As Diablo 4 Season 4 has arrived for about a week, people have experienced most of what's going on. One new endgame mechanic that was added in this new season is the Pit of Artificers. It starts from Level 100 enemies, and this scales up to being harder than anything else in the game currently.

My opinion is that the Pit is a good addition to Season 4, but there are also some issues. If these problems can be solved, this endgame activity will become more interesting.

The main negative things that I have for the Pit of Artificers are:

Defensive Stats

If we build up a million defensive stats, which is basically what you have to do to handle this type of activity. As you slowly exhaust all your resources and consume all your potions one by one, because you know that whatever you do is only a matter of time.

This has sort of always been the issue with any overly difficult, challenging endgame mechanic they've put in Diablo 4. With the defensive stats now being much more predictable for the developers because of the recent item changes, I can only hope that they will get this worked out sooner rather than later.

Boss Scaling

The second major negative I have is the imbalance of the scaling as far as where the difficulty lies. The bosses heavily out scale the challenge of the full progress bar worth of monsters that you have to beat to get to the bosses.

This makes the first portion of the Pit activity feel somewhat pointless in comparison, especially in the highest tiers. If the boss has all the challenges of the activity, then the only part that you even have to think about is the boss. It just invalidates half of the activity entirely.

Hopefully, with time and patches, they will be able to shift this a bit so that the difficulty is more evenly distributed between both sections and they both matter at least a bit more equally. Of course, these are things that can be changed with player feedback.

After all, the best parts of it shine through regardless: the endless monster density, never stopping from one fight to the next, varied enemy types, locations, bosses, and just the snappiness of it when you are farming more comfortable tiers. Each run takes about 2 minutes to get in and out of, or even less if you're moving fast enough, which feels more satisfying now in the lower level.

Masterworking Reset

As for the Masterworking resets, the gold investment is extremely expensive, and Masterworking gets super expensive in further ranks as well. My thoughts on how to fix this are somewhat twofold: Have the Masterworking reset cost scale with how many upgrades have been done to the item, and more importantly to the health of the game as a whole, just have the Pit reward at the end.

Stopping Pit runs on repeat to farm activities you're overpowered in just for gold is not fun. Just make the Pit reward a proper amount of Diablo 4 Gold and have it scale so higher tiers are the best source of gold per time in the game, matching the scaling cost of Masterworking as the most expensive gold drain in the Diablo 4 Season 4.

Pit Rewards

Which brings us to another point of contention: there aren't any meaningful rewards for raising your Pit level to around 80 in the vast majority of builds or classes, other than bragging rights or the achievement of completing Level 100.

You can get more of the Masterworking materials for doing higher tiers, but you quickly hit a point in any build where the time it takes to complete the next tier up is no longer worth the extra materials you gain from doing so. If you're looking for a reward, it's not worth it anymore.

To fix this and actually incentivize pushing, the main ideas I have are:

Increase the scaling on the amount of Pit materials you gain per tier push past around 90. Make it worth it for the gear that drops too. We do get a handful of items at the end of each Pit run, but they're pretty average at best. It would be nice if the rewards also increased with the level of the Pit.

For the ultimate endgame mechanic, give more chances for higher-tier affixes on the gear that drops. They can decide the exact numbers needed for that system, but this is probably a perfect reward for pushing. It can motivate more Masterworking because if you get a good drop you have to reset an item and push it further, making yourself stronger. This makes it a proper cycle.

There are the things that just aren't dropping at the proper rates this season. The first being the Stygian Stones, a material needed to summon the Torment version of bosses. These have an abysmally low drop rate now. They're supposed to drop from the Pit and rarely do, so just bump it up.

Final Thought

I've found that most players enjoy playing the Pit of Artificers in Diablo 4 Season 4. The foundation it builds on is very strong, and I think if they fix it, it will be the basis for an extremely enjoyable endgame activity for months and years to come.

To achieve this, some important changes are needed. Hopefully, these will be upgraded and improve your gaming experience!

Today, I'll delve into why the Claws dominate as the top weapon choice in Elden Ring. We'll explore various weapons within this category, breaking down their strengths, weaknesses, and preferred play styles. My goal is to provide you with the knowledge you need to make informed decisions about using them in your builds.

Pros &Cons

First, let's talk about the pros and cons of using Claws as weapons in Elden Ring.

Pros

• Attack Speed - Claws are among the fastest attacking weapons in the game, allowing for rapid hits. This high attack speed helps build up attack power quickly when paired with items like Rotten Winged Sword Insignia and enables setting status effects more efficiently, even after recent nerfs.
• Paired Weapons - Claws are always paired, meaning you can wield 2 Claws with the weight of one equipped. This results in a lighter Equip Load and allows simultaneous buffs to both weapons. Buffs like Bloodflame Blade, Lightning Armament, or Scholar's Armament applied to the right-hand Claw also apply to the left-hand Claw, enhancing their attack ratings.
• Lightweight - Claws are extremely light, with weights ranging from 1.5 to 3. This makes them easy to carry without significantly impacting your Equip Load.
• Dual-Wield Moveset - Claws have an excellent dual-wield moveset, enabling rapid strikes and effective crits. Most Claws have a 110 crit rating, which is better than most other weapons.
• Status Effects - All Claw types naturally have status effects, making it easier to apply these effects during combat.

Cons

• Low Attack Rating - Claws have a low attack rating, though not the lowest among weapons. This can result in lower overall damage output.
• Nerfed Dual-Wield Status Effects - Previous patches have reduced the effectiveness of dual-wield status effects, meaning Claws don't set up status effects as easily as they used to.
• Short Reach - Claws have a shorter reach compared to many other weapons, limiting their effective range in combat.
• Low Stance Damage - Claws have relatively low stance damage, making it difficult to achieve stance breaks against enemies.

Playstyles

In terms of playstyles, I think the vast majority of people who are using Claws are simply going to use them in some sort of hybrid build where they cast spells and then dual-wield. While they buff their Claws with something, they cast spells when they want.

But most people are going to lean into the paired nature of Claws, dual-wield them, and attack rapidly with them, trying to set status effects or build up their attack power in that manner. You can also throw in some Elden Ring Runes to get the most out of your Claws.

List Of All Claws

Now, let's delve into the Claws themselves. There are no unique Claws in the Elden Ring. All 4 Claws are infusible weapon. So, let's explore them.

Hookclaws

First up is the Hookclaws. The Hookclaw shares the default moveset of most other Claws and deals with physical damage. It's one of the lightest Claws in Elden Ring, weighing 2, and requires 8 strength and 14 dexterity to use effectively. They are the longest Claws in Elden Ring, the second lightest, and have native Bleed buildup on hit. They can be found early on in Stormveil Castle.

However, they deal less damage than all but the Raptor's Talons. In terms of infusion, fire and lightning yield the highest attack rating at 532, followed closely by magic at 527, and sacred and flame art at 505. Keen outperforms heavy, with cold almost tied with keen.

I recommend using this weapon with the Flaming Strike and Flame Art to buff both weapons with fire, enhancing their attack rating. This setup allows effective casting of incantations because of high faith, achieving over 1,000 attack power when fully buffed.

The bleed effect is a bonus. Use talismans like Rotten Winged Sword Insignia, Fire Scorpion Charm, and Shard of Alexander to further boost damage, and ensure you have 51 Poise to trade damage without interruption.

Venomous Fang

Up next is the Venomous Fang. This Claw shares the default moveset of most other Claws and deals with physical damage. It's the second heaviest Claw in Elden Ring, weighing 2.5, and requires 9 strength and 9 dexterity for effective use. It boasts native deadly Poison buildup, inflicting more damage than regular poison but over a much shorter duration.

With the lowest requirements of all Claws and the highest attack rating, it appears promising. However, it falls short in reach, being significantly shorter than other Claws, and has the lowest crit rating. In terms of infusion, magic, fire, and lightning are virtually tied at 576 and 575, with sacred and flame art following closely behind at 545. Keen outperforms heavy, 504 to 498, with cold also at 504, and quality at 471.

You can use these weapons with blood infusion since the arcane scaling also impacts the Poison buildup, and bleed is often more advantageous than poison, even in its deadly variant. Utilize Endure to withstand hits and maintain a barrage of attacks on bosses, setting both status effects. Talismans like Rotten Winged Sword Insignia, Lord of Blood's Exultation, and Kindred of Rot's Exultation enhance attack power further.

Bloodhound Claws

Next up are the Bloodhound Claws. They share the default moveset of most other Claws and deal with physical damage. As the heaviest Claw in Elden Ring, weighing 3, they require 10 strength and 15 dexterity to use effectively.

The Bloodhound Claws are the preferred choice for players aiming for a Strength-based Claws build, boasting native Bleed buildup on hit. Some of their damage bypasses shields, and they possess the second-highest attack rating among all Claws. However, they are the second shortest Claws, and acquiring them can be delayed until reaching Volcano Manor.

Regarding infusion, fire, lightning, and magic share the top spot with an attack rating of 549, while sacred and flame art follow closely behind at 528. Heavy infusion slightly outperforms keen, and cold sits at 450, not far behind.

I prefer using this weapon with a heavy infusion, leveraging its decent Strength scaling, and buffing it with Bloodflame Blade to enhance Bleed buildup for each Claw. With tools like Endure, you can withstand hits while swiftly swinging, easily triggering hemorrhage and boosting attack rating. Talismans such as Lord of Blood's Exultation and Rotten Winged Sword Insignia further amplify damage, complemented by the Thorny Cracked Tear.

Raptor Talons

And lastly, we come to the Raptor Talons. This Claw features a unique heavy attack that jumps and deals with physical damage. As the lightest Claw in Elden Ring, weighing 1.5, they require 6 strength and 14 dexterity for effective use.

The Raptor Talons are distinguished by their sole possession of an alternate moveset, with their jump attack inflicting approximately 10% more damage than other Claws, assuming similar attack ratings. They also possess native Bleed buildup like other Claws but have the lowest attack rating among all Claws in Elden Ring.

In terms of infusion, fire and lightning rank highest at 518, with magic following at 511, and sacred and flame art at 478 attack rating. Keen outperforms heavy, 469 to 444, while cold trails closely behind keen. You can utilize these weapons in a jump attack build to capitalize on their unique properties, akin to the Cold Blooded Raptor build.

This strategy involves utilizing the Claw Talisman, Raptor's Black Feathers, and Royal Knight’s Resolve to enhance jump attacks. The Sacrificial Axe in the off-hand can refund FP when enemies are slain. Furthermore, the Ritual Sword Talisman complements this build well, as it minimizes the likelihood of being hit during jump attacks.

Welcome all players! The WoW Cataclysm Classic is online today, and I'm here to bring you a leveling guide! Join me as I reveal the secrets to leveling up quickly in the WoW Cataclysm Classic, including the best leveling areas, the top class picks, and efficient strategies. Without wasting time, let's get started!

Best Leveling Route

Planning is the most important thing for players, and let's start with a route that can be used to level up. The optimal way to level is by starting in the Mount Hyjal or diving into dungeons. Rush to Level 82 and start Deepholm as soon as possible. Mount Hyjal will be very contested and active in terms of PvP, so try to leave it as soon as possible.

Players who first enter Deepholm will skyrocket in leveling speed without any competition in quests. After going through the Deepholm, you're free to choose the next location, either Twilight Highlands or Uldum, where you will reach Level 85. It's also essential to prepare for enough WoW Cataclysm Classic Gold.

Top Classes For Leveling

Then, let's talk about the best classes for fast leveling in the WoW Cataclysm Classic. Here's the list of the classes and why to pick them:

• Hunter: With their ability to deal consistent damage from a distance and command a loyal pet, Hunters excel at soloing content and quickly clearing quests.
• Warlock: Warlocks have strong Damage over Time spells and a pet to tank enemies, making them efficient at soloing and dealing with multiple mobs at once.
• Paladin: Paladins have a good balance of survivability and damage output with self-healing abilities and strong AoE damage, making them great for grinding through quests and dungeons.
• Feral Druid: Druids have versatility with the ability to switch between different roles - Tank, Healer, ranged DPS, melee DPS - and travel forms, allowing them to adapt to various situations and quickly move between quest objectives.
• Mage: Mages have powerful AOE spells and the ability to conjure food and water, reducing downtime between kills and allowing for continuous questing.
• Death Knight: Death Knights start at a higher level, and their starting zone provides a fast-paced introduction to the class and grants them strong abilities for soloing content, making them efficient levelers. The only downside is that in order to create a Death Knight, you will need a character of Level 55 or above.

Tips And Tricks

Now, let's get into some useful tips. Before you start leveling, have a questing plan in mind. Know which zones you'll tackle first and the order in which you'll complete quests. Remember that your ultimate goal is to reach Level 85.

Install an addon, like the Rested XP or others designed to optimize your leveling route. These addons can help you find the most efficient path for earning experience points (XP) per hour. The Questie is also a helpful addon that tracks available quests in your current zone. It can save you time by pointing you 2 quest objectives with no need to search for them manually.

While killing mobs can provide experience points, quests typically offer more efficient XP gains. Focus on completing quests rather than spending too much time grinding mobs or looting unnecessary items. Stay focused on completing quests and advancing your character rather than getting distracted by other activities like looting every mob you encounter.

Dungeons are great for leveling to 82, but after that, you'll slow down a lot. You can level in dungeons to 82 and start Deepholm right away, but make sure you have a full 5-person party to rush dungeons efficiently. Always skip the Vashj'ir. The reason for this is that Vashj'ir is extremely tedious to navigate with long and barely rewarding quest chains.

As for the heirlooms, the new heirlooms will be available when the first raid launches a week after the Cataclysm expansion releases. So, you might use them to level your secondary characters. With these tips and class recommendations, you'll be well on your way to hitting Level 85 in WoW Cataclysm Classic quickly and efficiently. Happy leveling!

As Elden Ring Shadow of the Erdtree DLC is just approaching, I'll cover a perfected Frost Mage build, using the Dark Moon Greatsword to stagger enemies for critical hits and apply Frostbite regularly. We're also combining this build with a Horn Bow for Fire Arrows to remove the Frostbite build once it's triggered to build it up again.

How It Works

The original 2 builds that this hybrid is based on the Mage Knight and Frost Mage builds. The Mage Knight relied on the Moon Veil Katana and capitalized on the potent poise damage of Transient Moonlight. However, there have been some adjustments since then, you now need to engage enemies at much closer range.

I also wanted to make some adjustments to this build and focus more on the Dark Moon Greatsword from the Frost Mage build. Greatswords have received significant buffs since launch. The scaling was adjusted, and improvements were made to their speed, range, recovery time, and guard counter speed. Additionally, the Moonlight Greatsword Ash of War was also buffed.

We're focusing on Frostbite for several reasons. Frostbite is easy to apply and can be reset, which is why we've included a Horn Bow and Fire Pots as secondary options for this build. When you trigger Frostbite on an enemy, you can deal significant damage, but then reset it with the Horn Bow.

The Horn Bow scales with Intelligence and deals magic damage, and using Fire Arrows or Fire Pots resets the Frostbite buildup. This allows you to continually apply Frostbite, which is effective against enemies with high health pools or Frostbite resistance.

Armor

For the armor, you can wear the Snow Witch Hat, which comes from Ranni's Rise, also from Ranni's quest line, and then any medium armor that you have a decent amount of poise with. And for the armor set, I recommend wearing the Blaidd's Set in this build because it does give you above 52 poise so you can tank a couple of hits while still attacking.

Weapons

The added Frostbite benefits of the Dark Moon Greatsword significantly enhance this build. There have been reductions in the FP cost of numerous spells across the board. Consequently, these adjustments collectively bring the Dark Moon Greatsword more in line with the Moonveil Katana.

In this setup, you can wield the Carian Regal Scepter. To acquire this staff, you must obtain the Remembrance of the Full Moon Queen's power and deliver it to Enia at Roundtable Hold. The Dark Moon Greatsword, crucial to this build, is acquired from the Remembrance's quest line as well.

While I'm not utilizing a shield in this configuration, I suggest equipping the Horn Bow in your secondary slot. You can find the Horn Bow near the Siofra River bank side of Grace, just underneath the stairs at the Hallowhorn Grounds. This weapon offers versatility in combat. You can switch to it in your main hand and use Fire Arrows whenever you need to reset the Frostbite effect.

Alternatively, if you prefer not to switch weapons, you can rely on Fire Pots. The Horn Bow provides additional options, allowing you to use arrows with various effects such as putting enemies to sleep or dealing with Magic Damage, which complements this build perfectly.

Talismans

Move to the talismans. You can use the Shard of Alexander to greatly boost the attack power of skills. Besides, I recommend using the Magic Scorpion Charm to raise the magic attack damage and it does lower your damage negation.

But we can mitigate some of those effects with the Dragoncrest Greatshield Talisman to increase our physical damage negation. And lastly, you can get the Godfrey Icon to enhance the charged spells and skills, as a lot of these spells can actually be charged, so you can increase their damage overall.

Stats

For your stats, Intelligence is absolutely your primary. You want to get this to around 80. This is also for using the specific staff we're using as well as all the spells we're using, but also because the magic wave of the Dark Moon Greatsword does scale mostly off your Intelligence, same with the weapon itself.

For your secondary stats, like Vigor, you definitely want your Vigor to be around the 50 mark for moving into the Elden Ring Shadow of the Erdtree DLC, and then your Endurance at whatever and your Strength will need to be at 16 just for that minimum requirement for your equipment.