Design Notes

February 14, 2025

New Heroes Heart Day Rares

💖 Available until March 14, 2025 💖

We've got a full inventory's worth of new gear to help you get your love-game on! Find all-new 2025 Heroes Heart Day rares items in the Featured Gear Shop in your game menu starting tonight. 

We'll be releasing new holiday event rares in your Featured Gear Shop all month long.

This week's shop update contains lovely new rares:

• Renaissance Courtier armor
• Renaissance Courtier Hair + Locks
• Renaissance Courtier Morph + Visage
• Renaissance Courtier Mask + Masked Locks
• Renaissance Courtier Crown + Diadem
• Renaissance Courtier Helm + Visor
• Moglin Cherubs cape
• Wings of Arcadia cape
• Scarlet Oath cape
• Moglin Cherub pet
• Sonnet of Elegance (single + dual-wield)
• Lance of Divine Heart polearm
• Bow of Divine Heart
• Bow and Arrow of Divine Heart
• Reaver of Agony blade (single + dual-wield)
• Deliverance of Agony blade (single + dual-wield)
• Bloodblades of Agony

Plus, "click to change" versions of last weekend's Yokai New Year daily gift helms! 

• Blood Oni Outlaw Mask
• Blood Oni Fugitive Mask
• Blood Oni Brigand Mask
• Blood Oni Exile Mask

February 14, 2025

Celebrate Valentine’s Day

New Heroes Heart Day Event Now Available

It's the most cute and cuddly and absolutely 💖LOVE-ly💖 time of year, heroes! We've got some sweet Valentine treats for you all in AQW, so get ready for an AQWorld filled with love, monsters, quests, adventures, and a whole lot of amazing items!

New Game Release

Holiday Event: new Heroes Heart Day event in /TunnelOfLove
New Rewards: Silphium Alchemist & Arcane Rouge sets 
Honorable Hero 2024: the 500 free ACs + character page badge are now available 
Featured Gear Shop: find the rare Renaissance Courtier armor set + more

Weekend Daily Gifts & Boosts

Server Boost: Get double Reputation until Monday!
Saturday: rare Rogue Heart Sprite pet + house guard from the event boss in /tunneloflove
Sunday: seasonal Overflowing Heart ground rune + rare Arcane Rogue house guest from the event boss in /tunneloflove

Heroes Heart Day 2025: Who's Your Big Daddy?!

All's fair in love & turf wars! O_O A super-cute con artist is peddling a cure-all for any couple's woe-mance. Take a ride down this trickster's Tunnel of Love to expose their grift in a holiday event you won't forget. Literally.

Heroes Heart Day is the sweetest time of year for cute couples... and the perfect time for heroes adventuring solo to engage in a bit of snark. Here's a version of this cutscene frame for you have some caption-editing fun! Right-click on the image and choose "save as" to download the image. Bonus points for "only emoji" edits.

Sweet New Event Rewards

Getting the sweet new Valentine’s Day gear will be as easy as falling in love! Finish the story event in the new /tunneloflove map, then talk to Big Daddy to find the merge shop full of holiday gear.

Tunnel of Love Merge Shop

• Silphium Alchemist armor
• Crystalized Heart cape
• Silphium Rapier (single + dual-wield)
• Silphium Rapier and Potion daggers
• Arcane Rouge armor
• Arcane Rouge Morph + Visage
• Arcane Rouge Hood + Cowl
• Heart of Hearts cape
• Lovely Moonlighter sword (single + dual-wield)

Tunnel of Love Drops

• Silphium Alchemist Hair + Locks
• Silphium Love Potions (single + dual-wield)
• Diamond Moonlight cape\

Wait. What is Heroes Heart Day?

Heroes Heart Day is an event that originated in DragonFable but is celebrated in many Artix games, including AQW. Heroes Heart Day (HHD) takes place around Valentine's Day each year where players get to participate in love-themed quests, equip special items, and explore heart-filled events. HHD is a time for players to show love and affection to their in-game friends, romantic partners, and to themselves as well! 

Now Available: 2024 Honorable Hero Badge

The Honorable Hero Award is a special character page badge recongizing heroes who did not get muted or banned during the previous year. It serves as an incentive for everyone to help us keep AdventureQuest Worlds a positive, fun, and family-friendly game! 

What's an honorable hero, you ask? Good question! They are what true in-game heroes and role models are, and we want to reward them for a year's worth of good behavior... with 500 FREE AdventureCoins and a character page badge! 

We just gave out the 2024 Honorable Hero reward to all accounts meeting the following requirements:

• Logged in between January 1st, 2024 and December 31st, 2024
• Did not receive a 24 hour or longer in-game mute or ban in 2024
• Level 11 or higher as of January 24, 2025
• Account created before January 1st, 2025 + not currently disabled

To our 2024 Honorable Heroes: among all of the adventures, battles, and challenges online and in real life, you kept your cool in-game, followed the rules without fail, and emerged from the fires still standing strong. You've already been awarded your 500 AdventureCoins. Your character page badge is available now!

Event Reminders

Don't miss out on your favorite limited time events, stories, and gear!

• Friday, February 21st: Nulgath's Winter Void Birthday Shop and Collection leave
• Friday, February 28th: Garek's February seasonal set leaves
• March 7th: February holiday events leave

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.

February 12, 2025

AQW Guild Spotlight: Icy

Chill Vibes Only!

In the ever-expanding world of AdventureQuest Worlds, finding a guild that truly feels like home is no easy feat. But that’s where Icy comes in! Founded on April 17, 2024 by Kamrank, this guild isn’t just about levels and achievements… it’s about building a communitywhere kindness, camaraderie, and fun reign supreme. With a whopping 300+ members and an open-door policy that values positivity over strict requirements, Icy is a cool place where everyone belongs!

Journey from Lone Wanderer to Guild Leader

Kamrank’s journey in AQW began all the way back in October 2008 when the game first launched (wow, Kamrank's played longer than I've been working at Artix Entertainment!). Over the years, Kamrank searched tirelessly for a guild that truly resonated with them. After bouncing between different communities, the realization finally hit: 

if the perfect guild didn’t exist, why not create it?

And so, during a casual farming session in /deltavlab, a group of friends who had just completed their Slayer armor sets decided to forge something greater together. That moment marked the birth of Icy – a guild built not on strict rules and rigid structures, but on friendship, shared passion, and the simple joy of playing AQW together.

What Makes Icy So Special?

❄️ A Truly Global & Wholesome Community

Icy as a Guild is just the tip of the iceberg – it’s a family that spans across continents! Whether you're battling bosses in AQW or just hanging out in Discord, you’ll always find a friendly face ready to chat, help, or simply share some lol’s with. Fun fact: Icy has members in every continent… including Antarctica! Probably because penguins know where the real club is at ;)

🎁 Generous Giveaways & Rewards

Every month, Icy hosts an exciting $100 giveaway, ensuring that members always have something to look forward to. Non-members aren’t left out, either! The guild frequently surprises players with free memberships, Discord Nitro, and even commissioned art by some of AQW’s most talented artists. That’s way cool!

🛡️ 24/7 Support from Fellow Heroes

The guild thrives on helping each other succeed. Need backup against ultra bosses? Guidance on the latest quests? Just looking for someone to chat with? Icy’s got your back — day or night, hot or cold. No one fights alone!

📜 A Resourceful & Active Discord

Beyond the game, Icy’s Discord server is a treasure trove of information, strategies, and vibrant conversations. From in-depth ultra boss guides to detailed explanations on how to make the most of your AQW membership, there’s something for everyone. Plus, the lively community chat ensures that there’s never a dull moment.

I mean... just check out the chat dripping with ice lol!

❤️ Giving Back to the World

Gaming is fun, but Icy believes in making a real-world impact too. The guild regularly organizes charity events, using its strong community to support important causes and give back. It’s proof that kindness and generosity extend beyond the game <3

Join the Icy Family

If you’re looking for a guild where you can be yourself, make lifelong friends, and enjoy AQW without pressure, then Icy is the place for you. There are no strict requirements — just an open invitation to be part of something special.

So why not take a break from the heat of battle and join Icy? After all, some of the warmest friendships are found in the coolest places 😎

Battle on!
Beleen, Kamrank, the Icy guildmates, and the AQW team

PS: Want a chance for your guild to be featured on the DNs? Click here to learn how to enter your guild!

February 11, 2025

AQW Housing Spotlight: Shadowfall Fortress by Garkoks Dran

A Home Fit for an Undead Overlord... with a Hoarding Problem

For 14 years, Garkoks Dran has been perfecting the ultimate lair – one that blends the eerie majesty of Shadowfall with the undeniable reality of a hero’s hoarding tendencies. This ever-evolving stronghold on the Artix Server has been built, rebuilt, and rebuilt again, proving that persistence… and maybe a touch of necromantic magic… truly pays off.

A Gift from Gravelyn… With Unexpected Consequences

The premise of Shadowfall Fortress is simple: after years of unwavering service to the forces of darkness, Gravelyn extended an invitation for Garkoks Dran to take up residence within Shadowfall. Oh wow, what an honor! However, no one—not even the Empress of the Shadowscythe herself—could have predicted just how much stuff one hero could amass.

Treasures? Check. Legendary artifacts? Check. Trophies from conquests across Lore? Check. An army of pets, ancient forbidden technologies, and enough furniture to clutter every possible space? Check, check, and check!

And yet, despite the fortress’s impressive gothic grandeur, there is one glaring oversight…

…

a single shower.

Just one shower?! For an entire undead stronghold!?! Oh the horrors – and the stench! 😱

The Trials of an Unyielding Architect

Building and maintaining a lair of this magnitude is no easy feat. Over the years, Garkoks Dran has painstakingly placed down hundreds of items, only to have to replace them again due to glitches, bugs, and the occasional unexpected house guest who just wouldn’t leave. Friends Only Plague, anyone?

Some of the rarest pieces have been collected using IODAs, with one elusive prize still missing: the Chairman Platinum statue. Even with a fortress this massive, house space is always an issue, as every new addition pushes the limits of what Shadowfall can hold.

And let’s not forget the mysterious floor-eating glitch in the Garden2 room, where items sometimes seem to vanish into the abyss. Here’s hoping that issue gets fixed before another precious relic disappears forever! 😳

Visit the Fortress… If You Dare

Garkoks Dran’s Shadowfall Fortress is a must-see for any player housing enthusiast or aspiring dark overlord. Whether you come for the eerie ambiance, the jaw-dropping decor, the floor-eating mysteries, the insane amount of gold,

or just to witness the sheer magnitude of loot-hoarding in action, this legendary lair is a testament to dedication, creativity, and an undying love for undead aesthetics.

So the next time you find yourself wandering the Artix Server, take a trip to Shadowfall Fortress… but be warned: there’s only one bathroom, and the line might be centuries long.*

Battle on!
Beleen, Garkoks Dran, and the AQW team

* Ladies! We certainly know all about those century-long lines waiting for the Women’s Restroom, don’t we 🤭

February 09, 2025

Halftime Show is ON!

Half-time is /Punt time: Chieftains vs Harpies!

Join us this Sunday at during the half-time show to /punt Twilly, battle the Undead Defender, get new gear, and /cheer for your favorite team as the Bloodtusk Chieftains face off against the Darkovian Harpies once more, revisiting their 2023 faceoff (it's like 2024 never happened)!

When the Bloodtusk Chieftains* face-off against the Darkovian Harpies, all of Lore goes CRAZY! So, football fans, kick your puntin' foot into high gear tonight, because the /punt map is NOW OPEN! 

When: During the LoreBowl half-time show 
Who: Chieftains, Harpies, the AQW Team & YOU!
Where: Right here... in-game!
What: /Cheer for your favorite team!

Score a field goal AND a rockin' character page badge by punting Twilly across the field and into the end zone!

LoreBowl LIX Gear

The half-time shop sports a stock full of returning fan favorites: Chieftains gear, Harpies gear, and faction outfits! So grab your pompoms and /cheer for your favorite team! Plus, battle the Undead Defender monster to collect all the Lorebowl House Pennants.

LoreBowl Shop Update

In the past, the different team armors for LoreBowl always returned when their respective teams played in the real-world event. But some teams haven't gotten a chance to play in over a decade... and that means the in-game homage items also haven't returned. That's why we decided to make all of the LoreBowl items available every year from the Shop in /punt. 

The items weren't ever intended to be rare; that's why they had the "Event Rare" tag: they were exclusive to the LoreBowl event, but weren't permanently rare. That can be a confusing distinction when some items haven't been available in 10+ years... or when some players redeemed an Item of Donated Awesomeness to get gear they assumed would never return.

To help prevent further confusion, here's what we're doing:

• All items in the LoreBowl Shop now have the Seasonal rarity tag instead of the Event Rare tag.
• If you redeemed an IoDA for one of the LoreBowl items, later today we'll be giving your IoDA back.

This way, everyone can grab their favorite team gear and /cheer for their favorite teams all year 'round... and no one feels like they've wasted an IoDA. Win-Win all the way around. /cheer

The map + gear shop will be available until Friday, February 28th.

February 08, 2025

Yokai New Year - Behind the Scenes

Year of the Snake - Inspirations

Cylisse here with another behind the scenes look at our latest release! This is Empress Ai No Miko's Zodiac year, featuring the Pearl Snake, Lady Suzhen.

This release was heavily inspired by the Legend of the White Snake. Though previous lore related design notes have been pretty heavy, think of this one as a chill break. Click the link to the post here to check it out!