Design Notes

October 31, 2016

8th Upholder ends tomorrow

Last chance to become an 8th Upholder!

 The clock is ticking if you want to unlock the exclusive 8th Upholder 2016 Star Swords, bragging rights, member perks, and more!

What does an 8th Upholder get?

As an 8th Upholder, you'll receive:

• Exclusive Upholder Class: Sentinel Class!*

• Rare: Cursed Star Sword 

• Rare: Solar Star Sword

• Classic versions of both Star Swords

• 8th Upholder Character Page Badge

• Infinite bragging rights

• Access to the exclusive Star Sword: Origins zone

Once you become an 8th Upholder, you can easily access these Items in your Book of Lore by clicking your 8th Upholder Badge icon in the Badges tab.

Wait... What IS an Upholder?

Eight years ago, AdventureQuest Worlds went live and players jumped at the chance to become the first Members of AQW. These lucky, early supporters of the game became the game's Founders. Now, we are celebrating AQW's 8th birthday and offering YOU the chance to join the AQW Founders by becoming a 8th Upholder!

The first eight years have been crazy, insane, and awesome, but you have not seen anything yet. The Throne of Darkness Saga is about to end and we are about to return to a new, darker, and more chaotic (and arachic) Queen of Monsters Saga. If you played through the recent Celestial Realm and Paladin vs Undead stories, you've seen hints of what creatures may come... and they aren't pretty.

The server rewrite testing continues as all you heroes continue to help us refine and improve the new system before it goes live! 

How do I become an 8th Upholder?

All that we ask is that you help support AQW the game undergoes its exciting rebirth!

• When you Upgrade your AQW Membership starting this Friday at 6 PM and ANYTIME in the month of October, you will automatically become a legendary 8th Upholder.

• If you are ALREADY an upgraded Legend, and your Membership expires AFTER November 1st, 2016, then you are already an 8th Upholder. Congratulations!

• Check to see when your AQW Membership expires by logging in here.

Please note that only Upgraded Legend Memberships count toward 8th Upholder.

Want to know if you're already an Upholder?

That's easy! Just click the Manage Account link on the left under the ACCOUNT section. As soon as you sign in you'll see when your membership expires. Here's mine:

Only Memberships Count?

Yes. You can use Artix Points on the Portal site or any method in AQW to upgrade, but it MUST be an AQW Membership. AdventureCoins DO NOT COUNT TOWARD 8th Upholder.

Your Support Makes AQWorlds Possible!

Thank you so much for helping us make AQWorlds! Without you, we couldn't make this game, or allow everyone the opportunity to enjoy it for free. We couldn't keep AQWorlds running without every single upgrade and AC that you buy. Nearly every penny you spend goes back into the game.

Though some people prefer buying AdventureCoins and others prefer upgrading, anyone who spends real money on this game deserves to get as much as we can give them, because without their support... there wouldn't BE an AQWorlds for everyone to play!

You may not know this but AQW (like all AE games) is ENTIRELY supported by the players. We have no financial backers and nobody owns stock in the company. Clicking on ads and doing AExtras offers does bring in some money, but not nearly enough to keep AQWorlds free for everyone to enjoy.

That's why we continue to reward the AQWorlds' Founders, who supported us in the very beginning. To make sure they know how much we appreciate that, we are continuing to give them free gear each year!

Thank you for battling alongside us, and for sharing your ideas and love of AQWorlds with us. You truly are the best gaming community on the internet, and I am genuinely grateful for all of you. /bow Thank you for the first 6 years of AQWorlds, and here's to another 5 years, 10 years, and beyond!

October 29, 2016

Mogloween Social Media Costume Contest

October 31st: Mogloween Costume Contest 

Starting at 2 PM on Monday, October 31st (that's Halloween here in the States) and until 11:59 PM tweet to me @Alina_AE or post here on Facebook or post here on Google+ your best, craziest, scariest, most AWESOME Mogloween outfits in the "Cliff of Selfies" in /battleontown!  

I will randomly award random prizes to the ones that make me and the rest of the team laugh (or go O_O and @_@) the most! 

This is where costume contest screenshots should be taken.

October 28, 2016

Creepy, Cool, and Wicked Rewards

Creepin' it real this year with holiday event gear!

We've got a ton of creepy, cool, wicked, and killer new equips heading your way this weekend! Some of them, like the gear in the Halloween Event Rares Shop, will only be availalbe for AdventureCoins or membership, and they will go rare on November 11th. But we've got over 13 items coming that will ONLY be available by battling through this weekend's adventure in J6's House of Horrors!

Rare Halloween rewards available until November 11th!

Limited time bank pet available for 2000 AdventureCoins until November 4th in the Event Rares Shop!

J6's FEARful reward gear!

It wouldn't be a holiday event without NEW rewards! These items will drop from the monsters in the /feartown and /fearhouse maps... but you'll have to FIGHT for them! Now, these are not ALL the rewards coming this Friday to the event, but if we showed the rest, it would spoil the story for you.

October 28, 2016

Celebrate Halloween this Weekend

Battle through J6's House of Horrors in our Halloween 2016 event!

Fight your fears this weekend as you battle your way through a haunted mansion designed to scare even the fiercest DragonSlayer. You have one goal: survive the terrors that lurk inside... J6’s House of Horrors!

J6 has ONE MAIN GOAL this weekend: to bring the FRIGHT back in Lore's most popular fright night! That's why he's created the most terrifyingly realistic haunted house Lore has EVER seen! If you want to survive, you'll need to strap on your strongest greaves, grease up your gauntlets, and bring DOUBLE courage potions!

BEWARE... for all is not right in J6's House of Horrors. And JUST when you think YOU have escaped it without being scared... BEWARE. (No, seriously, hold on to your buckets because O_O*)

You are cordially invited...

J6 wouldn't DREAM of creating a nightmarish adventure and NOT including you! In fact, he's going to need YOUR help to make it happen! But beware, once you're inside, all bets are off, and the monsters may think YOU look just as tasty as the other participants!

October 27, 2016

AQ3D's First Mogloween

Battle through Mogloween in AdventureQuest 3D Now!

Darkness has fallen upon town of Battleon at www.AQ3D.com. The glowing jack-o-lanterns illuminate the way to a newly opened haunted house! Enter... if you dare. Watch Artix's Mogloween Trailer on Youtube, then join us in our first-ever 3D haunted seasonal event!

I hope you check out our first Mogloween in AQ3D. The success of AQ3D is very important to AQWorlds. If it does well, we will have a so many more resources to invest back into AQWorlds... building even more of the features and stories you want to see!

October 26, 2016

2016 Pumpkin Contest Winners

Contest Winner (Pumpkin) Patch Notes!

They came. They carved. They squashed the competition. What a talented bunch of pumpkin-slaying Heroes we have! Here’s a great big THANK YOU to everyone who participated to this year’s Pumpkin Carving Contest.

Now, let us gaze upon the gourds of our winners!

Grand Prize Winner: ArchQueen

HOLY Gourditas, this 3D carving is a masterpiece of edible insanity! Amazing job! 

2nd Place: Dweldoron

For upholding the honor of Artix Entertainment's favorite mythical creature, you've unlocked 2nd place and the "Dragon Gourdian" award!  AND because you were one of the judges' most favorite entries, you get some extra Artix Points!

3rd Place: Sinso

Nulgath the ArchFiend would be proud of you! Not only does he love the color orange, but he LOVES smashing pumpkins! For paying homage to the ArchFiend while you squash the competition, you've unlocked 3rd place and the "What's Gourd for the Nation" award!

Above and Beyond Award

AKA "Don't try this at home, heroes!" No, seriously. Don't play with fire unless you take all the proper precautions and safety measures. That said, Robero the Hero created an AMAZING sight!

Twilly's Choice Award

Twillies LOVES pumpkins! Not smashing them, but using them to HEAL heroes! And that's why we are awarding Roland1234567 the "Twilly's Choice Award" for creating a pumpkin entry featuring the healthiest, helpiest, NPC on Lore!

Winner's Circle

EVERYONE who submitted an eligible entry did an amazing job - we could see the effort and creativity oozing from your entries (much like the guts from a carved pumpkin). All of the entrants shown here are part of the winners' circle and will receive their Artix Points (or, if we cannot find a Master Account, we will award AdventureCoins).

AoT-Stphn: "(Pumpkin) Patch Adams Dedication" award for battling sickness to create his entry.

Bummy22: "PumpkinScythe General" award for getting the entire ShadowScythe army PUMPED for Thanksgiving!

Dupstep: "Pulp Fiction" award for creating a terrifying narrative... without saying a word!

Greendragonknight: "A cut above the rest" award, because even though "an apple a day keeps the doctor away" it ALSO gets you highlighted in our contest!

High Adept Caustus: 

MermaidGoddess: "Legion Foe Squasher" award for showing true deadication to Dage's Legion with your entry.

Nokajr: "Great Pumpking Slayer" award for creativity in depicting one of the legendary battles against the deadliest gourd on lore!

Pluk: "Gourd Graphic Design" award for creating an entirely graphical entry... without using ANY pumpkins! (The Great Pumpking, protector of the patch thanks you!)

Rare: "Thinking Outside the Pumpkin Patch" - for creating an entry so wickedly life-like that you (almost) stumped the judges with your 'shop!

Supreme King: "Great Pumpking's General" award - it's in your name, and your entry proves your suitability to serve!

Vfhyvdyjntfbynjung: "The most 3Delicious entry" - your entry added a whole new dimension to the contest. Well done!

WenixHD: "Mixed Media award" - why limit yourself to JUST pumpkins or JUST carving or JUST markers? You combined all three, and for that, we salute you!

BUT WAIT! These aren't all carved pumpkins... What gives?

WE GIVE! But you ask a fair question. It's one our judges went over several times while discussing entries. You know here at Artix Entertainment, we love to award creativity and effort wherever and whenever we can... but especially with contests! That's why we always reserve the right to award people who go above and beyond or think outside the box.

This year's pumpkin contest rules said we wanted to feature carved pumpkins and gourds, but also encouraged people to submit the most creative pumpkin-related entries they could think of. Maybe we should change the contest name next year... how about "Cornucopia of Creativity Contest"? 

CONGRATULATIONS, WINNERS! Awards will be on your account later this week. /cheer!

October 26, 2016

Infernal Invasion Story: The Message

On the Outskirts of Darkovia...

... A pack of lycans scouts skirted around the border of the Lycan Kingdom and Doomwood. The forest was quiet, but something was unsteady. The Alpha of the scout pack lead the patrol  with the Beta close behind. Word of a demonic invasion spread throughout Lore after the assault of Lightguard. Until recently, Infernals were just ghost stories, tales told to young pups to keep them in line. Now, those stories have stopped. The adults were the ones that were scared now. The Infernals were here on Lore and they are hungry. They want land, they want blood.

Continue reading Inanitas' short story, set in Darkovia just before the Infernal Invasion, here!

October 26, 2016

Double Birthday Server Boost

Time to /Party and Battle On!

Hi, guys! October is a CRAZY month here at the Underground Lab, and for the members of the Artix Entertainment team. So many of our games have their birthday events, and many of our team members do, too -- including Cysero, Rolith, Ai no Miko (who's birthday was yesterday!), and me. It is hard to believe that another year has already passed, and it's time to level up again...in real life!

I want to thank you all for helping make the past year an AMAZING one for me, the AQWorlds team, and everyone at Artix Entertainment. Please enjoy a 24 hour DOUBLE server boost as my birthday/thank you gift to you!

* Add in wedding anniversaries AND Halloween and it turns into one long month of crazy, non-stop /partying!

Time to /party and Battle On!

October 25, 2016

Welcome to our Surprise Twitter Chat

A message from Artix that went out to super-loyal AQW fans

You guys know we like to talk to you in as many places as we can, but it's important that everyone get the same information. Earlier today, a crazy-dedicated group of players added both me and Artix to a group chat. This group of awesome heroes is determined to keep AQWorlds going strong as Artix Entertainment continues developing AQ3D.

Now YOU are in the chat, too!

Artix shared some information and reminders with them there, and now I am passing it on to you, too!

Artix's message to devoted AQW fans

AdventureQuest Worlds is an amazing game with a passionate player base. 

We have no intention of not giving it our all. I know a lot of people may feel threatened by AQ3D, but it is GOOD for us to have both a 2D and a 3D game. Even if they are this simliar. 

The server rewrite has obviously been the hardest and longest challenge... and we can finally see the light at the end of the tunnel. Which will allow us to start making features in AQWorlds again.

More importantly, we need to look toward the future... were we need to do the BIG MOVE converting the entire game into Steam/Apple/Android... just like we did AQ3D.

The major game client rebuild is going to be our primary focus starting in January.

The server rewrite has been running on servers for a while now. I think the move to Steam/Apple/Android will bring AQWorlds back to its former glory... if not expand it to an antierely new audience

I hoped this helped... seems like it would be a good idea to post this exact message on the AQW design notes this week too.

Tonight, I hope you check out our first Mogloween in AQ3D. The success of AQ3D is very important to AQWorlds. If it does well, we will have a so many more resources to invest back into AQWorlds. Thank you all for letting me post in here. Until next time... BATTLE ON!

AQWorlds Server Rewrite Update

Thank you for all the help testing with the server rewrite! Your bug reports and the tireless work by the server rewrite tester team have been invaluable to Yorumi as he does the last pushes to get the rewrite up on ALL servers.

With a project as VAST as the rewrite has been, deadlines shift often and bugs that get fixed sometimes need to be RE-fixed. But we are once again in the home stretch. Stay tuned for another update next Monday!

Thank you for reading! Battle on!

October 21, 2016

Don't Panic!

The Internet Went Kersplodey

Hey, guys. This morning, there was a massive DDOS attack against one of the DNS servers on east coast. This was not something that was done to us specifically, however it does seem to be affecting us - as well as Twitter, and a TON of other sites. If you're finding it hard to log into AQWorlds, this is probably the reason why.

For more information about this attack, just click here.

Hopefully this gets resolved soon! Battle on!

ETA: Apparently the website that the first link was posted on is also having issues. Oops! If you can't get to it, try this one instead.

October 21, 2016

This Weekend: Darkovia Invasion

Battle to Save the Lycans and Vampires!

This Friday, return to the forests of Darkovia as this army of Infernal invaders threatens to destroy every living (and undead!) creature that roams the darkness!

Starting tonight, log in and click on the "Infernal Invasion" button in your game menu to:

• Start your adventure in /darkoviainvasion
• Battle through three of our most-loved areas with a NEW story*
• Reunite with Lady Solani and Constantin, leader of the Vampires and Lycans
• Take down the Infernal Invaders 
• Save the Lands of Eternal Night before they are overrun!

* That's right, when we say we're returning to Darkovia, we're REALLY going home! But it's not the home we know and love - the Infernal Invaders have really done a number on the homelands of the Lycans and Vampires... and it's time to call them to account for it!

There are a couple important things to remember about the Infernal Invasion Saga:

• The actions that happen in the last three releases in this series (Darkovia, Swordhaven, and Shadowfall) will permanently alter the course of our world
• The storyline is a direct lead-in to the newer, much darker Queen of Monsters Saga.** But HOW it will do that... you'll need to play to discover!

Take Back the Night... and your sweet loot!

All of this weekend's gear (including BOTH armors in Axeros' Umbral Fiend sets) will drop from the monsters in the Infernal Invasion release!

October 21, 2016

This weekend: Undead UndeadSlayers

October's Featured Gear Gets... UNDEADER!

In Lore, it's the month of the Blood Moon, but here in OUR world, it's October. And there's one BIG holiday that happens during this time -- MOGLOWEEN! As we prepare for next week's Mogloween event, we know you undead slayers and lovers out there want MORE UNDEAD GEAR! That's why Aranx has crafted THESE beautifully-bony items for you to use.

This gear will only be available until November 11th, when the Mogloween 2016 Rares shop leaves the game. But until then, you'll be able to get your gauntlets on:

• Undead UndeadSlayer armor
• Dark Undead UndeadSlayer armor
• Dual and Dark Chainsaw Hands
• Silver Shotgun Cape
• Crossed Silver Shotgun Capes
• Sheathed Silver Shotgun Cape

October 19, 2016

AQ3D Open Beta is LIVE on Steam

Log in and play now... in the 3rd dimension!

Artix just yelled across the lab that OPEN BETA is live on STEAM! Find it here and check it out! http://store.steampowered.com/app/429790/

Please give the game some love in a review. Android version launching shortly, with iOS to follow soon! Don't miss any of the news on AQ3D's open beta progress -- keep up to date with Artix's AQ3D Design Notes!

Unlock the AQ3D Nightlocke Weapons!

To celebrate the release of AQ3D on Steam... here in the 2D AQWorlds, we've introduced the Nightlocke weapons! Since players in AQ3D had to work so hard to get them, we couldn't just put them in a celebration shop... no, you'll need to EARN these wicked rewards!

/join aqw3D (remember that map from April Fools?) and head into Yulgar's 3D Inn, then up the stairs to find these floating-but-ferocious weapon monsters! There's a small chance you will get the Nightlocke weapons as a reward drop! The AQ3D heroes had to work HARD to get this gear in their game... and so will you! (But that just makes it more rewarding once you get the loot, right?!)

October 19, 2016

2016 Pumpkin Carving Contest Ends Tuesday

Can you... SQUASH... the competition?!

… Ok, at this point maybe “Fall Food Decorating Contest” is more appropriate, but it just doesn’t have the same ring. BUT on to the contest! Do you have what it takes to carve the best AdventureQuest Worlds-themed pumpkin in all of Lore? How skilled are you in the fine arts of squash carnage? Are you able to duel-wield a camera and a carved ear of corn at the same time? If so, this contest is perfect for you!

Attention all ye who wish to enter…this contest: Mogloween is drawing ever near, so we need pumpkin-carving masters to take on this challenge!

Mogloween mog-luh-ween; noun

The evening of October 31 in Lore; celebrated in the month of October; observed especially by Heroes in costumes who solicit treats, candy, and Seasonal Rare items inside AdventureQuest Worlds

Prize Details

1. There will be ONE Grand Prize winner, who shall receive 2000 ArtixPoints

2. 2nd Place Winners will get 1000 ArtixPoints

3. 3rd Place Winners will get 700 ArtixPoints

4. Runner Ups will get 500 ArtixPoints

5. If you go Above and Beyond, we shall award you accordingly ;)

Contest Timeframe

The contest will range from today, October 11th until 11:59pm EST on Tuesday, October 25th The winners will be announced the following week on the Design Notes.

Contest Rules

To be considered, all entries must:

• Include your game character name and the year (2016) visually displayed somewhere within the picture or video

  • The game character name in the picture must be tied to an Artix account to receive a prize

• Be themed on any Artix game, character, monster, etc

• Be posted to the AE_Contests Twitter account, AQW Facebook account, or on the AE forum (thread coming soon!)

• The photo of your carved pumpkin must be of the highest quality—the bigger and more clear the picture, the better!

• One entry per person

You are welcome to think outside the box and submit other non-pumpkin creative entries for our consideration… but carved pumpkins and gourds are what we want to feature!  So you COULD...

• Paint a pumpkin

• Dress an ear of corn

• Carve a pumpkin pie

• Build a diorama featuring acorn squash

• … the possibilities are endless

Reminders

1. Please don’t spam your entry or you will be disqualified! You can only win once per person!

2. A true hero is a good sportsman -- we reserve the right to reward excellent examples of good sportsmanship or remove entries for abusive behavior towards staff or other contest participants.

3. As always, entries that WOW us and go above and beyond, displaying true effort or creativity, will get extra-special attention (or prizes)!

Good Luck!

On behalf of the entire AE team, we are really looking forward to seeing your creativity carved into pumpkins… or gourds… or apples (?!)! Will you win the Grand Prize? There is only one way to find out—submit your photo today!

October 18, 2016

NEW at HeroMart

Find the Throne of Darkness Prints at HeroMart now!

Seven of the world’s deadliest villains were summoned to the Dark Throne to tell tales of their encounter with your hero... and now YOU can hang prints of them on your wall at home! (What better way to keep a close eye on these dark and deadly foes?)!

• The Villains of Darkness Print Bundle comes with all 7 prints for $19.95
• You can also buy individual prints of your favorite villains for $4.95
• The bundle comes with 4 HeroPoints 
• Each individual print will come with 1 HeroPoint

Dage vs Nulgath Mousepad

Keep your DPI game strong with this post evil war relic, This amazing art collaboration between Dage the Evil and Diozz has received so many requests the we brought it back in the form of high quality cloth gaming mousepad, this supersized mouse pad is ideal for people using a low sensitivity or high resolution mouse but it's surface is suitable for all types of mouse sensors and sensitivity settings.

The mousepad comes with 3 HeroPoints to redeem inside Stryche's in-game merch shop!

NEW and returning shirts at HeroMart!

Just like heroes need armor, WE need to wear clothes (or you get tossed into a real-world dungeon). Since you do, you might as well wear an AWESOME one!

HeroMart has a collection of new and returning tees for you to /equip in real life!

• AdventureQuest Time T-Shirt
• Mogloween's Undead Twilly T-Shirt
• Chibi Dragon Slayer T-Shirt
• Pride of the Legion T-Shirt
• BioBeasts Breakout T-Shirt
• BioLab Official Employee T-Shirt
• AdventureQuest 3D T-Shirt

Each T-Shirt comes with FOUR HeroPoints to spend inside Stryche's in-game merch shop inside AQWorlds!

Wait... What's a HeroPoint?

HeroPoints are a new way for you to get even more rewards when you get merchandise from HeroMart! Existing store items will keep the codes they currently use, but all the NEW merch (like the Throne of Darkness prints) come with a quantity of HeroPoints that you can spend in Stryche's in-game merge shop. The code to redeem your HeroPoints will arrive in the same package as your prints.

• /join heromart
• Talk to Stryche to learn all about HeroMart and its merch
• Browse the store to see his big-ticket items and their in-game rewards
• Click on items that interest you to get more information or go straight to HeroMart to buy them

Share Your Gear With Us!

Take pictures of your real-life swag and send them to Stryche! We design everything ourselves so it means a lot to us when we see people posting pictures of their favorite products... love the warm fuzzies! Our artists love what they do—and it shows with every product! We know that you too will love each and every product, and be sure to let us know your favorites on the HeroMart's Facebook or Twitter page!  Add  #HeroMart to your posts so we can see (and share) them.

Thank you for your support!

Thank you! Your support and motivation is what keeps the studio going. As you know, we are an indie video game studio, and we do not have any big corporations or investors lining our pockets. We are 100% funded by awesome players like YOU! Most people do not know we personally package and ship your boxes from right here in the game studio. You are as big a part of AE as Artix himself!

Shop smart. Shop HeroMart!

October 18, 2016

Log in and get 200 FREE ACs

Our 8th Birthday Celebration Continues!

As we continue our month of birthday celebrations, we want to thank you loyal heroes for battling alongside us all these years! Starting today, log in and receive 200 FREE AdventureCoins if your account is level 10 or higher and you've logged on in the last 30 days.

October 17, 2016

Letter from the High LoreMaster

Attacks from Mysterious Army Continue... 

To the Darkovian Rulers, Village Headmen, Town Mayors, and Freeholders in the lands of Eternal Night,

Several years ago, the war against Drakath saw the Queen of Monsters freed from her prison in the Chaos Realm. 

 Since the Alliance was shattered, there has been no reliable organization keeping peace; many bands and would-be conquerors are taking this opportunity to rise up. Drakath himself has all but disappeared, leaving a host of Chaorrupted creatures roaming the land… and a world ripe for the Queen of Monsters to conquer.

Though many have tried, no one has been able to fathom her true plan, or predict where she’ll appear next. Rumors tell of children disappearing, countries falling into anarchy, unallied villains banding together, armies marching, and monstrous beasts rising to save (or slay) entire towns.

Now… Loremasters have confirmed reports sent in from across the world -- a host of Infernal Invaders has attacked the Celestial Realm and Doomwood, and they have been spotted marching towards Darkovia.

We do not know if these creatures are connected to the Queen or some entirely new threat.   but urge all those dwelling in or near Darkovia to arm themselves… and stay vigilant.

The night is dark and full of terrors, but our records show the Queen of Monsters can strike at any time, and any place.

Signed,

Albus Ketch
Secretary to the High Loremaster

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

This Weekend, the Infernal Invasion Saga Continues!

This Friday, return to the forests of Darkovia as this army of Infernal invaders threatens to destroy every living (and undead!) creature that roams the darkness!

October 15, 2016

Celebrate AQWorlds' 8th Birthday

Battle through the Throne of Darkness Saga Finale!

AdventureQuest Worlds first launched back in October of 2008, and for the last EIGHT YEARS we have battled alongside you - our heroes - as we create and release weekly storyline updates with new bosses, battles, and LOTS of reward gear! This weekend, help us celebrate AQWorlds' 8th birthday as you fight your way through the Mysterious Dungeon towards... the truth about your next greatest, deadliest enemy!

See event page and Saga Chronicle

Happening Now: the Throne of Darkness Saga Finale 

7 of the world's deadlest villains were summoned to a Dark Throne to tell their tales of battling you, Lore's Hero.

Now, after hearing their stories, the Mysterious Stranger stands before them, ready to reveal its true purpose, and what the future will hold for these Villains of Darkness… IF they choose to join its mission.

They MUST answer because...

The monsters are moving...

The Darkness is stirring...

The shadows are whispering...

The time to decide is NOW!

8th Birthday Rewards!

It's not a party without goody bags and presents! Our team members have worked their tablet stylus' to the nubs to bring you some of the coolest, darkest birthday gear ever! 

Rep Shop:

• Obsidian ArchPaladin Armor 
• Blinding Edge of Obsidian
• Blood and Darkness gear: staff, blade, claw, daggers, and cape
• Cerulean Sorceress armor
• And more!

Birthday Rares Shop:

• Dark Sovereign Armor, helm, cape, and weapon
• Deathlord Knight armor and helm 
• Twilly’s Ultra and Ultimate Icecream Hats
• ArchPaladin's Birthday Helm
• Sakura Sorceress Armor
• Blinding Light of Sorcery Armor
• Sorcerer of Darkness Armor
• DeathKnight Blood Lord armor and helms

Plank’s Skull Helm will also drop off the Mysterious Stranger boss fight!

8th Birthday Class: ArchPaladin

The 2016 Birthday CLASS is here! Help Artix celebrate the finale of his 6-month long Throne of Darkness Saga by questing to become an ArchPaladin! (Or buy the 2000 AdventureCoin version if you don't want to wait!) Talk to Artix in the /darkthronehub map for more information!

Gravelyn's DoomFire Armor and Helm

Though the Throne of Darkness Saga is coming to a close... it has not gotten REALLY Dark! But that will all change once you watch the final cutscene in the Saga Finale! 

Darkness. Is. Coming.... and that's why Empress Gravelyn has gotten involved. As the world faces an onslaught of Infernal Invaders, she prepares to fight BACK! Because if there's one thing Gravelyn knows, it's how to command the darkest forces on Lore! (With FIRE!!!!)

Talk to Gravelyn in the /darkthronehub AFTER you complete the Mysterious Dungeon event to begin her quest chain!

2016 Achievement Tracker Reward Update

If you're just hearing about the Achievement Tracker, it is one of the ways we reward you for staying, playing, and supporting AdventureQuest Worlds!

Each year, we add NEW achievements for those loyal heroes who've battled alongside us. This year's rewards are:

1. 7 Years Membership
2. 400,000 AdventureCoins
3. 8 Years Played

The first two achievements are live NOW! I am working on finishing the NostalgiaQuest zone this coming week. Read on to see what is included in each of these achievements!

400,000 ACs Reward: DoomFire Warrior Set

Unlock the 8 items in the DoomFire Warrior set plus bonuses after you've purchased 400,000 AdventureCoins!

7 Years Membership Reward: DoomFire Guard Set

Unlock the 8 items in the DoomFire Guard set plus bonuses once you have been a member for 7 years!

8 Years Played Reward: NostalgiaQuest COMING SOON!

Unlock an exclusive map featuring the original Battleon design, classic quests with new flavor (and rewards!), the Pizza Hut House and armor, plus some of the first rewards ever introduced, but with more bonuses!

For those of you just experiencing your first Achievement Tracker Update, you're probably wondering...

How to unlock your rewards:

1. Once you see an achievement unlocked on your Tracker, head in-game
2. Open up your Book of Lore and go into the Achievements tab
3. Scroll through your badges until you find your new badge and its shop
4. Open the shop and get all the gear (0 ACs for free storage!)

See all the REST of the Achievement Tracker rewards and how to get them here: Achievement Tracker Post

Read here for more information about this year's rewards and why/how we choose them.

PS: Gjappy's birthday party map in /gparty leaves on Tuesday, October 18th!

October 14, 2016

ArchPaladin Class Skills

The 8th Birthday class is here!

The 2016 Birthday CLASS is here! To celebrate the finale of Artix's 6-month long Throne of Darkness Saga, Pisces, Arklen, and the tester team have created a new, VERY shiny Paladin Class... the ArchPaladin! 

If you own either version of the Paladin Class, you will need to:

• Get the Exalted Paladin Seal
• Take the Paladin's Vow, Oath, and Pledge (these "quests" are just re-stating your loyalty to the order)
• Complete the 5 ArchPaladin skill quests

If you do not currently own the Paladin Class*, you will need to:

• Get the Exalted Paladin Seal
• Complete 4 grueling quests to demonstrate your skill, aptitude for magic, and loyalty to the Paladin Order
• Complete 4 ArchPaladin skill quests

* Non-members, this is the route you will take to get the class. 

If you do not have the time (or patience) to farm for the Class, you can:

• Buy the Class for 2000 AdventureCoins from Artix in the /darkthronehub map

These quests are NOT for the faint of heart... or the inexperienced hero! You'll have to battle in zones across the world, take down your favorite (or not so favorite) bosses, and try to pry from their cold, undead hands the resources to show the Paladin Order what you're made of. (Hint: if the answer isn't Goodness and Light... you might need to vow a little harder!)

Though these quests are not daily quests, you will need to put in a great Good effort to prove you are worthy of becoming an ArchPaladin. Pray that the RNG gods will smile down on you, because the farming quests are about o begin! Are... You... READY?!

To start the quests for the class, /join darkthronehub and talk to Artix!

ArchPaladin Class information

As a warrior in one of the Paladin Order’s highest ranks, you have access to powers the likes of which Lore has not yet seen. Use your newfound abilities to fight for virtue and justice, because darkness will flee at the very sight of your righteous light!

Stats: Same as Paladin HighLord 

ManaRegen: Mage model: Gain mana from all hits landed in combat, especially on crits. The amount depends on damage relative to their own HP total.

Auto Attack

Type: Physcial

Mana Cost: 0

Cooldown: 2 seconds

Damage: 110%

Commandment  

Attack using a weapon infused with the power of light, dealing moderate damage to 3 enemies. Your opponent is commanded by the light and has 2% less damage, dodge chance, crit chance, crit amount, hit chance and takes 2% more damage. Lasts 100 seconds and stacks up to 50. They also receive a small DoT which stacks to 5.

Type: Physcial

Mana Cost: 15

Cooldown: 5

AOE: 3 (long range)

Damage: 135%

We have added ‘Divine’ which increases the damage the enemy takes by  2%. You should see a noticeable increase in damage for longer fights. We also reduced the cooldown from 6 seconds to 5 seconds so it was easier to build up stacks.

Hymn of Light

A forgiving light encompases you and up to five allies, protecting and absolving you from evil. Heals for a moderate amount, and slightly increases END/Defense for 6 seconds (20% END, -20% incoming damage)

Type: Physcial/Magical

Mana Cost: 40

Cooldown: 10

AOE: 6

Damage: 660% heal

Hymn of Light is an upgrade from Paladin’s heal-- not only do you heal twice as many people, but the amount of damage they take is slightly reduced! For that reason, this skill is very mana heavy and not loopable. This skill allows ArchPaladin to function as a supportive healer (and an excellent one at that), but to focus on healing, you will need to inevitably sacrifice damage.

Righteous Seal

Using holy magic, you temporarily seal yours and 3 of your opponent’s power away. Deals moderate damage but then reduces the damage that you and your opponents will do by 50% for 10 seconds

 Type: Physical/Magical

Mana Cost: 25

Cooldown: 15

AOE: 3 (long range)

Damage: 135%

We lowered the damage reduction to self so that this had a wider range of uses outside of  dodging nukes.

Sacred Magic: Eden

Deals massive damage buffed by the stacks of Commandment, capping out at 5 stacks. Consumes stacks of Commandment. You become exhausted and don’t gain stacks of Commandment for 8 seconds.

Type: Magical 
Note: Long range

Mana Cost: 70

Cooldown: 60 seconds       

AOE: 3

Damage: 475% (increased by Commandment stacks)

We have reduced the mana cost on this by 5 so that you don’t have to strain before casting it to finish off your opponent.

passive 1: Restitution: Reduces incoming damage by 20%

passive 2: Overwhelming Light: Heals 20% more and immune to Decay

passive 3: Righteous Judgement: Increases outgoing damage by 20%

Bug fixes

• Mana costs are no longer artificially increased by 5%
• Restitution now properly increases damage
• Overwhelming Light properly increases healing
• Your heals no longer occasionally deal damage (when critting)

The original Design Notes were incorrect. Sacred Magic: Eden was never meant to Always Crit and Overwhelming Light does not prevent Decay: Cannot Heal.

October 14, 2016

Infernal Invasion Saga

The Queen of Monsters still waits... but not for long!

Over the last few months, you've seen an army of Infernal Invaders appear in several of our releases. These servants -- or, perhaps, we should call them "tools" -- grow impatient... and hungry.

As the Throne of Darkness Saga comes to a close, we are preparing to shift the battlefield back to the Queen of Monsters Saga! 

Infernal Invasion Part 1: Celestial Realm

The Celestial Realm is bright.... pure... and holds a treasure that this army of Infernals would LOVE to control. Help Aranx defend his home as hordes of Infernals attack! /join infernalspire now to begin the tale!

Infernal Invasion Part 2: Doomwood

While YOU have been fighting the Throne of Darkness villains, the rest of Lore still battles all the other monsters roaming free. Starting tonight, the Order of Paladins needs you to bear witness as one recruit faces a horde of undead to prove that she is ready to (and worthy) to become a Paladin! /join doompally now to aid Darcy the Paladin recruit!

Next Friday - Infernal Invasion Part 3: Darkovia

Next Friday, return to the forests of Darkovia as this army of Infernal invaders threatens to destroy every living (and undead!) creature that roams the darkness!

And beyond...

From the Celestial Realm to Doomwood to Darkovia... to Shadowfall and Swordhaven, there is no land in our world safe from the Queen of Monsters' infernal army!

October 13, 2016

8th Birthday Week Item Changes

Farming Item Changes are now live!

For most of our heroes, once they've completed all the storylines and saved the world a few times, their focus turns to farming for wicked rewards. We want to make sure that, once you earn that reward, it cannot be easily deleted from your account! That's why we've made changes to the folowing items.

Read on to see if YOUR favorite farming item is now 0 ACs!

October 12, 2016

Birthday Gifts, Rewards, and Rares

AQWorlds' 8th Birthday Celebration Begins Tomorrow!

It's been a CRAZY eight years so far... but I am so glad you're here with us to celebrate ! Read on to see some of the rewards coming your way tomorrow as we pop open bottles of Moglinberry juice, strap on our ArchPaladin Birthday (or Twig's Ultimate Ice Cweam) hats, and get ready to /party!

Rep Shop:

• Obsidian ArchPaladin Armor 
• Blinding Edge of Obsidian
• Blood and Darkness gear: staff, blade, claw, daggers, and cape
• Plank’s Skull Helm
• Cerulean Sorceress armor
• And more!

Birthday Rares Shop:

• Dark Sovereign Armor, helm, cape, and weapon
• Deathlord Knight armor and helm 
• Twilly’s Ultra and Ultimate Icecream Hats
• ArchPaladin's Birthday Helm
• Sakura Sorceress Armor
• Blinding Light of Sorcery Armor
• Sorcerer of Darkness Armor
• DeathKnight Blood Lord armor and helms

Will YOU become an ArchPaladin?

The 2016 Birthday CLASS is almost here! To celebrate the finale of Artix's 6-month long Throne of Darkness Saga, Pisces, Arklen, and the tester team have created a new, VERY shiny Paladin Class... the ArchPaladin! Starting tomorrow night, you'll be able to quest for (or buy) the class yourself!

If you own either version of the Paladin Class, you will need to:

• Get the Exalted Paladin Seal
• Take the Paladin's Vow, Oath, and Pledge (these "quests" are just re-stating your loyalty to the order)
• Complete the 5 ArchPaladin skill quests

If you do not currently own the Paladin Class*, you will need to:

• Get the Exalted Paladin Seal
• Complete 4 grueling quests to demonstrate your skill, aptitude for magic, and loyalty to the Paladin Order
• Complete 4 ArchPaladin skill quests

* Non-members, this is the route you will take to get the class. 

If you do not have the time (or patience) to farm for the Class, you can:

• Buy the Class for 2000 AdventureCoins from Artix in the /darkthronehub map

These quests are NOT for the faint of heart... or the inexperienced hero! You'll have to battle in zones across the world, take down your favorite (or not so favorite) bosses, and try to pry from their cold, undead hands the resources to show the Paladin Order what you're made of. (Hint: if the answer isn't Goodness and Light... you might need to vow a little harder!)

Though these quests are not daily quests, you will need to put in a great Good effort to prove you are worthy of becoming an ArchPaladin. Pray that the RNG gods will smile down on you, because the farming quests are about o begin! Are... You... READY?!

Gravelyn's DoomFire Armor and Helm

Though the Throne of Darkness Saga is coming to a close... it has not gotten REALLY Dark! But that will all change once you watch the final cutscene in the Saga Finale! Darkness. Is. Coming.

And where the Darkness is... so too is Empress Gravelyn! As the world faces an onslaught of Infernal Invaders, she prepares to fight BACK! Because if there's one thing Gravelyn knows, it's how to command the darkest forces on Lore! (With FIRE!!!!)

And that is why starting this weekend, you'll be able to unlock a grueling quest chain for Gravelyn's DoomFire armor and helm!

• Talk to Gravelyn in the /darkthronehub map after completing the finale
• Collect the following items to create Gravelyn’s DoomFire armor
    Gravelyn’s Blessing
    Painful Memories
  Burning Passion
  Sepulchure's Undying Flame
  Father's Sorrow  
• If you have either the Necrotic Sword of Doom OR the Sepulchure's DoomKnight armor, you will be able to get "Gravelyn's Blessing" without completing the quest.

October 12, 2016

Server Rewrite Mid-Week Test

Server Rewrite Update - Back to Testing

Hello all! A few weeks ago, we took half our servers and converted them to the new system to test their stability under heavy load. You guys did a GREAT job -- by hitting the servers so hard, you revealed that a memory leak bug that looked fixed... wasn't completely resolved.

Yorumi spent the last few weeks analyzing and working on fixes for that... and now we need you to hit them hard again! To give you more of an incentive to log in and play on the testing servers, you'll find double Rep, XP, Gold, and Class Points boosts on all testing servers:

• Zorbak
• Safiria
• Cysero
• Alina
• Nythera
• Testing Server 2

Make sure you are logging to one of those servers on this URL to get the new client with the boost: http://www.aq.com/play-now/defaulttest.asp for the right side servers

Issues to watch out for

Watch out for unexpected server shut downs. Enhancements are enabled on the testing servers now, so please check to see that those are all working as expected.

Rank 10 class passive skills are currently disabled as we check an issue with them.

Wait, what's this all about? Server rewrite?!

We've made a lot of changes to AQWorlds over the couple years, and gained MANY new players! That's great, because it means there are tons of new heroes for you to quest with, battle with, and talk to... but also puts our servers under a great deal of strain. 

To make AQW the BEST game it can be, we need to take the time to FIX the current issues. So... how do we DO that? WE REBUILD AQW'S SERVERS!

For the two and a half, Yorumi (AQWorlds' lead programmer)** have been rewriting the AQW server* and we are now confident that the server is ready to release! That's why this weekend is the LAST weekend of testing as Yorumi works on the final display bug.*** 

Server rewrite progress:

So that we all have a clear idea of where the server rewrite progress is at, we'll use server rewrite version numbering (SRV) and phases.

Phase 1: Porting the existing game over to proprietary server software (that we built ourselves. This is what Oversoul currently runs on).

• SRV 0 - research begins
• SRV 0.01 - server architecture meeting with Zhoom
• SRV 0.02 - staff-only test of new combat system
• SRV 0.6 - full working Alpha stage
• SRV 0.8 - player live-test on PTR
• SRV 0.999 - Live testing
• SRV 1.0 - full launch of Server Rewrite, Phase 1

Why We Need the Server Rewrite

We have a good deal of control over the game, but the current version of AQWorlds uses server software whose base we did not build ourselves (though we created all of our server-based game functionality)... and that means there are some things we cannot change.

This is one of the main causes of the random bugs some of you are reporting. It's also one of the reasons some bugs (like desynced friends/guild lists) have not been fixed and why some features (like the better botting detection, all-new class skills, and finished Guild cities) have not been released.

With these changes, we can make AQWorlds better, faster, smoother, AND introduce new features that you guys have been requesting for a long, long time!

* the backend system that makes the game function, not what you log into each time you want to play the game.
** With the help of his assistant, M, for the last six months, and with the help of our servers testers since the project began
*** Display bugs are typically smaller, and usually easy to fix.

Next Up: Phase 2... Where all the FUN happens!

What I've been writing about above is Phase 1 of the server rewrite - porting the game over to the new servers. Phase 2 is where we're planning to make the changes you have all been asking for. 

Once Phase 1 is complete, we can start working Phase 2 functionality like:

• friends list syncing 
• bank item previews 
• better PVP and guilds functionality 
• adding rank 10 passives to new classes 
• cross-server/world chat 
• better anti-bot and reporting functionality and more. 

Testing Mission Sprocket

Those of you who have completed quests on the testing server may have noticed a new item dropping from ALL quests - the Testing Mission Sprocket! Save up 150 of these babies and you'll be able to turn them in for the 0 AC Sir Ver Bank Pet, a wicked-cool PTR testing reward!

Remember: as you find issues testing quests, killing monsters, and running around the game, please report them on the Bug Tracker!

How do I report PTR bugs?

PTR reports will be handled almost exactly the same now as reports have always been handled, so for those of you who know how, you can skip this section.  For those who don’t here’s a nice little walk through of reporting a bug. 

First you need to get to the right place.

Start by clicking that link. This will open a new tab on your browser.  Go there.On that page, you will begin the very short process of making a bug report.

Choose AdventureQuest Worlds as the game being reported.

Then use the drop down menu to get to the right type of report. In this case, we want the AQW Server Rewrite. Click that and it will bring you to the report form.

Read the full "How To Report Bugs" post here!

Thank you x 9001

Thank you so much to everyone who has, is, and will help us test! We say that we build our games for and with you, and it's TRUE! We could not create AdventureQuest Worlds' weekly updates or its server rewrite without you, and I'm so excited that we are all building this together.

TEST ON!

October 11, 2016

This weekend: 8th Birthday

Two-Part Saga Finale and AQWorlds 8th Birthday Coming Soon!

This weekend, log in to and help us celebrate 8 years of epic battles, crazy monsters, and victories with the finale of the Throne of Darkness Saga! 

Birthday Events

• Battle through the finale of the Throne of Darkness Saga
• Return to the Secret Underground Lab for a new birthday rare 0 AC pet from the Server Hamster
• /Party on at BattleCon and explore our in-game convention
• Face off against ULTRA BrutalCorn once more
• Begin the quests to unlock Artix's ArchPaladin CLASS or buy it for 2000 AdventureCoins
• Find the 8th Birthday Rares shop in your game menu and in the /darkthrone finale hub map
• BEGIN the quests to unlock Gravelyn's DoomFire set -- it's not going to be easy, but the gear WILL all be 0 ACs for those who unlock the rewards!
• The 7 Years Membership and 400,000 AdventureCoins Achievement tracker rewards go live this Friday! (the 8 Years Played NostalgiaQuest zone is coming later this month)

Saga Finale AND Birthday? WHY?!!?!?!

Good question! Artix wanted to have the 2 finale releases come one right after the other. We were planning to release them at the end of September, but once I heard what the finale plot was... I convinced him to make this our 8th birthday event, as well.

The birthday event will also hint at the darkness to come in future releases, unlike the one-off birthday events of the last few years. We've hinted at dark things happening in Swordhaven, in Darkovia, but really... the entire WORLD is battling the darkness and chaos that came with the release of the Queen of Monsters.

October 10, 2016

AQ3D Open Beta Starts October 18th (ish)

Starting October 18th-ish, 2016 It is almost here! This October, everyone will be able to join us as we continue creating AdventureQuest 3D. The release date says "-ish" because that is when we will start rolling it out onto each platform (STEAM PC/MAC, APPLE, ANDROID) and some will go live before others. Being able to login play your character on the same server as your friends no matter what device you are using was our dream goal... and it is happening! A True Cross-Platform MMORPG...

Watch the official OPEN BETA Launch Date Announcement Trailer.

Coming in Open Beta!

Thank you to everyone who made amazing project a reality. It is October.... and we have two magnificently dark and exciting releases coming your way. Also here is a few things to expect!

SHADOW SKULL TOWER

First, is ShadowSkull Tower which will open with the launch. Players will need the best items in the game and to work together to battle to the top of the tower. The floors of the tower are randomized. Some floors are puzzles, some kill-alls, and some mini-boss battles. At the top of ShadowSkull Tower you will find the NecroKnight-- and he has a surprise.

Mogloween & Haunted House

We will be celebrating our yearly tradition of Mogloween this year... but this is the first year it will be in 3D! Town will go dark and along with glowing pumpkins, a haunted house will appear. More on this coming later.

Game Re-balancing & New Items

We have been carefully reading your feedback and re-re-re-re-balancing the game. This includes changes to crafting and being able to buy items with gold. Will it be perfect on launch? Heck no! But it will be an amazing start to a game that we are dedicated to working on as long and as hard as the previous two AdventureQuests-- which for the record are STILL updated every week :D

Volcanic Dragon Area

In November, we will be opening up our next major area, a volcanic region filled with Dragons... and Dragonslayers. and possibly Dragonslayer slayers. And Forseeably Dragonslayer Slayer Slayers.

Closed Beta Badge

If you have participated in Closed Beta, you will be getting a shiny new badge for your character page. Want in Closed Beta before it ends? Then good news... follow my Artix Krieger Twitter and keep a look out for Early Access Key give aways.

Crunch time!

Thank you for making this all possible. As you can imagine, our small team is going to be in hyper GO MODE these next two weeks! So much to do!!!! If you were not with us for the launch of previous games like DragonFable or AdventureQuest Worlds then hang onto your helms, it is about to get crazy. As the veterans will tell you things will change fast and frequently. It is vital that we go into Open Beta so that we can release the public version of the Apple iOS (Phone/Tablet) versions. Then, with AdventureQuest 3D playing on all of our 1st round targeted devices, and with your help, we can begin the sprint to LIVE RELEASE-- which I would love to see us hit Summer of 2017.

QUESTION: What device to you think you will play AdventureQuest 3D the most from? (Steam, Apple iOS, Android)