Dune Awakening Update 1.4 is now live. The development team focused on system optimization and expanding the endgame event. No new story content was added in this update. The Old Quarry Testing Station is the core content of this update, bringing boss challenges and generous rewards.

Players will face a unique and cunning new boss - Dr. Jalanta. She is far more difficult than she appears. This article will guide you on how to defeat Dr. Jalanta in Dune Awakening's The Old Quarry. Let's take a look.

About The Old Quarry Boss

Upon arriving at The Old Quarry, you will face a relatively simple challenge. Completing it will lead to Dr. Jalanta's laboratory. The route is quite direct, and experienced players can usually reach it in about 15 minutes.

Inside the testing station, your primary threat will be Abominations bred by Dr. Jalanta. Two lockdown rooms are located within the laboratory corridors; you must eliminate all enemies to proceed. However, these Abominations are not ordinary cannon fodder; they possess advanced hovering and jumping technology, allowing them to leap over your cover and launch surprise attacks. Therefore, you need to be extremely careful.

Core Mechanics

Dune Awakening Update 1.4 does not design Dr. Jalanta as a frontline warrior, but rather as a support-type boss, meaning this is not a traditional boss battle. Dr. Jalanta's main threat lies in her ability to manage and command her Abomination army. The battle will be divided into three health phases, with her abilities significantly boosted after each phase.

She will also periodically summon Abominations from the ground, maintaining an army of up to 17. Dr. Jalanta can not only quickly replenish her forces but also Inspire these Abominations; inspired units will glow red and permanently gain increased speed and attack power. If left unchecked, these Abominations will become increasingly dangerous.

Dr. Jalanta's Key Skill

Dr. Jalanta's most crucial skill is called Consume. When using this skill, she marks Abominations with a yellow glow, causing marked units to kneel. If channeled successfully, Dr. Jalanta will devour these abominations and restore a significant amount of health.

This is the highest priority mechanic in the entire fight. Once you see Abominations marked with the yellow glow, you must immediately switch targets, prioritizing the elimination of the marked units and interrupting Dr. Jalanta's healing process. Ignoring this mechanic could result in all the damage you deal to the boss being completely healed by her skill in one go.

Dr. Jalanta's Ranged Threat

Dr. Jalanta primarily relies on her army of Abominations, but she also possesses powerful ranged attack capabilities. She uses a drill rifle, firing three bullets in rapid succession before reloading. These bullets can penetrate shields and deal high damage. This isn't the most troublesome part. More problematic is that these bullets penetrate the target's body, causing continuous damage. Players must roll and dodge to expel them before the catastrophic damage.

Strategy Recommendations

Recommended weapons

If you're a melee player, weapons with wide-area sweeping attacks, such as longswords or double-edged blades, are recommended. These weapons are advantageous for efficiently clearing groups of Abominations, allowing you to control smaller enemies while fighting the boss.

If you're a ranged player, burst damage weapons like Perforator are recommended. The best time to deal damage is when Dr. Jalanta is reloading or using her Consume skill, as she cannot retaliate, presenting your prime opportunity. Don't miss it!

If you find your weapon's damage insufficient, upgrade it with Dune Awakening Solari to ensure sufficient damage output.

Combat Pace Management

While Dr. Jalanta's three phases are similar in mechanics, her aggression increases significantly as the battle progresses. Therefore, you need to adjust your strategy based on the actual situation. When Dr. Jalanta summons a large number of Abominations, prioritize clearing them.

When yellow-marked Devouring units appear, be sure to kill them. Only focus your firepower on the boss when you have the mobs under control and no critical strike skills are being used.

Prioritize Team Challenges

Don't solo The Old Quarry. Although its difficulty dynamically adjusts based on player level, the boss fight itself emphasizes teamwork. Even if you've reached the level cap of 30, Dr. Jalanta is still a very challenging fight that requires good teamwork. Bringing at least one teammate can significantly reduce the difficulty, especially in sharing the tasks of clearing mobs and interrupting Consume skills.

Rewards

After successfully defeating Dr. Jalanta and clearing all remaining Abominations, you will receive a reward chest containing several high-level items added in Dune Awakening Update 1.4. The specific rewards are as follows:

• Weapon Rewards - Spitting Cobra SMG, Blind Fury sniper rifle, Hell-Fury pistol.
• Armor Rewards - Combat Exoskeleton Chestpiece, Phantom Whisper set.
• Other Rewards - 14 upgrade items, such as Scattergun Rampage and Maula Pistol Anti-Personnel Ammo, and blueprints for crafting even more advanced gear.

In summary, The Old Quarry Testing Station is the brand-new endgame event of Dune Awakening Update 1.4, and Dr. Jalanta offers players a highly tactically challenging experience. That concludes this article. Interested players can now try challenging the boss. Good luck!

Recently, a well-known Monopoly GO player posted a detailed video on a game forum, pointing out two serious problems with the in-game Adventure Club event.

The player stated that these problems directly impacted her gaming experience and prevented her from receiving the rewards she was entitled to. She found the official customer service's offer of only 100 Dice as compensation unacceptable. In the comments section of her video, many players reported encountering similar issues.

To help players understand the situation and determine if they have encountered similar problems, I have summarized the relevant information as follows:

Adventure Club Introduction

Before explaining the specific disputes, it's necessary to understand Monopoly GO event mentioned in the video - Adventure Club.

As is well known, Monopoly GO is a mobile board game where players move on a board by rolling dice, acquiring in-game items, building landmarks, and interacting with other players. The most important resource in the game is Dice, which determines the number of actions a player can take; and the most popular item is Stickers.

Adventure Club is a limited-time event that allows participating players to earn Dice and Stickers.

Specifically, it's a team-based event requiring eight real players. Teams must conquer multiple Obstacles, each with several target numbers. Players draw cards, and by accumulating card points to reach or exceed these target numbers, they can conquer Obstacle and advance the event.

A special card exists in the event, which players call Team Boost Card. According to the official Adventure Club game guide, it provides 10 points, multiplied by the number of teammates on the same Obstacle. For example, if four teammates are on the same Obstacle, the card provides 40 points.

Event Rewards Secretly Downgraded

The first serious problem is that the rewards for Adventure Club events have been secretly downgraded.

She kept screenshots of the official Monopoly GO promotional material from before the event started, during the team formation phase. The screenshots clearly showed that upon completing Adventure Club, teams would receive the following rewards: 625 Dice, a Purple Sticker Pack, a Wild Sticker, a Shield, and a Token.

Purple Sticker Pack was a rare 5-star sticker pack, while Wild Sticker was a top-tier item that allowed players to choose any missing sticker.

This combination was extremely attractive, allowing players to obtain Monopoly GO Stickers they wanted, which was a major reason why many players decided to fully commit to the event.

However, as the event progressed, this player discovered that the actual rewards were completely different from the promotional materials: in reality, players could only obtain a 3-star Pink Sticker Pack and a 4-star Blue Sticker Pack in the game; Purple Sticker Pack had completely disappeared.

The player contacted customer service again for an explanation. Customer service claimed it was just a bug in the game's visuals, and that the original reward for the event was a blue sticker pack, not purple - despite the player providing screenshots as proof.

Ultimately, customer service only offered her 100 Dice as compensation. However, 100 Dice are completely disproportionate to the value of a single Purple Sticker Pack.

For most long-time players, they only need a 5-star Sticker, and 100 Dice offer virtually no help.

This player sharply criticized the situation: If the official announcement clearly showed that the event rewards included a Purple Sticker Pack before the event started, encouraging players to work hard for it, and then told them it was just a display bug after everyone had completed the event, what was the point of their effort and expectations? "

Scoring Rules Secretly Modified

Besides the rewards being secretly downgraded, the scoring rules for Team Boost Card were also secretly modified. The player pointed out that she encountered a scoring anomaly during Monopoly GO Adventure Club event.

She drew a Team Boost Card, and the system interface clearly showed that there were four teammates standing on the same Obstacle. According to the previous rules, this card should have received a 4x score, or 40 points. However, the system only awarded her 20 points, preventing her from reaching the target of 44 points.

She immediately contacted customer service. After investigation, customer service explained that at the moment she drew Team Boost Card, the other teammates had already left the current Obstacle, leaving only her and one other teammate on it, so the system could only calculate it as a 2x score.

This explanation is unreasonable. In all past Adventure Club events on Monopoly GO..." In Club events, if a teammate has contributed resources to an Obstacle, even if they later leave to handle other tasks, their contribution should still count towards Team Boost Card multiplier as long as Obstacle remains uncompleted.

This player believes that this is actually a covert change to Team Boost Card's calculation logic, which wasn't explicitly stated in the event rules. The new rule requires all teammates to remain "tied" to the same obstacle throughout the entire event to obtain the maximum multiplier, significantly impacting players' strategic choices and final reward acquisition.

These are the two serious problems this player encountered. In fact, according to discussions on player forums, similar situations have occurred before, and Monopoly Go's official attitude remains consistently perfunctory; they really should reflect on their actions.

With the release of ARC Raiders Riven Tides update, the limited-time project Avian Alarm is nearing its end. If you haven't acted yet, now is your last chance.

The goal of this project is clear: to get you into every corner of the new Riven Tides map. You'll need to scavenge for a large amount of specific resources while keeping an eye out for the newly released ship models.

This guide will walk you through all five stages step-by-step, using the most efficient routes and the least effort to help you collect all the necessary items. This isn't just about the project rewards; it's about filling your ARC Raiders inventory with high-value loot along the way.

Introduction

Avian Alarm aims to encourage you to explore new Riven Tides map as much as possible. Most of the required items can be obtained directly from this map. Of course, many items can be obtained from other ARC Raiders maps, but be prepared to spend several long periods of time scavenging and exploring Riven Tides map.

By the way, your primary focus should be on collecting new ship models. Please keep all models with a rarity of green or higher. Finally, a small suggestion: completing this project after the upcoming Expedition  will be the best use of your time.

This isn't just for the project's rewards, but also to enrich your inventory while collecting the necessary ARC Raiders Items, maximizing your Raider character's gains after Expedition ends.

Phase 1

The first phase of Avian Alarm project requires you to place a bird trap near a buoy on the seabed. Completing this step will reward you with a Dock Master Detector and 25 Raider Tokens.

Please note that after completing this step, you don't need to immediately choose to extract and end the raid. You can continue looting or participate in Beachcombing condition to prepare for the items needed for subsequent project phases.

Phase 2

The items required to complete Phase Two include: 7 Tick Pods, 20 Canisters, 12 Moss, and 5 green Twilight Compass Ship Models. Upon completion, you will receive: Heavy Gun Parts Blueprint, 3 Surge Coils, and 25 Raider Tokens.

Regarding Tick Pods, I recommend searching in Hotel Azzurro, as it has the highest spawn rate across the entire ARC Raiders Riven Tides map. Alternatively, you can search along the coastline, from the smaller POI Wharf all the way to Port Authority area. Sometimes you can also find them in the smaller POIs Wreckage and Wavebreaker. However, please note that you only need to loot the exposed supplies in these areas.

As for Canisters, I recommend looting the container area below the Stacking Yard point of interest and recycling or dismantling the items you find. While looting here, also keep an eye out for the following items: Bike Pumps, Humidifiers, Water Filters, and Smoke Grenades. Also note that you can speed up the quest by turning in Seeds to ARC Raiders NPC Celeste in exchange for Canisters.

At least half the time you'll spend completing the entire Avian Alarm project will be spent in Stacking Yard, where there are many items you need to look out for and collect.

Regarding Moss, you can find a large stockpile in the smaller POI, Dried Riverbed. If you spawn in the western part of the map, I recommend heading straight there to ensure you reach Dried Riverbed first and collect as much Moss as possible.

Finally, the best way to obtain Twilight Compass Ship Models is during ARC Raiders Beachcombing condition, using Dock Master Detector. Sometimes you can also find them while looting Hotel Azzurro POI. If you're looting in Stacking Yard area, you can also find them near the containers.

Phase 3

You'll need to collect: 3 Comet Igniters, 10 Fertilizers, 8 Rusted Tools, and 5 blue "Velocity" Ship Models. Upon completion, you'll receive: 1 Anvil IV, 1 Anvil Splitter, and 50 Raider Tokens.

Comet Igniters can be obtained by searching for unexploded, destroyed Comets. Comets spawn frequently in Close Scrutiny map conditions, and you can usually find them near the northwest coastline of ARC Raiders Riven Tides map.

The most cost-effective way to eliminate these ARC enemies, and to destroy them before they explode, is by combining Anvil shots with some Seeker Grenades. Engaging these targets at long range can destroy them instantly.

Another option for Comet Igniters is to melt Comets directly with Bettina. This gun performs exceptionally well in ARC Raiders PvE mode, especially after its buff. However, the fastest way to eliminate these comets so far is still using Hullcracker, which only takes one or two shots.

As for the required Fertilizer, you can find it along the coastline at the northern end of Riven Tides. I suggest keeping an eye out for Fertilizer while participating in Beachcombing and searching for ship model props to complete the collection quest. This item is indeed difficult to collect in ARC Raiders, but it usually spawns in large numbers in Hydrotronic area of ​​Dam Battlegrounds.

As for Rusted Tools, they can also be found while looting the container area in Stacking Yards. Additionally, "Velocity" Ship Model can be found both while beachcombing in Hotel Panorama Azzurro area and while looting in Stacking Yards.

Phase 4

The items you need to collect include: 1 Vaporizer Regulator, 3 Water Filters, 8 Agave plants, and 5 pink "Sirena Dorata" Ship Models. The rewards for completing this step include: Gel Patches cosmetic item, a Riven Tides Hotel Keycard No. 311, and 50 Raider Tokens.

Vaporizer Regulator has a chance to spawn in the wreckage of the crashed ARC Courier in ARC Raiders. Keep an eye out for this item while you're doing the looting tasks required for the first few steps of this project. Note that you can also choose to enter a map with Electromagnetic Storm map condition to specifically search for the crashed ARC Courier, significantly increasing your chances of finding this item quickly.

Water Filter can be found while looting containers in Stacking Yards area. Additionally, you can find it in Breachable containers below Stacking Yards.

As for Agave, the best place to find it on ARC Raiders Riven Tides map is by searching along the dry riverbed or heading to the area directly north of Customs House.

Another way to obtain it is by entering a map with Lush Bloom map condition. I highly recommend searching Dam Battlegrounds map, specifically below the hatch area of Red Lake. Alternatively, you can search the eastern area of Spaceport map, near Communications Tower Extract.

"Sirena Dorata" Ship Model can also be found during Beachcombing condition at Hotel Panorama Azzurro, or while looting Stacking Yards.

Phase 5

The items required to complete this step include: two Turbine Compressors, three Red Coral Jewelry items, four Roots, and one "Leviathan's Crown" Ship Model. Upon completion, you will receive the following rewards: a Bird House backpack charm, Fist In Air emote, an Acoustic Guitar, and 100 Raider Tokens.

Turbine Compressors have a low spawn rate on ARC Raiders Riven Tides map and are difficult to defeat. The best way to obtain this item is to keep an eye out for the wreckage of the crashed ARC Courier while looting the first few stages of the project.

As for Red Coral Jewelry, your best option to find this item is actually to participate in ARC Raiders Beachcombing. Search the blue breach containers along the shore. If you're consistently unlucky, my personal favorite looting spot is Blue Gate Village. It's usually less crowded, and there are plenty of containers to loot around the apartment buildings.

Roots are incredibly rare, almost like top-tier loot; they're extremely hard to find. However, you can indeed find them in ARC Raiders Riven Tides. They're usually scattered on the ground, near trees or other natural resource spawn points.

I recommend starting your search in Minor POI dry seabed area on the map. Of course, you can also find them in the blue breach containers on Riven Tides. The best time to search for these Roots is while beachcombing. If you find any, I strongly recommend putting them in a Safe Pocket for safekeeping.

Finally, as for "Leviathan's Crown" Ship Model, the acquisition methods remain the same: participating in Beachcombing, going to Hotel Azzurro, and looting Stacking Yard.

This concludes the complete walkthrough for ARC Raiders Avian Alarm project. To be honest, the project's rewards are only average, but its real value lies in the looting process. You'll not only familiarize yourself with Riven Tides but also acquire a large amount of loot along the way.

In ARC Raiders, trinkets are often the most troublesome part for new players, and Red Coral Jewelry is no exception. With Riven Tides update, Avian Alarm project was introduced.

The fifth stage of this project requires players to submit three blue-quality Red Coral Jewelry trinkets, two Turbine Compressors, four Roots, and a Sirena Dorata Ship Model. Therefore, Red Coral Jewelry trinket becomes particularly important.

For many players, obtaining Red Coral Jewelry trinket is extremely difficult. This article will point out reliable spawn locations for Red Coral Jewelry trinkets to help you complete the quest more easily.

About Red Coral Jewelry

Red Coral Jewelry is a rare Commercial Trinket in ARC Raiders. It is lightweight and valuable, and extremely important in Avian Alarm project; three pieces are needed to complete the fifth stage of the project.

If you don't need it to complete the project, you can trade it with a merchant for 5,000 coins. It's a top-tier item worth taking before withdrawing.

Red Coral Jewelry Spawn

Red Coral Jewelry is an item that drops in ARC Raiders' commercial and residential areas, meaning it will spawn in drawers, cabinets, and shelves in houses, apartments, hotels, and shops. However, the drop rate for all lootable containers is random; focusing on densely populated residential areas can significantly reduce search time.

You need to carefully examine every container you pass, even the smallest ones. Jewelry like Red Coral Jewelry can appear in any lootable item, not just on prominent shelves, so don't overlook any details.

Buried City (highest priority)

Buried City is the best map for farming jewelry, bar none. The density of residential and commercial buildings is extremely high, meaning there are more containers per square meter than anywhere else. Testing shows that Santa Maria Houses and Abandoned Highway Camp have the highest jewelry drop rate. Here is the complete list of priority locations:

• Grandioso Apartments (multiple floors of containers)
• Santa Maria Houses (top drop rate confirmed)
• Plaza Rosa (shops with shelves)
• Piazza Arbusto (residential containers)
• Space Travel (commercial area)
• Abandoned Highway Camp (high trinket density)
• Library (additional container spots)

Bird City map condition (secondary method)

This map condition is a hidden gem. When Bird City map condition is active, all chimneys on the map will be filled with trinkets. Buried City has many chimneys, and the drops include Red Coral Jewelry.

However, the downside is that Bird City map condition is only a random map condition, so you can't guarantee it will be active when you load the game. But once activated, it's one of the fastest ways to accumulate trinkets. At the same time, you'll also get some extra non-jewelry Items, which can be exchanged for a large number of ARC Raiders Coins.

If you urgently need this trinket, you don't need to wait for this condition. Please use the standard residential areas of Buried City as your primary farming location.

Other Maps (Alternatives)

If you find Buried City too competitive, or if you want to spread your farming locations, all other maps have residential areas where the item can drop. Here are the specific locations on other ARC Raiders maps:

• Dam Battlegrounds map: Pale Apartment, Ruby Residence, Pattern House, Research & Administration
• Blue Gate Village map: Raider's Refuge, Abandoned Housing Project, Ruined Homestead
• Spaceport map: Arrival Building, Departure Building, Control Tower A6, North/South Trench Tower
• Riven Tides map: Hotel Panorama Azzurro

Riven Tides map currently has only one confirmed high-yield location, making it the most difficult map specifically for farming this item. However, theoretically, Beachcombing also has a chance to find Red Coral Jewelry among buried treasure.

However, the drop rate is extremely slow, and the variety of items is vast, making it not very cost-effective if you only want accessories. Therefore, don't make beachcombing your primary source of red coral jewelry. The sheer variety of drops and the long time commitment make it unwise. For a more consistent return, consider Buried City residential areas.

Of course, if you're already researching beachcombing map conditions for other reasons, you can continue searching here; you might find unexpected gems, such as Ship Models needed for Last Resort event.

Read More: ARC Raiders Dockmaster's Detector Explained: Find All Buried Loot in Beachcombing Map Condition

How to speed up your farm?

Some map conditions in ARC Raiders can significantly increase the drop rate of accessories. For example, events like Running Night Raid, Electromagnetic Storm, or Cold Snap increase the chance of obtaining accessories from containers. Cold Snap event is especially useful if you're also collecting other resources.

Here's the detailed process:

• Load into Buried City during any active map condition that boosts loot.
• Hit Santa Maria Houses first, then Grandioso Apartments.
• Open every drawer, cabinet, and shelf you pass.
• If Bird City is active, sweep the chimneys before doing anything else.
• Extract with your 3 pieces and any bonus trinkets for extra coins.

Note that there's another item, Rosary, that looks very similar to Red Coral Jewelry; be careful not to confuse them! If none of the three items you find are usable, you've likely picked up the wrong ones. Extra items can be sold for 5,000 coins, making it a good way to earn money after completing the project.

This concludes the article on how to find Red Coral Jewelry in ARC Raiders. Hopefully, this guide will help you find a suitable method and quickly complete Avian Alarm project.

Helldivers 2 Exo Experts Warbond has been online for a while now. While some players are engrossed in the game, others have expressed their dissatisfaction in player communities - the reason being the sheer number of bugs and issues!

Some bugs are simply laughable, while others have even caused players some losses. Why has Arrowhead been so careless as to leave the game with so many bugs and problems?

As a Helldivers 2 enthusiast and a consumer, I'd like to share my thoughts for the game's continued improvement.

New Bugs

Recently, Arrowhead claimed to have buffed A/FLAM-40 Flame Sentry in Helldivers 2, increasing its range and damage. Simultaneously, they also released a brand new mech in Exo Experts Warbond called EXO-51 Lumberer, whose Flamethrower on its left arm has also been enhanced.

This should have been exciting content, especially for players who enjoy fire-based weapons.

However, the reality is quite different. Many players have found that A/FLAM-40 Flame Sentry and EXO-51 Lumberer perform terribly in the game - they still allow players to be easily killed by large groups of nearby enemies, completely failing to deliver the promised buffs.

Why is this? Because of an extremely absurd bug: Arrowhead stretches the visual texture of the flames, but the damage radius doesn't increase accordingly.

More specifically, when EXO-51 Lumberer attacks enemies within approximately 10 meters with its flamethrower, enemies within that range take absolutely no damage. The same applies to A/FLAM-40 Flame Sentry.

This is a significant loss for players. EXO-51 Lumberer is only obtainable through Exo Experts Warbond, which requires a large amount of Helldivers 2 Super Credits. If it's not actually as powerful as advertised, why would players participate in Exo Experts Warbond for it?

Old Bugs

Besides the new bugs that appeared in Helldivers 2 Exo Experts Warbond, there are many more bugs that have existed in the game for months or even over a year without being fixed.

Impaler Bug

Impalers are large Zerg enemies with three tentacles. They have a bug: when you kill them, their corpses sometimes suddenly launch themselves extremely high into the air like rockets before falling back down.

This was originally just a funny little bug, but the problem is that the corpses still have physical collision detection during flight. This means that if a corpse hits you, you could be instantly killed.

SMG-72 Pummeler Bug

SMG-72 Pummeler was once disabled by Arrowhead for two to three weeks because of a serious bug - using it would cause the game to crash. During this time, players could not equip it at all.

In the game, upgrading Helldivers 2 SMG-72 Pummeler to the maximum level requires a large amount of resources and time. However, this simplistic and crude approach left players who loved it and maxed it out unable to use it for almost half a month.

Fleshmob Bug

Fleshmob, since its addition to the game about a year ago, has been plagued by an extremely annoying bug: it can pass through stairs, building walls, and even cars to attack players. When surrounded, this "ghostly" attack method is completely unmanageable because it ignores terrain obstacles.

This bug was only recently fixed, persisting for a full year. It's hard to imagine that Arrowhead would delay fixing such an obvious and severely impactful bug for a year.

Read More: Helldivers 2: Hotfix Patch, Monetization Rework, and Ammo Types Teased - Full Developer Response

Meaningless Numerical Adjustments

Besides the frequent bugs in new content, Arrowhead's handling of adjusting enemy stats in existing Helldivers 2 characters has also baffled players. The most typical example is Hive Guard.

Hive Guard is a medium-sized enemy. Originally, its front armor had 500 health points and required a weapon with Medium Armor Penetration to penetrate.

In a previous update, Arrowhead felt the enemy was too difficult to attack, so they removed its leg armor, meaning players could easily break its legs and kill it with any weapon. This change itself was fine, and the community response was positive.

However, Arrowhead then felt Hive Guard had become too weak, so they suddenly made another change, requiring weapons with Heavy Armor Penetration to damage it - essentially buffing its defenses.

However, this change only lasted about two days - due to overwhelming opposition from the player community. Ultimately, Arrowhead had to announce that they had reverted Hive Guard's stats to their original state - meaning they spent months, only to end up changing nothing.

Since the initial design was fine, why keep changing it? Most importantly, if Arrowhead has the capacity to invest time and energy in such meaningless tasks, why can't it find the bugs that truly need fixing?

My Opinion

Why does Helldivers 2 exhibit these bugs and problems? I believe there are two possible reasons:

First, Arrowhead may be overly reliant on outsourcing companies. Much of the new content, including parts of the latest Exo Experts Warbond, was likely done by outsourced teams. Arrowhead placed too much trust in these companies and released it directly.

Second, Arrowhead knew there were problems but still chose to release first and fix later. After all, obvious bugs like those mentioned earlier could not have gone unnoticed with internal testing. Therefore, Arrowhead may have opted for "release first, fix later" without prior testing.

Regardless of the reason, the solution is very simple: either postpone the release of Helldivers 2 Exo Experts Warbond or hire more employees. This is not difficult for a company with a market value approaching one billion dollars.

These are my thoughts. In any case, as a Helldivers 2 player, my only hope is that the game will continue to improve.

Dear players, the nearly six-month gap between updates for Path of Exile 2 Patch 0.5.0 has severely violated previous promises. Complaints from players are rampant in the community. I will now discuss the main stances expressed by players and the reasons for the delay of PoE 2 0.5.0.

The Root of the Conflict

The root of player dissatisfaction is actually quite simple: PoE team has failed to keep its promises. They publicly promised that PoE 2 would maintain a stable and predictable release schedule, with a version approximately every 3-4 months.

However, from PoE 2 0.4.0 Dawn of the Hunt to PoE 2 0.5.0 Return of the Ancients, the actual interval has been almost six months, far exceeding the initial promise.

This is not the first time the development team has done this. Version 0.1.0 was delayed from June to November, then to December. Druid class has been repeatedly delayed. The endgame content rework has also been repeatedly postponed. Even the update schedule for PoE 1 was affected.

Players' anger, disappointment, and helplessness stem from the repeated erosion of trust.

Player Emotions are Polarized

The Angry Faction

Angry players believe the development team has broken its promises and has been lying. They feel frustrated by the repeated failure to deliver on the official, absolute statements.

In reality, many loyal players schedule their time and lives according to version updates. They might even take time off work to play with friends late into the night. A stable schedule is essential for them.

In the early days of PoE 1, its three-month league update schedule was a major reason for its success. Players believed that even if they didn't like the current league, a better one would come after three months, and they were willing to wait and return.

These angry players argue that the developers clearly understood this logic and made the promises themselves, yet they keep delaying, which is a blatant betrayal of player trust. Is player trust really that worthless?

The Forgiving Faction

Of course, some players are willing to be forgiving of the delay in PoE 2 0.5.0. They feel the official team should be responsible for the quality of each version, preferring delay to rushing out a half-finished product.

Players also found many reasons for the delay. First, from a development difficulty perspective, the complete process of a large update is extremely complex.

From conception to team review, prototype development, internal testing, iterative iterations, cross-departmental alignment, discarding unworkable parts and rebuilding new prototypes, final testing, and preparation for release, with a high probability of emergency fixes after release.

Any step in this process can go wrong, and outsiders have no way of seeing these internal processes.

Furthermore, based on the objective facts of team size and workload, the development team, including administrative, artistic, and operational positions, totals approximately 250 people, maintaining both PoE 1 and PoE 2, releasing a major update every 4-6 months.

Compared to many game companies with thousands of employees, this output is already astonishing.

Finally, there are some uncontrollable external factors. For example, the release dates of other major titles in the market, such as the new season of Diablo 4 in April and GTA 6 in November.

Additionally, the company's own event schedule must be considered, such as ExileCon in November, etc.

These factors may force the development team to adjust the update schedule, but players are unaware of this.

A Deeper Issue

Both attitudes are certainly valid, but the issue is actually more complex than it appears on the surface.

Angry players are right because the development team has indeed repeatedly broken its promises, and players have the right to be disappointed. They promised to lock the date but not the content, but they couldn't even lock the date.

Forgiving players are also right. Game development is truly difficult, and they have already done better than most studios. Compared to those large companies that barely communicate and drag on for one or two years, PoE development team's performance is actually quite excellent.

But there is a deeper problem here: the development team may have seriously underestimated the difficulty of developing PoE 2.

The response to versions 0.1.0 and 0.2.0 far exceeded their expectations, with a large influx of new players, while simultaneously exposing issues with balance, performance, and endgame design.

They've been catching up, forced to bring forward systems originally intended for version 1.0 for iteration. Leagues, initially thought to be easily integrated, proved impossible to implement.

Although the game is nominally still Early Access, the awkward truth is that it's practically a fully operational commercial product. Players can freely spend PoE 2 currency. Naturally, they'll demand update pacing based on the standards of a full-fledged product.

Friendly Advice

To those players who are angry, you must acknowledge that PoE development team is more sincere than most game companies on the market. They sometimes misspoke or were overly optimistic, but it wasn't malicious deception.

Demanding they shut up or only read press releases because of this will ultimately harm the entire community.

And to those players who are forgiving, you must understand the anger of others. Everyone genuinely loves this game, which is why they feel disappointed at not being able to play it on the expected date. 

All players should be more tolerant of each other and the developers, and try to stay calm and relaxed. Don't take sides in black-and-white thinking, and don't attack each other just because your opinions differ.

Let's patiently await the arrival of PoE 2 0.5.0; hopefully, this time players will get a satisfactory answer.

The key to building a winning team in MLB The Show 26 lies in player positional flexibility, which often determines your team's success or failure in Diamond Dynasty mode. If your players' core fielding attributes are good enough, they will generally perform better in non-primary positions (secondary positions).

Therefore, this article will explain how to maximize the benefits of your lineup adjustments and which non-primary positions can be converted in MLB The Show 26, and which cannot.

Focusing on Fielding

In MLB 26, fielding depends on a player's defensive range, arm strength, reaction time, and other attributes. If a player has a secondary position, these attributes will increase by 5-10 points. Even without a secondary position, as long as their core attributes are above 70, they can still be effective.

Center fielders can play any position in the outfield because their speed and jumping ability are fully retained. The same is true for shortstops; you can have them hit second base, and they rarely make mistakes.

The key to outfield defense is arm strength, throwing accuracy, reaction time, and speed. If you want to build an optimal lineup, right field should absolutely be guarded by your strongest player, as this is crucial for stealing bases and preventing the opponent from scoring. Center field prioritizes defensive range, while left field has the lowest defensive requirements.

Outfield and Center Field Positions Switching

You can choose to have a center fielder play left or right field, even if they aren't listed as second field. If they have a defensive rating of 75 or higher and a speed of 70 or higher, then in 90% of cases, your corner field defensive duties will be fulfilled.

Of course, theoretically, outfielders can indeed play center field, but only if their base attributes are correctly converted. If a left or right fielder's defensive range exceeds 65, then they can also play center field, but it's not recommended to force a slower player to play center field.

For example, this year's right fielders Ronald Acuna Jr. and Fernando Tatis Jr. both likely have speed ratings exceeding 90 and decent defensive attributes, so they are very likely capable of playing center field. In short, as long as speed and reaction time are sufficient, the 10-15% attribute penalty for outfielders in non-starting positions is likely negligible.

Middle Infield Position Switching

Middle infield position switching is flexible but limited. The most acceptable position switch is between shortstop and second baseman, but this isn't perfectly symmetrical. A starting shortstop moving to second base only loses about 10% of their defensive efficiency (15% if shortstop is their second choice), making it a relatively safe adjustment.

However, the reverse is true: a baseman moving to shortstop loses 20-25% of their defensive efficiency. This illustrates that shortstops are the most well-rounded infield defenders, while second basemen often lack the strength and defensive range to effectively play the shortstop position; otherwise, their defensive efficiency drops significantly.

It's worth noting that shortstops, given sufficient speed and defensive ability, can play almost any position in the outfield. Therefore, you can use MLB The Show 26 Stubs to upgrade your shortstop as many times as possible for emergencies.

However, things get complicated when it comes to third base. While a shortstop switching to third base is manageable, it results in a 15% to 20% performance loss, leading to slower reaction times and less accurate throwing. Therefore, we generally do not recommend this position switch.

Position Switching Prohibited

In MLB The Show 26, certain position switches are actually prohibited. For example, moving a third baseman to the center infield will be automatically flagged as no, meaning the game considers the switch unfeasible. Forcing these switches into your lineup can result in severe hidden penalties, poor animations, and frequent errors.

The catcher is the most unique position in MLB 26. They don't follow the same catching rules as other positions, operating on their own. Even with exceptional defensive skills, having a non-catcher as catcher often leads to numerous missed catches and errors. Therefore, under no circumstances should a player who is not a catcher be used as a catcher, whether at outside hitter or middle blocker.

Building Tips

Before you build your team, here are a few suggestions:

1. You should always keep a center fielder or shortstop on the bench. A center fielder can play any position in the outfield, while a shortstop can play almost any position except first base and catcher.
2. Try all adjustments in Exhibition mode first, don't make them directly in the main save. If a player's defensive ability reaches 60% of the highest value for that position, then he has an 80% chance of being able to play the new position.
3. Store as many hybrid players as possible to cope with long seasons and unexpected illnesses.

Sometimes, positional versatility can really turn the tide of a game, especially in Diamond Dynasty, and this strategy is crucial when your team lacks roster depth.

In conclusion, roster flexibility is key to building a strong team. This article has covered the positional rotation in MLB The Show 26, and we hope it has provided you with some insights.

Last week, Team Jade announced Season Echo, launching in Delta Force on April 21st. This update not only brings new content and performance enhancements to Warfare and Operations modes but also brings new weapons and new operator. In addition, a collaboration event with Tomb Raider will be launched.

Tomb Raider is already very popular, and this update also includes a new map, a redesigned Zero Dam map, new operators, and weapons. Many players who watched Delta Force Season Echo livestream are already eagerly anticipating it.

To better prepare for the new season and new gameplay, I will list and introduce the currently announced update content in detail here, ensuring you have a comprehensive overview.

New Map - Akh Canal

Akh Canal is a new war map for Echo season. As the 12th map in Warfare mode, this map incorporates many different environmental conditions. On this map, your combat will focus on fast-paced, high-intensity battles with minimal movement and frequent firefights, fulfilling the demands of many community players.

• Terrain Design: Akh Canal map is located in a port industrial area with complex and varied terrain, mainly consisting of open fields, winding trenches, and buildings suitable for vertical combat.
• Vehicle Space: The scene design provides ample passageways and open areas, ensuring effective maneuverability and firepower for all types of vehicles in Delta Force.
• Environmental Destruction: A large warehouse (the main warehouse) can be destroyed by triggering missiles in area D1 of the map. Destroying the warehouse leaves a large crater and removes existing cover, forcing players into close-quarters combat.
• Fast-Paced Combat: The map layout optimizes movement paths, greatly shortening engagement distances, allowing players to quickly engage enemies even on a large map.

Core Tactics

• Assault Operators: It is recommended to utilize the mobility advantage of vehicles to quickly seize key positions. In the new season of Delta Force, the new operator Echo's sonar device will play a significant role in complex terrains such as indoor spaces and trenches.
• Snipers: The vast open areas provide a perfect long-range firing stage for high-powered sniper rifles like M82A1. Simultaneously, be constantly wary of flanking attacks from trenches or buildings.
• Teamwork: Teams should act in accordance with the dynamic events on the map. Seize missile control and use it to devastate key buildings, instantly changing the battlefield situation and creating offensive opportunities for yourself.

Zero Dam Map

As one of the most popular maps in all Delta Force operation modes, Zero Dam map's latest update demonstrates the developers' focus on enhancing the player experience.

The update revolves around underwater operations and a new special operations gameplay mode, adding underwater swimming and a dynamic water level mechanism. Underground tunnels are completely submerged, allowing you to swim directly in.

Special Operations

This is the core gameplay introduced on Zero Dam map in Season 9, offering unique challenges and rewards:

Core Objective: Complete the bomb disposal mission amidst rising water levels.

Mission Execution: After accepting the mission on the map, you must go to the specific location to cut the wires and disarm the bomb. Note that if the water level is above chest height, the bomb disposal loading time will double.

Powerful Boss: After successfully defusing all 3 bombs, there's a 30% chance the hidden boss Saeed will spawn deep within the vault. Defeating him will reward you with high-value Delta Force Items such as Level 6 Armor and Resuscitation Ventilator.

Core Loot: Saeed's Pocket Watch, dropped by Saeed, is a prime target for players who prefer to kite, possessing both mission and trade value.

Generous Rewards: After completing the mission, a free airdrop will spawn on the helicopter platform atop the dam, but the evacuation helicopter only provides a 60-second window, so act quickly.

Survival Preparation: Before the mission begins, you can acquire a diving kit in the supply room. It extends your underwater oxygen bar, preventing you from drowning during the mission.

New Weapons

This Delta Force Season Echo update includes two distinct new weapons, ranging from a heavy sniper rifle capable of penetrating cover to a weapon ideal for close-quarters combat, greatly enriching tactical options on the battlefield.

• M82A1: Semi-automatic anti-material sniper rifle, high damage, can penetrate cover, semi-automatic continuous fire. Suitable for long-range positioning, anti-vehicle operations, and fire suppression.
• AR-57: Heavy assault rifle, high rate of fire, large magazine capacity, excellent hip-fire performance. Suitable for close-quarters combat, rapid building clearing, and assault roles.

New Operator - Echo

Delta Force Season introduces Luke Everly, a reconnaissance operator focused on sound. He provides the team with powerful information gaing and tactical suppression capabilities, earning him the title of information warfare expert. His main skills are: Passive, Throwable Jammer, Delayed Flashbang, and Advanced Sonar Device.

• Passive: Significantly increases hearing range, allowing the detection of subtle movements such as silent footsteps; creates a blurred marker on the map when nearby enemy's fire.
• Throwable Jammer: Creates an 8-10 second interference zone upon throwing. Enemies who step into it will suffer four negative effects: slowed speed, blurred vision, difficulty turning, and decreased hearing, and will continuously scream, revealing their location.
• Delayed Flashbang: A flashbang that explodes after a delay. Its blinding effect can penetrate some thin cover.
• Advanced Sonar Device: Deploys a sonar device that periodically scans a 75-meter, 120-degree fan-shaped area in front, accurately marking enemies emitting footsteps, reloading sounds, etc., and sharing their location with the entire team.

Echo is generally considered a Tier 0 support. Her skill mechanics are effective against stealthy players and also counter other reconnaissance operators like Luna and Shepherd who rely on sound-based mechanics.

Tomb Raider Collaboration

This collaboration between Delta Force and Tomb Raider pays tribute to the unwavering and fearless spirit shared by both characters and the official team. During the collaboration, Tomb Raider's iconic character Lara Croft will be brought into the game as a legendary skin for Operator Luna, perfectly recreating her appearance.

In addition, a series of free legendary AKM combat rifle skins, also from Tomb Raider collaboration, will be available. You can also find Lara figurines in map treasure chests.

With the arrival of Delta Force's new Season Echo, all the new content and events will be launched simultaneously. This guide allows you to preview all the update highlights.

Leaked information about Battlefield 6 Season 3 is sparking heated discussions in the community. Numerous leaked gameplay footage and data mining findings suggest that the game may be on the verge of a crucial turning point.

From map size and weapon arsenal expansion to vehicle handling optimization and the return of the classic mode, the sheer volume of content in this Battlefield 6 update has led some players to believe it could even save the game. If Season 3 does indeed include three new maps, Battlefield 6 will take a significant step forward in terms of update frequency, potentially boosting player satisfaction.

Discussions surrounding the ranking system and server ecosystem have also led many to consider the feasibility of Battlefield 6 Bot Lobbies - although the official stance on this has not yet been clear.

Major Map Overhaul

Golmud Railway

As the classic Golmud Railway map, Golmud Railway has been completely remade in Battlefield 6 Season 3. This map is significantly larger than any other map in the current game, even surpassing Operation Firestorm and Mirak Valley. While retaining the original's openness, the remastered version adds substantial cover to Infantry area, creating a more balanced combat system between infantry and vehicles.

Most notably, the jets' flight area has been greatly expanded - previously, many maps' boundary restrictions limited air combat, but the new map significantly increases the maneuverability of jets and helicopters, creating ideal conditions for dogfighting and precise ground attacks.

Furthermore, the iconic train has returned. After capturing a point, the train will travel along the tracks, clearing away all obstacles in its path, and it cannot be destroyed.

Plaza

Season 3's second map, Plaza, is actually a modified version of the critically acclaimed Grand Bazaar from Battlefield 3. This map is renowned for its ingenious multi-route design - players can engage in close-quarters firefights in narrow indoor corridors, or utilize the outer circular passages for wide-ranging flanking maneuvers, while the Infantry Fighting Vehicle can also apply pressure from the perimeter.

The falling building ruins mechanism in the mid-point stronghold further increases tactical variability. For veteran players, the return of this map is undoubtedly a shot in the arm; its fast pace and rich tactical options are expected to address some shortcomings in the current Battlefield 6's Infantry map design.

New Map: Isolated

In addition to the two remastered maps, Season 3 may also introduce a brand new map called Isolated. If the official release of three maps in one season does indeed occur, it will break the tradition of only two maps per season since Battlefield 5. This is undoubtedly a positive sign for the player base that has long complained about the slow content updates.

Arsenal Expansion

Several new weapons have already been revealed, with L115 being the most eye-catching. While RPK-74 already has a similar weapon in the game, the new version is expected to have independent performance parameters, resulting in a different feel and ballistic characteristics compared to existing firearms.

M16 series has sparked some controversy: this gun appears to have both burst and fully automatic firing modes, which, if true, could make it extremely powerful in mid-to-long-range suppression. Finally, PP-19 Bizon will provide submachine gun enthusiasts with a new option.

On Golmud Railway, players can pick up special goggles that can be used to call an artillery strike or smoke screen. This mechanism is similar to the fixed-point firing equipment in Battle Royale mode, but the development team has clearly limited its usage frequency - it requires actually running to a specific location on the map to pick it up, aim, and fire, accompanied by a relatively long cooldown. This design makes artillery fire a scarce resource rather than an abundant skill, and combined with the highly destructible environment of Battlefield 6, its tactical value is considerable.

Vehicle Optimizations

Besides the expanded airspace on the map, the control logic of helicopters has been optimized. Specific details are not yet fully revealed, but the known direction is to reduce sluggishness and improve responsiveness.

Jets' attack range also benefits from the larger map boundaries, allowing for more freedom in ground attack flight path planning. For players who enjoy air combat, this may recreate the exhilarating aerial combat experience of Battlefield 3 and Golmud Railway.

Tank and Infantry Fighting Vehicle gameplay has also been updated, including adjustments to handling and survivability. RPGs such as LAW and M136 will be rebalanced.

A direction is to create more distinct differences between different RPGs in terms of damage, rate of fire, and lock-on mechanisms. In addition, the newly added LTV, as a faction-specific vehicle, is equipped with a cannon on top, combining mobility and protection.

Mode Innovations

Obliteration mode, introduced in Battlefield 4 may return in Battlefield 6. This mode requires players to capture a bomb with a countdown timer and escort it to a designated objective point for detonation. For nostalgic players, this offers an alternative gameplay option.

A ranked mode may be added, potentially including a separate leaderboard, ranking system, and matchmaking mechanism. However, this doesn't necessarily mean the official release will be a full-fledged esports event like Call of Duty. Based on current information, ranked mode is more likely to exist as an optional branch, running alongside casual matchmaking.

However, the official development plans for a server browser have not yet been mentioned, which is a concern for the long-term operation of ranked mode. Some players have even started searching for Battlefield 6 Bot Lobbies, attempting to farm ranking rewards through unofficial means, reflecting a lack of confidence in the official matchmaking system.

Good News

Although the specific release date for Season 3 has not yet been announced, the official details for next week's patch have been released. Operation Orge will connect two existing maps into a new limited-time action mode. Unfortunately, this mode is not permanent but will only be available for a limited time.

The most impactful change in the patch is undoubtedly the experience gain mechanism: weapon and vehicle experience are no longer solely dependent on kills, but are gained through various actions such as actively using the weapon, capturing objectives, destroying M-COMs, and healing teammates.

This clearly borrows from the upgrade logic of Call of Duty: Modern Warfare, reducing the tedium of grinding for weapon levels. The defibrillator rework is more controversial - it now has three charges; rapid consecutive respawns consume charges and require time to recover; a full charge instantly restores teammates to 100% health and can even instantly kill enemies.

The patch also mentions several quality updates, including improved hit audio, improved tracer bullet consistency, and improved network warning indicators. However, since the game's release six months ago, the developers have made no commitment regarding the server browser.

For a shooter that emphasizes large-scale online multiplayer, the lack of an official server browser means players cannot actively choose servers with low latency, specific modes, or custom rules.

Some communities have even started creating Battlefield 6 Bot Lobbies to organize private matches, but this method ultimately cannot replace the convenience of the built-in browser. If Season 3 doesn't address this issue, the game's long-term operation will face serious challenges.

Battlefield 6 Season 3 is expected to inject strong vitality into the game with the potential release of three new maps, several classic weapons, in-depth vehicle optimization, and the return of Obliteration/Ranked modes. The rework of Defibrillator and the reform of the experience system reflect the ongoing exploration of balance.

However, the limited-time action mode, the lack of a Server Browser, and the uncertainty of content update speed remain unresolved concerns. If the developers can maintain the pace of three maps per season and respond to the community's demands for basic functionality, Battlefield 6 may truly emerge from the gloom of its initial release.

Diablo 4 Season 12 introduces a severely underrated and powerful build - Shield Charge Retribution Paladin. This build, centered on Shield Charge, achieves versatility from the open world to high-level pits thanks to a fixed passive ability.

In Diablo 4 Season 12 environment, many players still favor the traditional Shield of Retribution build, overlooking this faster and more stable variant.

This build has extremely low reliance on Diablo 4 Items, with just one key rune, you can clear everything with a single click, making it incredibly cost-effective.

Core Mechanics

In this Diablo 4 Season 12 build, Shield Charge is no longer just a movement or control skill, but the engine of the entire damage rotation.

Through a specific passive transformation, Shield Charge is redefined as a core skill, consuming 20 Faith points per cast and additionally consuming Faith per second during its channeling. The most crucial change brought about by this transformation is that Shield Charge's attack detection is now considered a block by the system.

The significance of this block detection goes far beyond damage reduction itself. When a character blocks an enemy attack during a charge, they are actually triggering a defensive mechanism while simultaneously attacking. This allows Paladin to activate multiple block-dependent passives and equipment effects simultaneously, without waiting for the enemy to act.

Many players initially mistakenly believe that the damage primarily comes from Shield Charge value itself, but in reality, Shield Charge only contributes about 10% of the total output. The real protagonist is the small white bubbles constantly floating from the character - Retribution itself, which deals area damage based on Thorns.

Retribution differs from traditional Thorns damage. Regular Thorns require the enemy to attack the character to reflect damage, while Retribution is a unique mechanic for Paladins: after each successful block, there is a chance to deal area damage based on Thorns to all surrounding enemies.

This essentially transforms a passive counterattack into an active clearing skill. During the continuous blocking phase of Shield Charge, Retribution triggers extremely frequently, creating an effect where enemies are instantly vaporized wherever the charge hits.

Aspect of Northern Guard is another cornerstone of this build. Its effect is: whenever the character successfully blocks, there is a maximum 45% chance to Frozen the attacker. Since every attack during Shield Charge is a block, elite monsters are often Frozen after taking the first hit of Shield Charge. Frozen enemies cannot attack, meaning subsequent block triggers are much safer.

This mechanic brings incredible survivability. In Diablo 4 Season 12's Torment 12 difficulty, monster damage is extremely high, and traditional builds often require frequent repositioning or reliance on damage reduction abilities.

However, Shield Charge Paladin simply needs to pass through a group of monsters in a straight line, instantly killing all non-elite units, while elite units are instantly Frozen and then finished off by subsequent Retribution damage. Even against bosses, the back-and-forth charging maintains extremely high control coverage.

Equipment and Runes

Below are the recommended equipment builds for this build, from core items to Mythic Unique Items alternatives.

Core Items

Of all Diablo 4 Items, there is one that this build absolutely cannot omit - Lum Rune. Without it, the character will rush out of Faith, Shield Charge cannot be channeled continuously, and the entire mechanic will instantly collapse. Pairing it with any Lum+ Rune combination, such as Bak Lum, can further optimize resource cycling.

Mythic Item Build

For players who already have a stockpile of Mythic items, Heir of Perdition and Ring of Starless Skies are the optimal choices. Heir of Perdition provides high core skill damage and critical strike chance, while Ring of Starless Skies further reduces the continuous cost of skills, allowing Shield Charge to be channeled almost infinitely. If you lack Heir of Perdition for the helmet slot, you can also choose Godslayer Crown.

Regarding rings, there are many alternatives to Ring of Starless Skies; any Rare Ring that provides critical strike damage, core skill level, or resource regeneration can be used temporarily.

Others

Aspect of Hale's Salve provides an increase in maximum health and up to 50% armor when fully healed.

Aspect of Northern Guard is the source of Frozen.

Griswold's Opus provides resource regeneration on kill and Berserk chance.

Herald of Zakarum gives Retribution a chance to deal double damage, significantly increasing burst damage.

Regarding affixes, critical strike chance can be stacked to around 100% through multiple pieces of equipment with critical strike affixes and skill fanaticism. Attack speed is almost useless for this build and can be completely ignored. Prioritize armor and all resistances for defensive affixes, as Frozen already provides sufficient hard crowd control.

Skills and Passives

First, convert Shield Charge into a core skill; this is the starting point for the entire build. Next, select Punishment, providing a 30% Retribution chance.

Repentance further increases Retribution chance, allowing the character to easily surpass 100% trigger rate even with low shield rolls. Thorns and Thistles is the strongest passive for Vengeance Shield build and is also applicable to this build - it converts a portion of Thorns into area-of-effect Retribution damage.

Fantasy Aura provides a critical strike chance bonus; since critical strikes are key to damage amplification, this skill must be maxed out. Arbiter of Justice provides Vulnerable application and movement speed.

Vulnerable is the most important damage-boosting debuff in Diablo 4 Season 12, and Arbiter of Justice provides the second source of Vulnerable besides Exploits.

Clash needs to be actively activated at high Pit levels, providing additional Retribution stacks and Thorn bonuses. It can be completely ignored in normal gameplay. For Oaths, choose Juggernaut to further improve defense and block efficiency.

As the ultimate key passive, Armed Code provides multiple buffs when casting core abilities, perfectly complementing the high-frequency casting of Shield Charge. It also further reduces resource consumption, creating near-infinite sustain when combined with Lum Rune.

Paragon Board

Start Board/Exploit provides increased damage against Vulnerable enemies and is the starting choice for almost all Paladin builds. Beacon further amplifies damage, especially suitable for high-frequency attack builds. Shield Bearer/Honed provides increased damage based on block rate and restores resources on critical hits.

Since this build has a 100% block rate, this combination provides consistently high damage increases. Relentless/Turf reduces the cooldown of Arbiter of Justice, ensuring Vulnerable coverage. Castle/Spirit provides critical hit damage bonuses, crucial for a late-game damage leap.

Paragon Board allocation follows the principle of acquiring core legendary nodes first, then supplementing rare node attributes. Prioritize unlocking Exploiter and Shield Bearer, then extend towards Beacon and Castle.

Practical Operation and Playstyle Comparison

The following will analyze the usage of this build from two aspects: daily gameplay and Pit runs.

Daily Gameplay

For open-world content, the operation is simplified to holding down Shield Charge button. The character will automatically charge, block, trigger Retribution, and freeze enemies. All small monsters will be one-hit kills, and elite monsters can be finished off with one or two hits after being frozen. No other skills are needed, and there is no need to deliberately adjust the direction - Shield Charge will automatically advance toward the mouse.

High-Level Pits

In Pits above level 100, monster health and damage are significantly increased, and the 10% direct damage from Shield Charge alone becomes insufficient. At this time, it is necessary to actively press Clash during the charge interval to gain additional Thorns and Retribution stacks. Conflicting buffs will be displayed as icons above the skill bar; simply maintain this buff.

Diablo 4 Season 12 Shield Charge Retribution Paladin is a severely underrated and powerful speed-farming build. With its extremely low skill ceiling, incredible survivability, and terrifying map-clearing efficiency, this build has become one of the most worthwhile playstyles to try in the mid-to-late game of the season.

With just a few common Diablo 4 Items and a Lum Rune, players can experience the thrill of one-click screen clearing. And with the potential addition of block-triggered gear in future seasons, this build has even greater potential for improvement. Whether you're a new player or a veteran, it's worth experiencing the destructive power of this Shield Charge Retribution Paladin build before the season ends.

In February of this year, the official Monopoly Go launched a brand new season, focusing on pets and the player community–the highly anticipated Posh Pets Season.

The season not only introduced original pet-themed tokens, featuring alongside the classic Monopoly Go character Scottie, but also achieved a heartwarming collaboration between the game and reality through a player pet selection event. Furthermore, it partnered with charitable organizations such as RSPCA and ASPCA for charitable work, boosting the season's popularity and player community engagement.

Below is a detailed introduction to the origins of Posh Pets Season, the player pet selection event, the new pet pieces, the first-ever launch of Style Tokens, and the charitable donations.

The Origins of Posh Pets Season

The birth of Posh Pets Season was not accidental. According to an official representative, as early as 2023, when the game's Discord server was established, the Scottie channel, named after Mr. Monopoly's classic companion, was the most popular unofficial discussion area for three consecutive years. Players spontaneously shared thousands of pet photos and stories, creating a vibrant community atmosphere.

In an in-depth community survey conducted in the winter of 2024, pet-themed content received the highest number of votes as the most anticipated game content. The idea for a community gallery set took shape during a face-to-face exchange with team members at the 2025 Pocket Gamer Awards.

Posh Pets Season began on February 4, 2026, and ran until April 7, 2026, continuing the game's seasonal format of updating themes and content approximately every two months. Limited-time collaborations with Monopoly Go stickers, game boards, and cosmetic items ensured players always had something new to look forward to.

Player Pet Submission Event

This Posh Pets Season featured the largest player pet submission event in Monopoly Go history. The official team invited players on Discord to share how their pets were enjoying their ultimate tycoon life.

The event ultimately received 12,000 submissions, far exceeding the team's expectations by five to six times. After manual selection, 100 pets were shortlisted. A committee then finalized the selection of 9 winning pets, which were redesigned in the Monopoly Go game style and added to the in-game sticker collection.

These pet stickers are placed at the top of the sticker collection, ensuring players see these pet images from real players the moment they open their album. The stickers have social attributes, allowing them to be gifted and traded, enabling all players to acquire and share this community fun.

Winning pets include not only cats and dogs, but also popular characters like Brian the duck, Stella the totoro, and David the frog. The team aims to cover a wider range of pet types, not just common animals. Five winning pets were also showcased on the official social media accounts, garnering significant attention.

New Pet Pieces and the First-Ever Style Tokens

In addition to the sticker collection, the season also adds several new playable animal-themed pieces, which can be unlocked and used permanently during the season.

Classic pets include Mr. Monopoly's longtime partners Scottie and posh cat Duke, while new characters include zen parrot Pip, rabbit Nibbles, and the design team's favorite turtle, Turbo. Each piece has a distinct personality: Scottie is innocent and lively, while Duke exudes aristocratic elegance.

This season also introduces new Style Tokens, allowing players to customize their characters' appearances with various accessories. This is the first time the game has offered a piece customization feature, and the team has conducted multiple rounds of design testing to ensure simple and intuitive operation, perfectly suited for a casual gaming experience.

According to official sources, all pet characters have completed character profiles and will return in future seasons, not just for a single season.

Charity Collaboration and Donations

Another highlight of Posh Pets Season is the inclusion of charitable collaborations in its core season plan, launching the "Play with Purpose" charity campaign.

From the outset, the official team pledged to donate to RSPCA and ASPCA, setting an additional goal: if players collectively "Go" 5 million times within the first month of the season, the donation amount would increase. Players ultimately reached the goal ahead of schedule on February 17th, prompting the team to donate £110,000 to RSPCA and $350,000 to ASPCA.

The charity event mechanism was designed to be very lightweight; players simply needed to play the game normally to automatically accumulate points and progress towards charity, requiring no additional action. This approach neither burdened players nor hindered gameplay, yet made each game meaningful.

RSPCA also used this collaboration to promote adoptable animals similar to the game's pet characters, including a puppy named Scottie, a long-haired cat named Duke, and a mixed-breed dog named Mr. Monopoly, with Duke still awaiting adoption.

Posh Pets Season will officially end on April 7th. The official team stated that future seasons may not necessarily be tied to charity events, but if they are reintroduced, they will be done naturally and without being forced.

The official website just celebrated its 15th anniversary, with cumulative revenue exceeding $15 billion. It's clear that only official websites that prioritize players and public welfare will thrive.

In ARC Raiders' 3v3 Creative Mode, mastering team tactics is key to victory. This guide covers crucial strategies for the retreat, advance, and attack phases, as well as common mistakes to avoid.

In 3v3 battles in Creative Mode, the simultaneous presence of multiple teams makes the battlefield unpredictable, and individual gun skills alone are often insufficient to handle complex flanking maneuvers and chaotic situations.

The stability of teamwork is often more decisive in determining victory than individual gun skills. To improve team stability and win rate, the key is to ensure that each member develops a unified consensus of action at different stages, such as retreat, advance, and attack, integrating scattered practical experience into repeatable team discipline.

After all, in this type of battle, survival and acquiring ARC Raiders Items are the team's ultimate goals.

The following explains the key strategies affecting teamwork in the three stages of retreat, advance, and attack, and analyzes common tactical mistakes to help teams reduce equipment losses and establish an economic advantage.

Retreat

When a team advances to the base of Tower, the following situation may occur: one team advances from the front and engages, while another team flanks and engages teammates. The team faces being flanked by two teams and caught in a three-way battle.

Timely disengagement avoids engaging enemies from two directions simultaneously. If pursuit is detected, retreat and lure the other two teams into engagement.

During the retreat, use throwables to block key passages. These can obstruct the enemy's advance, buying your team a few seconds to regroup.

Communicate with teammates via voice or markers during the retreat to ensure coordinated teamwork.

Prioritize retreating towards known safe areas to avoid entering unknown zones and encountering new enemies.

During the retreat, the rearguard should maintain a distance from the front lines to ensure they can use throwables to block pursuit while preserving sufficient space for their own escape.

Advance

After successfully withdrawing from the melee and allowing the other two teams to engage, pay attention to audio and visual signals on the battlefield, such as gunfire, footsteps, and engagement alerts. Once both sides are confirmed to be engaged in combat, it's time to resume the advance.

Before advancing, the team should quickly recover its strength. The commander should mark the target location on the map, and the entire team should coordinate their advance. The team initially engaged in combat is often fighting a third party, allowing your team to flank or rear and turn the tide in a local numerical advantage.

During the advance, one member can be assigned as the vanguard to scout and draw fire, while two other members provide fire support and cover from the rear or flanks.

The vanguard and rearguard should maintain visual distance to ensure timely suppressive fire if the vanguard is attacked. The advance route should prioritize utilizing terrain cover, avoiding long-distance movement in open areas.

As you approach the combat zone, the entire team should reduce movement speed to minimize footsteps and observe enemy positions around corners and from higher ground.

If, during the advance, it is discovered that the fighting has already decided a winner, the decision to continue should be reassessed, as the victorious side may have already secured a favorable position and recovered its strength.

It's advisable to wait at a safe distance, observing whether the enemy begins looting, and launching an attack during this period of relaxation.

The timing of the advance directly affects the difficulty of subsequent attacks. Entering too early may make you an easy target for third-party firefights, while entering too late may result in missed opportunities.

Attack

After a team knocks down an enemy, they should utilize this advantage to have teammates immediately push forward.

Knocked enemies cannot fight effectively, allowing the team to use the momentary numerical advantage to gain a more advantageous firing position and suppress the remaining enemy forces.

Before entering any area, develop the habit of using throwables to clear corners. Both lethal and tactical throwables can be used to scout or block potential enemy positions, preventing ambushes from hidden corners.

Throw ables don't necessarily need to result in kills; their purpose is to force ambushing enemies to move or reveal their location, providing your team with an opportunity to anticipate their movements.

Prioritize using throwables to clear high-risk areas, such as blind spots on both sides after entering a door, stairwell corners, and common ambush points behind cover.

Making good use of doors and sound information is also crucial in an attack. On maps like Stella Montis, when advancing to Tower, use door blockers to lock doors after entering the building.

After locking the door, the team can engage in localized one-on-one duels with enemies in their current direction, while simultaneously using sound to determine if new teams are flanking, thus deciding whether to quickly clear the area or rotate again to wait for third-party intervention.

Common Mistakes

In actual combat, a lack of patience is a common mistake made by some teams.

A typical example is that after clearing a corner and finding it empty, the team assumes that direction is safe and chooses to push forward alone. Three enemy players may be using cover to hold off this route.

Solo advances are easily taken down instantly by crossfire, and teammates, because of limited positioning, cannot provide timely support, leading to a situation where the team is outnumbered in a localized conflict.

The root cause of this mistake lies in an overly simplistic assessment of safety. Clearing a corner only indicates that there are currently no enemies there, but it doesn't confirm the safety of the passage ahead or the corner at the end of the passage.

To avoid this mistake, maintain a two-person team approach. Any advance in any direction should be carried out by at least two team members, with one moving while the other provides cover fire, alternating advances.

Another common mistake is immediately looting after a team fight ends. Some teams rush to loot locations as soon as they knock down enemies.

A safer approach is to first block key entrances with doorstops, mines, or throwables, use sound cues to monitor the surrounding area, and only loot after confirming there are no threats.

Prioritizing looting over safety makes you vulnerable to intervention from third-party teams, turning an advantageous situation into a reactive firefight.

The correct procedure is as follows: After the team battle, one member should be on guard while the other two quickly recover and set up an entrance blockade. Once the surrounding area is confirmed to be safe, one member should quickly loot ARC Raiders Items. After looting, the entire team should quickly evacuate the current area to a safe location before sorting and distributing supplies.

If you want to increase your success rate in attacks, patience, positioning, timely call-outs, and knowing when to retreat are key to becoming a better team. When you truly integrate these skills into your teamwork, victory will naturally follow.

Hopefully, after reading this guide, PvP will no longer be difficult for you, and you wish to reap many rewards.