ARC Raiders January Update 1.11.0 Brings Major Weapon Nerfs and Bug Fixes | Here's What Changed
Amidst the anticipation of all players, ARC Raiders has released its latest update: January Update 1.11.0, which significantly weakens two currently dominant weapons, fixes a bug, and addresses a visual issue. Not only that, the developers have prepared two cosmetic items for all players to claim.
After the patch was released, all players were excited because they had been suffering from the cheating methods used by some players and the excessive damage of some weapons, and desperately needed this extreme nerf. Of course, there is also a lot of anticipation for the third major update that will be released soon.
These topics have sparked a lot of discussion in various player communities and social media. Have you participated? If not, or have missed it, don't worry, because EZG.com, as your most loyal game assistant, will help you gather all the details and comments about Arc Raiders 1.11.0 patch.
Kettle Nerf
First, let's look at the most controversial changes to Kettle weapon: the rate of fire has been reduced from 600 to 450, which is mainly to counteract the competitive imbalance caused by some players using macro commands to exceed the rate of fire limit.
Although the rate of fire doesn't appear to be significantly reduced based on the figures provided by the developers - it wasn't directly halved - feelings from some players' tests indicate that the firing lag is much more pronounced than before, and even automatic weapons are not immune to this nerf.
Trigger 'Nade Nerf
Compared to the reasons for Kettle's nerf, the reason for Trigger 'Nade's nerf is very simple: it was too strong in PvP, causing players to only choose this grenade instead of other types. In view of this, the developers have greatly reduced its practicality as a grenade that can detonate in the air to cause massive damage, but its effectiveness as a sticky bomb remains unchanged.
The specific changes to this Nade include: some adjustments to the Damage falloff - damage is higher near the center of the explosion and lower at a distance; and the detonation delay for this weapon option has been increased from 0.7 seconds to 1.5 seconds, giving players more reaction time while also increasing the difficulty of detonating it in the air.
This will make future players less afraid of opponents using Trigger 'Nade' in PvP, and they can compete with it using other Arc Raiders items, such as Smoke Grenade or Seeker Grenade. Of course, if you are the wielder of this weapon, you will need to further refine the accuracy of your throwing and explosion event calculations.
Keycard Exploit Fixed
In previous gameplay, some players discovered that by disconnecting and reconnecting to the network, Keycards wouldn't disappear after use but would remain in their inventory.
This gave them more opportunities to endlessly farm high-drop-rate locations, significantly disrupting the game's balance. Due to the high level of discussion within the community, the developers took action.
According to Update 1.11.0, the developers have fixed this bug to restore the best balance to all players. However, it must be stated that cheating posts using the same method to duplicate key cards are now popular again in the community, and the discussion volume is quite high.
Hopefully, ARC Raiders will completely fix these two keycard vulnerabilities before the next major update is released, and impose the strictest bans on players who have used or are currently using these vulnerabilities, as a warning to others.
Visual Resolved
The next patch will reduce the lighting intensity in Stella Montis Night Raid to allow players to focus more on the beams of other players' flashlights and the sounds of their movements. Meanwhile, the sound effects and visuals of the map will be improved.
To be honest, this quality of life improvement is very useful for solo exploration, as any movement around you indicates the presence of enemies; however, for duo or trio exploration, the light and noise emitted by your teammates can become obstacles to your ability to pinpoint enemy locations, so its implementation may require more practice.
New Abyss Cosmetic Set
Having discussed the important gameplay mechanics and the improvements to the in-game quality of life in Arc Raiders, let's take a look at the new cosmetic set that was casually mentioned at the beginning of the patch: Abyss set. Although it was highly anticipated by players, it was actually not very good-looking.
The outdated color scheme and the disharmonious combination of the top and bottom made it a target of criticism, with some players even creating funny and humorous memes based on the outfit in the community. However, what players find most unacceptable is that this game has never offered any extensive customization options, making it completely incomparable to The Finals from the same developer.
Free Raider Tool Skin
Finally, let’s look at some relatively good news: To celebrate the fact that over 12 million players have joined ARC Raiders since its release, the developers have prepared a prestigious Gilded Pickaxe Raider Tool skin for all players in this off-season.
If you logged into your game account between the game’s release and 23:59 CET on January 13th, you will automatically receive this tool skin in the game content after this update is released. It is compatible with all platforms, including Steam, Epic, PlayStation, and Xbox.
The above is a detailed explanation of all the content included in the current ARC Raiders January Update 1.11.0, as well as players’ opinions on it. Ultimately, the developers are still working on game balance adjustments in this patch, so all players are eagerly anticipating the next major update that will bring even more fresh gameplay content, such as the leaked Toxic Swamp. Enjoy the game!
Diablo 4 Season 11 Leap Quake Barbarian Build | Helping You Quickly Clear Endgame
In Diablo 4 Season 11, when it comes to the fastest character builds in PvP, players often think of Spiritborn and Sorcerer. However, the build I'm about to introduce isn't theirs, but rather Barbarian.
We call this build Frog Leap Quake Barbarian, and it's currently one of the fastest speed-farming builds in Season 11. Especially after optimization, this build's mobility and speed not only rival, but in some situations surpass, Sorcerer, while maintaining Barbarian class's inherent resilience and damage output.
Next, I'll provide a detailed overview of this build and its suitable scenarios.
Core Mechanics
The core of this build lies in the continuous use of Leap ability. Thanks to Season 11 gear changes and the addition of unique pants, Leap has no cooldown.
Therefore, you can freely use this ability on the battlefield, dealing considerable damage with each hit, while also triggering melee and earthquake effects, allowing for instant map traversal and wall vaulting.
Combined with Fury management and Barbarian survival skills and defensive gear, you can continuously use Leap, ignoring enemy control effects and tanking damage. Sometimes you don't even need to use Hammer of the Ancients.
Advantages and Disadvantages
Below are the advantages and disadvantages of this build, which you can use as a reference to decide if it's suitable for you.
Advantages:
- Extremely fast map movement speed;
- Almost invincible when properly configured;
- Excellent AoE clearing ability;
- Powerful boss damage;
- Extremely smooth and fun gameplay experience.
Disadvantages:
- Requires a large amount of Mythic gear to reach its full potential;
- Feels resource-intensive when gear is insufficient;
- Requires continuous Fury status to achieve invincibility.
Skill Setup
Core Skills
- Leap: Continuously used for damage output, movement, and initiating attacks;
- Hammer of the Ancients: Used against high-level bosses; with sufficient gear affixes, it can deal billions of damage;
- War Cry: Provides additional damage;
- Rallying Cry: Increases movement speed;
- Challenging Shout: Increases health and damage reduction.
Ultimate Skill
For your ultimate skill, you can choose one of the following two:
- Call of the Ancients: More suitable for novice players, easier to maintain Fury sustain, while providing additional attack speed and stability;
- Wrath of the Berserker: Offers higher burst damage and faster map clearing speed at higher gear levels.
For most players, I still recommend choosing Hammer of the Ancients as your ultimate skill.
Key Gear
The following is the core gear build for Frog Leap Quake Barbarian:
- Harlequin Crest (Helm): Provides cooldown reduction and extremely high defense;
- Mantle of the Mountain’s Fury (Chest): Increases HOTA level, significantly boosting damage;
- Aspect of Earthquakes (Gloves): Increases HOTA level, damage critical strike chance, and attack speed;
- Chainscourged Mail (Pants): Core gear, permanently grants Leap ability and provides melee skill bonus;
- Aspect of Metamorphosis (Boots): Grants a brief Unstoppable state when dodging;
- Melted Heart of Selig (Amulet): Increases movement speed;
- Bold Chieftain's Aspect (Ring 1): Reduces Shout ability cooldown;
- Ring of Starless Skies (Ring 2): Significantly increases attack speed, critical strike chance, and resource acquisition.
Next, here are the weapons needed to build this set:
- Aspect of Ancestral Force
- Ramaladni's Magnum Opus
- The Grandfather
- Sabre of Tsasgal
Paragon Boards and Glyphs
Paragon attributes are flexible and varied. Here are some highly recommended Paragon Boards and their corresponding Glyphs:
- Starting Board (Marshal): Reduces cooldowns after shout usage;
- Carnage (Crusher): Increases damage output;
- Blood Rage (Challenger): Grants additional bonuses to all normal nodes within range;
- Weapon Master (Might): Grants additional bonuses to all magic nodes within range, while also increasing weapon damage;
- Flawless Technique (Warth): Increases critical hit damage from core skills and generates additional Fury.
Mercenary
You need to hire Subo as your main mercenary. You can unlock him by completing A Feather on the Scale Quest. Subo can automatically scout the surrounding area, letting you know where monsters are in advance, thus increasing your farming speed.
For a secondary mercenary, choose Varyana. Unlocked after completing Slayer's Retribution Quest, her role is the opposite of Subo's; she actively charges into battle to help you farm monsters, making you faster and more powerful.
Suitable Scenarios for this Build
This build isn't designed for beginners leveling up, but rather a fast late-game farming build. Its power increases as you acquire Mythic uniques throughout the game.
You can use Frog Leap Quake Barbarian in the following combat scenarios:
- Torment 4 speed farming
- Helltides
- Whispers Quest
- Dungeon blasting
- The Pit
If you need to challenge The Pit at level 120 and above, it's best to equip Melted Heart of Selig, which acts like a mana shield, converting damage taken into resource deduction. You can use it to significantly increase your defense in endgame content.
Leap Quake Barbarian is also suitable for farming the lower levels of The Tower in Diablo 4, but adjustments will be needed if you want to challenge higher levels.
This concludes the detailed information on Speed Barbarian build in Diablo 4 Season 11. If you're tired of slow-paced classes or want a truly powerful build, then Leap Quake Barbarian is definitely the ideal choice.
It's not only efficient but also incredibly fun; I'm sure you'll love it!
ARC Raiders Best Solo Builds for Safe Raids and Efficient Looting
In ARC Raiders, the experience for solo players and team players is drastically different. Since there are no teammates to revive you, scout enemy positions, or absorb fire, every decision you make is crucial, including gear selection, positioning, and extraction.
Solo players must constantly weigh risks and rewards while managing limited resources and dealing with attacks from ARC and other raiders that may strike at any time. This is where a powerful solo build comes in, allowing you to efficiently loot, quickly win battles, and, most importantly, escape dangerous situations.
Therefore, I will introduce two efficient solo builds: one designed for stable looting and safe combat; the other suitable for experienced players tackling stronger enemies and high-value areas alone.
You can use these builds as a foundation and adjust individual gear to suit your playstyle.
Core Principles of Solo Combat
Before delving into the builds themselves, it's important to understand the principles of solo combat.
Disengaging from combat
Sometimes, eliminating your opponent isn't your ultimate goal in combat. This can actually deplete your gear and stamina. Utilizing Smoke Grenade, movement tools, or traps that delay enemies to help you escape is a good option.
Sustained damage is better
Since solo combat is often chaotic and prolonged, sustained damage output is more important than burst damage. Prepare plenty of healing, shield regeneration, and survivability gear.
Area control and awareness
Without teammates to protect and assist you, you need to have a certain level of combat awareness. Mines, traps, and certain sound cues can compensate for the lack of teammates.
Based on these combat principles, let's look at specific gear configurations.
Best Mid-Range Solo Build
This build is ideal for players who prioritize safe loot pickup, stable extraction, and balanced combat. It performs exceptionally well in open areas and also holds its own indoors.
Detailed setup
Augment:
Shield:
Weapons:
- Anvil Hand Cannon (Level 3 or above)
- IL Toro Shotgun (Level 3 or above)
Quick Use Items:
- 5 Herbal Bandages
- 5 Shield Rechargers
- 5 Adrenaline Shots
- 3 Smoke Grenades
Safe Pocket:
Looting MK. 2 is an essential mod for solo players. It increases backpack capacity, allowing you to pick up more items during raids. Light Shield allows for high mobility, ideal for solo players who need to frequently reposition.
Furthermore, this combination of two guns can handle almost all engagement distances encountered in regular looting missions. ARC Raiders items like bandages and Shield Rechargers are also essential, ensuring you stay at full health and safe during raids.
Smoke Grenades and Ziplines help you quickly evacuate and reach areas difficult for raiders to access.
Gameplay tips
The advantage of this build is that it helps you avoid unnecessary combat and carefully choose when to engage. Use mines to control your area, use smoke grenades to disengage from combat, and utilize weapon combinations to eliminate raiders who are trying to harm you.
- Note: If you are engaged in combat with enemies for too long, disengage; your loot is more valuable than risky kills.
Best High-End Solo Build
This build is designed for experienced players and is a powerful hybrid build that allows you to maintain strong survivability while dealing with PvE threats and hostile raiders.
Detailed setup
Augment:
Shield:
Weapons:
- Venator Pistol (level 4)
- Vulcano Shotgun (Level 3 or above)
Quick Use Items:
- 1 Vita Spray
- 5 Surge Shield Rechargers
- 5 Adrenaline Shots
- 3 Smoke Grenades
- 2 Blaze Grenades
Augmented Slot:
Safe Pocket:
Looting MK. 3 (Survivor) Augment not only allows you to equip a medium shield but also restores health when your character is downed, significantly increasing your chances of successfully escaping even after being knocked down.
Venator and Vulcano combination allows you to control combat at varying distances and in confined indoor spaces, helping you deal with any incoming enemy raiders.
Vita Spray provides instant health regeneration in emergencies, while Surge Shield Rechargers quickly replenish your medium shield. Explosive Mine is ideal for sealing off areas, forcing enemies out from behind cover, or hindering enemy pursuit during retreats.
Snap Hook is one of the most powerful mobility tools for solo players. It allows for quick escapes, flexible repositioning, and access to vertical terrain without relying on fixed ziplines.
Gameplay tips
This setup supports a more aggressive solo playstyle, but stability remains crucial. Use traps and grenades to control the battlefield, quickly eliminate enemies, and disengage before third parties arrive. Survivor Augment offers some leeway, but don't rely on it excessively.
The above is all the recommended setup information for solo players in ARC Raiders. While solo raids are challenging, they also offer a satisfying sense of accomplishment. You can act at your own pace, choose your combat timing, and cleverly defeat other squads.
Settings are just the foundation of your combat. Be brave enough to try different variations, adapt to different maps and threats, and remember that the best solo raider is the one who survives to the extraction, not the one with the most kills.
WoW TBC Classic Anniversary Pre-Patch Leveling Guide: Quickly Level Up from 1 to 60
WoW TBC Classic Anniversary Pre-Patch is now live and will remain available for nearly three weeks to allow players to familiarize themselves with the game content.
During this time, players are preparing for their smooth entry into Dark Portal. Pre-Patch brings numerous changes, providing a new opportunity for players who want to level up quickly for the upcoming expansion.
Below, I will teach you how to utilize all the resources in Pre-Patch to help your character level from 1 to 60, whether you are an Alliance or Horde player.
Pre-Patch overview
Pre-Patch brings a wealth of changes to TBC Classic Anniversary. These include classes, new skills, and various updates to enhance the gameplay experience.
These changes will help players better prepare for the challenges of Outland. Furthermore, TBC Pre-Patch increases experience gain, making it an excellent time for both new and returning players to level up.
Key leveling tips
1. Maximize Buffs and Consumables
One of the easiest ways to speed up leveling is by utilizing buffs and consumables. During the pre-patch, players can not only quickly gain XP using buffs, but also improve efficiency with a range of useful items.
Dragonslayer Buff
In Stormwind and Orgrimmar, players can obtain Dragonslayer Buff for 2 hours, which significantly improves combat efficiency, thus increasing the speed of completing quests and grinding.
However, be aware of its cooldown, as this buff cannot be continuously obtained. Players can track Dragonslayer Buff's cooldown by joining the world chat or using relevant game addons to plan their leveling accordingly.
Explosive Rockets
In the early game, Explosive Rockets are ideal for clearing large groups of monsters. They deal considerable area damage, capable of killing multiple enemies at once, helping you level up quickly.
Weapon Enchants
Weapon enchantments like Iron Counterweight and Fiery Weapon are very useful in the early game, providing buffs such as increased haste and extra fire damage.
You can use them from level 1 until around level 30, after which you can switch to more expensive enchantments, such as Crusader or strength-boosting enchantments, for greater attack power.
If you have a lot of WoW TBC Classic Anniversary gold, you can also exchange head and leg enchantments, which grant an additional 10 speed.
Consumables
- Remember to stock up on healing food, such as Frog Leg Stew, which restores a significant amount of health, reduces combat wait time, and improves leveling efficiency;
- Swiftness Potion helps you move quickly until you unlock your mount at level 30, saving you travel time;
- Brilliant Wizard Oil applied to your weapons increases spell damage and critical strike chance.
2. Utilize Rested Experience
Rested XP is crucial for players to level up quickly, so be sure to log off at an inn or major city to accumulate rest experience. While resting, your character will accumulate a blue experience bar; before the bar disappears, the experience gained from killing monsters will be doubled.
If you're going to be away from the game for an extended period, I recommend resting at an inn. This will give you double the rest experience, resulting in even higher kill experience. So plan your rest time accordingly.
3. Quest and Dungeon farming tips
Various quests in the game remain one of the best ways to level up, and TBC Anniversary pre-patch introduced some adjustments that made the rewards for certain quests and dungeons even more generous. To maximize the rewards from these different quests, you need to master certain techniques.
- Utilize Auction House: Some quests in TBC can be completed instantly by exchanging the required materials at Auction House, not only providing rich experience rewards but also saving a lot of time.
- Dungeon Quests: While solo leveling is usually the fastest way, dungeons also offer valuable experience and loot. Therefore, during the pre-patch, you can also group up to challenge dungeons that offer high experience rewards and items useful to your character.
4. Choose your weapons and professions carefully
During leveling, be sure to stick to the same weapon type to avoid spending time leveling up weapon skills every time you level up. Concentrating resources on the same weapon will help you deal more damage and level up faster.
Meanwhile, character professions can be a double-edged sword during leveling. Gathering professions are an excellent way to earn gold in TBC, but they can also slow down your progress to level 60 in the early game.
Therefore, carefully consider your choice of weapons and professions before you reach level 60.
1-60 Leveling path
Below is the complete leveling path from 1 to 60, which can be used as a reference for both Alliance and Horde players.
Level 1-10
When you are still at a low level, it is best to start from the starting area of your chosen faction. For example, Draenei starts from Azuremyst Isle, and Blood Elf starts from Eversong Woods.
Make full use of early quests and utilize Explosive Rockets for efficient monster farming. Therefore, try to stay in the starting area until around level 10, as the quests and monsters there are not very difficult.
Level 10-20
Alliance players can go to Redridge Mountains and Duskwood at level 10, while Horde players can choose to stay in Ghostlands.
When your character reaches level 15, you can also go to Wetlands to do more quests.
Level 20-30
Starting from level 20, it is recommended to go to Stranglethorn Vale (available to both Alliance and Horde). The quests here offer generous rewards, especially Green Hills of Stranglethorn questline, which provides nearly 11,000 experience points.
If you are a Horde player, you can also consider going to Badlands at level 25 to continue farming quest experience.
Level 30-40
At level 30, Alliance players can go to Badlands or Feralas to complete the corresponding quests for a large amount of experience. Focus on quests like Buzzard Wings and Blue Pearls.
Horde players can also gain a significant amount of experience by heading to Desolace or Arathi Highlands.
Remember to combine this with Scarlet Monastery dungeon questline to help you level up faster.
Level 40-50
After level 40, there's no longer a distinction between Alliance and Horde players; your character's strength is now relatively complete. You can head to Tanaris for more quest opportunities.
Adding Zul'Farrak dungeon questline not only provides extra experience but also drops decent weapons and equipment.
Level 50-60
Starting at level 50, you can go to Eastern Plaguelands or Blasted Lands for more quests. These areas offer generous rewards, with substantial experience and equipment.
You can also complete Cloth Turn-in quest in the main cities for additional reputation and experience bonuses.
The above outlines the optimal leveling route and tips from 1-60 in WoW TBC Classic Anniversary Pre-Patch. The key to fast leveling lies in the synergy of multiple quest routes and buffs, making full use of every opportunity to gain XP. Wishing you a smooth upgrade!
Monopoly Go Golden Blitz Is Released on January 15 - Gold Sticker Trading Is Back
Monopoly Go players, a new opportunity to trade gold stickers is here! According to the developers’ announcements in the community and some speculative information, the next Golden Blitz event is released in the game on January 15th, Eastern Time, and will last for 24 hours.
This news surprised and delighted players, as it had only been less than a week since the last Golden Blitz event, something that had never happened in previous albums. Now, you still have some time to prepare for this upcoming trading extravaganza.
Why not start here, where you’ll find event details and trading strategies?
Event Details
In this game, you should know that many Monopoly Go stickers you obtain during daily gameplay can be traded or exchanged with friends, except for gold stickers, which can only trade during the specific Golden Blitz event. It only lasts for 24 hours, and the release time is not regular.
However, not all gold stickers are available for trading during this period; only two specific gold stickers are available from the developers. Although the two sticker options are currently chosen by player votes, the initial voting options were also provided by the developers, so we will summarize them here.
In this Golden Blitz, which is scheduled to be released on January 15, the two stickers selected by players are Monopoly Go Amortentia from Set 16 and Hermione’s Arrival from Set 22; they are both four-star gold stickers in the current Harry Potter GO sticker album.
Once the event is active, you can send the two gold stickers from the album to your friends, or vice versa. You can also obtain these two Monopoly Go gold stickers from players who have them in their inventory by clicking the request button below the sticker; this might test your friendship!
Trading Tips
Next, here are some trading tips you should take note of.
First, it needs to be clarified that each player has 5 chances to send a specific gold sticker, but the number of times they can request it from other players is unlimited. So if you have enough friends, and they all have the stickers you need, theoretically you could get an unlimited selection of stickers; but that’s just wishful thinking.
In addition, these two specific gold stickers can only be sent if a copy is available, which will be displayed as +1 or +2 in the game. Specifically, if you only have one Monopoly Go Hermione’s Arrival, you cannot perform subsequent trades, just like the trading rules for the standard stickers.
Also, these two specific stickers are only available in the standard sticker set, while those in Prestige set cannot be traded and can only be earned by exploring the board daily and actively participating in various events. You can wait for the Sticker Boom flash event, which will launch on January 15th at 9 PM ET. It will double the number of Monopoly Go cards in your sticker packs, increasing your chances of getting high-value cards.
When choosing players to trade with, prioritize those you know well in real life and who understand the rules of the game, as they are very unlikely to cheat you. If you don’t have suitable candidates around you, you can post on the largest Monopoly Go player community or some social media platforms to find players who have the same needs as you.
Of course, not just anyone can trade with you. You need to check the player’s net worth and their knowledge of each in-game event. This step is to ensure that the player genuinely wants to trade stickers with you and that there is no possibility of embezzlement or fraud. And check the stock of dice and stickers. Although they are not that important, they can’t go wrong as supplementary evidence.
Given that Golden Blitz event only lasts for 24 hours, EZG.com is currently offering a huge stock of Monopoly Go Gold Stickers for sale to save all players the trouble of searching for suitable friends to trade with, which is absolutely safe and great value for money. The best part is that the delivery is fast; you’ll receive the card you need in no time, so it won’t delay your rest of the trip.
Is Good or Bad to Frequently Release It?
Having discussed the events themselves in the game, let’s look at the community’s opinions on the overly frequent release of Golden Blitz events. Currently, players’ opinions in Monopoly Go community are divided into two camps: those in favor and those against, with more comments in favor.
These players believe that Harry Potter GO sticker album contains far more gold stickers than previous ones, so it’s justifiable to frequently release events where they can be traded; however, opposing players argue that even frequent events can’t cover every gold sticker in the current album, and it’s just the developers entertaining themselves.
From an objective standpoint, this change brings more benefits than drawbacks for the majority of players. Shorter intervals between Golden Blitz events significantly reduce frustration caused by album bottlenecks, where players are stuck missing just one or two gold stickers for weeks.
This improves engagement and makes album completion feel achievable rather than exhausting for casual and mid-core players. For professional players who regularly play Monopoly Go, they can rely on the single-player banner events or tournaments that are updated every two to three days to earn more cards.
The above is a detailed explanation, gameplay guide, and player discussions regarding Golden Blitz event, which is scheduled to launch on January 15th. Although Monopoly Go has been plagued by controversy since its release due to frequent updates regarding this issue, it has undeniably remained incredibly popular. Enjoy the game!
Torchlight Infinite SS11 Vorax Release Date, New Hero Traits, Grafting Crafting, and More Changes
Torchlight Infinite will launch its new season, Season 11, on January 15, 2026 at 6:00 PM (PTD). This season, named Vorax, is arguably one of the largest updates for this ARPG in recent years.
All updates for this season, including combat interactions, the crafting system, and the endgame progression loop, revolve around a brand-new season theme: Vorax Syndrome. Players must fight against the spread of a substance called Vorax, while utilizing its power for character progression and endgame monster farming.
Next, I will introduce the important content of SS11 update in detail, hoping to help you better understand and have a smooth start.
New Season Mechanics
The core mechanic of this season revolves around an evil infection called Vorax Syndrome. Infected monsters roam most areas, and defeating them will drop Vorax Substance, which will be the core Torchlight Infinite currency for this season.
You'll utilize this substance in a brand-new breeding system called "Surgical Preparation," allowing you to create your own monsters through custom configurations - sounding somewhat like Metamorph league in PoE 1.
Then, you'll bring your bred monsters into a dedicated arena. Defeating them will reward you with Antidote Vials, with the monster's level directly determining the tier of loot you receive.
This creates a perfect cycle: hunt - breed - test - reap rewards, offering more depth and a fresh experience than traditional ARPG grinding.
New Crafting System
Perhaps the most revolutionary feature of Vorax season is Grafting: a crafting system that allows you to build from scratch.
You'll need to collect Vorax limbs for crafting, with virtually no restrictions on affix combinations. You're no longer bound by previous rules or limitations on certain attributes not being allowed on the same piece of equipment.
Furthermore, Core Organ extraction feature allows you to extract up to two Legendary modifiers and graft them onto other equipment, meaning a single equipment slot can have two Legendary effects.
In the late game, players can use Vorax Corrosion to further enhance grafted affixes through adventures. This is a risky mechanic that grants immense power but also carries significant risks.
This system primarily aims to greatly increase build diversity, allowing you to experiment with combinations previously impossible.
New Hero Trait: Vendetta's Sting
Season 11 brings a completely new gameplay experience to Erika, with the addition of a new trait - Vendetta's Sting, transforming her into an incredibly fast assassin.
Movement skills automatically trigger her attack skills, encouraging close-quarters combat and rapid enemy clearing.
Damage increases the closer you are to enemies on the battlefield, signifying Erika's shift towards a flash-and-strike playstyle, emphasizing fluid movement and high damage output.
To improve visual clarity and reduce motion sickness for Erika players due to the fast pace, a unique slow-camera switching function has been added.
In short, Erika in SS11 will be a rapidly evolving assassin, making her the fastest hero in any ARPG.
New Casting Mechanism: Entangle
Spellcasters in the game have gained a brand-new way to interact with magic: Entangle. This allows your spells to no longer simply be cast, but instead attach to enemies and automatically repeat, then spread to nearby enemies.
You can increase the number of Entangles (spread speed) and the stack limit (number of targets affected) through equipment.
This allows players to build smoother, more dynamic combat styles, eliminating the need for frequent manual target selection, thus dealing continuous damage to large numbers of enemies and creating area-of-effect attacks.
- It's worth mentioning that the developers have also added combo skills for melee classes to prevent them from being neglected after the new spell mechanics are implemented.
Several Core Systems Reworked
To improve clarity, performance, and balance, the studio has reworked several core systems:
- Ailments: Ailments now provide explicit bonuses based on trigger chance, duration, and number of hits. You can directly convert a portion of your raw damage into Ailments, which is a great way to enhance your character in the late game.
- Explosions: Explosions are no longer based on their original damage bonus; they now deal true damage and serve as a supplementary tool, making them applicable to a wider range of builds.
- Defense: Several defensive mechanics in the game have been expanded, including adjustments to damage conversion and energy shield support.
These changes collectively balance the game's extreme situations, allowing more build types to function effectively and resulting in a better gameplay experience.
Furthermore, top-tier player builds can easily complete most of the game's most difficult content, up to the final Pinnacle Challenge, a change many players have been eagerly anticipating.
New Endgame Challenge
Later in the game, a brand-new Supreme Boss will appear: Allseeing Prophet. As the battle progresses, you'll need to collect his white orbs while dodging his black orbs.
Meanwhile, Wilting Plume returns as a Night Slayer boss, posing a severe test to your build and a boon for players seeking a greater challenge.
Finally, Overrealm mechanic has been integrated into the core mechanics and has its own talent tree, allowing players to customize how Overrealm works, similar to PoE's Atlas system.
Visual and UI Upgrades
Torchlight Infinite SS11 features significant graphical improvements and a redesigned user interface, including the inventory, skill menu, and trading post. All weapon and equipment icons have been redesigned for clearer display.
Meanwhile, character models and numerous monsters have received visual enhancements, along with improved combat and skill effects. Improvements to movement skills make character movement smoother and more natural, ultimately providing players with a more dynamic battlefield experience.
The official statement also indicates that they will release new content each subsequent season; this is just the foundation for all future updates. The ultimate goal is to improve the game's graphics tenfold, delivering the best possible visual experience.
Finally, it's worth mentioning that Torchlight Infinite will launch many rewarding events at the start of each season, and Hardcore servers will also be available. So, regardless, be sure to check it out on launch day!
The above is the important information you need to know about Torchlight Infinite Vorax season update. If you've been looking forward to an ARPG game that allows for better control over equipment and late-game strategy, then SS11 will definitely meet your needs.