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Not So Massively: Release all the MOBA heroes!

Brendan Drain — Mon, 01 Apr 2013 20:00:00 EST

Filed under: Betas, Fantasy, Video, Game Mechanics, New Titles, Patches, PvP, News Items, PvE, Free-to-Play, Dev Diaries, Not So Massively, MOBA, League of Legends, Diablo III, Sunsets

It's been a huge week for MOBAs, with several new characters being released and one game closing its doors for good. League of Legends finally revamped underused champion Karma and released new character Zac, a strange green blob who drops parts of himself all over the battlefield and can even revive after death. Dota 2 released classic hero Bristleback, a spined boar who slows enemies with a disgusting snot attack and slowly peppers them with spiked quills.

SMITE released god of music Apollo, who can deal damage by playing his lyre, sing enemies to sleep, and even power-slide like a rock star. Heroes of Newerth is in between hero releases, but its recent HoN 3.0 update has earned it the title of Best MOBA at PAX East 2013 by gaming website RTSGuru.

Warhammer-themed MOBA Wrath of Heroes officially closed its doors on March 29th, and its website has now been replaced with a message by producer James Casey. Finally, Diablo III's former Game Director Jay Wilson gave a talk at GDC 2013 in which he blamed many of the game's downfalls on both the gold and cash auction houses.

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SMITE's newest god controls crowds and water

Larry Everett — Wed, 27 Feb 2013 21:00:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Trailers, Video, Classes, New Titles, Patches, MOBA

"Release the Kraken!" Yes, it was Zeus who said those words, but it was Poseidon who did the actual releasing. In Hi-Rez Studios' third-person multiplayer online battle arena SMITE, this god of the deep will take center stage in the patch dropping tomorrow.

Poseidon's water-based abilities range from his passive wave-riding movement ability, Changing Tides, to his ultimate, Release the Kraken. Poseidon controls the battle field by slowing or impairing enemy movements. Besides dealing massive damage, his ultimate slows enemies in the blast radius, and his Whirlpool ability draws all enemies in the area toward the center of a raging maelstrom. Those players who enjoy playing support roles will definitely want to give this god a try tomorrow.

Check out the full introductory video after the break.

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Not So Massively: Path of Exile events, Diablo III coming to PS4, and huge MOBA updates

Brendan Drain — Mon, 25 Feb 2013 20:00:00 EST

Filed under: Betas, Video, Events (Real-World), Events (In-Game), Expansions, Game Mechanics, Patches, PvP, Endgame, PvE, Dev Diaries, Not So Massively, MOBA, League of Legends, Diablo III

Blizzard revealed this week that Diablo III will be coming to both the PlayStation 3 and Sony's new PlayStation 4 console and will be shown off at PAX. Torchlight II developer Runic Games announced that the game will soon be localised to Japanese and Chinese for its upcoming release in Asia; a free DLC is on the way with three new Asian-themed pets. Path of Exile revealed the schedule for its first full season of ladder-style race events and announced new account security options along with its new policy to never restore items from hacked accounts.

League of Legends unveiled its new champion duo, Quinn and Valor, a dynamic pair of characters that work together as a single champion to dominate teamfights. Heroes of Newerth revealed its own new hero with a video spotlight on Saloman, a melee support hero who gains power from movement and can heal and shield his allies.

Dota 2 added a new Hero Build feature to its beta this week, giving players access to community-produced skill and item builds for all heroes. Console MOBA Guardians of Middle-Earth showed off its new goblin DLC character Snaga, and online FPS Blacklight: Retribution detailed its upcoming Onslaught expansion, which comes with three new game modes.

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Not So Massively: Path of Exile events, Diablo III coming to PS4, and huge MOBA updates originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 25 Feb 2013 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Not So Massively: Open betas, antisocial players and graphical overhauls

Brendan Drain — Mon, 28 Jan 2013 20:00:00 EST

Filed under: Betas, Video, Game Mechanics, Launches, New Titles, Patches, Previews, PvP, News Items, PvE, Free-to-Play, Dev Diaries, Not So Massively, MOBA, League of Legends, Diablo III

Path of Exile entered open beta this week as a peak of 56,700 simultaneous players piled into the servers to check the game out. Open beta brought with it the final character wipe, so for all intents and purposes, the game has now released. Upcoming first-person MOBA SMITE similarly opened its doors to the public last Thursday and released a series of new gameplay updates and graphical overhauls.

League of Legends issued permanent game bans to two extremely antisocial professional players, effectively removing Team Solo Mebdi from upcoming European competitive tournaments. Dota 2 moved to curb antisocial harassment behaviour this week by implementing new privacy features to stop players' stats from being tracked by third-party rating websites.

Heroes of Newerth announced some major upcoming graphical and gameplay overhauls with its massive Patch 3.0 update that will go live in just a few days. The update aims to revamp the map graphics and introduce bots for players to play against in a new co-op mode. Rise of Immortals continued development with the release of its new mage immortal Undine, and Blizzard announced that its upcoming MOBA Blizzard All-Stars is still in development.

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Not So Massively: Jay Wilson steps down, layoffs at Gas Powered Games

Brendan Drain — Mon, 21 Jan 2013 20:00:00 EST

Filed under: Video, Business Models, Culture, Game Mechanics, Launches, New Titles, Patches, News Items, Free-to-Play, Dev Diaries, Not So Massively, MOBA, League of Legends, Diablo III, Crowdfunding

Gas Powered Games laid off 80% of its workforce this week as the studio's future became uncertain. CEO Chris Taylor revealed that if his Kickstarter campaign for new action RPG Wildman fails, the company will have to close its doors. Jay Wilson stepped down as Diablo III's Lead Game Designer to move on to other projects but assured players that the game will continue to be regularly updated. With less than a week to go until Path of Exile opens its doors to the public, two Massively freelancers recently tried the game and delivered their verdicts.

Rise of Immortals released its new All Random All Mid game mode that promises short casual matches, while Dota 2 revealed its new Least Played mode that forces players to pick heroes they ordinarily avoid. Heroes of Newerth's new ranged agility hero, Bushwack, hit the servers last Friday, and League of Legends announced early details of its upcoming support champion, Thresh. For those who've ever wanted to get into competitive League of Legends gaming, Riot Games also published an infographic this week showing the path to this season's competitive championship tournament.

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Not So Massively: Jay Wilson steps down, layoffs at Gas Powered Games originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 21 Jan 2013 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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League of Legends adds mermaid champion, may be heading to Steam

Justin Olivetti — Fri, 07 Dec 2012 17:00:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Video, Classes, MMO Industry, Free-to-Play, MOBA, League of Legends

There's a mermaid swimming into League of Legends, but we severely doubt it's the dinglehopper-loving variety. Later today, Riot Games will be introducing Nami the Tidecaller, an offensive support champion, as the latest addition to the game.

Nami's skills are well-balanced between water-based attacks and team support. Some of her skills, like Ebb and Flow, do double duty by hurting the enemy and helping teammates. Her ultimate ability is Tidal Wave, which damages, knocks up, and slows any enemies in its path.

In other League of Legends news, it looks as though the title may be on its way to Steam. This comes as an eagle eye spotted the game in Steam's database.

While you mull that over, check out Nami's debut trailer after the break!

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League of Legends adds mermaid champion, may be heading to Steam originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 07 Dec 2012 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Not So Massively: Behind the scenes of MOBA development

Brendan Drain — Mon, 22 Oct 2012 21:00:00 EST

Filed under: Betas, Fantasy, Video, Culture, Game Mechanics, Patches, PvP, Endgame, PvE, Free-to-Play, Dev Diaries, Not So Massively, MOBA, League of Legends, Diablo III

Diablo III's patch 1.0.5 launched this week, bringing in a brand-new Monster Power system and the Infernal machine endgame event. Upcoming action RPG Path of Exile announced that it will begin open beta in December, complete with a full three acts of content and a PvP arena system.

In MOBA news, League of Legends announced details of its massive Halloween update with new icons, ward skins, and brand-new transforming champion Elise, the Spider Queen. Heroes of Newerth's new competitive league was delayed this week due to technical difficulties, and SMITE revealed its newest God Freya, Queen of the Valkyries.

Dota 2 players came up with some surprising results on the most effective team compositions by analysing the details of 39,626 matches, and Wrath of Heroes released its new Garden of Morr scenario. Upcoming MOBA Prime World revealed details of its Outpost game mode in which two teams escort huge battle robots toward each other. And Monolith Studios gave us our second peek behind the scenes of development on upcoming console MOBA Guardians of Middle-earth.

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Not So Massively: Behind the scenes of MOBA development originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 22 Oct 2012 21:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Massively's LotRO Riders of Rohan launch-day roundup

Brendan Drain — Mon, 15 Oct 2012 14:00:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Galleries, Screenshots, Video, Lord of the Rings Online, Expansions, Game Mechanics, Launches, Lore, News Items, Free-to-Play

When you first heard about Lord of the Rings Online, you probably had an idea of which areas from the Lord of the Rings lore you'd want to visit and which events you'd like to take part in. Not all of the areas in Middle-earth were part of LotRO when it launched, but with each expansion the game world gets a bit more complete. Developer Turbine has been hard at work developing iconic areas like the Mines of Moria and Isengard, but the zone players have been anticipating the most is the Plains of Rohan.

The Riders of Rohan expansion goes live today, opening the visually stunning Plains of Rohan area and introducing tons of new content, class updates and gameplay changes. Developers have been careful to capture the feel of the plains in not only the area's art style but also its impressive musical score. The Riders of Rohan expansion adds a new mounted combat feature that lets players fight on customisable war horses. The open plains are filled with roving warbands of orcs and other challenges to be overcome. Read on for a run-down of all the latest news on the Riders of Rohan expansion.

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Massively's LotRO Riders of Rohan launch-day roundup originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 15 Oct 2012 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Not So Massively: Too many MOBA heroes, D3's legendaries revealed

Brendan Drain — Mon, 20 Aug 2012 21:00:00 EST

Filed under: Betas, Video, Classes, Contests, Events (In-Game), Game Mechanics, New Titles, PvP, News Items, Free-to-Play, Dev Diaries, Not So Massively, MOBA, League of Legends, Diablo III

Have you ever thought that MOBAs release far too many new heroes and champions? This week Riot Games revealed not one but two new champions coming to League of Legends: stealthy assassin Rengar and telekinetic mage Syndra. Heroes of Newerth released its brand-new Core Pool game mode that lowers the MOBA learning curve by limiting the playing pool to just 40 available heroes. The game also switched from a two-week hero release schedule to a four-week schedule as there are already well over 100 heroes to choose from.

Valve announced its new free Dota 2 Spectator Client, which that aims to get all Steam users interested in the game's upcoming competitive tournaments. Upcoming MOBA SMITE revealed its latest character, the adorable little cherub Cupid, God of Love. Blacklight: Retribution's $1,000 US per day 30 Days of Fight contest has officially begun, and its new Siege game mode is now live.

Diablo III announced many of the changes coming in its upcoming patch 1.0.4 this week, including details of upgraded legendary items and a whole series of buffs for every single class. Finally, Path of Exile updated players on the game's current development progress this week, revealing that over a million US dollars had been secured in pre-purchase supporter packs.

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Not So Massively: Too many MOBA heroes, D3's legendaries revealed originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 20 Aug 2012 21:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Lord of the Rings Online posts a new developer diary on Champions

Eliot Lefebvre — Thu, 02 Aug 2012 17:30:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Lord of the Rings Online, Classes, Expansions, Game Mechanics, News Items, Free-to-Play

The development staff behind Lord of the Rings Online has a chance to make several sweeping changes to the game with the upcoming Riders of Rohan expansion, starting with trimming up and improving the game's classes. A new developer diary outlines the changes coming to the Champion class concurrent with the new expansion. These updates are focused primarily upon threat management and survivability, but all facets of the class will see at least a little attention.

A new skill has been added for Champions at level 77, providing AoE threat generation or threat reduction depending on the player's stance. Bracing Attack and Wild Attack have also had their effects boosted, with the former gaining a heal-over-time component and the latter offering a small buff after a critical hit. Certain skills and trait lines are also being adjusted, generally to improve the overall power of the class. While non-Champion players likely won't be too interested in what the diary has to offer, anyone who does play the class should take a look and see what the expansion will bring to the profession.

Lord of the Rings Online posts a new developer diary on Champions originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 02 Aug 2012 17:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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League of Legends nerfs Rumble, buffs Urgot and Cho'Gath

Brendan Drain — Sun, 29 Jul 2012 11:00:00 EST

Filed under: Culture, Game Mechanics, Patches, PvP, News Items, Free-to-Play, MOBA, League of Legends

In addition to getting a new champion every few weeks, League of Legends is continually updated with balance changes and gameplay tweaks based on player feedback. Yesterday Riot Games released its early August patch preview, detailing incoming champion nerfs and buffs in addition to big changes for the player-mediated banning tribunal. Players who are punished by the tribunal will now be emailed a reform card showing the case made against them and highlighting the exact behaviours they need to improve to avoid further bans.

Following a bugfix to Rumble's Flamespitter ability in the Jayce patch, his damage suddenly increased. Rumble's Danger Zone passive and Flamespitter abilities will have their damage reduced to compensate for the increase. The previous patch also gave Urgot some heavy nerfs that went a little bit too far, and in the next patch, some of those nerfs are being reverted. Classic champion Cho'Gath will also get a number of tweaks to remove random cast time delays and make him more fun to play.

Skip past the cut to watch the full patch preview video in HD.

Continue reading League of Legends nerfs Rumble, buffs Urgot and Cho'Gath

League of Legends nerfs Rumble, buffs Urgot and Cho'Gath originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 29 Jul 2012 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Runes of Magic weekend event psyches players up for Chapter V

Justin Olivetti — Thu, 24 May 2012 18:00:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Events (In-Game), Patches, Free-to-Play, Runes of Magic

Runes of Magic is counting down the days until its next major update, Chapter V: Fires of Shadowforge, and Frogster is throwing five exciting events to pep up its playerbase during the wait. The Big Five, as the company is calling it, is currently at the halfway mark as its third event that will take place over the holiday weekend.

From May 25th through May 29th, Runes of Magic players can visit the Helping Hands in one of several locations in the game to get an incredible buff. This two-hour buff will boost experience, talent point, and rare loot gain for all who accept it. Players can receive the buff once a day for the duration of the event.

The highlight of Chapter V is most definitely the addition of a pair of new classes: the Champion and the Warlock. Also coming with Chapter V are the playable Shadowforge Dwarves, a new starter zone, and additional high-level instances. The update will release on June 12th.

Runes of Magic weekend event psyches players up for Chapter V originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 24 May 2012 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Runes of Magic shows off the new Champion and Warlock

Eliot Lefebvre — Wed, 16 May 2012 14:30:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Classes, Game Mechanics, Patches, Previews, News Items, Free-to-Play, Runes of Magic

New classes are always exciting. In a game with an established set of abilities and character options, the chance to take a different option helps keep the game engaging and surprising. That's no doubt part of the rationale behind Runes of Magic's two new classes, the Champion and the Warlock. But they're also meant to show off the ingenuity and cleverness of the Dwarves, and in a new preview of these two classes, it becomes clear just how much both will bring to the table.

The Warlock is an arcane caster who has delved into the knowledge of the Shadowforge Dwarves, allowing him to act as either a damage dealer or a support character as the situation warrants. Champions are masters of pseudo-mystical forge techniques, with the Champion ultimately being capable of transforming into a special Runic Robot form for increased damage and durability. There are only a few more weeks until the game's next major update, and then players will get to try out the new hybrid classes for themselves.

Runes of Magic shows off the new Champion and Warlock originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 16 May 2012 14:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Not So Massively: Meet Diablo III's demon hunter

Brendan Drain — Mon, 09 Apr 2012 20:00:00 EST

Filed under: Betas, Trailers, Video, Game Mechanics, Previews, PvP, News Items, Free-to-Play, Not So Massively, MOBA, League of Legends, Diablo III

With five weeks left until Diablo III launches, Blizzard started its pre-launch marketing campaign this week with a new series exploring each of the five classes. This week kicks off with a preview of the Demon Hunter. Meanwhile, Torchlight II revealed details of a new charge bar mechanic designed to keep a rapid pace of action, and dungeon crawler Path of Exile started gearing up for release with some tempting pre-order packages.

Penny Arcade made a guest appearance in League of Legends this week with a special comic introducing upcoming champion Varus. Riot also revealed the next champion due for release, armoured spectral warrior Hecarim. Rise of Immortals got the Penny Arcade treatment this week too when joke character Karapyss the Crabomancer was actually released. Bloodline Champions launched an Easter egg painting contest this week and asked players whether grades should be reset for the current competitive season.

Blacklight: Retribution officially launched this week and celebrated with the release of its first new gun, the heavy assault rifle. Finally, Wrath of heroes released its first hero spotlight video this week, introducing hybrid damage-dealer Nethys.

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Not So Massively: Meet Diablo III's demon hunter originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 09 Apr 2012 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Runes of Magic Chapter 5 features new race, two new classes

Jef Reahard — Fri, 23 Mar 2012 10:30:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Classes, Expansions, Game Mechanics, MMO Industry, News Items, Free-to-Play, Runes of Magic, Dungeons

Frogster is prepping for the next chapter in its Runes of Magic saga, and the company says it's going to be a doozy. Chapter 5 is called Fires of Shadowforge, and not only will it bring the requisite new zones, dungeons, and quests, but players will also have access to a new race and two new classes.

The Shadowforge Dwarves have been hidden beneath the ground of Taborea for some time now, perfecting their dark arts and blacksmithing skills as well as founding a kingdom in the continent's network of caves. Thus far Frogster is remaining coy about the gameplay associated with the new race and the two new arcane-based classes (the Sorcerer and the Champion), but the company says it will publish skill info and other details in the coming weeks.

[Source: Frogster press release]

Runes of Magic Chapter 5 features new race, two new classes originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 23 Mar 2012 10:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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League of Legends reveals Fiora, The Grand Duelist

Brendan Drain — Sun, 26 Feb 2012 15:00:00 EST

Filed under: Game Mechanics, PvP, News Items, Free-to-Play, MOBA, League of Legends

If you're fed up with all the recent mage champions added to League of Legends, you'll be happy to know that the next champion due to hit the scene is a true melee carry. Fiora is a competent initiator able to dash around a teamfight picking off fleeing heroes. Fiora's passive causes her to regenerate health every time she hits a target, stacking up to four times if the target is an enemy hero. Her first move, Lunge, is a double-dash that can be used to land a hit and escape, chase down a fleeing target, or initiate teamfights.

As if that weren't enough mobility, Burst of Speed gives bonus movement speed for every basic attack or lunge that hits while it's active. Burst of Speed also provides an attack speed boost, and its cooldown resets if Fiora kills an enemy champion. Riposte gives Fiora a massive attack damage buff, causing the next basic attack or spell against her to be reflected back at the attacker. Fiora's ultimate, Blade Waltz, makes her rapidly bounce between nearby enemies, slashing each one for physical damage. Fiora is invulnerable during the move, but could easily be counter-attacked when it ends.

League of Legends reveals Fiora, The Grand Duelist originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 26 Feb 2012 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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League of Legends reveals Ziggs, the Hexplosives Expert

Brendan Drain — Sun, 29 Jan 2012 12:00:00 EST

Filed under: Video, Game Mechanics, Patches, News Items, MOBA

If you're a fan of League of Legends' cute, fuzzy, and distinctly psychotic yordles, you're in for a treat this week! Riot Games has revealed the game's next champion, a furry little yordle who's as adorable as he is deadly. Ziggs the Hexplosives Expert may look innocent enough, but he'd just as sooner drop a bomb in your lap than give you a hug. In a new gameplay reveal, developers give us a look at each of Ziggs' abilities, some screenshots of him in combat, and a dose of lore to blend the new champion into LoL's ever-growing roster.

Ziggs is able to throw a bouncing bomb, set up a delayed satchel charge and scatter proximity mines across the ground that detonate on contact. His ultimate ability, the aptly named Mega Inferno Bomb, is essentially a long-range portable nuke that deals massive damage to those inside the primary blast radius. All of these abilities add up to make Ziggs a scary little damage-dealer to come up against in a match.

The Ziggs patch will bring with it a number of additional balance changes, including the removal of the critical strike mastery in the offense tree, a buff coming to Jax, and a significant nerf heading for Lee Sin players. Check out the Ziggs patch preview video after the break for more details.

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League of Legends reveals Ziggs, the Hexplosives Expert originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 29 Jan 2012 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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League of Legends' Sivir draws second blood

Justin Olivetti — Tue, 24 Jan 2012 10:00:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Video, Classes, Free-to-Play, MOBA

With a nickname like "Battle Mistress," it's a safe bet that League of Legends' Sivir isn't the docile, domesticated type. Sporting heavy ranged damage and the ability to hit multiple targets at once, Sivir has been a popular champion over the past couple years. This week, Riot Games is turning the spotlight on Sivir with an informative six-minute video highlighting her abilities and strategies.

Sivir is a strong pusher and excels in fights with many combatants. She's a good pick for those who aren't as concerned with precision and one-on-one strength but instead love to rack up large numbers in the middle of chaos.

It's interesting to note that Sivir already enjoyed a Champion Spotlight on the LoL site, but since she got a makeover in 2010, Riot felt that it was important to give her another moment in the limelight. You can watch the full video after the jump!

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League of Legends' Sivir draws second blood originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 24 Jan 2012 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The Squall breezes into Champions Online

Justin Olivetti — Thu, 22 Dec 2011 16:00:00 EST

Filed under: Super-hero, Classes, Free-to-Play, Champions Online

Champions Online is on a roll this week with its bevy of new archetypes to check out. First it was the Star Wars-inspired Unleashed archetype, and today Cryptic announced the arrival of its newest hero, The Squall.

As its name suggests, the Squall is a weather-based superhero who takes on the role of an avenger. By wrapping the awesome forces of nature around his little pinky, the Squall can whip up hurricanes, slap down tornadoes, and throw a big ball o' wind at enemies that are really irking him. The archetype primarily focuses on mid- and long-range attacks to repel and disorient enemies, but he suffers when bad guys get up close and personal.

The Squall archetype can be unlocked across an entire player's account for 920 Cryptic Points.

The Squall breezes into Champions Online originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 22 Dec 2011 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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League of Legends' Viktor wields science for evil

Justin Olivetti — Wed, 21 Dec 2011 10:00:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Classes, Free-to-Play, MOBA

Meet Viktor. He's your basic nice-guy scientist who has one teeny, tiny bad experience and decides to turn his entire life into comic book villainy. Feel sorry for him or don't, he's going to rend you limb from limb either way.

Viktor is the latest champion on League of Legends' drawing board, and Riot Games has given us a sneak peek at the awe and terror that he will bring to the game. Viktor is written as the creator of fellow champion Blitzcrank, but is a wee bit upset that his work got stolen from under his nose. Instead of joining a therapy group, Viktor turned his body into a robotic slaughter apparatus and is out for some good ol' fashioned revenging.

Viktor's passive ability, Evolving Technology, allows players to purchase an item from the store to modify his bonus to suit the players' needs. He can also shoot a beam that bounces back to him as a shield, set up a Graviton Field to slow and stun enemies in his immediate vicinity, and fire a massive Death Ray that cuts through multiple foes. His Chaos Storm is neat as well, allowing Viktor to send out a cloud that silences and damages enemies caught within it.

League of Legends' Viktor wields science for evil originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 21 Dec 2011 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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War of the Immortals shows off the Champion

Eliot Lefebvre — Tue, 06 Dec 2011 21:00:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Trailers, Video, Classes, Previews, News Items, Free-to-Play

Welcome back on this glorious Tuesday evening for the latest round of War of the Immortals class previews. The legendary Champion is now approaching for its spotlight, showing off its insurmountable defense and array of holy-themed powers. One would be hard-pressed to find a tank more suited to the job than this class, the Champion, bearer of enormous armor and its exclusive class mount besides.

As one might expect from the visuals, the Champion is clearly well-oriented to a defensive role, but the trailer also shows off the fact that the class is hardly a slouch in the offensive department, wielding a sword that would be a two-hander in most other games and a shield large enough to be used as a makeshift raft. The trailer just past the cut should make it clear that the class tanks with the same style as every other class in War of the Immortals.

[Source: Perfect World Entertainment press release]

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War of the Immortals shows off the Champion originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 06 Dec 2011 21:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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League of Legends spotlight introduces Shyvana, the Half-Dragon

Brendan Drain — Wed, 02 Nov 2011 14:00:00 EST

Filed under: Video, Game Mechanics, Patches, PvP, News Items, Free-to-Play, Casual, Not So Massively

Earlier this week, Riot Games released details of League of Legends' Shyvana patch, including small nerfs to champion Graves and some much-needed buffs for Shaco and Wukong. Each patch is named for the champion it introduces, and this time it's the turn of melee champion Shyvana to take center stage. Shyvana excels at dealing damage to one target and scales up extremely well with attack speed, as each of her abilities modifies her basic attacks. Twin Strike causes Shyvana's next basic attack to hit twice, Burnout increases her movement speed and deals damage in a radius, and Flame Breath deals damage to a target and lowers its armour.

Where Shyvana really comes into her own is with her ultimate -- a spell with no cooldown that transforms her into a dragon. Shyvana leaps in the target direction and deals damage to everything in the area as she transforms, and gains bonus armour and damage while in dragon form. Shyvana must gain 100 fury by landing enough basic melee attacks before she can transform, and while in dragon form her fury meter depletes over time. Fury is still gained by landing melee attacks while in dragon form, which can be used to extend the duration of the form.

Skip past the cut to watch the full League of Legends Shyvana champion spotlight video in HD.

Continue reading League of Legends spotlight introduces Shyvana, the Half-Dragon

League of Legends spotlight introduces Shyvana, the Half-Dragon originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 02 Nov 2011 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Riot releases new art and screenshots for League of Legend's Graves

Jef Reahard — Mon, 24 Oct 2011 11:30:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Galleries, Screenshots, MMO Industry, PvP, News Items, Free-to-Play

Riot Games recently released its latest League of Legends champion, and the ranged damage-dealer known as Graves has proved popular with players thus far. The company is looking to keep its new gunslinger in the spotlight, and to that end it has released several new pieces of concept art as well as a gaggle of screenshots of Graves in action.

The one constant in all the shots -- aside from various versions of the BFG9000 -- is damage, and whether the new champion is throwing smokebombs, spraying cone nukes via his buckshot ability, or chasing down other champions who've decided to run away, he'll be pumping out a lot of damage (and he'll look good doing it). You can learn more about Graves at the official League of Legends website, and be sure you check out the art and screens below.

[Source: Riot press release]

Gallery: League of Legends

Riot releases new art and screenshots for League of Legend's Graves originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 24 Oct 2011 11:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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League of Legends releases champion spotlight for Graves

Brendan Drain — Fri, 21 Oct 2011 19:00:00 EST

Filed under: Video, Game Mechanics, Patches, PvP, News Items, Free-to-Play, Not So Massively

Every few weeks, popular MOBA League of Legends adds a new champion to its already impressive roster of opponents. This week ranged damage-dealer Graves enters the fray, with some interesting abilities that really set him apart from other champions. His passive ability, True Grit, encourages players to stay in combat by granting Graves a stacking bonus to armour and magic resist. The buff will wear off if he leaves combat, but the added resistance and armour could get you some very close kills. Buckshot fires out three nukes in a cone, and enemies near the shot can be hit with more than one projectile, making it great for farming creeps.

Smokescreen throws an area-effect smoke bomb that slows enemies within its radius and reduces their vision range to within the smokescreen. Quickdraw makes Graves dash a short distance and gives him bonus attack speed, making it the perfect skill for chasing down fleeing champions. The cooldown is reduced each time Graves lands a basic attack. Graves' ultimate, Collateral Damage, fires a high-damage nuke that explodes on contact with an enemy champion, spraying a cone of shrapnel behind the target champion.

For more information on Graves and to see how he plays in a game, skip past the cut to watch the official champion spotlight video.

Continue reading League of Legends releases champion spotlight for Graves

League of Legends releases champion spotlight for Graves originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 21 Oct 2011 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Riot reveals new League of Legends champion

Jef Reahard — Wed, 12 Oct 2011 09:00:00 EST

Filed under: Classes, Game Mechanics, Lore, MMO Industry, PvP, News Items, Free-to-Play

There's a new League of Legends champion heading to town, and with a name like Malcolm Graves, you know he's probably a little bit of a badass. Riot Games has just unveiled the newest playable character for its mega MOBA hit: a quick-drawing outlaw who brings a bit of gunfighter 'tude to the fray.

The LoL website highlights Graves' buckshot, smokescreen, quickdraw, collateral damage, and true grit abilities, while also giving players the skinny on Graves' lore. Yes, League of Legends does have lore, and once you've had a good chuckle over that fact, you'll want to head to the official site to check out the new champion's details.

Riot reveals new League of Legends champion originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 12 Oct 2011 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Not So Massively: Diablo II ladder reset and Path of Exile livestream

Brendan Drain — Mon, 10 Oct 2011 20:00:00 EST

Filed under: Video, Game Mechanics, New Titles, PvP, News Items, PvE, Free-to-Play, Not So Massively

Welcome to Not So Massively, our weekly roundup of the top news from popular multiplayer online battle arenas (MOBAs) and other multiplayer online games that aren't quite MMOs. Published every Monday, the column covers games such as League of Legends, Heroes of Newerth, Rise of Immortals, Bloodline Champions and more.

With all the recent fuss over Diablo III, the game's predecessor Diablo II has gone largely unnoticed. This week we discover that the Diablo II ladder will be reset at the end of the month to give players a chance to experience the online game from the start before its sequel hits the shelves. We also introduce upcoming online FPS Hedone and invite all of our readers to tune into an exclusive Path of Exile closed beta livestream on Friday 14th.

Heroes of Newerth this week released new ranged support hero Monarch, who is a giant butterfly and therefore awesome. League of Legends enjoyed the release of ranged ganker Xerath, a champion who can practically turn himself into an electric mortar cannon. Rise of Immortals delivered early details of upcoming immortal Talia, the dual-wielding vampire queen. Finally, upcoming online FPS Blacklight: Retribution released its closed beta schedule this week, announcing that the game will be playable for selected individuals starting October 27th.

Skip past the cut for details of this week's biggest news from the world of MOBAs and other online games that aren't quite MMOs.

Continue reading Not So Massively: Diablo II ladder reset and Path of Exile livestream

Not So Massively: Diablo II ladder reset and Path of Exile livestream originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 10 Oct 2011 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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We are the Champions: New LotRO dev diary outlines upcoming Champion changes

Matt Daniel — Tue, 23 Aug 2011 19:00:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Lord of the Rings Online, Classes, Game Mechanics, Previews, News Items, Free-to-Play, Dev Diaries

A new developer diary from Turbine Entertainment was released today, and it outlines the changes coming to Lord of the Rings Online's Champion class with the Rise of Isengard. These changes are "meant to set them further apart from the other martial frontline classes."

For instance, no longer will it cost Champions extra fervour in order to wield a two-handed weapon. Champions are also having their ability to use shields removed, though they will still remain a viable tank. The post also goes on to outline each of the Champion's stances and the changes being made to them, which takes up something to the tune of three pages. The diary wraps up with some changes to many of the Champion's skills and legendary traits, such as Second Wind, Seeking Blade, Ferocious Strikes, and more. The diary is incredibly comprehensive, so whether you're a Champion looking to see what's in store for your class, or just someone interested in the design process behind LotRO, head on over and check out the whole post.

We are the Champions: New LotRO dev diary outlines upcoming Champion changes originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 23 Aug 2011 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Not So Massively: Dota 2 is going to be freaking awesome

Brendan Drain — Mon, 11 Jul 2011 13:00:00 EST

Filed under: Video, Game Mechanics, New Titles, PvP, News Items, Free-to-Play, Not So Massively

Welcome to Not So Massively, our weekly roundup of the top news from popular multiplayer online battle arenas (MOBAs) and other multiplayer online games that aren't quite MMOs. Published every Saturday, the column covers games such as League of Legends, Heroes of Newerth, Rise of Immortals, Bloodline Champions, and more.

In the last few years, the PC game market has seen a resurgence of competitive and co-operative online games. Some fit neatly into the category of MMO and others are traditional multiplayer match-based games, but the lines between the two have begun to blur. MOBAs and similar online games offer ongoing development a level of persistence that's closer to Guild Wars than Counterstrike, putting them firmly in the gray area we love to talk about in Not So Massively.

Last week we brought news of an ongoing legal battle between FireFall developer Red 5 and its publisher Webzen. Both Heroes of Newerth and Bloodline Champions announced details of upcoming sponsored competitive tournaments for players with cash prizes. New details were revealed for League of Legends' female tank champion Leona, Heroes of Newerth's ranged anti-juking hero Emerald Warden and Rise of Immortals ranged damage-dealing immortal Balak.

In this week's Not So Massively, we look forward to Dota 2 gameplay being showcased at next month's Gamescom convention and tell you how you could be in with a chance to win one of five Heroes of Newerth account keys worth $30 US. We also finally get to see LoL champion Leona in action this week, and enjoy two helpings of LoL fanart, cosplay and original music in Summoner Showcases 35 and 36. Finally, we find out that the Aida Arenas closed beta has been postponed indefinitely, and we get some hands-on time with the Rise of Immortals open beta.

http://massively.joystiq.com/tag/Heroes-of-Newerth

Continue reading Not So Massively: Dota 2 is going to be freaking awesome

Not So Massively: Dota 2 is going to be freaking awesome originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 11 Jul 2011 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Not So Massively: Character reveals, e-sports tournaments, and legal battles

Brendan Drain — Sat, 02 Jul 2011 18:00:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Sci-Fi, Culture, Game Mechanics, Patches, News Items, Free-to-Play, Not So Massively

Welcome to Not So Massively, our weekly roundup of the top news from popular multiplayer online battle arenas (MOBAs) and other multiplayer online games that aren't quite MMOs. Published every Saturday, the column covers games such as League of Legends, Heroes of Newerth, Rise of Immortals, Bloodline Champions, and more.

Last week we saw the end of Dreamhack with some huge prizes being handed out to the winners of competitive MOBA tournaments. We got to see what high-end competitive gameplay looks like in League of Legends, Heroes of Newerth and Bloodline Champions thanks to the recorded Dreamhack matches with live commentary. We also got a look at League of Legends' new champion Yorick the gravedigger in a new champion spotlight, and we checked out Realm of the Titans' new hero HaZ'zard. We then introduced a recent dev interview with Rise of Immortals' lead designer Amanda Flock.

In this week's Not So Massively, we examine the recent legal battle between FireFall developer Red 5 and its publisher Webzen. Competitive tournament play is also still buzzing this week, with both Heroes of Newerth and Bloodline Champions looking into new sponsored tournament deals for players. League of Legends players look forward to upcoming female tank champion Leona, while Heroes of Newerth shows off its upcoming ranged anti-juking hero Emerald Warden. As it nears open beta, Rise of Immortals also revealed Balak this week, a ranged agility hero with an extremely fast attack animation.

Continue reading Not So Massively: Character reveals, e-sports tournaments, and legal battles

Not So Massively: Character reveals, e-sports tournaments, and legal battles originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 02 Jul 2011 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The Road to Mordor: Class graduation

Justin Olivetti — Fri, 24 Jun 2011 15:00:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Lord of the Rings Online, Classes, Previews, Free-to-Play, The Road to Mordor

Amid all of the hubbabaloo of E3, Rise of Isengard reveals, and pre-order madness, something equally as significant has been taking place on the Lord of the Rings Online scene: proposed class changes.

Turbine's been fairly good giving each of the classes a pass over this last year, but it looks as though something even more significant is in the offering when the expansion hits this fall. As we all know, the level cap is going up to 75, virtues will increase to a new cap of 12, and stats will be expanded in several ways. But there's even more on top of that: Orion and Zombie Columbus have been posting a steady stream of proposed class changes on the forums.

These aren't all tiny tuning measures, either. In many cases, weak elements of classes and class builds will be radically revamped, and how you play these classes will change forever. As with any prospect of change, these proposed notes are both exciting and scary to behold. I felt it was high past time we at least chew on the reveals thus far and see how our classes will be graduating to the next level when Isengard arrives.

Of course, these are all proposed and highly subject to change between now and whenever they're implemented. As Orion said, "Blogs are coming out before the major changes so that we can get your feedback early, often and when we are still agile enough to respond to the valid reasoning behind concerns or true issues that are found." Read with a grain of salt (if you like, perch the salt on your shoulder so it can view the screen better).

Continue reading The Road to Mordor: Class graduation

The Road to Mordor: Class graduation originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 24 Jun 2011 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Not So Massively Extra: League of Legends reveals three new champions

Brendan Drain — Sat, 11 Jun 2011 20:00:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Galleries, Screenshots, Events (Real-World), Game Mechanics, Previews, PvP, Free-to-Play, Miscellaneous, Not So Massively

Massively was on the floor at E3 this year to get the low-down on League of Legends' new spectator mode and find out how successful the player-moderated banning Tribunal has been. There was so much information from the League of Legends team at E3 that it has spilled over into this Not So Massively Extra. In a special E3 reveal, Riot Games released the full details of LoL's next three champions. Yorick the Gravedigger, Leona the Radiant Dawn and Skarner the Crystal Vanguard are scheduled to go live over the coming weeks and are sure to provide a great deal of combat variety to this ever-growing game.

Gallery: League of Legends

Skip past the cut for a run-down of the three new characters, their abilities, and what they look like.

Continue reading Not So Massively Extra: League of Legends reveals three new champions

Not So Massively Extra: League of Legends reveals three new champions originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 11 Jun 2011 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Not So Massively: Overpowered characters edition

Brendan Drain — Sat, 04 Jun 2011 20:00:00 EST

Filed under: Galleries, Screenshots, Video, Game Mechanics, News Items, Not So Massively

Welcome to Not So Massively, our weekly roundup of the top news from popular multiplayer online battle arenas (MOBAs) and other multiplayer online games that aren't quite MMOs. Published every Saturday, the column covers games such as League of Legends, Heroes of Newerth, Defense of the Ancients, Bloodline Champions, and more.

Each week here at Massively, we're inundated with news about multiplayer games that are clearly massively popular but aren't quite MMOs. With the growing popularity of online gaming, many MOBAs and other online games have have developed bigger communities than some popular MMOs, and their developers have adopted ideas from the MMO genre.

Last week, we looked at Ubisoft's upcoming online FPS Ghost Recon Online and the huge Bloodline Champions patch 1.2 update. We also looked at Diablo III's runestone system, the Rise of Immortals cash shop and co-op PvE maps, and the Heroes of Newerth servers coming under attack. The big news of last week was undoubtedly League of Legends' ambitious player-mediated banning Tribunal going into full live testing, putting the fates of offensive players into the hands of their milder-mannered counterparts.

In this week's Not So Massively, we take an in-depth look at Heroes of Newerth's latest overpowered hero Amun Ra and League of Legends' devastating new clockwork champion Orianna. We also get a first look at the Rise of Immortals 3vE map layout, Realm of the Titans' hero Abraxas and Karma Online's upcoming closed beta.

Continue reading Not So Massively: Overpowered characters edition

Not So Massively: Overpowered characters edition originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 04 Jun 2011 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Not So Massively: Serious internet business

Brendan Drain — Sat, 30 Apr 2011 20:00:00 EST

Filed under: Trailers, Video, Culture, Game Mechanics, MMO Industry, News Items, Free-to-Play, Not So Massively

Welcome to Not So Massively, our weekly roundup of the top news from popular multiplayer online battle arenas (MOBAs) and other multiplayer online games that aren't quite MMOs. Published every Saturday, the column covers games such as League of Legends, Heroes of Newerth, Defense of the Ancients, Bloodline Champions, and more.

With the undeniable popularity of MMOs and microtransaction-based payment models becoming a widely accepted industry standard, the online space has seen a virtual revolution in multiplayer games. The past few years have seen the release of countless MOBAs and other multiplayer games that aren't quite MMOs. Some focus on primarily co-operative gameplay, while others cater to more traditional competitive multiplayer roots. Many feature persistent characters who level up, items carried forward between games, or stat-tracking systems to record performance. Developers have been blurring the line between MMOs and traditional online games, and we're here to explore the difference.

Last week, we discussed HoN's new hero Silhouette, LoL's 24th summoner showcase and cutesy Cottontail Teemo skin, Bloodline Champions' Easter updates, Darkspore's new hero Skar and Hi-Rez Studios' new MOBA, Smite. In this week's edition of Not So Massively, we look at Bloodline Champions' $5,000 U.S. tournament, Darkspore's final release, LoL's new champion Rumble, and updates to Defense of the Ancients. We also take a first look at Metal Assault, a new online game by Aeria Games.

Continue reading Not So Massively: Serious internet business

Not So Massively: Serious internet business originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 30 Apr 2011 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Enter at Your Own Rift: Zero-sum game

Justin Olivetti — Wed, 16 Mar 2011 15:00:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Classes, RIFT, Enter at Your Own Rift

Ever since I started following RIFT, I've been entranced by the wide-open -- but not limitless -- class system. After all, the virtual world and everything populating it is only half the game; the other half resides in the avatar that sticks with you while you explore it all. Many MMOs have interesting ways of letting you build and grow your character, but sooner or later they come to a point where there's little more to be done other than incrementally increasing your stats by gaining better gear.

Not so with RIFT, as even a level 50 can drop a few coins to shape a completely new build from scratch. No longer are we bound to a rigidly defined creation; we are free to experiment, tinker, and try out these roles to our hearts' content.

With RIFT's soul system, there are a few ground rules that everyone learns early in the game. You can have up to three souls in your archetype active at any one time; you can only spend as many points in a build as you have in levels (such as 10 points at level 10); and you'll end up with 66 points at level 50, which means that you'll at least dabble in a second soul tree with every build. And while you can certainly spread soul points across all three trees, today I wanted to look at the benefits of a zero-point soul, the "third wheel," if you will, of builds.

Continue reading Enter at Your Own Rift: Zero-sum game

Enter at Your Own Rift: Zero-sum game originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 16 Mar 2011 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The Road to Mordor: Putting the "lass" back in "class"

Justin Olivetti — Fri, 13 Aug 2010 10:00:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Lord of the Rings Online, Classes, Free-to-Play, The Road to Mordor

With the not-so-recent NDA lift on the beta, LotRO players are fast at work discussing, analyzing, dissecting and pouring over all of the information coming from testers. Like a double Shire rainbow, the main question on everyone's lips is, "What does it mean?" We want to know how this is going to impact us, our future, and our gameplay, and the massive scope of this change is both unsettling and heady.

Last week we sifted through the LotRO forums for testimonies about several aspects of the beta, which was treated with a stony silence from the lot of you. Oh, I kid! Nothing gets the tongues wagging around here like a good mouthful of free-to-play, although I've been informed by the leaders of the Global Conspiracy Against Gamers Having Fun that this topic has three days left on the clock until it's locked away in a vault forever.

So even though I tried to touch on the relevant points of the beta last week, there's simply so much of it out there that I had to leave some behind. It's easy to forget that this fall's update contains more than the LotRO store, like a whole barrel of additions and fixes to the game -- including class tweaks. Grab my hobbity hand, and we will venture into the land of the unknown... the land of class changes.

Continue reading The Road to Mordor: Putting the "lass" back in "class"

The Road to Mordor: Putting the "lass" back in "class" originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 13 Aug 2010 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The Road to Mordor: Shopping for your skirmish soldier

Justin Olivetti — Fri, 21 May 2010 11:00:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Lord of the Rings Online, The Road to Mordor

Every Friday, The Road to Mordor brings you the latest in Lord of the Rings Online news, guides and analysis.

Breaking up, as the song goes, is hard to do -- but sometimes very, very necessary. I'll admit that I have recently settled into a bit of a skirmish funk, firing up a session here and there merely for the XP and the privilege of filling my bags with 576 different types of marks (seriously, Turbine, couldn't we switch from this confusing British-like currency to something more streamlined, like the Euro?). When I couldn't find a partner for a skirmish, the sessions seemed like a drag, and even though I dutifully stabbed my way through them, I grew to resent their length and my death-prone Herbalist soldier.

It wasn't until the other day that a friend challenged my choice of soldier, and in so doing, freed me up for a more enjoyable skirmish experience. "Why are you sticking with the Herbalist?" he asked. I shrugged -- I thought that's what you picked when you were DPS-y and lacked a lot of self-heals. After doing a bit of research on the forums, I made the switch from the decaf healbot to 100% caffeinated Archer goodness, and I couldn't be happier. Pew pew, stab stab, win win.

The choice of a soldier companion for skirmishes may be the tipping point between a painful slog and a joyful battle, as it was in my case. If you're still trying to figure out which soldier might work best with your class, then hit the jump and see what other players recommend you try.

Continue reading The Road to Mordor: Shopping for your skirmish soldier

The Road to Mordor: Shopping for your skirmish soldier originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 21 May 2010 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The Road to Mordor: A class made just for you

Justin Olivetti — Fri, 30 Apr 2010 12:00:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Lord of the Rings Online, Classes, The Road to Mordor

Every Friday, The Road to Mordor brings you the latest in Lord of the Rings Online news, guides and analysis.

In some MMORPGs, picking a class to suit your taste and playstyle is as uncomplicated as buying your favorite beverage. Do you want something fizzy? Then get a soft drink. Something to make you think you're way more witty than you actually are? Beer will do. Something to fill your bladder in under 0.2 minutes? Ice tea, baby. So it is in many MMOs, where players find that game's version of their favorite class and hit the "play" button without thinking. It's a sad commentary on the tired and bland class design that's come from the Holy Trinity of game design, but that's a discussion for another day (or column).

Instead, I want to devote today's Road to Mordor to sorting out the nine playable classes of LotRO, because they are very often not what you'd expect from MMORPG class stereotypes. I've met a lot of players who end up playing -- and falling in love with -- a class that they would never touch in another game, due to that unique Turbine Twist[TM] that's put into each class. So whether you're rolling your very first character in LotRO or thinking about taking a walk in another class' shoes, hit the jump for a handy guide to these nine classes.

Continue reading The Road to Mordor: A class made just for you

The Road to Mordor: A class made just for you originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 30 Apr 2010 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Battle of the Immortals reveals classes

Eliot Lefebvre — Wed, 27 Jan 2010 19:00:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Classes, New Titles, Previews, PvP, Free-to-Play, Battle of the Immortals

Perfect World Entertainment has spent a fair amount of time talking up their upcoming PvP-focused game, Battle of the Immortals. The game certainly looks gorgeous, but we've only heard bits and pieces about how it will actually play. The most recent update, however, certainly provides a fair bit more information on how the game, as it details the game's classes -- Berzerker, Heretic, Magus, Slayer, and Champion. Each class is given a brief writeup of their strengths, weaknesses, and preferred opponents.

In no particular order, Slayers deal a mix of physical and magical damage at close range but have next to no defensive abilities. Heretics are a combination of priests with more sinister magics, dealing damage and healing as well as inviting a few obious comparisons. Magi (or maguses, if you prefer) are... well, okay, they're kind of obvious. Berzerkers have an errant "z" in their name and focus on dealing out physical damage at the cost of some defense, and Champions wield a weapon and shield to be all but indestructible. The classes seem set to provide a fair mix of the usual "holy trinity" mechanics and PvP skills, so take a look at the official preview to get a clearer picture of what you might want to play once the game goes live.

Battle of the Immortals reveals classes originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 27 Jan 2010 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Life after 50: Progressing your Minstrel, Champion and Rune-keeper in Moria

Shawn Schuster — Tue, 14 Oct 2008 20:00:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Lord of the Rings Online, Classes, Expansions, Game Mechanics, Tips and tricks, Academic, Education

As with last week's dev diary concerning class changes to the Burglar, Hunter and Lore-master, this week's guide to life after level 50 pertains to the Champion, Minstrel and Rune-keeper. When Mines of Moria hits the shelves (and our hard drives) on November 18th, most of us will share our time between experimenting with the new classes and advancing out existing ones. That's where this dev diary comes in handy.

As with the previous article, this one discusses the changes to skills and play style introduced with the new expansion. However, this one is the first to mention one of the new classes: the Rune-keeper. Following an article from a few weeks ago regarding the Rune-keeper's 1-50 level progression, this one picks up where the original left off. Check this one out, and make sure to look for the final installment, presumably involving the Guardian, Warden and Captain, hopefully coming soon!

Life after 50: Progressing your Minstrel, Champion and Rune-keeper in Moria originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 14 Oct 2008 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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LotRO's Lorebook updated with Champion class guide

Dan O'Halloran — Wed, 30 Jul 2008 17:00:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Lord of the Rings Online, Classes, Guides

One of the great online tools for Lord of the Rings Online players is LotRO's recently updated official wiki, The Lorebook. Being a wiki, player contributions were requested and lately the Lorebook has seen more than minor edits. Players who enjoy writing up extensive play guides on the forums are now getting their work spotlighted on the wiki as well.

The latest contribution is a guide to the DPS class, the Champion, by player Aceeka. It's quite an extensive overview of the class covering equipment choices, stances, traits, playstyle and more. It even explores the heavily debated racial skills and how those impact the class.

The other excellent class guide in this section of the Lorebook is the brilliant "What we wish other classes knew about the Champion." Every class has one of these threads in the official forums, but it's great to see this one ensconced on the Lorebook as well. As soon as the Lorebook becomes available in-game, we're going to point every pick up group to this article.

Gallery: Lord of the Rings Online Book 14 Gallery

LotRO's Lorebook updated with Champion class guide originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 30 Jul 2008 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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