Design Notes

July 11, 2025

Molten Mayhem Summer Collection

Unlock 35+ rare items in this Summer's newest collection

Summer just got a whole lot hotter. The Molten Mayhem Collection has just erupted, bringing you our fiercest summer rares yet. For a limited time, get 10,000 AdventureCoins worth of scorching-hot loot for only 5,000 ACs when you get this month's collection chest from Quibble TentacleBiter in Battleon. (Or buy individual items from his rares shop.) Get both Summer Collection Chests to unlock an exclusive combo character page badge! 

This month's featured gear collection might just cause your /party members to overheat when you blaze a trail across the battlefield!  

The Molten Mayhem Collection

Get the Molten Mayhem Collection Chest pet to instantly unlock two full sets and an exclusive character page badge.

Divine Sunstreaker set 
Click the armor to change its form for everyone in the room!

• Divine Sunstreaker armor
• Sunstreaker Hairs, Sunfeather Hairs, Sunhat helms
• Summer Firebird Wings, Winglets, and Alula capes
• Volcanic Island ground rune
• Phoenix Volcano ground rune 
• Molten Solara blades
• Firebird's Burning Promise
• Firebird's Claws
• Sunstreaker's Promise
• Sunstreaker's Oath

Inferno Soul Samurai set
Color-customizable to Base and Trim

• Inferno Soul Samurai
• Samurai Mask, Morph, and Scarf helms
• Ronin Mask, Morph, and Scarf helms
• Inferno Soul Sigil, Inferno Soul Sigil Scarf, and Combo capes
• Hinokami Katana Pet
• Inferno Soul Seal ground rune
• Hinokami Katana blades
• Hinokami Naginata

All of the gear included in the Molten Mayhelm collection and rares shop are available right now! No waiting, no guessing. Just grab the loot you want and get ready to battle!

Just want a couple of the items listed above? Apart from the exclusive pet, all of the gear contained inside the Molten Mayhem Collection are also available to buy individually in Quibble's Event shop.

Get Both Collections to unlock the Conflagration Combo badge

Find Quibble Coinbiter, his ala carte rare shop, and both the Deep Creatures AND Molten Mayhem Summer Collection Chests in Battleon through Tuesday, September 2nd. You'll unlock an exclusive character page badge when you get each collection.

Get both to unlock a third, unique character page badge, the Conflagration Combo badge! (You'll just need to /join Curio and complete the Conflagration Combo badge quest.)

July 11, 2025

StarFest 2025: Cosmic Collapse

The Stars are Watching and One Just Blinked

Amefuri, a sentient star with a radiant spark and a mischievous streak, has broken away from her constellation. Now her celestial siblings are scattered across Lore, and their absence is unraveling the balance of the seasons. With Kylokos’s divinations faltering and fate itself flickering, the hunt begins — not just to find the stars, but to understand why they fell.

Release Details

StarFest 2025: Cosmic Fracture
Astronomical Rewards: new item drops + merge shop update
Summer Collection II: Molten Mayhem sets
New Bonus Set: Find two new variants in the Celestial Centaur upgrade bonus pack

Weekend Daily Gifts & Boosts

• Server Boost: Get double XP, and Gold until Monday!
• Saturday: seasonal Sunflower Kimono set from Kitsune Himawari in /VictorMatsuri
• Sunday: rare Vengeful Victor's Claw from the Chimera in the /Coliseum

Stellar Rewards 

We've got a host of new 0 AC reward items for you this weekend to help you look like star while you battle to save the world... and beyond! Head to /AriasGreenhouse to begin the adventure, or talk to Kylokkos in /StarFest.

Merge Shop

• Crimson StarEdge Suhail (single/dual-wield)
• Crimson NovaBlade Persei (single/dual-wield)
• Astromancer's Apprentice armor
• Astro Apprentice Helm Gift I + II*
• Astral Apprentice Weapon Gift*
• Fireworks Qipao
• Elegant Festival Helm Gift I + II*
• Star Festival Weapon Gift I + II*
• Celestial Qipao armor
  

Level 75 epic animated weapons

• Spectral StarEdge Saiph (single/dual-wield)
• Spectral NovaBlade Alnitak (single/dual-wield)

Quest Rewards

• Fractured Pleiades: Quasar's Grasp mace
• Lambda Ori: Quasar's Grasps daggers
• Beta Arietis: Star Fest House Gift I*
• Delta Andromedae: Star Fest House Gift II*
• Fable Fall: Star Fest House Gift III + IV*
• Fixed Earth: Gold Star Lights + Prismatic Star Lights
• Epsilon Tau: Summer Star Festival Empress (seasonal, available until August 31st)

* Due to several unexpected real-life delays experienced by a few of our team members, plans for this week's rewards had to change on short notice. This is why we're releasing celestial variants of existing items, and why some are still in progress. 

Nova Empyrean Dragon Battle

Last year, for Empress Miko's celebration, 28 stars merged to form a Cosmic Dragon, and they descended to our world... to battle YOU! This stellar creature believes that by defeating the Eternal Dragon of Time, it will ascend to godhood, its place as a constellation permanently fixed in the cosmos. Return next week as we continue the adventure with another Empyrean boss battle!

Celestial Paladin & the Star Light of Destiny

Nothing shines quite as brightly as a Paladin on a mission... unless they've got plate armor made of starstuff! Battle the Cosmic Dragons in the /Novashrine or /AstralShrine maps to craft the pieces of the Celestial Paladin set. 

OUT OF THIS WORLD NEWS: the Star Light of Destiny axe is available in six of Artix Entertainment's games this month! Battle to unlock it in AQWorlds, AQ3D, AdventureQuest, DragonFable, EpicDuel and MechQuest.

Celestial Paladin Set
Armor deals 50% more damage to Undead when equipped

Requirements:

• ArchPaladin Armor
• Blinding Aura
• Star of the Empyrean x14
• Star Piece x50

Star Light of Destiny Axe
Weapon deals 75% more damage to both Undead and Dragonkin when equipped

Requirements:

• Ascended Light of Destiny
• Blackhole Light of Dread Space
• Void Light of Destiny
• Polished Blinding Light of Destiny
• Hollowborn Shadow of Fate
• Obsidian Light of Destiny
• Ultimate Blinding Light of Destiny
• Sanctified Light of Destiny
• Star of the Empyrean x28
• Star Piece x100
• Dragonblade of Nulgath OR Dark Dragon Slayer's Halberd

A stellar new bonus farming map is now available! Join /starfield to enter a pocket galaxy full of star-themed monsters. Yoshino built the map with enough room to let you shine on the battlefield by showing off your most explosive aggro skills. Cause enough star-death and you'll unlock the "Touch Mass" character page badge.*

Note: The Cosmic Dragon maps, bosses, and rewards are all permanently available.

Celebrate with all our returning Star Festival Events

Complete all of the Emissary's quests to make a wish of your own and change the night sky in /yokairiver! Along with our returning seasonal Star Festival events, the Frostval in July holiday is also back! If you're just joining us, you're in for a frosty treat in the middle of our summer heat!

For last year's celebration, we created an adventure featuring the Celestial Emissary, a living Daruma that traveled around our world to help the gods of Yokai Isle grant wishes. Help it and you'll be able to make a wish of your very own... that will change the shape of the very stars themselves!

Visit the Star Festival to:

• Decorate Akiba for the Star Festival
• Battle across Lore as you hunt for her wishes
• Unlock the Moon Bow Ninja reward armor set after completing the story
• Get the exclusive level 80 boss drop armor set
• Return to the event at any time with the hanging Star Festival Decoration house item

Shorinzan Merge Shop

Complete the Celestial Emissary's quests in /starfest to gather the merge shop resources for the Starry Samurai set + a selection of celestial weapons from AQW community artist, Mihuri!

• Starry Samurai armor
• Starry Samurai helm, capes, weapons
• Aurelian Sword, Dagger, Staff

Reward Drops

 Battle Ultra Uji No Hashihime in the Yokairiver map for a chance to get 4 new 0 AC house items.

• Wish for Love Constellation Wall item
• Wish for Peace Constellation Wall item
• Wish for Gold Constellation Wall item
• Wish for Happiness Constellation Wall item

Star Festival Character Page Background

If you are a member in AQWorlds, we've got some exclusive holiday event bonuses for you! 

• Star Festival Character page background: Unlock the holiday character page background in the first room in /Yokai River.
• Tanabata Fest Decoration Shortcut: Buy the house item from the Akiba House shop for 7,777 gold. When you click on this item, you'll be taken straight to a permanent version of Akiba, where you can continue to farm for the 0 AC Moon Bow Ninja armor set!

Stay up to date with new release plans and boosts on the Artix Calendar and see what the latest Bug Fixes and Balance Changes are in their patch notes.

July 04, 2025

Celestial Centaur: Shine Bright, Strike Hard.

Upgrade to unlock 20+ color-customizable items

Ascend into astral glory with our Celestial Centaur upgrade bonus: a color-customizable, cosmic celebration of might, magic, and myth! When you buy any AdventureCoin or Membership pack of $10 USD or more, you’ll unlock the full armory of armors, weapons, accessories, and more. 

This celestial champion blends the strength of a seasoned warrior with the grace of the stars above. Whether you’re storming dungeons or striding into battle under moonlight, these sets ensure your legend will shine across the sky. 

After you purchase an account upgrade, select a bonus set of your choice from a list of options in your Account Manager.

Pack Details

Choose the Celestial Centaur upgrade bonus to unlock 3 fully color customizable, animated armor sets: the StormBringer Warlock + Platinum Stormbringer Warlock

• 3 Armors: Celestial Centurion, Centaurion Sentinel, Interstellar Centaur (4-legged)
• 6 Helms
• 4 Capes
• 2 Daggers
• 2 Gauntlets
• 1 Axe
• 1 Swords
• 1 Polearm
• 1 Ground Item
• and a character page badge

Once you've chosen the Celestial Centaur pack on the Account Manager page, log in and find the set's shop in the Other Achievements tab in your Book of Lore.

12000 AC or 12 month membership package rewards:

• ALL the Celestial Centaur gear
• 7 Rep/XP/Gold/Class Points boosts
• 10 Wheel of Doom Tickets (worth 2,000 ACs!)
• and a character page badge

Boosts and Doom Tickets will be added directly to your inventory.

2k and 5k AC or 1, 3, or 6 month membership package rewards:

• ALL the Celestial Centaur gear
• 5 Rep/XP/Gold/Class Points boosts
• and a character page badge

Get 50% more ACs with any Membership or AC Pack

Need to recharge your AC stash before the next shipment of rare gear? Good news! Now's the time to strike, because our Holiday Bonus is ON! Get 50% more AdventureCoins with any AC or Member pack all Summer long!

Gear up and get ready, because all Summer long, we'll be adding new items for you! 

• Seasonal Summer Shop
• New magic, sea monster, and mountain explorer rares
• Wheel of Doom Merge & Treasure Chest updates
• 2025 Summer Collection Chest

Also happening this Summer:

• House Portals
• New main story updates 
• Father's Day of DOOM 
• Hollowborn Saga Ultra Boss
• Festival of Victors near the Celestial Dungeon

Get 60,000 ACs while our Summer Bonus is on!

During our Summer AC bonus, get 60,000 ACs for $99.95 (that's 20,000 ACs more than normal!) and unlock your choice of upgrade bonus pack, 15x Rep, Gold, Class Points, and XP server boosts, and the Mythic Item of Digital Awesomeness (IoDA). 

Wait...AdventureCoin Bonus?!

That's right! Several times each year, we have bonus AdventureCoin offers (example: Summer, Back to School, and during the holidays). Bonus amounts and dates may change from year to year, so keep an eye on the Design Notes and social media for more news of future bonuses.

Mythic Item of Digital Awesomeness?!

The Mythic Item of Digital Awesomeness (or MIoDA for short) is a miscellaneous item you will get by purchasing the 40k AdventureCoin pakage. Like the other IoDA items, it allows you to choose any item in the game when you redeem it through your Account Manager.

How to Claim your MIoDA Prize

Make sure you have a confirmed email address attached to your game account, and then follow these steps:

1. Decide on the item you want
2. Log into your Account Manager
3. Click on the "Awesome Prizes" link on the sidebar
4. You'll see a list of the IoDA tokens you have available
5. Choose from a list of ALL the eligible item rewards  
6. You'll be taken to a verification page to confirm your choice

Note: if you purchased ACs during the 24 hours before the bonus began (from 12:01 AM to 11:59 PM on May 29th), you were also given the bonus ACs. Those have already automatically been added to your account. 

July 03, 2025

The Battle Coliseum Expands

Bloodsport, Beast Battles, and Bountiful Rewards

Some monsters hide in dungeons. Others stalk the shadows. But the ones you'll face this weekend? They're front and center in the Battleon Coliseum, roaring for attention. Arena Master Keelia is unleashing three new beasts every month, and each is ready to test your strength, strategy, and showmanship. Are you ready to step into the ring and reap the rewards of victory? 

Introducing... Arena Master Keelia!* Once exiled from Aeris after a "minor" tournament incident (don’t ask), Keelia’s building something bigger and better in Battleon. But before we launch the next era of Arena Champions, she’s got beasts to break in… and challengers to toughen up. That means you. Show up, suit up, and step into the Coliseum!

Release Details

Read on for news about this weekend's new updates.

- Battleon Coliseum: Battle three new monsters in the /coliseum until July 31st
- Summer Events: Head to the /eventhub to find all our summer maps**
- Holiday: Friday is Independence Day in the US. Fireworks are back!
- July Seasonal Sets: Ancient + Underworld FlameMasters return
- New Bonus Sets: Upgrade to unlock the exclusive, color-customizable Celestial Centaur gear

Weekend Daily Gifts & Boosts

- Server Boost: Get double Rep, Class Points, XP, and Gold until Monday!
- Saturday: rare Shadow's Edge Polearm from the Nethershark in the /Coliseum
- Sunday: rare Void Claws gauntlet from the Void Dragon in the /Coliseum

* The /eventhub will now be on a full month duration and will automatically change over at the start of a new month instead of the first friday of a new month
** Heroes who've played DragonFable will recognize Battleon's newest Coliseum MC. 

Arena Victories = Glory & Gear!

Defeat each of this month’s three Coliseum monsters to complete Arena Master Keelia’s weekly quests. Earn Silver, Gold, and Platinum Victory Laurels to spend in the Victor’s Reward Shop... and maybe even loot a rare drop while you're at it! Members can complete a 2nd weekly quest for each monster to collect Victory Laurels even faster.

How to get Victory Laurels
Complete Keelia's quests to get Victory Laurels

• Slay the Nethershark to complete the Novice of the Coliseum quest for Silver Victory Laurels
• Slay the Void Dragon to complete the Warrior of the Coliseum quest for Gold Victory Laurels
• Slay the Chimera to complete the Champion of the Coliseum quest for Platinum Victory Laurels

New Monster Drops

Battle monsters in the Battleon Coliseum Arena map to collect new monster drops!

• Aquatic Chimera Tail, Wayward + Protean Chimera Guards (seasonal)
• Victor's Advocatus Staff + Victor's Blade Array (rare)
• Lion's Bloodrage (rare)
• The Crescent of Inferno Bow (rare)
• AntiMatter Orb Pet (rare)

Rare drops will be available through July 31st.

Spend Victory Laurels in the Merge Shop

Silver Victory Laurels are required to create:

• Angel of the Void Spines
• Arena Victor's Locks + Spikes helms
• Abandoned Undead Armor + Skull
• Acidic Raylock
• Sheathed Ivory Thorn
• Floating Sapphire Orbs

Gold Victory Laurels are required to create:

• Manifestation of the Void polearm
• Deep Void Marauder armor
• Deep Void Berserker armor
• Deep Void Marauder, Berserker, and Fugitive Morphs
• Deep Void Marauder Tail
• Mutative Void Orb Pet
• Mutative Deep Void
• Rippling Void Katana (single + dual-wield)
• Sheathed Ivory Blade
• Crux of Nyx (single + dual-wield)
• Crux of Violet (single + dual-wield)
• Sharp Crew Cut + Locks helms + morph helms

Platinum Victory Laurels are required to create:

• Phantasm Tail
• Black Moon Dagger (single + dual-wield)
• Forked Scorpion's Stinger
• Ominous BloodStaff & Arrogant BloodStaff

Seasonal Summer Events

This summer's heating up! Get your battle on... at the beach as all our seasonal Summer hubtown and rewards return in the /summerbreak map. Talk to Beleen to find all our summer shops, surf gear, and adventure zones around Lore. See the full seasonal Event Guide here.

Find all the returning seasonal items you guys love to battle through the beach in, and keep checking back as we continue to add more new gear all summer long! 

Stay up to date with new release plans and boosts on the Artix Calendar and see what the latest Bug Fixes and Balance Changes are in their patch notes.

July 02, 2025

Guild Spotlight: Actium

Part of the Ship. Part of the Crew. Part of the Legend.

In the vast sea of AdventureQuest guilds, where friendships are forged and memories are made, there sails a mighty guild that needs no introduction… but deserves one anyway: Actium! Founded in 2023 and led by Craiser alongside a fleet of incredible officers, this guild of 400 strong blends the battle-tested wisdom of endgame players with the warm welcoming embrace of an open harbor.

Guild at a Glance

👑 Guild Name: Actium
🗓️ Founded: January 2023
🏴‍☠️ Guild Leader: Craiser
⚔️ Officers: CTGPulSe, radiantly, Jou, Senjumaru, and Ellessa
⚓️ Guild Size: 400 members

Name Origin

The name “Actium” isn’t just cool — it's historic! The Battle of Actium was the final showdown between Octavian and Mark Antony (and Cleopatra, ofc), marking a turning point in Roman history. Likewise, the Actium Guild is a modern-day clash of titans: PvP strategists, ultra-boss battlers, fashion friends, and set-building artists from across the world. Actium is here to conquer, connect, and create!

More Than a Guild — a Global Family

What started as a small, like-minded group has grown into one of AQWorlds’ most vibrant and supportive communities. As guildmember Pomme puts it:

“Actium has made AQW fun again since my return to the game. GOAT guild.” 

But what makes Actium so great?

“We really like to laugh, share experiences, talk about life and give each other advice for both life and play,” Perry explains on Discord, who may or may not be the guild leader, but they’re definitely the guild's spokesperson, and they definitely mean what they say!

“At least once a week we organize a competition or an event for the guild—set competitions, PvP, hangouts, and more,” continues Perry. “Sometimes they also include prizes!”

Actium even has a Discord server where players chat about everything from life to lore to limited-time rares. New and returning heroes are ~always~ welcome here, and those in need of help with ultras or farming challenges won’t have to wait long before someone comes to their aid.

“Many of our guild members are end-game players with a lot of experience and a good spirit to help,” Perry notes. “We also teach those who’ve returned to the game after a long time.” 

But it’s not all battle and bravado… it’s about bonding, too! 

“The guild consists of people who have been with us since the very beginning,” Perry states. “Over time more and more members joined and we grew to be a big family.” 

And a big family they certainly are! 

Fashion, Farming, & Family Vibes

Actium is a fantasy-forged family of seasoned veterans and creative souls. Many are endgame players, some are set-building superstars, and others are happy to hype each other up. Here’s what the Actium crew has to say: 

“Never felt so at home with a guild.” – Ali
“Actium is a super fun family of people. Always got something going on.” – Jou
“The kindest, most supportive guildmates on the planet.” – Young Lu
“ACTIUM ON TOP." – Q8Ducky
“Really glad to be part of the guild. Everyone is super nice and helpful. We a family fr.” – CTGPulSe
“Generally an amazing place with alot of helpful endgame players who ease the passage to the harder contents of the game!” – Altair
“Best guild I've ever been in so far. 100% recommend.” – Kuronosuke
“W guild, W name, W community, W afk.” – mannyy
“Always a joy to be around everyone when I find the time. Makes me glad I'm still around for the game.” – Ray 

Final Words From the Helm

“The value of friendship in the guild is above all,” Perry reminds us — solid advice in-game and IRL too. “We’re good people, we like to laugh together and be with each other. The guild combines people from all over the world, connects them, and together we create Actium.” 

There’s so many reasons why so many players proudly fly the Actium flag. This guild has carved out its own corner in Lore — one filled with laughter, loyalty, and an unshakable love for the game ~and~ each other.

So if you're looking for fashion-forward friends, fearless fighters, and a community that turns AFKs into LOLs, Actium may just be your forever crew.

Join Actium today, and you’ll find more than a guild… you’ll find a home.

Battle on!
Beleen, the Actium crew, and the AQW team

PS: Wanna see more screenies from Actium? Check out their guild’s YouTube Video

July 01, 2025

Player Housing Spotlight: Dragonas95’s Undead Castle on a Giant Corpse

Welcome to Your New Favorite Death Fortress

Some players build cozy cottages. Others design elegant elven retreats. But Dragonas95? They said hecc nah and went full necromancer instead. “So how should I explain my obsession with this house???” Dragonas95 laughs — maniacally ofc. “Well I mean first off, it’s a castle on a dead dragon corpse that moves around with necromance magic. IDK what more you need than that XD.”

But we need more! And Dragonas95 delivers. 

Originally eyeing in the whimsical Cotton Candy Cottage (a solid choice, no doubt), Dragonas realized it just couldn’t contain the full scope of their shadow-saturated vision. But when they laid eyes on the ShadowScythe Castle, it was love at first sight… and love at first Shadowscythe.

The Grand Tour of Doom… with Lattes?

Dragonas’s castle has a deadly, dramatic, and dangerously caffeinated vibe. Each room is packed with personality, power, and probably a few cursed relics.

🪑 The Throne Room of Influencers 

“A throne room with the most influential people (still working on that 😦)”

Complete with an iron throne, iconic celebrities, rare dragon eggs, and skeleton guards. Game of Bones, anyone?

🥁 The Rock Venue / Ritual Chamber  

“Ancient rituals held in my basement and most importantly, a ROCK BAND 😄.”

Yes, you read that right. Most castles have creepy basements. But Dragonas has a battle-of-the-bands arena in theirs. You should expect power chords and critical hits!

🔑 The Vault of Vaults

OMG there’s so much gold! Stacks of treasures so tall they make Greenguard's economy nervous. Don’t mind the police cruiser… it’s probably fine.

💥 Castle Arena

It’s a fight to the undeath! This battleground pits the fiercest combatants in Lore against each other. Definitely need a refreshing coffee after your latest victory.  

☕ SCARBUCKS

Welcome to Lore’s most exclusive coffee shop! Try the Bone Brew, the Graveyard Grind, or a classic Skele-latte. Bring your own reusable coffee cup — because littering is for monsters!

🎮 The Gamer Den

A cozy room with plushies, toys, a gaming rig, and maybe a cursed manga collection. This is where all the dark plotting and light reading happens.

🔥 Chill in the Heat

Next to the Gamer Den is a lava-lit lounge, complete with a cauldron of fresh-brewed Moglinberry juice! Folks from all over Lore flock here if a cup of coffee is not their cup of tea.

🎄 The DoomKnight Before Christmas

It’s Christmas in July! Dragonas has dedicated the final room to the final month of the year, when Frostval festivities are in full swing. Sing carols with the Christmas crew, eye presents under the tree, and snap some selfies with some elves! Elfie Selfies, anyone?

Progress Towards Progress

Just like IRL, a house is always a work in progress, and Dragonas95’s home is no exception. Dragonas has pushed the limits of AQW player housing customization with incredible creativity and charm, and is excited to add more interactive objects in the future.

“I hope you enjoy this little achievement in my life :D.”

Life achievement unlocked, Dragonas, and Featured Housing Spotlight achieved!

With no locked doors, no moats (yet), and no shortage of ghoulish glamour, Dragonas95’s house is open to the public and absolutely worth the visit. Whether you're here to duel, admire the decor, or sip your SCARBUCKS in peace (or, um, pieces?), there’s something here for every aspiring villain, hero, or coffee connoisseur like yours truly.

Search for Dragonas95 in-game and tour their dead dragon corpse castle today!

Battle on,
Beleen, Dragonas95, and the AQW team