Cornell Otto

In the world of ARC Raiders, we venture into dangerous surface areas daily, engaging in fierce battles with other raiders. A seemingly contradictory question has sparked heated discussions within the community: why are we, all from Speranza, attacking each other?

On the surface, this seems to contradict the game's premise. All Raiders face the threat posed by ARC; theoretically, survivors should be more united, not fighting over resources or even attacking each other during exploration.

However, as players delve deeper into the game's backstory, more and more have discovered that the hostility between Raiders may conceal a more complex game mechanic. The clues left behind in ARC Raiders lore suggest that these conflicts are not simply player-versus-player combat, but part of the social structure of this wasteland.

Speranza is Not the Entire World

Many players, after gaining a deeper understanding of ARC Raiders lore, have discovered that their previous understanding of Speranza may have been flawed. Speranza is not the only home for all Raiders, but merely an important district within the underground city of Toledo.

We typically start our explorations from Speranza, but this does not mean that all Raiders encountered on the surface originate from there. Other Raiders likely originate from other districts within Toledo, each with its own communities, leaders, and objectives.

Speranza, one of the earliest districts established in Toledo in ARC Raiders, emerged during the second wave following the return of ARC, when increasing numbers of survivors were forced to leave the surface in search of underground shelters.

This area evolved out of the ruins of an old city swallowed by sinkholes, eventually expanding into the vibrant underground settlement it is today as survivors from Rust Belt and beyond joined.

While an underground transportation network maintained by the official Pipeline Administration connects multiple districts within Toledo's underground share, most districts remain relatively independent.

Because of distance, ruins, and the isolation of the underground environment, different communities function more like parallel social systems, each with its own rules, resource needs, and political stances.

Hostile raiders are not necessarily from the same faction; they may be searching for resources for their respective communities or even vying for limited survival space. In fact, the relationships between Raiders may be more complex than players initially imagine.

They might share elevators and underground transportation systems to reach the surface of ARC Raiders, but after completing their missions, they might return to their respective neighborhoods via different conduits. This decentralized community structure leaves ample room for future story developments, such as political conflicts between different neighborhoods, resource competition, and even the establishment of new settlements.

Besides infrastructure and transportation networks, Toledo also contains numerous hidden black market trading points. These markets are not permanent but appear in alleyways, abandoned shops, or secluded courtyards within the underground city. While there are no open black markets within Speranza, many residents still venture to other neighborhoods in search of rare resources and special goods.

Therefore, Speranza we see in the game is only a part of Toledo's vast underground world. As ARC Raiders expands its content in the future, other Contradas and their backstories will probably become important directions for exploring this world.

Resource Competition Leads to Conflict

Another group of players believes that even though everyone comes from the same place, conflict between humans is not surprising. In the post-apocalyptic environment of ARC Raiders, resources are extremely limited, and every exploration means competition for risk and reward.

We come from the same place, but that doesn't mean everyone shares the same goals. Under the pressure of survival, food, ARC Raiders Items, materials, and scarce resources all become sources of conflict. For Raiders, defeating other players doesn't necessarily mean actual killing; it might just be about seizing their supplies.

Some players believe that in the post-apocalyptic world, humanity's greatest threat often comes from within, as resource scarcity can drive survivors to more extreme actions.

This aligns with the premise of many post-apocalyptic works: facing ARC together doesn't mean all survivors will cooperate. When survival pressure reaches a certain level, internal conflicts are often more complex than external enemies.

Also Read: ARC Raiders Update 1.39.0: 15+ Hidden Tips and Tricks to Survive Longer and Extract Successfully

ARC Raiders Needs More Complete Setting

While the current setting can explain the hostile behavior between Raiders, many players still hope that ARC Raiders will add a more explicit faction system in the future.

Some players believe that if different Raiders could join different communities and support different organizations, the game world would be more logical and offer richer progression paths. For example, joining different Toledo regions, cooperating with different factions, and even influencing future story developments.

Players hope future updates will add more traders, community relationships, and an expanded advancement system, allowing for genuine interaction between different factions. Currently, ARC Raiders universe still has a lot of room for development. Lore in the game has hinted at the existence of multiple regions and factions in Toledo, but the development team hasn't fully explored these aspects.

The death mechanics in ARC Raiders have also sparked discussion within the community. Many players point out that Raiders don't die in the traditional sense, but are knocked down.

After being knocked down, we lose our equipment, are looted by other raiders, and then return to Speranza for treatment. While this explains why Speranza doesn't collapse because of conflicts between Raiders, from a universe-building perspective, this mechanism needs further development.

The fact that the people of Speranza attack each other isn't just a simple plot hole, but a problem within ARC Raiders universe worth exploring further. If the developers further expand Toledo's faction system in the future, this wasteland world could potentially have a much richer storyline than it does now.

Recent discussions in the media and player communities regarding the potential imminent release of GTA 6 Trailer 3 have once again reached a fever pitch.

The news initially came from a trusted industry insider, later confirmed by Take-Two Interactive's earnings call scheduled for 8:00 AM Eastern Time on August 7th, further clarifying GTA 6 release date, platforms, and, most notably, pre-order sales figures.

All signs point to one thing: Trailer 3 is coming soon.

Rockstar's Long Silence

Since the pre-order window opened for GTA 6, Rockstar has once again fallen silent. Currently confirmed information includes a November 19th release date, pre-order versions and prices, and summer marketing activities.

However, the problem lies in the fact that with only three months left until the official release, players still haven't seen any content regarding game visuals or gameplay. For a AAA title about to enter its final promotional phase, such a prolonged information gap doesn't align with typical game marketing strategies.

Therefore, it's widely believed that August is likely a crucial time for Rockstar to release its next phase of promotional content.

A well-known industry insider revealed that during a Q&A session on social media, a player asked if the next Rockstar update would include gameplay footage of GTA 6. The insider responded that they expected to see a significant amount of content in August.

It's worth noting that while they didn't explicitly say it would be a Trailer 3, they used a vague description.

This means that if their information is accurate, Rockstar's next promotion might not just be a regular trailer, but could include full gameplay demonstrations, introductions to new characters or worlds, and other update content.

Take-Two Earnings Call

The significance of August 7th conference call lies primarily in the fact that it was the first public release of data after GTA 6 pre-orders opened.

Pre-order data not only reflects basic sales figures but also player demand and can predict Rockstar's next steps. Because of the positive data, this take-two could not only boost market confidence but also potentially propel Rockstar into a more intensive promotional phase.

In fact, this timing differs from past schedules, leading many players to speculate that this Take-Two earnings call might be a crucial juncture before or after Trailer 3's announcement, rather than the actual release itself. Some predict the actual release date will be between August 4th and 6th.

Despite this, the community is rife with controversy and skepticism.

Also Read: An Old Video Has Unveiled Another Veil of Mystery Surrounding Grand Theft Auto 6 | Analysis and Trailer 3 Speculation

Scrutiny

Due to numerous failed predictions in the past, some players are now becoming cautious about such unsubstantiated leaks. Speculation about GTA 6 Trailer 3 has been ongoing for months.

From special dates and in-game events to the last Take-Two earnings call, the community has repeatedly suggested these points could be Trailer 3 release windows, but ultimately no official content has materialized. This situation has led some community members to feel weary and even resistant to the constant predictions.

This sentiment, coupled with repeatedly disappointed expectations, is also influenced by Rockstar's unconventional marketing approach, which suggests that most of the predicted information will also be inaccurate.

This means that even as the release date draws closer, it's difficult for players to predict the timing of Trailer 3's release based on the marketing patterns of GTA series or other games in the same genre.

Anticipation

While the trailer's release date is uncertain, players are still eagerly anticipating the content of Trailer 3. This anticipation can be broadly categorized into two main directions:

1. Story Showcase

Some players believe that GTA 6 Trailer 3 will continue the approach of the previous two trailers, focusing on the relationship between the two protagonists, the world setting, the crime storyline, and factional conflicts. This approach aligns with Rockstar's past narrative-driven marketing style.

2. Gameplay Showcase

Other players believe that with only a few months until release, and players still knowing nothing about gameplay details, Trailer 3 will probably showcase more of the actual gameplay, including the gun system, driving mechanics, NPC interactions, open-world activities, and UI controls.

Especially the potential multiplayer mode in GTA 6 will probably draw players' attention to the in-game economy.

GTA Online has already proven that virtual currency plays a crucial role in Rockstar's gaming ecosystem. If a similar model continues, players may need to pay attention to GTA 6 Shop system, asset merchandise mechanics, and ways to earn.

Trailer Graphics

Besides the content, players have also discussed the visuals shown in Trailer 3 and the actual visuals of GTA 6.

Former Rockstar developers have warned players that the graphics shown in trailers are usually highly controlled and optimized. Developers consider camera placement, and everything within the frame is meticulously polished, while the visuals outside the frame may not be as good.

This means that the actual gameplay graphics and experience of GTA 6 may differ from what is currently shown. However, comparing the graphics of past GTA trailers before release with the final game's graphics, the difference isn't actually that significant.

Therefore, while GTA 6 won't be exactly the same, the trailers can still serve as a window into the actual gameplay experience.

The Community Buzz Hasn't Died Down

While Rockstar's marketing for GTA 6 has been rather lukewarm, and the player community's discussion had recently cooled due to a lack of new information, this leak suggests that GTA 6 still maintains a very high level of interest.

The biggest problem right now is probably the scarcity of official materials and information, forcing players to rely on predictions to keep the hype going. Some players, seeing the enduring popularity, believe that Rockstar's minimalist marketing strategy is actually a success.

However, in my opinion, the main reason is that GTA series itself holds a very high position and popularity among games of its genre due to its irreplaceable nature and excellent content, rather than any so-called anti-marketing. A smaller-scale game would have disappeared long ago.

It is precisely for this reason that even with repeated failed predictions, players are still happy to participate. Even though they feel disappointed, they still hold onto the optimistic belief that what's meant to happen will happen and that eventually, they'll be right, waiting for Trailer 3 and the release of GTA 6.

Midsummer Fire Festival is an important seasonal event in WoW TBC Classic Anniversary, and this year it runs from June 21st to July 5th. During the event, bonfires will appear in various areas of Azeroth, and festival camps will be set up in the capital cities. Whether you're a leveler or a collector, this event will bring you considerable rewards. Let's take a closer look.

Core Gameplay

The core gameplay of Midsummer Fire Festival is very simple: travel around, interact with bonfires, collect Burning Blossom, and then exchange it for rewards at the festival vendor: Blossom decorations, clothing, and toys. If you encounter a bonfire belonging to the opposing faction, you can desecrate it to receive approximately 12 gold; if it's a bonfire belonging to your own faction, you can honor it to receive approximately 6 gold. Both actions will grant Burning Blossom.

It's highly recommended to spend time running all the bonfires - not only is this a considerable amount of free WoW TBC Classic Anniversary gold, but it also accumulates a large amount of Burning Blossom to redeem prizes.

Additionally, players can obtain Burning Blossom through mini games and quests in the major cities, as well as by defeating the current BCC Anniversary boss - The Frost Lord Ahune. Ahune also has a chance to drop some equipment or pets, such as Shroud of Winter's Chill.

Three Major Buffs

Fire-Toasted Bun

At the festival vendors in the major WoW Classic cities, you can exchange Burning Blossom for a Fire-Toasted Bun. This food can stack with your regular food buffs, meaning you can have two food buffs at the same time.

Fire-Toasted Bun increases your hit chance by 2%, which is very beneficial for classes like Rogues and Enhancement Shamans that rely heavily on hit chance.

Note that this item's duration starts from the moment it's redeemed and lasts for 14 days. To maximize its effectiveness, it's recommended to redeem all buffs on the last day of the festival, allowing for longer usage in subsequent battles.

Fire Festival Fury

Throw Burning Blossom into a campfire to gain the Fire Festival Fury buff. This buff provides 3% critical strike chance for one hour and also applies a fire damage reflection effect, which is useful against tanky enemies.

Note that to activate both this buff and Flask simultaneously, you must use Flask first, then throw Burning Blossom into the campfire to gain Fire Festival Fury. Furthermore, this buff overrides any Battle Elixir. However, Guardian Elixir is different; it can be active simultaneously with Fire Festival Fury.

Dying in battle will result in the loss of both buffs, requiring re-acquisition. Fire-Toasted Bun can be used to replenish it at any time, while Fire Festival Fury can only be regained by finding a campfire.

Ribbon Dance

Each campfire has a Ribbon Pole; interacting with it and dancing will grant Ribbon Dance buff. It provides a 10% experience boost, which stacks with the experience gained from resting during WoW The Burning Crusade Classic Anniversary. Its duration increases with the duration of the dance, stacking up to 60 minutes, and it refreshes at any campfire.

For players leveling, this is the most useful benefit of the entire festival - the 10% extra experience boost saves a significant amount of time.

The Frost Lord Ahune

Boss Summoning and Combat

Ahune is the exclusive boss of the Midsummer Fire Festival, located in The Slave Pens in Zangarmarsh. Players can initiate the summoning process by speaking to the Earthen Ring Elder at any Midsummer camp. Only one player in the party needs to complete the prerequisite quest chain to summon him, and he can be summoned in both Normal and Heroic modes.

The combat consists of two phases. In the first phase, Ahune receives significant damage reduction and is invincible; prioritize clearing the adds he summons. In the second phase, Ahune reverts to his Frozen Core state, becoming vulnerable, which is the window for unleashing powerful burst damage. If the damage output is insufficient, he will re-enter the first phase and summon more adds.

In Normal mode, he can summon multiple times (each eligible quest player can summon once), while in Heroic mode, he can only summon once per day, regardless of whether your party members have summoned him that day.

Why farm?

This is the most noteworthy aspect of this event. The gear dropped by Ahune is upgraded in Classic TBC Anniversary, with stats far exceeding normal levels.

For example, the normal version of the Amulet of Bitter Hatred (obtained through Badge of Justice) has the following stats: 20 agility, 18 stamina, 18 hit rating, and 42 attack power. Ahune-dropped version boasts 22 agility, 20 hit rating, and 48 attack power - significantly surpassing Badge of Justice version.

Similarly, the Frostlord War Cloak offers 25 agility, 56 attack power, and 24 stamina, making it one of the best TBC Anniversary cloaks obtainable at this stage for players who don't yet have Vengeance Wrap.

Other rewards

• Formula: Enchant Weapon - Deathfrost - Teaches you how to cast Deathfrost enhancement
• Scorched Stone - A limited-time festival pet
• Frostscythe of Lord Ahune - A uniquely designed two-handed staff.

Defeating the boss will also drop quest items; turning them in will reward you with Burning Blossom and Tabard of Summer Skies/Tabard of Summer Flames.

Midsummer Fire Festival is an important annual event of TBC WoW Classic Anniversary, especially with Ahune's amazing gear, turning this festival from mere entertainment into a real opportunity to boost your combat power. Hurry up and grab everything you can during the festival!

With the launch of Diablo's 30th anniversary, the official team has brought back two highly anticipated limited-time events: Mother's Blessings and March of the Goblins.

These two events will run until June 9th, providing an unprecedented opportunity for growth and loot farming, bringing a true adventure frenzy to Sanctuary. During the events, experience gain, gold rewards, and loot drops will all be significantly increased.

Whether you're leveling a new character, pushing Paragon levels, or a veteran preparing for future seasons, you can benefit. Below, we'll provide a detailed breakdown of how to maximize your gains from these Diablo 4 Lord of Hatred events.

Mother's Blessings

During Mother's Blessings event, your experience and Diablo 4 Gold gains will be greatly increased, especially experience. This buff applies globally to all Diablo 4 players, regardless of world level. Whether completing Whispering quests, challenging dungeons, or engaging in endgame content, you'll receive additional rewards.

For Diablo 4 players looking to quickly level up their Paragon, now is undoubtedly one of the most efficient times of year. So, how can you make the most of this opportunity? In Diablo 4 Lord of Hatred, many players have shifted their focus to grinding in Helltide.

First, you need to unlock key nodes in Helltide War Plans talent tree, such as Hellmouth, Writhe and Rot, and Meat Brothers, to ensure Hellwyrms consistently produce Maggots and increase Monster Power through Profane Mindcage, thus significantly increasing the experience gained from Diablo 4 monsters.

Simultaneously, you need to enter Nightmare dungeons with Forgotten Wisdom affix to obtain 15% experience bonus from Experience Well. If you can team up, you'll receive an additional 10% experience bonus, providing a greater experience boost for subsequent monster grinding.

Once you enter Diablo 4 Helltide, I suggest not rushing to find Hellwyrms; you should prioritize leveling up Threat Meter. Once your threat level exceeds half, the spawn rate of Hellwyrms in Helltide will significantly increase, allowing you to head to areas with high Hellwyrm density for a killing spree.

Since maggots summoned by Hellwyrms drop many experience orbs, combined with high Monster Power, group bonuses, and Mother's Blessings event buffs, each kill will yield an extremely substantial experience gain, significantly accelerating your Diablo 4 character's leveling and Paragon level progression.

March of the Goblins

March of the Goblins event returns. During the event, goblin spawn rate in Diablo 4 Sanctuary will be greatly increased, with various special goblins frequently appearing in the open world and dungeons.

Each goblin kill not only offers a chance to obtain legendary gear, crafting materials, and treasure bags, but also advances your event reputation. As your reputation level increases, the quality of goblin drops will also improve, making the later rewards even more substantial.

After completing all event reputation, you'll also receive exclusive mount appearances, badges, and other rewards. Several efficient farming methods are worth prioritizing.

Infernal Hordes

When you use Total Chaos node in Diablo 4 Lord of Hatred Infernal Hordes War Plan talent tree, the frequency of Chaos Waves will significantly increase. With enough luck, you might even encounter special waves consisting of large numbers of Aether Goblins.

While the loot from these Aether Goblins is relatively limited in value, the event reputation they provide is substantial, helping you quickly progress towards event rewards.

Also Read: Diablo 4 Season 14 PTR Shred Druid Guide: Balancing Damage Reduction, Crit Chance, and Attack Speed After Heir of Perdition Nerf

Treasure Breach NMD

If we were to rank the most rewarding gameplay during this event, Treasure Breach Nightmare dungeon would definitely be near the top. This dungeon boasts a goblin density far exceeding that of normal Diablo 4 dungeons; players will encounter multiple goblin groups in almost every area they enter.

Numerous goblins means more treasure bags, faster event reputation gains, and a constant stream of legendary gear drops. By combining D4-related enhancement nodes, you can further increase goblin spawn frequency and trigger special events like Goblin Retreat, thus gaining even more extra rewards.

While Treasure Breach Nightmare Sigils are rare drops, with the adjustments to Diablo 4 Lord of Hatred mechanics, their acquisition difficulty has significantly decreased, making them increasingly popular as the most worthwhile loot farming activity this week.

Open World

For players who don't want to frequently challenge high-difficulty dungeons, the open world remains the simplest and most direct way to participate in March of the Goblins.

During the event, goblin spawn rates increase significantly. Patrolling areas with high monster density will give you a chance to continuously discover treasure goblins. While the overall rewards aren't as consistent as Treasure Breach dungeons, its lower barrier to entry and simpler controls make it suitable for most casual players.

Disabling cross-platform play in Diablo 4 open world may also be helpful. This will reduce competition from other players for the same goblins. If possible, you can bring Subo as your mercenary; he will reveal all D4 enemies and materials in the area, helping you find goblins.

Mother's Blessings and March of the Goblins are starting simultaneously, making this one of the most valuable event periods of the season for Diablo 4 Lord of Hatred. Whether your goal is to quickly increase your Paragon level, stockpile legendary gear, obtain event-limited rewards, or prepare for the upcoming new season, this week is worth investing a significant amount of time in.

Storm Shred is, without a doubt, the best and most enjoyable build I have experienced in Diablo 4. It all stems from the combination of the brand-new Storm Shepherd's Call and the most powerful Storm skills; thanks to this synergy, this build can effortlessly steamroll through all content in Diablo 4: Lord of Hatred.

Storm Shred boasts explosive damage output and is quite possibly the fastest build to come online currently available. Our core skills consume no resources, making this build incredibly fluid to play in any D4 combat scenario.

Next, we will dive deep into some of the key mechanics behind Storm Shred to help you unleash the full potential of this build in LoH.

Skill Tree

• Lightning Storm
• Shred
• Wolves
• Hurricane
• Earthen Bulwark
• Cyclone Armor
• Blood Howl
• Cataclysm

Executing Storm Shred rotation is incredibly simple, and Storm effects constantly reset our Ultimate skill cooldowns. Upon entering combat in D4, we first cast Hurricane to debuff our enemies. Next, we activate Lightning Storm; thanks to Hero of the Storm modifier, Storm will follow us wherever we move. Immediately following that, we activate our ultimate skill, Cataclysm, and begin casting Shred. Storm Shred will begin to obliterate everything in its path.

Lightning Storm

We invest 15 points into Lightning Storm and utilize Hero of the Storm modifier to ensure Storm follows our movements. We also employ Minimum Strikes modifier, guaranteeing that Lightning Storm always starts with a base of 2 strikes, thereby accelerating our damage accumulation. Additionally, we require Additional Strikes modifier; this increases the number of strikes as we stack Rampage charges - a buff we must strive to keep active at all times during combat in Diablo 4.

Shred

Shred is the primary damage-dealing skill in Storm Shred build. Consequently, we invest 15 points into it as well and apply Storm Shred modifier. This modifier is absolutely crucial, as it transforms Shred into a Storm skill, thereby allowing it to fully benefit from the bonuses provided by our Talisman. We also utilize Healing Shred modifier, as it significantly boosts the survivability and casting speed of Storm Shepherd Shred build in Diablo 4.

Earthen Bulwark

In Storm Shred build, Earthen Bulwark casts faster than in any other build. Earthen Bulwark features several crucial modifiers. The first is Travertine Bulwark; this modifier continuously grants us stacks of Resolve. We must strive to maintain these stacks as consistently as possible to fully capitalize on the strengths of Diablo 4 Storm Shred build.

Cyclone Armor

Cyclone Armor passively grants additional resistance. We also utilize Reversal Cyclone Armor, which pulls D4 monsters together, thereby maximizing our damage output.

Blood Howl

The single most important core mechanic for Storm Shred build in Diablo 4: Lord of Hatred is Blood Howl. Although your primary active skills rarely consume resources, 2-piece Storm Shepherd bonus grants increased damage based on the amount of Spirit consumed. Blood Howl continuously generates Spirit rather than Life, allowing us to maintain this maximum damage bonus almost permanently.

Thanks to Healing Blood Howl modifier, for 5 seconds after casting Blood Howl, hitting a D4 enemy restores 1% of your Maximum Life; this healing effect is doubled upon landing a Critical Hit. Furthermore, by equipping Malefic Crescent, Blood Howl is automatically cast every 4 seconds, creating an infinite loop within Diablo 4 Lord of Hatred that seamlessly integrates Spirit generation, Life sustain, and damage amplification, enabling you to rapidly farm Diablo 4 Items.

Hurricane

Weaken Hurricane applies Vulnerable effect to D4 enemies. Additionally, we utilize Derecho Hurricane; a single cast is sufficient to permanently activate Hurricane, dealing 100% increased damage.

Equipment

• Heir of Perdition
• Aspect of Glynn's Anvil
• Archdruid's Aspect
• Tibault's Will
• Aspect of Dominance
• Malefic Crescent
• Ring of Starless Skies
• Conceited Aspect
• Aspect of Inner Calm
• Crushing Aspect

The choice of equipment is paramount in Storm Shred build. The most critical piece of gear is Aspect of Glynn's Anvil. This aspect is exceptionally powerful in LoH, providing 4% damage reduction for every stack of Resolve we possess; consequently, we must pair this with gear on our Chest Armor, Pants, and Amulet slots that specifically grants Resolve stacks.

Totem utilizes Crushing Aspect, which permanently boosts damage by 65% while in Fortified state. Malefic Crescent on Amulet is a prerequisite for Storm skills to apply Vulnerable effect, while Archdruid's Aspect on Gloves significantly amplifies Critical Strike Damage. Heir of Perdition stands as your optimal choice for a D4 helmet.

Thanks to its astounding stats and sheer utility, Ring of Starless Skies remains one of the most powerful rings in Diablo 4: Lord of Hatred. Tibault's Will is an absolutely perfect fit for burst-oriented builds like Storm Shred; it provides substantial additional Damage Reduction, All Resistances, and Movement Speed, making it incredibly practical.

Talisman

• Seal
• Phoba of the Storm Shepherd
• Mlor of the Storm Shepherd
• Linta of the Storm Shepherd
• Fer of the Storm Shepherd
• Beru of the Storm Shepherd
• Dirge of Airidah

The core design philosophy behind Storm Shepherd set is to comprehensively empower our Storm skills, establishing them as the primary source of damage output within the entire build framework. Furthermore, it synergies exceptionally well with Diablo 4 skills that possess extremely high attack frequencies and incur significant Spirit costs.

Storm Shepherd set bonus grants Storm skills a 20% chance to cast twice, and a 5% chance to cast three times. When casting twice, you gain a damage bonus of up to 100%; when casting three times, this bonus reaches up to 300%.

This is undoubtedly the most central and potent feature of Storm Shepherd set, as it not only drastically boosts the overall damage output of Storm Shred but also continuously generates a massive volume of additional hits and trigger effects.

Diablo 4 Lord of Hatred Storm Shred build is a perfect fusion of sustain, devastating damage, and astonishing efficiency. It possesses virtually no weaknesses. Whether you are speed-farming The Pit or challenging high-difficulty bosses, this build will ensure you remain unstoppable.

If you've ever hesitated between gear stats and Paragon points in Diablo 4 Season 13, or doubted whether you've truly maximized your damage output in actual combat, then understanding the underlying logic of DoT might be the key to unraveling this mystery.

Unlike direct damage, DoTs don't unleash their full power in a single attack; instead, damage is calculated gradually and accumulates subtly. To truly master this type of damage, you need more than just stacking gear; you need a clear understanding of how the mechanics work.

Grasping these mechanics will allow you to more accurately predict the damage output of Diablo 4 DoTs, providing a rational basis for gear state choices and in-game operations.

Features

By default, all DoT effects in Diablo 4 cannot crit, cannot apply overpower, and benefit from additive damage stats and damage over time.

A DoT effect triggers a damage check every 0.5 seconds; this single calculation is called a tick. The sum of all ticks generated during the entire DoT period equals the total damage value indicated by the effect.

For example, a DoT that deals 200 damage over 5 seconds will be broken down into 10 ticks in Diablo 4, each dealing 20 damage. This splitting method ensures stable damage output and provides a basis for subsequent stacking calculations.

Types

• Bleeding: Physical damage
• Burning: Fire damage
• Corrupting: Shadow damage
• Frostbite: Cold damage
• Poisoning: Poison damage
• Sparking: Lightning damage

Snapshotting

Snapshotting is one of the most crucial features of Diablo 4 DoTs. A portion of the damage bonus is locked by Snapshotting the moment DoT takes effect and remains unchanged throughout its duration. For example, if a Diablo 4 target is vulnerable for 2 seconds, and you apply an 8-second DoT during this time, each tick of that DoT will retain up to 20% of the vulnerability damage bonus. Even if the target's vulnerability disappears after 2 seconds, the bonus continues until DoT ends.

Classification

Based on whether the damage is tied to a specific target, Diablo 4 DoTs can be divided into two main categories: Targeted DoTs and Non-Targeted DoTs. Regardless of the type, Diablo 4 system uses a unified time unit to advance damage calculation.

Targeted DoTs

Targeted DoTs are effects directly applied to the enemy's status bar in Diablo 4, such as Flay, Poison Creeper, Fire Bolt, and Touch of Death. These DoTs deduct remaining damage over time, and the remaining damage can affect the benefits of other related skills.

When you repeatedly use the same Targeted DoT skill, the effect of subsequent casts does not exist independently, but is merged with the unresolved damage on the target. Diablo 4 system records the current remaining DoT damage and recalculates a unified DoT when an additional effect is added.

Assuming the base stats of a Targeted DoT are: each cast inflicts 100 damage, lasting 5 seconds. If 2 seconds have passed after the first cast, the remaining damage is 60. Immediately after casting a second DoT, Diablo 4 system adds 60 residual damage to the new 100 damage, generating a new DoT that deals 160 damage and lasts for 5 seconds. This new DoT overwrites the original remaining time and is dispersed at a rate of 16 damage per tick.

Mathematically, Diablo 4's targeted DoTs exhibit a decaying growth pattern. With each additional damage, the residual value of the old damage gradually decreases, so the total damage doesn't expand indefinitely but rather approaches a stable peak. This design preserves the benefits of your other skills and Diablo 4 Items while preventing uncontrolled damage.

Non-targeted DoTs

Diablo 4's non-targeted DoTs don't directly attach to the target but instead take effect by creating a damage area or continuously emitted damage waves. For example, skills like Firewall, Incinerate, Blighted Corpse Explosion, and Blight will periodically tick as long as the target is within the skills area of ​​effect. This source of damage doesn't shift with target movement, and there's no concept of residual damage value. 

The stacking logic of non-targeted DoTs is completely different. Because these effects are essentially damage sources rather than target states, multiple effects can coexist and operate independently. When an additional effect is placed on top of an existing one, their damage is directly added together.

This stacking method does not change the intrinsic properties of a single effect, nor does it have a total cap. The peak damage depends on how much you can make the effective windows of multiple effects overlap. Once casting stops, the damage diminishes with each stack, eventually reaching zero.

Tactical Implications

Diablo 4's merging mechanism for targeted DoTs means that continuous casting can continuously increase damage per tick, but the rate of increase decreases, making it crucial to accurately grasp the residual value changes after stacking. Non-targeted DoTs, on the other hand, require more precise positioning and casting rhythm. Because the damage is not target-bound, enemies lose damage input once they leave the area. Therefore, the effectiveness of these skills highly depends on area coverage and methods of restricting enemy movement.

In Diablo 4 Season 13 gameplay, you can maintain stable damage output through targeted DoTs while utilizing non-targeted DoTs to handle multi-target or mobile combat scenarios, thus building a more comprehensive and sustained damage output system.

Understanding the logic behind Diablo 4 DoTs not only helps you more accurately estimate damage output efficiency but also provides a rational basis for judgment in equipment selection and skill combinations. While damage over time (DoTs) doesn't have the immediate effect of direct damage, once you grasp its patterns, it often demonstrates astonishing cumulative power in prolonged battles.

ARC Raiders just recently launched its latest Expedition 4 Update, and all players who decide to participate in this Expedition will experience this Reset. So, after this Expedition opens, what new content will players receive next?

This is still full of variables, but it won't last long.

According to ARC Raiders officials, the game will receive updates starting on May 12th, and every Tuesday thereafter. But what is certain now is that the next content update has been confirmed to be on the 26th.

In other words, the game updates before this may be some small changes, such as weekly store updates, and some other content additions and changes.

We can also see in previous adjustments that these contents will be similar to adjustments to the strength of Augment in the game, or changes to Weapon Durability.

Therefore, if nothing else happens, players will see the new ARC Raiders content on the 26th. Then, next, this article will help you sort out and predict the future development direction of games.

Review of recent updates

If you look back at the recent updates of ARC Raiders, you can find that it seems to follow a pattern: first a large update, then a small update, and so on.

Therefore, we believes that the upcoming monthly update may be more similar to the previous Flashpoint update and will have rich content, including the long-awaited new blueprints, new ARC enemies or new conditions.

As early as January of this year, we saw the official road map released by ARC Raiders, which pointed out the future development direction of the game for a third of this year.

But if you have been paying attention to this aspect, you will know that after entering May, the previous road map has become outdated, and the official has not released a new road map for a long time.

When will New Content arrive?

You can make speculations. In the near future, or even within a week or two, we are likely to see a road map again, indicating the direction of ARC Raiders updates in the next three to four months, giving everyone enough time to understand possible follow-up content.

It's been a while since we've had a big update like Riven Tides. So, in fact, we can assume that Riven Tides update is already a thing of the past for the game's officials.

Regardless of players' experience and feedback, official attention and interest in this version have entered a stage of decline. Their attention has now turned to new content, and they need time to fully prepare and promote the new content.

Therefore, this week naturally becomes the best window period. The current Expedition is more proof of this. During this period, players can focus on resetting their accounts, reaccumulating ARC Raiders items, and preparing for the next update.

Let us review for you players, before Riven Tides update was announced, players also experienced such a period. If this new content is also released according to this step, then we can well predict that future content updates may be carried out in this way.

It is undeniable that ARC Raiders officials do a pretty good job of keeping secrets, and they always like to bring unexpected surprises to everyone. When the last road map was released, it was only four days before Headwinds update. So this time, it is very likely to be the case.

In any case, the focus of all players this week is to complete Expedition, focus on Resets, missions, and Workbench. You can prepare ARC Raiders items for possible content updates.

What might new content include?

New Road Map

First of all, the new road map will definitely appear as soon as the official update news is released to fill in the outdated road map. And players generally reported that the information given in the last official road map was too vague and did not allow everyone to understand the detailed content.

Therefore, we believes that everyone can expect that perhaps in the new road map, there will be more detailed information, such as when new ARC Raiders items will be added, and in which update there will be new ARC enemies to meet players.

This kind of clear update content preview can also reduce players' speculation about possible update content, so that there will be no excessive expectations and subsequent disappointment.

New ARC Raiders Map

After this Riven Tides update, player feedback doesn't seem to be very good, and it doesn't live up to many people's expectations. Players have been waiting for months for this map, so any dissatisfaction will be magnified by this long wait.

ARC Raiders officials have discovered this problem and are likely already making preparations. As early as the first few months of this year, they have publicly stated that they are dissatisfied with the current game map and are planning to add larger and more diverse maps.

Previously, when Riven Tides update was released, some players found some clues in the updated game files that may represent new map.

Might include a cold map with chronic snow, and a new map with constant acid rain. These new maps will bring new ARC Raiders items for players to use, and there may also be some new game mechanics coming.

This most likely means that the official has a clear and ongoing plan to add more maps in subsequent updates, and the frequency of map updates will be increased, so there is no need to wait for a long time.

Adjustments to Reward System

You can observe that in this version, players are dissatisfied with the mission rewards of ARC Raiders.

Although many tasks allow players to unlock certain items, when players complete these tasks, the subsequent rewards do not change in any way, or in other words, these repeatedly unlocked items have almost no value to players.

Therefore, we can expect that ARC Raiders officials may make modifications to these in-game systems in subsequent updates so that players will not feel bored when playing the game content repeatedly.

No matter what, focus on Expedition 4 and get ready for the content update on May 26th. If you are following the latest content from ARC Raiders, hope this article can help you understand what may be coming next.

It's been a while since ARC Raiders Riven Tides update, and recently, the game began its Fourth Expedition.

You might be all set for the upcoming content, eagerly awaiting its release. Or perhaps some raiders are already feeling a bit weary from the constant fighting and relentless raids.

So why not put down your weapons and complete Easter Egg the developers have included in this update: Hotel Panorama Disco Room Puzzle? It might offer a bit of relaxation for you or your friends amidst the intense ARC Raiders gameplay.

What is Hotel Panorama Disco Room Puzzle?

In Hotel Panorama of Riven Tides, there's a room that has puzzled many players—a derelict disco hall. It seems you could find a puzzle here, but no one has mentioned anything of value that can be obtained from it.

Yes, there is indeed a puzzle here, but unlike other puzzles, it doesn't reward you with specific rare ARC Raiders items or unlock a loot room. This puzzle offers no rewards, achievements, or experience points; its sole purpose is to be fun.

If you're a player who enjoys the fun puzzles and things in ARC Raiders, then this puzzle will definitely be to your liking. It might even give your teammates or opponents a little unexpected surprise.

What you need to prepare

If you want to show your friends this useless Hotel Panorama Disco Room Puzzle and see their reaction when all they get in return for their efforts is upbeat music and a constantly spinning disco ball; or if you want to create some funny video clips during gameplay...

Here are some things you'll need to prepare in advance:

• Batteries
• Wires
• Power Rods
• Speakers
• Voltage Converters
• Power Cables
• Electrical Components

Note that to complete this puzzle, it's best to prepare all the materials listed above beforehand.

This is because the materials required for the puzzle will randomly change within this list each time you enter a new raid, and you'll only know exactly which materials you need once you reach the destination.

Furthermore, it's strongly discouraged to search for these materials after entering the raid, as this not only makes you more vulnerable but also makes material acquisition highly unpredictable.

Therefore, to cope with this randomness, your best option is to prepare at least five of each possible material. Although each raid only randomly generates three required materials, to ensure you meet the puzzle's requirements, it's best to bring all of them.

This might take up a lot of space, so you can conveniently bring a friend along to enjoy the puzzle together. Alternatively, you can bring ARC Raiders items with the most Backpack Slots and try multiple times.

Where is Hotel Panorama Disco Room Puzzle?

To reach Disco Room in ARC Raiders, you first need to find the entrance to Hotel Panorama Azzuro on the east side.

If you are familiar with the map, go to the stairs on the east side of the hotel, enter the hotel from there, and turn left. You will immediately see the abandoned giant disco ball. The puzzle we need to solve is nearby.

It is highly recommended that you clear out ARC enemies around Hotel Panorama Azzuro before solving the puzzle.

This will not only prevent them from disturbing you while you are solving the puzzle, but also prevent them from attracting other raiders. Moreover, enemies lurking in this area usually have a good chance of dropping valuable ARC Raiders items.

How to solve it?

Once you have successfully found the location of the puzzle following the previous instructions, you will see that it is divided into upper and lower levels. You need to remember the locations of the three circuits that need to be repaired to solve the puzzle, and then repair the circuits in order.

First Circuit

After entering the hotel, walk along the balcony above. You'll easily find the first circuit; it will be indicated by special visual effects. It's interactive, and if you have the correct materials, you can repair it using the hints.

Second Circuit

After repairing the first circuit, jump down from the balcony on the right. You'll enter the disco. Search carefully; on the wall next to the stairs, you'll find the second circuit, which is sparking. Repair it as well, following the hints.

Third Circuit

Back in the disco, you'll see some tables and chairs. Keep walking forward until you find a black speaker; it's easy to spot. Go around to the back of the speaker, and you'll find the last circuit that needs repairing.

Start Disco

Once you've successfully found and repaired all three circuits, the rest is simple. Just return to the circuits in the same order and interact with them within the time limit to solve the puzzle and start the disco ball and music.

The only thing to be careful about is that when repairing the first three circuits, do not press the interact key again after using materials to repair them. This will start the puzzle's timer, which should be the last step.

If you accidentally activate it, you will fail Hotel Panorama Disco Room Puzzle. Any ARC Raiders items you used to repair the circuits will be wasted, and you will need to try again in the next run.

Is Hotel Panorama Disco Room Puzzle worth completing?

For players seeking high rewards, this puzzle might seem very uninteresting.

After all, completing it requires not only materials and time but also venturing into areas of Riven Tides with a high probability of player spawns and a high chance of combat.

And completing it offers no rewards—no achievements, no experience, and not even any proof to boast about to other players.

However, you still occasionally see this puzzle in ARC Raiders videos, and we can see different players, sometimes even strangers, sharing the music and lighting effects after completing it. This is precisely the charm of games like ARC Raiders; the players you encounter aren't necessarily enemies, although we usually assume that. They're actually just players like you, and it's perfectly acceptable to remain friendly.

Hopefully, this Hotel Panorama Disco Room Puzzle will help you relax amidst the intense gameplay of ARC Raiders.

Statistics show that fall damage causes players to fail raids far more often in ARC Raiders than against any ARC enemy, a situation that has been widely complained about. Therefore, the developers have effectively addressed this issue by adding Powered Descender in the recent Riven Tides update.

Equipping it before jumping from a rooftop or tower will slow your descent, allowing for a safe landing. However, obtaining its blueprint requires some targeted searching, and crafting it requires a specific level crafting table and two components.

This article will guide you through the details of the new Powered Descender in ARC Raiders, helping you acquire and use it more quickly.

Item Usage Mechanics

Powered Descender is a useful device that slows your descent when jumping or falling from a height. However, the device requires a charging time to activate, so you need to deploy it before jumping, not during the fall.

If the energy runs out while you are still falling, the device will deactivate, and you will take normal fall damage for the remainder of your fall. Therefore, always plan your descent carefully before jumping.

Additionally, please note that Powered Descender has a limited charging time. If you jump from an extremely tall building, the device may lose power before you land. Please test it on a lower building first to familiarize yourself with the charging time.

How to obtain Blueprint?

Like all other Blueprints in ARC Raiders, ARC Raiders Powered Descender Blueprint does not have a fixed spawn location. This means you will need to rely on the random drop of containers, rather than being guaranteed to get it from chests.

However, currently, Hotel Panorama Azzurro, located in the western part of Riven Tides map, is the most popular drop location for this Blueprint. The hotel's compact layout allows players to find various types of containers within a limited space. Since the game update, players have consistently found Powered Descender Blueprints there.

If you want to acquire Powered Descenders faster, the following three strategies can significantly increase your Powered Descender Blueprint drop rate. Let's take a look:

After landing, prioritize areas with higher item drop rates. Night raids double the drop rate for all blueprints. If time permits, try to go during night raids.

You can carry Dockmaster's Detector, which will reveal normally invisible buried containers in the sand. These containers may contain Powered Descender Blueprints.

You don't need to empty Hotel Panorama Azzurro every time. Attack the higher-level Raider Containers and Commercial Lockers first, then evacuate. Repeat this process during multiple raids to improve efficiency instead of spending the entire game time in one building.

How to craft?

After the blueprint is in your inventory and you've safely evacuated, return to Speranza and open your crafting station. Powered Descender is crafted at Utility Station, but only if you upgrade it to level 3. If your Utility Station level is lower than this, you'll need to upgrade your station to unlock the recipe, as lower-level stations won't offer this option. You can prepare for this in advance.

The two materials required to craft this item are a Power Rod and a Turbine Compressor. Theoretically, a Power Rod can drop as loot, but its drop rate is extremely low, making it very rare. Don't rely on luck to find it; crafting it at Refiner is a more reliable method. Turbine Compressor is an epic item that can be obtained by searching destroyed Turbines, or you can choose to defeat them directly.

Both materials are related to Riven Tides map in this update, which may require some exploration. Therefore, expect to spend some time collecting components on the map.

How to use it effectively?

This device is one of two new items added in Riven Tides update, adding a new member to Utility Item, but most Raiders haven't yet mastered its efficient use. Next, I'll explain in detail how to effectively use Powered Descender.

Because this device requires a short charge to activate, you need to activate it before jumping off the edge. Players who activate the device after jumping often find that the charge is insufficient, providing only partial protection.

Here are some operational tips for your reference:

• Activate the device at the edge of the platform, that is, before jumping, wait for the charge to complete, and then jump.
• When you are on a tall building, it is recommended to use stairs or ropes to reach the upper level, using Powered Descender only on the final part of the descent.
• The device has a limited number of charges, so if you are on a top floor, you need to plan your route carefully and avoid jumping blindly.
• For lower buildings, Powered Descender is very convenient to use, allowing you to completely bypass stairs and save time in tense and exciting raids.

This concludes the article on how to obtain and use the new item Powered Descender, in ARC Raiders. We hope this information helps you acquire the item more quickly and apply it in actual combat.

Diablo 4 Lord of Hatred expansion launched on April 27th, and many players are undoubtedly eager to experience it. Lair Bosses have always been one of the most reliable ways to obtain key equipment. All bosses can be challenged without consuming any resources. If you defeat them, you can use a Lair Key to open their treasure vaults and obtain a large amount of loot.

This article will show you how to defeat Urivar in Diablo 4 Lord of Hatred.

About Urivar

Urivar is content from Lord of Hatred expansion; you can only challenge him if you own the expansion pack.

Urivar is a Lair Boss with unique loot drops. To obtain the rewards, you need to overcome various mechanics to defeat him. You can adjust your world level to make the fight easier or more challenging. However, higher Torment difficulty will reward you with better loot.

After defeating Urivar, you will need a Lair Key to open his treasure chest. This key can be obtained through various endgame events, such as War Plans and Helltide.

Before challenging the boss, you need to choose a suitable build: please select a build with strong area control and survivability.

Boss Mechanics and Tips

Urivar and his knights deal mixed fire, lightning, and physical damage. If you cannot reach the 70% fire resistance cap, use Elixir of Fire Resistance II to break through your resistance cap. Like most Lair bosses, he also has a Stagger Bar, which temporarily stuns him when it is full, creating an opportunity for you to attack the boss.

During the fight, there are some mechanics you need to be aware of, and we have also provided some solutions:

• Surrounding Knights: At the edge of the arena, these Surrounding Knights will circle around you. You need to avoid bumping into them. If you accidentally bump into a Knight, they will attack you with their spears and knock you back to the center of the arena.
• Aerial Spear Attack: When Surrounding Knights attack you, their spears will rapidly fall around you. Before the spears hit the ground, a yellow circle will briefly appear under your feet. Therefore, try to move in a circle to dodge attacks, letting the spears land behind you until the attack ends.
• Fire Lanes: When Shield-bearing knights slam their shields into the ground, fire lanes will form around them. You need to avoid stepping into these fire zones.
• Urivar's Sword Slam: Urivar raises his sword and slams it into the ground, creating a glowing arrow-shaped pattern. You need to immediately leave the pattern's area and move behind the boss. The marked area will disappear after a few seconds.
• Urivar's Light Bridge: Urivar can create a glowing bridge of light connecting to your location. During this time, he will track your movement and summon spears to attack your location. You need to use defensive skills such as Immunity or Shields and keep moving to avoid the impact areas.
• Knights Fight (50% Phase): When Urivar's health drops to 50%, he will disappear and summon nearby knights to fight for him. The knights will join the battle one after another, using fire circles, firebombs, and lightning balls, and attempting to attack you with spears. Therefore, you need to remain vigilant and avoid being surrounded by enemies.
• Spears Landing: As the battle nears its end, spears will rain down across the arena. Pay attention to the yellow circles; they indicate where the spears will land. It's also crucial to avoid the center of the arena, as this area will take the most damage when Urivar summons the spears. Stay at the edge of the arena while avoiding the surrounding knights.

Loot Items

After the battle, you'll need to use Lair Key to open the reward chest to obtain the dropped items. The first unique item dropped will always come from the boss-specific drop list below. Subsequent unique items have a 50% chance of coming from the universal unique item pool.

If you're playing in a group, the chance of a unique item drop increases by 33% for each additional teammate, up to a maximum of 100% with a full group of 4 players. Additionally, Urivar will drop Diablo 4 Greater Lair Key, which is necessary to open any Greater Lair Boss hoard. The number of unique items dropped by Lair Boss Hoards depends on Torment difficulty.

Belial Ambush Encounter

After defeating Lair Boss, Belial has a small chance to ambush you. This unexpected encounter may present a series of challenges. Belial will use a mixture of Blood and Poison magic, which you will need to dodge.

After defeating Mini Belial, you will receive a second round of loot from Lair Boss you just killed, without needing any additional materials. Additionally, he will drop Betrayer's Husk, an item required to challenge Belial's Exalted Lair Boss form.

This concludes this article about Diablo 4 Lord of Hatred Urivar. We hope you can defeat the bosses and obtain the items you desire in the game.

Kinetic Converter is a legendary weapon attachment in ARC Raiders that increases a weapon's rate of fire by 15%, but at the cost of a 20% increase in both horizontal and vertical recoil.

Currently, 15 weapons in the game can use Kinetic Converter: Ferro, Kettle, Rattler, Stitcher, Arpeggio, IL Toro, Osprey, Renegade, Torrente, Hullcracker, Bettina, Bobcat, Vulcano, Canto, and Aphelion.

With the upcoming ARC Raiders Riven Tides, which gun benefits most from Kinetic Converter, and which benefits the least? How should PvP and PvE players choose? Understanding these concepts will give you an edge in Riven Tides, so I decided to conduct two tests to find out.

Testing Methods

All tests were conducted after weapons were upgraded to the maximum level, and some weapons were equipped with magazine conversion mods by default, such as Bobcat, as they are almost always used with magazine conversion mods; otherwise, these two tests wouldn't be realistic.

The first test was a kill time test. Entering the practice range, I first knocked down a Light Shielded Raider with a bare weapon, then equipped a Kinetic Converter and knocked down another Light Shielded Raider with it. I calculated the time required for these two knockdowns.

The second test was a magazine emptying test. Since some weapons are clearly better suited for PvE, I felt it was fair to conduct a magazine emptying test, which involved measuring the time required to empty the magazine of a weapon without a Kinetic Converter and with one equipped with a Kinetic Converter.

Unsuitable Weapons

First, Ferro and Osprey should absolutely not use Kinetic Converter.

Ferro is a folding combat rifle that uses heavy ammunition. It's inexpensive and an effective choice for mid-to-long-range engagements, but its long reload speed becomes a disadvantage in close-quarters combat. Kinetic Converter increases the rate of fire, not the reload speed. Since Ferro magazine only holds one round, equipping it with Kinetic Converter makes no sense. Your rate of fire won't change because you only have one round to fire.

Osprey is a bolt-action sniper rifle that uses medium ammunition. When using Osprey, you need to stop after each shot. Even if you fire Osprey at its fastest rate, without even aiming down sights, Kinetic Converter won't increase your rate of fire.

Automatic weapons or weapons that require rapid trigger pulls, such as Kettle, Arpeggio, Vulcano, and Aphelion, are best left without a Kinetic Converter.

Based on the data, if a weapon requires rapid trigger-firing, such as Kettle, a semi-automatic assault rifle using lightweight ammunition, or a burst-fire weapon like Arpeggio or Aphelion, then its performance mechanics are not well-suited to Kinetic Converter.

In my testing, I found that the time it took to empty Kettle magazine was exactly the same regardless of whether I used Kinetic Converter. While my kill rate and magazine emptying speed were indeed faster with Arpeggio and Aphelion, the improvement was not significant compared to other weapons.

These data are likely affected by human error, such as operational mistakes during testing, resulting in imperfect shots with each weapon. However, this means that in matches, using Kinetic Converter will not provide a consistent benefit, as the margin for error is too low; we cannot guarantee that every match will be error free.

Suitable Weapons

If you use fully automatic weapons, you don't need to worry about negligible benefits or the risk of operational errors. Therefore, I believe the weapons that benefit most from Kinetic Converter are Rattler, Stitcher, Torrente, Renegade, Canto, Betina, and Bobcat.

Torrente is a fully automatic light machine gun that uses medium ammunition. Equipping Kinetic Converter on Torrente empties its magazine 43 frames faster, significantly improving its performance and DPS.

IL Toro also empties its magazine 43 frames faster after equipping Kinetic Converter. If you, like Matriarch, enjoy using IL Toro for wide-range spraying, you might also consider equipping Kinetic Converter.

For PvP players, all the above weapons are suitable for pairing with Kinetic Converter. Even if your best kill time is only slightly reduced by a few frames, this could be the deciding factor in a 1v1 battle.

Therefore, if you enjoy PvP, revel in the increased rate of fire provided by the Kinetic Converter. However, if you're a peace-loving PvE player, I highly recommend installing Kinetic Converter on your Hullcracker.

Hullcracker is a unique pump-action grenade launcher that uses launcher ammunition. Its ammunition explosions cause multiple instances of damage, making it extremely useful when hunting large Arc Wardens (ARCs) like Matriarchs or looting Evaluators.

Once you penetrate the protective layer of an Arc Warden, it will expose a yellow weak point or a glowing red core. Attacking these weak points or the core with the high rate of fire of Hullcracker will deal significant damage. You can efficiently kill ARCs and obtain a wealth of ARC Raider Items.

Kinetic Converter requires the right attachments to be effective. Ferro and Osprey are the least beneficial or even completely useless attachments. Semi-automatic or semi-automatic weapons like Kettle, Arpeggio, Vulcano, and Aphelion, while offering slight stat boosts, are highly susceptible to human error in actual gameplay, resulting in inconsistent gains and a tiny margin for error. Therefore, their use is not recommended.

The greatest benefits and most worthwhile investment are in all fully automatic weapons. For PvP players, this frame rate advantage is often the key to victory in 1v1 gunfights. If you're a PvE-focused player, try installing Kinetic Converter on your Hullcracker; it will definitely surprise you.

Kinetic Converter's benefits come at the cost of a 20% increase in both horizontal and vertical recoil. You need to carefully balance rate of fire and recoil control based on your playstyle to make this legendary attachment truly worthwhile.

A new week! Arc Raiders Week 25 trials went live on April 20th, and as usual, completing them will earn you tons of rewards.

Week 25 trials will run from April 20th to April 26th, while the current Arc Raiders update ends on April 28th. This means this week's trials are the final ones. After that, we'll see the highly anticipated Riven Tides update.

This week's trials also consist of five parts, and you'll earn double points if you complete them on certain maps.

Arc Raiders Trials for Week 25 include the following:

Search ARC Probes

Damage Queens or Matriarchs

Damage Fireflies

Open Containers inside the traffic tunnels

Damage Flying ARCs inside the walls

Next, I'll guide you through each task: how to complete them quickly. If you're interested, please read on!

Search ARC Probes

Aside from Stella Montis, you'll frequently encounter ARC Probes emitting black smoke and randomly spawning on the ground. Therefore, this is a very simple trial; you just need to wander around the map, find, and destroy these ARC Probes.

These ARC Probes will emit a cue sound, so wear your headphones and listen carefully. Also, be careful not to get attacked by nearby enemies.

It's worth mentioning that you get double points in Electromagnetic Storm or Prospecting Probes map conditions. Finding one ARC Probe into normal conditions earns 667 points, while under these conditions you can get 1334 points.

Damage Queens or Matriarchs

Having covered the easiest trial of the week, let's move on to the hardest - Damage Queens or Matriarchs.

First, this trial only requires dealing enough damage to these two giant ARC enemies; you don't need to kill them. Note that they only appear in Harvester and Matriarch events.

Before facing two powerful enemies, make sure you have enough powerful Arc Raiders Items, such as Hullcrackers or Anvils, before starting the battle. You'll also need some explosives, shields, and healing items.

It would be ideal to team up with friends, but if you prefer playing solo, utilizing the map's terrain, targeting their weaknesses, and preparing the most suitable equipment beforehand will also allow you to complete this trial.

Note that you must leave the map alive to earn points. If you die in battle, you will not receive any points, so prioritize your survival.

Damage Fireflies

In this trial, you need to destroy a certain number of fireflies. Fireflies are new Arc Raiders added to the game in Shrouded Sky update.

Despite their cute name, unlike real-life fireflies, in the game they are Arc Raiders wearing armor, wielding flamethrowers, and capable of flight. Many players have complained that they are annoying and difficult to deal with.

However, with the right techniques, all players can easily complete this trial. First, you need to enter the raid area under major map conditions such as an Electromagnetic Storm or Night Raid.

Second, you need to know that Fireflies' weaknesses are thrusters and fuel tanks, so the best approach is to bring targeted Arc Raiders items, such as Ferro or Anvil.

You should use Ferro or Anvil to shoot down Fireflies before they attack you with their flamethrowers, making them an easy kill.

While Fireflies are present on all maps, Spaceport or Blue Gate maps have the most, allowing you to complete missions quickly on these maps.

Open Containers inside the traffic tunnels

Another simple one, now we can relax a bit. Enter The Blue Gate, then Traffic Tunnels, and loot all the containers you can find to easily earn double points.

Alternatively, you can take another route, passing through Checkpoint area guarded by a Bombardier.

Don't forget to evacuate safely after looting the containers; if you die, you won't get any points. There are safe extraction points near Traffic Tunnels, so memorize their locations.

Damage Flying ARCs inside the walls

This is still a simple trial. First, where is the trial location? They're in the center of Spaceport, surrounded by walls. Once inside the walls, you'll easily find flying ARCs patrolling around.

Hunting any flying ARCs inside the walls will earn points, including Hornet, Firefly, Rocketeer, Spotter, Snitch, Vaporizer, and Wasps. Note that you must damage them inside the walls; leaving the walls will not earn points.

You'll definitely need good ranged Arc Raider Items to complete this trial. Like Fireflies mentioned earlier, simply use ranged equipment to attack their weak points and shoot them down; then it's your turn.

This concludes the guide to Week 25 trials. To better prepare for Riven Tides update on April 28th, be sure to complete Week 25 trials and earn the generous rewards.

Many tasks in this week's trials are better suited for teams of two or three players. Teaming up is a better option if you want to achieve a higher ranking, although this may sound a bit unfair.

Additionally, note that leaderboard rankings will lock you into a group the first time you earn a score. Players who have time to complete trials on weekdays usually have more playtime, while many players only have two days a week to play on weekends.

Therefore, if you're interested in the leaderboards, you can submit your scores on the weekend, which will place you in a less competitive weekend group.