Regardless of whether you prefer to run the Ascendancy Trial of Sekhemas or the Ascendancy Trial of Chaos in Path of Exile 2, you're going to need special coins to participate in them beyond the first successful run. Here's how you can get more, and the caveats behind the process.

How to get Trial Coins in Path of Exile 2

The Trial of Sekhamas (Act 2) and the Trial of Chaos (Act 3) are both trials that require their own respective coin to enter. These coins are similar to the ones you used to go through each trial for the first time. The first one was given for free, but to enter either of these trials more, you will need to get your own. Fortunately and unfortunately, getting these coins is a very simple task, but they are quite rare.

Trial of Sekhamas

The coin for the Trial of Sekhamas is called a Djinn and refers to the lore requirement of needing a Djinn's essence to enter the trial. Thankfully, you won't need to go through a boss fight every time you want to obtain one. However, getting your hands on a Djinn coin is difficult because it is a random world drop, meaning they won't be falling into your lap.

It is unclear where the best location is to farm these coins, but playing the Endgame of Path of Exile 2 tends to yield more of them in general.

Trial of Chaos

The coin for the Trial of Chaos is called an Inscribed Ultimatum, and it refers directly to the Vaal lore reasoning for appeasing the Trialmaster. The first one is obtained from a boss encounter near the trial location, but like with the Trial of Sekhamas, you won't need to fight one every time you want the coin. Sadly, also like the Trial of Sekhamas, Inscribed Utlimantums are a random world drop, so getting them will not be easy.

The Endgame of Path of Exile 2 is the best source for obtaining Inscribed Ultimatums, but if you're not quite there just yet, then you can try farming unique bosses in Act 3. There's no guarantee at all that the drop rate is higher, but unique bosses tend to have better drop tables than regular enemies, so it's worth the shot.

Due to how rare both these coins are, I highly recommend you use them with a group you are familiar with. Only the group leader in a party needs to insert a coin for each respective trial, so there is a level of efficiency that can be achieved if you're playing with a team. Nevertheless, if you're more of a solo player, feel free to use them as you see fit.

The post How to get more Ascendancy Trial Coins in Path of Exile 2 appeared first on Destructoid.

One of the biggest power spikes you can have in Path of Exile 2 occurs when you properly equip your skills with potent Support Gems. At the start, you're limited to only two per skill, but it is possible to get more as you play through the game.

So here's how to get more Support Gem Sockets in Path of Exile 2.

How to earn Support Gem Sockets in Path of Exile 2

Support Gems are special gems that can only be slotted into one of your equipped skills. They allow you to customize your skills, allowing for crazy and wacky setups that are actually quite potent when tested. You'll want to kit out your favorite skills that define your build, but access to only two slots makes that difficult.

To get Support Gem Sockets, all you need to do is get lucky. Not kidding. A special currency called a Jeweler Orb can drop from any enemy you encounter. When used on a skill, it permanently unlocks an additional support socket for that skill only. You cannot undo this action, so think carefully before using one. Jeweler Orbs are not exactly common.

Depending on where you are in your socket progression, you will need to use either a Lesser Jeweler Orb or a Greater Jeweler Orb. Lesser orbs are for skills stuck at two slots, while Greaters are beyond that point. You'll start seeing Jeweler Orbs drop minimally starting in Act 3, and increasing in commonality as you progress (they are never 'common', however).

The post How to get more Support Gem Sockets in Path of Exile 2 appeared first on Destructoid.

While exploring the later portions of Act 3 in Path of Exile 2, you may come across a peculiar set of mushrooms with no real defined purpose. These dubious shrooms take up a bunch of space in your inventory, so here's what you can do with them.

What are the mushrooms in Act 3 for in Path of Exile 2?

All throughout Path of Exile 2, picking up green-labeled items tended to yield amazing rewards if you could figure out what to do with them. Turns out, the mushrooms you pick up in Act Three are in a similar vein, only the rewards for these items are not exactly glamorous this time around.

As for what to do with them, if you didn't find them within the Apex of Filth, head to that location and kill enemies for them to eventually drop. Once you do have them, you're looking for a cauldron with a Cauldron Keeper standing behind it within the Apex of Filth. This zone is massive and is also quite dangerous, so it may take you an extensive amount of time to find the cauldron and the keeper. Due to maps in Path of Exile being randomized, I cannot give you the exact location. What I can say is that no matter which map variant you get, you'll find a flight of alter-like stairs just before reaching the Cauldron.

The mushrooms are reagents for the witch's concoction and can be placed within the witch's cauldron. Doing this will reward you with an Uncommon (Blue) Life Flask and a Mana Flask, both with completely variable stats. Whether or not they are good for you is up to you to decide based on your character build.

Additionally, the witch herself is a merchant who tends to sell gear that is beyond the standard you can find in town. I recommend visiting her on occasion for some potential high-quality gear.

The post What to do with the mushrooms in Act 3 of Path of Exile 2 appeared first on Destructoid.

Spirit is a brand new resource in Path of Exile 2 and the role it serves is valuable to all builds. It is, however, quite scarce, but you can get more if you know how. So here's how to get more Spirit in Path of Exile 2.

Where to get more Spirit in Path of Exile 2

Spirit governs how many active buffs or summons you can have at any given time. At the start of Path of Exile 2, you barely have any Spirit to work with (if any at all). This is fine because you don't really have access to persistent buffs to make use of it anyhow. However, as you play, you'll quickly find out that the minuscule Spirit you're given to work with normally is not enough. So how can you get more? There are a few ways of note.

Defeat Act Side Bosses

All three Acts of Path of Exile 2 have numerous bosses that are either off the beaten path or completely optional. This means they are skippable, but you absolutely should not skip them as some bosses will drop an item that rewards 30 Spirit. There are a total of three Spirit-giving items you can earn, with one being available in every act. I recommend you kill all the bosses in every act to ensure you're not missing Spirit. You can determine which bosses you have not killed by looking for the lit Skulls on the world map. Lit Skulls mean that you have not yet slain the boss present there, while dim skulls mean you have.

Find Spirit on Gear

Beyond the obtainable Spirit-giving items, you can also find Spirit on gear drops you find as you go through the game. I am on Cruel Difficulty and have only seen Spirit appear on Chest items, so I'm not completely certain it can be found on anything else. Spirit has a chance to be on any Rare (Yellow) Chest you find or craft using Orb items.

Use a Sceptre

The fastest way to get a massive amount of Spirit at any given moment is to use a Sceptre. Scepters are weapons that are designed for heavy Spirit usage, with them giving you an additional 100 Spirit at the minimum. This is before counting any additional modifier a Sceptre may have, so it can actually give you quite a bit more if you're lucky with rolls.

The downside to using a Sceptre is that they cannot cause any sort of damage, making them far from ideal if you intend to dish out damage without using pets. The good news is that Sceptres are one-handed weapons and can be dual-wielded with anything else that can deal decent damage. You cannot dual-wield two Sceptres at the same time, but they can be equipped in either your main hand or off-hand.

The post How to get more spirit in Path of Exile 2 appeared first on Destructoid.

An assortment of Mods make up any build in Warframe, but there are several essential Mods that you must never go without having in your inventory. Don't all need to be equipped at once, but just having them available makes formulating builds that much easier.

Best 20 Essential Mods in Warframe

Below, you will find a list of the most important Mods to get in Warframe. Whether you're a new player, or a veteran trying to round out your mod collection, the following mods are must-haves and should be acquired as soon as possible.

Adaptation

Many Warframes have a built-in defensive system that allows them to survive in high-level content, but equally, many are lacking in the survivability department. Adaptation is a must-have Mod for this reason, as it solves this crucial problem in all but the most fringe situations. Why?

Adaptation provides any equipped Warframe with a ridiculous stacking damage reduction to any attack type that lands. The damage reduction increases by 10% for each hit (at max rank) for a max reduction of 90%. This makes your Warframe nearly immune to damage at low-level gameplay and makes high-level gameplay much comfier. Adaptation is one of the game's best defense-oriented mods, and I cannot overstate this enough.

How to Obtain:

• Adaptation - Arbitration Runs, Trading

Core Damage Mods

Every weapon category (Primaries, Secondaries, Melee, Archguns, Incarnons included) in Warframe has access to Core Damage Mods that will buff up a weapon's raw damage, and making use of these is extremely important in making your weapon viable for pretty much all of Warframe's content.

These Mods may not fit into every weapon build, but they’re versatile and reliable, making them long staples in the Warframe community for years. While there are upgraded versions of many, their essential purpose remains unchanged, making them invaluable for both new and seasoned players. If you haven’t added these to your arsenal yet, now’s the perfect time to start playing and hunting them down to elevate your loadout.

How to Obtain:

• Serration (Primary) - Random Drops from most enemies in the game
• Point Blank (Primary) - Random Drops from most enemies in the game
• Hornet Strike (Secondary) - Random Drops from most enemies in the game
• Pressure Point (Melee) - Random Drops from most enemies in the game
• Primed Point Blank (Primary) - Bought from Baro Ki'teer (Ducats)
• Amalgam Serration (Primary) - Orb Vallis Fractures (Venus)

Flow

Every Warframe, regardless of which type you're using, requires Energy to make use of their unique abilities. As such, a large Energy Capacity is necessary, which is why Flow is yet another must-have Mod for any Warframe player.

Flow is a Mod that boosts a Warframe's max Energy, doubling the amount at max rank (5), allowing for many more casts of a frame's abilities. Like many Mods on this list, it is a staple Mod for many builds so it is highly valuable. Thankfully, it is very common, so it isn't difficult to obtain if you don't already have it.

Primed Flow is this mod's evolved version, boosting a Warframe's max Energy Capacity by a staggering 185% at max rank. It is much harder to obtain, however, as it cannot be farmed and is only purchased for Ducats from Baro Ki'teer.

How to Obtain:

• Flow - Random Drop from most enemies in the game
• Primed Flow - Bought from Baro Ki'teer (Ducats)

Continuity

While not a Mod to be used with every Warframe build, Continuity increases the duration of time-based Warframe effects, letting them persist longer before ending. For many Warframes, it is a core Mod for making use of long-lasting buffs, indirectly reducing Energy usage, and allowing for powerful mechanics to persist over very long periods of time. Like Flow, it is not difficult to obtain.

However, also like Flow, there exists an evolved version of Continuity called Primed Continuity. This enhanced version further boosts the duration of Warframe-based effects, allowing for even more crazy builds that make use of long-term buffs. The Warframe, Wisp, for example, adores this Mod thanks to her Mote buffs.

How to Obtain:

• Continuity - Random Drop from most enemies in the game
• Primed Continuity - Bought from Baro Ki'teer (Ducats)

Streamline

Many of the best Warframe builds make use of Streamline to reduce the Energy cost of their often expensive abilities. When used with Mods like Flow, Streamline makes using your abilities a matter of your choice rather than one influenced by how much Energy you have at any given time. Even without Flow though, Streamline is yet another staple Mod in the Warframe community, and you should have it ready to use at any given moment. Fortunately, it's not hard to get your hands on.

How to Obtain:

• Streamline - Random Drop from most enemies in the game

Intensify

Intensify is a Mod that is commonly used in various Warframe builds that focus on empowering a Warframe's abilities, strengthening their buffs, and improving offensive potency. Depending on which Warframe it is used on, Intensify can offer significant buffs with no downsides other than a meager Mod Capacity cost (5). As with the other Utility-based Mods on this list, you should always have a max rank Intensify on standby, just in case you need to use it.

However, if you're looking to get even more power out of your frame, you can instead opt for Archon Intensify, which offers a large 30% boost when restoring health with abilities on top of its normal effects. Warframes like Wisp can take full advantage of this.

How to Obtain:

• Intensify - Alad V, Angels of the Zariman, Captain Vor, Stalker, Cetus Bounties (Earth)
• Archon Intensify - Garrison (New War)

Stretch

In the early days of Warframe, the Stretch Mod was one of the strongest Mods in the entire game thanks to the meta focus of deleting entirely rooms of enemies with wide-spread abilities. The mod allowed you to extend the maximum range of any Warframe abilities that had a Range stat. These days, large, widespread AOEs are still extremely strong and sought after, even if they aren't nearly as oppressive, thus Stretch remains a hot commodity in the community for builds.

How to Obtain:

Stretch - Random Drop from most enemies in the game

Multishot Mods

Multishot Mods work with Core Damage Mods to greatly enhance the effective raw damage of any weapons they are attached to by allowing the weapon to fire extra bullets per normal standard bullets. These additional 'shots' receive all of the bonuses and benefits standard bullets do, thus making Multishot a multiplicative mod in terms of damage boost calculations. Without going to those, just know that Multshot Mods are must-have mods, and you should go pick them up immediately especially if you want to boost your weapon damage dramatically.

How to Obtain:

• Split Chamber (Primary) - Random Drop from most enemies in the game.
• Hell's Chamber (Primary) - Random Drop from most enemies in the game.
• Galvanized Chamber (Primary) - Arbitration Runs
• Barrel Diffusion (Secondary) - Random Drop from most enemies in the game.
• Galvanized Diffusion (Secondary) - Arbitration Runs
• Amalgam Barrel Diffusion (Secondary) - Orb Vallis Fractures (Venus)

Elemental Mods

When you combine Core Damage and Multishot Mods with Elemental Mods on a weapon, you get yourself a viable build that allows you to take that weapon into Warframe's endgame. Thanks to Warframe's robust Elemental System, the Elemental Mods you use on your weapon will greatly determine their effectiveness against enemies. Thus, it is important to get as many of these Mods in your inventory as possible so that you can mix and match them on different weapons for powerful results.

How to Obtain:

• Electricity

  • Charged Shell (Primary) - Random Drop from most enemies in the game
  • Primed Charge Shell (Primary) - Bought from Baro Ki'teer (Ducats)
  • Stormbringer (Primary) - Random Drop from most enemies in the game
  • High Voltage (Primary) - Tethra's Doom and Eris: Naeglar Sabotage Runs
  • Shell Shock (Primary) - Tethra's Doom and Eris: Naeglar Sabotage Runs
  • Convulsion (Secondary) - Random Drop from most enemies in the game
  • Jolt (Secondary) - Tethra's Doom
  • Shocking Touch (Melee) - Random Drop from most enemies in the game
  • Voltaic Strike (Melee) - Tethra's Doom

• Fire

  • Hellfire (Primary) - Random Drop from most enemies in the game
  • Incendiary Coat (Primary) - Random Drop from most enemies in the game
  • Wildfire (Primary) - Nightmare Runs
  • Blaze (Primary) - Nightmare Runs
  • Thermite Rounds (Primary) - Neptune: Nereid, Kuva Fortress: Pago, Sedna: Kelpie
  • Heated Charge (Secondary) - Random Drop from most enemies in the game
  • Primed Heated Charge (Secondary) - Bought from Baro Ki'teer (Ducats)
  • Scorch (Secondary) - Neptune: Nereid, Kuva Fortress: Pago, Sedna: Kelpie
  • Molten Impact (Melee) - Random Drop from most enemies in the game
  • Volcanic Edge (Melee) - Earth: Cambria, Mars: Arval, Venus: Unda, Mercury: Suisei

• Cold

  • Cryo Rounds (Primary) - Random Drop from most enemies in the game
  • Primed Cryo Rounds (Primary) - Bought from Baro Ki'teer (Ducats)
  • Chilling Grasp (Primary) - Corpus Enemies
  • Primed Chilling Grasp (Primary) - Bought from Baro Ki'teer (Ducats)
  • Frigid Blast (Primary) - Neptune: Nereid, Kuva Fortress: Pago, Sedna: Kelpie
  • Rime Rounds (Primary) - Cryotic Front, Saturn: Dione, Ceries: Bode, Lua: Pavlov, Europa
  • Deep Freeze (Secondary) - Random Drop from most enemies in the game
  • Ice Storm (Secondary) - Nightmare Runs
  • Frostbite (Secondary) - Cryotic Front, Saturn: Dione, Ceries: Bode, Lua: Pavlov, Europa
  • Northwind (Melee) - Random Drop from most enemies in the game
  • Vicious Frost (Melee) - Cryotic Front, Saturn: Dione, Ceries: Bode, Lua: Pavlov, Europa

• Toxin

  • Infected Clip (Primary) - Random Drop from most enemies in the game
  • Contagious Spread (Primary) - Electric Crawlers, Scavenger Drones, Eris: Naeglar Runs
  • Malignant Force (Primary) - Corrupted Vor
  • Toxic Barrage (Primary) - Corrupted Vor
  • Pistol Pestilence (Secondary) - Corrupted Vor
  • Pathogen Rounds (Secondary) - Corpus Enemies, Eris Naeglar Runs
  • Fever Strike (Melee) - Random Drop from most enemies in the game, The Duviri Circuit
  • Primed Fever Strike (Melee) - Bought from Baro Ki'teer (Ducats)
  • Virulent Scourge (Melee) - Corrupted Vor

• Radiation

  • Radiated Reload (Primary) - Albrecht's Laboratories, Deimos
  • Atomic Fallout (Primary) - Albrecht's Laboratories, Deimos
  • Accelerated Isotope (Secondary) - Albrecht's Laboratories, Deimos
  • Focus Radon (Melee) - Albrecht's Laboratories, Deimos

Rolling Guard

If you intend to run the hardest content Warframe has to offer, then you should consider obtaining Rolling Guard. When this Mod is equipped to your Warframe, rolling not only removes all DoT effects afflicting you but also makes you invulnerable for a few seconds. This is incredibly valuable in situations where dying is a real problem. The only downside to this Mod is that it should be used near max rank, which is rather expensive (12). However, if you can fit it on your build, it will be an incredibly strong safety net in the worst situations.

How to Obtain:

• Arbitration Runs
• Trading

Growing Power

The first essential Aura Mod to make this list, Growing Power offer you and your entire squad a near-permanent 25% increase in Ability Strength with no downside and little mod power investment (7). Naturally, this effect stacks with all other increases in Ability Strength, making it one of the best Aura mods in the entire game. Everyone should have this mod, as it is nothing but net positive for everyone when equipped.

How to Obtain:

• Growing Power - Knave Specter

Handspring

Getting knocked down in Warframe can quickly lead to death, especially in endgame missions where enemies hit hard and fast. It’s a common and serious issue for many players. Enter the Handspring mod: a game-changer that significantly reduces Knockdown recovery time. With this mod equipped, you’ll bounce back almost instantly, keeping you mobile and ready to tackle even the most intense battles without missing a beat.

How to Obtain:

• Handspring - Random Drop from most enemies in the game

Power Drift

In a similar vein to Handspring, Power Drift aims to counter the effects of Knockdown by preventing them altogether. The Mod gives you a 30% chance to resist a Knockdown, which is rather substantial. As a bonus, Power Drift also grants you a nice 15% Ability Strength bonus on top. Finally, to tie everything together with this must-have mod, it can be equipped in the Exilus Mod slot on any Warframe, so it doesn't even take up precious space.

How to Obtain:

• Power Drift - Orokin Moon Halls (Puzzle Room)

Blind Rage

Blind Rage functions similarly to Intensify, as both Mods provide you with increased Ability Strength. Where Blind Rage differs, however, is that it offers significantly more Ability Strength at the severe cost of Ability Efficiency, which makes your Warframe's ability cost more Energy to use. Certain Warframes suffer this downside more than others. Even so, with a properly measured build, you can easily mitigate this downside and make of this must-have mod.

How to Obtain:

• Blind Rage - Orokin Vaults

Overextended

Overextended is like Blind Rage in that is provides a massive boost to Warframe Ability Range, at a significant cost of Ability Strength. Depending on which Warframe and build you're using, this negative could have little to no consequence, making Overextended an absurdly powerful Mod in the right circumstances. For builds, Overextended is a must-get mod, as you can do some incredible things with it, if you know what you're doing.

How to Obtain:

• Overextended - Orokin Vaults

Transient Fortitude

When you decide to use Transient Fortitude, you are willing to surrender a massive amount of Ability Duration for an equally significant amount of Ability Strength. Much like the other combination Mods already mentioned on this list, this Mod is exceptionally strong when paired with a build and Warframe that makes sense with it. While it is not used on every single frame, I highly recommend you pick this one up as well, as it is too potent to ignore.

How to Obtain:

• Transient Fortitude - Orokin Vaults

Galvanized Aptitude

One of the most potent damage mods in all of Warframe when used properly, Galvanized Aptitude is an endgame mod that provides your weapon with a significant increase in Status chance, while also granting it a stacking damage bonus when killing an enemy with Status effects.

The number of stacks gained on a kill is based on how many Status Effects the target had before death. This means you want to apply numerous Status effects to your target before killing them to gain the full benefit. This effect stacks up twice, nearly doubling your weapon's damage in the process, and lasts for 20 seconds. Get this one.

How to Obtain:

• Galvanized Aptitude - Arbitration Runs

Mobilize

In Warframe, movement is everything. Whether you're trying to survive an onslaught or free farming other loot, you want to be able to move as quickly as possible through any given level. Mobilize is a relatively cheap Mod (5) that boosts your Parkour Velocity, allowing you to move faster while already in motion. Along with its cheap cost, it can also be placed in the Exilus slot, thus not taking up necessary Mod space. These factors together make Mobilize a must-use Mod.

How to Obtain:

• Mobilize - Drekar Grineer, Uranus: Desdemona

Condition Overload

At Max Rank, Condition Overload boosts your melee weapon’s damage by 80% per Status effect on the target. To be clear, this is an absolutely game-changing Mod for any melee build. Why is it a must-have? Simply put, it’s one of the most powerful melee Mods in Warframe.

What makes it so devastating is how it synergizes with other damage bonuses like Combo Multiplier, buffs, and more, all while stacking its insane effect. The result? Massive damage potential that can obliterate even the toughest enemies. If you don’t already have Condition Overload in your arsenal, make it a top priority to acquire, especially if you're a melee player. It’s a true powerhouse.

How to Obtain:

• Condition Overload - Deimos Infested

Narrow Minded

For certain Warframes and builds, Ability Range isn’t a top priority and can be traded off for more valuable stats. That’s where Narrow Minded shines, significantly boosting Ability Duration at the cost of Ability Range.

This Mod is incredibly powerful for Warframes that rely on long-lasting abilities rather than wide-reaching ones. If your build benefits more from extended duration than range, or just flat-out want more duration by any means necessary, Narrow Minded is an essential addition to maximize your Warframe's potential.

How to Obtain:

• Narrow Minded - Orokin Vaults

The post Top 20 essential Warframe mods in 2024 appeared first on Destructoid.

Upon returning to the Guildhall at the very end of the Aid the Underduke quest in Act Three of Baldur's Gate 3, you're presented with a choice. A fight is about to break out, and you must pick a side: the Zhentarim or Nine-Fingers Keene and the Guild.

It isn't immediately clear which one you should side with at this crucial moment, so we're going to lay your options out on the table. Should you side with the Zhentarim or Nine-Fingers Keene in Baldur's Gate 3? Let's find out.

Siding with the Zhentarim

If you're roleplaying an evil character in Baldur's Gate 3, then you should definitely consider siding with the Zhentarim. They're involved in a coup of the Guild, only wanting control for their own selfish reasons.

If you've sided with the Zhentarim, its leader, Roah Moonglow, claims you'll have a "private army at your beck and call" when the time comes to fight the Absolute. This is useful during the conclusion of Baldur's Gate 3, where you'll be able to summon two assassin mercenaries during the final battle.

Siding with Nine-Fingers Keene and the Guild

Nine-Fingers Keene and the Guild are essentially Robin Hood-esque figures in BG3. Their actions aren't completely justifiable, but they aren't mustache-twirling villains like the Zhentarim, either. For good-aligned playthroughs, the choice should be clear.

In terms of rewards, Nine-Fingers Keene pledges the Guild's support against the Absolute. Functionally, this is exactly the same as the Zhentarim reward, with two summonable warriors to aid in the fight.

However, there's one big reward that gives Nine-Fingers Keene the edge here. Upon looting the Zhentarim corpses, Roah Moonglow will have a pouch with 10,000 gold inside. This starts the Return Rakath's Gold quest. You can choose to return the gold to complete the quest, which has its own rewards, or you can simply keep the 10,000 for yourself. You're under no obligation to return it, after all.

Should you side with The Zhentarim or Nine-Fingers Keene?

Now that you know what happens when you choose both sides, which one should you actually decide to fight alongside?

Ultimately, I'm going to suggest you side with Nine-Fingers Keene during the Aid the Underduke quest. Morally, it's the more upstanding option, and given both sides will fight alongside you against the Absolute, there are no differences there. Siding with Nine-Fingers also nets you that 10,000 gold, which should always be considered.

There is a third option which I haven't discussed yet: killing everyone. When push comes to shove, you can simply decide that no one is worthy of your support, instead choosing to murder both the Zhentarim and Nine-Fingers Keene/the Guild.

Besides the mountain of loot, there's no benefit of doing this. You lose the support against the Absolute, although you do gain the moral high ground of destroying two large criminal groups, turning yourself into a Baldur's Gate 3 vigilante.

The post Should you side with The Zhentarim or Nine-Fingers Keene in Baldur’s Gate 3 (BG3)? appeared first on Destructoid.

Most Baldur's Gate 3 players discover early on that Lae'zel is one of the most useful companions in the game during combat. Thanks to her big damage, the Githyanki companion is essential for making the early game bearable and the late game easy.

Because Lae'zel is a Fighter by default, you can choose four feats for her across a Baldur's Gate 3 playthrough. Most classes only get three, although there are a few other exceptions. Lae'zel's feats unlock at Levels 4, 6, 8, and 12, which make her extremely powerful during the first half of the game.

If you're unsure which are the best feats for Lae'zel in Baldur's Gate 3, we've got you covered. These are the ones you should be choosing to make the most of the Githyanki Fighter's strengths.

Best feats for Fighter Lae'zel in BG3

When considering the best feats to take as Lae'zel in Baldur's Gate 3, it's essential also to think about the order in which you take them. This will help you build properly as you progress through the game.

The end goal here is to create a Lae'zel build that dishes out as much damage as possible. This is her big strength right from the moment you recruit her, so that's what we'll be leaning into here. We've also included some honorable mentions so that you've got a bit of choice for your build.

Ability Improvement feat for Lae'zel in Baldur’s Gate 3

Ability Improvement is as safe as a Baldur's Gate 3 feat gets. You get two more Ability Points, which for Lae'zel, should be used on Strength and Dexterity. Alternatively, doubling up on Strength is a valid choice, too. Number goes up, Lae'zel gets stronger – simple.

You might as well reap the benefits of Ability Improvement for as long as possible, so you should take this BG3 feat at Level 4.

Savage Attacker feat for Lae'zel in Baldur’s Gate 3

Lae'zel's attacks are incredibly powerful out of the box, and of all the companions, she's probably the strongest during those early periods of Baldur's Gate 3. Savage Attacker ensures those attacks will almost always be massively powerful due to the damage dice being rolled twice.

This is another feat worth grabbing early. You can't really go wrong with maximizing your damage as you fight your way through Acts 1 and 2 of Baldur's Gate 3.

Great Weapon Master feat for Lae'zel in Baldur’s Gate 3

Great Weapon Master is a must-have feat for any of your companions who you're relying on to deal melee damage. Karlach, Lae'zel, you name them - they've got to have this feat. It gives you another turn during combat, which, when combined with Savage Attacker, guarantees you're going to hurt your opponents badly.

Since Lae'zel gets an extra attack by default at Level 5, there's no great rush to grab Great Weapon Master. We'd recommend taking it at Level 8, at which point you should be at a place where the game's difficulty starts to really ramp up. The extra attack and damage will prove essential.

Polearm Master feat for Lae'zel in Baldur’s Gate 3

More damage! Polearm Master lets you get ANOTHER attack with your bonus action, so long as you're holding a glaive, halberd, quarterstaff, or spear. With the right weapon, you should be getting a total of four attacks every turn if you also took Great Weapon Master. All will fall before you.

It's worth noting that Lae'zel has a greatsword by default, which is why we recommend grabbing Polearm Master at Level 12. It's the last feat you'll take, so it gives you plenty of time to find one of the weapon types affected by this one.

Baldur’s Gate 3 Lae'zel feats: honorable mentions

If you're looking to be as efficient as possible, the above feats are the way to go for Lae'zel. However, you can also use these honorable mentions if you want to change up your playstyle a little rather than being hyper-efficient with your Lae'zel build in Baldur's Gate 3.

Choosing your feats is a big deal in Baldur's Gate 3, and sometimes, you get it wrong. If your build isn't working for your playthrough, you can respec Lae'zel from Level 1 at Withers for 100 gold. This shouldn't break the bank, so long as you're not frequently wasting your money in BG3.

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If you're trying to complete your Weekly bingo card in Zenless Zone Zero, you'll need to finish the Lost and Found objective first. If you're not sure how, here's a quick guide on what you need to do.

How to finish the Lost and Found Weekly in Zenless Zone Zero

One quick look at your bingo card reveals that Lost and Found requires you to help out an NPC character named Dollie. The objective states that you must help her retrieve a pully device from a 'Cat Thief' terrorizing the neighborhood. Your first thought might be to simply find the 'Cat Thief', but there's no other information given on where you might be able to do that.

With that in mind, the first thing you need to do is go speak with Dollie on Sixth Street. You can find her near the entrance of the One Four One general store. Talking with her reveals that the cat thief in question is somewhere nearby. In fact, the cat you're looking in for is much closer than you think. Head to the right side of the store and you'll find a little white cat in the corner.

Talk with the cat and exhaust its dialogue, then return to Dollie and speak with her as well. Exhaust all of her dialogue and this act will complete your Lost and Found Weekly.

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Karlach is one of the best companions in Baldur's Gate 3. Her personal storyline is one of the most interesting, and her prowess in battle makes her essential to have along for the ride.

As a Barbarian, Karlach only has access to three feats in Baldur's Gate 3, compared to other classes like Rogue and Fighter, which get four. This means that you've got to pick your Karlach feats carefully when you unlock them at Levels 4, 8, and 12.

So, which ones should you take? To help you decide, let's look at the best feats for Karlach in Baldur's Gate 3 to make the strongest build possible.

Best feats for Barbarian Karlach in BG3

There are 41 feats to choose from in Baldur's Gate 3, so narrowing it down to just three is tough. We've picked out what we think are the best feats for Karlach, as well as a few honorable mentions that you can't completely rule out.

With any Barbarian build in BG3, the aim should be purely about dealing as much damage as possible while being able to take a hit or two. You'll be right in the middle of the action, so this is crucial. These feats will help you achieve that.

Great Weapon Master feat for Karlach in Baldur’s Gate 3

The Great Weapon Master feat is absolutely essential for any party featuring Karlach in Baldur's Gate 3. With this, you can take an extra attack each turn using your bonus action. Your attacks are going to be deadly as a Barbarian anyway, so getting to take two will result in enormous damage, especially if you're using a Heavy melee weapon you're proficient in.

We'd recommend taking Great Weapon Master as early as possible, ideally making it your Level 4 feat. Doing this kind of damage so early in the game will make combat encounters a breeze with Karlach in your party.

Savage Attacker feat for Karlach in Baldur’s Gate 3

It should be pretty obvious why you should pick the Savage Attacker feat as Karlach in Baldur's Gate 3. She's capable of dealing enormous amounts of damage, so getting to roll the dice twice and use the highest result is comically overpowered.

Grab Savage Attacker at Level 8, after taking Great Weapon Master. That way, you'll always get the +10 damage buff too - a potent combination that will ensure Karlach plays an important role in your party throughout Baldur's Gate 3.

Tough feat for Karlach in Baldur’s Gate 3

BG3's Karlach can already take tons of damage compared to the other companions. The Tough feat takes that up a notch by giving her plenty more HP. When combined with the previous two feats, you create a resilient melee monster by taking the Tough feat.

You should take the Tough feat for Karlach last, once you reach Level 12. As you hurtle toward the end of the game, the extra health will make Karlach extremely tough to kill. If you're really struggling earlier in the game, don't be afraid to take the Tough feat earlier, though.

Baldur’s Gate 3 Karlach feats: honorable mentions

While we can heartily recommend taking the above feats for Karlach in Baldur's Gate 3, there are plenty of ways to build this Tiefling Barbarian. We've added five more honorable mentions for the best feats for Karlach in Baldur's Gate 3 that you can use to switch up your playstyle.

If you find you've made the wrong choice with your feats, you can always respec Karlach by paying 100 gold to Withers at camp. You're not locked into one specific build, so why not try out a few different feat selections throughout your playthrough?

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Very early into Elden Ring, I kept seeing these random, cracked, conspicuous-as-hell statues with a blue or turquoise light. And 50 hours in, I finally know how to break them open.

Backing up a step, there are many different types of statues in this game, some of which you can directly interact with. I'm not talking about those. I mean the statues that are partially sliced open, and often embedded in the ground or toppled over. You'll probably recognize them when you see them. Like this one!

**Spoilers below**

If you're anything like me, you might've tried two-handing your weapon, various jump attacks, and explosive throwables, to name a few tactics that seemed like a good idea at the time. No dice — at least, not that I've seen. Instead, you'll need to source some outside help. You need to use a big boy.

That's right, a big boy

Had I spent more time scoping out this cracked glowing statue on stormy Limgrave hillside with several trolls roaming nearby, I probably would've figured out the solution way sooner. In fact, on a return visit, the a-ha moment happened organically: a giant just casually strolled through it on his way to my character, and the cracked statue exploded, revealing a shiny reward.

What was inside? Unfortunately, just some low-level smithing stones — a useful find in the early game, but far less helpful down the road when they're more plentiful.

If you missed the statue pictured above, you might've seen this statue with a glowing crack in the heart of Stormveil Castle, which you would've gone past on your way to the boss.

It's not-so-conveniently resting next to a large, gnarly enemy — large enough to make me think it could also be strong enough to bust open the statue... but it didn't work for me. Appearance isn't always everything, but once you get a feel for who (or what) has the magic touch to bust open glowing statues in Elden Ring, you'll probably be able to instantly recognize them.

What I simply had to do upon luring this troll was to have it casually walk on top of this statue. It could have also just swung its weapon at me and broken the statue as collateral damage, but at lower levels, that could be very risky.

Interestingly, it seems that other large-scale enemies in Elden Ring are capable of opening these glowing cracked statues. When we mean big boys, they don't have to be on the scale of the aforementioned trolls. You just need to be able to look and them and think, "Yeah, this guy could probably eat rocks."

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Other ways to break glowing cracked statues in Elden Ring

Depending on the area you're in, you will have to do some scouting on what the biggest enemies are. You'll have to train a beast or two and bring them to the statue with the glowing cracks. In the example below found in the Sealed Tunnel, this statue is against the wall, so you can't just hide behind it in hopes of your enemy walking right into it.

What you will have to do is put your back against the statue as an enemy is about to attack you. At the right moment, dodge its attack and hopefully, they'll open the thing for you. Not the safest thing to do, but you probably won't get anywhere just asking politely, either.

What do glowing cracked statues contain?

In terms of reward, from every example I've seen, these glowing cracked statues just give out various tiers of upgrade materials like Smithing Stones for your weapons and shields. A potentially good haul, but not necessarily something I'd want to go out of my way to get, if that makes sense.

This is just the latest in a line of "Wow, I really overthought that!" moments in the game. I'm loving it. Especially now that I've hit a brick wall, and it's time to go wandering again.

The post How to break glowing blue cracked statues in Elden Ring appeared first on Destructoid.

Camellya, likely the most-hyped character since Wuthering Waves' release, has finally arrived with version 1.4, and she is a doozy. If you want to learn how to play her properly and gear her up correctly, keep reading, as I'm going to dive into what this famed character is all about.

Best Camellya Build in Wuthering Waves

Camellya is a Havoc DPS character with a focus on dishing out as much damage as possible while she is on the field, which is most of the time. This is thanks to the many buffs she awards herself with as she flows through her rotation. Camellya is also a "stance-dancer," which means she constantly swaps between two different movesets, which is a commonly misunderstood aspect of her character.

Camellya's Gameplan

The complexity of Camellya's kit may not seem apparent on the surface, but the moment you start digging through it, there is plenty to learn, practice, and master.

The Budding State

Your goal with Camellya is to reach her Budding State as quickly as possible because she gains a significant damage buff with most of her abilities while it is active. She enters this state by fully charging her Concerto Meter and activating her Skill. This will trigger her Forte Circuit, Ephemeral, which unleashes the most powerful attack in her kit while putting her into the Budding State.

The damage buff gained in the Budding State depends entirely upon how many stacks of Crimson Buds she had before invoking Ephemeral. Crimson Bud stacks are gained when Camellya deals damage while she has Crimson Pistils or her Forte Bar. Every attack she lands will drain the bar while giving her Crimson Bud stacks up to 10. For every stack of Crimson Bud, she gains a massive stacking damage buff when she uses Ephemeral (which also applies to the Ephemeral explosion) in the Budding State. You'll know Camellya is in the Budding State when she has a red petal aura around her.

When Camellya casts Ephemeral, her Forte Bar is completely refilled, but it cannot be used to regain Crimson Bud stacks while the Budding State is active. Her Forte Bar is also refilled every time she uses her Intro Skill. You want to do both to ensure Camellya can gain all the stacks and buffs she needs.

It sounds more confusing than it actually is, and this a situation where you should do a few test runs to get a real, hands-on sense of the flow.

Stance swapping: Normal State and Blossom State

Camellya can access two additional States, both essential for transitioning into the Budding State more easily. These are her Normal State and Blossom State.

• Normal State (White Hair) - Camellya’s attack strings emphasize grounded, single-target damage. It has minimal cleave but should be your go-to state when fighting bosses because it deals more damage than Blossom State.
• Blossom State (Red Hair) - Camellya takes to the air and remains stationary unless a dodge is used first. Her attack strings transform into wide AoE spin attacks, perfect for cutting through large groups of enemies.

Camellya can seamlessly shift between both her Normal and Blossom States with her Skill at any time. Her Blossom State can (and should) be canceled by pressing the Jump button so that the Skill cooldown is not used.

There’s a lot more nuance to Camellya’s stances. For example, she can cancel any action with a stance swap, opening up some advanced techniques that can turn the tide in combat if you take the time to master them.

• String Cancelling - Switching stances allow Camellya to cancel any animation in her kit, including her attack strings. This enables you to skip unwanted portions of her combos in either stance, seamlessly transition into a new string, minimize attack delay frames, and position yourself more advantageously during combat.
• Blossom State Staminaless Dodge - When Camellya is airborne in the Blossom State, she can only move around by Dodging, and this costs Stamina. However, if she avoids an attack while dodging in this state, she will regain all of the Stamina she used.
• Heavy Attack Buffering - While in the Normal date, Camellya's Heavy Attack launches her into a high-damage spin that is critical for dealing DPS. Normally, Camellya must attack once before going to the spin, but by holding the Basic attack button during any other action, Camellya can skip the first attack by buffering her Heavy. This lets her go right into the spin attack without delay.

While there are likely more advanced techniques to master with Camellya, your primary focus should be building her Concerto and entering the Budding State as efficiently as possible, ensuring you have 10 stacks of Crimson Bud when casting Ephemeral. Once there, use her Normal State to deal single-target DPS and use her Blossom State for AoE DPS. Then, rinse and repeat.

Best Echoes for Camellya in Wuthering Waves

Camellya deals immense damage, leaving her with one optimal Echo Set choice: Sun-sinking Eclipse. The ideal Echo setup for her is '43311,' which refers to the Echo Costs for all five Echo equipment slots.

• 4-Cost Echo (Crit DMG) - Dreamless or Crownless
• 3-Cost Echoes (Havoc DMG Bonus or ATK%) - Any
• 1-Cost Echoes (ATK%) - Any

Make sure that you use Dreamless or Crownless as Camellya's active Echo so she gains the damage bonus from them.

Best weapons for Camellya in Wuthering Waves

Camellya's signature weapon, Red Spring, is by far her best, as it is tailor-made for her kit. One of its most potent components requires the equipper to use their Concerto Energy, but Camellya is currently the only character who can do so while remaining on the field, making it her best option.

The only other viable option for Camellya is Emerald of Genesis, as it's a solid all-around stat stick for any Sword character. However, keep in mind that Red Spring greatly outperforms Emerald of Genesis for Camellya, thanks to the way her kit works.

Best team compositions for Camellya in Wuthering Waves

Camellya is a very selfish character. She wants to have the field to herself for the majority of the time because of the Budding State. If you swap to a different character while she is in Budding State, she will lose all benefits from it, which is extremely detrimental to her overall gameplan.

As such, Camellya favors having a strict rotation with her team, with her being the last to go on-field and remain there after all other buffs are active.

Camellya/Sanhau/Shorekeeper

This is Camellya’s best team comp, letting her stay on the field for long stretches without losing any buffs. Start by having Shorekeeper generate enough Concerto to fill it using her Ultimate. Then, trigger Sanhau's intro and follow it up with her quick Skill, Ultimate, and Heavy Attack combo. This combo should fill Sanhau's Concerto completely, letting Camellya jump in to carry out her gameplan. If needed, Danjin can replace Sanhau and Verina can take over for Shorekeeper, though the results will be slightly suboptimal.

Best Sequences for Camellya in Wuthering Waves

Camellya is one of the few characters in Wuthering Waves that benefits heavily from her Sequences. This isn't to say she isn't viable at S0, but there is a considerable difference between that and even S2. Without a doubt, S3 is your best stopping point, but that is a bit deep in. If you're interested in what all of her Sequence do, here they are, condensed for your clarity.

• Somewhere No One Travelled (S1) - When Camellya uses her Intro Skill, she gains a free 28% Crit DMG for 18 seconds and grants her interruption immunity when casting Ephemeral. This is a decent sequence, but it is not enough to be worth going for unless you're going beyond it.
• Calling Upon the Silent Rose (S2) - Ephemeral's DMG Multiplier is increased by 120%. This Sequence more than doubles the damage of Camellya's most powerful ability. It's really good. Get it if you can.
• A Bud Adorned by Thorns (S3) - Increased Camellya's Ultimate DMG by 50% and she gains a massive 58% ATK buff while in the Budding State. This is also a dramatic increase in damage for Camellya, which is why I recommend this to be your stopping point.

• Roots Set Deep in Eternity (S4) - Camellya's Intro Skill gives her entire party 25% Basic ATK DMG for 30 seconds. Not great right now due to the lack of Basic ATK characters that would run with Camellya, but in the future, this could be a potentially potent Sequence.
• Infinity Held in Your Palm (S5) - Camellya's Intro skill deals 303% more damage, and her Outro Skill deals 68% more damage. This is a nice bonus, but not worth going for unless it's a stepping stone to her S6.
• Bloom For You Thousand Times Over (S6) - Oh boy. This one is insane. There’s a lot of technical jargon behind this Sequence in-game, but here’s the gist: when you use Camellya’s Ephemeral if you refill her Concerto within 15 seconds of the cast, she can cast a secondary version of it called Perennial (on a separate cooldown). This basically lets her enter the Budding State twice as often, and if that wasn’t crazy enough, the damage bonus from the state gets a massive 250% boost. It's a S6. What did you expect?

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Among the massive array of personalities you can attain in Dragon Quest 3 HD-2D Remake, its high resilience value makes the Tough Cookie one of the best for those looking to make sure their hero (or teammate) will be able to deal high damage while also staying sturdy against all threats.

But how can you get the personality at the start? And if you failed to acquire it, is it possible to switch to it later on? Here's how to get the Tough Cookie Personality in Dragon Quest 3 HD-2D Remake.

• Table of Contents:

  • How to Get the Tough Cookie Personality at the Start
  • All Other Ways to Get the Tough Cookie Personality

How to Get the Tough Cookie Personality at the Start in Dragon Quest 3 HD-2D Remake

When starting your journey in Dragon Quest 3 HD-2D Remake, you can get the Tough Cookie Personality by pushing the boulder 40 times toward the old man during the Forest Personality Test. To unlock the test, you will need to answer the questions provided by the mysterious being in a set way, with the first question determining the path you must follow. I was able to unlock the test by answering the Personality Quiz in the following way:

• Question #1: Do you believe that the sun in the sky above is the king of all nature? Yes
• Question #2: Do you dream often? No
• Question #3: Do you prefer spells and sorcery to swords and sweat? No
• Question #4: Do you find the company of unfamiliar people tiresome? No
• Question #5: Are you able to prevent failure from preying upon your mind? No
• Question #6: Is your circle of acquaintances wide and varied? Yes
• Question #7: Do you pay much heed to the gossip of others? Yes
• Question #8: Do you believe the world to be filled more with sadness than with joy? Yes (Answering it in any other way will lock you from the Forest Test)

Keep in mind that even if your first question does not match ours, answering any of the questions above, as shown, will unlock the one below it and set you on the path toward the Forest Test. I, however, recommend restarting your playthrough until your first question matches ours for an easier time. Unlike the fan-favorite Vamp, Tough Cookie can be unlocked no matter your hero's gender.

How to Push the Boulders During the Forest Test

After answering all of the questions as shown above and being teleported into the Forest Test, you will be able to push the boulder toward the old man by simply heading left while facing it. As you can guess, there's no way to speed up the process apart from running and skipping the dialogue. In other words, if you want to start as a Tough Cookie, you will need to go back and forth 40 times. There's no need to keep count, though, as the old man will let you know once you deliver your fortieth boulder.

All Other Ways to Get the Tough Cookie Personality

You can momentarily change the Personality of any of your party members (including the Hero) in DQ 3 HD-2D by equipping them with the Weightlifter's Belt, which can be acquired by heading to the Mini Medal Manor and talking to Morgan Minimann after acquiring 35 Mini Medals. You can reach Mini Medal Manor by jumping down a well located on the lower left portion of the Aliahan map, more specifically on the spot below:

Now that you know how to get the Tough Cookie Personality in Dragon Quest 3 HD-2D Remake, don't forget to also check out a few other highly anticipated November 2024 game releases.

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Battle Resurrection (most commonly referred to as 'battle res') is one of the single most important aspects of a party or raid composition because of its ability to bring a player back from the brink of death in the midst of combat. Here's every class with the ability to battle res in World of Warcraft.

All Classes with Battle Rez in WoW

There are two main versions of WoW, and both differ in which classes have access to a battle res. Rather than list them together, allow me to separate the following lists for your own clarity.

Battle Res classes in World of Warcraft: Classic

In WoW Classic, the only class that can cast any sort of in-combat resurrections is the Druid, and it is quite limited in its nature. The Druid's battle res is called Rebirth and it comes with a very hefty 30-minute cooldown once used, regulating it mostly to emergency situations only in any given encounter. Additionally, only Taurens and Night Elfs can be Druids, further limiting its overall usage.

Battle Res classes in World of Warcraft: Retail

WoW Retail is the most current version of WoW, which is currently in the midst of its tenth expansion, The War Within. Since the days of the original vanilla WoW experience, several other classes have gained access to a battle res of sorts.

• Druid - Like in WoW Classic, Druids can still battle res allies using their Rebirth spell, but they now face a reduced cooldown of 10 minutes, not factoring in additional talents. The racial limitation has also greatly decreased as the class now includes Worgen, Kul Tiran, Highmountain Tauren, Trolls, and Zandalari Trolls. This makes having a Druid in your party much more likely.

• Death Knight - A class added back in Wrath of the Lich King, Death Knights have always had access to their Raise Ally battle res spell, although it worked very differently originally. Currently, it works identically to the Druid's Rebirth. Every race can be a Death Knight with the exception of Dracthyr, and the class is still very popular, so you'll likely end up in a party with one in most group content.

• Warlock - Warlocks have a very unique battle res called Soulstone and it is superior to all other versions of the ability. Soulstone can be cast as your standard battle res, or can be used on a living target as a sort of pre-calculated battle res instead. This is why it is extremely common for healers to be the target of a Warlock's Soulstone, since they are often integral in group-orientated content. All Races can be a Warlock, so you'll commonly find them in your groups.
• Hunter - Hunters also have a unique battle res through their Eternal Guardian, which is a pet-based battle res. This version works similarly to Raise Ally and Rebirth, but comes with the distinct downside of requiring a specific pet to be out on the field to make use of it. In endgame content, in order for Hunters to use Eternal Guardian, they often have to sacrifice a significant portion of their damage to swap pets. The act of doing this is also unwieldy due to the cast times involved during the process.

Shared Battle Res Limitations

The standard encounter limit is one battle res every 10 minutes, which lines up with every class' battle res cooldown. There is also a maximum of up to three battle res casts allowed for longer fights. This limit applies to all battle res abilities collectively, regardless of the number of players who can perform a battle res in a party or raid.

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Group passwords are the backbone of Elden Ring's multiplayer scene. Whether you and our friends are playing the game's box-standard multiplayer mode or using one of the many incredible mods fans have made to trick it out, you'll need passwords to explore the Land Between as a team.

Luckily, group passwords are much more than a way to join a group for cooperative multiplayer or PVP. Many Elden Ring group passwords significantly buff the number of Runes you get when you defeat one of the game's shard-bearing bosses. Some of these passwords give you a boost of up to 5%, so you and your friends could end up squeezing a few more level-ups out of the game's most epic bosses.

Specific passwords also come with other effects, including unique summon signs, varying amounts of bloodstains, and the chance to run into hostile phantoms. Here are some of the best co-op codes in Elden Ring.

How to use group passwords in Eldren Ring

After popping open the menu and selecting Multiplayer, you can press Triangle on PS4/PS5 to change your password Settings — from here, you can enter a Multiplayer Password or a Group Password. The latter is your ticket to scoring more Runes.

You can input up to five group passwords during a session, but you don't have to fill every slot. Having multiple group passwords active can lead to strange results, so think carefully before you input co-op codes.

Popular Elden Ring group passwords

At the moment, I'm using these five Elden Ring group passwords:

• "SEEKERS" — VaatiVidya
• "straydmn" — r/EldenRing
• "FEXTRA" — Fextralife Elden Ring Wiki
• "fcb" — FightinCowboy
• "Koopy" — r/TwoBestFriendsPlay

Before I could finish filling out all five entries, my Rune buff was already active. Here's the status icon (it looks just like the Gold-Pickled Fowl Foot with an up arrow):

You'll also notice that your character has a golden glow while the effect is active.

While group passwords only need to be typed once (and you can change or remove them whenever with no penalty or restriction), they won't automatically carry from one character to the next; if you've got a bunch of alt characters, you'll need to fill out the passwords again for each individual tarnished.

This is probably something I should've looked into before finishing Elden Ring, but I guess that's what subsequent playthroughs are for! I've been dominating the living room TV with this game, so I should cool it for now. (The keyword being "should.")

For further Rune farming, check out this late-game guide.

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Yanagi, the first five-star premium Agent in Zenless Zone Zero's Section 8, has made quite a splash in the community thanks to her highly unique gameplay. As a character, Yanagi is a lot more complex than most of the roster, but if you're interested in playing her at her highest potential, here's everything you need to know.

Best Yanagi Build in Zenless Zone Zero

Jumping right in, Yanagi is an Electric Anomaly character with a significant focus on Shock DoT (Damage over Time) and On-field damage. Thanks to her combo-heavy nature, Yanagi wants to be on the field as long as possible, while you still cycle through the rest of your team to apply buffs and debuffs as applicable. While she does play your standard main DPS role, her kit is highly flexible thanks to the non-static nature of it. Compared to all other characters in Zenless Zone Zero, she is a complex character, but proper play allows her to exceed in any of the game's content.

Yanagi's Gameplan

The complexity of Yanagi's kit shows itself when enacting her ideal game plan, which has several moving parts and features. Rather than explain this in one big paragraph, I'll break it up for your clarity. The following is in priority order for Yanagi's goals while she is in play.

Polar Disorder

When Yanagi uses her EX-Special, she is able to apply a special version of the standard Discord mechanic called Polar Disorder to any enemies suffering from an Anomaly. When Polar Disorder is activated, it will deal 15% of the active Anomaly's total damage plus an additional percentage amount (based on Yanagi's Anomaly Proficiency), to targets struck.

Unlike standard Disorder, Polar Disorder does not remove the Anomaly on the enemy, allowing Yanagi to apply this effect in rapid succession provided she has enough Energy. Polar Disorder will also activate on any Anomaly, including Shock, meaning Yanagi can apply Shock to an enemy and trigger Polar Disorder all on her own--a contrast to the standard Anomaly team playstyle.

You want to land as many Polar Disorders as possible during Anomaly windows to make the most of Yanagi's damage. Polar Disorder is entirely unique to Yanagi, and it is the source of a majority of her damage, hence its importance on this priority list.

Stance Swapping: Jougen and Kagen

Yanagi has two special Stances she uses to dish out damage outside of Polar Disorder. These stances are Jougen and Kagen.

• Jougen (Blue) - Buffs Yanagi's Electric Damage by 10%. Faster attacks, longer string, longer animation lock.
• Kagen (Yellow) - Buffs Yanagi's PEN Ratio by 10%. Slow attacks, shorter string, shorter animation lock.

Yanagi has different attack strings while in Jougen or Kagen, and you can swap which stance she's in by pressing the Special button at any time. You can always tell which Stance Yanagi is in by the color of her hair braid. More importantly, when Yanagi swaps stances, she will retain the effects of the inactive Stance for an additional eight seconds. The idea here is to swap stances frequently enough to maintain both stance buffs at all times.

Additionally, when Yanagi switches stances during the third, fourth, or fifth portion of her basic attack string, her following attack will be sped up, allowing Yanagi to attack faster than normal while also skipping the start-up of her string. This also ensures that Yanagi is only dealing Electric damage and not Physical, which happens during the first and second portions of the basic string. Additionally, during this swap, Yanagi can parry any attack that hits her during the animation.

I know this is a lot to take in, but it’s much easier to get the hang of when you play her yourself. If anything’s unclear, I really recommend taking Yanagi into the Training Room to practice her moves and get comfortable with her gameplan.

Best Drive Disks for Yanagi in Zenless Zone Zero

Yanagi is an anomaly character who thrives on inflicting shock on her enemies, so she values ATK% and anomaly proficiency (AP) above all other stats. That said, PEN Ratio % becomes a highly valuable stat for her if you have other sources of it already.

• Disk 4 - AP or ATK%. Note that ATK% should only be used if you have good AP sub-stats on it.
• Disk 5 - ATK% or Electric DMG%. PEN Ratio% is an option if you have other sources of the stat already.
• Disk 6 - ATK%

Yanagi two main Drive Discs are Chaos Jazz and Thunder Metal, and the one you should use on her depends on the type of team you're playing her in.

Disorder

If you're playing Yanagi with a focus on applying standard Disorder, then use Chaos Jazz as that will provide her with the most damage. Just make sure you're running a second, different element Anomaly character with her.

Mono-Electric

Since Yanagi has access to Polar Disorder, she is not strictly tied to running in a pure Disorder team setup and can, instead, be the headliner in an all-electric team composition. In this case, Thunder Metal pulls ahead as it allows Yanagi to permanently have a 28% ATK boost through Shocked enemies.

Best W-Engines for Yanagi in Zenless Zone Zero

Yanagi has a solid selection of W-Engines she can effectively make use of. Without question her own signature W-Engine, Timeweaver is her best option. However, if her signature is out of reach, here are some strong alternatives.

• Fusion Compiler - Fusion Complier is the second best option and a five-star W-Engine meaning it provides her with a higher base ATK. Its PEN Ratio % substat means that you should prioritize PEN Ratio % on her gear and team composition.
• Electro-Lip Gloss - Yanagi naturally has excellent Anomaly Build-up which means this W-Engine's effects will stay active almost all of the time. A good four-star W-Engine option.

If you don't have access to any of these three W-Engines, then I highly recommend you reconsider pulling Yanagi until you do. These are by far her most viable options.

Best Mindscapes for Yanagi in Zenless Zone Zero

At M0, Yanagi is a serious powerhouse in the Zenless Zone Zero meta thanks to her ability to use the Disorder mechanic via her own Polar Disorder. This means that her Mindscapes are largely unnecessary to pull for. That said, if you really enjoy Yanagi's gameplay and want to vertically invest in her Mindscapes, know that the best stopping point would be M2. For your clarity, though, here are all six, detailed.

• Know Thy Self, Know Thy Enemy (M1) - When an Anomaly triggers on an enemy, Yanagi gains a Clarity stack. With Clarity, if she's hit, she ignores the attack and becomes immune to all damage for one second. Plus, while she has at least one Clarity stack, she gets an 80 AP boost. It’s a decent damage boost, but the real strength is in her survivability. She can hold up to three Clarity stacks at once, making her incredibly resilient in tough content.
• Outstanding Adaptability (M2) - This Mindscape gives her EX-Special additional functionality. When held, Yanagi will launch additional EX-Special thrusting attacks for 10 extra Energy each. Each extra thrust improves the Polar Disorder multiplier. Yanagi's Polar Disorder also will deal 20% of the Anomaly's effect, instead of its standard 15%. This Mindscape is a considerable boost to Yanagi's power, and is her most important one. Best stopping point.
• Tsukishiro Style Management (M3) - A solid all-around boost to her standard moveset's damage. More damage is always nice, but far from required.
• Chestmaster (M4) - When Yanagi inflicts Shock on an enemy, they will suffer the Exposed effect, which rewards her team with an additional 16% PEN Ratio. Very good, but exceptionally so with other sources of PEN Ratio like Rina and Fusion Compiler.
• "Other Mother" (M5) - This is the same as M3.
• Inhuman Blood (M6) - This is a significantly empowered version of Yanagi's M2, with the added effect of increasing the duration of her Shinrabanshou buff to 30 seconds. Overall, this is a ridiculously strong M6 that only makes her game plan even easier to accomplish.

Best Team Comps for Yanagi in Zenless Zone Zero

Yanagi has a few team compositions because of her required on-field time.

Yanagi/Burnice/Caeser

This is Yanagi's strongest team composition, and it functions like your standard Disorder team. Yanagi is the main damage dealer with Burnice being the sub-DPS via Burn and Afterburn off-field damage. Caeser provides a flat 1000 ATK to the on-field character (which is Yanagi for a majority of the time), while also supporting with her shielding mechanic.

Yanagi/Caeser/Rina

This is Yanagi's strongest Mono-Electric team comp, and it focuses on having Yanagi on-field almost all the time. In this team, Yanagi will be delivering constant Polar Disorders by hitting the Shock status that she triggers herself. Caeser is here to provide her large ATK boost and shielding. Rina is present to activate Yanagi's Passive while also activating her own and providing additional PEN Ratio %.

The post Best Yanagi build in Zenless Zone Zero – Weapons, Team Comps, Discs, and Mindscapes appeared first on Destructoid.

With the release of Zenless Zone Zero's 1.3 update, a new Special Agent quest was introduced. If you've started the quest and are seemingly unable to continue the story due to a sudden soft lock, I've got the solution that will fix your problem, though it is a bit unusual.

Zenless Zone Zero 1.3 Special Agent Story Soft Lock Workaround (Fix)

If you're playing Zenless Zone Zero on the PC client, you might encounter a point in the new Special Agent story where progress halts, leaving you stuck in Immersive Storytelling mode with no way to advance. You are also unable to move, thus softlocking you and preventing you from really doing anything else in the game. Normally, you'd have to wait for the developers to fix this sort of problem in this scenario. Although a fix is likely coming soon, there's a workaround you can use now to keep playing the rest of the update content.

To be clear, this problem only exists on the PC client, so if you're stuck, the solution is to load up Zenless Zone Zero through its mobile client. You can do this on any mobile device, though it may take a little time to download if it's not already installed. Once installed, open the game and attempt to continue the storyline on the device. Doing this should resolve the soft lock for you, allowing you to continue playing and progressing on the PC client.

If this solution does not work for you, then I'm afraid you will have to wait for the developers to fix the problem and release a fix. Fortunately, HoYoverse, the developers behind Zenless Zone Zero, are quick to fix such disruptive problems and will also likely reward pull currency as compensation for your troubles.

The post How to Fix the Zenless Zone Zero 1.3 Story Soft Lock Issue appeared first on Destructoid.

If you want to summon a Sister of Parvos in Warframe, then chances are you're going to need to use the Xoris to help you do it. Here's everything you need to know about obtaining one.

Where to get the Xoris in Warframe

The Xoris is a Corpus-created Glaive that is quite powerful in its own right, but the main use for it is to help you conquer the Granum Void; a requirement for summoning a Sister of Parvos. Unlike most base weapons in Warframe, you cannot outright purchase Blueprint or any of its components, at least not initially.

To get these, you must dive into the Deadlock Protocol questline, which will take you through the Granum Void for various story-related reasons. Most importantly, you will end up building the Xoris during the questline and will have to use it during too. The Deadlock Protocol can be accessed from your Codex.

Once you've built a Xoris and completed The Deadlock Protocol questline, you can purchase additional Blueprints and parts from Cephalon Simaris, located at any normal relay, in case you ever need to build it again.

What does the Xoris do in Warframe?

As already mentioned, the Xoris is a Glaive and can be used for both close-range slashing and long-range explosive attacks when thrown, allowing you to adapt to different enemy types and situations. Its base damage is evenly split between Slash, Puncture, and Impact, providing balanced performance against different enemy armor types. This is useful for building it against certain enemies.

The Xoris' has two special abilities, the first lying in its infinite combo duration when used with a fully charged throw. Unlike other melee weapons, the Xoris’ combo counter doesn't decay, making it ideal for maintaining high damage output over extended fights. Additionally, it can be used to enhance abilities that scale with the combo counter, such as certain Warframe abilities like those of Khora, Valkyr, or Atlas, adding versatility beyond just melee combat.

The other ability is its extreme effectiveness against Errant Specters, common enemies you will encounter while in the Granum Void. The reason you want to use the Xoris in the Granum Void is because it will destroy an Errant Specter in a single throw. This is highly valuable when attempting to summon a Sister of Parvo, as you need to reach the first rank of rewards in a Zenith Granum Crown Void challenge in order to do so. Reaching the first rank requires killing a number of enemies in the Granum Void within a short amount of time, increasing the value of the Xoris in these encounters.

The post How to get the Xoris in Warframe appeared first on Destructoid.

If you're itching to jump into Black Op 6 just a few hours early, then may be in luck depending on your platform of choice. Using the New Zealand trick, it's possible to play earlier than normal, so if you're interested in the possibility, here's how you can perform it.

How to use the New Zealand Trick for CoD Black Ops 6

The "New Zealand trick" is well-known in the COD community and has even worked for other unrelated games in the past. This method takes advantage of modern gaming's staggered release schedules, which often roll out based on time zones. In theory, if you could temporarily set your location to New Zealand, you might unlock early access to Black Ops 6 before its official release in other regions. That’s the core idea behind this trick.

However, whether or not it works it is platform-dependent, so I'll break down how to use it on all platforms, for your convenience. A quick disclaimer: there's no guarantee this will work for you on any platform, but I can confirm that it has worked for past Call of Duty titles.

Xbox

In order for the New Zealand trick to work on your Xbox, you need to change your system settings so that it recognizes you in New Zealand instead of your current location. To do this, turn on your Xbox (any applicable version), and head to the System setting. Choose Language and pick Location from the list of options.

From here, scroll until you find New Zealand in the list and select it. Now, restart your system. Once restarted, head to your Call of Duty Account Profile and find your current address. Where your address is located, modify the information and select 'New Zealand' again. Save the changes, and now you should be able to play Black Ops 6 as soon as it is live in New Zealand. Happy travels!

PC (Xbox Game Pass)

All systems are different, so the following instructions by slightly differ from what you have on screen. Nevertheless, the result should still be the same.

Go to your system's Home Screen and do a search for Date & Time in your search bar. Select it, and it should bring you to a screen where you can alter the time on your PC. It may also say Time and Language instead. Next, select Region or Timezone from the list of options and choose New Zealand. Save the changes and restart your computer.

With this, your system should now be considered to be within the New Zealand timezone. The next step is to change your Call of Duty account address to match this. Go to the Call of Duty website and log in with your standard information. Go to your profile and change your address to New Zealand.

This should allow you to play Black Op 6 as soon as it is live in New Zealand. Until it is released in your timezone, you'll need to keep these changes in place to play. Make sure to change all of this information back to your timezone after it is officially available in your region.

Steam and Battle.net

Unfortunately, the New Zealand trick is not likely to work on the Steam or Battle.net versions of Black Ops 6. From a tech standpoint, the Xbox Game Pass version is still considered to be 'Xbox', which is why it works there. The Steam and Battle.net PC versions of Black Ops 6 tend to follow a strict midnight EST release schedule, with no changes possible to speed this up. You are absolutely welcome to try it out and see if it works for you, however.

PlayStation

Using the New Zealand trick for PlayStation is highly questionable, but you're welcome to give this method a try and see if it works out. The process of changing your timezone is less convoluted than the PC or Xbox versions of the trick.

All you need to do is head to your Activision Account and log in. Find your Profile, then head to Basic Info at the top of your screen. From here, Edit your address field and change the active location to New Zealand. After that, you should be good to go. Sony tends to be more strict about timezones than other platforms, so it may not be possible for you to do this.

How to use the Invite Trick for CoD Black Ops 6

Steam and Battle.net players may not be totally out of luck when it comes to playing Black Op 6 early, thanks to the Invite trick that has existed since Call of Duty HQ became a thing.

Because of the Call of Duty integration (CoD HQ), most modern Call of Duty titles are launched through the same client. Since this is the case, it may be possible to invite people on your Friends List to Black Ops 6 lobbies, even if it hasn't yet been released in their timezone. This was the case with the release of Modern Warfare 3, and since Call of Duty HQ remains in place, I highly suspect this trick will work for Black Ops 6 as well.

All you need is someone who has gotten access to the game (using the New Zealand trick, potentially) to invite you to their lobby. That person will either need to send you an Invite/Friend request, or you'll need to share your information with them for the same effect. Once that has happened, you will have access to Black Ops 6 as long as you remain in-game. If you leave the game, you may need to have someone reinvite to their lobby.

Battle.net, Xbox, and Steam versions of the game should be able to gain Early Access to Black Ops 6 using this method. As with the New Zealand trick, for PlayStation users, I'm not certain this will work, but it is worth the effort if you wish to play the game early.

The post CoD Black Ops 6: How to do the New Zealand Trick appeared first on Destructoid.

If you're diving into World of Warcraft: Season of Discovery, you’ve probably heard about the Bloodied Weapons in Zul'Gurub. These weapons are unique to Season of Discovery and offer serious boosts for your character, so if you’re looking to get your hands on one, here's how you can.

Where to get Bloodied Weapons in WoW Season of Discovery

Bloodied Weapons are powerful loot introduced with the revamped Zul'Gurub raid. They pack impressive stats and can give your character an edge in both PvE and PvP. These weapons weren’t part of the original Vanilla WoW, so they're an exciting addition for longtime players revisiting this content​​. There are a couple of ways and content you can run to get them.

• Run Zul'Gurub: Bloodied Weapons drop from bosses within the revamped Zul'Gurub raid. Key encounters include bosses like Bloodlord Mandokir, Jin'do the Hexxer, and the final boss, Hakkar the Soulflayer. Each boss has its own loot table, so you may need to target specific bosses based on the weapon you're after​.
• Edge of Madness: If you're after more loot, don't miss the "Edge of Madness" event inside Zul'Gurub. This event features rotating bosses and is a great chance for extra rewards, including the rare Bloodied Weapons in question. To participate, you'll need an Alchemist in your team to craft a special potion. This potion is then used in the Edge of Madness subzone within Zul'Gurub to summon one-of-four rotating bosses, each with unique loot of their own:

  • Gri'lek the Wanderer
  • Renataki of the Thousand Blades
  • Hazza'rah the Dreamweaver
  • Wushoolay the Storm-Witch

Like much of WoW’s loot system historically, getting a specific Bloodied Weapon will require some serious luck and a lot of RNG. You may not get what you want on the first try, but persistence has always been the key to getting the gear you want in WoW. Keep clearing Zul'Gurub, and eventually, your perseverance will pay off with a Bloodied Weapon of your own.

The post How to Get Bloodied Weapons in WoW Season of Discovery appeared first on Destructoid.

I’ve always valued the rich variety of activities available in World of Warcraft, from raiding and PvP to Mythic+. However, my feelings about Mythic+, particularly in The War Within, are somewhat mixed these days. On the one hand, it offers an exciting way to stay engaged with the game, presenting numerous opportunities for progression.

On the other hand, it brings along some significant pitfalls and challenges that are getting harder to overlook. Mythic+ often feels like a double-edged sword: while it provides endless chances for improvement, the accompanying issues make me question whether the rewards are truly worth the effort.

The upside of Mythic+ in The War Within

For many players, myself included, Mythic+ is a cornerstone of WoW’s endgame. I’ve sunk countless hours into Mythic+ dungeons over the years because, when everything goes right, it’s a thrilling experience that is easy to enjoy for extended periods of time. There’s nothing quite like pulling off a clean run on a high-level key with your group. It’s challenging, rewarding, and keeps the game interesting week after week. It's such a positive addition to WoW that it's practically become the main event... for better or worse.

Constantly relevant content

One of the biggest perks of Mythic+ is that it’s never really "done." No matter how many keys you complete, there’s always a higher level to push for, new strategies to figure out, and fresh affixes to tackle. This is perfect if, like me, you enjoy the grind. Every week feels like a chance to prove yourself again, and that’s a big part of the appeal. The way difficulty scales means there’s always something to challenge you, no matter how geared or experienced you are.

A great source of Gear

Mythic+ is also hands down the best way to get gear in The War Within. I’ve been able to gear up quickly just by focusing on these dungeons. The Great Vault rewards you for doing multiple dungeons each week, and the gear you get from it is often just as good, if not better than what you’d earn from raiding. For someone who likes mixing up endgame content, Mythic+ has become an essential part of my weekly routine.

But here’s the catch…

As much as I enjoy Mythic+, it’s got some major downsides that weigh on me more and more. First up is the pressure it puts on Raiders. If you’re part of a raid group, especially one aiming for Heroic or Mythic difficulties, running Mythic+ is basically a requirement to keep up in terms of gear. Unfortunately, this is where the grind starts to become... grindy, and that's not a good thing.

Mandatory for Raiders

In The War Within, the pressure to run Mythic+ is heavier than ever. If you’re serious at all about raiding beyond Normal difficulty, there’s genuinely no way to avoid Mythic+. It is a requirement. I find myself logging in not because I’m excited to play but because if I skip Mythic+ for a week, I’ll fall behind my guildmates. What used to be a fun challenge has become something I have to do just to stay competitive in raids. This shift—from raiding being the primary source of gear to Mythic+ taking over—is highly exhausting.

You’re punished if you don’t like It

Even if you’re not into Mythic+, you’re kind of forced into it. I know plenty of people in my guild who aren’t fans of the Mythic+ grind, but they have no choice if they want to keep pace. It sucks to feel stuck running content you don’t enjoy just to stay relevant. If you’re a good raider but don’t run Mythic+, you’ll still end up behind in terms of gear progression, and that creates this weird dynamic where players are punished for not liking a certain part of the game, or at least not wanting to grind it all the time. But, if you don't, you will absolutely suffer in the gearing department, and that just sucks.

Pugging Mythic+ is the worst

Then there’s the nightmare that is pugging (joining a random group of players). Some of my worst experiences in WoW have come from trying to pug Mythic+ runs. The random nature of pugging makes it super stressful, and when things go wrong (which they often do), it’s just a mess. The timer adds unnecessary pressure, and if it becomes clear that you won’t meet the timer, players tend to leave early. Who doesn't love that? I now avoid pugging unless I absolutely have no choice, which limits how much Mythic+ I can realistically do each week. Historically, pugs have never been 'the best' way to run anything in World of Warcraft, but current Mythic+ puts a bright spotlight on the aging problem.

Affixes feel like unnecessary difficulty

More often than not, Affixes add a level of difficulty that can feel more frustrating than fun to play against. Instead of making you come up with creative strategies, they often just punish you for things outside your control. While The War Within managed to fix a lot of these problems, especially by adding buffs to the affix list as well, I feel the main issue remains. While I get that affixes are supposed to keep dungeons fresh, and they do, sometimes they end up feeling like they’re adding spiteful artificial difficulty for the sake of it, rather than improving the gameplay experience with something interesting.

The problem with Raid Loot vs. Mythic+ Loot

One of my biggest gripes with Mythic+ in The War Within, beyond what I've already mentioned, is how it overshadows raiding when it comes to loot. The amount of gear you can get from Mythic+ is ridiculous compared to what you get from raiding. You can run multiple Mythic+ dungeons a week and get top-tier gear from the Great Vault, while raids feel incredibly stingy by comparison. This insane loot disparity is a serious issue that cannot be ignored.

Mythic+ Loot overshadows Raiding

Currently, there's no limit to the amount of loot you can get from Mythic+. Between Raids and Mythic+, there is simply no contest. Raid loot, especially from Normal and Heroic, just doesn’t keep up in terms of power or number of drops. After a few high-level Mythic+ runs, the gear you get from raiding starts to feel underwhelming. It’s a shame because raiding used to be a core part of WoW’s endgame, but when Mythic+ is so much more efficient for gear, it’s hard not to prioritize it over raids. I genuinely don't blame anyone that does.

Fix the Loot Disparity

Blizzard has addressed this before, but it remains a big problem regardless. Raid loot should be more competitive with Mythic+ gear, especially at higher difficulties. They could increase the item level of raid gear or add special bonuses that make it stand out. Another option would be to limit drop frequency or how powerful Mythic+ gear is so it doesn’t completely overshadow raid rewards. I am not a fan of this option though, because I like that Mythic+ is a great source of additional loot. However, loot from Raiding currently serves only a niche purpose, and that makes the whole effort of putting a group together for a raid feel meaningless.

The current disparity in loot between raiding and Mythic+ is pushing more players, myself included, to favor Mythic+ over traditional raiding. While I don’t dislike Mythic+ overall, it’s hard to ignore that raids take significantly longer to complete yet yield far less loot compared to a mode that not only offers better rewards but also an endless supply of them. This creates a serious imbalance that isn't being adequately addressed, leading to frustration for players like me who value the raid experience but aren't being properly rewarded for it.

What needs to change in Mythic+

While I do enjoy certain aspects of Mythic+, it's clear that the system is in need of significant adjustments, and I’m confident I’m not alone in feeling this way. The current setup is unnecessarily punishing and stressful, especially if you’re not running it with a consistent group. If Blizzard wants to make Mythic+ more enjoyable and less of a chore, here’s what I think they should do:

Get rid of the Timer

Since the dawn of Mythic+, the timer has been a source of artificial difficulty for the game mode. For many players, it's one of the most stressful aspects of the system, and honestly, I think it should go. It discourages people from pugging and adds unnecessary pressure to every run. Removing the timer would let players focus more on learning the mechanics and working together without the constant fear of failure via the clock hanging over them.

Instead, Mythic+ should emphasize minimizing deaths, rewarding teams with greater end rewards for fewer deaths. The challenge should lie in the difficulty of the encounters themselves, rather than in racing against a timer, which often shifts the focus to route optimization and speed rather than skillful play and overcoming tough content.

Rework Affixes

Affixes need a complete rework. Instead of adding frustration, they should add a challenge that encourages teamwork and creative thinking. Blizzard should experiment with affixes that don’t just ramp up the difficulty but make the dungeons more dynamic and interesting.

Introduce a Loot Goblin affix that adds a chance for one to spawn in your dungeon. If your team can kill it before it escapes, you'll earn an extra piece of loot. Another potential affix could make enemies explode a few seconds after death, adding a tactical layer to positioning and timing. The key is to move away from affixes that rely on random effects tied to timers: everyone uses addons to manage these anyway. Also, eliminate the flat stat increases to enemies based on affixes, as they add nothing but dull, artificial difficulty.

End Key degradation

Failing a Mythic+ run is already enough of a punishment in terms of wasted time. The extra penalty of key degradation feels totally unnecessary. Removing this would encourage players to push themselves to try higher keys without the fear of losing progress.

In conclusion...

Mythic+ is one of the most engaging parts of WoW’s endgame, but it’s about as far from perfect as it can get right now. The pressure it puts on raiders, the frustrations of pugging, the disparity in loot between Raids and Mythic+, and the stress caused by affixes and the timer all contribute to a system that is overwhelmingly problematic toward the player base. The proof of this statement is everywhere, even on the official WoW forums. With meaningful changes, Mythic+ could evolve into a truly balanced and enjoyable aspect of The War Within. As it stands, though, it remains a blessing rotting in a growing sea of decay, marred by frustration.

The post Mythic+ is both a blessing and a curse in WoW: The War Within’s endgame appeared first on Destructoid.

Burnice, Zenless Zone Zero's newest five-star pyromaniac, has finally touched down with quite the explosive hype behind her. If you're planning to pull her, or already have and are looking to build from scratch, here's everything you need to know to ensure Burnice can utterly cremate your enemies.

Best Burnice Build in Zenless Zone Zero

Starting with some surface-level details, Burnice is a Fire Anomaly character with a huge focus on Fire DoT (Damage over Time) and Off-field damage. You read that correctly: Burnice deals a large portion of her damage while not on the field, contrasting with every other character in Zenless Zone Zero. That isn't to say she isn't capable of playing like a standard DPS, however, as all of her abilities have very high damage scaling. This means that Bunrice is very flexible with her role, and has several teams and gear setups where she can excel.

Burnice's Gameplan

Burnice's most fundamental game plan is to come on-field and apply Burn and her unique Afterburn mechanic to as many enemies as possible. Enemies afflicted with Afterburn take additional Burn Build-up and Fire Damage when hit by any of her allies, allowing her to fight off the field while taking up as little field time as possible.

Afterburn can only be applied when Burnice has enough Heat, which is her secondary resource that determines how long Afternburn can stay applied. When she has more than 50% Heat, she will enter Nitro-Fuel Cocktail State, which, while active, allows her to apply Afterburn to enemies.

When Afterburn is triggered, Burnice uses a portion of her Heat gauge. To regain Heat, she must use Energy by using EX Specials, creating a constant need to balance both her Energy and Heat gauges. If her Heat is fully drained, she loses her Nitro-Fuel Cocktail State, drastically weakening her overall abilities. Without Heat, she can no longer activate Afterburn or use her Enhanced Basic Attacks, making careful resource management crucial to maintaining her strength.

Best Drive Disks for Burnice in Zenless Zone Zero

Since Burnice is an Anomaly character, she values ATK% and Anomaly Proficiency (AP) above all other stats, thanks to Burn being such a large part of her damage. However, because of her overall stat scaling, can she be built viably with Crit, Crit DMG, PEN Ratio, Anomaly Mastery (AM), and Energy Regen (ER) as secondary stats to look out for on Drive Disks.

• Disk 4 - AP or ATK%. Note that ATK% should only be used if you have good AP sub-stats on it.
• Disk 5 - ATK% or Fire DMG%. PEN Ratio% is an option if you have other sources of the stat already.
• Disk 6 - ATK%, AM, or ER.

The Drive Disk sets you should use on Burnice depend on how you plan to build her and how much investment you're willing to put into her.

Sub-DPS Burnice

Burnice is at her strongest when she is played with ATK% and AP as her focus while serving as a Sub-DPS for team compositions. With this in mind, Burnice has a few options.

• 4p-Chaos Jazz / 2p-Piece Freedom Blues - This provides a walloping 60 AP to Burnice while also boosting the power of her EX-Specials when swapped in from being off-field. For a majority of roles, this is Burnice's best setup.
• 4p-Chaos Jazz / 2p-Swing Jazz - Instead of the 30 extra AP, Burnice will gain more Energy Regen, making it easier to maintain her Heat Gauge. Only use this if you're having issues with Energy.
• 4p-Chaos Jazz / 2p-Puffer Electro - Puffer Electro offers Burnice some extra PEN Ratio for ignoring enemy defenses. I only recommend this if your Burnice already has additional sources of PEN Ratio from weapons, buffs, or Cinemas/Mindscapes.

Hypercarry Burnice

If you plan to play Burnice on-field as your main DPS character, then there are a few more options open to her for Drive Disks outside of Chaos Jazz. However, as a warning, Hypercarry Burnice is very expensive to build optimally, as she wants ATK%, AP, CRIT Rate, and CRIT DMG on as many Discs as possible to be truly effective. Note: I don't recommend this setup unless you're prepared to invest significant time farming for Burnice's gear.

• 4p-Inferno Metal / 2p-Chaos Jazz or Freedom Blues - Gives free 28% CRIT Rate to Burnice when any target is Burning, while providing 30 additional AP.
• 4p-Inferno Metal / 2p-Swing Jazz - On-field Burnice may need additional energy, which Swing Jazz will provide.
• 4p-Inferno Metal / 2p-Puffer Electro - As before, the additional PEN Ratio from Puffer Electro will be more effective if Burnice already has additional sources of the stat.
• 4p- Chaos Jazz / 2p-Inferno Metal - Provides Burnice with the largest amount of Fire DMG% she can possibly get. You will also still want to swap characters on occasion to gain the full benefit from Chaos Jazz.

Best W-Engines for Burnice in Zenless Zone Zero

Unsurprisingly, Burnice's best W-Engine is her signature Flamemaker Shaker, as it provides Burnice with everything she needs to be a strong DPS in any team role. That said, Electro-Lip Gloss(R5) and Fusion Compiler are strong competitive options that allow Burnice to dish out large sums of damage. Fusion Compiler, in particular, works exceptionally well if you can stack Burnice with other sources of PEN Ratio %.

Beyond these three options, I don't recommend using anything else outside of niche situations.

Best Mindscapes for Burnice in Zenless Zone Zero

It’s important to note that Burnice is already fully viable and highly effective in the current meta, even at M0. She doesn’t require any of her Mindscapes to excel. However, her Mindscapes amplify her existing strengths and role options, making them even more potent. If you aim to invest in a few, M2 is the ideal stopping point for most players. For your convenience, here’s a breakdown of how each of Burnice's Mindscapes enhances her effectiveness.

• Kindred Flames (M1) - Burnice's M1 is highly potent, as it allows her more leniency on how much Heat you can use, while simultaneously increasing the damage multiplier of Afterburn by a massive 100%. Said Afterburns also accumulate 25% more Burn status. This is a silly strong M1 and is worth the investment if you can get it.
• Extra at No Additional Charge (M2) - This M2 is strong by default, effectively giving Burnice and her allies a free 20% PEN Ratio at all times if playing around Afterburn correctly. However, this Mindscape gets considerably more powerful if running with additional, outside sources of PEN Ratio %.
• Optimistic by Nature (M3) - An across-the-board multiplier boost to most of Burnice's kit. Nice, but not worth the investment if you're planning to stop here.
• Ultimate Fuel Supply (M4) - This Mindscape enhances Burnice's ability to dish out direct damage by giving her Assist and EX Special Attacks a free 30% CRIT Rate at all times. Honestly, this is a really strong Mindscape if you're playing CRIT, but if your focus is on AP, then this is, at best, a nice little extra. It's... okay.
• Dance of Fire and Ice (M5) - This Mindscape is exactly the same as her M3, just even more of a boost.
• Burning Invitation (M6) - M6 is a game-changer for Burnice as it allows her to 'proc' her own special version of Afterburn that doesn't consume Heat and without the need of her teammates. Additionally, using EX Special Attack Double Shot causes Burnice's special Afterburn, Double Shot, and Burn effects to ignore 25% Fire Resistance. If that wasn't insane enough, Double Shot's end fireblast will deal a colossal 1800% additional DMG to Burning Targets, once every 20 seconds. Needless to say, this Mindscape is ridiculously strong, if you can get it.

Best Team Comps for Burnice in Zenless Zone Zero

Burnice has several strong team compositions that she works very well for thanks to her versatile build options.

Burnice/Jane/Caeser

This is Burnice's strongest team composition, and it functions with Burnice herself acting as sub-DPS for Jane Doe. The team's goal is to cause Disorder, a status effect that occurs when two different Anomalies are applied to an enemy. Ideally, you want Burnice to inflict Burn first and then have Jane 'pop' the Burn with an Assault, which triggers Disorder for massive damage. Caeser's part in the team is for the additional 1000 flat ATK she gives to the on-field Agent, which will mostly be Jane in this composition.

Burnice/Piper/Lucy

This composition is also powerful and has the same goal as the Jane team previously mentioned: Disorder. The main difference is that both Burnice and Piper will be playing the sub-DPS role together, and you'll switch back and forth between them far more often than the Jane team. Lucy and Caeser are largely interchangeable in this team, though M6 Lucy offers more damage output specifically for Piper and Burnice because of the continuous nature of their EX Specials.

Burnice/Caeser/Lucy

If you're playing Burnice as a Hypercarry, this is the strongest composition she has access to thanks to the considerable ATK buff both Caeser and Lucy can consistently provide. This results in a Burnice that will dish out massive damage through her Afterburn, Burn status, and direct damage abilities. Caeser's shield also protects her while she is channeling her flamethrower, and flamethrower hits also activate Lucy's M6, simultaneously.

Burnice/Koleda/Lucy

This team comp also features Burnice as the main damage dealer, aiming to make use of Stun windows for the highest possible Burn damage. As a mono Fire team, her Burns will be diluted between all three characters, which is why you want to ensure that Koleda and Lucy are built with damage in mind (CRIT sub-stats, etc...). Additionally, having CRIT sub-stats on Burnice will also help.

Burnice/Rina/Lucy or Caeser

If you're running Burnice with Fusion Compiler and/or are using her M2, then PEN Ratio becomes a highly competitive stat for her to stack. Rina provides a large amount of additional PEN Ratio, and large amounts of it make it stronger overall. Lucy/Caeser continues to provide competent levels of damage while still providing Burnice with her large ATK buff. Ideally, Rina should be M1 and Lucy should be M6 for this team to be competitive with the other comps mentioned.

The post Best Burnice build in Zenless Zone Zero – Best Drive Discs, W-Engines, Mindscapes, and Team Comps appeared first on Destructoid.

In the decade since the release of the 5th Edition (5e) of Dungeons & Dragons, the TTRPG landscape has changed, and a surge of new players have come into the hobby from actual plays, podcasts, and media like Stranger Things and Honour Among Thieves.

Accessibility has become a priority to bring new people in, and the Dungeons & Dragons Player's Handbook 2024 is a great example of how a classic TTRPG can still appeal to players who may never have touched a Player's Handbook before.

10. Annotated character sheet

A D&D character sheet can be intimidating to a first-time player, so the Player's Handbook breaks down the sections step by step, with numbers that relate each section to the relevant part of the character creation process. The character sheet in the book also has details like whether a spell requires concentration ready to fill in from the class spell list, which simplifies bookkeeping and highlights key mechanics for new players.

9. Class summary page

Even D&D veterans might struggle to call to mind every single subclass of the game's history, so the single-page summary of all included classes and subclasses is useful for everyone. It's particularly helpful for people who might have seen a class being played and want to try it for themselves or have no idea what they want to play and are looking for inspiration.

8. Detailed examples of play

The classic 'example of play' script can be cringey to read, but it's also a great tool to teach people what to expect at the table. Each section of the script has an explanation of which rules the players are using and how they work, meaning that you can learn as you read. These days, most players are more likely to learn from an actual play, but those can be variable in terms of how complete their mechanical explanations are, so this example of play gets everyone on the same page.

7. Background ability scores

Species ability score modifiers have been optional for some time, but now it is official: no longer are particular species just more suited to specific classes. Instead, ability score modifiers are linked to your character's background, with three ability scores to choose from. While this still provides some limits to spur creative solutions, it encourages players to think outside the traditional species + class combo and engage with their character's history.

6. Simplified subclasses

D&D 5e's wealth of subclasses started to become a bit unwieldy when spread across three major books and scattered across others, especially with the sheer number of Cleric domains presented in the original 5e Player's Handbook and added to over time. The D&D 2024 Player's Handbook has opted to have 4 subclass options for every class, and most are simplified to take only half a page, with an inspiring piece of character art on the other half.

5. Visual presentation of concepts

Tabletop RPGs can be hard to wrap your head around for the uninitiated. Unless you've watched an actual play series or you know someone who tells you what the many different kinds of dice are, it can get confusing quickly. The D&D 2024 Player's Handbook uses neat visuals to illuminate some key concepts: one picture demonstrates creature sizes on a grid by using the flagstones under the characters and monsters. Making these connections between mechanics and story early on is a vital step in making TTRPGs accessible to everyone.

4. Feats are for everyone

Feats provide fun ways to differentiate between characters and make great builds, but for the last decade, they have been an optional rule where a player can forgo valuable attribute score improvements for the sake of a really cool ability, often one that is more about flavor than mechanical optimization. Now, everyone gets a feat to start with based on their background, which replaces the highly variable background abilities from the original 5e Player's Handbook. While it isn't quite the free-pick paradise I wanted, having backgrounds linked to a central set of feats that can be accessed through leveling means that background feats can also be more effective, consistent, and evocative.

3. Rules glossary

This is a common practice in TTRPGs, but it's still extremely good to see such a thorough rules glossary in an easy-to-find place. This also gives us some insights into plans for the future Dungeon Master's Guide and Monster Manual: the term 'Bloodied' originated in 4th Edition D&D to describe a monster having taken half its hit points in damage and is included in the D&D 2024 Player's Handbook, suggesting we might see the reintroduction of this valuable mechanic.

2. Summoned creature stats

The stats for every creature that the players might need to know to play their characters are in the back of the Player's Handbook, from pseudo-dragon familiars to ponies. This quality of life change might be more of a concession to the staggered release schedule of the Dungeon Master's Guide and Monster Manual (planned for November 2024 and February 2024, respectively) than anything else, but it also happens to be a really neat resource for players.

1. Nuanced class spell lists

It seems obvious, but the addition of schools of magic and a few codes to the class spell lists (representing specific material components, ritual casting, and whether a spell requires concentration) is wildly useful. The ability to scan down your class's spell list with that information ready to hand often makes complex spell management much faster. It will be interesting to see whether this is also true of spellcasters in the Monster Manual, as that would be a boon to overworked Dungeon Masters!

The post Top 10 quality of life changes in the 2024 DnD Player’s Handbook appeared first on Destructoid.

Anyone with a penchant for dark, brooding monsters will be spoiled for choice over the next six months, with the final season of What We Do in the Shadows airing in October, the remake of Salem's Lot already making the rounds in theatres, Robert Eggers' remake of Nosferatu slated for December 2024 and the third season of Interview With the Vampire winging its way to us in early 2025.

TTRPG creators haven't been slacking on the vampire stakes, though: if you are hungrily awaiting the return of Lestat and Count Orlok, consider checking out these ten vampire TTRPGs. Whether you're playing alone or with your coven, you'll find something to sink your teeth into!

10) Low Stakes (NerdBurger Games)

Shows like What We Do in the Shadows and Being Human brought a fresh take on the vampire genre by playing up the comedy of vampire existence. In Low Stakes, you too can play a group of mismatched monstrous roommates who constantly struggle to engage with daily life. The challenges in Low Stakes are, as the title suggests, incredibly mundane. Your characters must master such dangerous situations as getting a new roommate, tracking down a lost pet, or having a very ordinary day.

9) Oops All Draculas! (Jessica Marcrum)

In Oops All Draculas!, every character is a Dracula: an archetype based on one of the many depictions of Dracula across the decades. In this world, Draculas are stronger together, but alone, they are a danger to themselves and others, so they team up to solve problems. Unfortunately, their pack mentality often backfires spectacularly. Oops All Draculas! makes an excellent one-shot for a Halloween gaming session!

8) Vampire: The Masquerade 5th Edition (Renegade Game Studios)

The vampire daddy of them all, Vampire: The Masquerade (known as V:tM), keeps returning from the grave and is now in its fifth edition. Originally released in 1991, V:tM tapped into the vampire craze of the 90s and attracted role-players who craved the moral ambiguity of a monstrous protagonist in a world of supernatural politics. It also gave rise to the video game Vampire: The Masquerade - Bloodlines, a cult classic of the urban fantasy video game genre. Renegade Game Studio's 5th edition of Vampire: The Masquerade introduces new mechanics for a modern audience, while nostalgia fans can check out V20, White Wolf/Onyx Path's comprehensive version of the original game's system and setting.

7) SAD VAMPIRE BOYFRIEND (Grant Howitt)

SAD VAMPIRE BOYFRIEND does exactly what it says on the tin: you choose whether your character is a vampire or a mortal, teaming up with others to fight some threat to your existence or that of your love. Your moves are powered by pure angst, and there are even mechanics that can help you regain angst through brooding. A loving homage as much as it is an ironic take, SAD VAMPIRE BOYFRIEND is rules-light and fits onto one page.

6) Thousand Year Old Vampire (Tim Hutchings)

One of the solo journalling TTRPGs that popularised the form, Thousand Year Old Vampire by Tim Hutchings, is about the endless slog of immortality. Play through centuries of life as the vampire protagonist loves, loses, and learns that eternity isn't all it's cracked up to be. A story about grief and the slow loss of self in the face of an ever-changing world, Thousand Year Old Vampire is a unique take on vampire fiction.

5) Undying (Magpie Games)

In Undying, vampires are predators through and through. This diceless system guides players through the daily unlife of a vampire trying to survive in a city of predators, feeding on unsuspecting humans and warring over status and territory. Whether player characters succeed or fail against NPCs depends on whether they are higher or lower in status and how much blood they are willing to bet to achieve their goals. With downtimes devoted to the complex web of backstabbing, Undying models the idea of territory, control, and callous inhumanity that so much vampire fiction strives to explore.

4) Paint the Town Red (SoulMuppet Publishing)

Described as a 'sad vampire RPG,' Paint the Town Red from Soulmuppet Publishing focuses on the best part of any vampire fiction: the parties. With an unashamed commitment to the melodrama of vampire romance, Paint the Town Red's sessions are wild rampages through your hedonistic, blood-soaked unlife. Players are encouraged to make their characters vulnerable, driven by passions that go too far, and revel in the consequences. You can get a free quickstart of the rules here, and check out the Backerkit campaign for the full release here.

3) Elegy (Moro de Oliveira)

For those who love Vampire: The Masquerade and Vampire: The Requiem but struggle to find a coven to play with, Elegy is the game for you. Other solo games on this list depict a very specific facet of vampiric existence, but Elegy is the closest to the typical vampire TTRPG, with its webs of politics, conspiring factions, and mystical powers. Based on the Ironsworn system by Shawn Tomkin, Elegy presents a rich urban fantasy world and a variety of vampiric archetypes to live your best Interview With the Vampire unlife.

2) Hunger and Thirst (HyveMynd)

While many other vampire TTRPGs have lengthy tomes, Hunger and Thirst from HyveMynd are two business card-sized RPGs that tell incredible stories within a few paragraphs. Both are solo journalling games about a relationship between a human and a vampire, with Hunger from the vampire's perspective and Thirst from the human's. Hunger and Thirst embrace the tension between desire and danger while also exploring consent in a mature and healthy way, all while keeping the rules streamlined and simple.

1) Vampire: The Requiem 2nd Edition (Onyx Path Publishing)

Vampire: The Requiem was originally envisaged as a reboot of Vampire: The Masquerade, but very much became its own thing. Vampire: The Requiem introduces a range of political and religious ideologies that offer a multifaceted take on what a modern vampire society could look like. Driven by the personal Gothic melodrama of characters trying to retain their connection to humanity as their inner monster (and a predatory society) drives them to do increasingly inhumane things, Vampire: The Requiem remains one of the most nuanced explorations of vampires in TTRPGs.

The post 10 delicious vampire TTRPGs for Halloween appeared first on Destructoid.

Without a Progenitor, you can never get your hands on some of Warframe's most powerful, destructive weapons. They can be tricky to pin down, but fortunately, I own most of the weapons in question and can explain how you can find one of these tricky enemies.

Where to find a Progenitor in Warframe

To interact at all with Warframe's Nemesis (Kuva Lich/Sister) system, you must first turn a Progenitor into a Kuva Lich (Grineer) or Sister of Parvo (Corpus). This is done by 'killing' a Progenitor and stabbing him with your Parazon. The next time this Progenitor appears, he will have a name, a staple Element (based on the Warframe you used to kill it), and a serious attitude for you to adjust. More importantly, though, successfully killing this empowered Progenitor will yield a powerful weapon with bonus Elemental damage tied to the Element the Lich/Sister was.

Now, where exactly can you find a Progenitor to begin this process? Despite how difficult they seem to find, they are quite easy to cast out of the shadows. I'll break down the process for both the Grineer and Corpus.

Grineer Progenitor - Kuva Larvling

To spawn a Kuva Larvling, you must first have completed The War Within main quest. Afterward, any Grineer mission that spawns level 20 or higher enemies will have a chance to spawn a Kuva Larvling. During any normal Grineer mission, if your screen begins to flash, you must slay 10 enemies within one minute for a guaranteed appearance of a Kuva Larvling. I've found Capture Missions on the Grineer Asteroid tileset the easiest mission type for spawning Kuva Larvlings, as you will have a near-infinite source of enemies coming after you even after you've completed the objective.

Once one has spawned for you, slay it and stab it with your Parazon to turn it into a Kuva Lich.

Corpus Progenitor - Candidate

Corpus Candidates are a bit more difficult to summon only because their requirements are a bit more strict. To spawn a Candidate, you must use a Zenith Granum Crown on any Corpus Ship mission and then reach Rank 1 rewards during the challenge. Kill the Corpus Treasurers that spawn to obtain Zenith Crowns. You must then use the Crown on a Gold Hand Tribute statue. Additionally, you must have completed The War Within and Call of the Temperstarii questlines before one can spawn for you.

If you've managed to get this far, then the process for dealing with a Candidate is the same as with the Kuva Larvling. Slay it and stab it with your Parazon to turn it into a Sister of Parvo.

What is a Progenitor Warframe?

The last piece of the puzzle is the Warframe you use to kill a Kuva Larvling or Candidate. As I mentioned, the Element the resulting Kuva Lich or Sister of Parvo will have depends entirely on which Warframe you used to slay it, thus a Progenitor Warframe. If you're looking for a specific element from one of the weapons a Lich or Sister drops, ensure to kill their premature forms with the correct Warframe.

• Heat - Chroma, Ember, Inaros, Jade, Kullervo, Nezha, Protea, Vauban, Wisp
• Electricity - Banshee, Caliban, Excalibur, Gyre, Limbo, Nova, Valkyr, Volt
• Cold - Frost, Gara, Hildryn, Koumei, Revenant, Styanax, Titania, Trinity
• Impact - Baruuk, Dante, Gauss, Grendel, Rhino, Sevaogth, Wukong, Zephyr
• Toxin - Atalas, Dagath, Ivara, Khora, Nekros, Nidus, Oberon, Saryn
• Magnetic - Citrine, Harrow, Hydroid, Lavos, Mag, Mesa, Xaku, Yareli
• Radiation - Ash, Equinox, Garuda, Loki, Mirage, Nyx, Octavia, Qorvex, Voruna

The post How to find a Progenitor in Warframe appeared first on Destructoid.

In Warframe, Focus Schools are Operator-based talent trees that provide significant buffs and additional mechanics to your standard Warframe's playstyle. There are five different schools so here's a breakdown of all five, and how they benefit you to invest into.

All Five Focus Schools in Warframe

The five Focus Schools in Warframe are all tied directly to your Operator, and provide meaningful buffs to both your Operator and Warframe alike. These are Madurai, Naramon, Zenurik, Unairu, and Vazarin. While you can invest in all five, only one can be considered Active, and only the active School will provide any benefits.

Madurai

The Madurai School is primarily focused on greatly empowering your Amps increasing their damage output and energy efficiency while allowing you to apply damage amplification buffs/debuffs to yourself and enemies around you. It is an offensive school meant for players interested in using their Operator as much as their Warframe, switching in and out of Warframe-to-Operator form like a dance.

The Key Focus nodes for Maduari are Inner Gaze, Eternal Gaze, Power Transfer, and Void Strike.

• Inner Gaze - Increase Energy for Amps and Void Beam
• Eternal Gaze - Increases Energy Regeneration for Amps and Void Beam
• Power Transfer - Increases Amp Critical Damage when swapping to Operator, and Casting Speed when swapping to Warframe
• Void Strike - Active ability that increases Damage by a percentage amount of the Energy consumed to use this ability

These four nodes highly emphasize the offensive-swap gameplay required to reap the benefits of Maduari and should be invested first and foremost.

Naramon

The Naramon School focuses heavily on improving the Offensive Melee and Mobility capabilities of both your Warframe and Operator while offering some light crowd control as side helping. The tree significantly improves Finisher Damage while also making Combos last longer. Active abilities focus on Mobility and Crowd Control. For players interested close-quarter combats, Naramon is absolutely the best choice.

The Key Focus nodes of Naramon are Opening Slam, Power Spike, Sling Stun, and Killer's Rush.

• Opening Slam - When performing a Slam attack, automatically swap to your Warframe and gain Double Combo generation
• Power Spike - Melee Combos now decay slowly while out-of-combat instead of all at once
• Sling Stun - Active ability that increases the width of your next Void Sling, and hitting an enemy with a Void Sling causes them to take more damage from Finishers
• Killer's Rush - Starting a Finisher with your Operator automatically swaps to your Warframe, and your Melee Critical Chance is increased

These nodes prioritize improving your Melee damage and emphasize the focus on getting up and personal with your foes. As such, they should be your priority if you choose to Focus on the Naramon school.

Zenurik

The Zenurik School focuses almost entirely on granting you constant Energy Regeneration allowing you to use your Operator's and Warframe abilities as you please. As a Utility-based school, it is meant to be played secondary to your standard Warframe gameplay and provides significant Energy to nearby allies as well.

The Key Focus nodes of Zenurik are Energy Pulse, Wellspring, and Hardened Wellspring.

• Energy Pulse - Picking up Energy Orbs provides bonus Energy over time.
• Wellspring - Active ability that creates a conduit of Energy that restores Energy over time when passed through. Works for you and allies.
• Hardened Wellspring - Using Wellspring within an active Wellspring increases its size and improves Ability Strength for all that pass through it.

These nodes support the heavy focus on Energy that Zenurik offers its followers. If you're playing Warframes that want to use their abilities often, consider Zenurik as your school of choice.

Unairu

The Unairu School focuses on improving your Defensive capabilities while also providing several extremely powerful abilities that can easily be used to cripple heavily armored or shielded foes. As a Utility-based school, Unairu's natural ability to deal with well-defended enemies allows followers of the tree to focus their weapons around other disciples rather than directly countering the enemies they face.

The Key Focus nodes of Unairu are Poise, Caustic Strike, Magnetic Flare, and Stone Skin

• Poise - Gain total immunity to Crowd Control effects when transferring between Warframe and Operator forms
• Caustic Strike - Activite ability that launches an energy bomb that Strips the Armor of any enemies hit by it.
• Magnetic Flare - Active ability that creates a radical field that Disables the Shields of any enemies within
• Stone Skin - Provides an unconditional Armor bonus to your Operator and Warframe at all times

These nodes heavily emphasize the value of choosing the Unairu School as your Focus. The versatility this school offers is unparalleled in Warframe and is a strong choice for those who desire not to have to build around the enemies they face, always having the answer to any problem in Operator form.

Vazarin

The Varazin School focuses on dramatically improving your healing and ability to support allies through Health Regeneration and Immunities. As a Support-focused school, Vazarin has little offensive capabilities and should be played only as necessary, when healing becomes a requirement, as it does not offer much beyond this scope.

The Key Focus nodes of Vazarin are Void Regen, Squad Regen, Mending Unity, Guardian Shell, and Protective Sling

• Void Regen - Regenerate Health over time, increasing the longer you remain in Void Mode to a cap.
• Squad Regen - When Void Regen reaches its Health Regeneration capstone, spread the effects of Void Regen to your allies with Affinity Range.
• Mending Utility - Improves the radius of your Affinity Range, making to easier for allies to gain your beneficial effects
• Guardian Shell - Activity ability that places an Immunity barrier on you and your allies within Affinity Range. The barrier is immune to all damage initially but can be damaged after several seconds have passed.
• Protective Sling - All allies hit by your Void Sling are granted complete damage Immunity for a short time and receive healing over time

These nodes well-reflect the supportive nature of Vazarin Focus School and should prioritize first before taking anything else in the tree. If you're a player who loves to support the team, consider investing in Vazarin.

The post Warframe – Focus Schools, explained appeared first on Destructoid.

Warframe 1999 is a unique upcoming update that sort of ties back to the events of Digital Extremes' Dark Sector. Here's everything we know about it, including when it is slated to release.

When is Warframe 1999 going to be released?

While there is no strict date set for the Warframe 1999 update, we do know that it will be coming in Winter 2024, which will highly likely end up being sometime in December. The update is slated to be rather beefy thanks to the subject matter, but we'll let you know the details once more have been released.

Considered an 'expansion' by the developers, we got a sneak peek of the update during the Whispers in the Walls quest line. During this, players got to go back in time to the age of the very first Tenno, Hayden Tenno, who was, incidentally, the protagonist of Dark Sector. The segment was very short but gave a highly impactful preview for whats to come.

What is Warfarme 1999?

Warframe 1999 is an expansive update for Warframe that will contain a story quest relating to Dark Sector protagonist, Hayden Tenno. The '1999' portion relates to the year of the events of this questline, which is a massive jump back in time for players of Warframe.

Unlike the rest of Warframe, Warframe 1999 will feature dark urban streets and 'modern-sci-fi' features over the high-sci elements the rest of the game already offers. Weapons and enemies will also feature a 'modern' sci-fi twist, that is sure to bring a unique experience to Warframe players, long-time and new.

On October 16, all Warframe players will get to try out Warframe 1999 early with a demo that highlights what to expect from the expansion. Participating in the demo will, additionally, earn all players the Protokil Longsword skin as a free additional gift. Simply claim it from your mailbox once you log in.

To access the demo, players will need to have minimally completed the Awakening and Vor's Prize questlines, which is effectively the game's tutorial. You do not need to have completed Whispers in the Wall or any other questline in Warframe to participate.

Warframe 1999 - Quest Prerequisites

If you're looking to play the full version of Warframe 1999 on release, however, there are several main story quests you need to have completed first and foremost.

• Vor's Prize
• Saya's Vigil
• Vox Solaris
• Once Awake
• Heart of Deimos
• The Archwing
• Natah
• The Second Dream
• Rising Tide
• The War Within
• Chains of Harrow
• Apostasy Prologue
• The Sacrifice
• Prelude to War
• The New War
• Whispers in the Walls
• The Lotus Eaters

All of these quests can be accessed in-game via your Codex, and you also check your progress on them. Some may individually require additional prerequisites to begin, but you have time to get these all done before the official release of Warframe 1999.

The post What is the Warframe 1999 release date? appeared first on Destructoid.

Having access to an Archwing in open environments can massively save you transversal time in Warframe. Thus, getting an Archwing Launcher Segment should be a priority if you spend a lot of time planetside; here's how you can get one.

Where to get an Archwing Launcher Segment in Warframe

The Archwing Launcher Segment is an Orbiter modification that allows you to install an Archwing Launcher on your ship. This, as a result, will enable you to deploy your Archwing in open-field areas (Cambion Drift, Plains of Eidolon, and Orb Vallis). This is ridiculously useful for exploring those large areas, as moving on foot will waste a lot of your time.

That said, there are two ways you can obtain an Archwing Launcher Segment. The first and easiest is to buy it directly from the Warframe Market. It costs only 175 Platinum, and while Platinum is Warframe's premium currency, you can earn it fairly easily by selling Void-related goods to other players. I recommend farming up a few rare items from Void Missions and then selling them off if you don't need them. Players are always looking for these trinkets (because of their rarity); thus there is always a decent-sized market for them.

The other method of obtaining an Archwing Launcher Segment is by joining a clan, researching it at the Tenno Lab, and then building it up from scratch. This method will take you considerably more time to complete, so I don't recommend going this route, especially if you're a solo player. If you insist, however, here are the required materials for research and crafting the component.

Researching Costs:

• 20,000x Credits
• 2x Tellurium
• 5000x Polymere Bundle
• 800x Cryotic
• 600x Oxium
• 72 Hours (Real-time)

Crafting Costs:

• 100,000x Credits
• 50x Grokdrul
• 50x Iradite
• 1,200x Oxium
• 12 Hours (Real-time)

How to use the Archwing Launcher in Warframe

Once you've crafted/purchased an Archwing Launcher Segment and installed it on your Orbitor, you can access the Archwing Launcher. The Archwing Launcher is considered Gear in your inventory, so you'll need to first place it on your Gear Wheel before you can use it.

When it is on your Gear Wheel, head to any open-field map and cycle to the Archwing Launcher on the wheel. Doing so will automatically deploy our Archwing on the map. You can stay airborne indefinitely, and you have infinite uses for your Archwing Launcher. You can also fire your weapons while it is deployed but cannot use your Warframe's abilities at the same time. You can, however, make use of your Archwing's abilities instead.

The post How to get an Archwing Launcher Segment in Warframe appeared first on Destructoid.

Camellya is one of the most hyped characters upcoming in Wuthering Waves, and her arrival can get here fast enough. With her being announced as a playable character some weeks back, if you're wondering when you can actually start pulling copies of her, here's what you need to know.

When does Camellya come out in Wuthering Waves?

While Kuro Games has not given any details as to when Camellya will officially be released, she has been announced, which does imply a release sooner than you might think if you pay attention to how the banner system works in Wuthering Waves.

When a character is considered the 'Featured Rate-up', it means they are currently on the banner and available to be pulled. Typically, banners last a few weeks a month, with two total banners taking up the duration of an entire major patch. We know for certain that Camellya will be released in Version 1.4 of Wuthering Waves. Currently, we are in Version 1.3, and the current Rate-up character is The Shorekeeper. After her banner ends, there's a high chance there will be a re-run of a previously released character since no second character was announced by Kuro Games for 1.3.

In a similar vein, there has been no second character announced for Version 1.4. Only Camellya has been officially announced, which suggests that she is the first character to be a Rate-up in 1.4. If this is indeed the case (which is highly likely at this point), that means that Camellya will release following the re-run character in 1.3. In conclusion, based on these insights, Camellya is highly likely to release on November 14, which is just after the re-run character's banner ends and likely when Version 1.4 officially releases.

The post When can you pull for Camellya in Wuthering Waves? appeared first on Destructoid.

With the release of Warframe's Koumei & the Five Fates, several old and outdated weapons received brand new Incarnon forms, bringing them back into the limelight. If you're interested in these old favorites and want to pick them up for your use, here's how you can do so.

Every new Incarnon and how to get them in Warframe: Koumei & the Five Fates

In total, five new Incarnons were added with the update's release, and the weapons that received them have effectively been brought back into relevancy. Before I get into them, if you're not sure what an Incarnon weapon is, it is a system introduced into Warframe several updates ago designed to greatly empower old weapons so that they become viable once more.

Typically, when weapons receive Incarnon forms, they become some of the strongest weapons in the game, often gaining significant new mechanics on top of all the buffs that come with them. That said, let's jump into which weapons received the polish this time around.

Dera (Base, Vandal)

Both the Base and Vandal versions of the Dera have become eligible for Incanron empowerment. The Incarnon form of the Dera allows it to fire high-powered beams and gain base access to Magnetic damage typing. Note that the Dera can still be used as a standard laser rifle, and to gain access to the beams, it needs to Incarnon Transform first.

Like all Incarnon weapons, you first need to build up its Incarnon Gauge before it can transform. This is done by scoring headshots with the base weapon. When you have enough Incarnon Gauge (it doesn't need to be full), pressing the Alternative Fire button will transform it.

Some key notes about the Dera's Incanron Form:

• Uses a separate magazine from the standard
• Beams grant increased Punch Through, Damage, Critical Chance, and Critical Multiplier
• Reduced Status Chance and Fire Rate
• Gains Magnetic Damage

To install the Incarnon on the Dera, you will need to use a Dera Incarnon Genesis, which is purchased for 120 Platninum from Cavalero in the Chrysalith. You will also need the following materials for the process:

• 20x Path Clamps
• 80x Eevani
• 70x Ueymag

Sybaris (Base, Prime, Dex)

All three obtainable versions of the Sybaris have received Incarnon empowerment for this update. The Incarnon form allows the Sybaris to fire in four-round bursts and gain access to the Blast Status effect. To access this improved burst mode and the Blast Damage, the Sybaris needs to be in Incarnon Form after being charged up through headshots.

Key notes about the Incarnon Form:

• Uses a separate magazine from the standard
• Gains Blast Damage and Blast Status is guaranteed on Hit
• Increases Damage, Critical Multiplier, and Status Chance
• Reduces Critical Chance

To install the Incarnon transformation onto the Sybaris, you will need to use a Sybaris Incarnation Genesis, which can be purchased for 120 Platninum from Cavelero. You will also need the following materials for the process:

• 20x Path Clamps
• 150x Saggen Peral
• 70x Ueymag

Cestra

The Incarnon Form of the Cestra sidearm allows it to gradually increase its Critical Chance the longer it is fired, uninterrupted. Unlike the previous mentions Incarnons, it does not gain any new status effects. Even so, this mechanic is a massive boost to the Cestra's damage thanks to how Criticals scale in Warframe. To gain this mechanic, the Cestra must be in its Incarnon Form, which is charged up by landing headshots.

Key notes about the Incarnon Form:

• Uses a separate magazine from the standard
• Critical Chance is increased the longer it is fired
• Innately increases base Critical Chance, Critical Multiplier, Damage, and Status Chance
• Fire Rate is reduced

Installing the Incarnon Form onto the Cestra will require using a Cestra Incarnon Genesis, obtained by purchasing it from Cavelero for 120 Platinum. You will also need the following materials:

• 20x Pathos Clamps
• 150x Saggen Pearl
• 80x Kovnik

Sicarus (Base, Prime)

The Incarnon Form of the Sicarus (both types) allows the weapon's bullets to ricochet when fired. This ricochet is not random, as the ricochet will hit targets close to the main one. To gain access to this, the Sicarus must be in its Incarnon Form, which is charged up by landing headshots.

Key notes about the Incarnon Form:

• Uses a separate magazine from the standard
• Bullets will ricochet to one additional target
• Ricochets have innate Punch Through
• Increased Damage, Critical Chance, and Critical Multiplier

Installing the Incarnon Form for the Sicarus will require using a Sicarus Incarnon Genesis, purchased by Cavelero for 120 Platinum. Additionally, you will need the following materials:

• 20x Pathos Clamps
• 100x Nacreous Pebble
• 150x Aggristone

Okina (Base, Prime)

My personal favorite of the bunch, the Incarnon Form of the Okina (both versions), causes kills with the weapon to generate spectral daggers that seek out enemies, applying maximum Cold Status stacks to them. Since the Okina is a melee weapon, it does not rely on headshots to charge its Incarnon Gauge. Instead, you must reach a Melee Combo Multiplier of 6x to activate its Incarnon Form.

Key notes about the Incarnon Form:

• Kills create a single dagger that flies off toward an enemy
• One Dagger applies 10 Cold Stacks
• Daggers have an explosive radius, applying 1 Cold Stack to nearby enemies
• Incarnon Form lasts for 180 seconds

To apply the Incarnon Form to the Okina, you will need to use a Okina Incarnon Genesis, which is obtainable from Cavelero for 120 Platinum. You will also need the following materials to complete the process:

• 20x Pathos Clmaps
• 20x Maw Fangs
• 80x Lamentus

How to unlock the Incarnon System in Warframe

In order to use any Incarnon weapon, you must unlock the ability to purchase them first. Unfortunately, this is not an easy task, as the Incarnon System was designed for veteran players first and foremost. The process of unlocking requires several important criteria to be met.

• Complete The Duviari Paradox questline
• Complete the Angels of the Zariman questline
• Unlock The Steel Path

The easiest of this bunch is the completion of The Duviari Paradox because new players can choose to begin their life in Warframe from this quest. Simply following the questline and its objectives will allow you to complete this part pretty easily. The Duviari Paradox is also rather short.

The Angels of the Zariman, on the other hand, will require the completion of several major prerequisite questlines that lead directly into this one's story. The Angels of the Zariman is required because Cavelero is an NPC located on the Zariman itself, which means you cannot purchase from him if this questline is not finished.

Unlocking The Steel Path is by far the most difficult portion of the unlocking process, as it requires you to complete all of the main mission nodes on every planet in the Solar System. The Steel Path mode significantly boosts the difficulty of a majority of Warframe's missions, requiring you to have extremely solid builds, well-built gear (Warframes and weapons), and a degree of skill to handle the much more powerful enemies present.

Warframe - Incarnon Evolutions, explained

All Incarnon weapons have access to an Incarnon Form, which allows them to transform into a much more powerful version of themselves for a limited time. However, the power of Incarnon does not stop here, as all Incarnon weapons also have access to Evolutions to further boost their power.

Incarnon Evolutions give Incarnon weapons permanent buffs in their base and Incarnon forms. Most Incarnon weapons have four or five Evolutions available to them, with the first one always being the ability to use the Incarnon Form they have. Further Evolutions require you to complete weapon-specific challenges that allow them to Evolve into their next state. Success with one of these challenges will allow your Incarnon weapon to evolve, letting you select between one to three perks to boost the weapon's power.

The Felerax Incarnon weapon, for example, requires you to complete a Solo Mission with an Incarnon weapon in every gear slot to reach its fifth and final Evolution. As the final Evolution, the reward is the ability to pick between three different perks that dramatically boost the power of the Felerax.

The post All new Incarnons in the Warframe: Koumei & the Five Fates appeared first on Destructoid.

Amidst the Stars is a multi-part questline following the events of the main Black Shore questline in Wuthering Waves. Completing it requires you to do some searching, so here's a walkthrough on how to complete all its objectives.

How to complete Amidst the Stars in Wuthering Waves

As I just mentioned, the Amidst the Star quest comprises several individual quests of the same name. There are a total of six parts, and each one tasks with you a number of different objectives that must be completed to finish the entire questline. The first part can be started directly after you finish the main Black Shores storyline, and each part after that can be completed in any order. I recommend you do this in the given order, however, as there is no real reason not to, for clarity's sake.

Amidst the Stars - Part One

The first part of Amidst the Stars requires you to take a photo of the upper portion of the Black Shores facility, making sure that all three main buildings are in the picture. As implied, you'll need to use the Camera function and stand at a location so you can see all three buildings.

Head to the TD Observatory waypoint located at the Black Shores Archipelago and look out over the shoreline. This location is probably the best one as it is close to the quest NPC you spoke to, and you'll have a great view of the three buildings in question. Successfully taking the photo finishes part one of the questline.

Amidst the Stars - Part Two

The second part of Amidst the Stars has you searching for clues about a mysterious Resonator, and this particular clue is located at the Eidoscope located in Tethys' Deep, where you first found the physical body of The Shorekeeper during the main story. Head to the Deep-Error Cell Waypoint and follow the path up.

The quest will update and require you to use the Sensor to find the clue. The clue itself is located in front of The Shorekeeper's chair, where a large lamp is sitting on a nearby table. Next to this lap is a folder of sorts, which is the clue you seek. Interacting with it will complete part two of the quest.

Amidst the Stars - Part Three

The third part of Amidst the Stars requires you to head to the entrance of the Modulation Hall located in Tethys' Deep. Specifically, you need to head to the area just before reaching the bridge leading to the hall itself.

Once you're there, use Sensor to locate the clue nearby. This time around, the clue is located on top of a small overhang, to the left of the bridge entrance. A folder, like the one in part two, will be there. Interact with it, and you'll get a brief, lore-based cutscene that plays. Once this cutscene has ended, you'll have completed part three of the questline.

Amidst the Stars - Part Four

In the fourth part of Amidst the Stars, you need to head to the exit of the Bank of Life in Tethys' Deep. This is the same location you reached in the main story after reaching Tethys' Deep for the first time. When you arrive, you'll encounter an ethereal version of The Shorekeeper. Interact with her and exhaust her dialogue.

After doing so, you'll be tasked with taking a photo of the Data Torrent right in front of the platform you're on. Use the Camera function again and take the picture to finish this part of the questline.

Amidst the Stars - Part Five and Six

Parts five and six of the Amidst the Stars questline are simplistic since you won't be looking for clues. Instead, all you need to do is follow the markers to each location. For both, you'll be tasked with surfing around The Black Shores on Aetherfins, which you'll be directly guided to. Aetherfin Surfing is a mini-game where you must surf through rings to maintain your balance. Failing to do so, though, will make you start over from scratch. Succeed, and you'll have completed the entire Amidst the Stars questline.

Wuthering Waves - Amidst the Stars Quest Rewards

Every part of the Amidst the Stars will reward you with 40x Asterite each. You'll also receive various other materials such as Resonance Potions and Echo experience – both valuable things to have in Wuthering Waves.

The post Wuthering Waves – Amidst the Stars Walkthrough appeared first on Destructoid.