instead, you earn Attunement Points. Once the dungeon run concludes, your final rewards will be calculated based on the total points you accumulated.

Additionally, you may encounter special beacons within the dungeon. Activating these beacons triggers optional events for you to complete, providing you with extra Attunement Points and combat buffs.

If you wish to engage in more targeted farming within Kurast Undercity, you can first collect Tributes by completing other world events. Submitting these Tributes prior to your run will grant you specific bonuses based on the type of Tribute submitted.

Among these, Tribute of Harmony is the one relevant to runes. If you submit this Tribute before clearing Kurast Undercity, the total number of runes you obtain at the end will be doubled.

Defeating lair bosses

Theoretically, all lair bosses in Season 12 have a chance to drop runes; however, the highest rarity boss Belial is undoubtedly the best choice for farming.

Regardless of which boss you ultimately decide to farm, you must first acquire the corresponding lair keys. These keys are required to unlock the boss's hoard after it has been defeated, allowing you to claim all the rewards contained within, including runes.

Crafting at Jeweler

Jeweler is a vendor in Diablo 4 that allows you to perform various crafting operations. To craft a new, randomized rune, you must consume three unused runes of the same rarity, along with 4,000 gold.

The type of rune produced is independent of the specific runes used as materials; however, the rarity of the resulting rune is directly determined by the materials used. The resulting probabilities are as follows:

• Three magic runes: 85% chance for 1 magic rune; 15% chance for 1 rare rune.
• Three rare runes: 85% chance for 1 rare rune; 15% chance for 1 legendary rune.
• Three legendary runes: 100% chance for 1 legendary rune.

That wraps up everything we have to share with you this time. Although Bac and Ohm are highly sought-after, as long as you combine them effectively, acquiring other runes can be just as rewarding!

The official rollout for Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 Season 3 has already begun, with the new season arriving soon.

The studio has revealed plenty of details, and alongside the official announcements, there's also been a fair share of leaks. Let's break down all the information.

Season 3 Release Date

Why are we talking about Season 3 update so early? Because Season 2 Reloaded cycle is unusually short - only three weeks. Based on Battle Pass countdown timer and the weekly challenge progression, Season 3 is expected to go live on April 2.

Following Call of Duty's usual promotional rhythm, the studio will likely drop a full update preview, blog post, and all the details about a week before the new season goes live - around March 26. That's when we'll get a clear look at Season 3 roadmap.

Multiplayer Maps

On the multiplayer front, one piece of content has already been officially confirmed: the classic map Plaza is making a return. Although there had been leaks about it before, the development team brought it up in the official COD POD podcast, essentially confirming that it will be part of the next major update - Season 3 - as a multiplayer map.

Plaza last appeared in Black Ops 2. Unlike many of the remade versions drawn from the larger Avalon battle royale map, this will be a full, standalone remaster.

In addition to Plaza, another map has also been mentioned in the official blog: Gridlock from Black Ops 4. It's now confirmed to be making a comeback in Season 3 as well.

Warzone Ranked Play

For Warzone players, Ranked Play is set to get a major adjustment in Season 3. The long-awaited Resurgence mode will go live alongside the new season.

Many players had previously voiced their desire to experience ranked Resurgence on Rebirth Island, and Season 3 update will make that happen. Ranked matches will rotate between Haven's Hollow and Rebirth Island.

Fortune's Keep

As far back as last year, the studio confirmed that Fortune's Keep would receive a map refresh and return to Warzone. However, no exact date for its return has been announced yet. Considering that Season 3 just introduced Avalon map and Blackout mode, and with the studio seemingly aiming to transition Avalon into the standard battle royale map, it's expected that the refreshed version of Fortune's Keep will more likely arrive in Season 4.

Blackout

Blackout mode will also continue to receive updates in Season 3. In response to player feedback regarding issues such as the lack of Solos and Duos queues, as well as concerns about respawn mechanics, loot and equipment, the user interface, and existing bugs, the studio previously stated that improvements would roll out in Season 2 Reloaded and Season 3.

One of the most significant updates could involve Operator Orders system. This system is expected to expand with subsequent updates, adding more operators, dynamic camos, and weapon blueprints. For example, in Season 3 or its mid-season Reloaded update, new orders may be introduced that allow players to complete challenges and unlock skins paying homage to classic Blackout characters.

Additionally, playlist challenges are also likely to be refreshed, offering new rewards such as charms and weapon camos. Currently, the weapon skin system has not yet been implemented in Blackout mode, meaning any weapon a player picks up only displays its default appearance. In future updates, the studio may allow players to automatically apply their equipped skins when picking up weapons. At the moment, only upgraded exotic weapons can showcase special appearances.

The studio has also confirmed that Blackout will see some immediate changes at the start of the season. They showcased an image highlighting the differences between the new map and the old one, noting that adjustments have been made to certain buildings, ground elevation, and how water flows across the map.

Leaderboard Mechanics Overhaul

The studio has confirmed that starting with Season 3, a large-scale overhaul will be made to the in-game event mechanics. They stated that they have listened to player feedback regarding leaderboard events and acknowledged that the current event format is not ideal. Since event development takes time, the revamp will roll out beginning in Season 3.

After the changes, leaderboard events may be limited to multiplayer Ranked Play and Warzone Ranked Play, rather than standard multiplayer, round-based Zombies, or Blackout Royale. Once you reach a specific rank in either version of Ranked Play, you will be placed into a group with 49 other players (whether in multiplayer or Warzone mode). Ultimately, based on your rank, finishing in the top five or even the top 25 will determine which camo rewards you can earn.

Carry Forward

Season 3 will also include updates to the carry forward content - that is, bringing remastered content originally introduced in Black Ops 6 into Black Ops 7. Following the established content release pattern, players can expect to see the last two remastered maps that have yet to appear in Black Ops 7 make their return in Season 3.

Moreover, the carry forward approach extends to Zombies mode. The studio has confirmed that a selection of classic weapons will be added to Zombies in a "unique way." Given that the studio specifically emphasized "a unique way," it's likely that obtaining these weapons won't be as simple as unlocking them directly - they may be hidden behind certain Easter eggs or specific challenges.

Modern Warfare 4

Following past patterns, the studio typically unveils the title of the next installment around March or April and kicks off the initial promotional campaign. For now, the studio is only referring to it as CoD 2026, but based on previous leaks, the new title is very likely to be Modern Warfare 4.

The studio will soon be revealing more details about Season 3. If you're eagerly anticipating new content in CoD Black Ops 7, be sure to stay tuned.

Black Ops 7 Season 3 will bring more content and Easter eggs, and ranked progress will be reset. If you need to figure out how to unlock menus or quickly complete new camouflage challenges, you can buy fast and reliable CoD Black Ops 7 Bot Lobbies on IGGM for more independent and safer matches, reducing the difficulty of these challenges.

It's a new week! However, March Flashpoint update isn't expected to go live via a new patch until next Tuesday. Your top priority this week remains completing the trials and using the rewards you earn to advance through Expedition 3 and further develop your character.

This week, specifically March 23rd through March 29th, marks the 21st week of weekly trials since the game's launch.

As always, there are five distinct trials waiting for you to complete. You can take your time and chip away at them over the first few days, or you can save them all to complete in a concentrated push during the final days of the week.

Below, we provide detailed breakdowns for all five trials, ensuring you have the information you need to jump in and get started whenever you're ready.

Harvest plants

This trial is quite straightforward: you simply need to gather a sufficient quantity of specific plants on any map and submit them to accumulate points. Once you reach 4,000 points, you will complete the trial with a perfect three-star rating.

While there are many types of plants in ARC Raiders, only the following count toward the point requirements for this specific trial: Agave, Great Mullein, Moss, and Mushrooms.

You are free to harvest other plants if you have personal needs for them, but doing so will not contribute to completing this trial.

Each individual plant you gather yields 150 points; however, if you harvest them during any major map event, you will earn double points.

Furthermore, we highly recommend that you focus your farming efforts while Lush Bloom event is active. This event doubles the spawn rate of all natural resources, which can significantly boost your gathering efficiency.

It is worth noting that while this trial itself does not involve combat, plants harvested during a single scavenging run do not respawn. Consequently, gathering these resources will inevitably lead to PvP encounters with other players, so please remain combat-ready at all times.

Destroy Ticks, Fireballs, and Pops

This mission requires you to defeat sufficient Ticks, Fireballs, and Pops. Individually, the combat capabilities of these three types of small ARC units are quite limited; however, they can become extremely troublesome when they appear in swarms.

Ticks resemble small mechanical spiders. Their primary method of attack involves pouncing on you and latching onto your body; if you do not shake them off and kill them immediately, both your health and shield will be depleted.

Both the appearance and attacks of Ticks generate a significant amount of noise, making them relatively easy to detect. Typically, a single Tick will die after taking just one hit.

The most effective way to quickly clear out a large swarm of Ticks is to unleash rapid-fire bursts at close range or to toss a grenade.

Fireballs primarily deal damage by spewing flames at you. The best way to defeat this enemy is to shoot them quickly after they open their front panel, exposing their core, which serves as their weak point, during an attack animation.

If you miss this window of opportunity, you can still inflict damage by using medium or heavy caliber rounds to pierce through the armor protecting their core.

Pops typically appear indoors alongside Fireballs; they will approach you and, after a brief delay, detonate to inflict damage. Your objective is simply to utilize that short delay window to destroy them immediately.

These three enemy types spawn across most maps and are relatively easy to deal with. However, if you happen to be particularly unlucky and encounter an overwhelming number of them, it is prudent to retreat at an appropriate moment to ensure your safety.

Damage ground-based ARC enemies

Although this trial requires you to engage in combat, the range of eligible enemies is quite broad, offering you a relatively high degree of freedom. You can choose to focus on farming the ground-based ARC units you are most familiar with.

It is worth noting that Ticks, Fireballs, and Pops featured in the second trial mission all qualify as ground-based ARC units; if you wish to keep things simple, you can certainly continue to target them.

However, if you are a top-tier player unafraid of facing massive ARC units, you could instead opt to take on ultimate PvE enemies such as Matriarch or Queen.

Other ground-based ARC bots include:

• Turret
• Surveyor
• Sentinel
• Leaper
• Bastion
• Grenadier

Search containers in Medical Research

The procedure for this mission is straightforward: travel to Stella Montis, enter Medical Research facility located on the western side of the map, and then search every container you can find.

If you wish to complete this task more quickly, you can wait for a major event, such as Night Raid, to trigger on the map before you begin farming, as the container spawn rate increases significantly while these events are active.

However, much like harvesting plants, you are bound to encounter other players who are also working on missions; this may lead to conflicts as you compete for access to containers. Therefore, be sure to bring a secure pocket and equip yourself with high-quality gear.

Disable mines

This trial mission requires you to complete it after Locked Gate event has triggered on Blue Gate map. The objective of the event itself is to locate four security keys at specific points and use them to unlock an underground bunker to claim a reward.

However, if your sole intention is to complete the trial mission, you can disregard those objectives. Instead, your task is to search the ground area for hidden mines and disarm them.

You need only disarm a maximum of 14 mines to earn a three-star rating for this trial. However, it is crucial to exercise caution: to avoid accidentally detonating a landmine and inflicting unnecessary harm upon yourself, you must approach the area slowly.

Ensure that the mine can be safely disarmed without triggering an explosion before you begin the operation.

Summary

Even in the absence of specific requirements, we recommend that you always complete your Trials whenever a major map event is active, as this allows you to earn double points.

Of course, if you find these events too challenging in the short term, that is perfectly fine; you can simply start accumulating points gradually from the beginning of the week, and you will still be able to complete the objectives in the end.

The above covers all the trials for Week 21, along with the recommended strategies for tackling them. Please plan your time wisely and set out to complete them!

The first phase of WoW TBC Classic Anniversary has been underway for quite some time, and while we don't yet know when the second phase will begin, thorough preparation remains absolutely essential.

At this stage, most players are likely focused on leveling alts, accumulating gold, maxing out professions, and upgrading their gear as much as possible. The following information on items will help you prepare more effectively and with greater focus, saving you a significant amount of gold in the process.

WoW TBC Classic Anniversary Phase 2

If this is your first time experiencing The Burning Crusade, or if you missed out on the original TBC Classic, here's some context: much of what constitutes Phase 2 was actually a distinct segment introduced by TBC Classic team, built upon the original version.

In the original TBC release back in 2007, Phase 2 was merged with Phase One. After completing Karazhan, Gruul's Lair, and Magtheridon's Lair, players could immediately progress to Serpent Shrine Cavern and Tempest Keep. However, in TBC Classic, the developers separated these two raids into their own distinct phase, creating Phase 2.

Nevertheless, several features that originally launched alongside Black Temple and Mount Hyjal in the original TBC were introduced earlier, during Phase 2 of TBC Classic. This is highly likely to happen again for TBC Anniversary servers.

In short, the core of Phase 2 consists of Serpent Shrine Cavern and Tempest Keep raids, while some other new additions may arrive later than many expect.

Timing of Key Features

The mechanic for exchanging Mark of the Illidari for free flasks won't actually be implemented until Phase Three, when Black Temple and Mount Hyjal become available.

The addition of Badges of Justice dropping from raid bosses, along with the new gear that can be acquired with them, won't arrive until Phase 4, with Zul'Aman patch.

So, aside from the two T5-level raids, what's truly worth focusing on in Phase 2 revolves around reputations, professions, and character enhancements.

Phase 2 Reputations

Ogri'la

Ogri'la is a daily quest hub. As your reputation grows, more quests become accessible.

For Druids—especially Feral Druids— Badge of Tenacity is an exceptionally powerful trinket and is considered among the best-in-slot choices for the spec.

It is obtained by combining depleted items dropped in Ogri'la with Apexis Crystals, which drop from creatures in Netherstorm. Since these items are bind-on-equip, you can also acquire them through Auction House.

If you're a Druid, it's highly recommended to acquire this trinket early in Phase 2. If not, you can still craft and sell these items via reputation grinding or farming to earn WoW TBC Classic Anniversary gold.

Sha'tari Skyguard

Sha'tari Skyguard is a reputation that can be quickly advanced through farming mobs, mainly in Terokkar Forest and Blade's Edge Mountains.

Reaching Exalted allows you to purchase a Nether Ray mount. More importantly, Airman's Ribbon of Gallantry, a trinket rewarded by Sha'tari Skyguard, is quite impressive.

Its effect triggers very frequently when you're defeating mobs, providing a solid boost to attack or spell power. In some situations, it can even outshine T6-level trinkets. For anyone who spends time farming mobs in the open world—especially those preparing for future phases—the Airman's Ribbon of Gallantry is incredibly valuable.

Raid Preparation

Since Phase 2 revolves around Serpent Shrine Cavern and Tempest Keep, preparation is key.

Be sure to complete all attunement quests before Phase 2 begins. Fortunately, in TBC Anniversary servers, these attunements are shared across your account, so completing them once is enough. You can follow older guides to get these done.

Although Black Temple belongs to Phase Three, the starting portion of its attunement quest chain becomes available during Phase 2. It's a good idea to head to Shadowmoon Valley now and complete the early steps, so you can continue progressing the chain while working on T5 content in Phase 2, setting yourself up for Phase Three.

Resistance Gear

Hydross the Unstable

For this encounter, you'll need two tanks—one geared with Frost Resistance and the other with Nature Resistance. A Druid tank can utilize high-stamina PvP gear to handle Nature damage, reducing the strict requirement for Nature Resistance gear.

Leotheras the Blind

The standard strategy calls for a Warlock tank to handle the boss's Demon form, requiring a set of Fire Resistance gear. Most Fire Resistance gear can be obtained using Badges of Justice.

Other Things to Prepare in Advance

Engineering Helmet

Deathblow X11 Goggles, crafted through Engineering, will become available in Phase 2. These goggles require only 350 Engineering skill to use, but their crafting materials are quite rare and command a high amount of gold on Auction House. If you're an Engineer planning to craft them, start gathering materials now to avoid inflated costs once the phase launches.

New crafting patterns will also drop during Phase 2. If you have your eye on a particular piece of gear, check the recipe now and stock up on the necessary primal materials. Once you obtain the pattern, you'll be ready to craft it immediately.

Druid Epic Flight Form

Phase 2 introduces the questline for Druid Swift Flight Form. The only prerequisite is having already learned the 280% speed Artisan Riding skill. If you're a Druid, be sure to save up enough gold to learn this before Phase 2 begins.

Consumables

Mana Potion Injectors, which drop within Tempest Keep, can be used in that raid. If you have any in your inventory, hang onto them rather than discarding or selling them.

Most of the items mentioned above will only become obtainable once Phase 2 begins. If you think you'll need them, setting them as goals and preparing in advance will certainly help your raid team face the challenges ahead with greater confidence.

To ensure you have a better chance of collecting rare stickers before Posh Pets album ends, Monopoly Go is launching a new racers event before the end of March!

This means it's time to call on your friends again to collect flag tokens and race on the track to earn rewards! So what can you get by participating in this event, and how does it work? We've got you covered.

Tycoon Racers schedule

The racers event is scheduled to begin on Wednesday, March 25, 2026 at 10:00 AM PDT and will continue until March 29 at 12:55 PM PDT.

You'll have approximately 24 hours to find teammates, and the remaining time will be consumed simultaneously earning tokens and progressing on the track.

To avoid falling behind in your reward progress, it's best to earn as many tokens as possible from the start. Even if you don't use them all, they will be converted into cash after the event ends.

How to find teammates?

If you're not new to Monopoly Go or enjoy making friends in-game, you should have at least one or two friends who can be your regular teammates in racers or partners events.

This way, you can directly invite them to team up, and then they can find other friends to fill the gaps, creating a decent Tycoon Racers team.

If this isn't possible, don't worry. There are many active players in Monopoly Go sections or topics on various social media platforms. You can respond to them or actively post to find teammates.

However, be aware that choosing strangers as teammates carries the possibility of them using fake accounts or not taking the event seriously.

While you can avoid this through various methods, a safer way is to directly buy Monopoly Go Tycoon Racers Event Rank #1 Full Carry at IGGM. The most efficient teams are there to help you!

If you don't find teammates within the time limit, the system will automatically assign you a team. Alternatively, you can choose to play solo from the start, but the final rewards will be slightly less.

How to earn tokens?

While the game will give you some flag tokens at the start of Tycoon Racers, the quantity is small and mainly serves to familiarize you with their uses; you'll primarily rely on farming them yourself.

Participate in daily events

During the racers event, Monopoly Go will continue to release daily events. Banner events typically update every two days, while tournaments are held daily.

These daily events offer varying amounts of milestone rewards based on their duration. Your task is to use the accumulated dice to move on the board and earn points.

As your points accumulate, you'll unlock corresponding milestones and related rewards. Generally, about one-third of the milestone rewards include flag tokens.

Since this is the primary source of tokens, pay close attention to the game's daily schedule after Tycoon Racers starts and try not to miss any events.

Complete Quick Wins missions

Every morning, Monopoly Go updates with three Quick Wins missions. Completing each one gives you three rewards, one of which will definitely be flag tokens during the racers event.

However, individual missions just reward a few tokens, so it's better to complete all Quick Wins missions from Monday to Sunday to unlock an extra reward on Sunday, potentially containing even more tokens!

Therefore, although Tycoon Racers doesn't start until Wednesday, we strongly recommend starting today and consistently completing the daily Quick Wins missions.

These missions are actually quite simple and will probably be completed incidentally while progressing through daily events, so there's no reason to miss out!

Claim gifts

Every eight hours, Monopoly Go in-game shop refreshes with a gift, sometimes containing flag tokens. Be sure to claim them promptly if you have the time, otherwise you'll waste them as they won't accumulate.

Collect on the board

As you move across the board participating in daily events or building hotels, some tiles may contain tokens. Simply stay on them to collect them.

Proceed on the track

Once you've accumulated enough tokens, you can use them to start a race. There's one race every day, with the final being the most important, as you can earn double medals there.

Next, you need to choose a multiplier based on your tokens and the number of dice, then roll the dice. Your car will move based on all the rolls.

Each race will have four teams of similar skill levels. After the race, you will be ranked according to the number of laps completed, determining how many medals each team will receive:

First Match:

• 1st: 10 medals
• 2nd: 8 medals
• 3rd: 6 medals
• 4th: 4 medals

Second Match:

• 1st: 10 medals
• 2nd: 8 medals
• 3rd: 6 medals
• 4th: 4 medals

Third Match:

• 1st: 20 medals
• 2nd: 16 medals
• 3rd: 12 medals
• 4th: 8 medals

What rewards can you get?

First, as you race, your team will receive milestone rewards for completing 1, 2, 5, and 10 laps. These rewards can include cash, dice, low-rarity sticker packs, and sometimes tokens to help you progress further in the event.

After all races are completed, the game will tally the total medals earned by each of the four teams, ranking them and awarding the ultimate prizes:

• 1st place: New Board Token, Blue Sticker Pack, and Purple Sticker Pack
• 2nd place: Pink Sticker Pack, Blue Sticker Pack
• 3rd place: Pink Sticker Pack, Yellow Sticker Pack
• 4th place: Yellow Sticker Pack, Green Sticker Pack

That's all for this introduction. Before the event begins, all you can do is complete the available Quick Wins missions and find suitable teammates as soon as possible! Good luck!

Much like the enduring EA FC series, MLB The Show 26 made its return in March 2026. It stands as the finest baseball game available, with the developer annually building upon the previous iteration. Unfortunately, that doesn't necessarily mean MLB 26 is a great game.

This is because, over the past several years, changes to MLB have been confined to minor details. This year's release, MLB The Show 26, feels even more lacking in substance than usual, making it a tough sell for anyone except the most die-hard baseball enthusiasts.

A Lack of Innovation

MLB series isn't in the same troubled state as Madden franchise. Objectively, it remains a content-rich, enjoyable baseball game with excellent core gameplay. But the same was true last year, and the year before that saw virtually no difference from the one prior.

The visual presentation has stagnated since MLB The Show 21, with numerous animations even traceable back to PS2 era. Franchise Mode remains offline-only and is identical to its predecessor. Road to the Show is also the same as last year, aside from a few new universities to choose from.

The game introduces only minuscule tweaks and adjustments—the kind that could have been added as a free update to MLB 25. Instead, the publisher expects players to part with at least $70 for them. 

Gameplay

The gameplay foundation of MLB The Show 26 is solid. Beyond some more frequent stuttering, it feels indistinguishable from previous years, meaning the core mechanics remain dependable.

For starters, a newly added Depth of Field batting option brings a degree of fresh visual experience. This setting helps eliminate distracting visual elements in the stadium when focusing on the pitch and timing your swing, seeming like a viable option for competitive play.

Bear Down Pitching is an enhanced pitching mechanic that charges over time during a game and can be used several times per match. Activating it triggers slow motion accompanied by the audible thud of the pitcher's heartbeat.

It's an interesting realism-focused adjustment that makes crucial pitches feel momentous, offering a slight boost to your velocity and control. It also introduces a layer of strategy, as you need to decide how to allocate your Bear Down Pitching uses throughout the contest.

Big Zone Hitting is another new batting option. Essentially a more forgiving timing and placement system, it offers an alternative for players who want more involvement than "Timing Hitting" but find the standard "Zone Hitting" too challenging.

Beyond this, the experience largely mirrors what has been offered since MLB 21. It's a well-crafted baseball game that balances fun with challenge, but you could acquire a nearly identical experience with a previous MLB The Show title for far less.

Game Modes

Diamond Dynasty is MLB's Ultimate Team mode. While it's more accommodating to free players compared to most similar games, it still carries the hallmarks of a mode where financial investment can provide a competitive edge. Your MLB The Show 26 stubs largely determine your experience in this mode.

There's plenty to do within Diamond Dynasty, such as Diamond Quest board game mode introduced last year. Like much of the game, this mode is virtually unchanged from MLB 25, with the sole exception being the inclusion of World Baseball Classic.

World Baseball Classic is marketed as the headline new feature of MLB The Show 26, yet it exists solely within Diamond Dynasty. On its own merits, it's a solid addition—your team replaces a real participating nation as you compete through a tournament to earn rewards—but it would have been better served as a standalone mode.

Road to the Show remains largely identical to last year, merely offering more university choices. There's a new video at the outset showcasing your path to Cooperstown, and you'll encounter specific goals to achieve during your career. Otherwise, it's the same as last year.

Franchise Mode also sees no changes. Female players now appearing in the free agent pool is a welcome adjustment, and lineup logic and AI have been reworked, but beyond some perplexing font color alterations, you'll notice little tangible difference. If you were anticipating a leap forward for Franchise Mode this year, the wait continues.

Storylines Mode is perhaps the game's finest component. MLB series excels at authentically presenting iconic moments in baseball history through this mode.

This year, four new storylines from Negro Leagues are added, recounting chapters of baseball history you may not have heard. Each storyline features well-crafted videos and gameplay that reflects its respective era. This is the closest you'll get to experiencing genuinely new content in MLB The Show 26.

Visuals

The most glaring issue with the series is its stagnation in graphical fidelity. While titles like Madden, NBA 2K, and even PGA Tour 2K have made significant strides on current-generation consoles, MLB has remained static.

The last true graphical upgrade dates back to PS4 Pro era, when the game was enhanced to 4K HDR. Now, player models appear quite rough, with facial textures looking dated. The animations remain solid, but the overall visual presentation carries a dated, flat feel reminiscent of PS4 generation.

This year would have been the ideal opportunity for a major graphical overhaul, given how little else has changed. That didn't happen, undoubtedly adding to the overall sense of disappointment.

MLB 26 isn't a title that comes highly recommended. In isolation, it's not a bad game, but when you consider the trajectory of the series over the past decade, it becomes clear that the developer is falling short of expectations, and this installment is far from a standout effort.

With more updates, the types of PvE enemies encountered in ARC Raiders are increasing, but some classic bots remain a formidable threat, such as Rocketeer.

Flying ARCs are already difficult to deal with, but Rocketeer is one of the larger ones, and it received another buff after the release of Update 1.17.0.

You may have already found ways to defeat Rocketeer, but recently a popular strategy in the community is to use Anvil to knock it over and crash it.

To do this, you need Anvil, the weapon mod Anvil Splitter, and an Extended Barrel. This setup is also known as Rocketeer Flipper.

So, does this method really work? How do you play it? We'll show you.

Anvil, Anvil Splitter, and Extended Barrel

Anvil is a relatively cost-effective weapon among ARC Raiders Uncommon weapons. It can effectively kill enemies at mid-range using heavy ammunition, its only drawback being its slow rate of fire.

Anvil Splitter is an Anvil-specific mod that replaces the weapon's standard single-shot bullet with four weaker bullets: single-shot damage is reduced by 70%.

Extended Barrel is a general weapon mod that appropriately increases the bullet rate of fire.

Anvil can be obtained through scavenging or trading with vendors, but if you have already collected other crafting materials, you can also directly buy ARC Raiders blueprints and complete the crafting in the workshop.

Extended Barrel can also be obtained through scavenging and crafting, but Anvil Splitter can only be obtained randomly as a scavenger.

What is a Rocketeer?

This is an extremely deadly ARC enemy; more specifically, it works similarly to an anti-tank rocket launcher. After detecting a target, it fires four yellow lasers, which turn red after aligning and then launch missiles.

Even a single missile deals significant damage; if you don't find cover in time, being hit twice in succession will kill you.

Generally, the best way to deal with Rocketeer is to dodge while using weapons, especially grenades, aiming for its weak point - the thrusters.

However, the problem is that after recent updates, not only has Rocketeer become stronger, but Wolfpack, its best grenade against it, has also become much less effective.

Therefore, you might be more accustomed to using Hornet Driver, a replacement for Wolfpack, but Rocketeer Flipper strategy seems to be quietly changing this.

How to use Rocketeer Flipper strategy?

First, you must acquire Anvil and equip the two mods. Then, here's the key point: Rocketeer Flipper strategy only works when Rocketeer is in combat mode.

If it's just in normal cruising mode, with a blue search beam above its head, this tactic is completely ineffective.

This is primarily because Rocketeer's movement speed increases dramatically upon entering combat mode, and its thrusters generate a surge of power. This thrust, combined with the impact of Anvil, ultimately flips Rocketeer over.

Another crucial factor is positioning yourself directly beneath Rocketeer's thrusters and shooting upwards. This significantly increases the force on the thrusters, making it easier to flip them over.

If your shooting angle is too far to the side, the effect is minimal. This makes sense physically, as shooting from below forces all the force upwards.

In other words, the closer you are to Rocketeer's bottom thrusters and the closer your shooting angle is to vertical, the greater your chances of successfully flipping it over.

However, if the enemy is flying too high, even if you successfully flip it over, it will have enough time and space to adjust its posture, regain balance, and continue flying.

Therefore, the ideal scenario for using Rocketeer Flipper is to ensure the enemy is close enough to the ground, then shoot the thruster at a vertical angle to knock them over, causing them to land on their backs and resulting in an explosion that eliminates them.

Achieving all these prerequisites largely depends on the specific map environment and Rocketeer's spawn location.

While this tactic may be impossible in some areas due to terrain limitations, you can find suitable battlefields on most maps. Alternatively, you can use skillful movement to lure enemies into areas where the tactic is effective.

Anvil Splitter is likely the core of the loadout

After mastering the mechanics and strategies, you might wonder if there are alternatives to the three components of Rocketeer Flipper loadout.

In terms of weapons, any higher-speed option is good for dealing with flying ARCs, so Aphelion and Osprey are also viable, as are Extended Barrel.

However, the key is that only Anvil Splitter allows you to generate more projectiles, thus increasing the chance of knocking Rocketeer back; it's difficult to achieve this using Extended Barrel alone.

This is because Anvil Splitter increases the number of projectiles, essentially amplifying the knockback effect, and it's an Anvil-specific mod. Therefore, all Rocketeer Flipper components are irreplaceable unless a generic mod with similar effects to Anvil Splitter is released later.

Furthermore, you might wonder which is better: Hornet Driver or Rocketeer Flipper. If you've mastered the technique, Hornet Driver remains a good choice, but Anvil Splitter paired with Extended Barrel can speed up kills.

Even if you can't successfully flip every time, the overall success rate is relatively high, and you might inflict extra damage or even kill the enemy instantly upon flipping.

That concludes our introduction. If you're struggling to find an effective way to deal with Rocketeer, try our guide!

Among the three core modes in MLB the Show 26, Road to the Show (RTTS) is arguably the least focused on pure competition; instead, it emphasizes the personal development of the player character rather than the outcome of any individual game.

Consequently, whether you achieve ultimate success in this mode depends entirely on your ability to guide your player, the avatar you control, all the way into Hall of Fame.

In this guide, drawing upon the specific changes and gameplay mechanics introduced in MLB the Show 26 RTTS, we will provide you with the essential tips you need to master in order to reach this ultimate goal.

RTTS basic gameplay

When you first embark on your RTTS journey, you begin as a high school player. Your performance in the high school league will directly determine your subsequent draft position or the university offers you receive.

The ideal outcome is to be drafted directly into a professional organization; however, if that does not happen, you have the option to enroll in one of several fictional universities to continue your development.

Each university offers a unique set of recruitment packages that serve as sources for various player attribute boosts.

From there, you will manage your amateur career by participating in games until you eventually turn professional and begin pursuing more specialized, career-defining achievements.

What's new in MLB the Show 26?

Building upon the foundation mentioned above, MLB the Show 26 introduces several key changes.

First, the number of selectable universities has been expanded to 19, more than the number available in the former. This wider array of collegiate options means there are now even more possibilities regarding your future draft prospects.

Additionally, a new objective system called Road to Cooperstown has been introduced; this system activates once you reach Major League Baseball level.

Once active, you will use this system to manage both your short-term goals and long-term career milestones, all of which directly influence your professional trajectory and your eventual eligibility for Hall of Fame.

Furthermore, during the amateur collegiate phase of the game, MLB the Show 26 has added NCAA Men's College World Series to RTTS.

This allows you to participate in highly competitive, official tournament play before turning professional, thereby significantly enhancing the value and depth of the collegiate experience within RTTS.

Choose your university wisely

With this basic information in hand, you are now ready to officially embark on your Road to the Show journey. It is quite difficult to jump directly from high school into a professional career; advancing to university is a much more common path.

When selecting a university in the game, the primary factors you should consider are the specific benefits and perks offered by each institution. These benefits typically include increased exposure, skill development bonuses, and various other advantages.

For instance, if your goal is to unlock No. 1 In Your Heart achievement as quickly as possible, you would be better off choosing a university that offers enhanced early-game exposure and specific bonuses designed to boost your draft stock.

Furthermore, schools that offer comprehensive development programs can help you plan your career path in a more balanced and well-rounded manner.

However, regardless of which path you prefer, the prerequisite for receiving an acceptance letter from a high-quality university is to perform exceptionally well in your high school amateur games; otherwise, you'll end up with nothing but a pile of rejection letters upon graduation.

Mastering new batting strategies

MLB the Show 26 also features updates to specific gameplay mechanics; therefore, if you plan to play as a hitter in Road to the Show, you need to understand the changes made to PCI.

Previously, PCI would drift back toward the center of the strike zone whenever you released the analog stick, a design intended to prevent you from locking in on a specific pitch location.

Now, however, this drift has been eliminated, allowing you to keep PCI precisely where you've positioned it at all times.

This change offers a distinct advantage: when facing a dominant pitcher while ahead in the count, you gain more time to wait for a fastball.

Additionally, it allows you to slightly expand your effective hitting zone and reduce the need to swing with maximum force, thereby helping you avoid blindly chasing pitches outside the strike zone.

Building upon this, we recommend lowering your PCI sensitivity setting to around 70%. By reducing sensitivity, you minimize the risk of over-correcting with the analog stick during pitch delivery, which helps prevent you from swinging and missing.

How to use Bear Down?

This new feature is designed specifically for pitchers. If you find yourself struggling with your pitching angle or timing, you can activate this ability to filter out ambient noise on the field, allowing you to focus on the sound of your own heartbeat to enhance your pitching accuracy.

However, to ensure fair gameplay, Bear Down ability has limited uses per game. Therefore, you should activate it at the most opportune moments. For instance, when the very next pitch could be the one that helps you tie the game.

Changes to the perks system

In Road to the Show, the perks system provides additional attribute boosts as your player progresses over time, with specific perks unlocking as you achieve various in-game milestones.

Expanding on this foundation, MLB the Show 26 introduces several new mechanics.

For example, you can now preview the specific requirements needed to unlock the next available perk, allowing you to decide in advance whether you wish to pursue it. This makes planning your career progression much simpler and more transparent.

Generally, we recommend prioritizing perks that complement your player's specific archetype. Once acquired, you should combine these perks with the skills you've cultivated during your college career to accelerate your overall development and progress.

That wraps up our overview of the new features in this update. If you're the kind of player who enjoys taking a big-picture approach to your career, you definitely won't want to miss out on the newly revamped Road to the Show!