#the part i struggled with the most was relic hunt quests | Explore Tumblr posts and blogs

rainofaugustsith · 5 years ago

Text

Rain Plays SWTOR: SOLO gearing 6.0

In my opinion the SWTOR devs have given solo players a hearty "fuck you" with 6.0, between an insufferably long gearing system, nerfed companions, much higher conquest targets (with solo-friendly activities like galactic rampage now removed) and overtuned content. It's why I'm not paying for a subscription anymore. Damn it, though, I like the game, I like hanging out with Viri and I still have characters who have not finished all the content. Even though I am not subscribed now, I invested in Artifact Authorization for my account so my characters can wear the good stuff.

Despite the fact that the devs seem to be heavily pushing people to group, I decided that my own "fuck you" to them would be getting Viri to 306 without grouping even once. And I did.

Almost. Her gear rating is 304, but hell, she's close, and she already has several 306 pieces. These aren’t the final stats I want for her (as she changes to moddable 306 pieces I’ll be adding back her augments and changing those relics) but she’s a beast again.

The important takeaway from this post:

You do not need to group to get good gear, even at level 75. You do not need to do veteran flashpoints to get good gear. Good gear drops in the solo flashpoints too!

Do you "need" it?

I hate it when other players tell me I "don't need" certain gear, so I won't do that to you. It's a personal choice. The higher levels of gear do seem to compensate for at least some of the currently overtuned parts of the game. In other words even if you are not interested at all in the endgame you may wish to pursue the higher-end gear simply to do the other content more easily.

If you are not playing Onslaught (or not playing it yet) there have been numerous reports of other missions/areas being overtuned, including the Star Fortresses, Bowdaar's recruitment mission, walker combat in KOTET and Iokath, the H4s and some H2s, and better gear could help there.

Onslaught is supposed to be designed so that you gear up as you level up, ending the expansion with a full set of 268 gear and a tactical item. In my own experience going through Onslaught, some of my classes did okay with this system but others did not. All had similar gear ratings (242-252), at least some augments, and at least one or two level 50 influence companions (usually Lana, but also included Vette, Mako or Akaavi for some characters). My Sith Warrior and Jedi Knight were fine. My Smuggler died if an NPC looked at her the wrong way and really struggled to get through. My Bounty Hunter and Lightning Sorcerer had a few hiccups but managed.

My own preference will be to get my characters leveled to 75 and geared before hitting KOTET now. I don't think they all need to be 306. My test subject, canon Viri (who has not done Onslaught) was blazing through content by the time she was a 286. I will likely aim for at least that rating on all characters.

So you want the gear. Now what?

Okay. It's a long, mind-numbingly boring experience to gear up but if you hang onto enough stuff, you might be able to avoid going through this nightmare on more than one character. How can you get gear without grouping?

1. The easiest and most effective way is to run a lot of solo flashpoints. Over and over again (the same way the folks who group are doing with Hammer Station).

The shortest and simplest flashpoint (at least for me) is Korriban Incursion, followed by Depths of Manaan. By the time you hit a gear rating of 286ish, you can chew through either of these alone in less than 20 minutes. Black Talon is next, but one of the bosses only seems to drop crafting material (including those coveted isotopes) and the bonus boss now has a lot of very uncomfortable flashing lights.

I went through several of the longer flashpoints like Copero, False Emperor, Rakata Prime and Boarding Party, too. On Copero I had four gear drops instead of three thanks to the bonus boss, and some random green gear dropped from NPCs, but otherwise the longer flashpoints don't seem to offer any real advantage over the shorter ones. Thus, unless there's something else you want from the flashpoint (like decos or achievements), it seems most prudent to run the ones that will cause you the least trouble. You might get random pieces (usually green 270s) from enemies but overall, usually only three bosses will give you proper drops. There will be a sack of Grade 11 crafting materials, probably a mod or two, and at least one piece of gear. This is RNG. Sometimes you will luck out and get two pieces of gear you can use. Sometimes you will get nothing and will end up deconstructing it all. Viri has received tank gear, things she clearly can't use like blaster barrels, and 274 pieces when she's a 294. As far as I know it happens in the veteran group flashpoints too. Just deconstruct it, or set it aside for another character if you think they will want it.

Once you get past 300, I have noticed you will start getting a lot more mods, enhancements and armor/hilts/barrels. This is a good thing. These are the pieces you can set aside for alts.

2. Conquest.

It's harder to meet this goal now but it may be doable for you on one or two toons. During this exercise Viri reached her conquest goal of 50,000 points just by doing flashpoints and a couple of easy heroics on Tatooine and Korriban. The Conquest gear crates are in my experience good, and I've pulled numerous gold set pieces, so it's worth it to try to aim for the goal, and it can be done solo.

3. Chapters.

I was very surprised to get a gear crate when I finished Shroud of Memory. A character who was just finishing up KOTET received crates for her last two chapters, too. I think this replaces the gear that used to be given for KOTFE/KOTET chapters. It's in line with the other weekly/daily crates.

4. Onderon weekly/daily crates.

If you have a character who has gone through Onslaught, do ten missions for the weekly and six for the daily. There are some simple quests that can be done quickly. In my experience these crates provide little more than deconstruction fodder most of the time. However it's worth it, if only for the tech fragments. Aside from gear, there are some nice decos available at the reputation vendor so raising your Onderon rep isn't pointless.

5. Mek-Sha heroics.

Again, if you have a character who has done Onslaught. Not the best option for the planet - see #11 for an easier one. Both of the Mek-Sha heroics give gear crates and in my limited experience they have been good. However, the heroics are tuned very, very high. Viri's clone (Sith Warrior; Vengeance Juggernaut) with a gear rating of 300 had trouble. The final boss in the Matter of Respect heroic has more HP than many flashpoint bosses, and he's with two silvers. Dying in these heroics is expensive, too: the tune of 20,000 credits per repair bill. I don't think this really is a good option for most solo players, even if you want to run them once for the experience/achievements.

This is the final boss in the second Mek-Sha heroic. No, you’re not reading that HP number wrong.

6. Renown crates.

Instead of Command Levels, there are now Renown levels. It's the same overall concept: gain a level, gain a crate with a piece of gear (the fun stuff like pets and companion gifts are gone). The difference: you're not going to gear up via Renown. For all intents and purposes it's probably best to pretend Renown doesn't exist. It's not like Galactic Command where doing the weekly in Section X or Ziost will at least earn you a crate or two.

You need 1,600,000 points to get one Renown crate. Considering that the weekly areas now award between 7000-28,000 points and a flashpoint awards 2000-3000 (and that is WITH the full 25% boost), it's going to be a while before you earn even one crate. When you do, I might suggest hanging on to them until your rating is high to try to get better gear. In my limited experience (I think my characters combined have earned about ten Renown crates!) I don't think I've ever pulled any sort of useful upgrade out of these crates. Take the item and deconstruct it for tech fragments, don't disintegrate it. Consider anything useful to be a pleasant surprise.

7. Treasure Hunting missions

Level 10 lockbox missions return with gear. It's not highly rated, though. Deconstruct it for the tech fragments.

8. Crafting

From what I have heard this is such a clusterfuck that it's not even worth attempting, with many mats required even for low-level gear. Skip this, I think.

9. LS/DS vendors

Apparently if you are willing to fork over all 100 of your LS or DS coins to the vendor you can get an equipment box. I wouldn't do this because it's now very hard to get LS/DS coins (see Renown). Once you blow them all you're not likely to get so many back. 10. Random drops

NPCs in heroics, flashpoints and open world may occasionally drop random pieces of gear, usually green 270ish stuff that may or may not be for your discipline. It's good to deconstruct.

11. Mek-Sha Tradehouse missions In your faction’s starting point on Mek-Sha, you will find a datapad. Click this to get a short mission to speak to a Nautolan NPC in Huttbreaker’s Compound. The NPC will tell you that you can do short “adventures” around the galaxy to help out Huttbreaker’s auction house. Now check out the small clickable terminal to the left of the NPC. You will get a Weekly - Tradehouse Acquisitions - and a daily mission that will take you to either Rishi, Tatooine, Onderon, Nar Shaddaa or Dantooine. These missions are very simple - usually just gathering some clickable items or scanning several targets with provided macrobinoculars. To complete the Weekly, you need to complete three Tradehouse Missions. You can only do one per day. It will award you a gold gear box, so it’s worth it.

When you get gear:

Use a character that you can devote solely to gearing for a little while. Canon Viri has not done Onslaught, but she's my strongest character and my main, and she has nothing else to do right now. I decided to gear with her.

If a piece of gear is an upgrade, equip it immediately. The higher your overall gear rating, the more likely you are to get upgrades. This will screw with your stats for a while, but you can sort it out when you get to the 300s. If it's not an upgrade deconstruct it for tech fragments - the currency you will use to purchase gear later.

Once you get to the high 290s or 300s you may wish to start setting aside gear pieces for your alts instead of deconstructing them. ETA Gear is now legacy bound, so you can pass it from one character to the next (except for weapons, I found). If you are moving up to a 306 piece, for example, save that 304 for the next toon who might need it, and pass around the gear to everyone’s advantage.

Mods: Viri kept her augmented mainhand and offhand weapons (lightsaber and focus). I ripped out mods/hilts as needed to upgrade those weapons. However, ripping mods is very expensive so you don't want to be doing this for all your right side pieces. Don't worry about mods until you get to the 300s. Just keep using the non-moddable gear as you progress. This includes mods that don't seem to suit your character. If a Barrage or Studious enhancement would take Viri from one gear level to another I used it. Use Takanna: Takanna is the vendor who sells "unidentified" pieces for around 350 tech fragments each. The pieces are supposed to be at least your item rating or higher, and with the exception of left side and mods, are supposed to be for your discipline.

I used Takanna to get over the plateaus that Viri would hit sometimes, when she would reach a certain item rating and would not get anything higher from the flashpoint drops. Buying a higher rated set of boots or bracers (for instance) would sometimes be enough to get her to a higher overall gear rating and break the stalemate. Once you reach your quitting point: You don't want to go all the way to 306? You're fine at 290 or 286 or 300? That's cool. This is where you either decide that you're going to augment the non-moddable gear you have or start playing with mods and those gold set pieces. It is VERY expensive to move around mods and augments, especially after you reach 300 (we're talking 450K to rip three mods, I'm not exaggerating), so I advise that you put them where you want them to stay.

Set bonuses: The old set bonus you had from your GEMINI or Ossus gear vanished when you hit level 75. I don't think the new ones are as good, but in some cases all you need are two pieces to get the bonus. Ostensibly you could therefore have three different set bonuses (2, 2, 2) operating at once.

Tacticals: Viri received two as random drops once she was in the 280s. You also receive one good all-around tactical at the end of Onslaught. I wouldn't be fussed about getting these. If you get one, great. If you have credits to burn check out the vendor on the fleet who sells them. Otherwise wait until you finish Onslaught. Amplifiers: I DGAF about these. Re-rolling the amplifiers is a large credit sink for (IMHO) small boosts. I personally am not bothering with re-rolling anything. Viri has what she has on her gear and I'm not worried about changing what is there.However, re-rolling an amplifier will now give you Conquest points, so you may decide to re-roll one just for that boost. Augments: Viri has kept her 236 and 240 mods. They have been nerfed a little but the Grade 11 augments and kits are really expensive, and IMHO her old augments do fine for her.

Gearing alts: Send your highest-iRated toon shopping for the others. Vendors like Takanna will give you gear that corresponds to your toon’s level. So send your 306 rated character shopping, grab that high-level gear, and leave it in your Legacy hold for your alts. I'm gearing my weakest alts, and those that have a lot of content left to do, first. "Weakest" might mean many things to many people. For me, it's the alt that has the most trouble getting through content and/or the class that I'm the least skilled at playing. I've also geared one of Viri's clones who did do Onslaught so she could do the Mek-Sha and Onderon tasks. Overall, this gear system is no fun. I don’t think it would be quite as bad if there weren’t so many levels, but when you’re going through 19 - 284, 286, 288 and on and on and on - it feels like you’re slowly pulling teeth for every gain. Still, the point was to show that it could be done without the grouping that the devs seem to be trying to force on us. Et voila.

#rain plays swtor #swtor #6.0

64 notes · View notes

aion-rsa · 4 years ago

Text

Top New Fantasy Books July 2020

The Book of Dragons: An Anthology by Jonathan Strahan

Type: Anthology Publisher: Harper Voyager Release date: July 7

Den of Geek says: I’m always looking for a good book about dragons, and this incredible list of authors promises adventurous and unique stories. Anne Leckie, Zen Cho, Seanan Maguire, J.Y. Yang, Patricia A McKillip, Brooke Bolander … it’s an astounding, literary-flavored list of people qualified to write cool creatures.

Publisher’s summary: Here there be dragons . . .

From China to Europe, Africa to North America, dragons have long captured our imagination in myth and legend. Whether they are rampaging beasts awaiting a brave hero to slay or benevolent sages who have much to teach humanity, dragons are intrinsically connected to stories of creation, adventure, and struggle beloved for generations.

Bringing together nearly thirty stories and poems from some of the greatest science fiction and fantasy writers working today— Garth Nix, Scott Lynch, R.F. Kuang, Ann Leckie & Rachel Swirsky, Daniel Abraham, Peter S. Beagle, Beth Cato, Zen Cho, C. S. E Cooney, Aliette de Bodard, Amal El-Mohtar, Kate Elliott, Theodora Goss, Ellen Klages, Ken Liu, Seanan Maguire, Patricia A McKillip, K. J. Parker, Kelly Robson, Michael Swanwick, Jo Walton, Elle Katharine White, Jane Yolen, Kelly Barnhill, Brooke Bolander, Sarah Gailey, and J. Y. Yang—and illustrated by award-nominated artist Rovina Cai with black-and-white line drawings specific to each entry throughout, this extraordinary collection vividly breathes fire and life into one of our most captivating and feared magical creatures as never before and is sure to become a treasured keepsake for fans of fantasy, science fiction, and fairy tales.

Buy The Book of Dragons by Jonathan Strahan on Amazon

Or What You Will by Joe Walton

Type: Novel Publisher: Tor Books Release date: July 7

Den of Geek says: Jo Walton is a writer’s writer, highly praised but still generally skating under the radar. I found her 2014 My Real Children to not nearly live up to its very high concept, but she’s one of those authors with technical prowess who is at least worth checking out for context for women’s science fiction. The metafiction plot sounds fun.

Publisher’s summary: He has been too many things to count. He has been a dragon with a boy on his back. He has been a scholar, a warrior, a lover, and a thief. He has been dream and dreamer. He has been a god.

But “he” is in fact nothing more than a spark of idea, a character in the mind of Sylvia Harrison, 73, award-winning author of thirty novels over forty years. He has played a part in most of those novels, and in the recesses of her mind, Sylvia has conversed with him for years.

But Sylvia won’t live forever, any more than any human does. And he’s trapped inside her cave of bone, her hollow of skull. When she dies, so will he.

Now Sylvia is starting a new novel, a fantasy for adult readers, set in Thalia, the Florence-resembling imaginary city that was the setting for a successful YA trilogy she published decades before. Of course he’s got a part in it. But he also has a notion. He thinks he knows how he and Sylvia can step off the wheel of mortality altogether. All he has to do is convince her.

Buy Or What You Will by Jo Walton on Amazon

The Adventure Zone: Petals to the Metal

Type: Graphic Novel Publisher: First Second Release date: July 14

Den of Geek says: The Adventure Zone is a wildly popular humorous fantasy podcast. It’s part of the big 2010s wave of Dungeons & Dragons coming back into the geek space. Especially for someone who might not want to listen to hundreds of episodes of a podcast, the illustrated version does a good job of smoothing out the story into a graphic novel format without removing the goofy chaos of the original podcast.

Publisher’s summary: START YOUR ENGINES, friends, Clint McElroy and sons Griffin, Justin, and Travis hit the road again with Taako, Magnus and Merle, the beloved agents of chaos from the #1 New York Times bestselling graphic novels illustrated by Carey Pietsch, The Adventure Zone: Here There Be Gerblins and The Adventure Zone: Murder on the Rockport Limited.

Our boys have gone full-time at the Bureau of Balance, and their next assignment is a real thorny one: apprehending The Raven, a master thief who’s tapped into the power of a Grand Relic to ransack the city of Goldcliff. Local life-saver Lieutenant Hurley pulls them out of the woods, only to throw them headlong into the world of battle wagon racing, Goldcliff’s favorite high-stakes low-legality sport and The Raven’s chosen battlefield. Will the boys and Hurley be able to reclaim the Relic and pull The Raven back from the brink, or will they get lost in the weeds?

Based on the beloved blockbuster podcast where three brothers and their dad play a tabletop RPG in real time, The Adventure Zone: Petals to the Metal has it all: blossoming new friendships, pining for outlaw lovers, and a rollicking race you can root for!

Buy The Adventure Zone: Petals to the Metal

The post Top New Fantasy Books in August 2020 appeared first on Den of Geek.

from Den of Geek https://ift.tt/30f7KEw

#aion-rsa #Den of Geek

2 notes · View notes

storiesofwildfire · 5 years ago

Text

{ plotted starter for @thefateofwar -- Kratos and Faye }

♔—- War raged on throughout Yggdrasil. The Aesir and the Vanir fought violently against one another, though any who could see the war free of Asgard’s corrupted viewpoints understood that it was through no real fault of Vanaheim. Odin stood as a precursor to all that followed, a tyrant who forced and bent the wills and hands of millions and those who did not agree were quickly slaughtered.

The bloodshed quickly spread to many of the realms, which left the woman with little choice but to protect her own. The Jötnar suffered greatly at the hands of the Aesir as they refused to bend the knee and join the Gods new conquest for domination. Asgard sought to destroy them so thoroughly and leave them with no way to fight back that they even stole a powerful, ancient relic from her people.

The Casket of Ancient Winters, by many, was viewed as little more than a weapon, something that could send entire realms into an eternal ice age that would likely kill less powerful beings. For Jötunheim, though, it was a way of life, a source that kept their realm healthy and powerful. Without it, her people whithered away, afraid to have more children for fear of what would happen to them.

Laufey had no children, but she was regarded as one of the most powerful among them, gifted with many forms of Seidr that gave her an advantage in battle and preparation for the future. Fierce in battle but kind in heart, she stood as a delicate balance of both one to be feared and one to turn to in times of great struggle.

The realm knew she would make a marvelous queen, but she was not yet ready to take up the mantle that would eventually be passed down to her. So much needed to be done and if she had been tied to a throne, she would not have the freedom to roam as her tasks required of her. Many begged her to stay, to reconsider any sort of departure, to sit on the throne where they could protect her, but she refused that request, insisting that she would act as their protector, not the other way around.

Once Jötunheim stood safely amongst the realms of Yggdrasil and her path secured, then she would return and take up the burden that had loomed over her for so many eons.

Leaving her own behind hadn’t been easy. She prepared herself emotionally, spiritually, and physically for the departure, but she never could have been ready for how it felt to leave her home on her own. Even though her quest stood as a noble one and she knew without her efforts, her people would not endure, parting ways hit her in the chest with vicious intensity. Heartbreak along with a crippling fear that she may never see her home again nearly convinced her not to go, but if she ever hoped to take up the crown and call herself Queen, she had to protect those she would rule first. If she could not do that, then she was not worthy of such a role.

Whether she truly wanted said role was another story entirely. Without a doubt, she would be the most prepared she or any other person could be, but that did not mean she wished to rule or lead. If and when the time came, she would take her place on the throne of Jötunheim, but for the good of her people, not for her own personal desire or quest for power.

With that in mind, she took nothing but a small, worn travel sack and an axe with her to Midgard.

Upon arrival, she took great care in keeping her presence there unknown, even taking the form of a beautiful, young mortal-passing woman rather than the much larger form most common to her. She roamed, getting a feel for the land as well as decerning the best place for her to stop and make a home, however temporary or permanent that might be.

She held no fear in sleeping under the stars with little in the way of shelter. Jotun were built to endure the harshest of winters and she barely felt a thing when trapped by the snow or harsh winds or rain. So long as she could build a fire and hunt, she would endure, which is exactly what she settled in to do on the night that she met him.

A day of hunting produced a wild boar and a few rabbits. It was true, her appetite ranged far wider than that of a simple mortal woman and she held no reason to modesty when she traveled on her own. The kills would provide her enough meat to last a few days at least and would allow her to travel lightly without worrying about what she would be eating the next day. Their pelts would also prove to be useful for armor and clothing and the woman was nothing short of crafty.

As the setting sun dipped behind the snow-covered mountains, she conjured a flame that flickered a brilliant mix of emerald and sapphire before cooling to warmer and more natural tones of orange and yellow. The scent of roasting meat filled the air. Protective enchantments surrounded her campsite, so no unwanted guest--human, animal, or otherwise--would pass through undetected. Extreme, perhaps, but with Odin himself wishing for her death, she couldn’t afford to be too careful.

The flames died down as the woman ate and laid her head to rest on her pack, magic keeping them alive enough to produce a small amount of warmth and light without the risk of drawing too much attention. She’d only just nodded off when a violent shiver shot up her spin. One of her wards had been disturbed and she sat upright, eyes alert and bright in search of who or what might have trespassed into her temporary sanctuary.

In a second, she called her weapon to her, a large axe carefully crafted with fine metalwork and etchings along the blade itself as well as the long neck. Rather than lung at the man who neared her--and he was quite easy to see even in the dim lighting given his massive size. He wasn’t mortal, that she could say with certainty, but she wasn’t quite sure what she could call him--she leapt up with quick, elegant agility and dragged the head of her weapon through the snow she rested herself upon. Cool, white sparkles illuminated by the dying fire flared up, but a powerful burst of magic radiated through the ground towards the giant, effortlessly sending him flying.

The irony of thinking him a giant was not lost on her. Oh, how she would laugh on that later. Mortals were so tiny and she still hadn’t grown used to this small, delicate-appearance she’s taken up purely so eyes would not turn upon her and know immediately who she was.

With him temporarily off his feet, she advanced, quick and graceful despite the size of the weapon she pulled along with her, prepared to swing at any sign of violent intent. Killing never came as something she enjoyed, but she long since accepted that it was a harsh reality of survival. With war flaring up all around the Nine Realms, without a willingness to take another’s life, you would not live to see tomorrow and if you died, those who relied on you would soon follow.

“State your name and your business,” she ordered, the soft voice booming with intense sternness that she would come to find rivaled the man before her. “And I advise you to do so quickly if you wish to keep your head attached to your shoulders. Most friendly travelers offer friendly greeting before sneaking their way into someone else’s camp."

As far as she was concerned, she’d offered him extreme kindness in not harming him further. Many in her position would not offer him a chance to explain himself, choosing instead of strike quickly and ensure their own safety. It saddened her that the worlds operated in such a fashion, but she understood the reason.

Still, she could not bring herself to show cruelty in the face of her own safety. She could defend herself, so it did her no harm to give him a chance.

“What do you want?”

#thefateofwar #c; kratos #( side muse ) laufey #( private verse ; thefateofwar ) he called me atreus though i know not why #( ship ; thefateofwar ) in love we stand. in death we conquer. in us we believe.#( ship ) laufey x kratos #( long response ) if it were easy everyone would do it #closed starter #{ uuuuuh??? We really gay on main for Loki's parents huh?#am I sorry?#no #I'm not sorry #not at all #but also please give Faye a reason to literally kick your ass Kratos #please #you know you want to #{ eyes emoji }

5 notes · View notes

recentanimenews · 5 years ago

Text

Crunchyroll to Simulcast Is It Wrong to Try to Pick Up Girls in a Dungeon? II and More

Crunchyroll's Summer 2019 anime simulcast season is upon us, so it's time for more announcements! The latest additions include Is It Wrong to Try to Pick Up Girls in a Dungeon? II, If It's for My Daughter, I'd Even Defeat a Demon Lord, and Yamishibai: Japanese Ghost Stories 7, as well as timing and territory details for the previously announced Symphogear XV simulcast.

Is It Wrong to Try to Pick Up Girls in a Dungeon? II

Launch Time: July 12 at 9:00am PT

Territories: TBA

Synopsis:

Bell and Hestia are back in action! As they struggle to prove the strength of their Familia, Bell completes a task that moves him up in the rankings — but as a result, he soon finds himself the subject of scrutiny he never saw coming…

youtube

If It's For My Daughter, I'd Even Defeat a Demon Lord

Launch Time: July 4 at 9:00am PT

Territories: Worldwide except for Asia

Synopsis:

Dale is a well-known and highly skilled adventurer despite being so young. One day, he's on a quest and goes deep into the woods and finds a little devil girl named Latina, who is just skin and bones.

Latina is branded with the mark of a sinner, but Dale decides he can't just leave Latina there and decides to become her guardian.

Thinking to himself, "Latina is too cute, I don't want to work," he ends up doting over her before he even realizes it.

youtube

Yamishibai: Japanese Ghost Stories 7

Launch Time: July 7 at 12:30pm PT

Territories: Worldwide except for Asia

Synopsis:

This short-form horror series uses the classic "paper drama" storytelling style to present some of Japan's most bizarre urban legends in a modern anime format.

Symphogear XV

Launch Time: July 6 at 11:00am PT

Territories: Worldwide except for Asia

Symphogear XV synopsis:

Adam Weishaupt, the first humanoid, who tried to use the power of the Gods to destroy the Gods themselves, was defeated by the Symphogears which were transmuted by the Lapis Philosophicus, the ideal power source that St. Germain and her allies sought.

The ancient conspiracy of the Bavarian Illuminati collapsed, and its survivors were hunted by the worlds' governments.

But...

It wasn’t just the Bavarian Illuminati that was pushed to the brink.

The former superpower of America was criticized for its reflection of reaction weapons towards Japan, and isolated from international society.

As the threat of a new war on a planetary scale began to rise, swift political resolution was required, but complex international politics prevented any decisive action from occurring.

Japan, the victim in the incident, made superficial attempts to repair its relationships with America, but no real progress was made, and the ultimate fate of the world remained unknown.

And there was tension to be found in another place as well.

Inside the gondola of a Ferris wheel that overlooked the city's most famous landmarks, a popular date spot, sat two students from Lydian Private Music Academy: Miku Kohinata and Hibiki Tachibana.

The taiyaki in their hands was filled with shiratama, and was incredibly delicious. The filling had just the right amount of sweetness, and was the perfect mixture of egg and sugar.

But still, there was a tension between them, a tension that arose from a question that Miku had casually asked Hibiki.

As Hibiki fumbled for an answer, what lay inside her heart?

All the stories that began in the past and were woven towards the present gather inside XV.

The battle for the relics remains in eternal midsummer.

The songs of the girls give off a shining light, as they sing on the stage of the bursting surface of a lake.

youtube

Symphogear AXZ

Launch Time: Coming soon

Territories: Worldwide except for Asia

Symphogear AXZ synopsis:

Several weeks after stopping the alchemist Carol’s “World Dissection Plan”, an event that would later come to be known as the “Magical Girl Incident”, Tachibana Hibiki was on the verge of losing the battle to her greatest foe yet: Summer Homework, the merciless fate that awaits every student.

How did this happen?

Facing absolute despair, Hibiki looks back on how she came to be here.

She went to the sea.

She went to the mountains.

She told herself she needed to spend time with her new friends, and went to summer festivals, mouth agape like an idiot as she watched the night fireworks. For Obon she left the dorms and returned to her home in Chiba, happy to see her family once more.

“The whole family's together, so let’s make stew!”

It was midsummer, not stew season, but her father was so happy to see her that he insisted they have stew for dinner anyway.

Not long ago, she’d been forced to use the Symphogear as part of a supernatural battle, but as a result, she felt like she’d learned a little about the world. Her teacher had always told her that her handwriting looked like hieroglyphics, and now she finally knew what they were, and that her teacher was exaggerating. Her daily life was more fulfilled than it ever had been before. “Your life’s finally turned into something out of a late-night anime,” one of her friends said. She didn’t know what that meant, but she could tell it was a good thing, and it made her happy. She wished these days could continue forever... But now, the time had come to pay the price for all this happiness. It was nearing the end of summer break, on a school day. A new battle was about to begin for Tachibana Hibiki.

-------

Joseph Luster is the Games and Web editor at Otaku USA Magazine. You can read his webcomic, BIG DUMB FIGHTING IDIOTS at subhumanzoids. Follow him on Twitter @Moldilox.

By: [email protected]

#Anime #News #Latest in Anime News by Crunchyroll!

0 notes

swipestream · 7 years ago

Text

Fantasy and Adventure New Release Roundup: 2 December 2017

With the holiday season now upon us, this roundup of the newest releases in fantasy and adventure is bursting at the seams, featuring a wife pressed back into her former role as an assassin, a desperate fight to save a friend from a magical kangaroo court, the first hard-boiled detective fighting the Klan, and a quest for revenge that will not end until a murder’s head sits upon a pike.

* * * * *

The Awful Truth About Forgetting (Books of Unexpected Enlightenment #4) – L. Jagi Lamplighter

What she knows, she dare not tell.

Rachel Griffin should be having an amazing freshman year. She has the Princess of Magical Australia and crazy orphan Sigfried the Dragonslayer for friends and a handsome sorcerer boyfriend romancing her with charms magical and otherwise.

But otherworldly forces conspire against those she loves.

While all others can be made to forget the truth, Rachel cannot. When she runs afoul of the hidden force hiding these terrible secrets, Rachel must face her most desperate hour yet.

This on top of winter fairies, missing friends, Yule gifts, flying practice, and a rampaging ogre…oh, and schoolwork.

Then there is the matter of a certain undeniably attractive older boy…

* * * * *

Ghost in the Glass (Ghost Night #2) – Johnathan Moeller

Caina Amalas was once a deadly Ghost nightfighter, a spy and agent of the Emperor of Nighmar. Now she only wishes to live quietly with her husband.

But civil war grips the Empire, and Caina’s skills are needed against the cruel sorcerers of the malevolent Umbarian Order. Now Caina has a deadly problem.

Specifically, she carries the Ring of Rasarion Yagar, a relic created by the tyrannical necromancer-king who once ruled Ulkaar. The deadly sorcerers of the malevolent Umbarian Order wish to seize the Ring for themselves, as do the sinister priests of the ruthless Temnoti cult.

And to make matters worse, the Ring is not the only powerful relic of Rasarion Yagar.

And unless Caina can escape her foes, the wielders of those relics will kill her…

* * * * *

Graduation Day (Schooled in Magic #14) – Christopher G. Nuttall

Frieda is one of Emily’s closest friends, a young girl she saved from Mountaintop and brought back to Whitehall. But Frieda found herself the victim of a deadly soul-destroying plot – and the true target may well be Emily herself. Now, after Emily saved Frieda from a magician who was slowly driving her mad, Frieda stands accused of attempted murder – and worse. She must now stand trial for her crimes.

Worse, Fulvia – Matriarch of House Ashworth – has returned. Humiliated by Emily, years ago, Fulvia burns for revenge – and the chance to regain her lost power. Calling in favors from all over the world and rigging the trial against Frieda – and Emily – it looks as if her time is finally at hand. With no clear proof of Frieda’s innocence – and a jury that can be manipulated at will – Fulvia has all the leverage she needs to bring Emily to heel.

Gathering her friends around her, and calling in favors of her own, Emily must find a way to outwit a kangaroo court and save her friend from a fate worse than death, little realizing that Fulvia’s true target is Emily herself …

… And that Fulvia’s desperate quest for revenge will bring the entire world crashing down.

* * * * *

Head Down (The Valens Legacy #4) – Jan Stryvant

Things are starting to look up for Sean, he has a safe place to stay, allies, way too many wolves and a couple of dangerously cute werefoxes around now as well. However the other Councils now know that he’s serious, after the raid on Gradatim that left several important people dead.

Battle lines are starting to be drawn and the Council of the Ascendants realizes that they’re next in line and starts to take precautions while the other councils start to play politics and jockey for position. Even the Council of Vestibulum, the most powerful in both Reno and the rest of the country, is starting to be concerned.

And how could any conflict between these major powers be complete without the assassin hired twelve years ago, being brought back to deal with the son of the man he killed?

* * * * *

Knights of the Open Palm (Race Williams #1) – Carroll John Daly

The first hard-boiled detective Race Williams, runs up against the Klan in his premiere adventure, which leads him to fast and tragic action. Plus two other early Daly hard-boiled classics: “The False Burton Combs” and “Dolly.” Story #1 in the Race Williams series.

Carroll John Daly (1889–1958) was the creator of the first hard-boiled private eye story, predating Dashiell Hammett’s first Continental Op story by several months. Daly’s classic character, Race Williams, was one of the most popular fiction characters of the pulps, and the direct inspiration for Mickey Spillane’s Mike Hammer.

* * * * *

Lifemarked (The Fatemarked #5) – David Estes

The Four Kingdoms and the fatemarked face the most powerful army the world has ever seen…

In Phanes, Roan Loren, the Peacemaker, has high hopes for a united response to the threat from the Horde, but swiftly realizes the only true ally he has is his arch nemesis, Bane. Meanwhile, Rhea Loren, a new mother with a secret must decide whether to protect her child or share what she knows with the fatemarked…

To the north, Annise Gäric, Tarin Sheary and their allies are hunted mercilessly by the army of barbarians known as the Horde, led by her long-lost uncle Helmuth, now known as Klar-Ggra. While she seeks refuge in the east, Tarin once more struggles with his own demons…

In the west, Ennis Loren and his brothers, including self-proclaimed king of the west, Sai, return to Knight’s End against the advice of the fatemarked, who they despise. Secretly, they plot another attack on the south…

In the east, Gareth Ironclad returns to Ferria hoping to find a unified people with a common enemy, but instead faces a fractured kingdom uncertain of its future. But when he makes a drastic decision, everything begins to unravel…

In Calyp, Raven Sandes returns with the most unlikeliest of friends: Gwendolyn Storm. But when tragedy strikes at the heart of the empire, the survivors are left behind and forced to pick up the pieces…

* * * * *

Necrosis (Omens of Gaia #1) – H. C. Damrosch

A tyrant has conquered the land she holds dear; friends and family slain to build a kingdom of despair. Her own faith has fallen into doubt…

She must escape, no matter the cost.

Visions of light and shadow beckon from beyond the world’s edge; haunting dreams, waking nightmares, rivers of energy beneath the earth…

There is a warrior who would oppose death itself to uncover the secrets of his birth.

Subhuman and superhuman creatures arise to test them; powers of earth and spirit whose revelations shake the very foundations of reality.

Is it wisdom to believe, or madness…?

Only by coming to terms with their own humanity can they defeat the Lord of the Necrow.

* * * * *

Shadow Games (The Collector Chronicles #2) – D. K. Holmberg

Born of shadow magic. Gifted with the power to control the flame that burns within her. A master strategist. Tested by the mysterious Collector.

With the Collector thwarted, Carth realizes that until she uncovers his allies in Keyall, he will continue to threaten the city. When the city is attacked, the ruling tribunal blames Carth and uses the power of the city to confine her.

The Collector demands that Carth find the Elder Stone in exchange for her freedom, but there is much more to the demand than it seems. Now she’s caught in a game that she might not be able to win and manipulated by someone more skilled than her. In this game, not only is her life at stake, but the lives of her friends are in danger if she loses.

Worse, the person making the moves might be someone much closer to her than she had ever realized.

* * * * *

Thunderbolt (Dynasty of Storms #2) – Brandon Cornwell

After the liberation of the Greenreef islands, Elias has returned to the mainland of Lonwick, a new purpose burning in his heart; hunting down and killing the Felle general who murdered his love, and purging the land of the scourge that is the Felle. When he returns, he finds that the war brewing to the south is on the verge of erupting, and his allies back home have found themselves in dire situations. Can he muster the strength to build an army strong enough to find the vengeance he and his companions yearn for? Will the cost be too great? And what power lies behind the sudden emergence of the unholy Felle army?

In the second book of the Dynasty of Storms saga, Brandon Cornwell brings us back to the mainland of Erde to follow Elias of Stromgard as he forges a path through ancient forests, burning caverns, and wintery mountains. Challenges await and dangers lurk on his quest to find Darius Tessermyre and put his head where it belongs – on a pike.

* * * * *

War Hammer (Nate Temple #8) – Shayne Silvers

Two old dudes want to kill me. Oh, and one of them is my ancestor…

And after centuries of practice, they’re pretty good at the whole murder thing. But at least they want to kill each other just as badly.

Now, I’ve taken down a Greek Goddess, worn a Horseman’s Mask, and I ride a homicidal unicorn who hates rainbows with a passion. Some might say sending two senior citizens to a permanent retirement home should be a breeze.

It ain’t.

Because that’s not my biggest concern. One of my friends is in danger, or possibly dying, and I need to get her back before her fiancé kills me. But finding her introduces me to new worlds of pain. The biggest of these being my own past – which has been a blatant lie – and a parting gift from my parents – which might have just been the coin toss for the Apocalypse Olympics.

I’m beginning to realize that none of the old Gods, Legends, or Monsters have been idle the last few centuries. They’ve been waiting, picking sides, and scheming schemes.

Of course, maybe one of those two old dudes will punch my ticket and save me the headache. A wizard can Hope, right? Because either way, I’m about to have a very bad series of days…

Fantasy and Adventure New Release Roundup: 2 December 2017 published first on http://ift.tt/2zdiasi

0 notes