Arena Tip #8 Ignore People

Talking in arena generally gets you in trouble...

1) Trash talking - this often leads to bad play if you let yourself get sucked into it. Someone will say a rude thing for which there is no come-back. While we all get angry now and again it's not worth saying anything because people's inevitable rude response usually will just make you more upset... *AND* if you end up swearing you may get reported and muted.

2) Talking gives away what school you are (the other side can click on your name in the text box and get your profile and see what your defenses are and what equip you have)

3) Don't debate the use of treasure cards with people. If treasure cards weren't allowed how would those Warlords ever heal or get the big hits. This is a false argument. Don't fall into thinking you can't use treasures even when you're a noob. If someone is calling you a cheater for using them just ignore them because they are flat wrong. By the time they realize it's wrong you'll be a Commander and they'll still be a Private. With that said... don't go chain-bolting people or chain stunning... those things will leave you friendless, disrespected, and people would have a real reason to complain about you.

4) Don't spam-talk during an arena battle. This is where you say the same thing over and over or fill up the screen with word balloons. Not only does this distract you from battle but annoys everyone including those watching and on your own team.

Arena Tip #7

When fighting balance wizard don't use your tower shields too early.

Balance wizards have an insanely nasty advantage in arena. Basically all a balance wizard needs to do is put weakness on you, shield up and do Judgement (which never fizzles) and you're dead. That's why there are so many balance wizards in the top spots in arena 1vs1 and 2vs2. To kill a higher level wiz, a balance wizard needs to have full pips and have a blade to ensure that you actually die. Sometimes they also require a feint or a plus or two.

I recommend in order of importance:
1) weakness to put on a balance wizard when they start putting blades on
OR a steal charm (storm spell) to take their blades away
2) tower shields (as many as you can carry including some in treasures)
3) having an absorb in treasures (these help but aren't fool proof)

When do I put on my tower shield?
Try to draw one as soon as you can. Once you have it in hand keep it for when the balance wizard has nearly full pips and a blade on.
Once you put one on you'll want to get another ready because very often a good balance wiz will try to fire elf you or something and then hit within two turns. Basically they can't allow you to have a tower shield on.

If you're a death wizard wait for them to hit first. If you are fully pipped and they are not cast a minion and wait. If both of you have full pips... your ideal hand should have a wraith, a heal and a tower shield. With those cards in hand wait for Judge and then retaliate with a strong wraith immedately after or with a heal depending on how badly hurt you are.

If you have weaknesses on you, use a minor strike to take them off or a low pip alternate school spell to take them off if you have blades on. Weakness spells stack up and cause your hits to be really... well, weak. So if you have blades on and a weakness you are just wasting your blades to use a school hit.

Balance generally will kill you with one spell so you might as well throw a doom and gloom early because balance usually keeps a side-board full of heals.

Let me know if you have any success with this.

Thanks,
Vale

Taking a Night Off

In over a year I haven't had a day completely free of playing Wiz. Tonight is my first intentional night off.

It's not easy. Wish me luck.

Vale

p.s. thanks to the amazing people that read my blog, my blog has been visited over 20,000 times! Time to celebrate! I'm putting together a treasure hunt with crown/pet card prizes. So watch in the next couple days and I'll post the contest criteria.

Test Realm Available

The new test realm is out! For those of you who have previously downloaded the test realm program you can just log into it and it will update itself. For those of you who haven't downloaded it you can log into (with your username and password) http://www.wizard101.com/ and click on the red ribbon at the top right side of the screen.

Some things that are available to test are:

A new crazy boss tower
A tower in Colossus Boulevard that has bugged-Malistaire like crazyness like multiple spell casts per turn, interrupts etc. This is a completely optional tower and is accessable to Level 50 players.

Mounts that you can ride on
Horses, Dragons, Brooms, etc. that you can buy or rent. (See the new crown shop icon on your screen to purchase)

Elixirs that you can purchase to help with battles
You can buy power-pip or health or accuracy enhancing elixirs among other things. These wear off after a while and while they are awesome they don't help you in PvP.

Buy a Minion or (Buy a Buddy)
For crowns you can purchase helpful minions to get you through tough instances.

Exchange Clothing Enchancements to Other Cloths you like
Visit the lady standing beside Zeke. She will create your new cloths with the qalities of your favorite gear but in the style and look that YOU choose. (Zeke no longer sells crown gear, he sold out to the big retail crown store) I was able to transfer my Zeke cloths stats over to a nice marleybone outfit. Now that is sweet! The only downside is that the original cloths you transfer the power from disappear. But your new styling outfit is all buffed out with your best clothing stats.

Reduced Crafting Requirements
Many crafting quests that required 5 items will now require 2. (maybe I'll actually get past the first crafting quest finally)

Many boss drop items changed or enhanced

Many clothing item properties have been changed

New equipping level requirements are set for some gear

For more detail check this link out
http://www.wizard101.com/game/community/patchnotes

Halloween Updates for Wizard101

Talk to the new Scarecrow in the commons and he will give you quests for Halloween.

One of the more interesting is a new instanced tower in Ravenwood.