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!

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!

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!

The latest gameplay footage of Diablo 4's Lord of Hatred unveils a conspiracy far darker than pilgrimage. Mephisto's goal isn 't merely to reach Pools of Creation in Skovos Isles; he's gathering believers from across Sanctuary to prepare for an unprecedented ritual.

In Diablo 4 universe, Eclipse is never simply a natural phenomenon. Mephisto, the master of deception and manipulation, is exploiting people's devout faith in Akarat to weave a vast web at the cost of willing souls.

When Lorath mentions searching for an ancient weapon reforged and modified by Lilith, players can 't help but wonder: can this Diablo 4 Item avert the impending catastrophe?

Eclipse

The demo opens with a missionary known as Hand of Akarat proclaiming that an Eclipse is about to appear in the sky, heralding a new era. Lorath immediately shows intense unease  - he keenly senses that Mephisto's plans are far darker than the believers realize.

Three threads emerge: Mephisto is searching for Skovos Isles ' Pools of Creation; he is leading a pilgrimage team from various regions there; and the climax of all this will occur beneath an Eclipse.

As a dark fantasy and gothic horror work, Diablo 4's narrative tradition places Eclipse more than just background decoration. It represents the disruption of the natural order, the weakening of Hell and Sanctuary, or a catalyst for some kind of supernatural ritual.

Sacrifice

Although Sanctuary in Diablo 4 follows different laws, the parallel between the two is undeniable. A group of people gather under a false hope, ultimately sacrificing everything for power. However, Diablo universe is far more brutal: sacrifice must be voluntary.

As early as the opening cinematic of Diablo IV, Elias emphasized that the blood of volunteers was proof - he ensured that Zakarum priest Symon fully believed in his actions before completing the ritual to summon Lilith. Mephisto didn 't need to force anyone; he won the loyalty of believers through miracles and faith.

In the comic Dawn of Hatred, which connects Vessel of Hatred and Lord of Hatred, Mephisto performs miracles and guides the people as Akarat. People follow him not out of fear or control, but out of heartfelt devotion.

Lorath called this terrifying because when someone voluntarily offers their soul, they become the most dangerous tool. This voluntariness allowed Mephisto to spread hatred throughout Sanctuary through believers without tarnishing Akarat's pure image.

The Bridge of Souls

In the demo, Akarat's hand, knowing full well the being it serves, willingly offers its blood and soul. This devotion allows Mephisto to directly possess it and interact with Wanderer.

These Akarat hands form a network throughout Sanctuary; they are both vessels and sowers of hatred. This act cruelly echoes a line from Lord of Hatred cutscene: "The path to domination is paved with the souls of the willing."

This is not a metaphor. In the cutscene, Mephisto is traversing a bridge constructed of souls  - souls from the sacrificed dead, piled up to form a tangible bridge.

So, what if Eclipse is the moment this bridge is born?

Imagine this scene: Akarat leads a vast pilgrimage army to Pools of Creation, Eclipse descends upon the sky, and believers, in awe and reverence, spontaneously offer themselves, their souls converging like a tide, ultimately forming a passage spanning Sanctuary and Hells. Mephisto can use this bridge to spread hatred to every corner of Sanctuary, thus ushering in a new era of destruction and fear.

During the ancient Sin War, Mephisto's son Lucion led Temple of Triune. He masqueraded as the benevolent religious leader Primus, while the sect's true leadership consisted entirely of disguised Demons. Believers, unknowingly, carried out Demons ' will, expanding Hells ' power in Sanctuary.

Now, Mephisto is reenacting this drama on a cosmic scale  - Akarat's name becomes the banner of purity, and every willing believer contributes to the ultimate goal of Age of Hatred.

Lilith's Legacy

Under the shadow of despair, Lorath did not give up hope. He sought the help of Amazon Queen Adreona, attempting to find a weapon reforged by Lilith. What exactly is this Diablo 4 Item? The answer may lie hidden in forgotten history.

In Tales from Horadric Library, in the chapter "The Gospel of Death," events are recorded that occurred at the very beginning of Sanctuary.

In the first Nephalem, a being named Gratian perished. His companion Corvik, after witnessing death for the first time, developed a morbid obsession with the concept  - before this, Nephalem did not even know what death was.

So Corvik took Gratian's bones and soul and forged a blade called Severian. It possessed an almost evil self-awareness and could harm both Angles and Demons simultaneously.

Gratian's other companion, Warrior Bersarik, enraged by his friend's death and the very nature of death itself, seized Severian from Corvik, intending to use it to assassinate Lilith and Inarius. However, a Nephalem named Kalmor stopped him. After a fierce battle, Kalmor defeated Bersarik and presented Severian to Lilith.

The council ordered the destruction of this dangerous weapon, but Lilith defied the order. She reforged Severian, imbuing it with even greater power  - a sword capable of sensing the wielder's intentions.

The historian Glar recorded: This sword was so enormous that it seemed no Nephalem could wield it, yet when the wielder had a rational purpose, it was as light as a feather; without purpose, it was too heavy to lift. Severian would judge its user. Only those with unwavering will and pure purpose could wield its power.

Skovos Isles had close ties to the earliest Nephalem. Inarius, Lilith, and the first Nephalem all once resided here, and this land is Mephisto's target.

If Severian still exists, it is highly likely slumbering somewhere in Skovos Isles. Moreover, its original design was to eliminate all enemies opposing Lilith  - in a sense, it might also be the most powerful weapon against Mephisto.

Furthermore, Lorath mentions bringing Sightless Eye, the relic that once belonged to Oracle Queen of Skovos Isles.

Neyrelle claims Oracle Queen can help them, further confirming previous theories: the visions Neyrelle saw in the backstory video were tests and communications Oracle Queen conducted with her.

Mephisto's plan presents a clear hierarchy: establishing a faith network in the name of Akarat, guiding volunteers to Pools of Creation, using Eclipse as a catalyst to launch a large-scale sacrifice, and ultimately constructing a bridge of souls to spread hatred throughout Sanctuary.

Lorath's quest to find the weapon Lilith offers players a glimmer of hope  - the ancient blade Severian, capable of judging its wielder, may be the key to thwarting Mephisto's ambitions.

Of course, a single ancient blade won 't be enough to turn the tide. In this impending catastrophe, strengthening equipment, preparing supplies, and collecting Diablo 4 Items scattered throughout Sanctuary will all be crucial assets in your fight against Age of Hatred.

Regardless of the final outcome, Lord of Hatred is clearly composing a dark epic for Diablo 4. Age of Hatred is approaching, and are you ready to face Eclipse?

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.

Fragmented Logs quest is a high-risk,high-reward, and mandatory key quest in Arc Raiders. It's part of Flashpoint update, and Shani will immediately give you this quest after you complete Dust on the Wires quest.

Completing the quest will reward you handsomely: two core items that are extremely useful in the game.

However, the quest itself is very dangerous. The quest location is in Stella Montis, where Shredders patrol everywhere, especially the three quest locations you need to reach.

Fortunately, this quest is permanently saved, so you don't have to worry about starting over after a failure. Therefore, you can complete the quest in stages. Here, I will break down the quest into several parts to explain the main content and some survival strategies so you can complete it faster and safer.

Quest Content

After completing Dust on the Wires quest, you can accept the quest by talking to Shani, the merchant in Speranza. This task is simple: you just need to travel to three locations scattered throughout Stella Montis to repair the terminal, power up the old machines in each location, and restore historical data.

The task consists of three main parts: repairing the faulty terminal, powering on the equipment, and powering on the main data terminal. You can choose to save the previous task and complete it in batches.

Repairing Faulty Terminal

This task requires you to go to Robotic Sandbox in the central area of ​​Stella Montis to find and repair the faulty terminal. Many people search every room after entering the map, but this terminal is in the control room of Robotic Sandbox.

Robotic Sandbox has two control rooms, one on the north side and one on the south side, located between areas A and B. Find the terminal to be repaired in the control room; it might be next to a heptagonal desk or against a wall.

Once you find the terminal, repair it by replacing the faulty part with a new Electrical Component. It's worth noting that you should prepare this Electrical Component in advance, as it is difficult to find in Robotic Sandbox, takes a long time, and is dangerous because of the many patrolling Shredders outside. So, you can prepare in advance before completing this mission. There are two ways to obtain Electrical Components: one is by crafting them at the Refiner in Speranza, and the other is by salvaging specific equipment in the game or scavenging in electrical areas.

Powering On

After repairing the terminal, head to the east side of Area A in Robotic Sandbox. There might be signs above the entrance such as Control Room.

Look for small rooms with doors in the walls. Enter any of Conduit Backrooms, and you'll see a main power switch with yellow tape on the casing of a terminal block. It's usually located between large server terminals; interact with it and pull the switch.

Powering Onboard Data Terminal

This is the final step of the mission, the longest and most dangerous part. You might encounter patrolling Shredders along the way, so it's best to bring combat-ready weapons and Arc Raiders Items before starting this mission.

This mission requires you to go to Cultural Archives on the far east side of Stella Montis map.

Upon entering Cultural Archives, head to the easternmost protruding room. This room may be a server room. Go through another door to the smallest room inside, find the terminal within the final server, and interact with it to activate it and complete the mission.

Completion Rewards

After completing all three missions, return to Speranza and deliver the rewards to Shani. You will receive three Showstoppers and three Trailblazers. Both are rare items.

Showstopper

Showstopper is an electromagnetic stun grenade, primarily used for tactical control. Upon explosion, it stuns enemies in the area. Its Blueprint drops randomly across the map, with a higher probability of finding it in high-value containers and special loot boxes in Military Zones, Ammunition Depots, Industrial Zones, etc.

Crafting it requires Explosives Workshop Level 3 and costs one Advanced Electrical Component and one Voltage Converter. Alternatively, you can obtain it directly from a merchant for 1,600 Arc Raiders Coins.

Trailblazer

Trailblazer is a chain-reaction explosive grenade used for area control. Upon detonation, it creates a trail of flammable gas that delays a chain reaction explosion. After the official Flashpoint update, Trailblazer has transitioned from a damage core to a tactical tool for area control, clearing mobs, or coordinating with teammates.

Blueprint for crafting Trailblazer can be found in Electrical Boxes within Seed Vault in Stella Montis. Once found, it requires a Level 3 Explosives Workshop and one Synthetic Fuel and one Explosive Compound to craft.

Survival Strategies

Ensure the room is safe before interacting with terminals or machines. Stella Montis is filled with ARCs and Shredders; interacting with terminals will lock your character in place, and ARCs in the room will ambush you.

Electrical Component used for missions is a consumable. If you have a higher-level security pocket, such as Augment, equip it and put Electrical Component inside. This way, even if you die before completing the mission, you won't lose Electrical Component. Keep an eye on the minimap. The mission is indoors, with very limited visibility. While you're focused on your objective, other players and ARCs might appear behind you, posing a threat to your safety.

In short, this mission isn't too difficult. As long as you carefully read this guide before setting off, you'll have a clear understanding of the mission details and things to watch out for, allowing you to complete it efficiently and safely in the shortest amount of time.

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.

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.

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.

ARC Raiders' March update, Flashpoint, will be officially released next Tuesday. According to official information, besides new equipment and an iteration of Scrappy, this update also implies an important signal: Shredders may no longer be limited to Stella Montis.

This change means the difficulty of obtaining ARC Raiders items may be adjusted, sparking widespread discussion within the community about the game's difficulty curve and resource distribution strategies.

Nightmare Spreads

Whether Shredders will appear on other maps has been a long-standing discussion in ARC Raiders community. An underground tunnel connects Stella Montis and Blue Gate, a geographical structure discovered by players since the two maps were released and repeatedly used as source material for community theoretical constructions.

Some players speculated that the enemy types on the two maps might be interchangeable, but this had previously lacked official evidence. A recent short teaser from the official ARC Raiders X account suggests that this speculation may be true.

Difficulty Increased

The official announcement reads, "Someone forgot to close Stella Montis doors on their way out..." This suggests that some boundary or restriction mechanism of Stella Montis has been removed, indicating that Shredders will no longer be limited to Stella Montis.

Considering the long-standing underground tunnel connection between Stella Montis and Blue Gate, Blue Gate may become a potential new spawn area for Shredders. Currently, the official information regarding the specific spawn frequency, distribution location, or spawn mechanism of Shredders in Blue Gate has not been released; this information awaits further confirmation after the update goes live.

Gone, or a False Alarm?

As of now, the developers have not explicitly confirmed whether Shredders will appear in te Blue Gate, nor have they stated whether their appearance is triggered by specific conditions. This incomplete information has left the player community in a wait-and-see state.

If this change is true, players need to familiarize themselves with the attack patterns and weaknesses of Shredders before the update goes live. Shredders, as high-difficulty enemies, already pose a significant threat to unprepared teams in Stella Montis, especially for novice players whose equipment is not yet fully developed or who lack experience in dealing with them.

It's worth noting that, based on current information, areas like Dam Battlegrounds and Buried City are unlikely to see Shredders for the time being. This is likely a design choice made by the development team based on difficulty tiring considerations.

However, the difficulty changes in Blue Gate remain to be seen, and their specific impact will depend on the actual spawn density and distribution range of Shredders.

Media Reviews

Most gaming media outlets have taken a neutral stance on this update. IGN, PC Gamer, and other media outlets believe that Flashpoint, as a major update in March, brought the expected content additions.

Regarding the cross-map spread of Shredders, most media outlets interpret it as a normal adjustment to gameplay difficulty and resource distribution by Embark within the existing resource framework, without giving a clear positive or negative evaluation.

To report strategy, most media outlets chose to focus on information aggregation, avoiding making value judgments in the absence of complete data.

Do Players Need a New ARC Enemy Type?

In contrast to the moderate stance of the media, a stronger voice emerged within the player community. After the official trailer was released, numerous comments appeared in the social media comment section, with some players calling for the introduction of a brand new ARC enemy type, rather than moving the existing enemies to the new map.This demand reflects some players' sensitivity to content "repetition" and their anticipation of exploring new combat experiences.

However, looking at the update history, last month's Shrouded Sky update already introduced two new enemies: Comet and Firefly. These two enemies have already generated considerable discussion within the community regarding strategies for dealing with them. According to the official 2026 roadmap, April Riven Tides update will also bring a "new large ARC" enemy and a brand new map, which will be the largest content update since Stella Montis map was released at the end of 2025.

Players' demands are reasonable and positive, providing the developers with a clear direction for content creation: while maintaining update frequency, greater emphasis should be placed on the differentiation of new enemy mechanics and the uniqueness of their niche, ensuring that the "new map" and "new opponent" truly synergize, rather than being separated into two independent update dimensions.

Disagreements among different player groups

The controversy surrounding this change mainly focuses on its specific impact: the proliferation of Shredders means that combat difficulty in Blue Gate area will increase. This change directly affects players who are accustomed to using Blue Gate as a low-risk area to reliably collect ARC Raiders Items. For them, this is not a new challenge, but a change to their existing gameplay.

On the other hand, some players welcome this change. For those players who specifically enter Stella Montis to collect Shredders components and do not favor high-intensity PvP, if these components appear in Blue Gate, they will no longer need to enter one of the most competitive areas. This group values the efficiency and stability of resource acquisition more than the pure challenge.

The discussions surrounding this update essentially reflect a game between different player groups regarding the distribution of difficulty and rewards. Both viewpoints have their logical basis, the disagreement stems from differing definitions of a "reasonable gaming experience."

Other Update Content

Besides Shredders update, Flashpoint update includes other content. According to the roadmap, the update will add map conditions, marked with lightning bolt icons. The game recently experienced a hurricane, bringing strong winds, so thunderstorms are likely the next environmental change players will need to deal with.

These dynamic weather conditions are designed to increase the unpredictability and tactical diversity of matches, forcing players to adjust their strategies under different environmental parameters. In addition, a new player project will be launched, and Scrappy will also be updated. New missions will also be added; as usual, new missions are usually linked to new map conditions or new projects, forming a complete update content loop.

Overall, Flashpoint update will have some impact on the existing gameplay of ARC Raiders. Regardless of player attitudes towards the spread of Shredders, next Tuesday's update will bring expected content changes. A complete impact assessment of the update will be conducted based on actual game data after the update is officially launched.