Design Notes

April 28, 2023

This Weekend: Good vs Evil BattleMages

New Featured Rare Gear Available for a Limited Time

The Alliance has almost completely shattered, but you must not let yourself be distracted. Threats await you, no matter what alignment you are. Gear up with good and evil battlemage sets from your Featured Gear Shop, then head begin exploring Termina Temple as we start the next chapter of our main story. Find our two new new rare sets and more in your Featured Gear Shop in the game menu for AdventureCoins until May 26th.

Swordhaven Cleric Set

Clerics raised and trained in Swordhaven, a Kingdom that protects the weak and the trapped. They are a welcome sight in every home, castle, and even prisons. Everyone has a right to be healed and live well.

• Swordhaven Cleric Armor
• Mystical Cleric's Hood
• Enchanted Cleric's Wrap
• Blinding Hammer of Light (single + dual wield)

The armor, helm, and cape are color-customizable to Base, Trim, and Accessory. The Hammers are color-customizable to Base and Accessory.

BeastBane BattleMage

Ruthless as the beasts whose hides they've taken for their own, these battlemages hunt apex predators and legends. The more they devour, the more powerful their magic grows. 

• BeastBane Battlemage armor
• Beastbane Battle Helm + Locks
• Furled Beastbane Wings
• Wings of the Beastbane (25% class points boost)*
• Beastbane's Blood Blade (25% gold boost)*
• Beastbane's Blood Blades (25% rep boost)*
• Beastbane's Blood Spear (25% XP boost)*

*Previously, the specified boosts were at 30% due to a miscommunication and has been corrected.

Don't Miss Last Week's New Rare Sets

Light, venerated as a symbol of divinity and justice, runs through the veins of those chosen by the rays of the sun... and through the veins of the Swordhaven royal family. Find the rare rare Swordhaven-themed sets and in your Featured Gear Shop in the game menu for AdventureCoins until May 21st.

Swordhaven Courtly Attire Set

Light is glorified as a a symbol of Good and Virtue by the court of Swordhaven. Queen Lynaria was a beacon of Light, and dearly beloved by all who knew her. These items honor her pure ideals.

• Swordhaven Courtly Attire Armor
• Swordhaven Courtly Hair + Locks
• Royal Roses Ornament cape
• Bright Wings of Swordhaven
• Bright Aura of Swordhaven (animated ground rune)
• Golden Aura of Swordhaven (static ground rune)
• Swordhaven Prestige Blade (single + dual wield)
• Glorious Crown Staff
• Golden Spear of Virtue

Elegant Courtly Attire Set

In days of old, the gardens of Swordhaven castle nurtured dangerously poisonous plants. The old dynasty's enemies were buried beneath those thorns, but they have since been replaced by the simple yet graceful rose. The noble court is allowed to pick the flowers and wear them.

• Elegant Courtly Attire
• Elegant Courtly Circlet + Diadem
• Dark Wings of Swordhaven
• Mystical Aura of Swordhaven (animated ground rune)
• Elegant Aura of Swordhaven (static ground rune)
• Elegant Prestige Blade (single + dual wield) 

Note: only select items from the Swordhaven Courtly set have Elegant Courtly variants.

Lightweaver Set

Legends say that the Lightweavers were called upon to protect the Plane of Light during ancient wars. Humankind chose the Light, and it accepted. The oldest of the Lightweavers are seldom seen, becoming one with the radiance that gifted them the power to seek glory. 

• Lightweaver Armor
• Lightweaver Hair + Locks
• Lightweaver Morph + Visage
• Golden Lightweaver Mask + Locks
• Wings of the Lightweaver Cape
• Beams of Light 
• Golden Lightweaver Blade (single + dual wield) 
• Golden Lightweaver Bow

April 28, 2023

This Weekend: Age of Ruins Begins

Our New Main Story begins in Termina Temple

At long last, the threat Malgor and his ShadowFlame army posed has been put to rest, but the scars he inflicted remain... and so does the knowledge you gained. The Gods and Greater Beings of the Old Worlds Order have been revealed, and now you must complete the task they've set: to neutralize three dire threats before they awaken. Journey this weekend to Termina Temple as we begin the next Chapter of our main story in: the Age of Ruin!

This weekend, /join terminatemple to begin your adventures!

• Meet new allies and discover more about your current battle companions
• Complete quests to earn XP, gold, and new item rewards
• Learn more about the Temple, Lady Celestia, and a host of faction guardians and Loremasters

Don't miss the any of our upcoming events and releases of this month's update. Bookmark our weekly event  here: AdventureQuest Worlds calendar.

Termina Temple Rewards

Talk to Lady Celestia in the Termina Temple. She's declared complete neutrality, and is eager to help heroes of all alignments as you search for the three threats facing you. Complete quests in the map to earn Termina Sigils and combine them with other merge requirements to make the DragonLords of Good, Evil, and Chaos!

Bev's Battleontown Hair Shop Update

This is shear bliss! The first of Bev's new 2023 hairstyles have arrived in her Battleontown Hair Shop. Check all ten out now them out now (five male, five female). Next month, we'll add headcoverings (like gele, turbans, shawl/wraps, etc) to her shop to give you even more comfort and coverage as you brave the elements during your adventures.

The hairstyles and headcovering options we chose stem from a wide range of different cultures and groups to bring you maximum freedom and flexibility of choice. Many were suggested by your fellow heroes in the AQWorlds community. We'll continue that as we see more requests and ideas from members of our videogame community!

April 26, 2023

Happening Now: Dark Rewards Boost

This Week's Resource Boost is Now Active

Get double Legion Tokens from the Legion Quests listed below  PLUS double Dark Unicorn Rib drops from Binky in the /binky map until May 3rd.

New this month, and going forward: we're boosting our boosts! The weekly resource farming boosts will now last an entire week instead of 72-96 hours. 

Log in each day for a new reward, boost, or other bonus.

April 21, 2023

Zodiac Heroes Series: Aries Set

Now Available: Mystic Aries Castigator

Last month, we added the Piscean Song set, first of a new farming reward series based on the sun signs of Western astrology: the Zodiac Heroes. Our goal is to have a set matching each of the astrological signs. We'll release new sets to match each of the astrological signs as the year cycles through them. 

Talk to Kylokos the Astromancer, in the Arcangrove Observatory tower. Complete her quest to collect Star Shards; in return, she'll gift you pieces of the Aries Castigator set, available until we release the next set in the series.

Complete her quest to choose individual pieces of the Aries set:

• Mystic Aries Castigator
• Mystic Aries Hair + Locks
• Mystic Aries Horns + Horned Locks
• Mystic Aries Mask + Masked Locks
• Mystic Aries Back Staff
• Mystic Aries Cape and Staff
• Mystic Aries Cape
• Mystic Aries Staff

As a bonus, find the Astravian Oracle set, now permanently available from Kylokos. 

The Astravian Oracle set includes:

• Astravian Oracle
• Astravian Oracle’s Hair + Locks
• Astravian Oracle’s Hat Hair + Locks
• Astravian Oracle’s Cloak
• Astravian Oracle’s Astrolabe
• Astravian Oracle’s Broom
• Staff of Constellations
  

Normally, we would have released our Aries-themed set on or shortly after March 21st, when the phase began. But Neihi, the artist overseeing the series, needed to focus on a real-life, critical personal matter. She strove to get the set in on time, but family and health come first (always!) so earlier this month, we added the Prisma Ram Maurader set, imported from OverSoul. 

Complete her quest to choose individual pieces of the set:

• Prisma Ram Maurader armor
• Prisma Ram Raider armor
• Prisma Ram Helm
• Prisma Ram Cape
• Prisma Ram Axe (single and dual wield)

The Prisma Ram Maurader will go rare when the Zodiac Hero: Cancer set arrives later on this year.

Lore's Astromancers + Western Astrology

On Lore, Astromancers channel their magic through the power of the stars, their movements, and their affinities. They draw in power through the ley lines that surround the planet, then "hook in" to the magic of other planets surrounds ours. To make the most of their power, then, it makes sense that Astromancers on Lore would be adept in the use of both astronomy and astrology*. 

Astronomy is the study of the positions, motions, and properties of the stars. 
Astrology is the study of how those positions, motions, and properties affect people** and events on Earth (and Lore)

The western zodiac is divided into 12 signs, with each corresponding to a section of the sky in the path of the sun as it moves across the "celestial sphere" over the course of the year. Each section roughly corresponds with a constellation it contains.

A person's sign is determined by the position of the sun in the sky (/ which zodiac section it is in) at the moment of their birth. Because the sun occupies each section of the zodiac for about a month, the signs are also known as sun signs.

The zodiac has been used, in one form or another, back to the 1st century BC. From the Romans to today, people throughout history have been fascinated by the idea that the stars can guide our destinies, and even influence our personalities.

Zodiac Heroes set schedule adjustment

We want to make sure our team members are always able to stay healthy, address real-life emergencies when they arise, and have the time and focus to create the quality items you ask for. That's why we're moving the  Taurus and Gemini sets to next year. That ensures Neihi has ample time to get ahead on the next few sets while being able to take care of all her other responsbilities.

* I knew some of this but WOW, I learned a lot while researching this idea. All the above info on the zodiac is courtesy of Wikipedia.
** It is said a person's sun sign can influence their intelligence, personality, temperament, and character traits.

April 21, 2023

Return to Swordhaven Castle

Your Good Hub Town Glows Up this Weekend

The rebuilt Swordhaven Castle has lowered its drawbridge to invite adventurers, nobles, and commoners alike as we return to polish up the zone and make the capital a more welcoming and inviting place. Plus, find a new reward set in the PVP Combat Trophy Merge Shop and two new sets from Kylokos in Arcangrove's Tower!

This weekend, log in and prepare to battle!

• /join Castle for updated map and NPC art, new quests, and reward gear
• Find all our Spirit Scarves + Country Flags on Lady Elodie, Swordhaven's diplomat
• DeathGaze Irismancer set now available in the PVP Trophy Shop in your Game Menu
• /join Arcangrove and talk to Kylokos for two new Zodiac Heroes sets

And don't miss the rest of this month's update. See the full release lineup here: AdventureQuest Worlds calendar.

Good Heroes Deserve Royal Rewards

Talk to Lady Elodie Clere in Swordhaven's Castle. She travels beyond Greenguard's borders to meet with the leaders of other nations... and sometimes even other worlds, like Terra (what we call Earth). Complete her quests to craft three new sets. 

Diplomat Merge Shop

• Swordhaven Emissary armor
• Swordhaven Emissary Hair + Locks
• Swordhaven Emissary Circlet + Diadem
• Swordhaven Emissary Hood + Cowl
• Emissary's Arrow Quiver + Cape
• Emissary's Bow 
• Emissary's Bow and Arrow
• Swordhaven Courtier
• Swordhaven Courtier Hat + Locks
• Swordhacen Courtier Cape
• Formal Swordhaven Courtier
• Formal Courtier Hat + Locks
• Formal Courtier Cape

New Location for Spirit Gear: Lady Elodie's Shops

Our country scarf capes, flag banner house items, and other rewards let heroes across the world celebrate their national holidays. Previously, the scarf capes and flag banners would drop from the Zard in /battleontown when countries would be celebrating their national holidays. 

But it's not always easy to get on and farm for the gear you want. We want to help you celebrate and pay tribute to the country (or countries) you love all year long. Talk to Lady Elodie in /castle to find ALL of the spirit scarves and wall flags permanently available for 0 ACs.

List of updated Swordhaven Maps

Fixes include: small (and some larger) bugs, adjusted flow to remove confusion, linked maps from one to the next to help player experience.

• Archives
• Armory
• Castle
• Castleroof
• Chaosaltar
• Ceremony
• Swordhaven
• Swordhavenfalls

PVP Trophy Shop Update

Last year, AQW artist ShadowSlayer K crafted a set just for our most experienced heroes, who remember back to the earliest days. For you all, who love some nostalgia, we've added the DeathGaze Irismancer set to the PVP Trophy Shop in your Game Menu.

DeathGaze Irismancer set

• DeathGaze Irismancer armor
• DeathGaze Irismancer Hat + Hood
• DeathGaze Irismancer Tassles cape
• DeathGaze Irismancer Flail mace

April 19, 2023

Wednesday, April 19th News Roundup

Bits, Bites, and Bytes of News for You

As April showers rage on, we've got a melange of things you need, want, or should know before we move into April. Read on for news, and then come back Friday for this week's new game update!

Dark Spirit Orbs Server Boost Ends at Midnight

Get double rewards as you battle to create Sepulchure's DoomKnight armor until April 19th.

Art Sneak Peeks

We are starting the next saga of AQW main story later this month, so Darkon previewed a new ally. Due to their incredibly long lifespan, an elf would be the perfect lorekeeper.

AQWorlds player + community member, SteveArxx has teamed up once more with AQW Artist Aciel! Aciel is converting Steve's designs into Flash files to create new summer-themed gear! Keep an eye on the Design Notes for more information on how to obtain these armors as we get closer to the return of our seasonal holiday events and rare gear shops.

Faction Titles for Character Pages went live last week

Many of you found our surprise update by chance... Faction Titles on your character page! This is a really fun extra reward for reaching rank 10 in all the current reputations. Head into your Account Manager to set a title for your character page. From King Fisher to Mystery Meat, there's something for every hero!

Note: the titles for the Hollowborn and Diabolical factions were updated yesterday to better line up with the lore for the stories surrounding them.

April 18th... Hunt #7: Golden Treasure

Defeat the Frogzard  in /battleontown to get the Golden Treasure Hunt clue. The clue + reward will be available through May 1st.

Coming Soon: Bev's Hair Shop Update

Rest a-sheared! New hairs are coming to Bev's Battleontown Hair Shop in the very near future. AQW Artist Snowvers will be moving on to the the headcoverings (like gele, turbans, shawl/wraps, etc) once he finishes with the list of new hairstyles.

The hairstyles and headcovering options we chose stem from a wide range of different cultures and groups to bring you maximum freedom and flexibility of choice. Many were suggested by your fellow heroes in the AQWorlds community. We'll continue that as we see more requests and ideas from members of our videogame community!

Update on the Limited Time Aries Set

Last month, we added the Piscean Song set, first of a new monthly farming reward series based on the sun signs of Western astrology: the Zodiac Heroes. Our goal is to have a set matching each of the astrological signs.

Normally, we would have released our Aries-themed set on or shortly after March 21st, when the phase began. But Neihi, the artist overseeing the series, needed to focus on a real-life, critical personal matter. She strove to get the set in on time, but family and health come first (always!) so we added the Prisma Ram Maurader set while she finished up the final set for all you Aries Heroes... and now you can see what will arrive this weekend!

Until then, you can talk to Kylokos the Astromancer, in the Arcangrove Observatory tower. Complete her quest to collect Star Shards; in return, she'll gift you pieces of the Prisma Ram Maurader set, imported from OverSoul. The Prisma Ram Maurader will go rare when the Zodiac Hero: Cancer set arrives in mid-June.

Complete her quest to choose individual pieces of the set:

• Prisma Ram Maurader armor
• Prisma Ram Raider armor
• Prisma Ram Helm
• Prisma Ram Cape
• Prisma Ram Axe (single and dual wield)

Zodiac Heroes set schedule adjustment

We want to make sure our team members are always able to stay healthy, address real-life emergencies when they arise, and have the time and focus to create the quality items you ask for. That's why we're moving the  Taurus and Gemini sets to next year. That ensures Neihi has ample time to get ahead on the next few sets while being able to take care of all her other responsbilities.

April 14, 2023

Featured Rare Set: Eternal Dragon of Rhyme

New Gear Available for a Limited Time

The only thing sicker than these threads is the dope beat he bout to drop! Our month of parody and puns continues with a sick new set from Lae fusing your hero with a Trap/Rap star. Find the Eternal Dragon of Rhyme set and more in your Featured Gear Shop in the game menu for AdventureCoins until May 12th.

Drop the beat(down) with the:

• Eternal Dragon of Rhyme armor
• Eternally Trapped Hero armor
• Eternal Rune of Rhyme 
• Trapped Dragone Morph
• Trapped Dragonette Locs
• Trapped Dragonette Morph
• Trapped Dragone Locs
• Trapped Dragone Morph
• Eternal Rhyme Star Mic
• Eternal Rhyme Star Stage

Eternal Dragon of Rhyme Rap

I'm the king of the stage, the dragon you fear.
My rhymes are fire, my roar is so clear.
I'm a legend, a myth, a creature of power.
My wingspan so big I can soar for hours.

I'm a dragon, undisputed ruler of this land.
With threads of steel and a mic in my hand
I'll protect what's mine, and never back down.
No one can stop me, cuz I wear the crown.

- Beleen, Bar-spittin' Bard

April 14, 2023

Return to Swordhaven

Your Good Hub Town Glows Up this Weekend

This weekend, we're returning to one of the earliest zones in the game to polish it up for new and experienced heroes alike! We're updating the map art, breathing new life into two-dimensional NPCs, and adding quests and reewards that will help new heroes have a better experience early on.

This weekend, /join swordhaven to check out the additions:

• Updated map and NPC art: improved shading, layout adjusted
• New text + quests on multiple NPCs 
• The Pizza Shop interior added (Additional menu offerings/quests in the future)
• Shiny new gear for new and experienced heroes alike!

And don't miss the rest of this month's update. See the full release lineup here: AdventureQuest Worlds calendar.

Good Heroes Deserve Great Rewards

Talk to Robina in Swordhaven. Your favorite ranger-thief has a heart of gold (she might steal from the rich, but she gives to the poor). She's got a bounty of new gear, sold for Gold. Just make sure you've got your Good Faction ranked up. You'll need both to get what she's got to offer.

Good Rep Shop:

• Swordhaven War Caster
• Swordhaven Caster's Hood / Hood + Locks
• Swordhaven Caster's Hair / Locks
• Swordhaven Caster's Cape
• Swordhaven Caster's Staff
• Swordhaven Scout
• Swordhaven Scout's Hair / Locks
• Swordhaven Scout's Mask / Mask + Locks
• Swordhaven Scout's Hood + Mask (male + female)
• Swordhaven Scout's Cape
• Swordhaven Scout's Dagger (single + dual-wield)

Swordhaven Pet Shop Additions*

• Grumpy Cat
• Slime
• Green Rat
• Twilly Bank Pet
• Kiwi the Sneevil Mercenary!
• Gargoyle
• Dark Wolf Pup
• Mochi Mochi (AC and member-gold variants)
• Baby Bobble

Phedra Drops**

• Golden Swordhaven Defender
• Prismatic Swordhaven Hood
• Swordhaven Defender's Halo (member-only)
• Swordhaven Defender's Hair
• Swordhaven Defender's Sheathed Blade
• Swordhaven Defender's Sheathed Sword
• Prismatic Defender's Cloak (member-only)
• Prismatic Defender's Blade
• Prismatic Defender's Blades (member-only)

* We've imported some pets from elsewhere in the game to bring more attention to them
** One of Lim's quests will send you to defeat the Phedra in /lavarun.

Additional Updates

In addition to our Swordhaven improvements, we added several other updates.

New badge: The Pony vs Pony character page badge, intended to go live earlier this month, is now available! Unlock it by completing the story in our April Fools release in the /magicmederp map.

Class updates: 

• Exalted Soul Cleaver / Harbinger
• Evolved Pumpkinlord 
• Psionic MindBreaker 
• Guardian

 You can read more about the changes here.

April 12, 2023

Wednesday, April 12th News Roundup

Bits, Bites, and Bytes of News for You

As April showers rage on, we've got a melange of things you need, want, or should know before we move into April. Read on for news, and then come back Friday for this week's new game update!

Art Sneak Peeks

Inspired by members of the AE games community (Whaku, Lunaceria, and other heroes) in the #AQ3D-yulgar channel on the official AE Discord server, in the near future, we'll begin releasing a whole flock of 0 AC seasonal holiday Kiwi birbs for you to collect over time. 

Spirit Orbs Server Boost Ends at Midnight

Double+ Drop Rate on Spirit Orbs from the Essential Essences + Bust some Dust quests! (Mine Crafting rewards is also doubled) 

Coming Soon: Bev's Hair Shop Update

Items inspired by "real-world" fashion and clothing has been a fan-favorite theme for a while now, as heroes from across the world seek to mimic their offline outfits in-game. Earlier this year, we received requests for more inclusive hairstyles, as well as for cultural-based headcoverings. 

We're working on hairstyle and headcovering options that stem from a wide range of different cultures and groups to bring you maximum freedom and flexibility of choice. We'll continue that as we see more requests and ideas from members of our videogame community!

Coming Soon: Pony vs Pony Badge

Our April Fools' release: NeighQuest Worlds: Pony vs Pony, was supposed to get a character page badge the week after release. But we ran into an issue with the way the zone was coded and the two separate versions (seasonal derp zone and permanent non-derp zone). Yesterday, I got with Reens to make a final call; we'll stick to just the one badge. Anyone completing the boss quest (no matter what point in the year) will get the same badge. And with that decision made... the badge can now be added this week.

Limited Time Aries Set: Prisma Ram Maurader

Last month, we added the Piscean Song set, first of a new monthly farming reward series based on the sun signs of Western astrology: the Zodiac Heroes. Our goal is to have a set matching each of the astrological signs.

Talk to Kylokos the Astromancer, in the Arcangrove Observatory tower. Complete her quest to collect Star Shards; in return, she'll gift you pieces of the Prisma Ram Maurader set, imported from OverSoul. The Prisma Ram Maurader will go rare when the Zodiac Hero: Cancer set arrives in mid-June.

Complete her quest to choose individual pieces of the set:

• Prisma Ram Maurader armor
• Prisma Ram Raider armor
• Prisma Ram Helm
• Prisma Ram Cape
• Prisma Ram Axe (single and dual wield)

Zodiac Heroes set schedule adjustment

Normally, we would have released our Aries-themed set on or shortly after March 21st, when the phase began. But Neihi, the artist overseeing the series, needed to focus on a real-life, critical personal matter. She strove to get the set in on time, but family and health come first (always!) so we added this set so all you Aries babies wouldn't miss out.

We want to make sure our team members are always able to stay healthy, address real-life emergencies when they arise, and have the time and focus to create the quality items you ask for. That's why we're moving the  Taurus and Gemini sets to next year. That ensures Neihi has ample time to get ahead on the next few sets while being able to take care of all her other responsbilities.

April 10, 2023

Monday, April 10th News Roundup

You've got questions? We've got (short) answers!

With so many players on so many different platforms, the team and I found that our information had become really scattered over the last few years. Our round-up Design Notes posts gather all the posts made across social media and our sites to make sure you never miss out on important AQWorlds details, no matter which platform you use.

April Event Calendar Updated

The April 2023 Calendar of Events for AdventureQuest Worlds has been updated!

New this month: Resource farming boosts will now last an entire week.

Log in for a new boost, reward, or activity every day and see what's coming up here: www.artix.com/calendar

Where is the Aries Zodiac Hero set? 

The artist overseeing this set series, Neihi, has had some critical real-life family issues. She is working feverishly on finishing the set. In the meantime, we'll add a Ram-themed set from Oversoul for this year, so you have something to farm for while the sign is still in ascendency.

Bug Team Reminder: Original Drakath Badge

A note from Cemaros, head of the Bugs Team: Some time back the shop for the Original Drakath Armor in your Book of Lore moved from the Other Badges section to its proper place in the Achievement Badges section.

We just noticed the Note was still wrong, and fixed that to send you to the right place as well.

Swordhaven Glow Up Sneak Peek

This weekend, we're going back to Swordhaven for a polish pass, to give the town a "glow-up" so that what new players see better matches other areas of the game. 

Check out this sample screenshot from AQWorlds background artist, Crulon, showing off some of his shading updates. 

AQWorlds: Infinity Feature Requests

As work on AdventureQuest Worlds: Infinity continues, I see more and more requests requests and suggestions. I pass those on to the team. Here are the latest from Twitter, and where the team is at with them. 

Requests for:

• Item trading
• Stat tracking

There's merit in both ideas, and the team has previously discussed how each could be possible. Implementing trade well -- accounting for the "rare / end-game farming item economy" and preventing potential security and account issues -- are the critical piece of the puzzle that would need to be solved.

Stat tracking is a phenomenal idea, and would give the team a great reason to add more achievements for you to show off (and possibly leaderboards, as previously discussed).

I sent over the requests to the AQI devs this morning to let them know there's still interest in both. These would be "future phase" feature additions if implemented, not available for the alpha or beta launches.

Daily Login Boost: 48 Hr Double Class Points

Happening now: 48 hour DOUBLE Class Points boost on all servers! Log in each day for a new reward, boost, or other bonus.

April 08, 2023

Mare April Fools 2023 Rare Gear! O_O

We're not foalin' around... the OMG MLP Pirate Captains are Here

This is no joke. To celebrate the release of Beleen's BEST event yet, NeighQuest Worlds: Pony vs Derp, last week we combined the fan favorite Naval Commander armor set with PONIES... and this weekend, we added to our stable of HURR-ible pony parody armors with the pony-themed Pirate Captain sets! Find them in your Featured Gear Shop until April 28th. 

Our My Little Pirate series includes:

• Dashing Pirate Commander set
• Magical Pirate Commander set
  
• Pretty Pink Pirate Captain set
• Sugar Sweet Pirate Captain set

April 07, 2023

Triple Update Weekend

New + Returning Spring Holiday Events

Spring into action this weekend and prepare for magic, mayhem, and MANY egg-cellent rewards! Our seasonal Grenwog and Earth Day holiday zones return, and we've added new quests and reward gear to the magicians in Dragonrune Hall! Log in, gear up and get ready to battle on!

This weekend, adventure through new and returning seasonal events:

• Our Spring Fair returns with new + seasonal boss battles and rewards. See them all in the new /springhub map
• /join Grenwog to battle the classic, deadly, egg-sucking Grenwog and Rabid Lupus
• Head to /elixirgrenwog to take on this year's NEW boss during the Year of the Water Grenwog 
• Talk to Cabdury the Bunny to begin hunting eggs around Battleon
• Talk to Captain Lore in /pollution to complete our Earth Day story and earn his 100% organic rewards
• Return to Dragonrune Hall to find the Professors of Druidic Magic, Necromancy, and Elemental Magic, their new quests, and a treasure trove of new rewards

New Spring Hub Town

We're making it even easier for you to find all our April holiday events this weekend. /join springhub and talk to Cabdury to see what's hop-pening!

The Battleon Egg Hunt returns

Every year, heroes hunt around Battleon for eggs and prizes, and battle the deadly, egg-sucking Grenwog as we celebrate the return of Spring! This weekend talk to Cabdury (the friendliest, most inedible bunny in town) to begin this year's Egg Hunt quests in Battleon.

Collect the eggs hidden around BattleOn and the rest of the town to unlock the Backpack of Eggs and the Vorpal Bunny pet!

After whetting your detection skills in BattleOn, TRUE eggsplorers can talk to Cabdury and decipher his clues to find the pink, green, blue, purple, or multicolored eggs hidden around the rest of Lore to unlock all-new rewards: the Steampunk Eggsplorer set!

• Pink Eggs: Cape
• Green Eggs: Helm
• Blue Eggs: Weapon
• Purple Eggs: Armor
• Multicolored Eggs: Magical Shifting Grenwog Egg House

Once you've collected all those, why not try Cabdury's Treat Hunt to unlock the Evolved Berserker Bunny set? The merge items will drop from the bosses in Greenguard Forest.  With an Armor, a Helm, a Spear, and a Long-sword, you'll have a bun-tiful amount of items to choose from! The Evolved Berserker Bunny Armor also requires the drop from the final Vorpal Bunny quest.

Battle the Grenwogs

The legendary Grenwog is one of the fiercest beasts on Lore. Every spring, it awakens with one thing on its mind -- FOOD. And its favorite snack is, of course, eggs! (And the heroes who try to steal them!) 

Grenwog boss reward drops:

• Classy Bunny armor set
• Eggceptional Bunny armor set
• Cyberpunk Grenwog pet
• Evolved Berserker Bunny set
• Berserker Bunny armor, helm, and longsword
• Daisy on your back cape
• Mayflower and Marshmallow Cheep pets
• Fire Egg Staff, Carrotine Cutter, ChickenCow Club
• And much more!

Each year, we update the art on the Grenwog to match a new theme. But since this year is the Year of the Water Rabbit in the Yokai Zodiac Calendar, we made an entirely new map and filled it FULL of AQW guest artist Ferozakh's sweet, sweet loot: 25 new drops + 26 merge shop items.

New This Year: the Elixir Grenwog

/join elixirgrenwog and talk to Yue Huang, the organizer of Yokai Isles' Year of the Rabbit Celebrations. Her magic caused a Grenwog to transform and it swam to a secret island to hide its immortality eggs. She needs the Hero's help to prevent the Elixir Grenwog from disturbing the natural balance of life and death.

Elixir Grenwog Drops

• Colorful Grenwog armor + helms
  
• Blue-Band Battle Hair + Locks
• Fists of Colorful Fury
• Elixir Grenwog Pet
• 2 Guardian house items + the Year of the Rabbit Fountain ground item *
• Fortunate Red Grenwog Garb armor + accessories **

Elixir Grenwog Merge Shop

• Pink Grenwog Garb set
• Pastel Grenwog Gard set

* Saturday's rare daily login gift drops
** Sunday's rare daily login gift drops

Celebrate Earth Day this Weekend!

Be a hero, join the clean-up crew to save the world from the evils of pollution! Captain Lore is back and he needs your help again! /Join pollution to help Captain Lore battle General Pollution and free his eco-friendly energy platform from the chaotic clutches of General Pollution! 

Reduce, reuse, and recycle as many elementals as you can to unlock Captain Lore's shop and gain access to the greenest gear in the game! 

Magical New Rewards in DragonRune Hall

First released in 2013, DragonRune Hall is Battleon's premiere school of Magic! /Join DragonRune to travel there now and speak to HeadMistress Sora to Hoshi; she'll show you how to begin (or continue) your fascinating journey towards being a Master SpellCrafter! 

The Academy offers research classes in four different schools, and each school has a different rep shop filled with gear:

• The Crypt of Necromancy: headed by Mueran the Inversionist
• The Forge of Craft Magic: headed by Neveya the Darkblood Magecrafter
• The Grove of Druidic Magic: headed by Maedoc the High Elder Druid
• The Hall of Elemental Mastery: headed by Warlic, ArchMage Emeritus

This weekend, each professor has a new quest for you, and Maedoc, Mueran, and Warlic each have new rewards! 

• Druid Grove Rep: Druidic Soothsayer set
• Necro Crypt Rep: Neverborn Necromancer set

April 07, 2023

Stormbringer Warlock Bonus Set

Upgrade to unlock the exclusive armor sets

Call down the lightning and thunder, for YOU are the ruler of storms! Get both color customizable sets in the Stormbringer Warlock upgrade bonus pack when you buy any AdventureCoin or Membership package of $10 USD or more and unlock all 26 items plus a house item + character page badge.

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

Pack Details

Choose the Stormbringer Warlock upgrade bonus to unlock 2 fully color customizable, animated armor sets: the StormBringer Warlock + Platinum Stormbringer Warlock

• 2 Armors
• 10 Helms
• 4 Capes
• 2 Daggers
• 2 Gauntlets
• 4 Swords
• 2 Polearms
• 1 Ground Item
• and a character page badge

Plus an exclusive animated house item:

• 1 Stormbringer Warlock Guardian house item

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

12000 AC or 12 month membership package rewards:

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

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

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

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

The Stormbringer Warlock, crafted by AQWorlds artist Tyronius, is an evolution of the original Stormbringer set, which released in March 2013. Ten years later, his skills shine more brightly by several magnitudes... and he felt it was only right to bring that same glow to this set.

April 04, 2023

Spring AC Bonus Ends Tonight

Last Chance to get 50% More Free AdventureCoins

Last call, heroes! Get 50% more bonus AdventureCoins with any AC or Membership pack you buy until 11:59 PM EST (server time) tonight!

This is the best time to stock up on AdventureCoins as we gear up for all our April and May game updates, and the wicked-awesome new limited time rares heading your way, like...

• April Fools event rare Naval Commanders + Pirate Captains
• Blindingly-good Swordhaven sets
• Magical Dark & Light-themed gear 
• Memes & parody items a-plenty

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

During our 2023 Spring AdventureCoin bonus, get 60,000 ACs for $99.95 (that's 20,000 ACs more than normal!) and unlock your choice of upgrade bonus pack, 15x Rep, Gold, Class Points, and XP server boosts, and the Mythic Item of Digital Awesomeness (IoDA). 

Mythic Item of Digital Awesomeness?!

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

How to Claim your MIoDA Prize

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

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

Wait...AdventureCoin Bonus?!

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

April 03, 2023

Neigh Q Worlds

Stirrup some fun in the April Fools Day event!

Howdy y'all! Have you played this year's April Fool's Day event? As much as I believe "Pony vs Pony" is legitimately *the best* game idea ever, majority of the Artix team finds it to be a silly joke, befitting of an April Fools release. But hey, the joke's on them, since I *still* got ponies inside AQW, hehehe 🤭

So get your hooves a-tappin' and trot towards Magic Meadow, where the pony-powered Neigh Q Worlds release is wonderfully underway. Use the horse force against puzzles, pets, ponies… and derp!

History of the Derp

Long ago – nearly 13 years ago, just to highlight how ancient I am – back when Cysero was AQW's lead game designer, I was working alongside the mad weaponsmith while contemplating a new Pet O' The Month. Apparently August is National Catfish Month and I was overjoyed at the possibility of having a catfish pet in game. Cysero did not share said excitement, so I took it upon myself to show him how cute a catfish could be. I tried my best to create an adorable catfish buuuut it ended up looking like dis:

Cysero said it was the stupidest looking thing he's seen, but honestly, it's still one of my best art pieces to date. However, when I posted that catfish pic on Twitter, fishing for compliments you might say, Cysero and I received soo many requests for that exact pet to be created – notebook paper, goofy eyes, and all. Cysero dubbed it "Beleen's Stupid Derp-Fish" and just like that, the first AQW derp-thing was formed.

Here's that DN post from years ago if you want them nostalgic feels.

Fast forward 5 months and Artix had the idea of the Game-tastic Game Challenge, where everyone in the company broke off into smaller teams to create a new game from scratch. (Want more of those nostalgic nom noms? Here ya go!) I joined the Fat Panda team, and, after having witnessed the "success" of my catfish drawing, my team decided that THIS was the art direction to take for our game. Derp pineapples, pizzas, fries, and fruits flooded into existence and became a fan favorite much to Cysero's grumblings about how dumb everything looked. Even though the Fat Panda game came in 2nd Place, derp art remained #1 in many hearts throughout our amazing community.

And so, when April Fools 2011 rolled around…

Derp Quest Worlds totally happened! I derpified Battleon (including buildings, trees, and the sky since the derp knows no bounds) and hand-drew derpalicious loot befitting such spectacular art. I loved it, our players loved it, and Cysero… he, uh, tolerated it.

Over the years, AQW has seen many iterations of derp throughout the lands of Lore, and it's been an absolute pleasure and huge honor to see my horrible art come to life and somehow loved by so many people. If the length of this DN post is any testament to how much I love making derp art for you all, then let me try to put into words – even more words! – of just how much I love and appreciate players like you.

My love for you is infinite; it is a love that has no boundaries or limitations. It is the kind of love that inspires me to keep creating, writing, and drawing, to keep pushing myself to be better every day, and to keep striving to bring you the best gaming experience imaginable. This love fills me with joy and gratitude every time I see someone enjoying the derp fruits of my labor. So, to TL;DR, I love Artix players with all my heart and HP bar, and I will continue doing so for as long as I am able. <3

In case it's not abundantly clear by now, I am truly grateful for the opportunity to share my creativity with you all – even if it is sooo ridiculously derpy – and I cannot thank you enough for your continued support and love for AQWorlds 🥰

Love ya to infinity,

Beleen :D