Eggy Party, a casual party game, has been a smash hit since its release, receiving widespread acclaim from players. Its mobile-first design, physics-based gameplay, and easy-to-learn multiplayer competitive mode set it apart in the highly competitive party platformer genre.

The developers predict the game will remain popular for at least ten years. What gives them such confidence? This article will analyze Eggy Party in detail to see how it achieved such success.

About Eggy Party

Eggy Party is NetEase Games' foray into the competitive party platformer genre. However, unlike other competitive games, it emphasizes entertainment over competition. Its core gameplay is racing and obstacle course completion, but it also incorporates social interaction, map editing, and various casual gameplay elements, creating a freely explorable egg-shaped universe.

Players control customizable egg-shaped characters, leading them through increasingly difficult obstacle courses filled with physics-based obstacles, moving platforms, and environmental traps.

The core gameplay revolves around defeating opponents through clever navigation and quick reflexes. Each round eliminates players until only one egg remains as the victor. Lacking the seriousness of traditional competitive games, it has a low barrier to entry and is perfect for short bursts of relaxation.

Unique Features

The game's unique feature is its mobile-optimized controls. It perfectly transfers the precise controls of platforming to touchscreen devices while maintaining cross-platform compatibility with the Nintendo Switch. This ensures players can easily join the game regardless of their device, creating a diverse competitive environment.

Eggy Party is more than just simple jumping and running; it's a strategic challenge. Players must consider the size of each egg-shaped character as they jump across rotating platforms or navigate narrow passages suspended above the elimination zone, or they risk being knocked off.

The character controls are very simple, consisting of running, jumping, rolling, and diving. Even young children can easily pick it up, but experienced players can also create intricate and varied gameplay. Because during your journey, you'll encounter some hilarious gadgets, such as ink bombs, freeze bombs, and spring-loaded fists, which you can use to distract opponents or aid yourself.

This meticulously designed gameplay creates a comical and chaotic scene as hordes of egg-shaped characters tumble, bounce, and scramble through the levels. The tracks are diverse, with constantly changing obstacle configurations keeping the competition fresh. Some of the levels include:

• Spinning hammer gauntlets
• Disappearing platform sequences
• Slippery slope challenges
• Moving wall mazes
• Team-based cooperative sections

The game uses an elimination system, gradually reducing the number of participants as players fail or fall behind in obstacle courses. As the track difficulty increases, the number of remaining players decreases, forcing them to maintain speed and accuracy in a tense atmosphere until a single winner emerges.

Beyond its classic levels, Eggy Party constantly innovates, introducing various mini-games like Fright Night Escape and Crazy Farm, enriching the gameplay. Sometimes you might find yourself playing for an entire afternoon without even realizing it.

Character Customization and Visual Identity

Eggy Party employs vibrant colors and a lighthearted art style, prioritizing fun over realism. The game's character design is ingenious, based on eggs and allowing for player customization. Players can use Eggy Party Eggy Coins to dress up their egg-shaped characters with themed outfits, accessories, and color schemes. This personalization system encourages player expression and enhances the game's enjoyment.

Meanwhile, the player's main base, Egg Island, is itself a giant playground, offering non-mandatory interactive facilities such as a Ferris wheel, trampolines, and soccer games, allowing players to fully enjoy the game in Eggy Party, as if living in a dream kingdom.

Furthermore, the game uses bright, saturated candy colors and exaggerated animations, clearly conveying game information even during intense multiplayer battles. Environmental hazards are highlighted through unique visual cues, while successfully avoiding them earns celebratory animation rewards, providing positive feedback.

The rounded characters and rich special effects, coupled with upbeat electronic music background music, establish its trendy and fun style, attracting a large number of teenage players.

Multiplayer Competition and Social Features

Eggy Party features a multiplayer mode that supports dozens of players simultaneously, creating the tense atmosphere unique to battle royale games. The matchmaking system pairs players of similar skill levels, but the physics-based gameplay also introduces enough unpredictability, allowing novice players to sometimes defeat experienced opponents with lucky bounces or precise jumps.

Furthermore, you can team up with friends for multiple rounds. Unlike traditional team-based games with strong objectives, Eggy Party emphasizes a relaxed and enjoyable competitive atmosphere rather than hardcore skill requirements. It doesn't stress division of labor, reducing the likelihood of blame-shifting, making it particularly suitable for casual gaming and social entertainment.

Each round is very short, lasting only a few minutes, satisfying players' needs for short bursts of entertainment. It's like a short get-together with friends.

In short, this egg waffle-themed game brings players a lot of fun, testing both their skills and their ability to handle chaotic situations. It allows players to relax more during short breaks, like an online playground, successfully breaking free from the framework of traditional platformer games. I sincerely hope this game continues to improve.

The new enemy, ARC Turbine, makes its debut in ARC Raiders Riven Tide update, along with Riven Tide map.

ARC Turbine is a formidable machine, floating above Rust Belt, heavily armored and equipped with an electrified defense system.

Many players might naively believe that simply rushing in with a Deadline sniper rifle or a few Wolfpacks will easily eliminate it. But if you think that, you're sorely mistaken. Let me show you how to safely and efficiently take down this ARC machine.

How to find it?

Initially, ARC Turbine will be concentrated near the docks on Riven Tide map, traversing the skies. With future updates to ARC Raiders Riven Tide, it may also appear in other areas or maps. Although these ARC Turbines are massive, they move remarkably silently, drifting across the map, so you'll need to search carefully.

ARC Turbine appears some time after the start of the match, typically falling from the sky and flipping to slow its descent when there are 12-16 minutes remaining. If you want to kill ARC Turbine, be patient and wait until the last 15 minutes before looking for it. You might encounter multiple turbines in a game, but the probability seems low. However, it's also possible that it won't spawn at all.

How to defeat it?

Weapon selection

First, you should definitely bring a Hullcracker IV. Hullcracker is a special pump-action grenade launcher whose ammunition explodes upon hitting ARC Turbine, making it the best weapon for killing this ARC. If you have Kinetic Converter attachment, you can also equip it, which increases Hullcracker IV's DPS.

Alternatively, you can also choose to bring a legendary weapon, such as Equalizer or Jupiter. Equalizer helps you achieve consistent damage output, possessing ARC's extremely high armor penetration. Jupiter also boasts exceptional ARC armor penetration, and its projectiles have virtually no drop, easily hitting targets even at long range, allowing for quick destruction of large ARCs.

Countermeasures

Once you find an ARC Turbine, breaking through its thick armor is no simple task. Unlike other flying ARCs, this ARC Turbine lacks any visible glider support. It is a cone-shaped aircraft covered in a thick layer of armor. While hovering in the air, you cannot damage it.

ARC Turbine not only possesses extremely high defensive capabilities but also formidable offensive power. Once attacked, it will fire a cluster of missiles, attacking you while gliding.

The missiles trigger a lightning strike very shortly after hitting a unit. This attack not only deals extremely high damage but also stuns the attacker, similar to the effect of lightning. While waiting for it to land, you need to maintain distance and find suitable cover! It's always wise to take cover before a missile hits you.

Furthermore, ARC Turbine sometimes pauses its erratic drifting and instead lays a small patch of mines directly below. These mines are scattered throughout the area and will activate and explode within a 10-meter radius. So you can get within 10 meters of these mines, but any closer and they will explode, causing minor damage; therefore, you should never walk right past them.

Subsequently, cracks will appear in its thick armor, indicating that the machine is about to crash to the ground. ARC Turbine's weak point is its rotating yellow fuel tanks, which can only be seen through the gaps left by the landing gear when it is on the ground. You must wait until it lands, exposing its central core. You only have a brief time to attack it before it takes off again.

However, be aware that even in this state, it can still fire cluster lightning bolts into the air, which will then strike you from above, causing explosive damage; therefore, you must be extremely careful when attacking. After dealing some damage to ARC Turbine, it will crash to the ground.

Its outer armor will be exposed, making it easier to inflict significant damage on this bulky ARC. You must hasten, as it won't remain in this state indefinitely. We recommend using all your items while it's down to maximize your damage output. This is a tough enemy to deal with, and cooperating with other players is a wise choice.

Loot

After defeating it, you can try to obtain valuable materials from its internal metal structure. The most important loot is Turbine Compressor, the material used to craft the new Powered Descender. You can craft it at Utility Station 3 using a Power Rod and a Turbine Compressor when you have ARC Raiders Powered Descender Blueprint.

Powered Descender is a very interesting new movement item in ARC Raiders' Riven Tide update, allowing you to safely land from heights in any situation. Its flight distance is limited, allowing you to descend approximately 15 meters in the air until it runs out of fuel. Its charging method is similar to that of ordinary flying items. You can jump from a prominent place like a space launch tower and, if you time it right, activate the thrusters before landing; this will allow you to land safely.

However, this requires some skill because fuel is limited, and you need to activate it to build up thruster energy. If you only activate it just before landing, you will still take full damage. Its mobility isn't great. It only allows you to glide safely to the ground, not to flash in the air, but it's still a very effective way to land from a height. It's also an item needed for Phase 5 of Avian Alarm Project.

These are the key points for taking down ARC Turbine. It's not an opponent that can be suppressed by firepower alone; you need patience, and the right equipment and effective strategy are the keys to victory. Work with your teammates, watch its landing time, and focus your attacks; you can take down the valuable Turbine Compressor.

What Lies Dreaming is the fourth main mission in the first story DLC for Borderlands 4, Mad Ellie and Vault of the Damned.

The core of this mission is entering Vault of the Damned deep within Whispering Glacier. The process includes exploring a destroyed ship, restoring power, and dealing with ambushes. Upon completion, you will receive experience points, Borderlands 4 Money, Eridium, and a green or blue assault rifle.

The mission is divided into four stages. This guide will walk you through each step of What Lies Dreaming, providing a detailed completion walkthrough:

• 1. Reach Storm
• 2. Reach Ship
• 3. Reach Engine Room
• 4. Defeat Colonel Crash

1. Reach Storm

The core of this stage is reaching the red storm area in Maelstrom. To get there, you need to traverse a snow-covered wasteland, following the marker at the top of the screen. As you get closer to the red storm area, you'll realize that direct entry is not possible.

At this point, Captain Willis's voice will appear in the communication, warning you not to proceed. You then need to change direction and follow the red spiked passage on the right side of the storm to the stern of a crashed ship. One end of the ship is embedded in the storm, forming a natural passageway inside.

After passing through the passage, you will see the wreckage of a ship. One end of the ship is inside the storm, and the other end is outside, so you can enter the storm via the ship.

There are multiple routes to the ship, some faster, but the core objective is to reach the stern at the bottom of the map. As you approach the ship, you will see a long bridge; simply cross it to board the ship.

2. Reach Ship

While crossing the long bridge leading to the ship, you will encounter a large Thresh O' War, which deals Cryo damage and has two health bars. It is recommended to use Borderlands 4 Items with Corrosive attribute and high-explosive homing missiles to deal with it, such as Darkbeast, Disc Jockey, and Swarm.

After eliminating the enemies, enter the ship's entrance and find Ellie. Help her eliminate the five surrounding enemies, then talk to Ellie. Scan the three green-glowing weak points on the ship's hull (the third is in a hole in the side wall). Locate them and destroy the vent to enter.

Turn to face the ship and approach the most damaged area on the side of the hull. As you approach the hatch, a prompt will appear. Once ready, press the button displayed on the screen to begin scanning - the specific button depends on your controller.

After scanning the first weak point, turn right to scan the next one; then move left along the hull to scan the last weak point. Unlike the first two, this weak point is not on the outside of the hull, but hidden in a large cave on the side.

Enter the cave and scan the vent to find the entrance. Quickly destroy the vent to enter the cargo hold. Use the grappling hook on the central mechanical device in the cargo hold to climb to the upper level. Defeat the enemies lurking on the upper level, then use the control panel to try to open the cargo door.

Unfortunately, there's no power available right now. Turn around and find the circuit breaker - it's located in the cargo hold control room.

The control room is on the south edge of the cargo hold. To enter, go up the stairs on the left side of the control room and pull the handle on the control panel on the wall to activate the first breaker. The second circuit breaker is near the computer in the corner of the room.

Once power is restored, you can enter the upper control room. Have Ellie go in with you and eliminate the enemies that have been attracted there.

You and Ellie are successfully reunited, and the enemies are defeated. Follow her to the control room in the center of the room. After reviewing the ship's blueprints, Ellie sets a plan: the first step is to find the cryogenic storage area.

Climb the collapsed pillar on the right side of the control room to reach the upper level, then follow Ellie to the elevator - but the elevator is out of power.

Fortunately, you're already an expert at restoring power. There's a power core on the other side of the room. To get it, you need to use the robotic arms that span the room - the storage boxes they're holding form a makeshift bridge.

Cross the bridge to retrieve the core, return to the elevator to install it, and then protect Ellie from enemy attacks while she adjusts the control panel. After clearing the enemies, the elevator is finally usable.

Take the elevator up and follow Ellie into the cryogenic chamber room. Give her the Keystone Fragment obtained from defeating Crazy Earl. Hold onto the handrail and enter the illusion.

3. Reach Engine Room

When you return to reality, Ellie is gone. You need to search for her in the corridor and collect as much loot as possible to prepare for the upcoming battle. Once you notice strange organic matter appearing on the ship's hull, you're on the right track.

Continue forward to find the vent, break it, and crawl into the passage. Follow the mission marker to a room, jump down, and clear enemies along the corridor.

Finally, you'll encounter a door that requires the energy core to open. Turn around and enter the opposite dormitory. Climb through the small hole on the right to retrieve the core, then return to the entrance to activate the door. After passing through the door, climb the ladder in the center of the room, enter the vent again, sneak into the next room, and follow the corridor to the engine room.

The engine room is teeming with enemies. First, take out the regular Dahl soldiers, then deal with the large man in saturated protective suits. He's heavily armored, his health bar is yellow-blue, and his defenses can be easily broken with corrosive and electric damage. After defeating Dahl, Ellie will contact you via communicator; she's safe and sound, so you can continue.

The next objective is the main control room to activate the switch and engine overdrive. Follow the marker to the control panel in the center of the room. After completing the first step, you'll still need a keycard. Turn right with your back to the control panel, find another vent, break it, and jump down to enter another room full of enemies.

After clearing the enemies, follow the marker to a narrow platform above red liquid. The keycard is on the left beam. Pick it up, climb the stairs on the right, then climb the ladder back to the main room. Insert the keycard into the control panel to activate the engine overdrive.

Turn around and use the grappling hook to retrieve the spark plug above, then turn around again and use the grappling hook to start the engine on the ceiling.

Once the engine is running, go to the other side of the room and pull the control panel lever to unlock the path ahead. Head to the newly opened door in the rear right corner and begin searching for Ellie. You'll encounter enemies along the way and then return to the outside of the ship. Jump over the metal platform and crawl into the cabin through another hole on the side of the hull.

Turn right, and you'll see Ellie on the other side, but the gap is too wide to jump across. Look to the lower right - there's a pile of rubble. Break it to get a speed booster. Scan the speed booster to learn its function, then follow the yellow cable extending from it to find and destroy the power regulator. Next, pull the lever on the left side of the room to activate the jump pad. Finally, use the jump pad on the right to leap across to the other side.

Find Ellie in the ship's corridor and go through the door she opened. There are two vending machines on the right side of the room. Jump down through the hole at the back of the room and follow Ellie to the operations room. Someone is waiting for you there: Colonel Crash.

4. Defeat Colonel Crash

Colonel Crash is the final boss of Borderlands 4 What Lies Dreaming Quest, possessing two health bars: blue and red. Prioritize blue targets and use electric damage to counter them; after defeating the boss, only the red health bar will remain, which can be dealt with using burning damage. It's best to prepare both types of damage.

During the fight, be aware of the following attacks: The long-range red laser will first shoot towards the back of the room, then sweep twice horizontally; you can avoid this by hiding behind control panels. Afterward, he will summon multiple stationary lasers to restrict movement.

The boss will teleport and leap, disappearing as a red ball, reappearing about a second later and causing a purple explosion that deals extremely high damage. He can also summon some floating heads that will disappear on their own after a while; it's recommended to focus on dodging these and attacking the boss. His flamethrower has a small range; maintaining distance will prevent damage.

Your advantage lies in the control panels around the room - use them wisely as cover, otherwise they will hinder your movement; make sure to turn disadvantages into advantages.

After completely defeating Colonel Crash, take the keycard and meet up with Ellie. Open the door, listen to Moxxi scold Ellie, and then enter the bridge. Continue onward to find Moxxi and retrieve the Echo Log from a corpse covered in organic matter. Finally, pull the lever to blast open the breaching door and reveal the vortex.

This completes the What Lies Dreaming quest. After completing the quest, keep an eye out for the unlocked side quest, Summoner's Gift, which can be accepted from Belle in the Crooked Teeth area. The reward is a green or blue rarity SMG and a Vault Hunter head skin.

Hopefully, this guide will help you easily complete Borderlands 4 What Lies Dreaming quest and claim your rewards.

The loot drops in ARC Raiders Buried City Town Hall room seem to follow a pattern. A few days ago, I stumbled upon this room and something very strange happened: I found more than one rare blueprint in each container, including VITA blueprint I'd always wanted. As I continued looting, I even found some epic weapons.

This single looting session yielded me items worth nearly 100,000. After that, I tried entering Town Hall room again a few times during night raids. While the loot was far less than before, at least I had weapons as a safety net.

This suggests that the item spawns in Town Hall room seem to follow a pattern. For example, there's a limit to the number of Tier 3 weapons that can spawn, and the spawn count doesn't vary much each time.

After accumulating a large number of keys, I decided to explore more thoroughly. Here are my conclusions.

Resource Generation

Specifically, during night raids, we can usually obtain at least three to four Tier 3 weapons; I haven't exceeded that number yet. I've decided to try a few more times, as this is a fairly large key room.

In my experience, the containers that spawn each time look pretty much the same. If you're lucky, you might get a regular container; with even better luck, you might find a suitcase or a grenade crate. Sometimes, a weapon crate and a grenade crate will spawn at the same time. This time we found a grenade crate with an initial value of 19,000.

Unsurprisingly, it was filled with all sorts of grenades. We also found an Osprey 3 in the suitcase. From my experience, the key room in City Hall usually spawns three to four Tier 4 weapons-whether it's a night raid or a Hurricane assault, the situation is very similar. I think the spawn patterns for these two modes are very similar.

Fixed Spawn Point - Hurricane Assault

ARC Raiders Buried City Town Hall has three floors, each with its own specific function.

The first-floor lobby contains Grenade Cases and Chests of Drawers; the second floor has Medical Bags, Drawers, and a refrigerator; and the third floor has Weapon Cases, Security Breach Lockers, Red Industrial Cabinets, Breachable Computer Cabinets, and Chests of Drawers again.

Items occasionally appear on chairs in the rooms, a more common occurrence during night raids than daytime raids. While containers rarely spawn in certain locations, the types of items they contain are generally similar. The medkit, however, frequently appears in the same spot.

Next, enter the main room on the first floor. The container rarely spawns, but its contents are generally the same. Items can occasionally be found on the table; this time I got a Wolfpack, which was quite a good find.

As for the drawers, they are filled with various items, including junk, but you might also find medical supplies or grenades. Overall, the most valuable ARC Raiders Items you can find here are usually Wolfpacks, Noisemakers, VA sprays, and VA injections.

If your backpack is full, you'll have to deal with lower-value items, usually ammunition.

Therefore, I recommend bringing a Mark 2 pickup truck or a Mark II pickup truck with caution, so you can get more valuable items. If possible, it's best to only carry one low-value item, like a water bottle, which you can discard after finding a weapon.

I've already found my second level 3 weapon on the second floor of Buried City Town Hall, so I estimate I can find two more.

Upstairs, there are more containers that might spawn; occasionally you can find items here, and if you're lucky, even weapons. This room doesn't usually spawn much, but the spawn rate is much higher during night raids and Hurricane mode.

Here I found another Wolfpack, next to a medium shield, but unfortunately I couldn't pick it up, so I'm going to pick up a piece of durable cloth. Most of the items in this room are here, plus a small grenade trap. As you can see, no matter how you farm, the loot is roughly the same each time.

You'll get a lot of trinkets, a lot of grenades, a lot of medical supplies, and frankly, a lot of junk too. The most valuable items are three to four Tier 4 weapons, and with good luck, you might even get three to four purple weapons. Next most valuable are epic healing items and grenades.

It's worth noting that I saw an ammo box and a volcano-themed weapon case here. However, neither is particularly valuable; weapon cases found in ARC Raiders loot room might be more valuable. A second weapon case will also spawn here, potentially allowing you to get a third Tier 3 weapon.

Night Raid

In the normal Town Hall loot pool, Tier 4 weapons are already rare drops. In Night Raid, the spawn rate of high-tier weapons increases significantly.

In ARC Raiders weapon tier system, Tempest and Anvil are both top-tier S-class weapons. Tempest is considered one of the best assault rifles by players, tied for S-class with Bettina, but due to its rarity and high crafting requirements, it's usually used by experienced players.

Anvil is a hand cannon-type pistol that uses heavy ammunition, known for its high single-shot damage and relatively low crafting cost. It's effective against ARC bots and also suitable for targeting enemy players.

These high-value weapons are inherently difficult to obtain, and night raids are the best time to search for them. Guides indicate that City Hall not only spawns high-tier weapons like Tempest, Anvil, and Wolfpack during night raids, but also significantly increases the spawn rate of rare blueprints.

For example, Looting Mk.3 (Survivor), an epic backpack-type Augments ARC Raiders Blueprint, typically only appears in high-tier indoor loot pools during night raids, and City Hall is one of the high-priority areas where it might spawn.

What about daytime raids? I've tried it, and it consistently yields between 60,000 and 80,000 damage per run, but it's far less profitable than Hurricane or night raids; you'll likely only find level 2 weapons at most.

Therefore, if you're planning to scavenge for supplies in the key room of Buried City Hall in ARC Raiders, it's best to choose Hurricane mode or a night raid. This will result in a much richer loot reward, and you might even find a rare blueprint like I did.

Phase 2 is finally here! Blizzard just announced that WoW The Burning Crusade Anniversary Phase 2 will launch on May 14th, a full month from now. Not this week, not even this month; all previous predictions and forecasters were completely wrong.

The delay isn't disappointing, given the rushed development schedule of The Burning Crusade. We can use this full month to better experience the existing content, complete dungeon quests, reach our ideal PvP rank in the arena, prepare for Phase 2, and choose your preferred way to wait for its arrival. Hopefully, the delay will bring us a better gaming experience.

Next, we'll provide a detailed breakdown of the new dungeons and factions in TBC, Druids Swift Flight Form, and Phase 2 PvP ranking strategies to help you stay ahead in Phase 2.

New Raid

Two new raids coming to The Burning Crusade Phase 2. These two raid instances are Serpentshrine Cavern, located in Coilfang Reservoir, and Tempest Keep - The Eye, located in Netherstorm, adjacent to Botanic Gardens and Arcatraz. Each new raid instance will introduce newly upgraded gear and Tier 5 sets.

Serpentshrine Cavern has six encounters, culminating in Lady Vashj, who drops Vashj's Vial Remnant, required for Phase 3. Tempest Keep - The Eye has four bosses, but Kael'thas Sunstrider is just as complex as Lady Vashj, with five phases. Most guilds aim to clear two raid instances per week to maximize their Tier 5 set token acquisition.

Both instances require an attunement to enter, so if you haven't completed it yet, start now. Serpentshrine Cavern attunement is quite simple. Starting with Heroic Slave Pens, you need to accept the quest from Skar'this the Heretic, then kill Nightbane and Gruul to collect two marks. Returning the marks completes the introductory quest.

Tempest Keep - The Eye attunement is more complex. You begin with Cipher of Damnation questline in Shadowmoon Valley, completing four trials of Naaru, including the timed Heroic Shattered Halls challenge and protecting Millhouse Manastorm in Heroic Arcatraz, culminating in the defeat of Magtheridon. Completing both questlines grants Champion of Naaru title and access to raid instances.

Currently, Heroic difficulty raids remain at their pre-nerf levels; they are still challenging and difficult. Entry to both raids requires completing a lengthy questline, each potentially taking several days to complete. I recommend following the quest guide step-by-step to save significant time.

Druids Swift Flight Form

In WoW TBC Phase 2, each Druid requires 10 Ancient Lichen and 10 Dreaming Glory to unlock their Swift Flight Form. Druids transform into their flight form at an additional 280% speed, matching players with Swift Flying Mounts. This will be the best idle skill for Druids to use for analysis and leveling.

So, if you're a Druid, start stocking up on the materials you need now. These materials will definitely increase in price after Phase 2 launches, so remember to find your nearest Druid trainer and get your own Swift Flight Form!

New Professional Recipes

Phase 2 will introduce many new Professional Recipes, but they all seem to be related to Leatherworking, Blacksmithing, or Tailoring. If you're a crafter related to these Professional Recipes, enjoy acquiring and crafting these awesome new recipes! Phase 2 primarily focuses on these three professions, with subsequent phases introducing more recipes applicable to all professions. Additionally, a new cooking recipe called Fisherman's Feast may be released after Phase 2.

New Factions and Their Reputation

The two new factions added in WoW TBC Phase 2 are Ogri'la and Sha'tar Skyguard. Both are considered minor factions because their reputation isn't crucial for game progression, and the rewards aren't particularly attractive.

Ogri'la are a faction of ogres that have evolved a savage nature. They reside in the Blade's Edge Mountains, accessible only from Flying Mount. Their reputation rewards include mid-level potions, blue-quality gear, and a small amount of purple-quality gear. Ogri'la quests are a good option when you've experienced everything else and just want something extra to do.

Next is Sha'tar Skyguard, who are much more interesting than those clever ogres. Sha'tar Skyguard is Shattrath's air force, stationed in Terokkar Forest and Blade's Edge Mountains. Their reputation is easier to raise, and WoW TBC Classic Anniversary Gold rewards are more generous. The main attraction of this faction is Nether Ray Mount rewards at Exalted.

New PvP Arena

The Burning Crusade Phase 2 will also reset PvP Arena progress and introduce some new and better PvP gear. All your win/lose records will be archived, and any rankings achieved in the arena will be completely reset. A brand new season is about to begin.

A new version of Gladiator gear will be released, obtainable with Arena Points. Furthermore, all season 1 Gladiator gear, previously obtain only with Arena Points, can now be obtained with Honor Points.

So, if you want Season 1 Gladiator set and weapons, start grinding Honor Points now. You'll need more than the 75,000 Honor Point cap. The good news is that Blizzard has increased the honor point acquisition speed in battlegrounds by a full 10 times. It's now much easier to max out honor points than before.

In Season 1, everyone starts at 1500 in the arena, but the old MMR formula is still used. I hope Blizzard will make some adjustments to the arena point acquisition formula or the entire mechanism.

That's the main content for the upcoming WoW TBC Phase 2 on May 14th. Now, all we can do is prepare. Hurry up and complete the long attunement, stockpile the materials you need, and get ready for Phase 2.

MLB Show 26 2nd Inning Program officially launches on April 10th and runs until May 8th, 2026.

Not only do you get two Baseball Hall of Famers as Boss Choice Pack rewards, but there are also tons of MLB The Show 26 stubs, bundles, player cards, and many other rewards.

Let's see how to quickly complete 2nd Inning Program and accumulate XP to earn rewards!

How to Complete Program?

As in previous years, players simply need to play any game mode in MLB The Show 26 to earn XP.

Players who obtain two 1st Inning Program Boss cards can lock both cards and receive a 30,000 XP bonus in the second inning. In addition, there are drop missions similar to those in the first inning, which will be released in the coming weeks.

The following missions were launched on April 10th:

Earn a total of 500 PXP (2,500 XP) using Cornerstone series players.

Earn 20 runs in Conquest mode at any difficulty (3,500 XP).

Earn a total of 50 bases in Weekend Classic mode and/or ranked singles/co-op mode (5,000 XP).

Hit a total of 15 home runs in any difficulty and any game mode (5,000 XP).

Strike out 50 batters at any difficulty (5,000 XP).

Notably, obtaining either of the two Multiplayer Bonus Eggs from Egg Hunt Program will grant an additional 1,000 XP.

XP and Corresponding Rewards

After reaching 500,000 XP, players will receive a random reward for every 30,000 XP earned.

• 3,000XP MLB The Show 26 pack
• 7,500XP World Baseball Classic Gold Pack
• 12,500XP MLB The Show 26 pack
• 17,500XP 500 Stubs
• 22,500XP MLB The Show 26 pack
• 30,000XP 500 Stubs
• 37,500XP MLB The Show 26 pack
• 45,000XP World Baseball Classic Gold Pack
• 55,000XP Deluxe WBC Pack
• 62,500XP MLB The Show 26 pack
• 70,000XP Ballin' is a Habit Pack
• 77,500XP 750 Stubs
• 85,000XP World Baseball Classic Gold Pack
• 92,500XP MLB The Show 26 pack
• 100,000XP MLB The Show 26 pack
• 110,000XP World Baseball Classic Gold Pack
• 120,000XP 750 Stubs
• 130,000XP MLB The Show 26 pack
• 140,000XP 91 OVR 2nd Half Rick Ferrell
• 155,000XP 750 Stubs
• 175,000XP MLB The Show 26 pack
• 195,000XP Headliners Pack 3
• 215,000XP MLB The Show 26 pack
• 235,000XP 1,000 Stubs
• 255,000XP MLB The Show 26 pack
• 275,000XP 92 OVR Standout Bobby Doerr
• 295,000XP MLB The Show 26 pack
• 315,000XP Ballin' is a Habit Pack
• 335,000 XP World Baseball Classic Premier Pack
• 355,000 XP MLB The Show 26 Pack
• 400,000 XP 1,500 Stubs
• 425,000 XP Deluxe New Threads Pack
• 450,000 XP MLB The Show 26 Pack
• 475,000 XP 2,000 Stubs
• 500,000 XP 2nd Inning Boss Choice Pack

Boss Introduction

There are two mini-bosses before reaching 500,000 XP: Rick Ferrell and Bobby Doerr.

Rick Ferrell

Maybe new name to most, Rick Ferrell suddenly appeared with a stunning debut card. As a pure catcher, Ferrell boasts amazing offensive Contact, Vision, and Clutch ratings. He hails from Boston Red Sox.

Against right-handed pitchers, his power is slightly above average, while against left-handed pitchers it's almost zero. His gold fielding improves to diamond fielding (90+ in a single attribute) in Parallel 5.

Rick Ferrell debuted as #3 Catcher in Meta Overall.

Bobby Doerr

Bobby Doerris is an extra boss in 2nd Inning Program, boasting a 92 overall rating, and also comes from Boston Red Sox.

According to Meta Overall, Bobby Doerris debuted as #8 2B.

Doerr not only has similar stats to Ferrell but also possesses high contact, vision, and clutch ratings, while also being very strong with a powerful left-handed shot.

He's also a gold fielder with excellent range and strong arm strength. If you want to knock out Doerr, it's undoubtedly 52 Speed, but what we see at second base is a right-handed pitcher like Corey Seager.

Next up are two cards from 2nd Inning Program Choice Pack: Babe Ruth and Randy Johnson.

Babe Ruth

According to Meta Overall, the first Boss Contributor, Babe Ruth, receives a more favorable 11th overall rating, debuting as #2 1B and #3/#4 left/right fielder.

This great Bambino received a primary left fielder card, with 1B and right field eligibility, although it's currently uncertain whether his 45 Speed ​​batting ability is good enough to allow him to roam freely in the outfield.

Randy Johnson

Randy Johnson debuted as 2nd Half Heroe, and according to Meta Overall, is the 39th highest-rated card in Diamond Dynasty overall, with the other option being #3 Starting Pitcher.

Needless to say, Randy Johnson is not only one of the greatest Starting Pitchers of all time, but also one of the hardest pitchers to hit in MLB The Show.

It's worth noting that 4-Seam Fastball doesn't have any special features, but rest assured, Johnson can still easily reach 100 MPH.

However, when you choose Boss Pack, this is still the ultimate showdown between the greatest left-handed pitchers of all time.

That concludes the details of MLB The Show 26 2nd Inning Program. Go experience the new content in the game!

The moment you've all been eagerly awaiting has finally arrived: Monopoly Go's brand-new album, Monopoly Ever After, is officially live! Running from April 8th through June 3rd, this album introduces a host of special events designed to offer players a completely fresh gaming experience. Curious to learn more? Read on for all the details!

New Gameplay Features

Fairytale Shutdown

The all-new special event, Fairytale Shutdown, launches simultaneously with Monopoly Ever After album.

This event features a themed mini-game: whenever a player triggers a Shutdown, 1 to 3 Little Pigs will be found hiding behind the target's landmark buildings. Successfully hitting these specific spots will reveal Little Pigs and award you with extra bonuses - such as additional dice rolls, tournament points, and more.

However, if your opponent currently possesses Shields, these will block your attack, preventing you from revealing Little Pigs.

Fairytale Heist

This introduces a brand-new, themed variation of the classic Bank Heist gameplay. During this event, players will uncover magical gems hidden behind the doors concealed within Magic Mirror. By collecting and accumulating these gems, players can earn substantial bonus rewards in addition to their standard Heist earnings.

Visually, Fairytale Heist offers a far more dramatic and immersive experience. It replaces the standard interface with a whimsical, fairytale-themed Magic Mirror screen.

Chance Cards

Chance Cards are another major highlight of this album update. These cards allow you to instantly trigger a Fairytale Shutdown or a Bank Heist, thereby reducing downtime and accelerating the overall pace of the game.

Imagine this: when you draw a Chance Card during gameplay, you are immediately whisked away to the specific location indicated on the card. Pretty cool, right?

These new cards can either serve as a standalone alternative to the traditional Chance deck or work in tandem with it. Together, they create a faster-paced, more dynamic, and highly interactive gaming experience that keeps players constantly engaged and excited.

Enchanted Storybook

Without a doubt, Enchanted Storybook is the defining feature of this album, significantly influencing your Monopoly Go stickers collection journey.

Previously, players could only acquire random stickers. Now, thanks to Enchanted Storybook, players can obtain stickers specifically from a designated set. This empowers players to acquire the stickers they actually want - or need - with greater precision, thereby boosting their chances of obtaining those coveted rare stickers. Additionally, you may encounter Lucky Fairies within Enchanted Storybook. These Lucky Fairies trigger special visual effects on the game interface, delivering random rewards and adding extra surprises to your collecting journey.

Cinderella Racers

Launching alongside Monopoly Ever After is Cinderella Racers - a racing event featured within the game. Players can choose to compete solo or team up with three other players.

If you choose to compete solo, the rewards you receive - including Sticker Packs and Cinderella Board Token - will be fewer than those awarded to teams.

Furthermore, during this special event, dice are replaced by Flags, which serve as the essential resource required for gameplay.

Peg-E Prize Drop

Having a sufficient supply of Tokens is a prerequisite for participating in Peg-E Prize Drop. You must insert these Tokens into the slots at the top of the interface to earn rewards. The rewards are presented across two pages; once the first page is completed, the second page becomes available.

Participating in Peg-E Prize Drop allows you to earn Flags, which can then be utilized in the aforementioned Cinderella Racers event.

Differences between Posh Pets

Monopoly Ever After Album features a Fairy Tale theme. While its duration is eight days shorter than that of Posh Pets Album, the total number of Sticker Sets and individual Stickers remains identical: 24 sets comprising 216 stickers in total.

Compared to Posh Pets, Ever After Album features optimized distribution rules for rare stickers, thereby creating a more balanced overall collecting difficulty.

This album includes 40 distinct 4-star stickers - a reduction compared to the 45 found in Posh Pets. There are 27 distinct 5-star stickers, which is also fewer than the 30 featured in the previous album. However, the number of highly rare 6-star stickers remains unchanged at 6.

Notably, Ever After Album concentrates its highly rare Gold Stickers within the later sets. This design increases the challenge of completing the final sets while making it easier to complete the earlier sets. This mechanism ensures an enjoyable gaming experience for both casual players and seasoned veterans alike.

Ultimate Rewards

Collect all 24 sticker sets in this album to earn Puss in Boots Tokens, 15,000 dice, and even cash rewards.

If time permits, you can also unlock Prestige Album to receive an additional 15,000 dice and Beanstalk Dice Skin. Of course, Prestige Album presents a slightly greater challenge, so players should proceed at a pace that suits their own circumstances.

Incidentally, Monopoly Go Fairytale Partners event is also set to kick off on April 15th! Be sure to log in to Monopoly Go frequently over the coming days to discover even more exciting content.

Despite its shorter duration, Monopoly Ever After continues to captivate players with its wealth of engaging activities. Dive into the game now and explore everything it has to offer!

Arc Raiders' latest update, Flashpoint, was released late last month, bringing with it a wealth of new content - including new map environments, new enemies, and new weapons. Simultaneously, several new missions were quietly introduced to the game.

Here, I'll share some advanced tips and tricks that every Raider should master; these strategies will help you secure even more loot and resources in this new version of the game.

I. Using Surge Coil

Surge Coil is a rare, deployable utility device that periodically emits electrical pulses, stunning any enemies caught within its radius.

Once deployed on the ground, Surge Coil will discharge an electric shock the moment any unit enters its effective radius, instantly depleting the target's shields and health. Notably, it doesn't just shock other Raiders - it will also zap ARC entities.

Surge Coil can be used for area denial, securing loot zones, and combating smaller ARC units. However, it also possesses a lesser-known, hidden bonus feature.

If an enemy throws a Proximity Grenade directly over a Surge Coil, the coil will instantly detonate it. Consequently, you can strategically deploy Surge Coils throughout the map; in PvP engagements, they serve as effective defensive measures against enemy Proximity Grenades, creating a safer combat environment for you. It is, without a doubt, an incredibly practical piece of gear.

II. Using Firefly Burners

Another utility item just as effective as Surge Coil is Firefly Burner - an item scavenged from defeated Ark Fireflies - which can now be utilized in combat.

First, you can assign Firefly Burner to your quick-use slot. Once thrown onto the ground, shooting Burner will cause it to explode, dealing 5 points of damage per second over a duration of 10 seconds. When the burning effect finally dissipates, it triggers a small secondary explosion that deals additional damage.

III. Combining Throwables

In PvP matches within the new Flashpoint update, combining a Smoke Grenade with a Gas Grenade creates a surprisingly powerful and effective synergy. In the heat of battle, simply throw down a Smoke Grenade followed by a Gas Grenade; you will immediately be able to clearly see the silhouettes of any enemies caught inside the smoke.

Furthermore, Gas Grenade slows down enemy movement speed and drains their stamina, making it difficult for them to aim at you - a highly practical advantage during PvP firefights. You can also pair Tagging Grenade with a Smoke Grenade - this makes for an excellent combination. First, ping the enemy player's location, then immediately throw down a Smoke Grenade. This allows you to clearly see the enemy's position while remaining completely invisible to them.

IV. Acquiring Combat Supplies

The new update introduces not only new but also a brand-new "Close Scrutiny" map condition, which is teeming with valuable ARC Raiders gear. Under "Close Scrutiny" condition, if you check your map, you'll notice that the developers have scattered small "Combat Supply" caches across the area; these crates contain some truly excellent loot.

These supply points have a chance of spawning Weapon Crates. In addition to weapons, you can also find Medic Bags filled with medical supplies and Ammo Crates for replenishing your ammunition. Most enticing of all, these supply points have a significantly high chance of spawning Blueprints!

Therefore, whenever you enter "Close Scrutiny" game mode, make sure to thoroughly loot these supply points. Gear up with better equipment to take on the new ARC enemies!

V. Looting ARC Assessors

The caches found at ARC Assessors and ARC Railers contain extremely rich rewards; however, opening these supply crates will inevitably attract a massive horde of ARC enemies. So, how can you secure these rewards with minimal hassle?

You will need to bring along a few Smoke Grenades and a Photoelectric Cloak. Approach ARC Assessor site, first throwing a Smoke Grenade to create a smokescreen for cover. Then, wait patiently at the edge of the site. Once you have finished looting ARC Raiders items within the smoke, simply activate your Photoelectric Cloak to make a safe and clean getaway.

Note: The moment you open one of these supply crates, a large swarm of ARC enemies will immediately converge on your position, and the situation can quickly devolve into chaos. Therefore, the Photoelectric Cloak is an essential tool here; it provides a massive advantage by ensuring your safe extraction.

Lure Grenades can also be utilized, though they are not quite as effective as the combination of a Smoke Grenade and a Photoelectric Cloak. By employing these tactics, you not only stand a chance of acquiring the "Delabar" Blueprint but can also farm for the associated crafting materials.

Additionally, when attempting to loot the caches at ARC Assessors, consider bringing along a Raider equipped with "Looting MK3" skill. This provides the highest possible chance of survival, ensuring that even if you get downed during the encounter, you still have a fighting chance to make it out alive.

VI. Eliminating Arct Vaporizers

Arct Vaporizers deal high damage and are difficult to take down. You must identify their two weak points: one is located at the top, and the other at the bottom. Prioritize equipping Legendary weapons to quickly shatter the armor covering their top or bottom sections, thereby exposing their core components.

If you do not possess any Legendary weapons, you can use alternatives such as Patina or Anvil. Once you have shattered the bottom armor, switch to Hullcracker to unleash maximum burst damage. You can acquire Hullcracker from NPCs or obtain it for free by completing various missions.

VII. Defeating Vaporizers

If you throw an object at a Vaporizer, it will activate its energy shield. Therefore, bring along some easy-to-craft improvised explosives. Approach Vaporizer, use nearby cover to dodge its electrical attacks, and then deploy your Wolf Packs to draw its fire and absorb the incoming damage.

Additionally, be sure to loot any Couriers you encounter along the way; doing so gives you a chance to unlock Vaporizer Regulator

VIII.Ensuring a "Full Raid"

Whether your goal is to loot Arc Assessors or eliminate Arct Vaporizers, you must first participate in a "Full Raid" - one featuring a full-length timer - rather than being assigned to a "staggered raid" with a shortened duration.

According to the 1.22.0 patch notes, the new matchmaking system now prioritizes placing players who use "Custom Loadouts" into fresh server instances. As long as you invest the time to carefully assemble and save a complete equipment configuration, the system guarantees that you will be matched into a Full Raid. This was one of the most highly anticipated changes in this update.

In this game - where risk and reward go hand in hand - attempting to enter a match with zero risk will inevitably lower your chances of securing valuable rewards. At this point, "late spawns" are simply not worth it. You should only consider using "Free Loadouts" if you find yourself in dire financial straits; otherwise, they are no longer a viable option.

IX. Feeding Scrappy

Feeding your Scrappy the appropriate food items not only boosts your resource acquisition efficiency but also unlocks rare loot drops at the conclusion of every raid mission. In Flashpoint update, simply feeding Scrappy - your trusty companion - with randomly scavenged fruit grants you two distinct buffs: first, a fixed quantity of specific bonus resources; and second, a random reward item drawn from an exclusive food-specific loot pool.

Prioritizing the leveling of Scrappy will significantly enhance the quality of the rewards he yields. Furthermore, you should ensure you have a plentiful supply of food on hand and seize every opportunity to feed him, thereby guaranteeing that Scrappy remains under the influence of these beneficial buffs at all times.

The battlefields of the new version have now fully opened, ushering in a brand-new adventure complete with new maps, new enemies, and new gear. By mastering these advanced strategies - whether it involves safely scavenging high-value ARC Raiders Items, efficiently taking down powerful bosses, or establishing total dominance in PvP combat - you will consistently stay one step ahead of the competition. Gear up, creatively utilize item combinations, unlock even more rare ARC Raiders Items, and become an unstoppable force in the world of ARC Raiders!

In Phase 2 of World of Warcraft: The Burning Crusade Classic Anniversary, the scarcity of Tanks has reached unprecedented levels. Despite numerous convenient mechanisms in the game, such as Account Mount Attunements, Dual Spec, and abundant information channels, Tank talent has become a major problem.

In theory, every Paladin, Warrior, and Druid could choose Tank talent, but in the actual WoW TBC environment, the player base was generally tired of taking on this role.

Tanks were consistently extremely limited and difficult to find in Phase 2 raid groups, a problem that became even more pronounced in TBC Phase 2.

This is a fundamental characteristic of TBC versions; once players reach a certain level, the content becomes monotonous. However, those most severely affected are those who progress slower and still need this gear, as well as the large number of DPS players attempting to complete raids.

They've become almost frantic in their search for any type of Tank, often offering WoW TBC Classic Anniversary Gold as an extra reward, yet often to no avail.

Tank as a Tool

A Tank player waited in LFG for only 30 seconds before rejecting four random invitations without any greetings. Simultaneously, he received a barrage of whispers: commands, insults, WoW TBC Classic Anniversary Gold bribes - everyone treated him like a tool, with not a single decent conversation.

This situation is not isolated. About a month after the servers opened, nearing the peak of Heroic raids, the number of invites and private messages Tank players received was staggering.

While there wasn't severe abuse, the sheer volume of impersonal group requests and countless random invites clearly reflects the deterioration of the current game's social environment.

Whose Fault is It?

Regarding Tank crisis, various opinions have emerged in the community. Some believe the entire community atmosphere is terrible; during the first week of the game's launch, only fast-levelers queuing for Heroic raids were relatively relaxed. Now, those Crayon Eaters have become the main force and have caught up.

On the other hand, some argue that this is ultimately just a game, and players privately messaging Heroic to ask for group invitations isn't a big deal. Tank players shouldn't be furious about making pug dungeons feel like a formal job interview.

Players aiming for fast leveling frantically compete to be the first to send an invitation when a Tank is in a group, wanting a quick win. They don't have time for small talk, making these invitations sound like commands.

However, counter-arguments point out that Tank players aren't angry about the dungeon itself, but about feeling insulted, bossed around, and denied any response. Receiving random invitations without any private messages is disconcerting.

A deeper analysis suggests that some players have a fondness for the old social structures and classic gameplay, and the game developers clearly haven't adequately considered the needs of this group. Attempts to manage the community and Guild using the old model - building a supportive community structure and encouraging cooperation - have proven extremely difficult in practice.

Some classes are subjected to relentless harassment 24/7 simply for their existence, even when they're not listed in any group-making tools. Desperate players are shifting their problems onto everyone else.

Who Wants to Be a Babysitter?

There's a severe imbalance in player class selection; most players choose big DPS pumpers, while no one wants support classes. This wasn't as pronounced in earlier years when players mostly chose classes based on personal preference.

But by the third time replaying TBC, everyone was intimately familiar with the game mechanics. After raid-wide Bloodlust and version nerfs, everyone was focused on maximizing damage output.

It's worth noting that this random private message recruitment phenomenon shouldn't occur in versions after the release of LFG and RDF, as the days of having to privately message random players because of a lack of in-game options are gone.

If players mark themselves as Tanks in LFG and start receiving messages or invites, that's exactly what the tool was designed for. However, the problem isn't receiving private messages themselves, but the way people communicate. They don't treat Tank players as individuals; they just mechanically issue commands.

RDF: Solution or Poison?

There's significant disagreement within the community about whether to introduce Random Dungeon Finder to address Tank shortage. On one hand, some point out that the game already has RDF for Arena Skirmish and Random Battlegrounds, so why not a PvE RDF for raids and Dungeons?

But the opposing view is that RDF isn't a solution. Heroic content in TBC, especially before the nerfs, requires very specific team compositions to complete certain content. Introducing RDF would likely result in randomly assigning unwanted compositions to the player base, leading to complaints about a poor raid experience.

Players, Gold, and Bots

Tank crisis is actually a symptom of a larger, overall game problem. While the player base does have issues, the situation hasn't always been this severe, and it's not entirely the players' fault.

The official introduction of Account Mount Attunements and Dual Specs sounds great, but without corresponding improvements to equipment acquisition methods, the originally fair equipment acquisition process devolves into a frenzied competition for gear.

Automated Moderation, which limits account bans to reports, has led to a proliferation of bots in the game environment, rampantly gathering resources in the open world. This makes it difficult for players attempting to craft equipment using their own ores to find sufficient materials.

This forces them to either spend an extremely long time crafting what they want or to spend large amounts of WoW TBC Classic Anniversary Gold on the auction house, indirectly funding these bots.

As long as someone buys gold, bots will continue to exist. Players buy gold to become the strongest, and the desire to catch up with those who can play indefinitely creates Fear Of Missing Out. This results in an endless human-bot war.

Tank Crisis is one of the most significant issues in the current TBC version. The crisis stems from a range of issues, from the inhumane treatment of Tank players to the clash of game philosophies between DPS and Tank players, the pressure to acquire gear due to accelerated expansions, and systemic problems such as rampant bots and the failure of automated moderation.

Class selection is heavily biased towards DPS roles, while support classes like Tanks and Shamans are scarce and over-exploited. Discussions about introducing a random dungeon finder also reflect the players' differing opinions on solutions. The atmosphere of the entire game community has shifted from early cooperation and collaboration to pragmatism and impatience.

Close Scrutiny mode, introduced in Flashpoint update for ARC Raiders presents a completely different rhythm from the regular gameplay, both in its design logic and experience.

Rather than a traditional survival looting mode, it's more of a concentrated test of players' resource management abilities, combat decision-making efficiency, and speed in handling high-risk objectives.

This mode abandons the path of accumulating equipment by looting buildings on regular maps, instead forcing players to actively enter densely populated ARC activity areas, complete objectives, and extract under continuous combat pressure.

The following will analyze Close Scrutiny mode to help players quickly understand the actual path to efficiently acquiring ARC Raiders Items in Close Scrutiny.

Loot May Be Harder to Find

In Close Scrutiny mode, the quality of loot from ordinary buildings is significantly reduced. From actual testing, even containers like Raider Cache, which are worth searching in regular mode, yield almost nothing when opened. This means the traditional loot-attack-retreat cycle fails here. The mode designers clearly want players to focus entirely on the locations of Combat Supplies marked on the map, and Arc enemies spawning near Assessor.

Combat Supplies don't spawn in fixed locations, but they automatically appear on the map when you get close. They provide ARC Raiders Items, which are primarily ammunition, consumables, and weapons. However, these drops have a noticeable randomness; sometimes several Combat Supplies in a row only provide basic weapons. Nevertheless, this is one of the few ways to replenish combat resources and potentially acquire high-value items in the mode.

New Arc Analysis

Flashpoint has updated with a brand new Arc enemy, Vaporizer. Its threat level is mainly reflected in its mobility and attack methods: a single-target delayed laser can break shields and inflict burning; a ground-drag laser leaves a fiery trail; and a multi-target laser barrage attacks multiple players simultaneously.

It possesses an energy shield similar to Matriarch's, which grants complete immunity to all damage while active, but it pauses its attacks when the shield is active, effectively giving players a preparation window.

Its weak point is its abdominal core, which deals significantly increased damage upon hit. The four small rotors are destructible secondary targets; destroying them reduces their flight speed and altitude. Once at a sufficiently low altitude, you can climb to deploy Deadline Mine for a kill.

Shooting the rotors directly below is more efficient, while the abdominal core is best targeted with Hullcracker or Anvil in conjunction with Wolfpack Grenade to unleash a burst of damage the moment the shield disappears.

How to Deal with It?

In Close Scrutiny mode, solo kills of Vaporizers are far more difficult than squad kills. In solo play, Vaporizer's multi-target barrage is no longer a threat, but players lose the possibility of teamwork.

The safest solo strategy is to abandon prioritizing rotor destruction and instead focus on attacking the abdominal core. During the window of opportunity when the shield disappears, start with Wolfpack Grenade, followed by continuous fire on the core with Anvil or Hullcracker. While Deadline Mine's climbing kill is extremely rewarding, it requires precise positioning and timing, and solo execution carries a high risk of failure.

Squad combat allows for a clear division of labor. One player is dedicated to attacking the rotors with Aphelion, continuously suppressing Vaporizer's altitude and maneuverability.

The remaining team members focus on monitoring the shield status, coordinating the throwing of Wolfpack Grenade the moment the shield disappears, and then collectively focusing fire on the abdominal core. This two-phase approach significantly shortens combat time and reduces the chance of being hit by Vaporizer's laser.

It's important to note that in Close Scrutiny mode, the intervention of other players often introduces uncertainty. Sometimes, the help of random players can lead to confusion regarding Vaporizer kills, with some even waiting to steal dropped Regulators after others have used up their resources. This potential PvPvE antagonism still exists in this mode, even though the mode itself leans more towards PvE.

Contradictory?

Close Scrutiny mode successfully pushes players into high-risk areas and creates continuous combat pressure by weakening the importance of regular loot and strengthening Combat Supplies and ARC units. As a new enemy, Vaporizer's shield and weakness mechanics require players to learn and adjust their tactics, adding a challenge to the mode.

However, the economic rewards in this mode are inconsistent. Even after successfully killing Vaporizer and collecting Surveyor loot, the total value of the final extraction may not be much higher than a regular looting run in standard mode. As one player commented after playing, "We didn't get much money at all."

This makes the re-playability of Close Scrutiny mode rely more on acquiring new weapon blueprints, such as Vaporizer Regulator component of Dolabra Energy Shotgun, rather than on a stable expected return.

Furthermore, bugs such as the automatic fire after shooting and Vaporizer laser penetrating some cover also affect the sense of fairness in combat. While these issues may be fixed in patch updates, they do exist in the current version.

From personal experience, Close Scrutiny mode is more suitable as a PvP practice arena. Because players are forced to concentrate in ARC activity area, the chances of firefights are much higher than in standard mode.

The fun factor of this mode increases significantly if you shift your focus from looting and extraction to PvP combat under the threat of ARC. However, if you treat it purely as a PvE money-farming mode, it can easily feel repetitive and tedious.

Close Scrutiny is a bold attempt by ARC Raiders in Flashpoint update. It breaks the traditional looting loop, compressing the core gameplay into a simple chain of "finding Combat Supplies - killing Arc - extraction".

Vaporizer design features clear threat levels and weakness feedback, and the strategic differentiation of solo squads is reasonable. However, the economic rewards in this mode fluctuate greatly, and bugs and cover penetration issues still need to be fixed.

For players seeking high-intensity ARC combat, this is a worthwhile mode to invest in. But for players accustomed to steadily accumulating ARC Raiders Items, they may need to adjust their mindset or wait for future balance adjustments.

The latest patch for Diablo 4 Season 12 brings significant changes compared to previous patches. Want to know how to maximize your gains in this new patch? Let's explore efficient methods for farming Fresh Meat and even how to obtain Bloodied Mythic Uniques.

First, it's important to know that Fresh Meat is a new currency introduced this season. With Fresh Meat, you can exchange it for Bloodied Items at seasonal vendor. Notably, the patch removed the storage limit for Fresh Meat, meaning you can have an unlimited amount if you want.

How to Efficiently Farm Fresh Meat?

The main source of Fresh Meat is repeatedly farming bosses, but priorities matter.

Here, we prioritize Butcher, a Dungeon boss. This boss has a hidden 50% bonus to Fresh Meat drops, making it the most efficient source. For other bosses, this can also be part of a farming cycle, but Fresh Meat drop rate will definitely be far lower than Butcher's.

The core technique for farming Fresh Meat is to avoid going to town, which is also the highest principle. Bosses should be fought continuously, one after another, without going to town. Going to town disrupts your farming rhythm and significantly reduces your gains in the same amount of time.

If you're playing a very strong build like Evade Spiritborn, then in Torment 7, killing a boss takes about 20 seconds, and you can get up to 300,000 Fresh Meat per hour!

Torment 5 is suitable for most builds, with a relatively stable Fresh Meat farming speed. Torment 7 is basically only suitable for some top-tier builds, such as Paladin, where you can get a large amount of Fresh Meat, but you must maintain a good kill speed.

Additionally, you'll need to acquire a lot of keys. You can do one or two Infernal Hordes runs to obtain bags, where the keys you need will drop. Furthermore, it's best to form a 4-person team. When any member opens a key, the other members will receive the same number of keys. Therefore, this is one of the best ways to farm keys.

How to use Fresh Meat?

This is where gambles come in. We can obtain Diablo 4 items, and even Mythics, through gambles. However, we need to decide which piece to gamble and how much to spend each time to achieve the most cost-effective gamble.

Boots and Pants are highly recommended. They only cost 75 Fresh Meat, making them the cheapest and most cost-effective way to obtain equipment. Gloves are also an option, costing 75 Fresh Meat, and can be considered a second choice.

Amulets or Weapons cost 300 Fresh Meat, which is very inefficient, but their Mythic drop rate is the same, so gambling on these is not recommended.

Yes, you can gamble on any piece and potentially get Mythics, so you need to choose the more cost-effective options to reduce your expenses. Even spending only 75 Fresh Meat can potentially yield Mythics.

Here are some other operational tips for reference. Players can bind their mouse wheel to the right-click button, allowing for dozens of clicks per second for extremely fast purchases.

When filtering, prioritize the presence of Ancestra icon. If not, directly save; if present, then check if the affix meets the requirements.

Additionally, Blacksmith is located next to gambling vendor, allowing for bulk dismantling without moving, yielding Aspects and materials.

Another crucial point is to manage your time effectively. The time spent farming Fresh Meat should ideally be less than the time spent gambling.

For example, farming 50,000 Fresh Meat might take several hours, but the gambling process itself is also time-consuming. You can treat gamble as an AFK process, doing other things in between.

Process Summary

Now, let's outline the process for quickly farming Fresh Meat and how to gamble.

It's best to team up and repeatedly farm bosses that drop large amounts of Fresh Meat. Once you've accumulated enough, exchange it at the seasonal vendor. Remember to start with Boots or Pants. Then you can directly salvage unwanted items without Ancestra mark. If you get Mythic, that's even better.

Advanced Tips and Precautions

Did you know that all Mythic obtained through Fresh Meat farming has Bloodied affix, such as +2% Strength? This affix might be stronger than a regular Ancestra affix. A non-Ancestra Mythic with a high-quality Bloodied affix might be better than a regular Ancestra Mythic.

Also, since we're not going to town and are just farming bosses, our Inventory will fill up quickly. So, don't pick up equipment on the ground; only pick up Fresh Meat and keys, and then go back to town to process them all after the farming session.

Furthermore, you can find Currency in Stats and pin Fresh Meat, Gold, or other items to the top of the screen for easy real-time monitoring.

So, after reading this process, do you know how to farm Fresh Meat more effectively? I believe this will be the most efficient method, and I hope it will be helpful to you!

In Diablo 4 Season 12, a Necromancer Build centered on Bone Splinter emerged as a dark horse, successfully reaching the top of the endgame Build rankings thanks to its near-trillion-level single-target DPS, flexible gear switching mechanics, and relatively low investment cost.

Whether you're aiming for ultimate boss kills or need to efficiently farm Hordes and Helltide, this Build can handle it all with ease.

Build Positioning and Core Advantages

With the nerfs to Bloodsoaked Sigils in Torment 7, Necromancer Build, centered on Bone Splinter's basic attack, became one of the strongest endgame Builds for this class because of its extremely high single-target damage output and relatively easy-to-obtain Diablo 4 items.

The core advantage of this Build lies in its ability to deal near-trillion-level DPS to boss targets, while also possessing a flexible gear switching mechanic, adaptable to various game scenarios such as AFK, one-button play, Hordes, and Helltide farming.

The core damage source of this Build is Shattered Spirit skill effect. Each time Bone Spirit is cast, it fires 18 Bone Splinters in all directions. The average number can be increased to 31 using weapon Tempering.

By utilizing Shotgunning, all 31 Bone Splinters can hit a single target simultaneously, resulting in massive damage.

Core Mechanics and Damage Amplification Principles

This Build's damage amplification relies on several interlocking mechanisms. First is Shattered Spirit's Aspect, which fires many Bone Splinters when Bone Spirit is cast. The number of Bone Splinters can be further increased through equipment affixes.

Second, Gospel of Devotee Unique Focus allows Bone Splinters to penetrate enemies, transforming Bone Splinter firing into an automatic, continuous output in all directions, especially useful in Horde and Helltide scenarios. Combined with Paingorger's Gauntlets, this can cause significant area-of-effect damage.

For single-target damage, Shotgunning is the key technique determining the damage ceiling. The principle behind this technique is to utilize Unhindered state provided by Aspect of Distilled Anima, allowing the character to move below the boss and overlap with its hitbox.

Since Bone Splinter's source is the character's own hitbox, when the character overlaps with the boss, all fired Bone Splinters will hit that target instantly upon release, achieving a simultaneous hit from all 31 Bone Splinters, effectively quadrupling DPS. This maneuver is crucial for all powerful elite monsters and boss battles.

Key Skills and Resource Cycle Mechanism

The core resource of this Build is Essence. Essence management and regeneration determine the smoothness of the skill cycle and damage multiplier. The key passive skill is Rapid Ossification, which reduces the cooldown of Bone Spirit for every 100 Essence consumed.

By enhancing Aspect of Rapid Ossification onto Amulets, a fixed 4-second cooldown is returned for every 10 Essence consumed. This Build typically maximizes Essence cap to 200, thus refunding 8 seconds of cooldown with each Bone Spirit cast.

Further, cooldown reduction is stacked from equipment like helmets and gloves, ultimately enabling continuous Bone Spirit casting with no cooldown - a shotgunning style of output.

Essence regeneration is achieved through Macabre Essence affix on rings. Each ring regenerates 47 Essence after each Bone Spirit cast.

Combined with Essence regeneration provided by Shroud of False Death chest armor, 200 Essence is fully replenished after each cast, maximizing the benefits of Rapid Ossification.

Furthermore, Essence cap directly affects the damage bonus provided by Aspect of Adaptability, which grants a damage multiplier to Bone Splinter based on the current Essence value.

Since Essence is immediately replenished after each cast, Aspect of Adaptability consistently provides a 120x damage multiplier.

Detailed Equipment Configuration

Helmet uses Crown of Lucion. This item received a significant buff this season, providing a damage multiplier of up to 105%, making it the single item with the largest damage increase in the helmet slot.

Its downside is increased Essence cost, but since Bone Spirit consumes all Essence, this downside is practically negligible.

Chest uses Unique Mythic item, Shroud of False Death. This item provides key skill points, including Rapid Ossification and Bone Spirit damage multiplier passive.

Additionally, it grants all Shadow damage multiplier skill points when combined with Aspect of Decaying Humerus.

Gloves use Unique Paingorger's Gauntlets. These gloves provide a significant boost to base skill levels and area-of-effect damage. Note that its echo effect only triggers once per cast, limiting synergy with other skills, but it remains an essential item.

Pants have two options depending on the scenario:

For Torment 7 Bloodsoaked Sigils, use regular pants with Rankster Bone Splinters affix and Aspect of Hardened Bones to improve survivability and withstand high damage.

For Pits, use Blood Moon Breeches, which provide a 50x damage bonus against cursed targets to maximize output.

Boots should be equipped with Aspect of Distilled Anima, providing Unhindered status to trigger Shotgunning skill.

Amulet must carry Shattered Spirit's Aspect, as this is the largest source of damage multipliers for this skill.

Note that this skill can only be placed in Amulet slot and cannot be placed in other slots. Amulet needs to have the maximum resource affix to help reach 200 Essence cap.

Rings should use Aspect of Adaptability and Aspect of Decaying Humerus respectively, both providing significant damage multipliers.

This requires Macabre Essence affix and repeated upgrades using Diablo 4 Gold until a higher level of essence recovery is achieved. Note that each ring must restore 47 essence points.

Focus has two configurations depending on the scenario: The boss-killing configuration uses the normal Focus, with Bone Splinter having a chance to trigger the affix twice, and is paired with Aspect of the Moonrise for damage multiplier and attack speed.

This configuration is the best choice for boss fights because it doesn't require Bone Splinter's piercing ability.

The Hordes and Pits configuration uses Gospel of the Devotee specialization, giving Bone Splinter piercing ability, suitable for all monster-slaying or progression content.

Operational Techniques and Key Points: Shotgunning is the core technique for maximizing single-target damage in Build.

Use Aspect of Distilled Anima to gain Unhindered status, then move directly below the boss or elite monster, causing your character model to overlap with the monster model. Because Bone Splinters are fired from the character's hitbox, all Bone Splinters will hit the target instantly upon firing when overlapping.

Since this Build allows for continuous, no-cooldown Bone Spirit casting, in actual combat, simply holding down Bone Spirit skill button will automatically fire it in rapid succession. Essence is instantly fully restored after each cast, eliminating the need to manually use basic skills to replenish resources.

Bone Splinter firing is entirely triggered automatically by Bone Spirit casting; no separate Bone Splinter skill operation is required.

In Torment Seven difficulty, monster damage is high. Using regular pants with Aspect of Hardened Bones provides additional damage reduction.

If using Blood Moon Breeches for maximum damage output, you'll need to avoid damage through positioning and quick kills. The skill points provided by Shroud of False Death can also indirectly improve survivability.

Gear Sharing and Scene Switching

This Build shares a significant amount of gear with Bone Spirit speed farming Build. Players can freely switch between two Builds to handle speed farming and boss kill scenarios, respectively.

The specific switching method is as follows: retain core equipment (such as helmet, chest armor, amulet, and rings), and only change Focus, pants, and some affixes.

Furthermore, this Build itself has flexible variant capabilities. By replacing the off-hand with Gospel of the Devotee and adjusting some equipment, it can be transformed from a boss-killing profession Build to an AFK farming Build, suitable for Hordes and Helltide farming.

Precautions

Essence cap must reach 200 points, which is the basis for achieving the 8-second cooldown refund per cast. Therefore, the amulet must have the maximum resource affix.

Also, Shattered Spirit's Aspect can only be placed on the amulet; placing it in other slots will significantly reduce damage output.

Shotgunning technique relies on the Unhindered state to take effect, so you must carry Aspect of Distilled Anima or other equipment that provides this state.

Additionally, the gloves only trigger Echo effect once per cast and will not synergize multiple times with Bone Splinter.

Remember to adjust your pants choice flexibly depending on the scenario. In Torment 7 Bloodsoaked Sigils, prioritize survival pants paired with Aspect of Hardened Bones, while switching to Blood Moon Breeches for maximum damage when entering pits.

This Build, with its extremely high single-target damage, flexible gear switching, and relatively low Diablo 4 gold investment threshold, has become one of the most powerful endgame Builds for Diablo 4 Season 12 Season Necromancer.

Diablo 4 has undergone 12 seasons of updates to date. Runes, a system introduced in the game's expansion pack, first appeared in Season 6 and are undoubtedly a crucial piece of gear that players must master. Note that players must own DLC to obtain Runes.Understanding how Runes work is a wise move to help you achieve more with less effort in the new season.

Follow this guide to learn in detail the optimal choices for Diablo 4 Runes in Season 12, and don't overlook any aspects that will benefit you.

Runes

Runes, as socketable items, were first introduced in Diablo 4's Season 6, Vessel of Hatred. The slots for Runes are the same as those for gems on gear.

When socketed into equipment, the power of Runes is added, naturally increasing your strength. Runes also allow you to utilize the skills of other classes, unlocking new builds and engaging in more exciting experiences. They also provide targeted enhancements to your defense, protecting your health.

In Diablo 4, with its numerous Diablo 4 Runes, they are categorized into only two types: Generators (Ritual) and Spenders (Invocation). Each Rune can only be equipped in pairs. The effects of these two types depend drastically on your pairing.

Generator Runes

You should understand that Generators or Ritual Runes provide sacrifices when certain conditions are met. In contrast, each Spender or Invocation Rune consumes sacrifices. Therefore, your overall strategy is to find suitable Ritual Runes and then activate as many Invocation Runes as possible.

In practice, it's not just about simple activation; you inevitably need to consider various factors affecting Runes, such as your class, skill combinations, and the intended use of Rune, to maximize its effectiveness.

S - Tier

50 Offering:

• YUL (Cooldown)
• BAC (Travel 5 meters)

25 Offering:

• TAM (A non-channeled Core Skill)
• LITH (Stand still for 0.3 seconds)

A - Tier

150 Offering:

• XOL (Drain energy from other classes)

25 Offering:

• CIR (Use the same non-channeled Skill 3 times)

B - Tier

150 Offering:

• ZAN (Use an Ultimate Skill)

25 Offering:

• NOC (A Crowd Control, non-slowing and non-freezing)

C - Tier

1000 Offering:

• FEO

300 Offering:

• NEO

100 Offering:

• YAX

50 Offering:

• CEM

10 Offering:

• AHU
• UR
• MONI

2 Offering:

• POC
• KAA

Spender Runes

Spender or Invocation Runes' effects manifest in that powerful skill effects are automatically released when your sacrifice consumption reaches the required amount. Therefore, considering how to combine Ritual Runes is crucial to achieving the desired final effect.

Rune system will also undergo significant changes in the season update. The following list, still arranged by Rune strength and the number of sacrifices consumed, will provide a brief introduction to the skills of some high-level Runes.

S - Tier

1000 Offering:

• VEX (+3 to all skills)

600 Offering:

• OHM (Increases damage)

100 Offering:

• EOM (Reduces cooldowns by 0.25 seconds)

A - Tier

400 Offering:

• JAH (Evade replaces Sorcerer's Teleport)
• KRY (Summons Spiritborn's Vortex and pulls enemies into it)

300 Offering:

• QUE (Gains a Barrier)

200 Offering:

• ZEC (Reduces your active Ultimate Cooldown time)

100 Offering:

• TEC (Deals Barbarian's Earthquake, dealing damage to enemies in a limited area)

25 Offering:

• GAR (Gains Critical Strike Chance, stackable)

B - Tier

900 Offering:

• XAN (Next skill has a 100% chance to deal Critical Strike and Overpower)

600 Offering:

• NER (Gains Dodge Chance, Movement Speed, Unstoppable, and Stealth)

400 Offering:

• LAC (Reducing your damage taken)
• QAX (Next non-Basic Skill will deal full damage by consuming all your resources)
• THUL (Freeze and Vulnerable enemies)

250 Offering:

• TZIC (Evoke the Spiritborn's Concussive Stomp)

150 Offering:

• MOT (Reducing damage taken)

100 Offering:

• CEH (Summon a Spirit Wolf)
• TUN (Damage enemies with Rogue's Grenades)
• WAT (Slow enemies with Necromancer's Horrid Decrepify)

25 Offering:

• TON (Damage enemies with Sorcerer's Meteor)

5 Offering:

• LUM (Restore primary resource)

C - Tier

500 Offering:

• YOM

200 Offering:

• XAL

100 Offering:

• TAL
• TEB

50 Offering:

• QUA

This guide introduces all Generator Runes and Spender Runes, giving you a comprehensive understanding of Runes and making your choices easier. It's worth noting that seemingly low-level Runes can unleash amazing power when combined.

If you have a basic understanding of these Runes but struggle with key combinations, this guide will help you make your selections. Below are some almost universal combination examples.

Examples

• YUL + VEX: Allows you to unleash up to 10 skills with a cooldown, gaining a skill bonus. This has become a popular skill for most builds.
• BAC + TEC: Triggers an Earthquake every 10 meters of movement, dealing damage to enemies.
• YUL + OHM: Reaching 10 skill casts triggers Barbarian Enhanced Warcry, greatly benefiting your damage and movement speed.
• LITH + TEC: Simply remaining stationary will trigger an Earthquake, occurring every 1.2 seconds.
• BAC + EOM: Each 10-meter movement reduces the cooldown of all skills by 0.1 seconds.

You've mastered these classic combos, but to survive better in the game and showcase your unique style, patiently studying various Runes is essential to incorporating them into your gameplay plan.

You can start by considering your playstyle, such as whether you frequently choose to move or cast spells, and what achievements and goals you most hope to achieve in Diablo 4. From another perspective, constantly trying new playstyles is also part of the game's charm.

So, follow this guide to gradually master advanced Runes techniques and explore your own Runes usage strategies in Diablo 4 Season 12.

The recently released EA Sports FC 26 patch 1.1.1 includes numerous adjustments to dribbling, including a nerf to R1 dribbling that has left many players struggling to adapt. Many players may already be searching for dribbling techniques more suited to patch 1.1.1.

Below, I'll introduce some controller-based dribbling techniques to help you quickly adapt to patch 1.1.1, including the revised R1 dribbling techniques!

R2 Speed ​​Boost

Now, let's talk about how to give your players exceptional speed. The key lies in timing your R2 button.

Hold R2 the moment your player touches the ball. Release R2 as they run. Once they touch the ball again, hold it down again before using the Run button. You'll see your player running incredibly fast.

However, this method requires a certain player type and can only be used on players with high basic speed. The faster the player, the more effective this technique will be. For example, if your Playstyle is upgraded to Playstyle+ with FUT 26 Coins, their speed and ball control will be unstoppable in-game.

For maximum effectiveness, you'll need to use players with Rapid Playstyle or Playstyle+, such as Neco Williams. His acceleration is faster than his sprint speed, making him a better fit for this strategy.

R1 Touch

In patch 1.1.1, R1 dribbling was significantly nerfed. Currently, even for Technical Playstyle players, it's no longer recommended. Therefore, our dribbling strategy needs some adjustments.

So, when should you use R1 dribbling? My recommendation is to use it to change direction. When you're about to turn your player sideways during a match, hold R1 for one second and then use the left stick to change direction. This will make your turn much quicker.

Although R1 has been nerfed overall, it's still more effective for changing direction than using only the left stick. This technique will allow you to react to unexpected situations more easily and score more goals.

Berba Spin

We all know that the first touch is crucial in FUT 26. If you can successfully control the ball and dribble past the defense, you'll undoubtedly have more chances to score.

So how can you improve your chances of dribbling past the defense after your first touch? Learn the Berba Spin.

When surrounded on your first touch, align your right stick with the direction your player is facing and gently push it. Then, observing the situation, decide which direction you want to break through, and push the right stick in that direction to perform Berba Spin.

This is a very deceptive maneuver. From your opponent's perspective, you appear to be continuing in the direction you're facing, but suddenly turn in the opposite direction. This often gives them a momentary reaction, allowing you to successfully break through their defense.

Besides this, you can also use Berba Spin to escape defenders.

In my opinion, Berba Spin is a very useful technique introduced in patch 1.1.1, but it's a very challenging technique to use, as it requires you to execute the sequence before actually touching the ball. Mastering this technique requires more practice.

L1 Stop

This is a useful trick to confuse your opponent during play. Once you master it, you can even use it every game.

During play, simply press L1 (for PS) or LB (for Xbox) to instantly stop your player and face the goal. This works whether your player is moving forward or backward.

This technique also makes it easier to play through balls, especially when surrounded by opposing players and unable to pass to a striker. Pressing L1 to stop your player and face the goal allows you to pass the ball.

Of course, L1 Stop isn't just for passing; it can also be used in conjunction with a skill move to evade opposing defenders. Furthermore, using L1 Stop on the edge of the penalty area allows you to quickly cut into the box and evade the opposing defense.

These techniques can make you more unpredictable and help you take control of the game.

Dribbling Tips Summary

While previously, mastering the R1 dribbling technique was enough to dominate the court, patch 1.1.1 places a greater emphasis on skill moves. Once you understand the major changes, you should try to adapt to them.

Adapting To The Reducing R1 Dribbling

While it's unfortunate, the R1 dribbling technique is no longer effective in most situations in FUT patch 1.1.1. Besides changing direction, consider using more effective techniques for other in-game situations.

Focus On L2 Shielding The Ball

When facing an opposing defender approaching for the ball, hold down the L2 button to shield the ball. This technique can be very effective in pressure situations, especially if you're controlling a player with Enforcer Playstyle.

Maintaining Unpredictability

Try to minimize your player's obvious movements during play. Use more skillful moves to confuse your opponent, such as Berba Spin and L1 Stop.

Overall, EA Sports FC 26 patch 1.1.1 includes a decent amount of changes, aside from the slightly excessive nerf to R1 dribbling. Learn and master the above tips to make your players invincible in this new patch!