General News

As May 8 draws closer, the game is set to receive its first major roster refresh. This update isn't just about shifting player ratings - it's a prime opportunity for the market to reset and for savvy players to generate a substantial influx of stubs.

Following this initial wave, updates are expected to accelerate to roughly once every three to five weeks. Positioning your collection strategically ahead of the refresh can help shield your roster from value erosion and may even allow your Stub reserves to expand.

May 8th Update

Newcomers might wonder why May 8th update carries such weight. First, understand that in MLB 26, Live Series player ratings and attributes are not fixed. The developers adjust them to mirror real-world performance, and May 8th marks a significant recalibration of player data across the board.

With that in mind, your investment strategy should center on securing Gold and Diamond cards poised for a ratings boost. For certain breakout candidates, employing an over-holding strategy could yield even greater returns.

While Diamond cards often steal the spotlight, don't overlook the potential of Silver cards. When handled correctly, Silver cards can produce six-figure Stub profits with minimal initial outlay. Let's examine where these opportunities may originate.

Diamond Cards

Several Diamond cards currently rated 87 overall run the risk of dipping to their Quick Sell floor. Paradoxically, this scenario can create an attractive entry point for those looking to accumulate inventory. Some are eyeing 88 OVR Yordan Alvarez, wondering if a surge past the 90 overall threshold might increase his scarcity in packs. This particular move carries elevated risk, so you may consider waiting until his valuation softens further before committing.

86 OVR Tyler Glasnow

Tyler Glasnow stands out as one of the most compelling Diamond arms on the radar. Internal projections suggest Glasnow's rating could see an increase approaching +3. A conservative estimate places him at an 88 overall post-update, pushing his Quick Sell return to 5,500 stubs. With the current market spread hovering around 1,700 stubs, holding 20 units could translate to roughly 40,000 stubs in net gain. Stockpiling in advance appears to be a near-certain path to a healthy profit.

90 OVR Corbin Carroll

Despite maintaining a .300 average and swatting three home runs, Corbin Carroll's bat has cooled recently. With roughly two weeks remaining until the roster lock, he'll need to rediscover his rhythm in short order. The projected adjustment ranges from +1 to +2, though the community largely expects the safer +1 floor. If you're considering adding him to your portfolio, you'll want to monitor his upcoming at-bats closely.

85 OVR Max Fried

The jury remains out on Max Fried, whose results have been steady but not spectacular, leaning slightly toward the positive. Given his current basement valuation and the expectation of two more starts in pinstripes before the cutoff, adding him to your holdings carries virtually no downside. He profiles as a stable, low-maintenance flip among pitchers.

Gold Cards

Gold cards are the primary workhorses for accumulating MLB The Show 26 stubs during this refresh cycle. If your Stub balance is robust, directing resources toward high-upside Golds is a prudent move.

High-Potential List

84 OVR Cristopher Sánchez

Cristopher Sánchez has allowed his share of hits, but his elite strikeout ability sets him apart. The recent outings present a mixed bag, yet a strikeout tally of 39 is the kind of metric that often leads to a promotion. Even if the jump doesn't materialize immediately, holding him long-term retains strong appeal. Acquiring beyond the usual limit is recommended.

84 OVR Joe Ryan

Joe Ryan finds himself in a similar boat to Sánchez. The underlying metrics aren't discouraging, but he hasn't quite hit the threshold for Diamond status just yet. Continuing to add shares or maintaining existing positions while awaiting a dominant outing in his next start is a sound approach.

83 OVR William Contreras

His batting average sits at a sturdy .300, and the timing of his recent uptick is favorable. The lone red flag is the low home run count (just two), which caps his odds of vaulting to Diamond at roughly 2%. Expectation points to a modest +1 boost. Holding steady is advised.

82 OVR Matt Olson

Matt Olson has caught fire, launching six home runs and lifting his average to .280. His upgrade trajectory could stretch to +2, meaning his post-adjustment value is likely to climb meaningfully. Maintaining a minimum of 20 units is a wise target.

82 OVR Andy Pages

Andy Pages boasts a scorching .382 average alongside five home runs - numbers that already scream Diamond caliber. His valuation previously spiked before retracing, so the ideal zone for re-entry hovers around the 1,200 Stub mark. Patience during market fluctuations will be key here.

81 OVR Elly De La Cruz

While he may have cooled slightly from his blistering pace, his average and six-homer output remain exceptional by his own baseline. A ratings bump to an 84 overall appears likely. Currently trading near its historical floor, this card presents a strong case for accumulation.

80 OVR Drew Rasmussen

Rasmussen's most recent start was unsteady, and the sample size is limited, yet a +2 to +3 overall boost remains within reason. The magnitude of his jump will hinge on how he performs over his next couple of appearances. Collecting now, in modest volume, seems prudent.

80 OVR Kevin Gausman

Kevin Gausman appears destined to rebound to an 84 overall. The current market asking is a mere 400 stubs. Acquiring a stack of 20 could effortlessly generate a 30,000 Stub windfall. This is a high-confidence, low-stakes recommendation.

Proceed with Caution List

83 OVR Jackson Merrill

Jackson Merrill's average has plummeted to .221, and the overall profile looks shaky. While the system currently suggests he's safe from a downgrade, tying up significant liquidity in a stagnant asset is rarely ideal. Considering a gradual reduction of exposure may be wise.

80 OVR Oscar Hernandez

Oscar Hernandez's real-world production and in-game attributes both register as pedestrian. The community outlook is tepid at best. Reallocating elsewhere before the update appears to be the logical course of action.

80 OVR Ceddanne Rafaela

Ceddanne Rafaela is mired in a deep freeze at the plate. Oddly enough, because his baseline was already quite low, this poor stretch might not derail a potential +1 or even +2 boost. Nonetheless, the situation carries inherent volatility and shouldn't be a top priority over more stable alternatives.

The players above represent the most actionable names on the board. If you prefer to unearth your own targets, focus on upgrade candidates hovering near their Quick Sell floor. And remember: players currently on the Injured List generally won't see their ratings adjusted upward; exercise restraint when evaluating those names.

To continuously strengthen yourself in an open-world RPG like Crimson Desert, enabling you to face dangerous endgame enemies and secure more valuable loot, Abyss Artifact is an absolutely indispensable asset!

Judging by its name, Abyss Artifact might seem like a mysterious piece of gear; however, its actual function is closer to that of a material required for upgrading your equipment.

Below, we will introduce the specific functions of this item, as well as the strategies and tips you need to master in order to farm it effectively within Crimson Desert.

What is Abyss Artifact?

As with most RPGs, in Crimson Desert, you rely primarily on skills to attack or defend against enemies. Each playable character possesses a unique skill system, composed of three distinct skill trees that govern different aspects of gameplay.

These three skill trees determine your Stamina, Spirit, and Health, respectively, and are represented by the corresponding colors: blue, green, and red.

Within this system, Abyss Artifacts function essentially as skill points: you must consume these artifacts to unlock additional skills.

Of course, there is a limit to how many skills can be unlocked. Once you reach that limit, and as you progress into the endgame, you will acquire high-tier Crimson Desert items.

At this stage, the role of Abyss Artifact shifts to refining these items, thereby enhancing their capabilities.

Methods for farming Abyss Artifacts

Given the critical importance of Abyss Artifact, there are currently multiple ways to acquire it within the game.

These methods primarily include searching for them in the open world, receiving them as rewards for completing quests, trading with other players, and utilizing various other special methods.

It is worth noting that most of these acquisition methods, including those where artifacts drop as loot, have a specific cap or limit on the number of Abyss Artifacts you can obtain.

Generally speaking, it is advisable to prioritize utilizing these limited methods first; once those sources are exhausted, you can then focus on farming through other available channels, thereby avoiding the need to juggle multiple farming strategies simultaneously.

Utilizing the special progress bar

Although Crimson Desert does not feature a traditional character leveling system, whenever you are in combat, you will notice an inconspicuous yellow curved progress bar located just to the left of the mini-map in the bottom-left corner of the screen.

During combat, this bar fills up based on the efficiency with which you defeat enemies. Once the bar is completely filled, you will be rewarded with one Abyss Artifact; the bar will then reset and begin tracking progress anew.

Notably, if you combine one piece of normal gear with one piece of special gear to create and equip Aptitude Abyss gear, it will significantly accelerate the rate at which this yellow progress bar fills up.

Although this farming method involves combat, unlike standard drop mechanics, there is no cap on the number of Abyss Artifacts you can acquire; you can earn rewards at any time.

Combat drops

This method primarily refers to the loot obtained after defeating a boss. While completing quests also involves combat, Abyss Artifacts in that context serve as final quest rewards rather than standard drops.

It is worth noting that you can utilize specific techniques to repeatedly farm certain bosses, allowing you to acquire their dropped Abyss Artifacts multiple times.

For instance, after defeating a boss, locate the river situated south of Hernand starting region on the map. On the southern bank of this river lies a mountain, atop which sits a fast-travel waypoint.

From this location, you can directly collect an Abyss Artifact, then immediately glide down the river channel to find the Icewalker boss.

If you manually collect the boss's core and store it in your Kuku Iron Pot, that boss will not respawn.

However, if you immediately use the fast-travel function to return to the aforementioned waypoint, the boss will respawn the next time you visit that area.

Quest completion

Upon completing certain main and side quests, the system will reward you with Abyss Artifacts, for example, the main quests Chapter 2: Flames of Greed and Chapter 4: Gate to the Otherworld.

To accelerate your character's progression, we recommend prioritizing the completion of quests that offer Abyss Artifacts as rewards, particularly the main storyline quests.

Completing Sealed Abyss Artifact Challenges

The open world of Crimson Desert is known as the continent of Pywel. Scattered across the continent are a total of 141 Abyss Artifacts, also referred to as Sealed Abyss Artifacts.

Once you activate Blinding Flash skill, you will see Sealed Abyss Artifacts emit a glow, making them easier to spot. However, keep in mind that glowing objects could also be Abyss Nexus fast-travel points or Abyss Cresset puzzles.

To acquire a Sealed Abyss Artifact, you must not only locate its specific site but also complete the corresponding challenge. Some challenges require the use of specific weapons or skills; in such cases, remember to switch to the appropriate character.

The following is a breakdown of the number of Abyss Artifacts contained within each specific region:

• Central Hernand: 18
• South Hernand: 14
• Northern Hernand: 12
• Southern Pailune: 8
• Northern Pailune: 7
• Central Demeniss: 19
• Southern Demeniss: 7
• Northern Demeniss: 4
• Northern Delesyia: 8
• Southern Delesyia: 17
• Southern Crimson Desert: 15
• Northern Crimson Desert: 12

In addition to these challenges, some Abyss Artifacts are hidden in special locations; these can be obtained directly without the need for combat.

Solving puzzles

Aside from Abyss Nexus, you can also use Abyss Cressets for teleportation; however, the stone pillars associated with these cressets also allow you to retrieve Abyss Artifacts. Note that some of these pillars will require you to solve a puzzle first.

Beyond Abyss Cresset puzzles, every island within the floating archipelago known as Abyss serves as a dedicated puzzle zone, each containing multiple specific puzzles to solve.

For every puzzle you solve on an island, the totem located there will be activated, and you will be rewarded with an Abyss Artifact.

Trading with vendors

The continent of Pywel is home to various Witch vendors, as well as a special merchant known as Patrigio the Wandering Merchant; all of these vendors offer Abyss Artifacts for sale.

Therefore, to ensure that you can immediately acquire Abyss Artifacts through trade, even when other acquisition methods are temporarily unavailable, don't forget to save up your currency during your daily gameplay!

We hope this guide on farming Abyss Artifacts helps you make faster progress in the game! Best of luck on your journey!

Diablo 2 Resurrected PTR 3.2 introduces sweeping balance adjustments to Warlock class. Echoing Strike archetype stood so far ahead of the curve that it virtually monopolized Warlock build diversity. This tuning pass aims to bring its damage back in line with intended thresholds while breathing new life into alternative playstyles.

Warlock currently fields four core builds: Apocalypse, Abyss, Blood Boil, and Echoing Strike. Let's examine their PTR performance and assign updated ratings.

Echoing Strike Warlock

• Rating Shift: Drops from top of S-tier to bottom of S-tier or A+.

Echoing Strike build had become synonymous with Warlock itself, operating at such an overtuned level that it rendered every other build an afterthought. The swift adjustments in this patch are meant to free other playstyles from its overwhelming shadow.

The provided test character wields an Ethereal Arioc's Needle socketed with a Zod rune for indestructibility. A Colossal Jewel base with tangible stats serves as a close alternative, with minimal difference in output.

Other gear includes Enigma Runeword chest armor, a two-socket Superior Spirit Coil Circlet fitted with Ber runes, alongside a crafted amulet, dual-leech ring, and top-tier unique charms - a standard endgame loadout.

Ten skill points are allocated to Demonic Mastery, though a current PTR bug allows three demons to be summoned with this investment. The core philosophy remains maximizing synergy bonuses for Echoing Strike.

On PTR, Echoing Strike displays roughly 15,000 damage; on live servers, that number sits near 96,000 - a dramatic reduction.

Despite the substantial damage trim, the build's survivability mechanics remain untouched. It continues to handle high-threat encounters with remarkable composure, maintaining rock-steady life totals.

If you enjoy the visceral rhythm of this playstyle, it still packs more than enough punch. Compared to the absurd “delete-everything-instantly” output of its former self, Echoing Strike now occupies a more reasonable place among strong endgame contenders.

Abyss Warlock

• Rating Shift: Promoted from A-tier to S-tier.

Abyss Warlock receives notable quality-of-life improvements in this PTR cycle, and its overall power ceiling has climbed accordingly.

The test build utilizes a Perfect Void base with matching Diablo 2 Resurrected runes, also paired with Abyssal Dagger, Enigma, Harlequin Crest (Shako), Mara's Kaleidoscope, and components from Trang-Oul's set. This configuration is relatively accessible, relying heavily on uniques and set items.

Abyss-related skills are maxed, and 20 points are invested in Demonic Mastery to summon Defilers. Consume mechanic is employed to sacrifice one demon for amplified magic damage, while the remaining two autonomously blanket the area with persistent area damage.

Abyss Warlock can now cast Miasma Chain consecutively, dealing roughly 10,000 damage per second. Occasional hiccups occur when terrain obstructs casting line-of-sight, but the innate crowd-gathering and control effects of Abyss skills keep monsters locked in hit recovery animations almost indefinitely. Defiler auto-attacks seamlessly cover any gaps where Miasma Chain misses.

This build is exceptionally well-suited for ladder starters or relaxed farming, with virtually no mana sustainability issues. Its lone weakness is slightly sluggish single-target elimination speed. Relative to its previous standing, Abyss Warlock now firmly deserves an S-tier placement.

Apocalypse Warlock (Fire Warlock)

• Rating Shift: Remains S-tier.

Apocalypse Warlock absorbed a few targeted trims but retains its S-tier status overall. The damage remains explosive, though players who dread staring at mana globes and hotkeyed potions may find the experience fatiguing.

The test character wields Mang Song's Lesson and dons a Flickering Flame Runeword helm, Enigma, and Magefist.

This build maxes Apocalypse synergies and invests points into Demonic Mastery plus Consume to bolster Defiler support damage and personal sustain.

The nerf to Ring of Fire's damage is negligible; its primary role has shifted toward knockback-based crowd control, buying precious moments for Apocalypse meteors to crash down.

However, the loss of reliable mana regeneration from a Conviction-aura demon means this build now guzzles mana potions at an alarming rate. You'll find yourself constantly hunting for and chugging Super Mana Potions, which can disrupt the flow of combat considerably.

Blood Boil Warlock

• Rating Shift: Jumps from B-tier to S-tier.

This is the dark horse of PTR adjustments - a formerly neglected fringe build that now rivals the highest damage ceilings in the game. It may well possess the strongest single-target burst among the four major Warlock archetypes.

Defiler minion damage has received an enormous buff; even while you're simply repositioning, your summons shred through enemies. Blood Boil itself, now usable consecutively, delivers terrifying numerical output.

That said, this is a chaotic and high-stakes playstyle. Minion health constantly drains, demanding frequent monitoring and healing. Moreover, lacking a durable frontline tank, the hireling folds quickly under pressure, leaving your character exposed.

If you chase peak damage metrics above all else, Blood Boil Warlock will be the premier burst option next season. Just be prepared to adapt to a comparatively fragile and frenetic gameplay rhythm.

Overall, PTR changes to Warlock are positive and constructive. Echoing Strike's dial-back opens ecological space for Abyss, Blood Boil, and others to shine. Warlock skill allocation now rewards strategic planning more than ever - every point feels meaningful on the journey to full power.

Beyond the fundamental choice between Alliance and Horde, as you adventure through the various zones of WoW TBC Classic Anniversary, you will encounter numerous minor factions. Increasing your reputation with these groups unlocks the ability to trade for new items.

In addition to existing factions, such as Aldor, Scryers, and others. Besides, Phase 2, launching on May 14th, will introduce Ogri'la and Sha'tari Skyguard as new options!

To help you begin farming reputation points immediately upon the launch of Phase 2, we are providing detailed information on these two new factions. This guide will help you prepare effectively and stay one step ahead of the competition!

How to unlock Ogri'la?

This faction consists of Ogres and is stationed in the western part of Blade's Edge Mountains, situated precisely between two Forge Camps. There are two ways to reach this location: by flying there yourself, or by being summoned by another player already present in the area.

Generally, we recommend flying there, as the ability to fly is a prerequisite for completing the various reputation quests you will undertake later.

If you wish to begin earning reputation points immediately upon reaching the faction's base, be sure to complete the prerequisite questline in advance.

To do so, you must first locate V'eru in Shattrath City at coordinates (/way 56.8 48.2). Speak with him to initiate and complete the following specific quests in the exact order listed:

• Speak with the Ogre
• Mog'dorg the Wizened
• Grulloc Has Two Skulls
• Maggoc's Treasure Chest
• Even Gronn Have Standards
• Grim (oire) Business
• Into the Soulgrinder
• Speak with Mog'dorg

How to farm reputation points?

Initially, your reputation level with Ogri'la will be Unfriendly. Only after completing the aforementioned questline can you begin to raise your standing by unlocking and completing the daily quests offered by Ogri'la faction.

There are four reputation tiers available to unlock with this faction. From lowest to highest, they are: Neutral, Friendly, Honored, and Exalted.

This means you will need to progress through four distinct stages of reputation farming to reach the highest rank. You need to locate Mog'dorg the Wizened (/way 55.4 44.8), interact with him, and then complete the following quests to reach Neutral reputation level:

• Ogre Heaven
• The Crystals
• An Apexis Relic
• The Relic's Emanation
• Our Boy Wants To Be A Skyguard Ranger
• A Father's Duty
• A Fel Whip For Gahk
• Guardian of the Monument
• The Skyguard Outpost
• Bombing Run
• Bomb Them Again!
• Assault on Bash'ir Landing!
• Wrangle Some Aether Rays!
• Wrangle More Aether Rays!
• To Rule The Skies

Some of the quests listed above are repeatable daily quests; continue farming them to gradually progress through Friendly and Honored reputation levels.

Upon unlocking these two tiers, you will also become eligible to undertake additional quests or events that grant reputation points:

Friendly:

• A Special Thank You (Grants an additional Ogri'la Care Package reward)

Honored:

• Banish the Demons (Grants an additional Darkrune reward)
• Banish More Demons (Grants an additional Kronk's Grab Bag reward)
• Legion Ring Events (Grants an additional consumable item reward)

It is worth noting that there is a prerequisite for unlocking Legion Ring events. After obtaining a Darkrune, interact with Gahk to accept and complete the quest A Crystalforged Darkrune.

By combining the new reputation sources unlocked at Honored level with the daily quests, you will eventually be able to reach Exalted reputation level with Ogri'la faction.

While most of the quests are not particularly difficult, the additional ones unlocked at higher tiers can be more dangerous. If you wish to complete them safely and efficiently, it is advisable to buy WoW TBC Classic Anniversary gold at IGGM in advance, allowing you to readily acquire consumables or upgrade your gear whenever necessary.

What are the reputation rewards?

As your reputation level increases, Jho'nass - Ogri'la Quartermaster (/way 28.0 58.6), he will make a wider selection of items available for trade. You can exchange Apexis Shards or Apexis Crystals dropped during quests and events to acquire these items.

Additionally, if you obtain Depleted items while defeating quest-specific enemies, you can consume Apexis Crystals to transform them into the equipable Infused items.

How to unlock Sha'tari Skyguard?

This faction's base of operations is located in Terokkar Forest. Accessing it is similar to how you reach Ogri'la; the only difference is that your starting reputation level with Sha'tari Skyguard is Neutral.

How to farm reputation points?

Farming reputation points for Sha'tari Skyguard requires no prerequisite quests; you simply need to travel to three designated locations and complete the quests available within those areas.

Blackwind Landing - NPC Yuula in Shattrath City:

• Threat from Above
• To Skettis!
• Fires Over Skettis
• Escape from Skettis
• Hungry Nether Rays
• World of Shadows
• More Shadow Dust
• Secrets of the Talonpriests
• Ishaal's Almanac
• An Ally in Lower City
• Countdown to Doom
• Hazzik's Bargain
• A Shabby Disguise
• Adversarial Blood
• Terokk's Downfall

Skyguard Outpost in Blade's Edge Mountains:

• The Skyguard Outpost
• Bombing Run
• Bomb Them Again!
• Assault on Bash'ir Landing!
• Wrangle Some Aether Rays!
• Wrangle More Aether Rays!
• To Rule The Skies

Once your Ogri'la reputation level reaches Honored:

• Guardian of the Monument
• Banish the Demons

In addition to quests, killing specific types of mobs within Terokkar Forest also grants Sha'tari Skyguard reputation points. The rarer the creature, the more reputation points it provides:

• 5 Points: Skettis Kaliri
• 10 Points: All Arakkoa in Skettis, Monstrous Kaliri
• 30 Points: Talonsworn Forest-Rager
• 100 Points: Darkscreecher Akkarai, Gezzarak the Huntress, Vakkiz the Windrager, Karrog
• 500 Points: Terokk

What rewards can you obtain?

Quartermaster for this faction is Grella, located at Blackwind Landing (/way 64.4 66.2). Just like with Ogri'la, Sha'tari Skyguard reputation rewards grant you access to vendor items; however, the currency required for these trades is gold.

Unlike other factions, Ogri'la and Sha'tari Skyguard do not impose any requirements based on your initial faction affiliation; therefore, it is highly recommended that you join both simultaneously to maximize your rewards.

We hope this reputation farming guide helps you make faster progress once Phase 2 goes live! Thank you for reading.

Dear players, the arrival of Torchlight Infinite SS12 has not only excited veteran players but also attracted a large number of new players. However, for newcomers, mastering farming strategies right from the start might be a bit difficult. Now, let's explore the mainstream endgame farming mechanics in Torchlight Infinite SS12 together.

Each strategy will be evaluated from four aspects: difficulty, early-game benefits, late-game benefits, and pet dependence.

Cube: Early-Game Money Machine

Cube, beloved by many players, is arguably the best source of income in the early game. The gameplay is as follows: defeat Desire Incarnations on the map to obtain Desire Crystals, and at the end, use Cube to draw loot. You can choose Greed, gambling a 50% chance of doubling your winnings or losing everything.

We will have a chance to obtain Divinity Packs, which produce Divinity Slates, and Divinity Stones, which can be exchanged for rare legendary items.

This strategy is extremely strong during the early game and is almost universally used. However, late-game competitiveness relies heavily on legendary and epic pets; without pets, the game becomes somewhat weak.

Overrealm: Profit Ceiling

That's right, Overrealm is your best choice for high returns.

A portal can be found on the map, allowing players to enter Overrealm. Once inside, there's a timed monster-killing challenge, up to four consecutive floors; the higher the floor, the richer the rewards.

Here, you can obtain a large amount of Torchlight Infinite Flame Elementium.

However, while Overrealm's income ceiling is extremely high, it's also extremely volatile and heavily reliant on pets, making it unsuitable for players with a fragile mentality.

Sandlord: Passive Income

Sandlord is perfect for players who enjoy mission-table style content.

You need to collect coins on the map and bring them back to the oasis to send followers on missions. It's somewhat similar to follower quests in World of Warcraft.

Your main reward is incense. Incense is extremely valuable at the beginning of the season, even worth thousands of Flame Elementium.

This is pure passive income, requiring zero investment, and pets are irrelevant. Recommended to do this as a side activity for any playstyle; it's a guaranteed profit.

Outlaw: Abundant Rare Monsters

Outlaw is a very interesting mechanic. Players can spawn numerous monsters on the map, boasting extremely high rarity and quantity bonuses.

In Outlaw, you can obtain mods for dropping sequencing weapons, a large amount of Flame Elementium, Outlaw exclusive loots, and even rare Memories.

You need to clear the map quickly to efficiently complete Outlaw. Pets are more useful in the late game, but can also be tried in the early game, though you need to reach Timemark 8 as soon as possible.

Dream: A Beginner's Choice

If the previous options are a bit difficult for you, then Dream, introduced here, should be your first choice.

Click on Lotus on the map to enter Dream, kill monsters, select the reward affixes you want, and finally enter Nightmare to claim your rewards.

Here we can produce Dream Talking, unique to Dream, especially Trinket Dream Talking, which is in high demand throughout the season and extremely valuable.

Dream is also one of the strongest strategies available to players during the early game, simple and stable. The legendary pet Shepherd is recommended to be obtained through free pet selectors, but it's not mandatory. Its late-game benefit ceiling is lower than other strategies, often used as a supplement.

Four God Mechanics

In Torchlight Infinite, each map will randomly spawn god mechanics:

• God of War: Interacting with God of War grants stats such as Movement Speed ​​and AoE.
• God of Machines: You need to protect the altar. This is a powerful tool for farming Fluorescent Memories in the late game, but requires extremely high DPS.
• Goddess of Hunting: Challenge the map boss; the difficulty increases, but the rewards also slightly increase.
• God of Might: Survive within a circle of fire; rewards Ember, but survival is extremely difficult.

Clockwork Ballet: High Output for Compass Acquisition

In Clockwork Ballet, players need to talk to Alice, open gears to farm monsters, and obtain vouchers to exchange for Compass.

This is the strongest source of Compass in the game, with extremely high potential returns in the late game.

However, this mechanism requires high damage output and two specific pets to be efficient.

Gods Chest: Reliable Compass Acquisition

After completing three God events, you can obtain Gods Chest using nodes on Profound Talent Constellation.

The chests offer many rewards, including a large amount of Compasses, Flame Elementium, and Divinity Emblems. You can even obtain Golden Cage Astrolabe, worth hundreds of Flame Elementium.

This strategy is more suitable for beginners to acquire Compass than Clockwork Ballet, and it's not the most difficult. It's an excellent transition strategy for advancing to Timemark 8.

Dark Surge: Pay-to-Win Exclusive

In this mechanism, players will find many purple-marked enemies on the map. You need to summon additional monsters at the end of the map to obtain kill rewards.

Our rewards are a large amount of Flame Elementium and legendary equipment.

However, free-to-play or low-spending players can ignore this, as this mechanic requires extremely high in-game and out-of-game investment and is not recommended for beginners.

Boss Rushing: The Top Choice for Zero-Pets Early Game

This is the strongest farming strategy in the early game. Only farm the map, repeatedly doing Plane Watchers.

You can obtain a large number of Netherrealm residents and Plane Watcher-exclusive drops from this strategy.

If you don't have any pets, then this strategy is the most sincere advice. Do it mindlessly on the first day of early game, and the rewards will be explosive.

So, the above is just an overview; each mechanic has in-depth gameplay. Beginners can try some simpler strategies first, accumulate resources, and then move on to their preferred complex mechanics. Good luck!

Diablo 4 Lord of Hatred is undoubtedly the focus of discussion for all ARPG players for the foreseeable future.Its arrival comes hand in hand with sweeping, foundational changes to the entire game - so much so that the experience on either side of this expansion will feel like two entirely different worlds.

With so many alterations and new additions packed in at once, a fair amount of confusion has naturally arisen. What exactly is exclusive to Diablo 4: Lord of Hatred expansion? And what will be rolled out to all players as part of the free base-game update? This distinction directly influences whether someone will want to pick up the expansion or not. Let's sort through the details and evaluate if it's truly worth your while.

Lord of Hatred Expansion Exclusive Content

A Continuation of the Narrative

While the team has always demonstrated considerable skill in weaving an epic and grand story, Vessel of Hatred left many with the distinct impression of a tale cut abruptly short. Lord of Hatred picks up right where it left off. Wanderer will journey to one of the ancestral homelands of humanity to confront Mephisto, Prime Evil of Hatred, directly.

Though the trajectory of the plot may not be wildly unexpected, it firmly steers the narrative back toward the core conflicts and fates intertwined among Nephalem, demons, and angels. This return to the saga's roots feels far more aligned with the franchise's thematic heart, making Vessel of Hatred seem, in hindsight, more like a substantial side chapter.

Brand-New Classes

The cornerstone of any ARPG expansion is a fresh class, and this time, the developers have delivered two distinctly different power fantasies. One is already quite familiar to those who secured early access - Paladin.

Even with anticipated adjustments on the horizon, Paladin remains remarkably sturdy and packs a considerable punch. Compared to the state of affairs in Season 12, you might need to tweak your gear and approach slightly, but it will be right back in top form before long.

Warlock is the other new arrival, positioned somewhere between Necromancer and Sorcerer in terms of fantasy and mechanics. You can sculpt a wide array of playstyles - whether that involves toying with shadow magic, commanding hellfire, or bending Greater Demons to fight on your behalf.

Beyond the striking visual spectacle, Warlock's skill synergies are impressively well-rounded, making the leveling journey feel exceptionally smooth from the very beginning.

Talismans System

Talismans system provides an independent layer of progression on a dedicated screen. Here, you can socket Charms to activate set-based bonuses. Depending on the type of seal you place, you can embed up to 6 Charms, which belong to three or four distinct set families - each oriented toward damage, defense, utility, or hybrid effects.

Introducing this system is a stroke of genius. It allows the developers to incorporate set item concepts without encroaching on the design space and viability of Legendary, Unique, or Mythic Unique gear. This system has tremendous potential; if the team continues to build upon it, it could become absolutely pivotal for nearly every build imaginable.

Horadric Cube

Horadric Cube will be a brand-new gear crafting system, allowing you to upgrade gear and craft custom-made new items. It ushers in an unprecedented level of endgame customization, fundamentally altering how you manage and process the loot you gather.

Beyond letting you efficiently deal with unwanted Diablo 4 items, it also introduces an element of chance. If fortune smiles upon you early in your journey and you manage to land a powerful affix or a well-rolled item through this system, it's a genuine and welcome surprise.

War Plans

War Plans is a new mechanic that allows you to organize a checklist of up to five activities to complete back-to-back for unique rewards. The rewards themselves are enticing, but the real draw is that each completed task earns points toward its corresponding activity tree, unlocking further bonuses and enhancements for you.

This system elegantly unifies several of the more disjointed progression paths that have appeared across past seasons. Once you've set your agenda and set out, the map provides a convenient quick-travel option that whisks you directly from your current location to the next activity marker, which is remarkably convenient.

Echoing Hatred

Another new endgame activity, Echoing Hatred, takes the form of a wave-based survival mode. You'll face randomly generated hordes of enemies whose strength ramps up steadily over time. To even qualify for this challenge, you'll need to find a specific key item and have assembled a deeply optimized, high-powered build. The longer you manage to stand your ground, the more impressive the spoils become.

Fishing

In a turn that caught everyone off guard, the expansion introduces a non-combat endgame pastime: Fishing. You can cast your line into the eerily still, mirror-like waters scattered across Sanctuary. While early feedback suggests the system isn't especially deep and the aquatic life tends to repeat across most locations, it still allows you to relax after intense battles.

Global Updates (Available to All Players)

Item Filter

A feature driven relentlessly by community demand: a robust Loot Filter is finally arriving. This functionality is available to all Diablo IV players. Using customizable toggles, you can dictate exactly how your inventory is displayed, hiding clutter based on specific criteria like rarity, item type, or stat rolls, while simultaneously highlighting the gear you're actually hunting. This cuts down visual noise dramatically and makes stash management a breeze.

Complete Class Skill Tree Overhaul

The expansion coincides with a comprehensive rework of every class's skill tree. Passive stat nodes are being removed entirely, replaced by a broader system of upgrades through a 12-point investment scheme, which significantly loosens the previous tier restrictions. Filler skills that existed solely to progress down the tree have been excised. Furthermore, the character level cap is being raised from 60 to 70. These changes will utterly transform how you approach character building.

The excellence of Lord of Hatred is undeniable. More importantly, exclusive features like War Plans and Horadric Cube almost single-handedly reshape Diablo IV into an entirely different, more refined game. Whether you're stepping into Sanctuary for the first time or you're a seasoned veteran, this expansion comes with a strong recommendation. It's also worth noting that Standard Edition of Lord of Hatred actually includes the full Vessel of Hatred expansion if you haven't obtained it yet. If you've been away for a while, Lord of Hatred is absolutely the reason to jump back in and experience this refreshingly overhauled version of the game.

As one of the core mechanics of ARC Raiders, the development team is constantly striving to optimize Expeditions in a timely manner, aiming to provide you with the best possible seasonal reset experience.

With the third Expedition window set to launch on April 28th alongside Riven Tides update, the game released an article on April 17th titled A Triumphant Exit, detailing the changes made to Expedition gameplay for this iteration.

However, the article left out certain details, specifically the exact damage thresholds required to earn skill point rewards now that the acquisition method has shifted to dealing damage to enemies.

This understandably caused some confusion and anxiety among players, who worried they might be unable to complete the objectives once the event went live.

To reassure the player base, ARC Raiders released these previously unspecified statistical requirements via various social media platforms on April 21st and subsequently edited them into A Triumphant Exit. Below, we present the latest information regarding these updates.

Specific requirements for earning skill points

During the first two Expedition windows, you earned various rewards by collecting coins or materials of a certain value. This time around, however, at least regarding skill points, the method of acquisition has changed.

During Expedition 3 window, you must deal a cumulative total of 100,000 damage to any type of enemy through combat to unlock all 5 available skill points. The specific unlock requirements are as follows:

• First skill point: 5,000 damage
• Second skill point: 10,000 damage
• Third skill point: 30,000 damage
• Fourth skill point: 50,000 damage
• Fifth skill point: 100,000 damage

It is crucial to note that these points function as milestones along a single progression track, rather than being independent of one another.

For instance, if you deal 10,000 damage in a single burst, you will immediately unlock both the first and second skill points, not need to deal 15,000 damage.

Based on the development team's internal testing, they estimate that during a sufficiently intense combat encounter, a single Raider can deal a minimum of approximately 8,000 damage.

Based on this calculation, to be on the safe side, you should aim to complete at least 13 such high-intensity combat encounters during expedition window to successfully reach your goal.

Of course, if your individual combat proficiency is slightly lower, you can always choose to team up with friends to share the burden. Alternatively, you can tackle a larger number of slightly easier combat encounters solo, relying on sheer volume to achieve your objective.

Based on testing, dealing 100,000 points of damage is sufficient to destroy 20 Bastions; you can use this benchmark to assess your own capabilities and plan your subsequent combat strategy accordingly.

Extended window duration

As per standard procedure, the departure window for ARC Raiders Expeditions typically remains open for about a week; consequently, the window for Expedition 3 was originally scheduled to close around May 4th.

However, because the comprehensive adjustments to Expedition 3 mechanics were announced relatively late, leaving a gap of only 10 days before the launch, the game developers have extended the closing time to 12:00 AM PT on May 11th to provide you with more time to complete the objectives.

This means you now have 13 days to fulfill all the requirements for Expedition 3 window and earn your rewards, a timeframe that should certainly be ample for most players who are familiar with the game's mechanics.

It is also worth noting that the game's weekly trials will remain active as usual throughout this window period.

This means that if any of the weekly trials happen to include objectives requiring you to deal damage to enemies, you can work toward completing both sets of objectives simultaneously!

Why should you earn skill points?

All characters in ARC Raiders feature three distinct skill tree branches: Conditioning, Mobility, and Survival. Unlocking skills within these trees using skill points determines the specific abilities and tactical advantages your character will possess during combat.

Standard skill points can only be acquired by leveling up, with a maximum cap of 76 points; furthermore, these standard points are reset after the conclusion of each expedition.

However, if you participate in an Expedition and successfully complete its specific window requirements, you will earn a permanent bonus of 5 skill points.

If you successfully completed both of the previous Expeditions, you should currently possess 86 skill points; completing Expedition 3 will allow you to boost that total to 91! Even after a seasonal reset, you will still retain 15 permanent points at your disposal.

This gives you a distinct advantage over players who participated in fewer Expeditions (or none at all), allowing you to unlock foundational skills much sooner.

By leveraging these early skills to accelerate your leveling and rapidly progress through the skill trees, thereby strengthening your character, you can more efficiently farm for ARC Raiders blueprints you desire.

Finally, it is worth mentioning that if Expedition 3 marks your second or third Expedition overall, and you previously missed out on skill point rewards because you failed to complete the objectives within the allotted time, you now have an opportunity to make up for those missed points!

However, this catch-up mechanism for earning retroactive skill points is not achieved by dealing damage; instead, just like in previous Expeditions, you must accumulate coins or stash value, with every 300,000 points earned unlocking one additional skill point.

More importantly, you must first fulfill the damage accumulation requirements for Expedition 3 before you can begin advancing your catch-up progress.

Why are these adjustments made?

In fact, during Expedition 2 window, the game had already lowered the requirements regarding coins and stash value to ensure that more players could complete them in a timely manner. However, it must be admitted that this was merely a stopgap measure that failed to address the root cause of the problem.

This is because, at its core, this mechanism amounted to nothing more than a pointless activity. You would use your time amassing a vast quantity of items, and while these could eventually be exchanged for permanent rewards, it was difficult to shake the lingering feeling that the effort simply wasn't worth it.

The current optimization revamps this mechanism, shifting the focus on dealing damage to enemies. This allows you to experience your own impact more tangibly during combat: every single attack you land now contributes directly toward earning skill points.

Consequently, at least when compared to the past, both the intrinsic value and the enjoyment factor of Expeditions have been significantly enhanced. This should also serve to encourage more players who have yet to try them out to jump in and participate.

While the ultimate outcome remains to be seen, the team's ongoing commitment to optimization serves as clear proof of the high priority ARC Raiders development team places on Expedition system. We sincerely hope that this game continues to go from strength to strength!

WoW Midnight Patch 12.0.5 was released on North American servers on April 21, with European and other servers updating within the same week. This update brings a wealth of new gameplay and system adjustments, including new open-world events and a new gear catch-up mechanic.

The patch provides a further boost to character item level, while also adding a catch-up path for those whose gear has fallen a bit behind. Let's take a closer look at what this update actually brings to the table.

Void Forge

On patch day, before you dive into any other new content, your absolute first step should be completing Void Forge questline located in Voidstorm. This system is designed to raise your item level as swiftly as possible.

Nebulous Voidcores

After finishing Void Forge questline, you will receive Nebulous Voidcores. This is a brand-new version of an extra loot mechanic.

When you complete endgame activities such as Mythic+ dungeons, Bountiful Delves, or Prey Hunts, you may consume one Voidcore to obtain an additional piece of loot from that specific run.

More importantly, each time you use a Voidcore to acquire an item, that item is temporarily removed from the activity's loot pool for that difficulty. Over time, this means the pool gradually shrinks until you are nearly guaranteed to target the exact piece of gear you want.

If you use a Voidcore after finishing a Mythic Keystone +10 dungeon, the reward will scale according to your Great Vault item level, which means you also stand a chance to receive Mythic Track gear from it.

You can trade WoW Midnight gold, sidelight Marl, and Veteran Dawncrests for Nebulous Voidcores, but the number of cores you can obtain and use each week is capped. So do not waste them carelessly.

It is strongly advised not to use them on Hero Track gear; whenever possible, reserve those opportunities for Mythic Track loot.

Ascendant Voidcore

The second part of this system is Ascendant Voidcore, which allows players to upgrade a Hero Track item that has already reached its cap further into Mythic Track. This applies equally to weapons and trinkets, giving top-tier gear even more room to grow.

Gear Acquisition

In Patch 12.0.5, Mythic+ dungeons currently yield significantly more Crests than raids. Players have discovered that even if the sole goal is to farm Crests for upgrading raid gear, the most efficient method is simply to run Mythic+.

Furthermore, Void Forge provides two bonus loot rolls per week; using one in a raid consumes two rolls, whereas using one in a Mythic+ dungeon consumes only a single roll. This means Mythic+ players have three chances each week to obtain Mythic-level items, while Heroic raiders only get two.

Although some best-in-slot trinkets and weapons remain exclusive to raid drops, when it comes to overall character item level progression, players who focus on Mythic+ have a clear advantage.

Disrupt Ritual Sites

First, make sure to pick up the introductory quest for the ritual sites in Silvermoon to kick off the whole process. After that, clear all the side quests along the way; their primary purpose is to help you unlock the various Affixes for Ritual Sites.

When you first enter a Ritual Site location, you will begin with a lower difficulty challenge and no Affixes active. Completing and turning in those basic tasks unlocks Affixes and gradually advances you through the challenge tiers. The entire system rewards Field Accolades. You can use these tokens at the vendor to obtain caches containing Champion or Hero Track gear.

The higher the challenge difficulty and the more Affixes you activate, the more Accolades you will earn from a single run. Therefore, the core strategy is to tackle the highest difficulty you can handle while activating as many Affixes as possible. Additionally, the random transmog caches from the vendor can also grant Tier 2 Recolored appearances.

Void Assaults

Void Assaults are essentially the open-world version of Ritual Sites, offering nearly identical rewards.

Void Assaults spawn smaller events called Void Strikes in specific zones. These events can be completed solo and take about five minutes each.

Once enough Void Strikes have been completed within a zone, a Void Incursion begins. This is a large-scale group event that requires server-wide player coordination to finish. Completing it yields substantially better rewards.

To be honest, if your item level is already above 270 and you possess Heroic or Mythic Track gear, these activities will not contribute much to character power progression. However, they are an excellent option for gearing up alts. Farming them efficiently in a group provides decent experience and, upon reaching max level, lets you quickly exchange accumulated tokens for starter gear, preparing you for raids and Mythic dungeons.

Abyssal Anglers

Abyssal Anglers is a purely recreational activity with no impact on character combat power. It primarily rewards transmog appearances, housing decorations, and a currency used for crafting epic-quality profession tools.

Simply head northeast of Zul'Aman to find the quest NPC and accept the introductory quest to unlock the diving system. The gameplay involves diving underwater and catching as many fish, finding as much treasure, and gathering as many resources as possible before your oxygen runs out. If you complete the associated achievements, you can obtain better diving gear to extend your time underwater, thereby improving your collection efficiency.

Decor Duel

Decor Duel is a 7v7 game of hide-and-seek from which you can earn transmog items, toys, and decorative rewards. While it is a limited-time event, the developers have confirmed that the repeatable decorative rewards will be made available through other means in the future.

Transmogrification

Beyond the new sheathed weapon stance adjustment, the transmog system has introduced more automation and context-sensitive features.

The new outfit command added in Patch 12.0.5 allows players to bind transmog sets to macros, letting you swap entire outfits with a single keypress without opening the interface.

Additionally, transmog sets can now be tied to weather and time conditions. You can configure different appearances to switch automatically between day and night, or even trigger specific cosmetic ensembles when it begins to rain or snow in-game.

That covers most of what Patch 12.0.5 has to offer. If your goal is to strengthen your character, your best course of action is to prioritize completing Void Forge questline first.

In MLB The Show 26, player cards are not merely indispensable elements for building and strengthening your lineup; they can also be viewed as collectibles in their own right.

Different cards belong to different series. When you complete the collection for an entire series, you can even unlock additional elite rewards, typically, these take the form of even more powerful player cards!

Among all the available series, Legends & Flashbacks Collection requires you to acquire the largest number of players, but it also offers the most substantial rewards. Most importantly, it is set to launch this coming Friday!

With this in mind, we will guide you on how to prepare for the new Legends & Flashbacks Collection, as well as offer our predictions regarding its rewards and other key details.

What is Legends & Flashbacks Collection?

You can think of this collection as a special Diamond Dynasty program that requires you to gather various non-Live series cards, specifically Legends and Flashbacks cards, in order to unlock high-tier diamond rewards.

Generally speaking, this collection encompasses a wide array of specific series, many of which span the entire season. Consequently, it serves as a core, milestone-based collection that you must progress through while simultaneously working on completing various specific card series.

What are vouchers?

To help alleviate the pressure of collecting, MLB The Show 26 has introduced vouchers that can be applied toward collections.

These vouchers are awarded to you upon the completion of smaller, specific collections; they act as substitutes for a certain number of individual cards, allowing you to obtain the final rewards without needing to achieve 100% card completion.

How should you prepare?

In fact, several of the relevant series collections are already underway. You can choose to skip, or simply not prioritize, certain series that may not hold much appeal for you personally, and then utilize vouchers to acquire the necessary cards later on.

Here are the series currently available at this stage:

• Jackie Robinson Day
• New Threads
• Spring Breakout
• World Baseball Classic
• 2nd Half Heroes
• All-Star
• Contributor
• Postseason
• Jolt

If you haven't already started collecting well in advance, it may be quite difficult to complete Legends & Flashbacks Collection in the short term, at least, that was the case in last year's iteration of the game.

If you absolutely must choose one to skip, consider passing on All-Star series; many of the cards within it are merely Rare tier, and the quality of the cards themselves often leaves much to be desired.

Based on the information above, we present the following specific strategies to help you prepare.

Do not indiscriminately sell your cards

Sometimes, whether out of a need for stubs or simply because you don't want your inventory cluttered with cards that seem to have little immediate utility, you might be tempted to sell them off.

Admittedly, this is an effective method for ensuring the circulation of stubs and player cards; however, the catch is that Legends & Flashbacks Collection requires almost every non-Live series card released during the early stages of the season.

Even if you possess player cards that aren't specifically required for this collection, you can still use them to redeem Vouchers, which help advance your overall collection progress.

Consequently, no experienced MLB 26 player would ever hastily sell off their cards during the early game. But if you've already done so, don't worry, you can currently buy MLB 26 stubs at IGGM to redeem those useful players within the game.

However, a crucial point to note is this: if you are an experienced player who put in sufficient effort during the early stages, you may find yourself with duplicate copies of the player cards required for the collection.

In that case, you absolutely must wait until Legends & Flashbacks Collection goes live before selling them!

This is because at that specific time, market demand for these cards will skyrocket, generating significantly higher stub returns for you than before. By earning stubs without delaying your collection progress, you will emerge as the ultimate winner!

Complete more programs

As a core gameplay feature of MLB The Show 26, the game releases various programs almost continuously. Each program offers a diverse array of rewards, most notably player cards and card packs.

Therefore, whether your goal is to complete smaller series collections or to start working toward Legends & Flashbacks Collection right from the start, you should always prioritize completing as many programs as possible.

To achieve this, you must earn a sufficient amount of XP while a program is active; once you accumulate enough XP to reach specific thresholds, you will unlock the corresponding rewards.

As for how to earn XP, the primary method involves completing designated missions, such as performing specific actions in-game using particular players, or earning a specific amount of PXP during matches.

Occasionally, certain programs also allow you to earn XP by completing specific Moments or smaller collection series. Since these types of programs typically have shorter durations, they offer additional XP sources to ensure you can unlock all the rewards before the program expires.

Create your own collection strategy

Thanks to the existence of vouchers, you do not necessarily need to acquire every single card within certain series collections.

However, this strategy is contingent upon your effective utilization of vouchers, specifically by using them to redeem the specific players that are otherwise the most difficult to obtain.

Furthermore, as we touched upon when discussing programs, the specific tasks required for each individual program vary.

Moreover, you often do not need to complete every single task listed within a program; you simply need to earn enough total XP to reach the necessary reward thresholds.

Therefore, you need to combine the two points mentioned above to select the card-collecting path that best suits you, thereby maximizing your collection efficiency within the constraints of your limited time and energy.

With only three days remaining until the launch of MLB 26 Legends & Flashbacks Collection, be sure to make the most of your time and prepare according to the guide we have provided! We wish you the best of luck in unlocking the ultimate rewards as soon as possible!

Torchlight Infinite SS12 brings a host of thrilling updates, including a brand-new hero and Lunaria Mechanic. Yet the changes to the summoning playstyle may have slipped under the radar for many players.

Whether in Path of Exile, Diablo, or any other ARPG of the same stripe, summoner builds are consistently among the most beloved archetypes. Torchlight Infinite's SS12 overhauls summoning - or more precisely, strengthens it. Let's take a closer look at what's new.

Modularization

The most significant mechanical shift this update is the introduction of a system called Modularization. It allows players to acquire and equip specialized skill modules that summon boss-tier units from the game, which can serve either as supplemental allies or as primary damage dealers.

These boss-summoning skill modules are obtained as drops. The units summoned by them are classified as Synthetic Troops and therefore adhere to the baseline rules governing synthetic forces. For instance, they share a uniform base attack interval (observed to be roughly 0.6 to 0.8 seconds), and the growth curves of their life and base damage plateau after reaching level 20, with subsequent levels granting fixed percentage increases.

Each modular summon skill possesses its own unique mechanics and can be linked with Magnificent Supports and Noble Supports. More importantly, the skill modules themselves can randomly roll with various Affixes, such as "Summoned creatures from this skill gain additional physical damage."

Aura Affixes

One of the standout features of these modular summons is their potential to carry aura-type affixes - granting effects such as increased attack speed, movement speed, or even Corruption Resistance. When paired with the revamped Commander Moto trait that provides "Each aura grants allies 3% additional damage," modular summons can function not only as a primary damage core but also as a powerful support attachment for non-summoner builds, delivering valuable global benefits.

After progressing through Nether Realm stages, players must unlock specific Talent Constellations. Defeating native bosses in Deep Space maps carries a 1.6% chance to yield an additional modular skill. This means players can actively farm boss modules.

Modularization Support Skills

Exclusive support skills have been introduced to complement modular summons. Below are several of the most impactful ones.

Modularization: Resonance (Magnificent)

This support skill grants enormous additional damage to the summoned creature based on the current Command Value held. Virtually every summoner build that relies on Modularization skills for damage output depends on it.

Modularization: Calibrate (Noble)

Every two hits the summoner lands on an enemy increases the summoned creature's damage, stacking up to 15 times - which translates to roughly 105% additional damage at full stacks. This synergizes well with Tangles mechanics, enabling automated high-frequency casting to maintain peak damage amplification.

Modularization: Sever (Noble)

Renders the summoned creature immune to damage but reduces its damage output by 99%. This support is specifically designed to safeguard functional modular summons that exist solely to provide buffs.

Legendary Item Reworks

Iron Nest

Following its rework, Iron Nest now grants Deep Space Trauma immunity, substantially improving survivability. It also provides a Command Value generation rate of 8–12 per second while reducing Command Value decay rate by 60%.

This shift fundamentally resolves the previous difficulty of sustaining Command Value. With this amulet equipped, players can effortlessly approach the cap of 80 Command Value, consistently unlocking the subsequent 35% additional damage bonus for summoned creatures. This item is poised to become a cornerstone piece for summoners during the mid-game progression phase.

Horn Ring

Horn Ring has received primarily numerical adjustments. Its base damage contribution has been increased while its critical strike component has been lowered, yet its overall value proposition remains exceptionally strong.

Hero Trait Reworks

The trait trees for both summoner heroes have undergone extensive restructuring, resulting in notably different gameplay dynamics in SS12.

Commander Moto | Order Calling

Self-Reconstruct

Moto's "Fortified Armor and Sharp Weapons" trait has been reworked. The new effect causes summoned creatures with Overload to regenerate a percentage of maximum life per second based on Command Value and gain 25% additional damage when not on low life. This dramatically enhances the sustain of Moto's summons.

Overload Program

Last Stand trait has been reworked. Its new effect grants Synthetic Troop summons Overload for 6 seconds upon appearing, after which they automatically perish. This node means players no longer need to rely on cooldown reduction to maintain near-permanent Overload uptime on their summons - equivalent to roughly 114% additional damage.

Radiation Field

The level 75 trait "Go for Broke" has been reworked, and the new node introduces a potent bonus: "Each aura grants summoned creatures 3% additional damage." When combined with Lone Walker's Boots and aura-equipped modular summons, players can stack six or more auras, resulting in a massive damage surge.

The Forsaken Iris | Growing Breeze

World Within

The level 60 trait node "Many Friends" has been reworked. The new effect grants increased damage - up to a maximum of 60% - based on the character's bolstered resistances or armor value. This represents a direct damage upgrade compared to its previous iteration.

Amazing Friends

Amazing Friends has been entirely overhauled. The trade-off is that Spirit Mages lose the ability to empower ordinary skills. In exchange, Nourishment stacks required to trigger "Full Bloom" have been slashed from 30–40 to a mere 10 stacks. This reduces the ramp-up time for the burst ability from around 50 seconds down to 15 seconds, greatly improving mapping fluidity and burst frequency.

Iris's Nourishment effect now fully benefits all elemental and physical Synthetic Troops. When paired with Memory Reminiscence affixes, this opens up the possibility of an armor-stacking playstyle for Iris utilizing Rosh Magus.

Newly added Memory affixes allow Synthetic Troops to benefit from Nourishment. With sufficient stacking of empowered skill use chance, it becomes possible to sustain 10 Nourishment stacks on modular summons indefinitely without consuming them - hinting that an Iris Modularization build will emerge as a highly competitive endgame option.

In summary, these changes provide both primary summoning heroes with a wider array of tools and a tangible boost in power. Summoner players now have more summoned creatures to choose from, and that is unequivocally welcome news.