Author: Goldie

Dropping into the ever-evolving world of Fortnite is always a moment filled with excitement and a little anxiety. You know you need to get yourself some good gear, fast. Otherwise, you may quickly be overwhelmed by better equipped foes who could take you down in an instant.

Fortunately, there’s a method to the madness. For those seeking Fortnite tips for beginners, knowing which items to prioritize immediately after a drop can not only help you in the short term but can also help you secure more Victory Royales in the long term.

So, get your favorite Fortnite skin ready – because looking good is half the battle – and let’s break down which items you should be seeking out immediately after landing. Fortnite offers a vast array of skins to suit every style, so whether you’re rocking a stealthy look or a flashy outfit, make sure you drop in with confidence!

Weapons

To win in Fortnite, you’re going to need guns. While the game offers a plethora of weapons, one of the key Fortnite tips for beginners is to focus on specific weapon types that can improve your chances of besting opponents. Prioritizing the right weapons can make all the difference in your journey to Victory Royale.

Assault Rifles

The most versatile weapon in the game. Assault rifles excel at mid-range combat. But in a pinch they can also be effective at close or long range. Thus, securing one of these all rounders should be at the top of your list.

Shotguns

In close quarters, nothing even comes close to the burst damage potential of a shotgun. This can be especially useful for early game. Both the pump-action shotgun and the tactical shotgun are great. But if you have a choice – go for the tactical shotgun thanks to its increased rate of fire.

Sniper Rifles

Arguably the best weapon in the game thanks to its one-shot potential, Sniper Rifles are sought after by most players. However, one of the essential Fortnite tips for beginners is to avoid relying on a Sniper Rifle right after a drop. Since Sniper Rifles are difficult to use in close combat – and with player counts being highest at the start of the game – it’s better to secure a more reliable weapon first. Focus on grabbing versatile gear before hunting for a sniper.

SMGs

With a fast rate of fire and high magazine size, the Submachine Gun is a must have for close-range engagements and can even come handy in medium-range attacks. It’s a great gun to have in your arsenal.

Healing Items

It’s not all about dishing out damage. Ensuring that you have enough shields and bandages will allow you to do better in a game of Fortnite. So try to get your hands on:

Med-Kits

With healing-over-time effects, health items are essential in all situations. Whether you’re crossing the map and risk getting caught in crossfires or recovering after an intense firefight, staying healthy is key. One of the most important Fortnite tips for beginners is to grab the first health pack or shield item you see – it can be the difference between surviving and being eliminated.

Shields

Shields are arguably more important than med kits early on. This is because they offer additional protection – giving you an advantage over an opponent who doesn’t have shields. Grab shields and use them immediately, then grab some more.

Chug Splashes

These throwing items instantly heal a significant amount of health. While they don’t heal as much as a med-kit, they can be a game changer mid-fight. So if you find one, grab it.

Utility Items for Tactical Advantages

It’s not all about guns and healing. There are other tools at your disposal. These two are the most useful to get early on:

Shockwave Grenades

These explosives launch players great distances. While many use this as a quick escape from a tough fight, they are also very useful for supercharging your exploration early on. So don’t be precious with them – use them to get around.

Impulse Grenades

These provide boosts similar to shockwave grenades – so stack up and get jumping.

Now that you know which items to keep an eye out for, you’re ready to jump into your next game. Just remember one of the most important Fortnite tips for beginners: use the items you pick up! Holding onto them for too long won’t do you any good – you might end up eliminated before you even get the chance to put them to use.

Pokémon GO Gyms are one of the most engaging parts of Pokémon GO. Not only do they spark up the team spirit, to generate points for your team, but they give you the opportunity to gain valuable PokeCoins which can otherwise only be obtained through the store.

This Pokémon GO guide will take you through everything you need to know about gyms: from what they are to how you can reliably take and hold them to generate more PokéCoins. 

Let’s dive in.

What Are Pokémon Gyms?

Pokémon GO Gyms have always been a core part of Pokémon games, and Niantic Pokémon GO reimagines them as real-world battlegrounds for teams to compete over. Traditionally, gyms would be locations where you would take on other trainers in order to progress the story and gain access to new content. However, things are slightly different in Pokémon GO.

Pokémon GO gyms are battlegrounds which all three teams want to gain control over in order to generate rewards for the team. At any one time, the gym can be controlled by Mystic, Valor or Instinct – or be neutral (uncontrolled). When claimed by a team, Pokémon GO gyms can hold up to six Pokémon from that controlling team, which are there to defend the gym from attacks from the other teams as the gym generates rewards for the trainers who placed the defending Pokémon.

Where Are Pokémon GO Gyms?

Pokémon GO gyms, like PokéStops, are a major feature of the Pokémon GO app and are found at notable real-world landmarks, monuments, and locations. So you can expect to find many gyms packed tightly together in city centres or notable areas. While gyms may be further apart in residential and rural areas, using a Pokémon GO tracker can help you locate and plan for nearby gyms.

However, this density makes sense. As more densely populated areas may contain more gyms, but those gyms will also be far more highly contested – making it harder to hold them for long enough to generate meaningful rewards.

Why Interact with Pokémon GO Gyms?

So, what’s the point? Why should you care  about gyms?

The main reason to interact with gyms is to generate rewards for yourself. These rewards can range from extra XP, badge progress and team contributions to stardust and even free PokéCoins. Yes, that’s right, gyms can literally save you money by filling your pocket with free PokéCoins which can then be spent in the store.

Not only that, but even just fighting in gym battles to take control of gyms can net you meaningful amounts of XP – giving you a great reason to get involved in gym battles even if you don’t end up placing your Pokémon on the podium. 

How to Win at Pokémon GO Gyms

Now for the hard part – taking control of gyms. Succeeding in gym battles and placing your Pokémon on the gym take a combination of strategy, strong Pokémon and even a little bit of luck. 

Let’s start with the battle system itself:

Understanding the Battle System

While you may feel that you have to take on and defeat all the Pokémon in the gym at once, this isn’t exactly the best strategy. After all, Pokémon who sit on gyms are often beefed-up versions of themselves, requiring huge amounts of damage to take down.

• In your battle party, you can use a team of your Pokémon to try and take down the defending Pokémon. 
• Each defender will be removed from the gym once defeated three times.
• The longer Pokémon have been on the gym, the lower their motivation will be – making them easier to defeat.
• Type advantage can make a huge difference in gym battles.

That is the heart of it… So let’s see how you can turn that knowledge into victories.

Battle Tips

These strategies will help you get a one-up on the defenders:

Start with your strongest counters.

Counters are a big deal when it comes to gyms, given how strong the defending Pokémon can be. So focus on selecting good counters.

Focus on one defending Pokémon at a time.

Thanks to the fact that Pokémon are removed from the gym after three defeats, it can be beneficial to target one defending Pokémon at a time. Quitting the gym each time that Pokémon is defeated, rather than only partially damaging the next defender. This reduces the amount of combats needed to win the next time around – bolstering your chances of taking down the gym.

Dodge charge moves.

Health management will allow you to continue outputting damage on the defenders, so make sure you practice dodging charge moves in order to last longer, and increase your chances of clearing the gym.

Use weather boosts to aid you.

Again, as the defending Pokémon are often so strong, it’s worth using any advantage you can get. So managing your team in order to maximise weather boosts can give you the advantage you need to dominate.

Battle with friends/other players.

As battles happen live, coordinating through Pokémon GO Discord channels with other players can make taking gyms much easier. Meaning that you can all chip away at the opponent’s health more easily.

Advanced Battle Strategies

If you’re looking for more ways to get the drop on the defenders, here are a few advanced strategies.

Attack when defender motivation is already low

As motivation (defenders’ strength) drops over time, you can wait until it is already low before attacking. This will automatically give you an advantage.

Use type-effective charge attacks

Type bonuses are everything when fighting tough Pokémon. This bonus becomes even more effective when using charge attacks. So be sure to use them to take down the defenders as quickly as possible.

Attack when there are few defending players to avoid mid-fight healing

Members of the defending team can feed Golden Razz Berries remotely during combat, replenishing the defenders’ health. Try to avoid this by attacking when there are few defenders around – so taking the fight at odd hours of the day or in more remote locations.

Placing Your Pokémon in Gyms

We’ve covered how to take a Pokémon GO gym… now how to hold one.

You and your teammates can add a Pokémon as a defender of a gym once you have defeated the team occupying that gym. 

How to Add Your Pokémon

To add your Pokémon to an open gym is simple. First, ensure that you meet the pre-requisites: you must be over level 5, a member of the team who controls the gym and the gym must not be full. If all of those are covered you can:

1. Tap on the gym.
2. Select the “add Pokémon” button.
3. Choose your defender from the eligible Pokémon you own – they must be at full health.
4. Confirm your selection.

The tricky part of this whole equation is ensuring that the gym is not already full. After battles to take over a gym, it’s not uncommon for all local players to rush to place their Pokémon on the podium. This can make it difficult for less experienced players to get their Pokémon in the defending position, as other players may simply get there first.

If you’re struggling to find empty spots in gyms, keep trying. You’ll find some eventually, then you’ll get the hang of quickly placing your Pokémon in the gym post-battle.

Earning PokéCoins from Gyms

Now for the juicy part – earning PokéCoins. This is arguably the main reason why you’ll want to get involved with defending gyms in the first place: earning Pokémon GO gym coins for free. So, how does it work?

How does earning PokéCoins work?

Once you have a Pokémon defending a gym you will:

• Earn 6 PokéCoins per hour, for each gym you are defending.
• You can earn a maximum of 50 coins per day.
• Coins are awarded to you once your Pokémon is kicked out of the gym.
• If your Pokémon is on a gym for multiple days, they’ll still only return the maximum amount of 50.
• If multiple Pokémon are returned in the same day, you’ll only earn a maximum of 50 coins that day.

Altogether, you’ll want to try and make it so that you do not exceed the 50 coin-per-day cap. As this can lead to a huge amount of wasted potential… Especially if your Pokémon remains on a gym for multiple days or weeks on end.

Maximizing Coin Earnings

So, now that we understand how to earn – how can we maximise our earnings?

First, place Pokémon in multiple gyms per day to increase your chances of reaching the 50 coin limit. This is especially true in busy areas, where Pokémon are quickly knocked off gyms.

Second, target gyms with a moderate turnover – ideally you want your Pokémon to be on there for 8.5 hours to reach the 50-coin maximum. This is difficult, but can easily be achieved if you claim a gym overnight.

That said, if you can’t get all the coins you need from gyms you can also buy PokeCoins to bolster your supply.

Best Pokémon for Gym Defense

If you’ve played Pokémon GO for a while, you will have noticed that the same handful of Pokémon are always defending gyms – and there’s a good reason for that. Those Pokémon, including powerful options like Pokémon GO Shadow Mewtwo, have high HP and defensive potential, allowing them to stay alive for longer.

Top Gym Defenders

1. Blissey

As the Pokémon with the highest HP in the game, Blissey is a no-brainer when it comes to defending. Often, Blissey can cause a time-out before being defeated. Making it very difficult for individual players to take control of the gym.

Blissey is also only weak to fighting type.

2. Slaking

Slacking has the highest CP potential – making it have a huge HP pool while also dishing out a fair amount of damage.

3. Chansey

As Chansey is a lesser version of Blissey, the advantages are the same – although slightly weaker than Blissey.

4. Snorlax

High HP, good movesets and resistance to ghost-type, Snorlax is a strong defender. Not to mention that it is a beloved Pokémon.

5. Gardevoir

While rarer than the others on this list, Gardevoir is very strong against common attackers and totally resists fighting-type; making it a good matchup with a Blissey.

The Battle Begins

This guide has covered how Pokémon GO gyms work, equipping you with the knowledge to take control of gyms and place effective Pokémon atop them in order to generate you PokéCoins. So what are you waiting for – you’re ready to go and take control. It’s time to get out, find a Blissey, and get battling.

Raiding in World of Warcraft not only represents the some of the most challenging content in the game, but it also runs to the core of why so many players remain infatuated with WoW today. Whether you’re new to raiding or are a returning legacy player, this guide will help you get up speed – preparing you to jump into the best and toughest raids the game has to offer.

Understanding Raids

If you’ve raided before, you can skip this. But for new players, understanding what Raids are is the essential starting point for figuring out how to get prepared for them.

What Exactly is a WoW Raid?

A WoW raid is a high-difficulty multiplayer instance designed for large groups of players to progress through, fighting one or more powerful bosses and overcoming challenges. These typically see 10 to thirty players dive into a dungeon where players progress towards a final boss fight featuring unique abilities and mechanics. Because of its unique nature, a WoW raid often requires considerable coordination and communication between players – as a single error can, in some circumstances, cause the entire party to die.

While difficult, a WoW raid offers some of the most valuable and powerful loot in the game – rewarding players with gear which will give them a significant boost or be sold for a pretty penny.

What are WoW Raid Locks?

In WoW you cannot simply farm raids every day. Instead, once you attempt or defeat a raid boss you’re usually “locked” out of that content for the rest of that week.

This means you’ll only be able to benefit from the same raid again the following week.

What are Keys?

Dungeons and raids weigh in at different difficulty levels – meaning that the same WoW raid can be completed at different difficulties. These difficulties are known as “keys”, as you need keys to access the different levels of the dungeon.

The higher a key level, the more difficult it will be and the greater the reward you will get if you’re successful. Generally speaking, you will want to complete lower tiers of a dungeon before attempting later key levels.

Preparing for Raids – Core Principles

Now we’re all on the same page regarding what raids are, it’s time to gear up. When preparing to raid there are several considerations to be made: including your level, your equipment and your mechanical ability/knowledge. This guide will focus on how to gear up with the best equipment for raids.

Understanding Item Level and Its Importance

Item level (or ilvl) is a number attached to each piece of gear in WoW, indicating how strong that piece of gear is. You can think of it like a power rating – you will be able to get multiple versions of the same gear, but the one with the greatest ilvl will be the best and most valuable.

While ilvl may seem like a small part of the game as you’re levelling up your character, when it comes to maximizing your potential, it is huge. This is because:

• Higher ilvl items means more powerful base stats, which means even higher potential.
• Most raid groups use ilvl to check if players are ready for specific content. For example, asking for ilvl of 450.
• Better gear makes difficult fights more forgiving, by buffing your stats.

The Three Pillars of Gear Progression

So, how do we get better equipment? This road is comprised of three clear parts:

Planning

Identifying what gear you need to obtain and why. Then clearly understanding the steps to obtain that gear with the desired stats. This will help to inform what content you should focus on, and how often you’ll need to play.

Of course, we all want the best gear – but these plans should be realistic. What gear is necessary to reach your current goal. Not to be the best specced player in the entirety of WoW.

Optimisation

So you’ve identified your desired year… but is it really the best and most realistic that you can obtain? Reconsider your stats and specs, and ensure that the gear you’re finding fulfils all the criteria for your given class.

Diversification

Can you combine different methods to find your gear? For example, can you gather this gear effectively over a few weeks given things like WoW raid lockouts? How can you avoid the soft locks the game puts in place? And if there are locks, are there better ways to obtain your desired stats which are not through that specific item?

What Gear do I Need?

This is a big question, and will depend greatly on your class, character, skills and overall desired. For this reason, this guide will focus on getting you to the right resources for you rather than running down every possible build.

Understanding Gear

When we think of gear, we immediately think of armour and weapons. But there’s plenty more when it comes to end-game raiding. These are the key types of WoW items you’ll have to think about, find, or buy:

Armour

A large proportion of player stats come from amour selection. So you’ll of course need to get your hands on some great armour.

Weapons

Like armour, weapons are one of the primary means of increasing your character’s ability and output.

Gems

While armour and weapons get the spotlight, gems are a key way to further the potential of your gear. These will provide essential stat bonuses.

Enchants

Gear is great on its own, but with enchants its effectiveness is taken to a whole new level. So spend some time figuring out the best enchants for your build.

Consumables

While your gear is your base-level stats, consumables can provide significant boosts during WoW raids. These buffs primarily come from flasks and food, which you will likely need to craft or purchase. If you’re low on resources, you can easily get what you need by purchasing WoW gold. Because of this, you may need to create a budget for these buffs – considering both expensive and budget options.

Advanced Tools to Choose Gear

There are three main tools used for finding the gear you’ll need:

Community Engagement

I hate to be obvious, but the richest tool is community knowledge. Whether it’s talking to guild mates and friends or researching on forums, the player base is a font of realistic and helpful knowledge when it comes to identifying the best gear for you. So spend some time engaging with the community and online forums to find your desired build and equipment.

Using SimulationCraft

This community tool helps to you explore and visualise the options at your disposal, modelling how your build would do in different situations. This can help you select different strategies or gear to world better at certain WoW raids.

You can even directly import your character!

Raidbots 

This is a version of SimulationCraft run in the cloud, allowing you to benefit from all of its perks without needing to download and run the program yourself. While it does have some premium, paid features, it’s worth it for time saving. But for those not willing to pay, you can use it’s free features or run SimulationCraft directly yourself.

How to Gear Up

Now that we understand all the general principles, let’s get into something more concrete: how to actually achieve good raid-ready gear.

Gearing Up from Zero

This path will be one for players who are yet to – or have just reached max level.

Complete World Quests and Regular Dungeons

Completing the campaign of your current expansion will provide basic gear to help you get started on your journey towards raid-ready equipment. This will also unlock important features and locations which will allow you to progress. And, of course, get you to a high enough level to begin participating in WoW raids.

World quests are self-explanatory. But in order to get involved in regular dungeons use the Dungeon Finder (press “I”) and then run each dungeon at least once to become familiar with the layout. Don’t worry, regular dungeons are very forgiving.

Move onto Heroic and Mythic Dungeons

While regular dungeons will bring some gear, it won’t be your end-game goal. Instead, you’ll need to move into the higher tier dungeons. If you’re new to these, consider joining runs labelled as “chill” or “learning” so that you can learn the ropes in a more relaxed environment.

Do weekly raids and reset activities to gain gear.

Once you’ve learned how to raid, you’ll be ready to start a weekly rotation of WoW raid challenges as you grind towards your desired gear.

How to Grind the Weekly Reset Activities

Many of WoW’s most rewarding activities, including a challenging WoW Raid, reset every Tuesday – giving you a fresh chance to earn loot and progress. These are the ones you should keep your eye on as you’re trying to gear up for high-level raids.

Great Vault

This is a special reward system which offers some great high-level gear based on what you achieved in the previous week. If you complete the other activities on this list, your Great Vault rewards will improve – netting you some of the best gear available to your character.

WoW Raid Difficulties

Completing the hardest raids you can will net you good rewards as you gear up. This will not only allow you to approach higher level raids, but also improve your Great Vault.

Mythic+ Dungeons

This isn’t going to be possible early on, but as you improve it’s vital to start on Mythic+ Dungeons as these are where you get into the best of the best endgame gear. Try to join experienced teams which can help teach you and somewhat carry you. Albeit you will need to be up for the challenge.

Rated PvP (Player versus Player)

Outside of raids, PvP can net you some great rewards and give you access to better Great Vault rewards. As this is different to Raiding you may need different equipment and play styles to compete at high levels – but taking part will net you some good rewards.

World Quests

Simply completing special PvE world quests each week will net you some rewards and Great Vault progress. Also offering a great place to start if you’re lacking the gear to begin Raids or PvP.

Time to Gear Up for the WoW Raid

As we have explored, gearing up is going to be a long process – first of research, then of consistent execution as you slowly improve your character and reach your long term goals. While this is a challenge, it is a fun one. Pushing you to engage with some of WoW’s most challenging and rewarding elements as you grow. 

While the fine-grain details of the equipment and gear you will need will be dependent on your class, play style and desires, this guide will have equipped you with a clear process to orient yourself towards those goals – setting you off on your journey to achieve them, and thus take part in some of toughest WoW raids.

Good luck out there. 

Support heroes in Overwatch 2 are far more than simple healers. Instead, they are crucial playmakers, as highlighted in many Overwatch 2 Guides, who balance healing and buffing their teammates with dishing out damage and debuffs on enemies. Turning them into one of the most vibrant and most enjoyable types of heroes in the game.

But if you’ve made it to this guide, chances are you’ve already got an appetite for support play. The question is, how to rise up the competitive ranks? This is one of the many Overwatch 2 guides designed to provide a comprehensive look at how to improve at support heroes. So buckle up, it’s jam packed.

Core Support Principles

Before diving into the details of specific heroes, this guide joins the best Overwatch 2 guides to offer a broad look at how to improve as a support player. Mobilising these four tips is a vital Overwatch strategy likely to improve your play drastically, regardless of the hero you choose.

Position Yourself Carefully

As a support hero you want to dish out healing, damage and use your abilities. But, realistically, the most important thing for you to do is stay alive. This means that you will be able to continue supporting your team. After all, a dead hero can’t provide any value.

Positioning is the single most impactful element to help you stay alive, as emphasized in most Overwatch 2 Guides. Here are some quickfire tips for improving your positioning:

• Always stay behind or near natural cover.
• Maintain a line of sight to your team, and their escape route.
• Keep in a position where you can peek the enemy to dish out damage when possible.
• Don’t stay still for long. Utilise multiple cover points to avoid becoming predictable.
• Stay within range of your other support, to keep each other alive.

Together, these tips will help you stay alive, while maximizing your effectiveness.

Balance Healing and Damage

Many support players in the lower Overwatch elos will focus solely on healing, while some stuck in the mid-ranks will put too much focus on dealing damage. You need to strike a balance. To do this you can:

• Actively contribute to damage whenever your team is healed up.
• Pre-empt the moments where you will need to switch to damage or healing, so you are prepared to do so.
• Use abilities to buff your team’s overall damage output.
• Don’t chase unrealistic eliminations – your role is to support, not kill.

Overwatch 2 support combos

As a support player, you’re not alone in your task. You have another support with the same goals as you. Thus, working together and focusing on strong Overwatch strategy and support combos will help your team’s potential In this regard you can:

• Pick complementary heroes, such as the best healer Overwatch 2 offers, to provide both burst and sustained healing.
• Be open to peel for each other to deal with flankers.
• Combine ultimates when viable.
• Communicate clearly so you don’t double-up on certain abilities – like healing ults.
• Recognise when to switch between aggressive and defensive playstyles; often doing the opposite of your fellow support.

Manage Your Abilities 

Beyond what we have discussed so far, you also have to consider when to use your abilities. This can be a make-or-break for lots of support players, as it’s paramount that your abilities are available when they’re needed. To ensure this you can:

• Avoid overhealing. Using regular healing instead of abilities when viable.
• Use mobility abilities during engagement or escape; not mid-fight.
• Track enemy cooldowns, especially when they’re directed at you (like Winston jumps).
• Communicate your ultimate with your team, to maximize effectiveness.

Communicate

Whether you’re calling for help or to engage with your ultimate, communication is a support player’s best friend. This is because your tank and DPS will be facing the front line – finding it hard to predict the best moments to engage, disengage or peel to support you. By effectively calling out such strategies, you’ll be able to maximise the power of your team.

Together, these general tips will help to bolster the play of any support hero. Effective support also comes down to choosing the best heroes in Overwatch 2 and developing in-depth hero knowledge. So, let’s take a look at some of the best support heroes to play today.

Hero-Specific Overwatch 2 Guides

As highlighted in many Overwatch 2 guides, the roster of support heroes has been steadily growing since the release of Overwatch 2. With four new supports almost doubling the original count.  Because of this, this guide will focus on the top three most played heroes in competitive and esports play. As, while other supports are definitely viable picks, these three are chosen for a reason.

Whether you’re trying to rise up the ranks in the current Overwatch season or maintain your position, mastering one of these three heroes can provide a solid foundation for success. Overwatch accounts can help you get started faster.

Juno 

Despite being the newest support hero in the game, Juno has quickly jumped to the most played in casual and competitive play. Both due to her novelty and her incredibly effective support playstyle. Here’s everything you need to know to get started on your road to mastering Juno.

Strengths:

• Exceptional healing output.
• Some burst healing.
• Great mobility, for Juno and the team.
• Ultimate offers strong area-control.

Key Tips:

Juno’s main utility comes from her ability to be a main healer, while providing additional buffs in the form of speed boost and occasional damage boosts through her ultimate. As highlighted in many Overwatch 2 Guides, her impressive mobility allows her to stay out of reach while supporting her team effectively.

While playing Juno, keep these tips in mind:

• Avoid dives with Martian Overboots and Glide Boost – allowing you to stay out of harms way.
• Focus on healing with the Mediblaster, especially keeping your tank up.
• Use pulsar torpedoes on your teammates during engagement  or ultimates to negate burst damage, due to their healing over time effect.
• Carefully choose where you drop your ultimate, placing it in or beyond choke points to allow your team to push forward with its buffs.
• Use Hyper Ring to engage.
• Juno has no way to heal herself, so remain close to your other support.

Simultaneously, avoid some common mistakes:

• Don’t fly into range of hitscans with your glide boost.
• Don’t drop Hyper Ring mid fight; use it to engage, escape or chase.
• Don’t focus on dealing damage – Juno is a great primary healer.

Team Synergies:

• Cassidy – To increase his mobility.
• Ana – As Juno can provide great peel support for Ana’s incredible healing output.
• Zarya – To increase mobility, allowing Zarya to press with high damage output.

Hard Counters:

• Ashe (or most snipers) – Due to the range and hitscan which punishes Juno’s movement style.
• Winston – Dive tanks can punish Juno as although she is mobile, she isn’t fast. So anyone that chases her effectively can cause problems.
• Dva – Like Winston, Dva can dive and dish out huge damage.
• Moira – As Juno can’t self-heal, Moira’s damage and mobility can decimate her quickly.

Ana

Perhaps the most beloved support in the game, Ana is great at dishing out damage and heals while providing plenty of effective buffs and debuffs which can easily change the tide of combat. Her ultimate can also be an absolute game changer when paired with others.

Strengths:

• Huge burst healing.
• Strong utility with Dart and Biotic Grenade.
• Offers long-range poke.
• Team-wipe potential with every ult.

Key Tips:

Playing as Ana is no walk in the park. You will be expected to dish out insane amounts of healing while covering your own back with sleep dart. Not only that, but you’ll need to communicate your ultimate well with your squad, in order to facilitate team wipes. So keep these tips in mind:

• Positioning is key. You’ll need good lines of sight for both your allies and opponents.
• Practice quickscoping to heal faster.
• Practice landing sleep dart on moving targets, to cover your back.
• Save dart for when you need it.
• Use biotic grenade offensively to throw off the opponent’s healing.
• Communicate well; for your ultimate and dart targets.

Team Synergies:

• Genji – Nanoblade is a thing for a reason.
• Reinhardt – Easy to keep alive, and he has huge damage potential when paired with a good anti-nade.
• Winston – Easy healing at range.

Hard Counters:

• Winston – Any dive can punish Ana and stop her from working effectively.
• Tracer – Can bait out your abilities and quickly eliminate Ana.
• Doomfist – Dive potential and damage negation with power block.

Kiriko

The first of Overwatch 2’s new supports, Kiriko made a splash by redefining what a support hero can do – becoming an effective healer with great mobility and a badass kunai to boot. Combining many of the things which make Moira and Lucio player favourites into one supercharged package.

Strengths:

• Great mobility with wall climb and swift step.
• Burst healing potential.
• Teamfight changing ultimate.
• Suzu can counter enemy ultimates.

Key Tips:

Kiriko’s agility and fast playstyle can make her quite frenetic to play – somewhere between Genji and Lucio. This can be hard to master, but once you get your abilities under your belt you can become incredibly effective.

• Use your mobility to access high ground and cover.
• Save your quickstep for emergency escapes.
• Save Suzu to protect teammates near death or during an ultimate.
• Focus your Kunai at enemy support to catch them off guard.
• Coordinate ultimate with teammates.

Team Synergies:

• Genji – Kiriko is one of the few supports who can keep up with him.
• Ramattra – Suzu allows for even more aggression during Nemesis, along with great ultimate synergy.
• Soldier 76 – Kiriko’s ult pairs well with Tac Visor.

Hard Counters:

• Widowmaker – Punishes poor positioning and movement with one shot, one kill.
• Cassidy – Punishes Kiriko at close and mid range.
• Ashe – Another sniper, punishing Kiriko.

Master Your Play

These tips should have equipped you with new techniques and tactics, making this one of the most actionable Overwatch 2 guides for support players. While they may take some time to become second nature, these tips will help you hone your play – allowing you to deliver more support to your team which should translate to more match wins.

Becoming perhaps the most played genre in gaming throughout the 2010s and early 2020s, the best battle royale games continue to dominate the market. While there are plenty of now-classic games that you can expect to hold their popularity throughout 2025, we may also witness the release of a few titles which shake up the genre. So strap in, it’s time to drop.

Fate Trigger – Anime Themed Newcomer

Blending many familiar elements – an anime aesthetic, a hero shooter, and a battle royale – Fate Trigger is the new kid on the block with a lot to prove. While the game is yet to release to the public, it appears strong, delivering a unique experience that feels like a mix between Valorant and Fortnite. Whether it becomes the next big hit or not, the hype surrounding Fate Trigger over the past two years suggests it will have a strong release.

While we cannot be sure whether Fate Trigger will become the next big battle royale, we can look at the hype that it’s gathered over the past two years – which should at least see the game have a strong release.

Battlefield 2025 – Familiar Franchise, New Game Mode

Battlefield has long been one of the most beloved military shooters on the market – like Call of Duty. And now it’s next edition, set in modern day, is touted to have a battle royale mode – like Call of Duty.

Ok, while there are similarities between the direction of the two franchises, Battlefield is its own beast. While most information regarding the upcoming game remains a mystery, it’s an open question whether the new title and it’s battle royale mode will make a significant splash or simply fall to the wayside of what is already a jam-packed genre. 

Fortnite – The Reigning Champion

While it’s no newcomer, Fortnite has shifted around over the past 7 years. And we’re likely to see a bunch of new updates as we roll through 2025. But whether those updates significantly change the game or not, it’s very likely that Fortnite will remain one of the most fun battle royale games by the end of the year – after all, it’s been at the top of the genre since release!

Apex Legends – The Tactical Masterpiece

Rated as the second most-played battle royale by a significant margin, Apex Legends is EA’s tactical masterpiece that reimagined the battle royale genre, offering a fresh and unique alternative to Fortnite.

Apex continues to see meaningful content updates from EA, with consistent seasonal additions ensuring its long-standing appeal through 2025. Each new season introduces the newest Apex Legend, offering players fresh gameplay strategies and abilities to master. For those eager to dive into the action, there are accounts featuring the newest Apex Legends, offering a quick and convenient way to experience the latest character and their unique abilities. This ongoing progression keeps Apex engaging for both veterans and new players alike, solidifying its status as one of the best battle royale games in 2025.

Call of Duty: Warzone 2 – The AAA Battle Royale

Activision’s take of the Battle Royale has made a significant impact on the genre since it released back in 2020. As Warzone 2 was released in 2022, some fans have been speculating that Warzone 3 will release in the near future. However, we don’t think that this will be the case – at least that’s because EA haven’t been shouting about it. Instead, we’re likely to see Warzone 2 continue to receive updates throughout 2025 continuing to make it a compelling game for casual and hardcore battle royale fans alike.

This is a genre which isn’t going anywhere. Which battle royale will be your top pick in 2025?

Weapons have long been a side-thought compared to classes and skills in MMORPGs. But recent throne and liberty news has highlighted how the game ties character class to the very weapons (and weapon combinations) you choose to wield.

However, not all weapons are equally effective. In this Throne and Liberty weapon tier list, we’ll break down the strongest weapons in the game, explore combinations, and help you decide which are worth mastering!

Understanding Weapons in Throne and Liberty

Weapons are essentially the same as classes in Throne and Liberty. But unlike traditional MMO classes, weapons can be swapped on the fly. Meaning that you can essentially unlock an entirely new skill set by simply switching weapons—which you can even do right in the middle of combat!

Not only that, but you can dual-wield different weapon types to create composite builds which balance, for example, ranged and melee skills. This flexibility is at the heart of the Throne and Liberty weapon tier list, helping players identify the most effective weapons for dynamic gameplay and powerful combinations.

Of course, you’ll still need to find these weapons in-game by exploring, completing quests, or participating in battles. However, upgrading these powerful weapons becomes much easier with the in-game currency Lucent. Knowing how to use Lucent effectively, alongside understanding where to find specific weapons, is key to building powerful combinations and mastering your playstyle.

B-Tier Weapons

At the bottom we have one weapon…

Greatsword

With its heavy hitting attacks and powerful debuffs, the Greatsword can be formidable. However it’s slower attack patterns and singular style of play leave it as one of Throne and Liberty’s least useful weapon picks. That said, it can of course still be viable and used well!

Greatsword combos well with:

• Sword – for tanking.
• Daggers – for mobility.
• Longbow – for range.

A-Tier Weapons

These weapons are powerful when wielded in specific scenarios or with particular skill. And, more often than not, make great secondaries.

Longbow

The longbow sits at the top of A tier thanks to its impressive range and valuable support abilities—such as offering HP recovery and debuff removal (similar to Ranger classes in other MMOs). It can be a great secondary weapon for this exact reason

Longbow combos well with:

• Daggers – for mobility.
• Wand – for additional healing.
• Staff – for AoE abilities.
• Crossbow – for burst damage.

Staff

Offering up powerful attacks and magical abilities, the staff shines thanks to its area of effect (AoE) capabilities. Dealing out devastating amounts of damage while also providing your allies with some support.

Staff combos well with:

• Wand – for additional healing and mana.
• Daggers – for extra mobility.
• Crossbow – for even more damage.
• Longbow – for extra support.

Sword and Shield

The sword and shield is the perfect weapon for tanking. It offers up serious self-buffs and crowd control to make you into a barrier between your foes and your allies. While it’s not the most potent damage dealer, sword and shield is a must have for any team.

Sword and Shield combos well with:

• Greatsword – for more tanking
• Wand – for additional healing

S-Tier Weapons

At the top of the Throne and Liberty weapon tier list three weapons can easily become unstoppable when used correctly. Throne and Liberty news often highlights their potential to out-smart, out-damage, and out-heal your foes.

Wand

Perhaps the most widely used weapon in the game, Wand is the most supportive weapon in the game. Not only does it keep your allies alive but it gives you improved mana recovery, decreases your cooldowns and even buffs attack damage. It’s not the best for using as a main, but it’s a beast of a support! Making it one of the most viable weapons in the game.

Wand combos well with:

• Longbow – for range.
• Sword – for tanking.
• Staff – for damage.
• Daggers – for mobility.

Daggers

On paper, daggers look kind of weak. Their damage, range and defensive abilities are outmatched by others… But that’s not why someone would pick daggers. You pick them for the mobility. Providing you with plenty of skilful opportunities to get tactical advantages on your opponents, to give you openings for powerful critical and burst damage.

Daggers combo well with:

• Crossbow – for damage.
• Longbow – for range.
• Staff – for AoE.

Crossbow

Offering the strongest DPS in the game, the crossbow unleashes flurries of bolts on single targets, bursting them down. This makes it a great tool for PvP and boss fights. When paired with daggers, the Crossbow’s DPS potential is buffed even further.

Crossbow combos well with:

• Daggers – for mobility and criticals.
• Longbow – for range.
• Staff – for AoE.

Choosing Your Weapon

As any player can use any weapon in Throne and Liberty, staying updated with the latest throne and liberty news can provide insights into weapon adjustments and strategies. Exploring the Throne and Liberty weapon tier list can guide you in trying out all weapons and their respective combos. This will help you find your playstyle, and perhaps even discover an effective esoteric playstyle to catch other players off guard. So it’s time to log in and experiment.

World of Warcraft is a game that needs no introduction. Since the early 2000s, it’s been the most played MMORPG out there. And WoW Classic is a title which has given millions of players the chance to revisit where it all started—or experience World of Warcraft’s origins for the very first time.

Season of Discovery introduces a fresh perspective on WoW Classic, as highlighted by recent WoW SoD News. Recent WoW SoD news highlights how the update shakes up the classic WoW experience with new mechanics, appealing to both veteran players and newcomers alike.

Let’s take a look at exactly why you should be downloading WoW Classic right now, in order to jump into Season of Discovery.

A New Classic

First off, Season of Discovery takes place on a different server than other WoW Classic modes. Meaning that you can jump into it, or not, depending on your preference.

But SoD isn’t just another Classic server. It’s a reimagining of what World of Warcraft could have been, taking WoW Classic as a starting point.

To do this, SoD maintains the core Classic experience while introducing a number of revolutionary changes which totally shake up the traditional class dynamics, progression systems and much more.

Discovering Runes

The most exciting feature, often discussed in WoW SoD News, is the introduction of Runes. These Runes fundamentally change how classes play—and yes, I mean all classes. By discovering Runes through exploration and other activities, players can unlock new abilities and roles previously unavailable to their classes. 

In other words, you can gain access to the skills, abilities and roles of other classes. Just imagine Warlock tanks wielding two-handed weapons. Or Priests on the front line dishing out the DPS. Or rogues sneaking around to heal their squad.

While unlocking and experimenting with Runes is thrilling, it often requires resources for gear upgrades, consumables, and progression. Having enough WoW Classic Gold on hand ensures you’re always prepared to explore these exciting new possibilities and maximize the potential of your hybrid character.

It goes without saying that this new system lets your imagination run wild, crafting hybrid characters with vast skill sets which explode the confines of traditional WoW classes.

Phase-Based Progressive Content

Progression as a whole has also been overhauled for SoD. Instead of the usual max level, the game has launched with a cap at level 25, which will gradually increase through phases. While this may initially sound a little strange, it’s going to make for a very exciting few months as it will cause the community to all remain within set level brackets for longer, bringing together larger communities of players for both PvE and PvP content in zones of different level caps. 

Not only that, but it also suggests that Blizzard have plenty of other innovations up their sleeves as they keep raising the level cap throughout the Season of Discovery.

 Why You Should Return Now

With the excitement building around WoW SoD News, there’s no better time to return to WoW Classic. But if you still need convincing, here are 5 reasons you should boot up today:

Renewed Social Experience

The new progression system has reinvigorated the community and brought players together in zones that were traditionally empty in Classic. Meaning veteran players are being forced out of their comfort zone, into a whole new realm of enjoyment. Creating new communities in the process.

Class Innovation

The new Rune system is electric, revolutionizing how classes play—and not only for you, but for every player you meet. Meaning that, once again, your traditional knowledge of WoW Classic will be thrown into question when you spot any class rushing towards you. Opening up a whole playground for experimentation and fun.

Fresh Economy

With all players starting from scratch and limited by the phase-by-phase release schedule, the Season of Discovery creates a fair and balanced economy. Gold farmers and long-time accumulators have to begin anew, making early progress more meaningful. If you’re looking to get a head start, there are options available to help you stay competitive, especially if you’re just jumping in now!

Challenging Content

While level caps might sound like a gimmick at first, Blizzard have paired them with plenty of new challenges specifically crafted for each phase. The first, for example, includes difficult 10-player raids tuned for level 25. Offering up endgame-like content right from the get-go.

Modern Conveniences

SoD is classic, but it’s a new classic. Meaning that SoD includes a bunch of quality of life improvements that make the game more accessible than WoW as it was in the 2000s. From Group finding tools to improved quest tracking to other enhancements, it plays like a modern game—while harking back to the glory days of WoW/

 The Discovery Awaits

True to it’s name, Season of Discovery tasks you with exploring Azeroth to find Runes, new raids, new content and new communities. Reimagining what World of Warcraft could have been in a way which will appeal to both newcomers and veterans alike. So, what are you waiting for? If you’ve been longing for that long-lost feeling of booting up a bustling, exciting and uncharted MMO, now’s your chance.

Many genres have a game or franchise which become synonymous with them. For MMORPGs it’s World of Warcraft. For over two decades, WoW has lived in the public consciousness as the game where players log on to enjoy a rich, diverse fantasy world with millions of other players and countless things to do in WoW.

However, let’s be realistic. Released in 2004, WoW is a 20 year old game. There aren’t that many 20 year old games which are still played or enjoyed today. Thus, the question begs – when will the mighty WoW go offline? This article aims to break down this question.

The Current State of WoW

To understand when WoW might shut down, the best place to look is the current state of the game… Which is surprisingly, still pretty good. 

According to mmo-population.com, WoW is still the most played MMO on the market. Boasting an impressive total player count of 155.12 million, and a daily active player count above 300,000.

But this player base should come as no surprise. Blizzard have continued to release updates over the past two decades, keeping players engaged even when they find themselves in WoW waiting on another update. The most recent of which were released in 2022 (Dragonflight) and 2024 (The War Within). 

Perhaps more importantly, these updates are not only frequent, but they are consistently very meaningful. Adding new mechanics, items and content to the game while extending WoW’s complex and beloved narrative. Not to mention WoW spin-offs like WoW Classic, which allow players to relive the game’s origins and enjoy a nostalgic experience.

Part of this health can be chocked up to the fact that WoW still features subscription payments – bringing in huge sums of money which fund the development of expansion, real-world events and much more.

For players who want to explore Azeroth without starting from scratch, WoW accounts can be a practical option. These accounts often come with leveled characters and gear, letting you dive into the adventures and challenges the game has to offer.

Ultimately, if we were to line up all MMORPGs, the state of WoW would definitely rank in the top few, thanks to the endless things to do in WoW that keep players engaged. Especially considering its age, dated graphical style and old-school mechanics. 

A Gradual Decline 

While WoW still sits at the top of MMOs, its player base often reflects on past expansions while waiting on another update to bring new excitement. In the 2000s, WoW had over 12 million monthly subscribers. Which dropped throughout the 2010s, reaching somewhere between 4.5 million subscribers (reported by Statista) and 7.5 million subscribers (reported by IGN). While we don’t know the exact numbers, it’s clear that WoW has declined in overall popularity over the past 15 years.

And while new expansions and content updates will provide spikes in subscribers and general interest, it’s a no-brainer that a game which is over 20 years old will be in decline.

That said, 6 million users paying $13+ per month to access the game most certainly gives Blizzard plenty of reason to keep the game alive.

Factors Influencing WoW’s Future

The question of when WoW will go offline has been one which has plagued the game for over a decade – leaving plenty of room for speculation. Given the game’s long history and the fact that it is still Blizzard’s flagship title, it’s unlikely that WoW will shut down in the near future.

However, since Blizzard was merged with Activision – both of which were purchased by Microsoft – there are new questions about the power structure which could lead to the game being side-lined.

Other concerns come from the simple fact that the game and genre are both quite old, garnering less attention from gamers today in the bustling marketplace that is gaming. If new smash-hit titles or genres are developed, more players may migrate away from WoW causing Blizzard to downsize or throw in the towel.

Finally, there is the question of business model. While players still pay monthly for WoW, subscription models are not popular with gamers today. If Blizzard is unable to keep this method of monetization profitable, the game may close down pretty quickly.

The Inevitability of Server Shutdown 

World of Warcraft will go offline at some point. Just like there will be a day where Google and Microsoft are shuttered. There’s no doubt about that. But before we get too existential, it’s clear that time will not be any time soon. World of Warcraft remains one of the most beloved (and profitable) MMORPGs to date. Not only that, but it has left an indelible mark on the culture of gaming. Meaning that even if Blizzard were forced to downsize, WoW would likely go the way of Ultima Online or Everquest – even older MMOs who remain alive with a small but incredibly passionate player base.