Apple's first foldable smartphone, iPhone Duo, introduces an interesting new possibility for mobile board game enthusiasts: playing MONOPOLY GO! on a much larger foldable display without giving up the convenience of a traditional smartphone. However, the larger screen does not automatically translate into a better gaming experience.

Released on October 23, 2026, the iPhone Duo features a 7.6-inch folding OLED display, a 5.4-inch outer display, and Apple's latest iOS 27 software platform. These features create new opportunities for playing Monopoly GO, particularly when managing sticker collections, coordinating trades, and keeping track of limited-time events.

There is one important limitation, though: Monopoly GO currently runs in a compatibility window rather than fully utilizing the iPhone Duo's large inner display. This means players can access the game on the new device, but they may not receive the immersive, edge-to-edge experience that Apple promotes for its foldable hardware.

So, is the iPhone Duo actually an upgrade for Monopoly GO players? The answer depends on whether you prioritize comfortable gameplay, multitasking convenience, or maximum screen utilization.

iPhone Duo and Monopoly GO: Compatibility at a Glance

Before examining individual features, it is worth understanding how Monopoly GO interacts with the iPhone Duo's two displays and multitasking environment.

The following comparison reflects the publicly available compatibility information as of October 29, 2026.

The most important distinction is between hardware compatibility and application optimization. Monopoly GO can run on the iPhone Duo, but Scopely still needs to provide the appropriate application-level improvements to take full advantage of the device.

The 7.6-Inch Inner Display: More Space, but Not Yet a Full-Screen Experience

The biggest attraction of the iPhone Duo is its 7.6-inch inner display. Compared with a conventional smartphone screen, this larger viewing area appears particularly suitable for games built around colorful boards, animated properties, collectible items, and detailed interface elements.

Monopoly GO is a natural candidate for benefiting from this design. Its gameplay revolves around rolling dice, moving across a board, collecting properties, upgrading landmarks, and interacting with various event interfaces.

A larger screen could make these activities more comfortable, particularly for players who spend extended periods checking their progress or navigating between different game menus.

However, there is a technical issue.

Why Monopoly GO Does Not Fill the Entire Inner Display

Apple's developer documentation explains that applications built using older SDK versions can still run on the iPhone Duo, but they do not automatically adapt to the device's expanded display dimensions.

Instead, older applications appear in a centered window that maintains a familiar smartphone aspect ratio. The remaining display area is left unused.

An independent compatibility tracker, Fits Duo, identifies Monopoly GO version 1.79.2 as a letterboxed application built with the iOS 26.2 SDK. Its compatibility report, checked on October 23, 2026, indicates that the game does not currently occupy the full inner display.

This distinction matters because the iPhone Duo's larger display does not necessarily provide Monopoly GO with a larger interactive game area.

Players can unfold their phones and launch the game normally, but the actual game interface remains constrained by its existing layout.

For someone expecting the Monopoly board to expand across the entire 7.6-inch display, the current experience may be disappointing.

What Would Make the Full-Screen Experience Possible?

Apple has provided developers with specific tools to optimize applications for the iPhone Duo.

According to Apple's developer guidance, different SDK generations provide different levels of display adaptation:

This is an important distinction for Monopoly GO.

Simply installing a newer game update does not guarantee full-screen compatibility. Scopely would need to build and test an appropriately adapted version of the application using the newer development tools.

It would also need to ensure that buttons, menus, animations, and interactive elements remain correctly positioned across different display configurations.

Until that happens, the iPhone Duo's biggest hardware advantage remains partially underutilized when playing Monopoly GO.

Outer Display Compatibility: A More Familiar Way to Play

Although the unfolded display attracts the most attention, the iPhone Duo's 5.4-inch outer screen could actually provide the more straightforward Monopoly GO experience.

When the device is closed, players can launch the game using a conventional smartphone-style interface.

This is important because Monopoly GO does not require a particularly large display to function. Its core gameplay involves tapping buttons, rolling dice, collecting rewards, and interacting with relatively simple menus.

The outer display therefore offers a practical balance between portability and usability.

For quick gaming sessions, players can check their available dice, collect rewards, participate in daily activities, or complete a few board actions without opening the device.

There is also an important advantage in terms of familiarity. Players who have previously used Monopoly GO on standard iPhones should find the general interaction model much more recognizable than an application running inside a compatibility window on a foldable screen.

However, the outer display is not necessarily the better choice for every situation.

Players who frequently switch between the game and external applications may find the smaller screen less convenient. Managing sticker trades, checking event information, or reading messages while keeping the game accessible is easier when the device is unfolded.

The best display therefore depends on the activity rather than simply the screen size.

Split-Screen Multitasking Could Be the iPhone Duo's Biggest Advantage

If there is one feature that could make the iPhone Duo genuinely attractive to dedicated Monopoly GO players, it is multitasking.

Monopoly GO is not just a game about rolling dice. Its long-term progression also involves collecting Monopoly Go stickers, completing albums, coordinating with friends, and participating in time-limited activities.

These activities often require players to consult information outside the game.

For example, someone looking for a missing sticker might need to check a trading group, communicate with another player, and then return to Monopoly GO to complete an exchange. On a conventional smartphone, this process usually involves switching between applications.

iPhone Duo offers a different approach. Apple's developer documentation confirms that the device supports side-by-side multitasking, allowing two applications to occupy the inner display simultaneously.

Keeping Monopoly GO Open While Managing Other Applications

A practical configuration would be to place Monopoly GO on one side of the display and a browser or communication application on the other.

This could be particularly useful in several situations:

• Sticker trading: Players can check trading discussions, identify potential trading partners, and communicate without repeatedly leaving the game.
• Event planning: A browser can display event information or reward guides while Monopoly GO remains accessible.
• Album management: Players can compare missing stickers with available trading opportunities.
• Friend coordination: Communication applications can help players organize activities involving friends and event partners.
• Account management: Players can access relevant login or authorization pages while keeping the game available in another window.

The practical benefit is not necessarily faster gameplay. Instead, it is reduced friction between different tasks.

For players who regularly participate in Monopoly GO's sticker economy, this could make everyday management considerably more convenient.

Can You Run Two Monopoly GO Accounts at Once?

This is where expectations need to be realistic.

Some Monopoly GO players maintain alternate accounts to obtain additional stickers, exchange duplicates, or participate in partner activities.

Apple's iPhone Duo supports multiple application windows for applications that implement the necessary multi-scene functionality. Apple also explains that applications supporting multiple scenes on iPad can benefit from this capability on the iPhone Duo.

However, this is not the same as guaranteeing that Monopoly GO can open two independent game instances.

Even if iOS allows multiple windows, Scopely's application must support the necessary functionality. Separate windows also do not automatically provide separate account sessions.

Consequently, players should not purchase an iPhone Duo expecting to operate two Monopoly GO accounts simultaneously without switching profiles or using another device.

A more realistic benefit is keeping one Monopoly GO session open while using Safari, a trading community, or another supported application.

That is already a meaningful improvement for players who spend considerable time coordinating their in-game activities.

Does the iPhone Duo Make Monopoly GO Run Better?

Display compatibility is only one part of the gaming experience. Performance is another important consideration, especially for players who frequently open Monopoly GO throughout the day.

The iPhone Duo is powered by Apple's A20 Pro processor and features an advanced thermal management system with a custom vapor chamber. Apple says the device delivers up to 35% better sustained performance than the iPhone 17 Pro.

These hardware improvements provide a strong foundation for mobile gaming. For Monopoly GO, however, the practical benefits should be considered carefully.

The game is not a particularly demanding 3D title compared with graphically intensive mobile games. Its main activities include board animations, dice movements, property upgrades, reward presentations, and interface interactions. A modern flagship processor should have substantial hardware capability for these tasks.

Nevertheless, having a powerful processor does not automatically mean Monopoly GO will become noticeably faster.

Graphics, Animations, and Frame Rates

iPhone Duo supports ProMotion technology with adaptive refresh rates of up to 120Hz. This allows the display to provide smoother motion when applications support appropriate rendering behavior.

However, there is an important difference between display refresh rate and actual game frame rate. A 120Hz display does not mean Monopoly GO automatically runs at 120 frames per second. The game's rendering configuration, software optimization, and frame-rate limits remain important factors.

For most players, the more noticeable benefits are likely to come from consistent responsiveness and the device's ability to handle multiple applications.

iPhone Duo's stronger hardware could also provide additional performance headroom when switching between Monopoly GO and other applications. Still, there are no verified comparative benchmarks demonstrating that Monopoly GO achieves higher frame rates or shorter loading times on the iPhone Duo than on other recent iPhones.

Thermal Management During Extended Gaming

Another consideration is heat. Monopoly GO players sometimes spend extended periods participating in events, collecting rewards, and managing their sticker albums.

iPhone Duo's custom vapor chamber is designed to help manage heat during demanding workloads. Apple specifically highlights sustained performance and gaming as benefits of its thermal design.

This is encouraging for players who regularly use their phones for longer gaming sessions.

However, the actual thermal experience will depend on several factors, including screen brightness, network conditions, background applications, and gaming duration.

The larger unfolded display also means players should not assume that every gaming session will consume less battery simply because the device has newer hardware.

Apple advertises up to 24 hours of typical use per charge when the two displays are used equally. That is a manufacturer usage estimate, not a Monopoly GO-specific battery test.

For players who use Monopoly GO throughout the day, battery consumption should remain part of the overall purchasing decision.

Monopoly GO Version 1.79.2: What Has Actually Changed?

Software updates are particularly important when a new device introduces unfamiliar display dimensions and interaction methods.

As of October 29, 2026, the US App Store lists Monopoly GO version 1.79.2 as the latest update in its version history. The listing describes improved overall performance, smoother gameplay, and minor bug fixes. However, there is an important distinction between general performance improvements and dedicated foldable-device optimization.

The published update notes do not explicitly identify iPhone Duo full-screen support, a redesigned foldable interface, or dedicated split-screen improvements.

The important takeaway is that updating Monopoly GO is still worthwhile, but players should not confuse routine performance improvements with a confirmed iPhone Duo compatibility upgrade.

Scopely has not publicly confirmed a dedicated iPhone Duo optimization release in the available update information.

What Should Scopely Improve Next?

There are several areas where future development could make a meaningful difference.

First, Scopely should consider implementing adaptive layouts that make better use of the 7.6-inch display. This would give players a more immersive experience and reduce the amount of unused screen space.

Second, the developer could examine how the game's menus and navigation elements behave when the application is resized.

Third, it would be useful to test the game under different multitasking configurations to ensure that interactive elements remain responsive and correctly positioned.

These improvements would be more valuable than simply increasing visual resolution.

Monopoly GO already has an established visual style. Its biggest opportunity on the iPhone Duo is making that existing experience more flexible and convenient.

Why the Larger Screen Could Matter for Monopoly GO Stickers

One of the most interesting ways to evaluate the iPhone Duo is through the perspective of players who actively collect and trade Monopoly GO stickers.

Stickers are an important part of the game's progression system. Players collect them through various activities and use duplicate stickers to exchange with friends, helping complete collections and unlock album-related rewards.

Scopely's official Monopoly GO guidance encourages players to add friends and trade stickers to complete sets more efficiently.

This creates a natural connection between the game's progression system and the iPhone Duo's multitasking capabilities.

For example, imagine a player searching for a missing sticker. On a standard smartphone, the process may involve:

1. Opening Monopoly GO and checking the current sticker album.
2. Leaving the game to browse a trading group.
3. Comparing available offers and communicating with another player.
4. Returning to the game to send or receive the sticker.

With the iPhone Duo unfolded, players could potentially keep the game and their preferred communication or browsing application visible together.

This makes it easier to compare information without repeatedly switching between screens.

How Multitasking Could Help Different Types of Players

There is also an important distinction between trading convenience and trading functionality. iPhone Duo does not create additional sticker inventory, increase sticker drop rates, or provide extra daily trading opportunities. Its value comes from helping players organize information and coordinate activities more conveniently.

For players interested in finding missing Monopoly GO stickers, comparing available trades, or keeping track of album progress, this could be a useful improvement to their daily routine.

Advantages and Disadvantages of Playing Monopoly GO on iPhone Duo

iPhone Duo offers several appealing features, but its compatibility limitations mean it is not automatically the best choice for every Monopoly GO player. Here is a balanced comparison.

The most significant disadvantage is also the easiest to understand: players are paying for a premium foldable display that Monopoly GO does not yet fully utilize.

For someone who primarily wants to roll dice and collect daily rewards, a conventional iPhone may already provide everything necessary.

On the other hand, players who regularly manage sticker collections, communicate with trading partners, and participate in multiple events may appreciate the additional multitasking flexibility.

iPhone Duo's value therefore depends more on how players use their devices than on the game's basic graphics or processing requirements.

Is iPhone Duo Worth Buying Specifically for Monopoly GO?

The short answer is that the iPhone Duo is an interesting device for dedicated Monopoly GO players, but its current compatibility limitations make it difficult to recommend as a purchase specifically for this game.

There are three main considerations.

1. For casual players: The outer display provides a familiar way to enjoy Monopoly GO. However, the additional cost of a foldable device is difficult to justify if most gaming sessions involve nothing more than rolling dice, collecting rewards, and upgrading properties.

2. For dedicated sticker collectors: The larger unfolded screen and multitasking environment offer a more compelling advantage. Keeping a trading group or browser open alongside the game could make sticker management more convenient.

3. For players who want the best visual experience: Waiting for Scopely to implement proper iPhone Duo optimization would be sensible. Until the game supports a more complete full-screen layout, much of the inner display's potential remains unused.

Ultimately, the iPhone Duo is more interesting as a multitasking device than as a dedicated Monopoly GO gaming upgrade.

Its hardware is capable, its display technology is impressive, and its multitasking features offer practical benefits. But the quality of the experience still depends on whether individual game developers adapt their applications to the new form factor.

For Monopoly GO, that software adaptation is the missing piece.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does Monopoly GO work on the iPhone Duo?

Yes. Monopoly GO runs on the iPhone Duo, including its unfolded inner display. However, the current version uses a centered compatibility window instead of filling the entire 7.6-inch display.

Does Monopoly GO support full-screen mode on iPhone Duo?

Not according to the currently available compatibility report for version 1.79.2. Scopely would need to update the application using Apple's newer development tools and adapt its interface to the foldable display.

Can I play Monopoly GO and use Safari simultaneously?

Yes. The iPhone Duo supports side-by-side multitasking, allowing players to keep Monopoly GO open while browsing websites or using compatible communication applications.

Can I run two Monopoly GO accounts simultaneously?

This is not confirmed. Although iPhone Duo supports multiple application windows, individual applications must implement the necessary functionality. Having multiple windows available at the operating-system level does not guarantee that Monopoly GO supports two independent game sessions.

Does the iPhone Duo improve Monopoly GO performance?

Its A20 Pro processor and advanced thermal management provide substantial hardware capabilities. However, there are no verified Monopoly GO-specific benchmarks proving significantly higher frame rates or faster loading compared with other recent iPhones.

Is iPhone Duo better than a regular iPhone for Monopoly GO stickers?

It can be more convenient for players who frequently coordinate sticker trades. Its larger inner display allows compatible applications to remain visible alongside the game, reducing the need to switch between trading discussions and Monopoly GO.

Final Verdict: A Promising Foldable Experience That Needs Better Game Optimization

The iPhone Duo introduces an interesting direction for mobile gaming, particularly for games like Monopoly GO that combine casual gameplay with social interaction, collectible progression, and frequent event participation.

Its 7.6-inch OLED display provides an attractive foundation for a more immersive board-game experience, while its multitasking capabilities could make sticker trading, event planning, and account management more convenient.

However, the current Monopoly GO compatibility situation prevents the device from reaching its full potential.

The game runs, but its centered compatibility window leaves much of the inner display unused. The A20 Pro processor provides more than enough hardware potential for this type of game, yet improved hardware cannot replace proper application optimization.

For now, the iPhone Duo is a potentially excellent multitasking companion for Monopoly GO rather than a definitive upgrade to the game's visual experience.

The next important step belongs to Scopely: bringing Monopoly GO's interface up to date with Apple's foldable-device development framework. If that happens, the iPhone Duo could become a much more attractive option for players who want a larger gaming interface and a more convenient way to manage their sticker collections.

AION 2 Ludra update arrives on November 4, 2026, bringing back the challenging boss with new combat mechanics, two difficulty levels, limited-time login rewards, Twitch Drops, and a competitive race for exclusive titles. The update also introduces several community activities designed to give players additional reasons to log in, improve their characters, and participate in the game’s growing PvE content.

For players preparing for Ludra, the two most important requirements are item level 2,800 for Normal mode and 3,000 for Hard mode. Both difficulties will be available when the encounter returns, so players who already meet the relevant requirements can focus on learning the fight rather than waiting for a later difficulty release.

The update also offers valuable progression resources, including in-game currency, Abyss Points, Soul Crystals, and enhancement materials. With the main login event and Twitch Drops running through November 17 in Pacific Standard Time (PST), players can combine combat preparation with a substantial set of limited-time rewards.

AION 2 Ludra Update Release Date and Requirements

According to the official AION 2 announcement, Ludra returns to Atreia on November 4, 2026, with new mechanics compared with the earlier encounter. The announcement confirms the item-level requirements for both available difficulties but does not provide a complete breakdown of the revised boss mechanics.

The entry requirements are straightforward:

• Normal mode: Item level 2,800.

• Hard mode: Item level 3,000.

• Release date: November 4, 2026.

The 200-point difference between the two requirements gives players a clear progression target. Those who meet the Normal requirement but remain below 3,000 can work toward the higher threshold before attempting Hard mode.

However, reaching the required item level should be treated as an entry milestone, not a guarantee of success. Players will also need to understand the encounter, coordinate with their party, and adapt to the revised mechanics. The exact strategies required for the returning boss cannot be established from the published entry requirements alone.

For players who enjoy difficult group encounters, the simultaneous availability of Normal and Hard modes also creates two different objectives. Normal mode offers a more accessible entry point, while Hard mode provides the setting for the update's first-clear competition.

Ludra Conquest Check-In: Free Kina and Progression Rewards

The Ludra Conquest Check-In event runs from November 4 at 6:00 a.m. through November 17 at 11:59 p.m. PST. Players can unlock seven daily rewards by checking in during the event period.

An important detail is that the reward track contains seven rewards across a 14-day event window. According to the announcement, players can miss up to seven days and still complete the full track, making the event more flexible than a system requiring uninterrupted daily attendance.

The seven rewards are:

The two currency rewards total 1.5 million Bound Kina across the seven-day track. The event also distributes several other resources, along with the Lush Leaf Tiara helmet as its final reward.

For players searching for AION 2 Kinah rewards, the official announcement labels the currency as Kina in its English reward table. Both quantities are explicitly marked as Bound Kina, so players should not assume that these rewards function like freely transferable currency.

The distinction matters when planning character progression. Currency can be valuable for a range of in-game needs, but the usefulness of a bound reward depends on the game's applicable restrictions. Players should check the currency's in-game description before planning to trade or transfer it.

The event's other rewards also serve different progression goals. Abyss Points and Soul Crystals provide additional resources, while the Shugo Coin and Nightmare Coin categories offer currency-specific rewards. Their inclusion makes the check-in track relevant to players interested in more than just their Kina balance.

Odyle Energy Boost Offers More Preparation Time

The update's preparation period begins before Ludra becomes available. The Odyle Energy Boost event runs from after maintenance on October 28 until before maintenance on November 10, according to the published PST schedule.

During the event, players can log in daily and claim two Odyle Energy from their in-game mail. The official notice identifies Expeditions and Transcendence Dungeons as activities for which this additional energy can be used.

There are two important participation details. First, the delivery is limited to one per character per day. Second, event mail expires seven days after receipt, so players should claim their rewards rather than leave them uncollected.

For players aiming to reach item level 2,800 or 3,000, the timing creates a useful preparation window. Additional energy can support more activity in the relevant content, giving players opportunities to work on character progression before or shortly after Ludra's return.

The practical priority depends on each character's current equipment. Players below the Normal requirement can focus on reaching 2,800, while those already qualified for Normal mode may have Hard mode as their next milestone. There is no need to assume that every player should follow the same progression route; the most useful approach is to focus on the content that addresses their current equipment and resource needs.

AION 2 Twitch Drops: Rewards for Up to 14 Hours of Viewing

The AION 2 Twitch Drops campaign begins on November 4 at 6:00 a.m. PST and ends on November 17 at 11:59 p.m. PST. Rewards unlock at cumulative viewing-time milestones, with a total of 14 hours of rewards listed in the announcement.

The published reward track includes:

The reward list combines progression resources with cosmetic items. Resurrection Spiritstones, enhancement scrolls, Odyle Energy, and other utility rewards may interest players preparing for demanding content, while the glasses and Black Conical Hat offer cosmetic incentives.

The campaign also provides an alternative way to pursue rewards for players who do not intend to spend all their available time fighting Ludra. However, Twitch Drops participation is separate from the in-game check-in event. Players should follow the official Drops instructions and verify that their accounts are connected correctly before accumulating viewing time.

The schedule gives players nearly two weeks to work through the milestones, although the final rewards require substantially more viewing time than the initial ones. Anyone aiming for the complete set should plan around the event's stated end time rather than assume the rewards will remain available afterward.

Ludra Hunt: Hard-Mode First Clears Offer Exclusive Titles

The Ludra Hunt event turns the encounter into a race for recognition. It begins after maintenance on November 4 and ends before maintenance on November 24 in PST.

The central objective is to defeat Ludra in Hard mode as early as possible. The first 20 parties to complete the Hard-mode encounter in each region will receive exclusive titles commemorating their achievement. The announcement also describes recognition for players who defeat Ludra during the event period.

This structure creates two distinct goals. Competitive groups can aim for the earliest qualifying clear, while other players can concentrate on completing the encounter and participating in the limited-time event.

For groups pursuing the top positions, preparation will likely involve more than meeting the 3,000 item-level requirement. Familiarity with the encounter, consistent party coordination, and the ability to respond to new mechanics may all matter. These are general considerations for a competitive boss encounter, not confirmed details about Ludra's specific revised mechanics.

Players should also distinguish the first-clear race from the broader reward campaign. Missing the earliest clear does not necessarily mean missing every opportunity to participate. The official notice makes the event period and regional first-20-party objective clear, but players should consult the complete event rules for the exact eligibility and distribution details associated with each reward.

Community Events Expand the Ludra Celebration

The update extends beyond boss progression and viewing rewards with community-focused activities, including a costume contest and a cumulative dungeon challenge.

The costume contest gives players an opportunity to showcase their character's appearance. This adds a creative activity alongside the combat-focused content, particularly for players who enjoy collecting cosmetic items or experimenting with different looks.

The cumulative dungeon challenge offers another way to participate through PvE activity. Rather than making every event objective depend on an individual Hard-mode clear, a community-wide challenge can give players a shared target to work toward while continuing their regular dungeon runs.

These activities broaden the update's appeal. Experienced groups can focus on the Ludra Hunt, developing characters can prioritize equipment and progression resources, and collectors can pursue the cosmetic side of the event. The official announcement introduces these activities as part of the wider Ludra celebration, although players should consult the full event rules for submission requirements, milestone thresholds, and individual reward conditions.

How Players Should Prepare for the AION 2 Ludra Update

The most useful preparation plan depends on current item level and personal goals.

Players below item level 2,800 should prioritize character progression and make use of the Odyle Energy Boost while it is available. Those already qualified for Normal mode can decide whether to improve their equipment further or enter the encounter when it opens. Groups targeting Hard mode should aim for item level 3,000 and prepare to coordinate their attempts.

It is also worth keeping the different event schedules in mind. The Odyle Energy Boost starts on October 28, before the main update. The check-in event and Twitch Drops begin on November 4, with both running through November 17 in PST. The Ludra Hunt continues until before maintenance on November 24.

For players interested in the in-game economy, the check-in track provides a clearly defined amount of Bound Kina: 500,000 on Day 1 and 1,000,000 on Day 6. That makes the event a useful opportunity to add currency to a character's resources, but it should not be confused with a change to the wider Kina economy or a confirmed adjustment to trading systems.

Ultimately, the AION 2 Ludra update combines a new encounter challenge with several parallel progression and community activities. The item-level thresholds establish the immediate preparation targets, while the login track, Twitch Drops, and event challenges give players additional objectives throughout November.

For players planning to return to Atreia for the encounter, the key steps are simple: check the character's item level, claim available Odyle Energy before its event ends, review the reward schedules, and decide whether the main objective is clearing Ludra, competing for an exclusive title, or collecting the available event rewards.

ARC Raiders' announcement on August 21st regarding the fifth Expedition revealed that it would be the last Expedition before early 2027, a bombshell that shocked players.

The upcoming fifth Expedition would be the last Expedition opportunity for the next few months!

The official reason given for this decision was that various issues with Expedition system, including tight start times, an incomplete reward structure, and a high barrier to entry for new players, could no longer be resolved through piecemeal fixes. They required a complete overhaul, so the development team chose to pause the process to ensure its full implementation.

On the surface, pausing Expedition appears to be a large-scale removal of content from the game. Everyone knows that ARC Raiders is already under immense pressure from a large number of players leaving, and abandoning a core mode for so long seems like a step backward.

However, a closer look at the feedback from players in the community over the past few months reveals that this decision was not impulsive, but rather the first step by the developers to address the game's shortcomings and make adjustments.

Reward Mechanism

When Expedition was first launched in ARC Raiders, it was positioned as a high-difficulty, high-reward long-term challenge, providing a sustainable path for max-level players.

However, in actual gameplay, the reward mechanism failed to match Expedition's intended purpose.

Many players obtained crucial permanent bonuses - Ermal Slots, skill points, and extra slots - after completing one or two rounds of Expedition. This caused Expedition's appeal to plummet.

The motivation to continue Expedition became merely to play for the sake of playing, rather than pursuing any truly meaningful content.

The development team promised in an announcement that they would redesign Expedition reward structure after improvements, addressing the awkward question players had raised about why repeating Expeditions was necessary. This was precisely the problem that Expedition system had never adequately resolved in ARC Raiders.

Should the economy reset periodically?

In recent community discussions, a recurring issue is whether the economy should be reset periodically.

Most extraction shooters employ a forced reset mechanism: periodically, player progress is completely or partially wiped clean to level the playing field and prevent veteran players from accumulating an unassailable advantage.

While this design sounds harsh, it's a key method for maintaining a healthy long-term game ecosystem.

ARC Raiders previously chose a different path: making resetting an option for players. The initial intention was clearly to reduce the burden on players and attract more casual players.

However, the corresponding side effects quickly became apparent: players who never reset gradually accumulated a significant resource advantage, while those who chose to reset were hesitant to act for fear of falling behind, resulting in a strange stalemate in the economic system.

Expedition, as an outlet that consumes a large number of ARC Raiders items, should have been a crucial element in alleviating this conflict, but if the game's underlying economy is flawed, Expedition is merely a temporary fix.

The development team's announcement of a pause for improvements may well be aimed at rebuilding a more rational game economy.

A Wasted Potential

If the declining number of online players is because of fierce market competition, then something else is even more regrettable: ARC Raiders possessed a combat experience rarely seen in the industry, almost magical.

Whether it was the shooting feedback, the fluidity of character movements, or the overall battlefield atmosphere, this game reached the top level among similar products.

That's precisely why seeing it reach its current state is so regrettable.

Even the best game experience requires rich content, a robust system, and effective operation to support it, but these are precisely the areas players complained about being most lacking, and Expedition failed to contribute much.

What to do now?

The suspension of Expedition will inevitably bring frustration to players in the short term.

The fifth Expedition is the last window for players in the next six months, and after this Expedition ends, the complete Zenith Outfit rewards obtained will become a special memento of this period.

The official promise of significant improvements in 2027 is both a hope and a gamble for us players.

A several-month hiatus means that ARC Raiders must provide compelling new content during this time to maintain community activity. Otherwise, even if the game returns with a completely refreshed look next year when Expedition comes back, it's uncertain how many players will be willing to return.

Frankly, despite its flaws, ARC Raiders is a game that's hard to let go of because of its top-notch combat and immersive atmosphere.

It could have become a classic extraction shooter in the memories of a generation, but it consistently lagged behind in content and operations, ultimately leading to its current state.

The pause in Expedition is less a retreat and more an awakening for the development team; the problems have always existed, but they haven't been able to truly address them. Now, they've finally chosen to stop and rethink the future of Expedition.

Hopefully, Expedition's return in ARC Raiders in 2027 will truly bring us the changes that are long overdue, and players will still be willing to continue their adventures!

Diablo 4 Season 13 has been out for a while now, have you found your ideal build yet? Today, I am bringing you Clash Paladin Endgame Build. Let's take a look at the corresponding gear, skills, Mercenary and other related content! No complicated operation required，all you have to do is clash relentlessly!

Introduction

Paladin is a class in Diablo 4, introduced with Lord of Hatred. They are frontline holy warriors, skilled in sword and shield combat, combining holy damage, defensive pressure, and continuous buffs provided through switchable Auras.

Most of their skills can accumulate Resolve - a defensive buff that provides 20% damage reduction per stack. Paladin's main resource is Faith - generated through normal attacks and certain abilities, then consumed to unleash Paladin's holy abilities.

The core of this build lies in stacking maximum Resolve and fully utilizing the synergistic benefits of all Resolve. Clash, a fundamental Paladin skill, grants two stacks of Resolve and an additional 10 Faith points when used. Therefore, this Clash Paladin build provides continuous damage reduction, helping you easily complete all Torment 12 content, and it's very easy to set up.

Equipment

Clash Paladin's equipment selection focuses primarily on improving survivability, with damage output mainly relying on AoE damage. Here is a detailed breakdown:

• Aspect of Glynn's Anvil - Legendary Pants: Crucial for this build's survivability. It provides damage reduction based on your Faith. When your Faith reaches 50, the damage reduction can reach an astonishing 90%!
• Paingorger's Gauntlets - Unique Gloves: The core damage-dealing equipment, providing AoE damage and significantly increasing mob clearing speed. In Diablo 4, dealing damage to enemies with non-basic skills applies a mark. When you later hit a marked enemy with a basic skill, the damage from the basic skill is amplified across all marked enemies, creating area-of-effect (AOE) damage.
• Shard of Verathiel - Unique Sword: This doubles your damage but consumes 25 Faith from your Clash. However, with Faith Generation, each Clash generates 30 Faith, so sustainability isn't an issue.
• Heir of Perdition - Mythic Unique Helm: This grants critical strike chance and steals Lilith's Favor from nearby allies when you kill enemies.
• Mantle of the Grey - Unique Chest Armor: This defensive chest provides a significant damage boost by converting maximum health into Juggernaut Skill damage.
• Griswold's Opus - Unique Charm, offers a 50% multiplier and reliably triggers double damage.

This gear set ensures the build is both easy to use and powerful, offering consistent damage output while maximizing resistances. However, some Diablo 4 items may be rare, requiring new players to invest time to acquire them.

Skills

You can continuously use Clash in Diablo 4. As mentioned above, it doesn't consume Faith; instead, each use increases it by 5. Next, you can use Consecration every 18 seconds, which applies the Weaken effect to enemies while simultaneously increasing your own damage and healing effect. Use Fortress every minute to gain 3 seconds of immunity, create a defensive zone around you for 8 seconds, and restore 4 Resolve per second for you and your allies.

Notably, after the 3-second immunity ends, you can reduce Fortress cooldown through Resplendence, allowing you to unleash all your Aura skills. Next, let's talk about the three Aura abilities:

• Fanaticism Aura applies a Weakening effect to enemies.
• Holy Light Aura heals yourself and deals damage to enemies.
• Defiance Aura grants yourself Unstoppable - all negative effects are removed and blocked, and it can also be used to reset skill cooldowns.

Mercenary

Mercenaries are unlocked during Vessel of Hatred campaign and assist the player in subsequent battles. In single-player mode, you can hire a permanent Mercenary, and you can also gain reinforcements under certain circumstances.

For Clash Paladin Endgame build, I recommend hiring Varyana, who provides a permanent 10% attack speed bonus. This effect is increased by 10% during her Bloodthirst, while also reducing the damage taken by all enemies around her by 15%. For reinforcement choice, I recommend Raheir; when his Bastion is active, you are almost invincible.

Frequently Asked Questions about Clash Paladin build

1. How to improve survivability?

First, prioritize increasing maximum health over attack power. Second, when an enemy enters Unstoppable, stop fighting them; dodge their skills and maintain distance. Finally, replace offensive runes with Mot, Que, or Lac.

2. How to improve Critical Strike Chance?

The most important thing is to use Fanaticism Aura to stack Critical Strike Chance, which is enhanced based on skill points and nodes. When your skill rank reaches 15, you will gain 15% Chance. Next, use some Charms and Seal affixes to increase it, or focus on improving equipment's Critical Strike Chance when using Masterwork in Endgame.

3. How to generate Resolve?

Aspect of Dominance combined with Ceh will continuously generate Resolve while moving; Fortress provides immunity and allows you to almost instantly recover Resolve, with the amount recovered depending on your maximum Resolve; and the two Resolve stacks from each Clash will be very helpful in the early game. 

Overall, Clash Paladin is a strong build in all aspects of Diablo 4. Proper use of Aura and Resolve is key to controlling the battlefield, maintaining pressure, and supporting your teammates. Players, give it a try, you will experience what it means to dominate the battlefield.

FC 26's latest Pitch Notes may bring a major update that will reshape the game's ecosystem. Based on the currently released content, this is more than just a regular patch; it's a comprehensive upgrade to gameplay, the reward system, and the player development system.

Whether it's the long-awaited Evo Undo feature, the new token reward system, or the launch of the new World's Game event, all indicate that the developers are trying to inject more long-term playability and freedom into EA FC 26.

Meanwhile, several key balance adjustments will be made to the gameplay, showing that the developers are trying to address long-standing feedback and dissatisfaction from the community. With Festival of Football about to begin, FC 26's summer season has officially entered its most important update phase.

New Player

A major highlight of this update is that all players who log in to FUT 26 between June 5th and July 24th can receive Festival of Football ICON Pelé for free. Similar to special cards like Maradona and Zidane in previous versions, Pelé also has a Choose Your Journey evolution path.

You can customize your Pelé based on different playing styles and positions. You can choose between ST with Low Driven+, CAM/CM with Incisive Pass+, and LW/RW with Finesse Shot+. This system gives you greater flexibility in building your team and customizing your Pelé in FC 26 to adapt to different tactical systems.

New Mode

Since EA FC 26 is not officially licensed for World Cup, this new event will not directly use the name World Cup, but uses World's Game. According to current information, this mode will revolve around national team matches and will add several new licensed national teams, with the return of Brazilian national team undoubtedly being the most anticipated.

With Brazilian team's re-entry, many players are also wondering: will Neymar rejoin Ultimate Team? Although Brazilian team has not yet officially joined FIFA 26, the community generally believes that Neymar may rejoin FC 26 through a special card, event card, or Rest of World.

New Feature

The most requested feature by FC 26 players, Evo Undo feature, is finally coming! FC 26 now allows players to completely remove card evolutions, restoring them to their initial state. If you chose the wrong evolution path, added unwanted PlayStyles+, or accidentally made a tradable card untradable, you can undo these changes.

This change is expected to revolutionize how FC 26 players use evolutions in the future. Players will no longer need to permanently lock cards onto specific upgrade paths, but will be able to more freely experiment with different deck combinations and custom cards.

Besides EVO removal, EA FC 26 also confirmed the return of PlayStyle Lab, allowing players to customize PlayStyles+ again, and the addition of EVO Repeatables system. This means that Ultimate Team will lean more towards free progression rather than fixed templates in the future.

Many players believe that the custom PlayStyle gameplay during Foot Birthday was one of the most successful Ultimate Team mechanics this year, and FUT 26 is clearly preparing to continue expanding in this direction.

New Token and Reward System

Starting June 4th, a token system covering all modes will be officially implemented. You can earn Festival of Football tokens through various channels, including Rivals, Squad Battles, Rush, Live Events, Select Objectives, and Select SBCs, with a weekly limit of 1,000 tokens and 5,000 tokens available during the event.

The core value of these tokens is that you have a chance to earn the same rewards regardless of your preferred mode. It's important to note that EA FC 26 has specified that tokens can only be obtained through gameplay and will not be directly sold in the shop.

Also launching simultaneously are FUT Champions Tokens and a FUT Champions Store. After accumulating Champions Tokens through weekend leagues, you can redeem them for special Red FUT Champions Player Items in the rotating shop.

Based on leaked illustrations, the shop may feature high-rated special players, similar to previous Legendary Exchange rewards, providing a more tangible return on long-term investment in FIFA 26 weekend leagues.

Game Mechanics Adjustments

Besides Ultimate Team content update, this update also brings several important game balance adjustments.

Two long-criticized mechanics have finally been addressed. First, the effectiveness of Bruiser and Bruiser+ has been reduced in EA FC 26, making physically powerful defenders less overwhelmingly advantageous.Simultaneously, players with Enforcer or Enforcer+ will have greater resistance in physical duels, making it worthwhile to invest FC 26 Coins in upgrading.

This update aims to create a more balanced interaction between attacking and defending players, rather than allowing defenders to easily knock opponents down. Even if an attacking player lacks equal physical abilities, as long as they possess good dribbling attributes or Enforcer+, they will no longer be easily knocked away, and the refereeing logic in the game will be more reasonable.

The strength of Team Press tactic has been reduced. After the update, when this tactic is activated in the defensive half, the pressure from AI-controlled defenders on the ball carrier will be significantly reduced.

If a player manually controls a defender far from the ball, AI teammates will tend to maintain distance and block rather than aggressively pressing. This change aims to encourage players to adopt more diverse defensive strategies and reduce over-reliance on AI's automatic pressing.

In addition, the interception mechanism has undergone a significant adjustment: as long as a player's interception attribute reaches 90 or higher, they can trigger their original exclusive interception action even without equipping interception skills. This greatly increases the value of players with high defensive attributes, while the importance of interception skills decreases accordingly, though they are not entirely useless.

Overall, this upcoming FC 26 update is more than just a regular event version iteration; it's more like a concentrated test of the future direction of Ultimate Team by the official developers.

Of course, these changes still need to wait until the official release to truly verify their actual effects. But at least based on the current feedback from the player community, this update has successfully reignited the anticipation of many players for FC 26 summer season.

Today I'm going to introduce a Paladin build in Diablo 4 Lord of Hatred. While not the most mainstream build in the current version, it's definitely the most fun Paladin build.

This build revolves around a skill called Purify. You might ask: Isn't Purify a control skill? It doesn't deal damage! That's right, and that's precisely what makes this build interesting. It transforms this skill, which originally only stuns enemies, into an infinitely reusable attack skill, ultimately dealing considerable damage.

This build not only boasts high damage but also exceptional mobility, allowing you to handle various bosses and challenging endgame content with ease.

Now, let me introduce this build.

Core Mechanics

Upgrading Purify

Let's first understand the core skill of this build - Purify.

In the standard setting of Diablo 4 Lord of Hatred, Purify is a utility skill leaning towards defense and control. Its effect is to "surround enemies with light, briefly stunning and disrupting their movements." The skill description explicitly states "Damage: None" - meaning it deals no damage under normal circumstances.

So, where does the damage come from? The key lies in an upgrade branch of Purify in Paladin skill tree called Absolution. Specifically, Absolution's effect is: Purify no longer stuns enemies, but deals direct damage equal to 380% of weapon damage, while also weakening the enemy and reducing their offensive capabilities.

Therefore, by stacking equipment and various items, this damage can be amplified, making Absolution a terrifying offensive skill.

Cooldown Reduction

However, even the highest damage skill is useless if it requires a long wait before it can be used. Therefore, the second core of this build is to continuously stack "Cooldown Reduction."

Cooldown Reduction is a crucial attribute in Diablo 4 Lord of Hatred, reducing the cooldown time after using abilities and allowing for more frequent spell casting. Therefore, Cooldown Reduction is our top priority in this build.

How do we do this? First, look for gears with affixes that grant 16% Cooldown Reduction on key trinket slots like Rings. Similarly, replace your weapon and shield with gear featuring this affix.

Next, you need to activate Relentless node on Paragon Board in Paladin to further increase your Cooldown Reduction buff.

This allows you to stack Cooldown Reduction buff to its maximum, potentially reaching 75%. If you do reach 75%, the 12-second cooldown of Purify will be significantly reduced.

But that's not enough! To achieve "cooldown-free" rapid-fire, we need to do something else.

When facing hordes of monsters, simply activate Echo in Paladin class Skill Tree. Its effect is that casting Purify triggers a "triple attack." This not only triples the damage but, more importantly, reduces the skill's cooldown by 1 second for each enemy hit. Against groups of monsters, a single cast instantly refreshes the cooldown.

When facing a single boss without a horde of monsters to refresh the cooldown, you'll need Spear of the Heavens skill. It places a Spear of the Heavens at the boss's feet, allowing you to cast Purify on it, which also triggers the cooldown reduction effect.

Gear and everything related

In Diablo 4 Lord of Hatred, high-quality Diablo 4 Uniques, powerful Aspects, and suitable Gems are always key to a successful build. Here are some recommended gear, aspects, and gems for Paladin Purify build as a reference:

Gear

• Heir of Perdition: Provides a very high damage bonus;
• Godslayer Crown: Gathers enemies together, making it easier to eliminate them with Absolution.

Aspects

• Aspect of Glynn's Anvil: Enhances various character abilities.
• Aspect of Watkins' Law: Increases weapon damage.
• Juggernaut's Aspect: Significantly improves survivability.
• Aspect of Rallying Reversal: Grants a buff when controlling an enemy.
• Aspect of Redirected Force: The higher your block rate, the more damage it grants.
• Aspect of Holy Punishment: Increases weapon damage.
• Aspect of Proselytizing: Has a 40% chance to spread 50% to 150% of the damage you deal to a single enemy to other enemies.
• Edgemaster's Aspect: Provides additional benefits when you lose skill resources.

Gems

Once your gear and Aspect are configured, the last step is to choose suitable Gems to socket into your gear.

The most suitable Gem for this build is undoubtedly Ruby. Whether you socket Ruby into your weapon or armor, they will be very effective. The former increases Holy Damage, while the latter increases defense. This is the most suitable gem for Paladin Purify build.

Also Read: Why we skip farming Tormented Bosses in Diablo 4: Lord of Hatred? | Greater Lair Key Farming Guide

Skill Points and Aura Allocation

Besides gear-related aspects, choosing different skill point allocation strategies based on your build and selecting different Auras during combat is also a crucial part of completing a build in Diablo 4 Lord of Hatred. Below are my recommended skill point and Aura allocation schemes.

Skill Points

First, prioritize allocating skill points to the core skill Purify of Paladin Purify build and its upgrade branches, including Cooldown Reduction, Absolution, and Echo.

Excess skill points can be allocated to Falling Star, which increases character mobility and damage. Make sure to unlock Additional Charge, Cooldown Reduction, and Fanatic Descent (this skill weakens enemies).

To improve character survivability and increase damage, allocate skill points to Fortress. Make sure to unlock Barricade, Resolve Damage Bonus, and Unstoppable.

Aura

Prioritize Fanaticism Aura, which increases Critical Strike Chance, Attack Speed, and Critical Strike Damage.

Secondly, choose Holy Light Aura, which can trigger additional damage under certain circumstances.

This concludes the detailed introduction to Paladin Purify build in Diablo 4 Lord of Hatred, including its mechanics, recommended equipment, aspects, gems, skill points, and auras. Whatever you need to know, you can find it directly in this guide.

If you are interested in this build, try it out now!

Recently, Diablo 4 Lord of Hatred has had some big news - Sorcerers have received a significant number of bug fixes. Sorcerers are currently one of the most powerful classes in the game, and after these fixes, they will become even stronger and more likely to become the preferred class for many players.

This update not only fixed some Aspects and several highly anticipated Sorcerer gear, but also fixed a bunch of frustrating skill bugs.

If you're still unsure about the changes and fixes to Sorcerer class, don't worry. This article will provide a detailed explanation of the new Sorcerer class to help you quickly understand it.

Aspects Fixes

In Diablo 4 Lord of Hatred, besides class skills and gear, there's something very important called Aspects. You can think of them as "special rules attached to gear," which can make your build more powerful.

Aspect fixed this time is Aspect of Efficiency. This Aspect's effect is "After casting a basic skill, the mana cost of your next core skill is reduced." This Aspect specifically addresses the mana shortage problem faced by mages in combat. Although not considered a mainstream Aspect used by Diablo 4 players, it still holds an important place.

But before the fix, this Aspect did not reduce mana costs; this issue has now been fixed as well.

Amulet and Weapon Fixes

What Diablo 4 Lord of Hatred players are most satisfied with is Blizzard's fix of several popular Sorcerer class amulets and weapons.

Amulet Fixes

First up is Esadora's Overflowing Cameo. This is a very powerful Diablo 4 Unique Amulet. Its main effect is that when a Sorcerer's Crackling Energy is full, it automatically releases a Crackling Energy attack on nearby enemies.

In Diablo 4 Lord of Hatred Expansion, the release speed and attack power of Crackling Energy increase with your attack speed, and each time it hits an enemy, it has a 25% chance to reduce the cooldown of one of your random abilities by 1 second.

However, previously, its effect didn't scale with attack speed as described, significantly reducing its power and causing many players to switch to other Diablo 4 Unique Amulets. This issue has now been fixed, meaning you can now pair Esadora's Overflowing Cameo with equipment that increases attack speed, thus gaining a substantial damage bonus.

Weapon Fixes

The first is a wand called The Oculus. In Lord of Hatred Expansion, its effect is quite interesting: whenever you use it to Teleport and hit an enemy, your damage is increased, and the cooldown of your next Teleport is reduced by 0.5 seconds.

If you use The Oculus while injured, it will teleport you to a random location to avoid damage.

Therefore, this staff allows the core gameplay of mages to move beyond simply standing and fighting, becoming an endless loop of "teleporting frantically, increasing damage, reducing skill cooldowns, and then teleporting again."

However, this staff previously had two problems: first, it was extremely difficult to obtain; many players spent hundreds of hours grinding dungeons without getting one; second, even if they successfully obtained one, the skill wouldn't trigger properly, leaving players with nothing but junk.

Blizzard has fixed both of these issues - it now drops normally, and the staff's effects work correctly.

This is very exciting because it means that the aforementioned infinite teleportation gameplay will become a reality, even a mainstream strategy. Whether used to challenge high-difficulty dungeons - even The Pit - or in regular dungeons, or for grinding in open world, this gameplay provides Sorcerer players with an absolutely top-notch sense of exhilaration.

The second is Vox Omnium Aspect. Under normal circumstances, this Aspect allows you to cast a basic skill, which then automatically triggers another core skill, essentially turning your basic skills into a combo, thus greatly enhancing Sorcerer's combat power.

However, this Aspect previously had a bug where the effect would trigger but miss, turning the combo back into a regular basic attack - only visually appealing. Fortunately, Blizzard has fixed this issue.

Also Read: Diablo 4 Lord of Hatred: Best War Plans Skill Trees & Max Reward Farming Tips

Skill Fixes

Previously, some Sorcerer skills in Diablo 4 Lord of Hatred had bugs. You could say that some skills, despite being described as dealing 100 damage, only dealt 80, or a passive effect that was supposed to trigger didn't activate at all, and so on.

Blizzard has fixed several of these issues in one go. Specifically, the fixes affect following core skills:

• 1. Meteor: Sorcerer summons a burning boulder that falls from the sky, dealing area-of-effect fire damage and leaving a continuously burning ground in its place.
• 2. Fireball: Sorcerer consumes mana to throw a fireball that explodes on contact, dealing damage to surrounding enemies upon explosion.
• 3. Chain Lightning: Sorcerer unleashes a bolt of lightning to attack an enemy. Upon impact, Sorcerer automatically bounces to a nearby enemy, capable of bouncing multiple times.
• 4. Ice Shards: Sorcerer fires five ice shards forward, dealing additional damage to frozen enemies.
• 5. Hydra: Sorcerer summons a 3-headed Hydra, each head of which spews fireballs and automatically attacks enemies.

The damage bonuses and skill synergies of the above skills were not working as expected before; however, they have now all been fixed. Using these skills now will produce effects closer to the "instructions" than before.

This concludes the details of the fixes to Sorcerer class in Diablo 4 Lord of Hatred. We hope this information is helpful.

In MLB The Show 26, building a formidable Diamond Dynasty team requires strong and reliable players. However, star players are generally only obtainable through special events or by trading large amounts of stubs.

If you're new to MLB The Show 26 or don't have many stubs, this article is for you. I'll show you how to build a powerful team using relatively easy-to-acquire players.

Next, I'll recommend players for each position on the field to help you quickly assemble your team.

Defenders

Catcher Players

Victor Martinez is an excellent choice for catcher. He was given away for free like candy during Weekend Classic event, and most players got him. Don't worry if you missed the event; he can be obtained for approximately 15,000 stabs. Plus, he's one of the top 3 catchers in the game.

In addition, the defensively solid Brandon Belt and the excellent Ben Revere are also highly recommended.

First Base

Eddie Murray is the star of this position. He can be acquired for around 4,000 stubs on the market. He has a high batting average, well-rounded attributes, and solid defense - a first baseman of this caliber for 4,000 stubs.

However, if you don't want to use so many stubs at this position, Ben Revere can also play first base and perform well.

Second Base

Kevin McGonigle is strong on both sides and has excellent clutch ability. His batting catch stats are solid, and he possesses Dead Red and Breaking Ball Hitter traits. His defensive stats are also good, and most importantly, you can acquire him through Spotlight Program. He's definitely a must-have for every MLB The Show 26 player.

However, if you have a budget of around 45,000-50,000 MLB The Show 26 stubs, you can acquire a more worthwhile second baseman - Jimmy Rollins. His value lies in his versatility; he can be played as a second batter, third batter, shortstop, or center field, making him a truly versatile weapon.

Shortstop and Third Baseman

Bobby Witt Jr. is a recently released player. He has solid contact on both sides, consistent hitting power, and his most outstanding attributes are 99 Speed and 99 Steal - overwhelming speed combined with excellent outfield defense. You can use him as a primary third baseman, shortstop, or even move to second base.

Outfield

The only designated left fielder is Ian Happ. He can be obtained through City Skapes Program and is one of the strongest cards in MLB The Show 26; it's difficult to find a more suitable competitor from any perspective.

Center field is directly assigned to Mike Trout. He can also be obtained through Program Spotlight and is widely considered one of the smoothest-playing center fielders in the entire game.

Right field deserves Kris Bryant, who can be obtained through Jackie Robinson Day Program. While his left-handed contact is slightly weaker, his overall ability is quite good.

Also Read: MLB The Show 26: 5 Exploits to Max Your Stubs After the May 8 Roster Update

Designated Hitter

Anthony Santander is the top choice for designated hitter. You can acquire him through Multiplayer Program or by exchanging 5,000 Stubs. His Switch Hitter status, combined with his Breaking Ball Hitter and Rally Monkey traits, makes him a favorite among many players.

If you have a particular need for speed, Corbin Carroll is the best choice. He only requires 9,000 Stubs to obtain. He is very fast, providing a very comfortable running defense experience and disrupting the opponent's offensive rhythm.

Offensive Players

Pitchers

Noah Schultz's dominance in the challenging environment of MLB The Show 26 is terrifying, so I recommend him first. You will probably need 15,000-17,000 MLB The Show 26 Stubs to acquire him.

Emerson Hancock possesses an extremely unpredictable release motion and rhythm - beginners may find this funky release very difficult to adapt to. He can be acquired for approximately 14,000 stubs.

Parker Messick is a highly recommended left-handed pitcher. He can provide a complete combination of fastball, circle change, slider, slurve, and cutter pitches, especially the curve change, which can leave opponents hitting air every time.

Tom Glavine is also highly recommended. He may be limited in high-difficulty games, but in low-difficulty games, his biggest weapons are the 76 mph sweeping curve and 77 mph circle change, combined with a 92 mph sinker, which can always catch opponents off guard.

Clay Buchholz and Hunter Brown are also on the recommended list, while J.R. Richard is a special weapon against opponents who fear high-speed pitches - the combination of fastball, sinker, and cutter is enough to disrupt their offensive rhythm.

Bullpen Pitchers

There are many players worth recommending for this position. Louis Varland and John Franco both performed well; Darren O'Day and Rollie Fingers' unpredictable underground pitching mechanics easily confuse opponents, leading to victories.

Furthermore, Josh Hader, requiring only 5,000 stubs, can deliver "bug-like" pitches, dominating the entire game with his repetitive Two-Seam Fastball.

Eric Gagne and Angel Zerpa can also easily defeat opponents in lower difficulty matches.

This concludes my list of easily obtainable and highly effective players in MLB The Show 26. They can either be acquired through recent events or with relatively few stubs, making them ideal for new players or those with limited stubs. Now, go build a powerful team!

WoW TBC Anniversary Phase 2 is launching in just over a week, and you've probably already made many preparations. However, I still want to emphasize that you shouldn't forget to prepare enough gold, as it's a crucial resource in the game.

However, many players, once they reach the endgame, spend most of their time running dungeons or engaging in PvP, and don't know how to acquire large amounts of gold. Over time, this can easily lead to a gold shortage.

Don't worry, next, I'll introduce three methods I commonly use to quickly obtain large amounts of gold for your reference.

Dungeon Chests

This method is very simple and convenient, allowing you to acquire a large amount of gold in a short time.

First, you need to choose a time when there aren't many players running dungeons, such as a weekday morning. Use any Stealth Class - the most common is Rogue - and enter any low-level dungeon.

Why use a Stealth Class? Because in WoW TBC, Stealth Classes allow you to become invisible to ordinary mobs and remain undetectable once you enter stealth mode.

Therefore, once you enter the dungeon, simply enter stealth mode, bypass all the regular mobs, and head straight to the designated treasure chest spawn points to open them freely. If you are familiar with the map's layout, you can even complete this process within ten minutes.

Note that since each player can only loot the same boss's loot chest once per week, your primary goal isn't to kill the boss and obtain their chest, but to collect other chests on the map.

This method doesn't require high skill, but the rewards are very consistent - each chest will drop several WoW TBC Classic Anniversary Gold and one piece of green or blue quality gear.

Next comes the most important part: don't directly process the green or blue gear you obtain - you'll only get 15-17 gold per piece. The correct approach is to disenchant them all for enchanting materials.

WoW TBC Anniversary's equipment disenchanting function allows you to destroy equipment and convert it into basic materials needed to craft various powerful items, and the value of the resulting materials far exceeds the value of the equipment itself.

Disassembling blue gear (levels 51-60) yields Large Brilliant Shards, which sell for around 20 gold each at Auction House - twice the gold you'd get by giving them to an NPC.

Similarly, for green gear, if Auction House price is below 5 gold, disassemble it and list the materials there; if the price is above 7-10 gold, exchange it for gold with an NPC.

Daily Quests and Raid Attunements

WoW TBC has two often overlooked but extremely stable sources of income: Daily Quests and Raid Attunements.

Daily Quests

Each character can accept 10 daily quests in areas like Shattrath City or the Isle of Quel'Danas. Each completed quest rewards 11-12 gold, for a total of 100-150 gold. With the various items obtained during quests, you can accumulate over 1000 gold in about three days.

However, be careful of some bugs. For example, quests in Blade's Edge Mountains used to only reward 7 gold, while quests in other areas rewarded 11 gold or more.

Blizzard hasn't completely fixed this bug yet, so it's best to carefully observe before accepting quests to avoid losses.

Also Read: WoW TBC Classic Anniversary: 6 Must-Obtain Items to Invest In Before Phase 2 Launches

Raid Attunement

Some new WoW TBC Anniversary players overlook Serpentshrine Cavern Attunement quest. In fact, it provides a huge amount of WoW TBC Classic Anniversary Gold, making it an absolute must-do.

In the current game, Serpentshrine Cavern Attunement quest is primarily obtained from Slave Pens in Heroic Mode. Compared to Tempest Keep Attunement quest, it has a longer prerequisite process - and includes Cipher of Damnation quest chain in Shadowmoon Valley - involving more than 10 quest chains.

Therefore, completing Serpentshrine Cavern Attunement quest will grant you a large amount of experience and reputation, as well as a significant amount of gold.

However, if you don't complete these quests, you won't be able to participate in Serpentshrine Cavern instance, which will also result in a significant loss of gold.

Auction Materials and Potions

As mentioned in the first part, you can exchange materials obtained from disenchanting equipment for gold at Auction House. In fact, experienced WoW TBC players will know that materials obtained from attacking monsters, after some processing, can also be exchanged for a large amount of gold at Auction House.

Firstly, in Outland, elite fire and water elementals can be killed by Hunters or Mages, dropping small particles upon death. Every 10 particles collected can be combined into a raw material in your inventory, which can then be exchanged for gold.

For example, the material Primal Water costs around 20 gold per piece at Auction House. You can kill monsters in places like Silmyr Lake in Terokkar Forest or Elemental Plateau in Nagrand and use the dropped small particles to craft Primal Water. You can usually get dozens of Primal Water in a few hours.

Secondly, you can exchange potions for gold.

With the upcoming WoW TBC Classic Anniversary Phase 2, many players will be tackling various dungeons. Healers and most DPS classes will probably use several stacks of Super Mana Potion per raid, and they'll need to obtain hundreds of Super Mana Potions each night from Auction House.

You need to seize this opportunity and level up your Alchemy to Potion Master level. Then, craft a large quantity of Super Mana Potions and place them on Auction House. Many players will then trade gold for Super Mana Potions with you.

These are my methods for quickly obtaining a large amount of gold. Try them out!

Raiders, ARC Raiders Riven Tides is now live, with some exciting updates including a new map, new mechanics, new items, new ARC enemies, and more. Let's check out the coastline!

Map Location

Riven Tides is located on the west coast of Rust Belt, primarily featuring a beach environment.

The map size feels somewhat unique; it appears smaller than some previous maps on tactical maps, but it still feels quite large when actually running from one end to the other. The core area is compact, with key points concentrated in the interior, making some areas feel smaller.

There are four main POIs: Hotel Panorama Azoro, Customs House, Stacking Yard, and Port Authority Building. Hotel Panorama Azoro and Port Authority Building are high-loot areas, while Stacking Yard and Customs House are medium-loot areas. Other areas also have medium-quality item spawns.

Map Conditions

Standard Map Condition rotation, plus a small Map Condition Beachcombing, and a large Map Condition Night Raid.

As a map-specific Map Condition, Beachcombing introduces a new risk-reward mechanism. Players can use the newly added universal Dockmaster's Detector to scan the sand, with the detector indicating the location of hidden loot through flashing frequencies.

However, the core risk lies in the fact that the most rewarding scan areas are usually exposed on open beaches, forcing players to hide their weapons when searching for ARC Raiders blueprints, making them highly vulnerable to ambushes.

Furthermore, not everything unearthed is valuable; sometimes, players will dig up living ticks or trigger landmines.

In addition, numerous ARC enemies patrol, including flying ARCs, Leapers, Bastions, and Bombarders. Their patrol areas highly overlap, making it easy to encounter too many enemies and be forced to retreat.

New ARC Turbine

Turbine is a brand-new floating ARC shaped like an inverted pyramid, appearing in Beachcombing and Night Raid. Its spawn rate is low under standard Map Conditions.

Its behavior is extremely unique; when undisturbed, it is quiet, docile, and even almost tamed. However, if players interfere, it will activate a brutal self-defense mechanism, severely testing players' reaction speed, patience, and mental fortitude.

The specific characteristics of Turbine and corresponding countermeasures are still being explored by the community.

New Project: Aven Alarm

Aven Alarm is a project about building an alarm network. Its highlight is challenging the pure sacrifice model of traditional projects.

In the first step, Initial Flock Intake, players no longer directly submit supplies, but instead must complete the specific objective of placing bird traps next to the buoys along Seabed in Riven Tides.

Subsequent stages involve collecting various resources such as Tick Pods, Comet Igniters, and Vaporizer Regulators. Completing all five stages will reward players with Legendary items such as Acoustic Guitar.

New Event: Miniature Voyages

This is a new limited-time event that will run until May 25th. Its mechanism is that experience points gained by players in any map are automatically converted into accumulated Merits. To catch up or make rapid progress, players need to search for five different rarities of miniature ship models on Riven Tides map. These typically spawn in various residential areas.

For example, Legendary "Leviathan's Crown" Ship Model provides up to 250 Merits per piece and can be sold for a high price after extraction.

New Items

• Crash Mat: Uncommon Throwable. Reduces fall damage.
• Power Descender: Similar to a jetpack, only slows descent speed.
• Docmaster Detector: Common Gadget. Metal detector, battery powered. When activated, it alerts players to nearby mineable items.
• White Flag: Common Deployable. Signals intentions from a distance or can be used for deception.

Weapon Economy and Wear Mechanism Revolution

Riven Tides has revolutionized the weapon economy. These changes address, to some extent, player complaints from previous versions regarding the mismatch between costs and benefits. For example, Bettina rifle has long been relegated to the sidelines.

Repair on Upgrade

Previously, if a player acquired a worn weapon, repairing and upgrading were two separate processes requiring separate resource investments. In Riven Tides, however, every time a player upgrades a weapon, it immediately restores 25% of its maximum durability.

This alleviates player resource anxiety and transforms upgrades from a pure cost into a means of repair.

The Polarization of Durability Refresh

This is the most controversial design. The average durability of weapons on the map has been drastically reduced from a general 50 points to 30 points, with weapons found in outlying areas sometimes yielding less than 15 points.

Simultaneously, the rate of damage from firing ordinary weapons has skyrocketed by 75%, directly rendering cheap and easily crafted overkill equipment essentially consumables that are barely usable after a few shots.

In contrast, rarer weapons receive preferential treatment in terms of combat lifespan: Epic weapons have a 5% reduced wear rate; Legendary weapons have a 10% reduced wear rate; and the maximum durability of high-quality weapons is also indirectly increased.

This tiered wear system allows high-quality equipment to retain its value in the traditional sense during open-world combat.

Increased PvP Benefits

Additionally, the weapon durability loss of a downed player is reduced from 30% to 15%. This means weapons looted from corpses will be more usable. This measure encourages a focus on PvP gameplay.

Bettina Enhancement

Bettina is one of the weapons that underwent the most significant changes in this weapon tuning update. Specific adjustments include:

• Base Damage: Increased from 14 to 16;
• Base Rate of Fire: Reduced from 285 to 235 ;
• Crossfire and Recoil Optimization: Single-shot spread reduced by approximately 40%, spread recovery rate increased by 30%;
• Damage Increase Against ARC Armor: Additional damage coefficient increased by approximately 30%.

Expedition Window Reform

Expedition window is now open until May 11th. Players can accumulate skill points by dealing total damage and apply to join Expedition. This means that total damage is now the sole criterion for Expedition participation.

Players must deal a cumulative 150,000 damage to any enemy target to obtain all five skill points. This change essentially transforms Expedition from a passive collection competition into a pure test of combat skill.

Whether you're a new player or a seasoned veteran, this new map will definitely bring you a different gaming experience. Log in now!

Hydra Sorcerer can summon elemental turrets that rapidly spew flames at enemies in Diablo 4. Season of Slaughter newly introduced Legendary item, Ophidian Iris, grants Sorcerers an empowered ability, allowing them to summon a massive Hydra capable of explosive attacks.

This top-tier build is ideal for fast farming runs, challenging Uber Bosses, and pushing high-tier difficulties in The Pit!

The final, fully realized version of this Hydra Sorcerer build requires your Sorcerer character to have reached Level 60 and to be equipped with a specific Orsivane loadout configuration.

Strengths and Weaknesses

The primary strength of this build lies in its exceptionally high single-target damage output. Not only does it need less Diablo 4 Gold to entry and is easy to assemble, but it also features a rich array of defensive skills and crowd control tools. Overall, it boasts excellent survivability, making it a safe and effective ranged summoning archetype.

However, please note that Hydra's attack targets cannot be manually controlled, which limits the build's offensive flexibility. Additionally, Area of Effect (AoE) damage provided by Ophidian Iris is relatively small, meaning its effectiveness against large groups of enemies may be somewhat diminished.

Skill Bar and Skill Tree Points

Skill Bar:

• Hydra
• Inferno
• Teleport
• Familiar
• Frost Nova
• Ice Armor

Skill Tree Points:

• Basic: 1/5 Fire Bolt
• Core: 3/3 Elemental Dominance
• Defensive: 2/5 Teleport, 1/5 Ice Armor, 1/5 Frost Nova
• Conjuration: 1/5 Familiar, 5/5 Hydra
• Mastery: 3/3 Inner Flames, 3/3 Devouring Blaze
• Ultimate: 5/5 Inferno
• Key Passive: Esu's Ferocity

This Hydra Sorcerer build requires 71 Skill Points. You will earn 59 of these points through character leveling. The remaining 12 points can be acquired by completing Renown objectives if you are an Eternal Realm player; Seasonal Realm players must earn them by progressing through their Seasonal Rank or Seasonal Journey.

To unlock the subsequent skill clusters in the tree, you must allocate points to Fire Bolt skill; however, it is not necessary to assign Fire Bolt to your active Skill Bar. Sorcerer Class Mechanic–Enchantments.

You must first allocate at least one skill point in your Skill Tree to make a specific skill eligible for your Enchantment Slots. Skill points acquired through equipped items are also valid for this purpose. All Active Skills except for Ultimate Skills can be assigned to your two available Enchantment Slots.

By placing Hydra into your first Enchantment Slot, you can summon two additional Hydras beyond the two you can cast via your active Skill Bar thereby increasing your total summoned count and boosting your overall damage output.

However, Hydras summoned via this Enchantment effect are fixed in their five-headed form; they do not benefit from "Additional Hydra Heads" Tempering affix, nor do they receive the damage bonuses provided by Ophidian Iris.

Assigning Teleport to your second Enchantment Slot grants you "Evade Teleport" effect, significantly enhancing your character's mobility and boosting both your survivability and damage-dealing potential.

Legendary Aspects

Aspects are a crucial system essential for enhancing a character's abilities.First, you should salvage Legendary Items that possess higher Aspect values to extract and record them in your Codex of Power.

This allows you to Imprint these powerful Aspects onto other Legendary Items that feature your preferred affixes, enabling you to create gear combinations perfectly aligned with your ideal Stat Priorities.

I. One-Handed Weapon, Focus, or Gloves.

Storm Swell Aspect

• Effect: While Ice Armor is active, deal 15–35% increased damage; this bonus is increased by an additional 15% against Frozen enemies.

Serpentine Aspect

• Effect: When summoning Hydras, their damage is increased by 0.3–0.5% per point of Mana; casting Hydras consumes all of your Mana.

Flash Fire Aspect

• Effect: Critical Strike Damage of Pyromancy Skills is increased by 25–45%; this bonus is doubled against Healthy targets.

II. Amulet

• Default Aspect: Aspect of Shredding Blades
• Alternative Gear: Ophidian Iris
• Effect: Ice Blades have a +20% chance to make enemies Vulnerable, and Vulnerable duration is increased by 4 seconds; gain 15–35% Vulnerable Damage (this effect applies even if Ice Blades is not equipped).

III. Ring

Ring Slot #1

• Default Aspect: Conceited Aspect
• Alternative Gear: Tal Rasha's Iridescent Loop
• Effect: Deal 10–30% increased damage while you have a Barrier active.

Ring Slot #2

• Default Aspect: Battle Caster's Aspect
• Optional Alternative: Ring of Starless Skies
• Effect: Lucky Hit: When your Conjuration Skills hit, you have a 25–45% chance to increase Rank of that Skill by +1 for 12 seconds, stacking up to 10 times.

IV. Helm

• Default Aspect: Snowveiled Aspect
• Alternative Gear: Harlequin Crest
• Effect: Casting Ice Armor grants you Unstoppable status and provides 200–400 Armor.

V. Chest

• Default Aspect: Aspect of Concentration
• Alternative Gear: Raiment of Infinite / Shroud of False Death
• Effect: Casting a Conjuration Skill grants you 15–25% Damage Reduction for 5 seconds.

VI. Pants

• Default Aspect: Everliving Aspect
• Alternative Gear: Tibault's Will
• Effect: Take [10–30%] less damage from Crowd Controlled or Vulnerable enemies.

VII. Boots

• Aspect: Aspect of Bounding Conduit
• Effect: Teleport's Cooldown is reduced by 3–4.5 seconds; after Teleporting, Crackling Energy hits 2 additional enemies.

Stat Priority and Tempering Affixes

Hydra Sorcerers should prioritize securing their primary Affixes while simultaneously ensuring that Tempering Affixes are applied to their endgame gear; continue re-rolling these Tempering Affixes until they upgrade into Greater Affixes.

For speed-farming runs, a-Handed Weapon paired with a Focus is the recommended gear combination, as Focus provides Cooldown Reduction and results in a faster overall Attack Speed.

Furthermore, a Focus grants additional Maximum Resource capacity, thereby further amplifying the damage bonus provided by Serpentine Aspect.

If your goal is to maximize damage per hit, a Sword is the recommended weapon choice; however, if you prioritize weapon Attack Speed, you may opt for a Wand or Dagger instead.

Uniques and Mythic Uniques

1. Amulet

Ophidian Iris (Recommended)

• Effect: Enables massive Hydras that deal area-of-effect damage.
• Masterworking Priority: Ranks to Primordial Binding

2.Chest

Raiment of Infinite (Recommended)

• Effect: Enables "Telestomp" playstyle togroup and Stun enemies;
• provides Teleport Cooldown Reduction for speed-farming.
• Masterworking Priority: Teleport Cooldown Reduction (speed) or Ranks to Glass Cannon (damage)

Shroud of False Death (Recommended)

• Effect: Grants the highest damage output in Chest slot due to +1 to All Passives implicit stat.
• Masterworking Priority: Resource Generation

3. Rings

Tal Rasha's Iridescent Loop (Recommended)

• Effect: Provides up to a 60% damage multiplier with 3 elemental stacks.
• Masterworking Priority: Cooldown Reduction

Ring of Starless Skies (Optional)

• Effect: Slightly more damage than Legendary Ring for high Pit tiers;
• Legendary Ring preferred for Inferno Cooldown Reduction temper in speed-farming.
• Masterworking Priority: Ranks to Core Skills

4. Helm

Harlequin Crest (Recommended)

• Effect: +4 Ranks to all Skills + Maximum Resource for Serpentine Aspect consumption.
• Masterworking Priority: Cooldown Reduction (faster Teleports) or Maximum Resource (higher damage from Serpentine Aspect)

Crown of Lucion (Optional)

• Effect: Strong alternative if no Harlequin Crest; grants up to 75%[x] increased damage with no downside.
• Masterworking Priority: Cooldown Reduction

5. Pants

Tibault's Will (Recommended)

• Effect: Grants 20%[x] increased damage in a slot that normally does not provide it.
• Masterworking Priority: Critical Strike Chance or All Stats

Season 12 Mechanics

The new mechanics introduced in Season of Slaughter Killstreaks, Bloodsoaked Sigils, and Bloodied Items - can further enhance Hydra Sorcerer's combat capabilities.

First is Killstreak mechanic: whenever you defeat an enemy, your Killstreak count increases. The higher your Killstreak count, the more substantial Experience and Seasonal Reputation rewards you receive.

Bloodsoaked Sigils significantly increase the combat difficulty and loot yield within Nightmare Dungeons, Infernal Hordes, and Lair Boss encounters. Content featuring "Relentless Butcher" Bloodied Affix presents a drastically heightened challenge, so proceed with extreme caution.

Bloodied Items

Throughout Sanctuary, you have the opportunity to loot Bloodied Items and Diablo 4 Gold. Bloodied Items come equipped with additional "Bloodied Affixes" that can synergize with Killstreak mechanic. When playing Hydra Sorcerer build, we recommend prioritizing the pursuit of the following Bloodied Affixes:

• Rampage (Armor): If you haven't yet reached the cap, this should be your top priority; secondary priorities include Attack Speed and Cooldown Reduction.
• Feast (Weapons): Allows you to gain Berserking status effect, thereby boosting both your damage output and mobility.
• Hunger (Jewelry): This Affix does not directly increase your combat power; you may choose to utilize it based on your own personal combat style and preferences.

Build Mechanics

Hydra Sorcerer summons powerful turrets that spew flames to deal damage. The core mechanics of this build include:

• Utilizing Serpentine Aspect consumes a significant amount of Mana, which in turn drastically boosts the damage output of your Hydras. Consequently, you must possess highly efficient Mana recovery capabilities.
• Increasing your Maximum Mana cap—via items such as a Legendary Focus, Harlequin Crest, and Elixir of Resourcefulness II—allows you to maximize the damage bonus provided by Serpentine Aspect.
• Ophidian Iris unique wand increases the attack damage of your "Gigantic Hydra" and causes it to trigger an explosive splash effect upon hitting enemies.
• Casting Ice Armor, Teleport, and Hydra allows you to quickly stack all three required buff layers for Tal Rasha's Iridescent Loop ring.
• By leveraging the special effect of Shimmering Ice Armor specifically by casting Hydra and instantly expending all your Mana you can significantly reduce the cooldown of Ice Armor, thereby enhancing your survivability and facilitating a smooth skill rotation.

Resource Management

• Your Legendary Boots, Helm, and Chest Armor should feature "Mana per Second" affixes.
• Your Legendary Staff and Gloves should feature "Lucky Hit Chance" and "Restore Primary Resource affixes.
• If you experience insufficient Mana regeneration during combat, you can modify your Legendary Ring by swapping out Battle Caster's Aspect for either Aspect of Elemental Acuity or Incendiary Aspect.

Critical Strike Chance

A key feature of Hydra Sorcerer build is the ease with which you can stack your Critical Strike Chance to 100%.

• Base Critical Strike Chance: 5%
• Dexterity: +5%
• Invoked Hydra: +20%
• Esu's Ferocity: +40%
• Conjurer: +15%
• Searing Heat: +15%

Rotation and Playstyle

• Use Teleport or Evade to maneuver rapidly across the battlefield. Cast Inferno to group enemies together.
• Cast Familiar immediately after using any Fire skill to stack the Invoked Familial buff.
• When facing Bosses or Elite enemies, cast Frost Nova to apply Vulnerable status effect, then cast Shimmering Ice Armor to unleash high-burst damage.
• When equipped with Raiment of Infinite, use Teleport directly into the center of enemy packs to group them up and apply Stun effect.
• Cast Hydra while your Mana is at maximum capacity—utilizing Serpentine Aspect—to maximize your damage output.

Please note: You must continuously refresh the duration of Ice Armor to maintain Mana regeneration buff provided by Enhanced Ice Armor.

Elixirs and Incenses

Visit an Alchemist in any major city - or use Diablo 4 Gold - to acquire a variety of useful consumables.

Elixir of Resourcefulness II is the optimal choice for Hydra Sorcerer: it significantly boosts your damage output by synergizing with Serpentine Aspect.

Elixir of Fortitude II can be used to enhance your character's survivability. Sage's Whisper (Core Stats), Song of Mountain (Defense), and Soothing Spices (Resistances) can all be active simultaneously; the additional Armor and Resistances provided by these Incenses are particularly effective at mitigating incoming damage.

Orsivane Build Variant

Orsivane weapon allows you to maximize the damage output of Hydra Sorcerer's endgame build. When Flame Shield, Ice Armor, and Frost Nova are not equipped in your Skill Bar, Orsivane provides a damage bonus of up to 120%.

• Equip Orsivane to replace your existing Legendary Weapon, and remove Storm Swell Aspect from your build.
• Reallocate the 6 Skill Points previously assigned to Ice Armor and Frost Nova to Teleport (3 points), Lightning Spear (1 point), Enhanced Lightning Spear, and Invoked Lightning Spear.
• Reallocate the 2 Skill Points assigned to Hoarfrost node to Permafrost.
• In your Skill Bar, replace Ice Armor and Frost Nova with Lightning Spear and Fire Bolt. Cast Lightning Spear to apply Vulnerable effect.

Now you've mastered all the core secrets of this season's Hydra Sorcerer Build, from Skill Tree Points to Legendary Aspects selection and Season 12 mechanics. Transform yourself into a mobile turret fortress on the battlefield. Now go collect gear and experience the devastating thrill of a giant hydra exploding amidst hordes of enemies!

In Path of Exile, Carrion Golems & Zombies Necromancer is a powerful, all-around summoner build. This build utilizes convocation to stack summons, increasing farming efficiency and allowing you to focus all your damage on a single target.

This build uses Carrion Golems and Zombies to inflict high Poison and Chaos damage. Your farming speed relies on items that produce explosive effects, such as Asenath's Gentle Touch or Cane of Kulemak equipped on Animate Guardian.

Defensively, you'll need high Life Pool, Life Regen, Life Leech, Endurance Charges, Physical Damage Reduction, Energy Shield, continuously increasing Maximum Elemental Resistances, and high attack and spell block chance.

This build doesn't require any uniques to function, but the following items will help you maximize your damage output: Primordial Harmony, Anima Stone, Rational Doctrine, Amanamu's Gaze, and Ashes of Stars.

Next, this guide will provide a detailed breakdown of PoE 3.28 Carrion Golems & Zombies Necromancer build.

Ascendancy

Commander of Darkness is an Aura that increases your own and your summoned creatures' maximum resistances while also dealing damage. It's a good choice in the early game of PoE, but you'll likely replace it later as you can compensate for insufficient damage and resistances with gear.

You don't need any specific stats or resistances; just ensure your total resistances and stats from all your gear meet the requirements. Unless otherwise stated, your maximum resistances must be at least 75%!

Mindless Aggression is chosen because it lies on your next two Ascendancy paths.

Unnatural Strength converts physical damage dealt by your summoned creatures into Chaos damage. This means all your damage sources will be affected by withered on hit and Void Manipulation.

Bone Barrier provides passive health regeneration when your summons deal damage. Additionally, it provides physical damage reduction and significantly improves your summons' survivability.

In the early game of PoE, as your gear gains more resistances, you can reset Commander of Darkness to Mistress of Sacrifice. At this point, replace Flesh Offering with Bone Offering.

In the mid-game, when you have Rational Doctrine, you can reset Respec from Mistress of Sacrifice to Lycia Bloodline Bitter Heresy.

Skills

Before you reach level 4, choose either Rolling Magma or Freezing Pulse as your primary skill. After completing Breaking Some Eggs quest, immediately replace your previous skill with Summon Raging Spirit, and obtain Holy Flame Totem from Nessa as your secondary skill.

Before you reach level 21, unlock Minion Defence Mastery; your minions will die easily. Before obtaining this Mastery, if your minions keep dying, don't waste time resummoning them, but in the meantime, be sure to socket and upgrade your gems.

Around level 46, you will have both Sovereignty and Mana Mastery. Equip and activate Purity of Elements. After that, try to obtain two additional Raise Spectre gems and one Animate Guardian gem. Place them in your weapon swap slot; when they reach level 20, there's a chance to corrupt them to level 21.

Jewel

Upon entering PoE campaign, your primary objective is to find Death Attunement and obtain a Small Cluster Jewel with Enduring Composure notable. Afterward, upgrade Endurance and Stamina as quickly as possible to improve your survivability. Two other important jewels are One Abyss Jewel with Taunt and One Abyss Jewel with Leech.

The key to this build's significant damage boost lies in giving your Minions a 100% chance to poison enemies. For this, you'll need multiple Ghastly Eye Jewels with Minions have Chance to Poison Enemies on hit modifier. Ensure at least one of them also has Minions taunt on hit affix and at least one has Minions Leech of damage as Life modifier.

To further enhance your damage and summon survivability, you'll need the following unique gems:

• 1 Anima Stone
• 1 Primordial Might (If this one is very expensive, get another Harmony)
• 1-3 Primordial Harmony (This reduces the cooldown for your Summon Carrion Golem of Scavenging's skills)
• 1 Primordial Eminence (This becomes less useful later)

You can have other modifiers, but you should prioritize physical damage reduction affixes:

• Obtain 5-6 Valako Shieldbearers to increase your attack block chance.
• Using 5-7 Tattoos of Hinekora Warmonger will improve your Minions' survivability.

Afterwards, you'll need to continue using these jewels and unique items to upgrade your gear level:

• Amanamu's Gaze to massively increase Poison damage your Minions deal.
• Late 8 Passive (Minion Damage, Strength, and Maximum Life)
• Late 12 Passive (Minion Damage, Resistances, and Maximum Life)
• Late 4-5 Passive (Minion Survivability, Minion Leech, and Strength)
• Watcher's Eye (Physical damage reduction and attack block chance)

Because these jewels and items are relatively difficult to obtain, you can choose to acquire them directly using Path of Exile Currency.

This concludes this guide. While Carrion Golems & Zombies Necromancer Build is indeed quite complex, it's undeniably a very strong build in Path of Exile. If you have ample time, you can spend more time studying it; it will surely bring you unexpected rewards. Of course, if you have any further questions, you can also discuss them with each other.

Diablo 4 Season 12:Season of Slaughter, has been out for a while now, and players have likely experienced the new changes. Have you ever wondered if there are any easier ways to complete the game?

This guide will introduce eight useful in-game tips that you might have missed, but they can significantly enhance your gaming experience. Some of these tips aren't even mentioned by the developers and were discovered by players through gameplay.

This article will explain these tips in detail, hoping to better help you conquer Diablo 4 season 12.

Respec

Veteran players know that you have to respec every time the game updates, requiring repeated clicks to assign Respec mode. A simpler method is to use your mouse and keyboard here. Press the control key, and you only need to find the node you want and drag it; it will then place everything there. This will save you a lot of time, eliminating the need to spend 30 minutes clicking a single button.

Mount Speed

Next, I'll talk about Mounts Speed. Open Paragon board, and you'll see that most players have a Cooldown Reduction of 45%, with a maximum of 75%. This Cooldown Reduction affects your Mounts and your Spur Skill. If you remove all Cooldown Reduction gear, and then mount a Mount and use your Spur Skill, you'll find that your Spur duration expires before you can even sustain it.

Therefore, you can equip Cooldown Reduction gear on your helmet, gloves, rings, and amulets, so you don't have to worry about your Mounts' Cooldown Reduction running out. If you want more and better Mounts, you can obtain them from Stable Master using Gold.

Town Portals

Now, let's look at another feature: Town Portals. Suppose you're in a remote area and need to return to town. You'll see a Favorite button above the waypoint. You can click to unfavorite or favorite. If you favorite a waypoint, you can teleport to it, no matter where it is. This feature will be very convenient.

Rune Swap

This tip only applies to DLC. The same weapon cannot have the same Rune socketed on it. If you socket the same Rune on two weapons, the system will not be able to equip that set of gear for you. Similarly, if you socket a Rune on a weapon and also on your pants, the system will not allow you to equip three items simultaneously.

If you cannot switch back to your previous option for some reason, you must ensure you remove Rune. How to easily pick up and place Runes? It's simple: select Rune you need in Socketables and move it to the desired location in Equipped. If you want to change your Rune in the wild, you won't need to travel all the way back to the jeweler and then remove it.

Codex of Power

Next, we'll talk about your gear setup. When creating a new class or build early in the game, when you open Codex of Power, simply type equip, and it will display the attributes of all your equipped items. When you need to check if your attribute level is maxed out or if there are better attributes to equip, you can use this method without having to painstakingly remember every item in your inventory.

Stash Tabs

Stash Tabs are a popular topic of discussion, and everyone wants more. However, if you want to keep your stash organized, there are definitely ways to minimize stash space usage.

You can put items into different stash tabs. This way, when a tab is full, you know you need to check to make sure you really need the items inside. Empty the tab if you don't need it, and add items you'll use later.

Our stash count is limited, so you need stash tabs to help you keep it organized and manage your inventory effectively.

Instant Teleport

Next, we'll talk about Diablo 4 boss battles. You can teleport directly to any boss by simply clicking on any Dungeon. This technique also applies to Nightmare Dungeons. After completing a Dungeon and defeating the boss, you can teleport directly from the current Dungeon to the next one without any Teleporting bar or intervention.

Two more Teleport features you might not know about: First, Pits. If Pits are open, and you and your friends are running dungeons to earn Diablo 4 Gold, you can teleport directly in without waiting for everyone to arrive.

Second, Training Grounds. You can directly click on Training Grounds and teleport there. This is very useful if you don't know where these places are. They contain items like Occultist, Blacksmith, and Armory, making them easy to use.

Party Members Teleport

Now, let's talk about the situation at a party. If you get separated from your friends in a Dungeon and they're ahead, you don't need to keep running around looking for them. You can open the social menu, find your friends, and click Teleport to Party Members button.This will teleport you directly to them, saving a lot of time.

These are 8 tips to enhance your Diablo 4 Season 12 gaming experience. If you have any other interesting gameplay tips, share them with everyone. We hope today's content has been helpful.

Borderlands 4 is renowned for its expansive open world and rich content, but this can also overwhelm new players. Figuring out how to efficiently navigate the vast map and numerous quest options, and acquire valuable resources, is a primary concern.

If you're struggling to find your footing in the game, this guide will outline nine key points for the early stages, helping you get started quickly and embark on your journey to wealth and glory in Kairos.

1. Choose Your Starting Character Wisely

Carefully reviewing the attributes of each Vault Hunter is crucial when starting the game. While reading a lot of text might seem tedious, this step will directly impact your gameplay experience.

There are four starting classes, each with unique strengths. For example, Amon is a typical melee fighter, adept at taking damage and dealing damage with shotguns and powerful melee attacks; while Vex can clone herself to increase damage and distract enemies.

If you're new to Borderlands 4, consider a dedicated character selection guide. Generally, any choice is fine; the key is to choose based on your personal playstyle and preferences.

2. Prioritize Obtaining Digirunner

The game world is vast, and traveling on foot is time-consuming and inefficient. Therefore, completing Down and Outbound main quest to obtain Digirunner as soon as possible is a wise move.

This summonable vehicle not only significantly reduces travel time but also comes equipped with basic weapons, helping you gain the upper hand in dangerous situations.

And if you die in combat, don't worry; spending some Borderlands 4 Money at Reset Machine will respawn you quickly.

Additionally, we recommend not focusing too much on side quests before obtaining Digirunner to maximize overall efficiency.

3. Utilize Fishing System

Fishing is a hidden gem in the game. While exploring Kairos, look for areas with bubbles on the water's surface; these trigger simple fishing mini-games.

Each fishing attempt can yield random-quality weapons, grenades, and other useful items. While not guaranteed to yield high-value rewards every time, it's an excellent way to supplement your early-game equipment.

4. Storage Deck Upgrades

In the early game, you'll quickly accumulate a large amount of weapons, ammo, and items, so your inventory space will easily become full.

Use Storage Deck Upgrades menu to prioritize expanding your inventory capacity using upgrade modules obtained from missions. This allows you to experiment with different weapon combinations more flexibly.

Then, increase your ammo capacity based on your most frequently used weapon types to ensure sustained combat capability.

5. Master Alt Fire

Every gun in the game has a unique Alt Fire function, such as switching ammo types, deploying an energy shield, or increasing fire rate. These functions are usually displayed below the ammo counter in HUD.

Actively experimenting with different modes will deepen your understanding of the weapon system and significantly enhance your tactical versatility.

6. Utilize Jetpack Effectively

You'll receive a Jetpack early in the game. It's not only a tool for traversing terrain, but also provides significant advantages in combat.

For example, hovering can dodge melee attacks, the dash function allows for quick movement and rushing towards enemies, and aerial attacks deal extra damage to ground targets.

Mastering the combination of dashing and combat skills will allow you to handle complex combat situations with ease.

7. Equip Action Skills Promptly

When you level up and allocate skill points in Vault Hunter's skill tree, you need to manually equip one of the character's three active skills in the skill menu. This also applies to Capstone skills, they need to be manually selected after unlocking them in the skill tree.

These Action Skills are the core of Vault Hunter, significantly altering the combat rhythm, but the system doesn't automatically activate them. Remember to manually equip them promptly.

Additionally, if you want to level up quickly or re-equip skills due to incorrect skill point allocation, spending BL4 Cash at Skill Point Reset Machine will help you achieve this!

Also Read: Borderlands 4 Best Vault Hunter Skill Trees Ranked - Most Powerful Builds

8. Replay Missions For Additional Rewards

The developers introduced a system in Borderlands 4 that allows players to replay completed missions for additional rewards. To quickly accumulate weapons, skill points, or BL4 Cash early in the game, switch to Replay menu in Missions section of the mission menu.

Note that some missions cannot be replayed, but there are plenty of other missions that offer substantial rewards and experience. Prioritize missions with generous rewards to maximize your gains!

9. Start Your Side Quest Journey With Abduction Injunction

If you're looking for a fun and engaging side quest to start with, Abduction Injunction is a great choice. This quest is located near your first safehouse and is triggered by talking to Wildhorn Jenny.

During this quest, you'll explore Coastal Bonescape region, familiarize yourself with the game mechanics, and encounter other side quests. It's an ideal way for players to experience early-game exploration, combat, and story elements.

While the open world of Borderlands 4 can be overwhelming, by focusing on these nine points - from character selection and movement efficiency to resource management and tactical development - you'll quickly establish a game rhythm, gain advantages efficiently, and lay a solid foundation for exploring the exciting world of Kairos.

Remember, mastering the game systems is more important than aimlessly exploring. We wish you a rewarding adventure in Kairos!