Test Realm Notes: Myths, Minions & Miscellaneous

Are you ready for some new dungeons and.. stuff?!

According to the Update Notes, Aquila will be a "collection of zones within Wizard City" - like Crab Alley, just much larger and harder, it sounds. Or just a lot of places like the Waterworks. Or like Wysteria, but for higher level wizards? ..I'll stop the comparisons. Personally, I don't go into the Test Realm, but a lot of other bloggers and wizards from Twitter ('twizards') are supplying constant updates of the new content. My blogroll to the right of the screen there already has some recent posts from other bloggers about the content, in fact. I'll have to see for myself when the Aquila content comes out in several weeks, but for now I'll have to just give my first impressions of the Update Notes. Maybe if I go really fast and the Test Realm is really slow, I'll reach Aquila in Pirate101 before the content comes out in Wizard101. Just maybe.

These "Immortal Games" (hey, sounds like the Wysteria Tournament) are, as I quote from the Update Notes again, "an excellent test of determination, wit, and fortitude". Hopefully, this means there will be puzzles to go along with the combat, much like the Temple of Storms puzzles in Krokotopia, but harder. Or, maybe the battles will involve the complicated schemes of beings like those in the Warehouse or Briskbreeze Tower (I will always hold a grudge against Estrakir! hmph). There I go comparing stuff again - either way, I'm sure we'll encounter cheating bosses, one way or the other. As for where these zones are exactly, I'm guessing Cyclops Lane will be the entrance to these new dungeons. It fits very well. Enough theorycrafting for now, though, the content is already out and being tested.

As for the new minions -

The new Myth minion is 6 pips, as Talos was 5, I suppose.

Like the level 28 minion quest, these new school minions come as part of a quest, given by Balestrom. Hopefully, they'll play some more buffs and heals. Talos hitting away my traps in boss battles is annoying, but the Hex he uses can be very helpful. Higher damage attacks and more blades and traps would be optimal, in my opinion. Also, ability to critical/block wouldn't hurt. I'm excited to learn what the new minions can do, and whether they have any of the new abilities. I don't want my minions relegated to the back of my deck again, in other words. 

...Speaking of decks -

Woohoo!

Even though I don't PvP, this is really useful. I have 2 mob decks (one for myth enemies) and several boss decks which follow the same principle. Besides the Aquila content, this is definitely my favorite update. There aren't many names to choose from, of course, but they'll suffice. Other than that, there isn't much to comment on about this change, but it's a great addition that will clear up the game for anybody who uses multiple card decks.

Lastly, one can't forget the 

MISCELLANEOUS UPDATES: 

• Locks: Another very convenient update - the dreaded realization that you just sold an expensive item is all too common, and this update provides a decent solution to the problem. A post-it note to myself, if you will, that I shouldn't sell certain items.

• Silver Chests: Now available pretty much everywhere. I doubt the rewards for the WC/KT/MS chests will be large, but the wizards who come across them can get extra practice for those chests in later worlds with better rewards. Next up: Gold Chests? I wish :P

• Dragonspyre Library: Wait, what?!?

• Other: Many other minor solutions to minor problems, all of them particularly convenient.

Even though we've all had gripes with Kingsisle before, whether it be the Hoard packs or the PvP system, this Test Realm seems to be tackling minor problems that have been a problem for wizards for the last five years, and coming up with solutions that are more than satisfactory. Even though Aquila isn't even a world in Wizard101, the content promises to be exciting, and the next main world will likely be here before the year ends.

Unless developments take another sudden turn, I'll be back to post about my escapades in Azteca in another few days.

Happy Testing!

Two-faced Devereaux

Recently, I bought a combo W101+P101 membership, and Pirate101 has honestly proven to be harder to multi-task with. In other words, I've been too engrossed with Cutthroats and Monquistans to post, but I probably should by this point.

So, after taking the school test..

Yeah, I'm that Marleybone-based dude with the eye patch. Cool with that.

From first impressions, it feels very similar to Myth in the sense that I'm supporting henchmen a lot, but on the other hand, I'm getting some decent healing spells. I must say I love Witchdoctor attacks as a secondary; Ghostwail does a lot of damage and Jobu's Breath is obviously based off Death school's drain spells, but relative to what level you are. I'm still developing understanding for the battle system (I just figured out what my +50% Will spell does), but I can grasp most other aspects of the game by now.

My beautiful new appearance for Monquistan royalty

This ledge reminded me of a similar spot in Vigrid Roughland in Grizzleheim. A few turns up a hill and I ended up with this nice view of a bunch of beehives.

This quest from the same spot reminds me of this side quest in Mooshu, minus the fact that it was a poisonous frog this time. Ah, ignorant sheep and monkeys.

Old Scratch's Pirate saves the day :D

I liked the purple clouds and Celestian music in these cross-world skyways - nice touch.

I ended up letting the ship sail itself a few times...

Bananas :D

Really?

To Cool Ranch!

It looks very pretty, almost like I'm navigating around the Grand Canyon in the Skyways. The Buffaloons are pretty weird though. Plus, with 5 skyways, I think I'm going to be here for a while.

I'll probably post again sooner than later, and until then,

Happy Adventuring/Questing! (or what have you)

Ice Will Suffice

Happy kind of late blogaversary to me! Turns out I pretty much share the honor with fellow bloggers Swordroll and Talon Thunderblade. Happy blogaversary to you guys too (but I'm still older!) Maybe I'll do more of a celebration next year besides just remembering the fact.

In other news, this new Winterbane house dungeon sounds exciting, and the final boss has 30,000 health. The idea of progressively going underneath a small cabin to fight monsters is a fun prospect - kind of like a  Journey to the Center of the Spiral (I wish). I shall attempt my hand sometime soon, and hope to get good loot. I've barely even touched Arlen in the last few months (sorry, main characters).

More importantly though, my ice character is trudging through Avalon at about as fast a speed as you can go for an ice wizard. It's a nice change of pace considering I rarely die anymore. That's never fun.

The past 10 days have taken me from defeating an inhospitable owl to making a surprise return to a Celestian-like environment. Sophia is also so photogenic, she just has to pose after defeating meanie bosses.

Wouldn't want to fall over the edge into that...stuff.

I sense a pattern here. Is this like a universal chant? Even Morganthe likes saying it.

Aaand we're skipping ahead to the Lakeshore. I'm fine with that.

It's hard to believe I was making a post centering around this 11 months ago. Nice to be dueling in the rain again.

One of the few bosses in a while that actually killed me. No sympathy, especially with that zombie-look thing going on after dying :P

I've been having a few connection issues now and then, but I can't complain when the mobs starting walking on the water.

This little guy just wanted to say hi or something.

This was the coolest thing that's happened with my periodic connection bursts. I actually got to walk around the Marleybone Cannon Game as my Mammoth.

Kind of a strange setting for a baby Mammoth I must say.

Infinite training points and accuracy?! :D

Sorry, target, not today.

Uhhhh...

Seriously, get some new lipstick.

Thus ends my recent progress, upgrading from the bottom of a lake to some underground caverns.

I plan to hold Sophia at Ghost Avalon once I reach the dungeon, and then do it together my Life character Tarlac once I renew my membership this summer. I'll probably quest a bit slower anyway with exams coming up.

Things are looking bright after that, though - I'll probably even venture into Pirate101 this summer. I should think I'd have even more post material with that.

Happy Adventuring!