A Quick Guide to Guangdong: Strategies for Newbies and Veterans

This guide, an updated version of a previous draft, incorporates insights from additional playthroughs and valuable community feedback (special thanks to u/Sethastic). It aims to provide effective strategies for maximizing economic growth and securing crucial resources in the face of Guangdong’s late-game challenges. While spoilers will be kept to a minimum, be aware that this guide assumes some familiarity with the game’s basic mechanics.

The Four Companies: Navigating Guangdong’s Corporate Landscape

Guangdong’s economic and narrative tapestry involves seven major companies, but only four are playable, each offering a unique set of advantages and disadvantages:

1. Sony: The Path of Balanced Prosperity

As the designated "blessed" path, Sony seeks to harmonize economic growth with social progress. They prioritize economic redistribution, improved living standards, legal equality among ethnicities, and the empowerment of a domestic middle class.

Gameplay-wise:

• Strongest long-term growth potential.
• Significant societal development progress.
• Focus tree significantly reduces overall debt.
• Focuses and bills boost Republic of China (RoC), Chinese, and Zhujin opinion, facilitating peaceful conflict resolution.
• Only faction capable of effectively tackling corruption at all levels of society.

Challenges:

• Relatively low political power (PP) generation.
• Difficulty securing a legislative majority for progressive reforms.

Overall: Sony offers a rewarding and ethically satisfying playthrough, though it demands strategic finesse to overcome its inherent challenges.

2. Fujitsu: The Technocratic Dystopia

Fujitsu embodies a ruthless meritocracy, prioritizing technological advancement above all else. They envision a society governed by technocratic principles, rewarding "the best performers" – a thinly veiled euphemism for Japanese supremacy.

Gameplay-wise:

• Second-best GDP growth potential.
• High PP generation from advisors.
• Extensive options for repression through a high-tech security apparatus, simplifying late-game crisis management.

Challenges:

• Limited opportunities to gain Chinese and Zhujin support.
• Negative impact on Chinese opinion.

Overall: Fujitsu presents a compelling choice for players intrigued by futuristic dystopias and rapid economic expansion, though it comes at a significant moral cost.

3. Matsushita: The Middle Road

Presented as the "moderate" path, Matsushita aims to balance stability and prosperity. However, their gameplay lacks the narrative depth of other factions.

Gameplay-wise:

• Easiest path to secure Zhujin and Chinese support.
• Crime reduction mechanics and the ability to choose a crime lord ally offer unique gameplay elements.

Challenges:

• Mediocre economic growth potential.
• Lacks significant GDP or GDP growth buffs.

Overall: Matsushita provides a relatively relaxed playthrough, capturing the essence of corporate kleptocracy without the moral dilemmas posed by Fujitsu or Hitachi.

4. Hitachi: The Depths of Corporate Greed

Hitachi represents the bleakest aspects of corporate dystopia. This path is not for the faint of heart, as it plunges Guangdong into a spiral of exploitation and brutality.

Gameplay-wise:

• Starts with a significant head start, inheriting progress from a previous company.
• Highest potential GDP growth rate and surplus due to a combination of inherited bonuses and ruthless economic policies.
• Easiest faction to navigate late-game crises due to its focus on military solutions.

Challenges:

• Rapidly deteriorates relations with the Chinese and Zhujin populations.
• Rampant corruption permeates all levels of society.
• Morally reprehensible choices lead to a bleak and oppressive society.

Overall: Hitachi offers the highest economic potential but demands a heavy price in terms of social stability, ethnic relations, and moral integrity.

The Regions of Guangdong: Balancing Control and Support

Early in the game, you gain access to the "Regions of Guangdong" decision section. This interface displays:

• Ethnic Support Levels: Aggregate support from Expats, Zhujin, and Chinese populations.
• Regional Control: Which faction dominates each region.

Regional Control Effects:

Each faction’s control over a region confers specific benefits and drawbacks:

Faction	Benefits	Drawbacks
Kempetai	Increased monthly approval for all ethnicities	Increased corruption
Police	Increased monthly Zhujin approval	Reduced corruption
Triad	Increased monthly Chinese support	Increased corruption
Yakuza	Increased monthly Expat support	Increased corruption

Note: Sony and Matsushita can potentially mitigate the corruption associated with Triad and Yakuza control.

Controlling a Majority of Regions:

If a faction controls more than four regions, a nationwide effect triggers:

Faction	Nationwide Effect
Kempetai	Decreased monthly approval for all ethnicities, increased corruption
Police	Increased monthly approval for all ethnicities, reduced corruption
Triad	Decreased monthly Expat support, increased corruption
Yakuza	Decreased monthly Zhujin and Chinese support, increased corruption

Strategic Tip: While individual region control is less crucial, prioritize preventing any faction except the Police from dominating a majority. Regularly utilize the "Change Police Duties" decision to gain political power and slightly reduce corruption at the cost of minor Zhujin and Chinese support.

Ethnicities:

Understanding the characteristics of each ethnic group is vital:

• Expats: Offer the highest PP generation and GDP growth modifiers. Their support is generally high and easy to maintain. Prioritize spending their support for maximum benefit.
• Zhujin: Gaining their support can be challenging due to limited monthly modifiers. However, they provide valuable corruption reduction and GDP growth bonuses. Conserve their support whenever possible.
• Chinese: Their support is volatile and easily lost through exploitative policies. However, maintaining high Chinese support is crucial for maximizing Chinese government opinion. Focus on increasing RoC support and reducing corruption to gain their favor.

The Three Evils of Guangdong: Managing Corruption, Diplomacy, and Approval

The "Three Evils" decision section presents three key currencies to manage:

1. Corruption:

Represents the pervasiveness of corruption across various levels of society.

• Sources: Increases passively each month and through specific decisions (e.g., corrupt actions, bribing legislators).
• Mitigation: Reduced through specific decisions, some unique to certain companies.
• Effects: Impacts PP gain, GDP growth, and Chinese support (positive at low levels, negative at high levels).

Strategic Tip: Prioritize reducing corruption whenever possible, as its negative impacts can cripple long-term growth and stability.

Special Note on Sony:

Sony’s anti-corruption campaign can significantly reduce monthly corruption increases but prevents bribing legislators. If you rely on bribery, delay forming the independent commission until after crucial legislation is passed.

2. Chinese Opinion:

Reflects the Chinese government’s stance towards Guangdong.

• Starting Point: Low due to historical context.
• Improvement: Increased through pro-China policies, events, and maintaining high Chinese population support.
• Effects: Influences monthly Chinese support growth, annual GDP growth, and the level of Chinese antagonism in the late game.

Strategic Tip: Carefully manage Chinese opinion, as it significantly impacts Chinese support and economic growth. Prioritize decisions and policies that improve relations with China.

3. Japanese Approval:

Represents the Japanese government’s satisfaction with Guangdong’s performance.

• Importance: High approval grants increased Expat support growth, higher GDP growth, and access to financial/political aid.
• Maintenance: Easily maintained through pro-business policies, exceeding economic expectations, and accepting Japanese influence.

Strategic Tip: Maintaining high Japanese approval is generally straightforward. Utilize Japanese aid strategically to maximize its benefits.

Meeting with Representatives:

Regularly engage with the Chinese Consul-General and Japanese Representative to improve relations.

• Event Chances: Contrary to previous assumptions, positive and negative event outcomes have a consistent 60/40 chance regardless of current opinion levels.
• Strategic Tip: Utilize these meetings strategically to cultivate favorable relations and potentially unlock beneficial events later in the game.

The Product Cycle: Driving Economic Growth and Political Influence

Annually, you’ll manage the development and release of a flagship product for your chosen company. This cycle is crucial for:

• Securing Legislative Council Seats
• Fueling Economic Growth
• Generating Miscellaneous Income

Product Selection:

Each company specializes in a specific product type:

• Sony: Audio products
• Matsushita: Household electronics
• Fujitsu: High-tech computing products
• Hitachi: Cost-focused, power-efficient products

Maximizing Product Success:

Achieve high product quality, interest, and profitability through strategic decision-making:

• Quality and Interest: Prioritize decisions that utilize reserves, political power, command power, Expat support, and regional influence. Avoid decisions that cost Zhujin/Chinese support or increase corruption.
• Profitability:
  • Ship products early.
  • Utilize temporary buffs from events and focuses.
  • Target high-profit markets (Germany and USA offer the highest returns).
  • Invest in research relevant to your product type.

Market Considerations:

• Secondary neutral markets experience diminishing returns after one sale.
• Co-Prosperity and superpower markets diminish after three sales.
• Unlocking the German and American markets requires specific global events and offers the highest potential profits.

Strategic Tip: Carefully manage market selection to maximize long-term profitability.

Research & Development: Focusing on What Matters

While research is not essential for success, it can provide valuable bonuses.

Strategic Tip:

• Focus research on the area directly related to your chosen company’s product type to maximize profitability.
• Consider investing PP, reserves, Expat support, and future product quality/interest to accelerate research in your chosen field.

Miracle on the Pearl River: Exceeding Expectations

Achieving economic success in Guangdong requires a multi-faceted approach:

• Maximize product profitability and quality.
• Implement GDP-boosting focuses.
• Maintain high opinion, approval, and support levels.
• Manage taxes effectively.

Competition with Manchuria:

After 1963, you’ll compete with Manchuria in an economic race. Overtaking their GDP grants various benefits depending on your chosen company.

Strategic Tip:

• Setting Manchuria to the "Reform Bureaucrats" path in custom rules unlocks beneficial economic decisions.
• For Hitachi players, prepare for an early opportunity to gain Japanese approval by exceeding Manchurian GDP shortly after taking power.

The Legislative Council: Passing Legislation and Wielding Influence

The Legislative Council represents Guangdong’s most influential businessmen. Understanding their voting patterns is crucial for passing legislation.

Influencing Votes:

Two primary methods exist to sway legislative votes:

• Amendments: Offer concessions to rival companies in exchange for support. However, amendments often come at the cost of increased debt, corruption, or diminished legislative benefits.
• Bribery: Directly bribe individual legislators using PP and increasing corruption. This method is costly but allows for more targeted influence.

Strategic Tip:

• Sony playthroughs require a significant legislative presence to pass reforms without resorting to costly amendments or bribery.
• Matsushita and Hitachi face fewer challenges in passing legislation due to their aligned interests or brute-force control over the council.

Product Testing Group: Capitalizing on Military Opportunities

Guangdong’s Product Testing Group provides opportunities to generate income, boost GDP growth, and secure additional legislative seats through participation in proxy conflicts.

Strategic Tip:

• Assigning a General (but not a Field Marshal) to lead your division can make achieving objectives easier.

Conclusion: Navigating the Corporate Seas of Guangdong

Guangdong offers a unique and challenging experience within the TNO universe. By understanding the intricacies of its political landscape, economic engine, and social fabric, you can navigate the complexities of this corporate battleground and shape the destiny of the Pearl River Delta.

Level Up Your Game Design: A Practical Guide to Getting Started

Introduction: Why This Guide?

This guide is for aspiring board game designers seeking a structured approach to their craft. It consolidates common questions and provides a clear roadmap for creating engaging and balanced games. Whether you’re a complete novice or have some experience, this guide offers valuable insights and resources.

Remember, you don’t have to read everything! Focus on the sections that resonate with your current needs.

Part 1: Finding Your Spark – Sources of Inspiration

Inspiration can strike from anywhere! Cultivate an open mind and draw inspiration from various sources:

• Board Games: Immerse yourself in the world of board games. Play a diverse range, analyze their mechanics, observe others playing, and listen to reviews. Even if your goal is to design a specific type of game, exploring different genres broadens your understanding.
• Video Games: Many video game concepts can be adapted for board games. Analyze what makes them engaging and deconstruct their mechanics.
• Storytelling Mediums: Movies, TV series, books, comics, and anime offer a wealth of stories, characters, and settings that can spark your imagination.
• Real Life: Observe the world around you. Everyday situations, human behavior, animal quirks, and personal anecdotes can be surprisingly fertile ground for game ideas.

For a deeper dive into finding inspiration, check out this detailed discussion: Finding Inspiration for Game Design

Resource: Explore BoardGameGeek’s mechanics browser to discover games based on specific mechanics.

Part 2: Crafting Your Design Flow

Starting Simple: An excellent starting point is to modify an existing game you enjoy. Experiment with "house rules" to improve upon the original design.

Developing Your Workflow: While personal preferences vary, a structured approach to game design can be more efficient than relying solely on playtesting. Consider this workflow:

1. Take Notes: Capture your ideas, inspirations, playtesting observations, and any insights that emerge during the design process.
2. Research: Delve deeper into the themes, mechanics, and existing games that align with your vision.
3. Define Core Gameplay: Determine the fundamental gameplay loop and core mechanics that drive your game.
4. Establish an Internal Point System: Assign point values to all resources and actions in your game to create a consistent mathematical framework for balancing.
5. Build an Initial Prototype: Use your point system to create a basic prototype with cards, actions, and resources.
6. Solo Playtesting: Test the game by yourself to ensure the core mechanics function as intended.
7. Iterate and Refine: Address any major issues that arise during solo playtesting.
8. Playtest with Others: Gather feedback from playtesters to gain external perspectives on your game’s balance, engagement, and overall experience.
9. Iterate Based on Feedback: Incorporate constructive criticism from playtesters, but avoid making drastic changes all at once.
10. Beyond Playtesting: While this guide focuses on the initial design phase, remember that bringing a game to market involves additional steps like pitching and production.

For a more comprehensive explanation of this workflow, refer to this post: Finding Your Game Design Flow

Part 3: Balancing Your Game with a Point-Based System

Contrary to popular belief, playtesting should not be the first step in balancing your game. Establishing a mathematical model from the outset, even a simple one, can significantly streamline the balancing process.

Creating Your Point System:

1. Assign Point Values: Give every resource in your game a point value, including actions, victory points, cards, and limited spaces.
2. Start with Larger Numbers: Using larger numbers initially makes balancing easier.
3. Aim for Initial Equality: Assign roughly equal point values to most resources to simplify the process (e.g., 1 Action = 1 Wood = 1 Coin = 4 Points).
4. Fine-Tune with Victory Points: Use victory points for more granular balancing (e.g., 1 Victory Point = 1 Point).
5. Ensure Income Generation: Provide players with ways to gain resources, such as starting coins or actions that yield resources.
6. Incorporate Bonuses: Offer discounts or bonuses for actions or purchases that require multiple resources.
7. Reward Risk and Opportunity: Provide bonuses for quests or achievements that involve risk or limited availability.
8. Maintain Consistency: Adhere to your point system throughout the entire game to ensure its effectiveness.
9. Balance Components: Balance all game components according to your point system.
10. Playtesting Begins: With a solid mathematical foundation in place, you can now begin playtesting with a more balanced starting point.

For a detailed breakdown of creating a point-based system, see this post: Creating a Point-Based System for Balancing

Part 4: Genre-Specific Resources

This section will feature posts discussing design considerations for specific game genres. While the information may be tailored to a particular genre, the concepts can often be applied to other types of games as well.

Currently Available:

• Trading Card Games (Deck-building): Designing Trading Card Games
• Tabletop Role-Playing Games: Designing Tabletop Role-Playing Games

More genre-specific posts will be added over time!

Mastering Akshan’s E: A Comprehensive Guide to Heroic Swing

Many players underestimate the complexity and power of Akshan’s E – Heroic Swing. This guide dives deep into this versatile ability, showcasing its potential for jungle dominance, map traversal, and even stylish outplays. Whether you’re a seasoned Sentinel or a curious newcomer, prepare to see Akshan’s E in a whole new light.

Watch the Video Guide

Table of Contents

• Jungle Dominance
• Phasing Through Walls
• Speed and Efficiency
• Maximizing Swing Range
• Synergizing with Other Abilities

Jungle Dominance

Akshan’s indefinite swing duration allows him to conquer the jungle with Tarzan-like prowess.

• Early Game Pressure: Steal enemy buffs at level 1 or secure early dragons with ease.
• Solo Objectives: Take down the Rift Herald and even solo the Baron with strategic swings (though caution is advised as the Baron can interrupt your E).

[Image of Akshan soloing dragon]

Important Note: While Akshan’s tooltip mentions being knocked off by terrain, certain spots allow him to phase through walls! Experiment in the Practice Tool to master these locations.

Phasing Through Walls

Like a Shuriman Flash, Akshan can use Heroic Swing to bypass terrain in surprising ways.

• Practice Makes Perfect: Spend time in the Practice Tool to develop muscle memory for these wall-phasing spots.
• Surprise Factor: Catch your opponents off guard with unexpected flanks and escapes.

[Image of Akshan phasing through a wall]

Speed and Efficiency

Need to push a wave and get back to lane quickly? Heroic Swing can help you zoom across the map like Sonic the Hedgehog.

• Rapid Rotations: Utilize E for swift rotations between lanes and objectives.
• Efficient Farming: Clear jungle camps and collect farm with increased speed.

Maximizing Swing Range

Think of Akshan’s grappling hook like Rapunzel’s hair – the longer the swing, the better!

• Avoid Interruptions: Larger swings make it harder for enemies and terrain to interrupt your E.
• Enhanced Mobility: Traverse the map with ease and reach advantageous positions.

Pro Tip: While large swings are generally beneficial, adapt your strategy based on the situation. Sometimes, a smaller, faster swing is necessary.

Synergizing with Other Abilities

Heroic Swing isn’t just a solo act; it synergizes beautifully with Akshan’s other abilities.

• Ultimate Precision: Reposition during your ultimate channel to land the perfect shots.
• Combo Potential: Combine E with your other abilities for creative engages and escapes.

Conclusion

Mastering Akshan’s E is a journey, not a destination. Embrace the learning curve, experiment in the Practice Tool, and soon you’ll be swinging through Summoner’s Rift with style and confidence. Remember, even the most skilled Sentinels started somewhere. Now go forth and make the Rogue Sentinel proud!

Elite500’s Challenger Vladimir Guide

About the Author

Elite500 is a passionate and dedicated streamer who has been captivating audiences since Season 3 of League of Legends. With extensive experience playing Vladimir since Season 5, reaching a peak rank of Challenger 552 LP in Season 8, Elite500 brings a wealth of knowledge and expertise to this comprehensive guide.

Why Choose Vladimir, the Crimson Reaper?

Vladimir, the Crimson Reaper, stands as a formidable force in League of Legends, capable of single-handedly carrying games and decimating opponents. His appeal lies in his unparalleled 1v9 potential, making him a highly effective champion in both low and high elo.

But Vladimir offers more than just raw power. He boasts an impressive array of strengths, including:

• Exceptional 1v9 Carry Potential: Turn the tides of battle and seize victory through sheer dominance.
• Effectiveness Across Skill Levels: Excel in both low and high elo, adapting to various competitive environments.
• Devastating Burst and DPS: Obliterate enemies with a potent combination of burst damage and sustained DPS.
• AoE and Single-Target Prowess: Control the battlefield with area-of-effect spells and focused single-target damage.
• Team Fight and Dueling Dominance: Lead the charge in team fights while maintaining dominance in 1v1 engagements.
• Strong Presence Throughout the Game: Remain a formidable force from early game to late game.
• Unique and Adaptable Build Path: Tailor your build to suit your playstyle and counter your opponents.
• Resource-Less Champion: Focus on maximizing your damage output without the constraint of managing mana.
• High Skill Ceiling and Outplay Potential: Master Vladimir’s intricate mechanics to outmaneuver and overpower your opponents.

Vladimir’s steep mastery curve is a testament to his high skill ceiling. While his win rate starts at 39.9%, it steadily climbs to an impressive 54.7% after 100 games. This guide will equip you with the knowledge and strategies to navigate the early-game challenges and unlock Vladimir’s true potential.

However, even a god has weaknesses:

Vladimir’s overwhelming power is balanced by his limited range, lack of mobility, and vulnerability to ganks. Mastering his positioning and game sense is crucial to mitigating these weaknesses.

Runes: Unleashing Vladimir’s True Potential

Vladimir’s rune setup has evolved significantly, and the current optimal setup maximizes his strengths:

Primary: Sorcery

Phase Rush: This keystone rune is the engine of Vladimir’s mobility. Its synergy with his abilities, particularly his ultimate, allows for rapid repositioning in team fights and swift escapes from ganks.

Transcendence: With 10% CDR at level 10, Transcendence fuels Vladimir’s DPS, sustain, and allows for exceeding the CDR cap.

Nimbus Cloak: Amplify your speed even further with Nimbus Cloak, enhancing Phase Rush procs and enabling aggressive plays.

Gathering Storm: As the game progresses, Gathering Storm provides escalating AP, bolstering Vladimir’s late-game carry potential.

Secondary: Inspiration

Magical Footwear: Free boots at 10 minutes grant valuable early movement speed and a significant power spike.

Cosmic Insight: The 5% CDR across the board is invaluable, reducing the cooldowns of summoner spells, Protobelt, and Zhonya’s Hourglass.

Rune Shards

• Scaling CDR: Further enhance your CDR, amplifying your damage output and spell rotation.
• Adaptive Force: Bolster your early game with bonus AP, increasing your lane pressure.
• Health: Vladimir’s HP-to-AP conversion benefits from additional health, providing both durability and damage.

Summoner Spells: Tools for Domination

Flash

Flash remains an indispensable summoner spell, offering unparalleled kill potential and escape opportunities. Its synergy with Vladimir’s ultimate allows for devastating engages and flawless execution.

Ignite

Ignite complements Vladimir’s aggressive playstyle, providing additional kill pressure, securing early leads, and synergizing with Phase Rush.

Abilities: Mastering the Crimson Arts

Q – Transfusion: The Life Steal

Vladimir’s Q is your primary tool for sustaining in lane and harassing opponents. Utilize its empowered state to zone enemies, secure last hits, and punish aggressive plays.

W – Sanguine Pool: The Untouchable

Sanguine Pool is Vladimir’s trump card for dodging crucial abilities and mitigating damage. Master its timing to avoid ganks, escape unfavorable situations, and create counterplay opportunities.

E – Tides of Blood: The AoE Powerhouse

Tides of Blood is Vladimir’s primary source of AoE damage and wave clear. Use it cautiously in the early game due to its health cost, but unleash its full potential in team fights and skirmishes.

R – Hemoplague: The Game Changer

Hemoplague is a game-changing ultimate that amplifies all damage dealt to affected enemies while healing Vladimir upon detonation. Mastering its placement and timing is crucial for securing kills, turning team fights, and asserting dominance.

Item Build: Forging the Path to Victory

Vladimir’s item build is adaptable, but the following core items provide a strong foundation:

Starting Items

• Doran’s Ring: Standard starting item for mana regeneration and ability power.
• Health Potion: Sustain through early game trades and harass.

Core Items

• Protobelt: A must-have item that grants AP, health, CDR, and a valuable active for mobility and engaging.
• Sorcerer’s Shoes: Magic penetration amplifies your damage against squishy targets.
• Fiendish Codex: Provides an early CDR spike and builds into more powerful items later.

Situational Items

• Mejai’s Soulstealer: High-risk, high-reward item that provides massive AP if stacked successfully.
• Rabadon’s Deathcap: The ultimate AP item, significantly increasing your damage output.
• Void Staff: Essential against teams with magic resist, allowing you to penetrate through their defenses.
• Zhonya’s Hourglass: Provides armor and an active that grants invulnerability, ideal for surviving burst damage.
• Morellonomicon: Reduces healing on enemy champions and provides grievous wounds, countering sustain-heavy compositions.
• Liandry’s Anguish: Excellent against tanky teams, dealing bonus damage based on the target’s maximum health.

Gameplay: From Lane to Late Game Dominance

Early Game

• Play Safe: Vladimir is vulnerable in the early game. Focus on farming, scaling, and avoiding unnecessary trades.
• Utilize Q for Sustain: Transfusion’s healing allows you to stay in lane longer and sustain through harass.
• Respect Enemy Jungler: Vladimir’s lack of mobility makes him susceptible to ganks. Ward strategically and track the enemy jungler’s movements.

Mid Game

• Look for Roaming Opportunities: Once you have Protobelt, you gain increased mobility and kill pressure. Look for opportunities to impact other lanes.
• Group for Objectives: Vladimir’s team fight presence becomes more potent in the mid game. Group with your team to secure objectives and control the map.

Late Game

• Team Fight Positioning: Position yourself carefully in team fights, aiming to land your ultimate on as many enemies as possible.
• Prioritize High-Value Targets: Focus on eliminating or severely damaging the enemy’s carries and high-damage threats.
• Utilize Your Full Kit: Master the timing and synergy of your abilities to maximize your damage output and survivability.

General Tips: Refining Your Crimson Skills

• You can cast E – Tides of Blood while in W – Sanguine Pool.
• Both the initial cast and the damage portion of R – Hemoplague count as procs for Phase Rush.
• You can extend the duration of your empowered Q – Transfusion by using W – Sanguine Pool, charging E – Tides of Blood, or activating Zhonya’s Hourglass.
• W – Sanguine Pool has a long cooldown. Be mindful of its availability and avoid taking unnecessary risks when it’s down.
• Vladimir’s range is limited. Utilize Phase Rush and other movement speed enhancements to close the gap and avoid being kited.

Conclusion

Vladimir, the Crimson Reaper, is a complex and rewarding champion capable of achieving extraordinary feats on the Rift. By mastering his abilities, understanding his strengths and weaknesses, and implementing the strategies outlined in this guide, you’ll be well on your way to dominating your opponents and ascending the ranks.

Beginner’s Guide to Epic Seven

Welcome to Epic Seven! This guide will provide you with all the information you need to get started on your journey in this exciting gacha RPG.

1. Starting Team and Rerolling

After you start the game and complete the tutorial, you will receive 30 Covenant Bookmarks, which can be used for 10 summons each. You are guaranteed to get at least one 5-star Hero within these first 30 summons. Many players choose to reroll their initial summons until they obtain a powerful combination of starting Heroes.

Heroes to Aim For

Here are some of the top-tier Heroes you should aim for when rerolling:

5-Stars

• Sez: An excellent DPS and farming unit with heal block. He is also a strong pick for PvP Cleave teams.
• Vildred: Another great DPS and farming unit who excels in PvP Cleave teams.
• Aramintha: A versatile unit who combines heal block, burn damage, and attack buffing.
• Destina: One of the best healers in the game, capable of cleansing debuffs.
• Ravi: A slow but extremely durable offensive tank.

4-Stars

• Angelica: A top-tier healer who provides immunity and barriers.
• Achates: A strong healer who can grant invincibility.
• Schuri: A powerful unit who can manipulate Combat Readiness (turn order).
• Armin: A tanky healer who can inflict blind and poison.
• Clarissa: A strong DPS and farming unit with debuffing capabilities.
• Lots: A healer who can manipulate Combat Readiness.
• Karin: A single-target nuker with defense break.
• Silk: A speedy unit who can both buff and debuff speed.
• Cidd: A single-target nuker with defense break.
• Surin: A powerful debuffer who can inflict bleed and extend debuffs.

3-Stars

• Hazel: Provides attack buff, healing, and heal block.
• Kiris: Excels at taking down bosses due to her poison.
• Taranor Guard: Offers defense break and Combat Readiness manipulation.
• Jecht: A healer who provides speed buff and cleanse.
• Carmainrose: A DPS unit who can strip buffs and self-buff.
• Mistychain: A sub-healer with heal block and attack break.
• Kluri: A self-sustaining tank who shines after her specialty change.

Ideal Starting Team:

A strong starting team should include one DPS unit, one healer, one buffer, and one debuffer. Sez and Angelica make an excellent core for any starting team.

Important Note: Healers in Epic Seven typically scale their healing based on their own HP. Therefore, it’s generally recommended to build them tanky and use them as your frontline tank.

2. Progression After 1-10

Once you’ve assembled a solid team, here’s what you should focus on:

• Progress through the Story: Focus on building one strong team to efficiently clear the story mode.
• Abyss Tower: This challenging tower offers amazing rewards. Don’t be afraid to use the "purification" option to spend gold for a chance to obtain helpful buffs.
• Daily Missions: Complete these for free Skystones (premium currency).
• PvP Arena: Participate in the Arena to earn weekly Skystone rewards based on your rank.
• Awaken Your Heroes: Use your limited Molagora (skill upgrade materials) wisely. Prioritize upgrading your healer and support units first.
• Join a Guild: Contribute to your guild and request elemental runes to earn Guild Points.

3. Building Your First 6-Star Heroes

• Priority 1: DPS/Farmer: 6-starring your primary damage dealer or farming unit will significantly speed up your progression.
• Priority 2: Frontline/Healer: Increasing the survivability of your frontline unit or healer will make your team much more stable.

4. Unlocking Endgame Content

After clearing 10-10 on normal difficulty, you’ll unlock:

• Moonlight Summons: Use your Galaxy Bookmarks to summon powerful Moonlight Heroes.
• World Mode: Explore a vast world with various challenges and rewards.
• Specialty Change Quests: Complete these quests to unlock powerful upgrades for certain Heroes.
• Hunt Challenges: Assemble teams to farm essential gear materials.
• Rank Up to 50: Unlocks the highest grade gear from the shop.
• Raid Content: Team up with others to take down challenging bosses.

5. Hunt Teambuilding and Mechanics

Hunts are challenging battles that reward you with valuable gear crafting materials. Here’s a breakdown of the first three Hunts:

Wyvern (Fire Element)

Mechanics:

• The Wyvern gains an extra turn if there are fewer than two debuffs on it.
• Upon using its ultimate, it cleanses all debuffs and buffs, gains a shield, and its speed is reduced.
• If the shield isn’t broken before its next turn, it unleashes a devastating AoE attack.
• Standard attacks have a chance to inflict poison.

Team Building:

• Bruiser Teams: Focus on high HP and defense, with one or two healers, a defense buffer, a defense breaker, and a DPS.
• Debuff Teams: Utilize multiple debuffers (like Surin) to prevent the Wyvern from taking extra turns. A fast Combat Readiness manipulator like Schuri is crucial for this strategy.

Golem (Earth Element)

Mechanics:

• Accompanied by two units: a small healer and a crystal that buffs the Golem’s attack and defense.
• Every direct attack (including Guardian attacks) charges the Golem’s "Revenge" ultimate.
• The Golem’s attacks can stun and defense break.
• Damage output increases the longer the fight goes on.

Team Building:

• Heal Block Teams: Utilize Heroes like Hazel, Haste, Aramintha, Baal & Sezan, and Wanderer Silk to prevent the Golem from being healed.
• Poison Teams: Focus on inflicting poison with Heroes like Kiris to bypass the Golem’s mechanics.

Banshee (Water Element)

Mechanics:

• At 66% and 33% HP, the Banshee cleanses and silences your team, then splits into four smaller Banshees.
• You must kill the smaller Banshees quickly, leaving the Light element Banshee for last.
• If the smaller Banshees aren’t killed quickly enough, the main Banshee will resummon and unleash a powerful AoE attack.

Team Building:

• "Skip" Teams: Utilize a defense breaker, attack buffer, and a strong single-target DPS to kill the Banshee before it can split.
• "Normal" Teams: Focus on AoE damage with Heroes like Vildred and Bellona to quickly dispatch the smaller Banshees.

6. Raid Content

Raids are challenging endgame content that requires careful planning and coordination. Here’s a brief overview of each Raid boss:

Devourer Arahakan (West-North-West)

Normal Mode:

• Starts with two Spiky adds and gains strength over time.
• Has a 90% damage reduction shield that disappears when the adds are defeated or when Arahakan uses its ultimate.
• The ultimate blocks new buffs, has a chance to inflict slow, and summons two weaker adds.

Hell Mode:

• Features two Spider adds that steal buffs, grant enemies Combat Readiness, and heal Arahakan when their HP is higher than his.

Recommended Strategy:

• Focus on killing the adds while using AoE attacks and Guardian attacks to slowly chip away at Arahakan’s health.
• Once Arahakan’s health is low enough, switch to single-target attacks to finish him off before the Spiders can heal him.

Executioner Karkanis (East-North-East)

• Enters stealth mode at 66% and 33% HP. Use an AoE attack to bring him out of stealth.
• Counterattacks if the attacker has a debuff applied.
• Adds are highly durable and best used as distractions.

Secretary Vera (South-West)

• A DPS check encounter.
• At 50% HP, Vera transforms into a cocoon and spawns eggs.
• Destroy the cocoon quickly to prevent Vera from becoming stronger.

Juleeve Council (South-East)

• A survival-focused encounter.
• Gains buffs for each debuff applied to him.
• Inflicts poison and strips buffs.
• Splits into three swarms at 66% and 33% HP, dealing damage and stripping buffs each turn.

Queen (North)

• Starts with four eggs, two of which hatch into Arahakan adds when attacked.
• Attacking the Arahakan adds damages the Queen.
• At 50% HP, two more eggs hatch, releasing Bee adds that can counterattack.
• The Queen grows stronger over time and can inflict buff strip and cooldown increase.

This guide provides a solid foundation for your Epic Seven journey. Remember to focus on building a strong team, completing daily tasks, and progressing through the game’s content at your own pace. Good luck, and may your summons be legendary!

Compilation of Useful Links

• Epic Seven Reddit
• Epic Seven Wiki

Elite500’s Challenger Guide to Vladimir

About Me

Hello! I’m Elite500, a streamer and multi-season League of Legends veteran. I’ve been playing since Season 3, and Vladimir has been my go-to champion since Season 5. I peaked at Challenger 552 LP in Season 8, and now I’m excited to share my knowledge with you in my first-ever guide. I welcome any constructive criticism!

Why You Should Play the Crimson Reaper

I started maining Vladimir around Season 6 when I realized I could carry games and 1v9 much more effectively than with any other champion I played at the time (sorry, Zed and Yasuo!). This was even before his rework, which only made him stronger.

So, why should you play Vladimir?

• 1v9 Potential: Vladimir is insanely effective at taking over games. I’ve won countless matches by single-handedly dominating the enemy team.
• Fun Factor: There’s nothing quite like the feeling of absolutely CRUSHING and DEMOLISHING your opponents in mere seconds.
• Effectiveness Across Ranks: He’s a strong pick in both low and high elo.
• Versatile Kit: Vladimir boasts insane burst damage and DPS, AoE and single-target spells, team fighting and 1v1 dominance. He’s a menace in the early, mid, and late game.
• Unique Build Path: You have flexibility in your itemization to adapt to different team compositions and matchups.
• Resource-less: No mana to worry about, just pure, unadulterated power.
• High Skill Ceiling: Mastering Vladimir takes time and dedication, but the rewards are immense. He has one of the steepest mastery curves in the game, with a winrate that scales incredibly well with mastery. According to statistics, his winrate climbs from 39.9% to a whopping 54.7% after 100 games. This guide will help you navigate the early learning curve and reach that juicy 55% winrate (or even higher!).

Here’s a prime example of Vladimir’s 1v9 potential. We were losing 6-15 at one point with a disconnected top laner, but I managed to turn the tides and secure the victory.

Tl;dr: Play Vlad. Make enemy HP go poof.

But Elite, if he’s so strong, why doesn’t everyone play him?

Well, he does have some weaknesses:

• Short Range: Vladimir’s biggest weakness is his limited range.
• Immobile: He has zero mobility spells, making him vulnerable to ganks and kiting.
• No Waveclear: Farming can be slow and tedious, especially early on.
• Punishing if Behind: Falling behind on Vladimir can make it extremely difficult to impact the game.
• Difficult to Master: As mentioned earlier, Vladimir has a steep learning curve. Mastering his kit and reaching his full potential requires time and effort.

Runes

Vladimir’s optimal rune setup has evolved significantly over recent patches. Here’s the current build I recommend:

Primary: Sorcery

• Phase Rush: This keystone is crucial for overcoming Vladimir’s lack of mobility. It allows you to escape ganks, chase down fleeing enemies, and even dive the backline in team fights. The beauty of Phase Rush is that the initial ult cast (not the damage portion) counts as an attack, making it incredibly easy to proc.
• Transcendence: 10% CDR at level 10 means more DPS, more sustain, and the possibility of exceeding the CDR cap.
• Nimbus Cloak: More speed! Nimbus Cloak synergizes perfectly with Phase Rush, giving you an extra boost after casting your ultimate.
• Gathering Storm: This rune provides valuable scaling AP, allowing you to become an unstoppable late-game monster.

Secondary: Inspiration

• Magical Footwear: Free boots? More AP? Yes, please! This rune gives you even more early-game power.
• Cosmic Insight: The 5% CDR on everything is incredibly valuable on Vladimir. It affects your items (Protobelt, Zhonya’s), summoner spells, and even your abilities, allowing you to reach that crucial 40%+ CDR spike even earlier.

Mini Runes

• Ability Haste: More casts, more damage, more fun!
• Adaptive Force: Provides a nice damage boost in the early game.
• Health: Vladimir’s passive converts bonus health into AP, making this a great choice for extra damage and survivability.

Summoner Spells

• Flash: Essential for making aggressive plays and escaping sticky situations. Flash + Protobelt + Sanguine Pool is a deadly combination that gives your opponents zero counterplay.
• Ignite: Provides extra kill pressure, helps secure early leads, and synergizes well with Phase Rush. Plus, it just makes you look like a true Chad.

Abilities and Early Usage

Q – Transfusion

Your bread-and-butter ability. In the early game, focus on using Transfusion to harass your opponent and sustain your health. Try to weave in empowered Qs whenever possible, as they deal significant damage and heal you for a surprising amount. Don’t be afraid to take bad trades early on, as your sustain will allow you to come out on top.

W – Sanguine Pool

Your get-out-of-jail-free card. Sanguine Pool is a powerful defensive tool that makes you untargetable and grants a brief movement speed boost. However, it has a long cooldown and costs a significant portion of your health, so use it wisely. In the early game, consider using it to dodge key abilities or escape ganks.

E – Tides of Blood

Your primary damage-dealing ability. Tides of Blood deals AoE damage and can be charged up for increased damage and healing. However, it also costs a percentage of your current health, so be mindful of your HP when using it. In the early game, try to land E only when you’re guaranteed to hit your opponent, as the health cost can be punishing.

R – Hemoplague

Your game-changing ultimate. Hemoplague deals AoE damage, amplifies all damage taken by affected enemies, and heals you for a percentage of the damage dealt. In team fights, your goal is to land Hemoplague on as many enemies as possible, prioritizing squishy targets.

Items

Vladimir’s build path can be flexible, but here’s the core build I recommend:

1. Protobelt: This item is core on Vladimir, providing everything he needs: AP, health, CDR, a movement ability, and even an attack to proc Phase Rush.
2. Sorcerer’s Shoes: Magic penetration is crucial for maximizing your damage output.
3. Fiendish Codex: Building this early will grant you a significant CDR spike, allowing you to spam your abilities more frequently.
4. Mejai’s Soulstealer: If you’re confident in your ability to snowball a lead, Mejai’s is a must-buy. The extra AP will make you an unstoppable force.
5. Rabadon’s Deathcap: The ultimate AP item. Deathcap will significantly amplify your damage output, allowing you to melt through even the tankiest of opponents.
6. Void Staff: Essential for dealing with enemies who stack magic resistance.

Final Item Options:

• Zhonya’s Hourglass: Provides valuable armor and stasis, allowing you to survive burst damage and make clutch plays.
• Morellonomicon: Inflicts Grievous Wounds, reducing enemy healing and regeneration.
• Liandry’s Torment: Excellent against tanks and enemies with high health regeneration.

Gameplay

Early Game

Vladimir is relatively weak in the early game, but don’t let that discourage you. Focus on farming safely, harassing your opponent with Transfusion, and scaling up for the mid-game. Avoid unnecessary trades and roams, and prioritize staying alive.

Mid Game

Once you have Protobelt and a few levels under your belt, you’ll start to feel Vladimir’s power. Look for opportunities to roam and impact other lanes, or continue farming and scaling if your team is ahead.

Late Game

In the late game, Vladimir truly shines. With a full build, you become an unstoppable force capable of 1v5ing team fights. Your goal is to land Hemoplague on as many enemies as possible, then unleash your full combo for devastating results.

Combos

• Basic Combo: E – Q – (Empowered Q)
• All-In Combo: R – Flash – Protobelt – Ignite – E – W – Q
• Extended Trade Combo: E – W – (Charge E during pool) – Q – (Empowered Q)

General Tips

• You can cast Tides of Blood (E) while in Sanguine Pool (W).
• Both the initial cast and the damage portion of Hemoplague (R) count as an attack for Phase Rush.
• You can extend the duration of your empowered Q by casting Sanguine Pool (W), charging Tides of Blood (E), or activating Zhonya’s Hourglass.
• Sanguine Pool has a long cooldown, so be mindful of your positioning and avoid wasting it.
• Vladimir has short range, so be aware of your positioning and avoid getting kited.
• Ban Kassadin. He’s a difficult matchup for Vladimir at all stages of the game.

Matchup Sheet

Here’s a link to my slightly outdated matchup sheet. It’s based on the old Electrocute rune, but I’ll update it for Phase Rush soon!

Skin Tier List (Very Important!)

• Marquis Vladimir: For the stylish player.
• Blood Lord Vladimir: For flexing on your enemies with bonus armor.
• Dark Waters Vladimir: For an almost pay-to-win invisible ultimate.

Closing Words

Thank you for taking the time to read my guide! I hope you found it informative and entertaining. I’m excited to see you dominate the Rift as the Crimson Reaper!

Be sure to follow me on Twitch for more Vladimir gameplay and entertainment: https://www.twitch.tv/elite500/

The Definitive Guide to Acquiring the Sleeper Simulant in Destiny 2

The Sleeper Simulant is more than just a weapon; it’s a statement. This exotic linear fusion rifle, nestled within your heavy slot, is a symbol of dedication and a testament to your ability to overcome any challenge Destiny 2 throws your way. While the path to acquiring it is lengthy, the reward is well worth the effort. This comprehensive guide will equip you with the knowledge and strategies needed to claim the Sleeper Simulant as your own.

Why Choose Sleeper Simulant?

Before embarking on this quest, it’s important to understand why the Sleeper Simulant stands out amongst other heavy hitters like Whisper of the Worm and 1000 Voices.

• Solo-Friendly: Unlike Whisper, which often demands a coordinated fireteam for its challenging hidden mission, or 1000 Voices, a random drop from the Last Wish raid, the Sleeper Simulant quest can be completed entirely solo.
• Forgiving Gameplay: While Whisper reigns supreme in DPS with its White Nail perk, it requires pinpoint accuracy and ideal conditions. Sleeper Simulant offers a more forgiving experience, allowing for consistent damage output even with less-than-perfect aim.

Embarking on the Quest: A Step-by-Step Breakdown

While a power level of 380 is recommended, reaching 400+ will ensure a smoother experience.

Step 1: Complete the Warmind Campaign

Your journey begins on Mars. Dive into the Warmind DLC and complete all five story missions. This unlocks the "Data Recovery" milestone, your gateway to the Sleeper Simulant.

Note: Players who used a character boost or started playing after Forsaken launched will already have this step completed.

Step 2: Speak with Ana Bray

Head to Ana Bray on Mars and accept the "Data Recovery" quest. This grants you the "Legacy Code" quest item.

Step 3: Complete "Legacy Code" and "A Piece of the Past"

These missions, marked on your map, are your next objective. "Legacy Code" is recommended at 340 light and takes approximately 15 minutes. Completing it rewards you with "A Piece of the Past," another mission that culminates in "giving Rasputin the Engram." This grants you the powerful Ikelos Handcannon (IKELOS_HC_V1.0.1).

Step 4: Complete "Violent Intel" (Hive & Cabal Kills)

Return to Ana Bray and accept "Violent Intel," which also grants you "Nascent Dawn 1/5" (crucial for a later step). This step requires 300 Hive kills and 300 Cabal precision kills on Mars, with the Ikelos Handcannon equipped.

Tips:

• Only Cabal kills require headshots.
• The Ikelos Handcannon only needs to be equipped, not used for the kills.
• Hive Farm: Escalation Protocol Level 1 offers a high concentration of Thrall and Acolytes.
• Cabal Farm: The "Incursion" Adventure near Glacial Drift features a section ("Ambush the Red Legion") ideal for racking up precision kills. Use the explosives, eliminate the Cabal, and die to reset the encounter.

Step 5: Complete "Rasputin’s Culling" (Powerful Enemy Kills)

This step requires defeating 50 powerful enemies (yellow health bars, mini-bosses, or bosses) on Mars with the Ikelos Handcannon equipped.

Tip:

• The entrance to the Leviathan raid on Nessus is teeming with yellow-bar Cabal. Use snipers and rocket launchers for efficient clears.

Step 6: Complete "Warmind’s Glory" (5 Strikes)

Simplicity itself. Complete any five strikes with the Ikelos Handcannon equipped. No need for Nightfalls.

Tip:

• "Lake of Shadows" is generally considered the fastest strike.

Step 7: Complete "Nodes and Protocols" (Escalation Protocol & Sleeper Nodes)

This step has two parts:

• Escalation Protocol: Complete three Escalation Protocol levels. Level 1 can be easily soloed.
• Sleeper Nodes: This is where "Nascent Dawn 1/5" comes into play. You’ll need to activate 15 Sleeper Nodes scattered across Mars.

Understanding Sleeper Nodes:

• Resonate Stems: These are required to craft Override Frequencies, which unlock Sleeper Nodes. You need 4 Resonate Stems per Override Frequency.
• Farming Resonate Stems: Focus on activities like Lost Sectors, Public Events, and Patrols on Mars.
• Recommended Farm: The "Core Terminus" Lost Sector offers a good balance of speed and efficiency.
• Override Frequency Locations: Once you have enough Resonate Stems, consult a resource like this website to pinpoint the location of each Sleeper Node.

Step 8: Complete "Protocol "Perfected Form"" (Will of the Thousands)

This step requires completing a special mission version of the "Will of the Thousands" strike with the Ikelos Handcannon equipped. At a power level of 400+, this should be manageable solo.

Step 9: Claim Your Reward

Return to Ana Bray, and the Sleeper Simulant is yours!

Conclusion

The path to the Sleeper Simulant is a grind, but the feeling of unleashing its raw power makes it all worthwhile. This guide has provided you with the knowledge and strategies needed to conquer this quest. Now, go forth and claim your prize, Guardian!

Lords of Magic: Simple Strategies to Conquer Death Lord Balkoth

Greetings, fellow strategists! Lords of Magic, a beloved classic in the realm of fantasy turn-based strategy, presents a formidable challenge in the form of Death Lord Balkoth. While intricate strategies have their place, sometimes the simplest paths lead to the swiftest victories.

This guide delves into straightforward tactics for each of the seven playable Faiths, focusing on the Hard difficulty setting and the default party composition. We aim for clarity and efficiency, leaving complex maneuvers and custom party exploits for another day. Let’s vanquish Balkoth!

Earth: A Dwarven Bulwark

Key Units: Warrior Lord, Dwarf Infantry, Level 2 Magicians

Strategy: Earth’s strength lies in its sturdy infantry and potent crowd control.

1. Prioritize Entangle: Research this spell immediately. Train enough mages to Level 2, enabling them to cast it reliably without relying on artifacts.
2. Unleash the Dwarven Host: Focus experience on your Dwarf Lord and barracks to field a powerful force of Dwarf Infantry. Their resilience against swamp terrain, coupled with Death’s lack of crowd control, makes them ideal.
3. Entrap and Overwhelm: Engage Balkoth with your army, ensuring he’s immobilized by Entangle. Your massed Dwarf Infantry will make short work of him while he’s ensnared.

Watch Out: Death’s ranged units, particularly Dark Javelins, can pose a threat. Utilize the speed of Riders to close the distance quickly or consider researching defensive spells if needed.

Air: A Hail of Fairy Fire

Key Units: Thief Lord, Fairy Slingers

Strategy: Air triumphs through superior mobility and ranged power.

1. Empower Your Slingers: Level up your Fairy Slingers using the Thief Lord. At maximum level, their Aimed Missile attack, enhanced by their innate range, will make them a force to be reckoned with.
2. Harness the Wind’s Fury: Research Headwind. This spell effectively cripples Balkoth’s ability to flee, proving far more practical than the unreliable Stun.
3. Rain Death From Above: Maintain a safe distance and bombard Balkoth with your Fairy Slingers. Their enhanced Aimed Missile attacks will whittle down his health, while Headwind keeps him within range.

Life: Swift Elven Justice

Key Units: Thief Lord, Elven Archers

Strategy: Life leverages swift strikes and terrain advantage to eliminate threats before they can react.

1. Assemble the Elven Legion: Train and level up a sizable force of Elven Archers. Their ranged prowess, combined with Death’s vulnerability to massed attacks, makes them a formidable force.
2. Shape the Battlefield: Research Create Plains to transform terrain into meadows, slowing down Death units and further hindering Balkoth’s escape.
3. Strike with Speed and Precision: Swiftly engage Balkoth with your Elven Archers. Their rapid attacks will quickly overwhelm him, while the meadow terrain limits his movement options.

Fire: Demonic Fury Unleashed

Key Units: Sorceress Lord, Demons

Strategy: Fire unleashes devastating offensive power and terrain control to incinerate its foes.

1. Summon the Infernal Legion: Prioritize reaching Mage Tower Level 2 to train Demons. These hardy units boast high health and significant Death Magic resistance, making them ideal for confronting Balkoth.
2. Unleash the Lava Flow: Research this spell to create treacherous terrain that slows down enemies, providing a crucial advantage in battle.
3. Amplify Their Might: Research Frenzy, Immolation, and Flame Sword. These quick-to-research spells, when combined, grant a massive attack bonus to your Demons, ensuring a swift and brutal end for Balkoth.

Alternative Tactic: For a riskier but potentially faster approach, use Fire Elementals from a Level 1 Tower. While not as durable as Demons, their high attack can quickly dispatch Balkoth.

Water: A Chilling Defeat

Key Units: Priestess Lord, Water Elementals

Strategy: Water combines debilitating debuffs with strategic spellcasting to gain the upper hand.

1. Unlock the Power of Ice: Research Water’s attack spells, culminating in Freeze. This grants access to Blood Lust, Quicksilver, and Rust, spells that will prove instrumental in weakening Balkoth.
2. Unleash Elemental Fury: Send your Water Elementals to engage Balkoth as he thaws from Freeze. The combination of their attacks and your debilitating spells will quickly turn the tide.
3. Turn His Strength Against Him: An alternate tactic involves casting Freeze and Steamcloud on a high-value unit in your army. Freeze negates physical damage, while Steamcloud reflects damage back at attackers. This can force Balkoth to damage himself as he tries to break through your defenses.

Note: Be mindful of Balkoth’s Scythe, which has a chance to inflict instant death. It’s unclear if Freeze provides complete immunity to this effect.

Order: The Unstoppable March of Knights

Key Units: Warrior Lord, Knights, Paladin

Strategy: Order relies on the raw power of its Knights and the inspiring presence of the Paladin to achieve victory.

1. Forge an Elite Force: Focus experience on your barracks to train and level up a formidable force of Knights. Their high stats, further enhanced by Order’s spells, make them a force to be reckoned with.
2. Bolster Their Might: Research Righteous Cause and, if time permits, Crusade. These spells significantly boost the attack power of your Knights, ensuring they can tear through Balkoth’s defenses.
3. Unleash the Paladin’s Rally: Utilize the Paladin’s Rally ability to further enhance your Knights’ attack power, making them virtually unstoppable.

Remember: Construct the Cathedral of Knighthood Great Temple to further enhance your Knights’ capabilities.

Chaos: A Gamble for Glory

Key Units: Mage Lord, Shaman

Strategy: Chaos relies on unpredictable magic and a touch of luck to overcome its foes.

1. Embrace the Unpredictable: Level up your Shaman Lord as quickly as possible. The effectiveness of Chaos’s tactics hinges on your Lord’s level exceeding Balkoth’s.
2. The Polymorph Gamble: Research Polymorph Other and cast it on Balkoth. With luck, you can transform him into a harmless creature, making for an easy victory. However, be warned: Chaos magic is inherently unreliable, and this tactic can backfire.
3. The Fury Blades Assault: A slightly more reliable approach involves researching Fury Blades and Winds of Change. Use Winds of Change to manipulate the terrain around Balkoth, ideally slowing him down with lava or meadows. Then, engage him with your Shaman and use Fury Blades while he’s distracted. The spell’s persistent projectiles can potentially trap him in a hit-stun loop or, at the very least, deal significant damage.

Important Note: Chaos is generally considered the weakest Faith in a standard game. Success with this faction often requires a bit of luck and careful planning.

These strategies offer a starting point for your conquest of Death Lord Balkoth. Remember to adapt to the situation at hand, and never underestimate the importance of careful planning and unit management. Now go forth and claim your victory in the world of Lords of Magic!

Honkai: Star Rail Trailblaze Power Efficiency Guide

Reaching the endgame in Honkai: Star Rail (HSR) can feel daunting, especially when managing your precious Trailblaze Power (TB). This guide provides efficient strategies for allocating TB power, saving you both time and resources. While focused on TB efficiency, these tips will also help you save millions of credits.

This guide is geared towards players at or approaching endgame (Trailblaze Level 60+). Whether you’re a free-to-play player or light spender, these principles apply.

Character Ascension, Levels, and Traces

Prioritize Ascensions for Key Traces:

• Ascend most characters to level 70/80 to unlock their Ascension 6 (A6) Trace. A6 Traces often provide significant benefits.
• If a character’s A6 Trace isn’t impactful, leaving them at 70/70 is acceptable.

Support Character Considerations:

• Supports generally don’t need Light Cones (LCs) leveled past 70 unless survivability is an issue.
• If a support scales with ATK/DEF/HP, maxing those stats can be beneficial long-term.
• Prioritize HP and defensive stats over offensive stats for supports. A support that stays alive is more valuable than slightly increased damage. Aim for around 3.5k HP or higher for Memory of Chaos (MoC) 10.

Carry Character Considerations:

• Only prioritize leveling your main damage dealers (carries) to level 80. The cost from 70 to 80 is significant.
• Level your carries’ LCs to 80.

Trace Optimization:

• Prioritize significant Traces on supports to 8/10. Going past 8/10 offers less value, especially early on. 9/10 is a good long-term goal.
• Avoid investing in Traces for basic attacks, supports’ offensive nodes (e.g., Bronya’s wind damage), or support skills that scale damage without utility (e.g., Gepard’s skill, Pela’s skill).
• Stat-boosting Traces are situational. For example, Pela benefits from Effect Hit Rate Traces, but her Ice Damage Traces are less useful.

Relic Farming and Enhancement

Relic Focus:

• After leveling, ascending, and optimizing Traces, focus your farming efforts on Relics.
• Prioritize main stat upgrades on 5-star Relics.

Understanding Relic Substats:

• 5-star Relics can have 3 or 4 initial substats.
• 4-substat Relics (4-liners) are rarer and can be upgraded 5 times (+3/6/9/12/15).
• 3-substat Relics (3-liners) gain their 4th substat at +3 and have one less upgrade opportunity.

Upgrading Relics:

• Upgrade promising 3-liners to +3 to check the 4th substat. This only costs 4 blue and 4 green upgrade materials.
• Consider upgrading Relics with good substats to +9. This is relatively cheap (35 blue materials from +0) and gives you a better idea of its potential.
• Most supports’ Relics can be left at +12 (approximately 75 blue materials from +0).
• Only upgrade Relics to +15 if the main stat provides significant value, such as Energy Recharge Link Ropes or pieces with stats your support scales with (e.g., Crit Damage chest for Bronya).
• Prioritize +15 upgrades for your carry’s Relics. However, don’t neglect your other characters’ gear.
• Remember, you can feed leveled Relics into others, retaining 80% of the invested XP. This allows you to replace Relics as you find better ones.

General Tips and Conclusion

• These are general guidelines. Always research a character’s kit and understand their stat priorities.
• Don’t be afraid to invest in characters you enjoy, even if they aren’t considered "meta."
• This guide aims to ease the resource grind, not dictate your playstyle. Enjoy the journey!

Guide: Achieving a Malenyevist Sordland in Suzerain

The Struggle for a Socialist Sordland

This guide outlines the path to achieving a truly socialist Sordland in the wake of the Rizia DLC. We aim to implement sweeping social reforms, dismantle the capitalist oligarchy, and secure a brighter future for all Sordish citizens.

Objectives:

• Liberate the Working Class: Champion the rights of workers and establish economic justice.
• Universal Welfare: Implement comprehensive social programs, including universal healthcare, inspired by the ideals of social democracy.
• Purge Reactionary Elements: Eradicate the influence of the Old Guard, Sollism, and nationalist factions.
• Break the Oligarchy: Dismantle the power of the capitalist elite and redistribute wealth.
• Champion Civil Rights: Guarantee equal rights and protections for all citizens, regardless of ethnicity, religion, or gender.
• The Bludish Dream: Establish the Bergia Semi-Autonomous Zone and fulfill the aspirations of the Bludish people.
• National Recovery: Achieve the Great Sordish Recovery and restore the nation’s economic prosperity.
• Valgslandian Socialism: Secure the "Valgslandian Socialist" title in the ending sequence, signifying your commitment to socialist ideals.
• Universal Housing: Impress Symon with your economic management and unlock the universal housing program.
• Disappoint Alphonso: Witness the disappointment of Alphonso, the staunch capitalist, as your socialist policies take hold.
• Victory Against Rizia: Secure a triumphant victory against Rizia in "the Big Game," symbolizing a victory for the people.
• A Socialist Future: Set the stage for a glorious socialist future in the CSP.
• Optional: Rumburgian Revolution: Extend the socialist revolution to Rumburg (details below).

Important Note: While pursuing socialist policies, maintain a respectful facade towards your generals. They despise communism and budget cuts, so tread carefully to avoid a military coup.

Walkthrough:

Prologue:

• Choose a humble background, study economics, and join the student council.
• Align with the Red Youth and demonstrate unwavering resolve against oppression.
• Support Soll initially, then transition your support to Alphonso.
• Advise Alphonso to resign and promise democratic reforms.

Turn 1:

• Invest in the Armadine shipyards.
• Veto the Campaign Finance Bill.
• Reject Koronti’s bribe; maintain a semblance of integrity.
• Promote a planned economy.
• Invest in the L-1 high-speed rail project.
• Collaborate with reformist political forces.

Alternative: For the "Man of the People" achievement, prioritize stimulus checks over the L-1, appease the people, and anger the oligarchs.

Turn 2:

• Pay respects at Bernard’s funeral.
• Negotiate a larger bribe from Tusk.
• Demonstrate empathy by visiting towns affected by violence.
• Award the L-1 contract to the SSC, snubbing Tusk.
• Maintain diplomatic relations with Rumburg.
• Refrain from enacting a relief plan (a necessary sacrifice).
• Veto the Tourism Bill (prioritize socialist ideals over economic gains).

Turn 3:

• Utilize Tusk’s "donation" to fund the education of Serge’s children.
• Constitutional Reforms:
  • Set the impeachment threshold at 8%.
  • Grant impeachment power to the Assembly and Court.
  • Require a 3/5 Assembly vote to overturn presidential vetoes.
  • Implement confidence votes for cabinet members.
  • Establish term limits for elected officials.
  • Remove the Court’s voting power.
  • Retain presidential decree powers.
  • Remove immunity for the Ministers of Health and Justice.
• Increase budgets for all sectors except the military (implement cuts).
• Ban the Young Sords (optional, but recommended for ideological consistency).
• Invest in Gasom and advocate for improved working conditions in Narbel.
• Appease Gasom protesters by invoking your Red Youth credentials.
• Repeal the EPA (pursue the "Kiss My Gas" achievement).
• Sign the GREEN Act (a necessary compromise for socialist gains).

Turn 4:

• Allow Monica to speak at the Benfi festival (prepare for potential consequences).
• Form the ACP (Anti-Corruption Police).
• Raise taxes on corporations while maintaining them for SMEs.
• Refrain from privatizing state assets.
• Implement education reforms.
• Secure Albin’s support for constitutional changes by offering him the VP position.
• Negotiate with Gloria regarding constitutional reforms:
  • Emphasize the importance of reforms for Sordland’s future.
  • Highlight popular support for the proposed changes.
  • Frame the impeachment threshold change as a democratic measure.
  • Concede on removing the Minister of Health’s immunity.
• Invest in Lorren.
• Replace incompetent SSC managers.
• Sign the Worker’s Rights Act.
• Invest in Gruni crop research.
• Outwit Lucian in a game of chess.

Turn 5:

• Veto the Religious Harmony bill.
• Accept aid from the United Cortana.
• Task the ACP with investigating the Old Guard.
• Maintain relaxed immigration policies.
• Invest in FC Anrica (made possible by Tusk’s "donation").
• Cultivate a positive relationship with the Agnolian PM to secure a favorable trade deal.
• Negotiate the Whelen trade deal with "funny guy" in exchange for border security against the BFF.

Turn 6:

• Abolish mandatory military conscription.
• Establish the Sarna Agricultural Zone.
• Maintain state control over healthcare and improve rural access.
• Maintain state control over education and improve rural quality.
• Ban the teaching of creationism in schools.
• Sell 2/3 of Gasom shares (+6 budget).
• Sign the Central Bank Reinforcement Act.
• Direct Nia to create the Bergia Semi-Autonomous Zone.
• Issue a joint statement with the PFJP supporting Ishval Ersen.
• Allocate funds to lobby MPs.

Turn 7:

• Collaborate with Bludish leaders to amend constitutional articles 6 & 7.
• Reassure Koronti that you won’t interfere in Oligarch affairs.
• Nationalize Bergia Steel.
• Veto the Unified Education Language Act.
• Form an alliance with Ricter and the PFJP.
• Grant asylum to the whistleblower.
• Initiate trade negotiations with Valgsland.
• Send your son to study in United Cortana.
• Follow the guide for amending articles 6 & 7:
  • Secure USP support by conceding on the EPA and arresting a Bludish leader.
  • Reject Ricter’s demands for credit; stand firm on your principles.
• Arrange a meeting with Heron through Lucian.
• Agree to Hawker’s impeachment to appease Heron (with no intention of following through).
• Formalize the PFJP alliance, remove Hawker, and amend the party manifesto.
• Prevent Lileas from taking drastic action against the BFF.
• Revise the party manifesto to reflect socialist values.
• Appoint the most experienced candidate to the Supreme Court vacancy.
• Enact the Free Trade & Commerce Commission, Rural Education Institutes, and De-Sollanization decrees.
• Sign the Bergia Semi-Autonomous Governance Act.
• Strengthen ties with Valgsland and support Comrade Hegel.
• During the Petr scandal, blame Rumburg and manage the press conference to maintain stability.
• Establish the Women’s Rights Commission and donate remaining funds to the Sordish League of Women.
• Support Iosef against Graf in the Gendarmerie conflict.
• Implement a nationwide polio vaccination program.
• Sign the Less Smoke Tax and provide free dental care.
• Attend the Aschraf ceremony.
• Accept agricultural aid from the United Cortana.
• Invest in the electronics sector.

Turn 9:

• Sign the Women’s Liberation Act.
• Sign the Children for Future Act.
• Veto the Human Dignity Act.
• Utilize decree powers to enact the Minority Rights Act.
• Implement taxes on alcohol and luxury goods.
• Maintain diplomatic relations with Rumburg despite the plane incident.
• Proceed with the military parade.
• Meet with Malenyev and join the CSP.
• Purge the Old Guard from the government.
• Deliver an inspiring speech to FC Anrica before "the Big Game."
• Achieve a balanced budget to unlock the free housing program.

Turn 10:

• Advocate for a universal basic income during the final debates.
• Secure victory in the presidential election.

Conclusion:

Congratulations, comrade! You have successfully guided Sordland towards a brighter, more equitable future. The seeds of socialism have been sown, and the struggle for a truly just society continues!

Rumburgian Invasion Contingency:

Should your support for Valgsland provoke Rumburgian aggression, follow these steps:

Preparation:

• Maintain military spending.
• Forgo the Tusk bribe and the FC Anrica investment.
• Prioritize stimulus checks over the L-1.
• Veto the GREEN bill.
• Implement tax cuts for SMEs.
• Respond in kind to Rumburg’s consulate closure.
• During the Petr scandal, accept his resignation and appoint Lucian as VP.
• Expel Rumburg from OMEC but prevent AN sanctions.

Operation Fallen Crown:

• Execute Iosef’s pincer strategy with Hegel’s support.
• Target Dome with Hegel’s assistance.

Victory: By following these steps, you will emerge victorious against Rumburg.

Bonus:

• Maintain a 10% impeachment threshold to ensure the formation of the People’s Front.
• After passing the constitution, direct Karl to investigate the opposition instead of the Old Guard.
• Expose and arrest the NFP leadership for Bernard’s assassination.
• This will result in a more favorable Assembly composition for passing leftist legislation in the future.