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Minecraft Server Guide – Best Minecraft Servers, Hosting, And How To Create

by admin June 23, 2025

There are literally thousands of Minecraft servers to join right now. Whether you want a friendly community playing the vanilla Minecraft experience, a modded server with hundreds of new discoveries to be made, or even a themed server like Pixelmon, which has cute Pokémon additions, there’s something out there for everyone. It’s not always the most straightforward process to find the right server for you, though, so we’ve got you covered. Whether you play on Java or Bedrock, and no matter your platform of choice, our list of the best Minecraft servers will send you in the right direction.

If none of the below are your style, keep scrolling to discover how to make your own Minecraft server, as well as information on all of the best Minecraft hosting providers and a transparent view at each of their costs.

Best Minecraft servers in 2025

Complex Gaming server entrance

Complex Gaming

Java IP address: hub.mc-complex.com
Bedrock port: 19132

The Complex Gaming server is one of the most popular to join right now thanks to its vast array of modes including survival, PvP, skyblock, prison, and Pixelmon versions. Some of the modes rely on installing Minecraft mods, but these are helpfully bundled into Complex’s own modpack meaning they can be added in just a few clicks.

CraftersHQ entrance

CraftersHQ

Java IP address: craftershq.net
Bedrock port: 25565

Crafters features lifesteal and survival modes, and is best experienced by accepting the prompt to install the custom resource pack when you first join the game. PvP is enabled if your inventory is empty, meaning no one can come along and steal your hard-earned loot. Joining the server at first might seem overwhelming due to the number of options in front of you, but once you’ve selected a role and claimed your land using the golden shovel, the community is very welcoming and happy to help.

OPLegends’ mining areas

OPLegends

Java IP address: play.oplegends.com

OPLegends is one of the few crossplay Minecraft servers out there, meaning you can link up with friends on different platforms for a custom experience. It also works across both Java and Bedrock editions as an added bonus. The server highlight is easily its prison mode, with new maps added often, themed events and activities, and even a prison in space.

Ranch n’ Craft’s main hub

Ranch n’ Craft

Java IP address: mc.ranchncraft.com

This equestrian-themed survival server focuses on, well, horses. Unlike in the vanilla game, horses in Ranch n’ Craft have skills that can be leveled up. You’ll also become accustomed with horses’ traits and personalities, breeding, foals, rescuing, competing in shows and events, and even visiting the vet. You’ll need to install the custom plugin to access all of the new horse abilities, but the satisfaction of training and selling a prize equine is worth the extra step.

Hypixel

Java IP address: mc.hypixel.net

The Hypixel server is easily the biggest and most famous Minecraft server out there. It’s even been awarded Guinness World Records for being the most popular Minecraft server as well as hosting the most games. Hypixel contains a vast array of modes, minigames, and receives regular updates and content drops. If you’re looking for one Minecraft server that can do it all, Hypixel is your best option.

DonutSMP

Donut SMP

Java IP address: donutsmp.net
Bedrock port: 19132

On the Donut SMP server, the focus is on becoming the player with the most money, but that’s about the only rule in existence. You can kill, grief, and steal from other players–in fact, it’s almost necessary. If you fall victim to another player or die to any of the world’s mobs, there’s a countdown timer before you can rejoin. The few rules in existence are there to ensure it remains a fair experience for everyone involved–no hacking, basically. It’s more aligned to the vanilla Minecraft experience, with emphasis on survival mechanics especially against other players. Watch your back.

Entering the Mystic server

Mystic

Java IP address: join.mysticmc.co
Bedrock port: 19132

Mystic is a semi-vanilla Minecraft server with three realms to choose from–Arcane, Cosmic, and Elysium. You’ll start your adventure equipped with starter armor and tools, food, and a claim stick and shovel. Here, you can find a suitable place for your new home and claim the land, meaning other players won’t be able to harvest anything or take things from your chests. The server primarily focuses on economy, and you can earn money, claim blocks, and more from just playing the game as normal. The best part of all? You won’t lose your inventory on death.

The blossom trees and water wheel of Blossomcraft

Blossomcraft

Java IP address: play.BlossomCraft.org
Bedrock port: 19132

If you prefer your Minecraft chilled, pretty, and focused on economy, try Blossomcraft. This cute server has four worlds you can join–Cherry, Spirit, Lotus, and Tulip. Each one has its own map, and you can claim an area of the map for your own build as soon as you join. There are new, extremely difficult dungeons being added to the game, which grant high rewards but come at a huge risk if you like a challenge.

The Mineville server entry area

Mineville

Mineville is one of the rare servers on our list that isn’t available in Java Edition. Instead, it’s one of the five featured servers on Bedrock, and you can access it directly through the in-game menu. It features a regularly rotated selection of game modes, including dungeons, cities, prisons, and even high school settings. It follows an RPG-like storyline with quests and ample opportunities for socializing. If you’re not into the RPG elements, you can still use their other modes like Skyblock, which drops you on a small island in the sky with limited resources, where you’ll have to figure out how to expand and thrive.

Sandlot server hub area

The Sandlot

Java IP: server.sandlotminecraft.com
Bedrock port: 19132

This Minecraft server was set up by a parent and former teacher way back in 2011 to create a safe space for children to play Minecraft. The rules reflect this, strictly forbidding the sharing of personal information including your real name, school, address, telephone number, and more. It warns against the potential dangers of Minecraft Realms and parents’ inability to ensure these are safe spaces for children. No other servers can be mentioned, nor can usernames, gamertags, or any outside information at all. The strict chat filter ensures no accidental profanities can slip through, too. Outside of the safety features, the game modes include survival, a modified “easy” survival mode with jobs and shopping, creative, PvP, and loads of minigames.

Badwolf server entry

Badwolf MC

Java IP: play.badwolfmc.com
Bedrock port: 19132

On the opposite side of the spectrum, Badwolf MC is only permitted for over 18s. The usual server rules apply, and there’s certainly not any form of adult content despite the 18-plus rule. It’s just a server for adults to play and form connections without children around. Badwolf aims to be a “laid back and drama-free place to unwind” and from our time in the server, it certainly achieves that. Head here if you want a no frills, fun experience.

The Advancius server logo

Advancius Network

Java IP: mc.advancius.net
Bedrock port: 19132

The Advancius Network is one of the rarer servers in that it is absolutely free to play, without purchasable ranks, items, chest keys, or other content. The only way to rank up and earn rewards is by playing the game, earning XP, and doing it well. Advancius is a larger server, holding up to 400 players, but it holds regular events to welcome new players which are well worth joining in on.

How to host a Minecraft server

Hosting a Minecraft server requires altering the configuration of your home network. We’d recommend that you’re very comfortable with this before proceeding. If you want to host a smaller server for friends only, we’d recommend the Minecraft Realms feature, which comes at a small monthly cost.

To host your own Minecraft server:

Download the Java server from the official Minecraft website
Make a folder on your desktop to keep server files in
Copy and paste the “minecraft_server.1.XX.X.jar” file into the folder (The Xs will refer to the current game version number)
With the file browser open, open command prompt via the Start menu
Type “java -version” and execute the command to check if Java is installed there properly
Change the directory to the location of your server folder and the .jar file
You can find this by clicking the browser directory in the file browser
Copy that to your clipboard and type “cd” then a space and then paste the address of the folder location
Type “Java -jar “name of your jar”.jar” and execute the command
You should notice a failed to load properties and failed to load eula error
In the server folder, open the “eula.txt” file that has been created
Set eula=false to eula=true and save it
Open the “server.properties” file in your text editor software
Note the “query.port” setting
Set the “gamemode” setting to the Minecraft game mode you want for the server
Set your preferences for “allow-nether,” “difficulty,” “pvp,” “max-players,” and “level seed”
“Motd” sets the message in the Minecraft server browser that other players see when adding it to their server lists
Rerun the launch command in the command prompt and the server will be live

You will also need to forward the port you noted down earlier. By default, it is 25565, so you will need to enter your router settings to specify that port to forward. This will differ depending on the router you use, and if further help is needed you will need to consult your router manufacturer’s help site or manual.

If you didn’t specify anything in the “server-ip” setting, the IP will be your own public IP. Other players will need this to connect to the server. You can find this by searching “What is my public IP?” on any search engine, and noting down the IP address that is IPv4. It will have three decimal points and only contain numbers.

We’d recommend not sharing this with the public, and only giving it to people you trust. Giving out your public IP can pose a security risk to your home network.

There are other, easier ways to host Minecraft servers using providers such as Shockbyte, ScalaCube, Minefort, and more. It’s personal preference which of these you use, and they have varying pricing models.

Now that you know which are the best Minecraft servers to join, and how to host your own server, check out our Minecraft guides hub for more helpful tips.

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June 23, 2025 0 comments

Game Updates

Minecraft Lodestones Guide – How To Craft And Use Lodestones

by admin June 23, 2025

Easily one of the most useful items in Minecraft is the compass. Crafting one will point to your world spawn point, helping out if you find yourself lost during your adventures in the survival game.

However, compasses become obsolete if your base isn’t anywhere near the world spawn point. Sure, you can use Minecraft console commands to change the spawn point if you’re the Minecraft server owner, or have admin permissions, but if that does not apply to you, you’ll want to learn about how lodestones can alter the direction a compass points. That’s where we come in.

A lodestone in the overworld

Lodestones alter the place that your compass points to. It can also be used in the Nether, the End, and the overworld, whereas compasses only usually work in the overworld. Lodestones in the real world are naturally-occurring magnets, and rare to find.

How to find a lodestone

You can find lodestones in chests in bastion remnants, but you can also craft them. To create your own, place one iron ingot in the center of your crafting table, surrounded by chiseled stone bricks. It used to be more expensive to craft a lodestone, as instead of one iron ingot, a netherite ingot was required.

How to use a lodestone

Once you have your lodestone block, place it on the ground where you want the compass to point towards, take out your compass, and use it on the block. The compass will get the same sheen as enchanted armor gets, so you’ll know whether it’s worked or not.

If the lodestone is broken or in a different dimension than the compass, the compass will randomly spin. If the lodestone is destroyed while its paired compass is in a chest or storage item, then the compass will not register that the lodestone is destroyed until it is retrieved. Placing a lodestone back in the exact place as the original lodestone will prevent unpairing in this situation.

For more tips and hints, visit our Minecraft guides hub.

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June 23, 2025 0 comments

Gaming Gear

The Verge’s guide to Amazon Prime Day 2025: best deals, tips, and tricks

by admin June 22, 2025

Amazon’s mega sale is nearly upon us. This year, Prime Day will kick off on July 8th and run through July 11th, which, for those counting, is twice as long as previous years. Most everything else will likely be the same — well, aside from Amazon’s so-called “Today’s Big Deals” feature — making it a great time to stock up on essentials and save ahead of tentpole shopping events like Black Friday and Cyber Monday.

As usual, we’ll be here to highlight all the discounts, limited-time promos, and Prime-exclusive deals worth picking up. We’ll also be pulling together any early deals we stumble upon in the run-up to the main event, along with a selection of tips so you can stretch your dollar that much further on robot vacuums, OLED TVs, noise-canceling headphones, and a variety of other Verge-approved gadgets.

After all, every little bit counts, right?

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June 22, 2025 0 comments

Esports

The ultimate NBA Game 7 betting guide: Best bets, insights and more

by admin June 21, 2025

It all comes down to this — Game 7. A new NBA champion will be crowned Sunday as the Indiana Pacers visit the Oklahoma City Thunder. Tipoff is scheduled for 8 p.m. ET at Paycom Center.

Indiana dominated Game 6 in surprising fashion, leading by 30 points after three quarters en route to a 108-91 victory. Now things shift back to OKC, where the Thunder have been nearly unbeatable this postseason. What can you expect in Game 7?

Andre Snellings, Eric Moody and David Purdum offer plenty of tips on bets and insight.

NBA Finals headquarters: Recaps | Highlights | Odds | Watch live on ABC

Odds are as of publication time. For the most up-to-date odds, visit ESPN BET

Bets for NBA Finals Game 7

Pascal Siakam over 11.5 assists and rebounds (+105). He contributes across multiple statistical categories, and with the championship on the line, I expect maximum effort from him and the Pacers, particularly with Tyrese Haliburton not at 100%. Siakam’s cleared this line in three of the six Finals games. More importantly, Siakam has averaged 6.2 potential assists and 12.2 rebound chances during the Finals, which positions him well to surpass this mark in Game 7. –– Moody

Editor’s Picks

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Shai Gilgeous-Alexander over 44.5 points, rebounds and assists (-120). It’s been nine years since NBA fans witnessed a Game 7 in the Finals and only four have occurred since 2000. There’s a lot at stake for regular-season MVP Gilgeous-Alexander, especially with the Thunder entering the series as overwhelming favorites. SGA will need a masterful performance to give OKC a shot at the title and to solidify his claim to Finals MVP. While he’s cleared this line in just two of the six games in the series, SGA has gone over in eight of his past 11 games when playing at least 41 minutes, which he’s likely to do in Game 7. — Moody

Andrew Nembhard over 14.5 total points and assists (-120). While Haliburton was able to play well Thursday, he is still dealing with a calf strain and might be limited. Nembhard took on a larger role in Game 6, notching a series-high 17 points with four assists (21 P+A), and I expect him to be called upon again in Game 7. Nembhard averaged 12.5 points and 5.0 assists (17.5 P+A) in the first two games of the series, both in Oklahoma City, and the Pacers will likely need him to at least match those numbers in Game 7. — Snellings

Jalen Williams over 22.5 total points (-125). Williams was in his scoring bag going into Game 6, averaging 31.0 points with at least 26 in each of the prior three contests. He got off to a strong scoring start in Game 6 with 16 points in the first half before the team got blown out in the third quarter. I look for Williams to bounce back in Game 7, playing at home, and generate another high-scoring effort. — Snellings

Pascal Siakam over 20.5 total points (-110). Pascal is the only healthy All-Star caliber player on the Pacers, and in a road Game 7 he will definitely be tasked with providing consistent scoring. Siakam has averaged 21.3 points in the past four games of the series, with at least 20 points in each of the three previous contests before he sat out most of the 4th quarter in the Game 6 blowout. I expect him to continue scoring at a high level in the finale. — Snellings

Line on the move

The line on Game 7 began shrinking Friday morning, dropping as much as 2.5 points, with reports of sharp money on the underdog Pacers showing up in Las Vegas.

The Thunder opened as 8.5-point favorites, but the majority of sportsbooks trimmed the line to -7.5 around 11 a.m. Friday. ESPN BET was an outlier and dropped its line to -6.5.

“Game 7 is the best two words in sports,” said Adam Landeka, vice president of sportsbook strategy and growth for ESPN BET. “We’re expecting a tight game and moving lines in accordance with a number of factors. Haliburton’s performance answered some important questions on his health, and the Pacers and their veteran leaders left no doubt in what continues to be a competitive series.”

Jeff Sherman, NBA oddsmaker for the SuperBook at Westgate Las Vegas, told ESPN that it took a sharp bet on the Pacers -8, causing the book to drop the number to 7.5.

Chris Andrews, longtime bookmaker for South Point in Las Vegas, also reported seeing sharp money on the Pacers on Friday that caused him to drop his line to -7.

“Finally got some money back [on the Thunder] at -7,” Andrews told ESPN in a text message.

At 7.5, the line is the largest of any of the five Game 7s in NBA Finals since 1991, and the fourth largest in any Game 7 during that time period, according to ESPN Research. — Purdum

Projections and injury reports

Basketball Power Index by ESPN Analytics. Injury aggregation by Rotowire.com. Odds by ESPN BET

Indiana Pacers at Oklahoma City Thunder
8 p.m. ET

Line: Pacers +6.5 (EVEN) | Thunder -6.5 (-120)
Money line: Pacers +215 | Thunder -265
Total: 214.5 (-105 O, -105 U)

Injury report:
Pacers: None reported
Thunder: None reported

News, notes and more

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From ESPN Research

If the Thunder win, they will join the 2008 Boston Celtics and 2013 Miami Heat to have won at least two Game 7s in a season on their way to a championship.
The Pacers look to be the first No. 4 seed to win a championship since seeding began in 1984. Should they win, they will be the lowest-seeded champion since the No. 6 seed Houston Rockets won the NBA title in 1995.
The Thunder have scored at least 110 points in all 12 of their home games this season, most in NBA playoffs history.
The Pacers won 18 fewer regular-season games than the Thunder, and if they win Sunday, it will break the record set by the 2016 Cleveland Cavaliers for largest win differential upset in Finals history.
The Thunder have a +247 point differential at home in the postseason, which is on pace to be an NBA record. No team in postseason history has finished with a +200 point differential at home.
The Pacers have had four different leading scorers this series, which ties the record for most in Finals history.

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June 21, 2025 0 comments

Game Reviews

A Beginner’s Guide To Revenant

by admin June 14, 2025

Elden Ring Nightreign has two unlockable character classes, with one of them being the Revenant. This one is a back line magic user with the ability to summon friends.

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Ability: Necromancy

Screenshot: FromSoftware / George Yang / Kotaku

Revenant’s passive ability is called Necromancy, which sometimes automatically raises phantoms of recently defeated enemies for a brief time to fight alongside her. These phantoms last around one minute and there can be multiple phantoms on the field at once.

Read More: How To Unlock Revenant, Elden Ring Nightreign’s Hidden Necromancer Class

This ability works on pretty much all of the smaller enemies and even some of the minor bosses. If you can raise multiple phantoms simultaneously, they can easily overwhelm enemies. The phantoms also serve as distractions for you and your teammates. Unfortunately, phantoms can’t follow you to other areas, so you’ll have to reanimate some new ones as you continue to defeat enemies in new areas.

Ability: Summon Spirit

Summon Spirit is Revenant’s Character Skill, which lets her call forth one of three family ghosts to fight alongside her. Helen the Page is a small but nimble sword fighter, Frederick the Pumpkin Head is a large and slow, yet more powerful beast, and Sebastian the Giant Skeleton is a humongous stationary monster.

Screenshot: FromSoftware / George Yang / Kotaku

Revenant can summon only one of these ghosts at a time (regardless of how many phantoms were reanimated through Necromancy) and they each have a separate HP bar. When called back, they gradually recover HP. Your ghostly buddies will work well against regular smaller encounters, but they struggle during boss fights with their limited damage output and relatively low health. At least they’re good as distractions.

Ultimate Art: Immortal March

Revenant’s Ultimate Art is called Immortal March, and it makes herself, her ghosts, and allies immortal for about 15 seconds within her range. To clarify, being “immortal” doesn’t mean that incoming damage will be negated. It just means that they will still retain 1 HP while under the effects of Immortal March even if they get hit with a deathblow that would have otherwise downed them.

Screenshot: FromSoftware / George Yang / Kotaku

Immortal March also activates her ghost family’s ultimate attacks. Helen will attack with a sword combo, Frederick will spin around its hammer and hit enemies multiple times, and Sebastian will fire a giant beam at enemies.

Immortal March, however, is best used as a defensive maneuver. It will automatically revive any downed teammates nearby.

A look at the Revenant attributes

HP: D
FP: A
Stamina: D
Strength: C
Dexterity: C
Intelligence: B
Faith: S
Arcane: B

Revenant is unique in that she doesn’t have any preferred weapons or equipment, but there are a few to look out for that could help. Greatshields can be helpful to block incoming enemy attacks and buy time for her phantoms and ghost friends to take care of them for her. You might also want to give her a crossbow so she at least has a weapon to fight back with.

You’ll most likely want to gather as many incantations as possible to cast spells. If you happen to come across any rare weapons like Sword of Night and Flame and the Dark Moon Greatsword, be sure to pick those up as her S rank in Faith scales well with them.

Read More: Elden Ring Nightreign: A Beginner’s Guide To Mastering Recluse

Unlike Recluse, Revenant doesn’t have a way to recover FP on her own, so she relies heavily on consumables like Starlight Shards. Players should also prioritize equipping relics and choosing passive drops that will either boost the amount of runes dropped by enemies or decrease shop prices. That way, she can purchase as many Starlight Shards as possible.

Elden Ring Nightreign is available now on PS5, Xbox Series X, and Windows PCs.

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June 14, 2025 0 comments

Game Reviews

‘A Brush With Death’ Guide

by admin June 12, 2025

It’s been a long time since I kept a spreadsheet for a video game, or even notes beyond what I need for work. I had one for the original Oblivion run back in my school days. Back then, I knew where to find every side quest in the game. There were over 250. Still are, but now they’re enhanced, beautified for the modern gamer. One side quest retains its crown as the best, despite the game’s age. “A Brush With Death” is Oblivion Remastered’s best side quest by far, and here’s how to find and beat it!

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Where to find ‘A Brush With Death’

Photo: Bethesda / Brandon Morgan / Kotaku

Like most good side quests in the game, you’ll first encounter “A Brush With Death” by speaking with the many beggars and citizens in Cheydinhal. Eventually, someone will tell you about a local painter, Rythe Lythandas, who suddenly disappeared.

It’s time to investigate! You can find Tivela Lythandas, Rythe’s wife, at their home in the residential district of the city. She’ll explain that the man locked himself in his painting studio and hasn’t come out, he’s just gone. You’ll receive Rythe’s Studio Key from her, and delving into the darkest depths of a painter’s mind will lead you to a mysterious painting that you can enter.

How to complete ‘A Brush With Death’

Screenshot: Bethesda / Brandon Morgan / Kotaku

As it turns out, the painting is a magic portal leading you into an artistic world in which everything—from Rythe to the trees surrounding you—is a masterful brush stroke. Unfortunately, a thief stole Rythe’s magic paintbrush, preventing him from returning to the physical world. That’s your primary goal: Retrieve the Brush of Truepaint. Then, you and Rythe can escape. Thanks to the innate sense of direction most gamers have, you should have no trouble following the clear path deeper into the forest.

But first, trolls!

The thief didn’t make it far, all thanks to a small horde of Painted Trolls. You can deal with them pretty easily by exhausting all dialogue with Rythe. He’ll provide you with six Turpentines, which buff you significantly. Each one allows you to deal +100 damage to Painted Trolls once applied to your physical weapon. They’re tough S-O-Bs, of course, so prepare for a fight either way.

Screenshot: Bethesda / Brandon Morgan / Kotaku

Once you clear the mob, continue forward through the painting world until you find the Bosmer Thief. He’ll have the Brush of Truepaint on his corpse, albeit guarded by a few more Painted Trolls. You can rush past them and snag the item, if you’d prefer. He’s not carrying anything else useful.

Quest rewards

Screenshot: Bethesda / Brandon Morgan / Kotaku

Upon exiting the portal, Rythe will reward you with a single item, the Apron of Adroitness, which offers Fortify Agility and Intelligence +6. You can sell it for over one thousand gold, if you’d rather have a bit of money, though. Oh, and you’ll also receive +1 Fame, but who actually cares about that?

Oblivion Remastered is available now on PS5, Xbox Series X/S, Windows PCs, and Game Pass.

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June 12, 2025 0 comments

Game Reviews

A Beginner’s Guide To The Executor

by admin June 12, 2025

Did you like Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice? If you do, you’re in luck because Elden Ring Nightreign has the perfect character for you: Executor. This class focuses on parrying with a dash of inflicting status ailments.

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Ability: Tenacity

The Executor’s passive ability is called Tenacity, which boosts his damage output and stamina recovery after being hit with a status effect. There’s more nuance to this, though. For status ailments like poison and frostbite, the build-up bar on the Executor must be depleted completely before Tenacity’s buffs take effect. For other more immediate ailments like Blood Loss and Madness, Tenacity will activate right away.

Ability: Cursed Sword

Screenshot: FromSoftware / George Yang / Kotaku

The Executor’s character skill is called Cursed Sword. When activated, the Executor will unsheathe his sword and assume a special stance. His movement speed will decrease, but he can now parry almost any attack. However, he cannot deflect magical projectiles and grabs, so be sure to dodge those.

The Executor takes a while to learn and isn’t beginner friendly like the Wylder class is.

When parrying attacks, damage will be negated and enemies will suffer stance damage, making them more susceptible to guard breaks and critical hits. After several deflections, his sword will start glowing, making his attacks stronger. You can also use the Weapon Skill to make the Executor do a powerful sword dash attack, depleting the glow.

Cursed Sword is also a bit different from other character skills. The ability has no cooldown period and the Executor can go into and out of his special stance at any time. Any charge that’s built up in the sword is preserved, even if you exit out of Cursed Sword or die. The only time the charge goes away is when he uses the Weapon Skill.

Ultimate Art: Aspects of the Crucible: Beast

The Executor’s Ultimate Art is called Aspects of the Crucible: Beast. Here, the Executor unleashes his inner alpha and turns into a gigantic monster. In this form, the Executor attacks with huge arms, covering a wide arc and dealing tons of damage. The block button also becomes a roar, which can help fight enemies from long-range. The Ultimate Art gauge will automatically deplete as he’s in this form until it runs out and he turns back to normal.

Screenshot: FromSoftware / George Yang / Kotaku

Turning into the beast will also temporarily increase the Executor’s HP and fully restore it. The beast can also be utilized defensively, as he can constantly attack his teammates to revive them. However, he’s not invincible and can still be downed while in this form, so don’t be too reckless.

His Weapon Skill in this form sees him charging an energy blade and slicing in front of him, inflicting some big damage. This will automatically drain the entire Ultimate Art gauge, so only use it when the form is about to end.

A look at the Executor’s attributes

HP: B
FP: D
Stamina: B
Strength: C
Dexterity: S
Intelligence: D
Faith: D
Arcane: S

The Executor’s best stats are Dexterity and Arcane, which makes katanas his weapons of choice. Not only do they scale well with dexterity, but the Executor’s high Arcane stat impacts how fast status ailments build up on enemies. While on your runs, be sure to pick up a weapon that can inflict a status infect and watch enemies crumble.

Read More: Elden Ring Nightreign: A Beginner’s Guide To Mastering Wylder

The Executor takes a while to learn and isn’t beginner friendly like the Wylder class is. You’ll also have to be familiar with enemy attack patterns to bring out his full potential. But in the hands of the right player, the Executor will succeed in doing what his name suggests.

Elden Ring Nightreign is available now on PS5, Xbox Series X, and Windows PCs.

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June 12, 2025 0 comments

Game Reviews

Season 8 Power Leveling Guide

by admin June 11, 2025

Image: Blizzard

Whether you’re running a new build, trying out a new class, or returning to Diablo IV after an extended break, (a break in which you were likely playing Path of Exile 2, right? I know I wasn’t alone in farming Exalted Orbs!) Whatever the case, learning how to level up fast in Diablo IV should help you check out everything new this season, along with hitting endgame so that your friends don’t cruelly make fun of you!

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Power leveling tips for level 1-50

Screenshot: Blizzard Entertainment / Brandon Morgan / Kotaku

In what I would consider the early game experience—everything before level 50—grinding out levels is about the only thing on your mind. At least, it should be. First, though, pick a class. The best class this season is Barbarian, and I’m partial to Upheaval, though Whirlwind is making a comeback, too. Alternatively, opt for a Minion Necromancer or any type of Rogue.

Read More: The Whirlwind Barbarian Reigns Supreme Once More In Diablo IV Season 8

With your class chosen, here’s how to power level to 50 fast:

Straight out of the gate, set your difficulty to Hard. You’ll earn more experience (75 percent more) and more gold (75 percent more), allowing you to progress much quicker. You can earn your first ten levels within a matter of minutes upon loading into Kyovashad.
Speaking of Kyovashad, hit up the Wardrobe upstairs in the inn to equip your pet, which will auto-loot for you, thereby saving you time better spent on slaying mobs.
Use elixirs, like the Precision Elixir, which grants a bonus of +5 percent experience for 30 minutes. 5 percent doesn’t seem like much, but it adds up!
If you’ve completed the campaign, go ahead and skip it. If not, complete it. If you fall into the former camp, farm Helltide. It’s the fast way to level early on.
Farm Undercity, Whisper Bounty Dungeons, and Helltide until you reach level 45, raise the difficult to Expert, then complete all of the game’s Strongholds. You can lower the difficulty to Normal for Strongholds, as you’ll earn the same amount of XP without all the additional challenge. Don’t forget to re-raise it to Expert once you’re done with a Stronghold, though!

Power leveling tips for level 50-60+

Screenshot: Blizzard Entertainment / Brandon Morgan / Kotaku

Now that you’ve gained ground, it’s time to take leveling to the next level with the most challenging portion:

Continuing running Helltide and Strongholds, leveling up until you reach 60. It’s a grind, but should go quick with Precision Elixirs and, if necessary, group up with at least one other player for the 10% XP boost bonus.
Upon reaching 60, raise the difficulty to Penitent for 175 percent more experience and 175 percent more gold from monsters.
Run The Pit up Level 10 to unlock Torment 1, then switch difficulties to that for 300 percent more experience and gold from monster kills.
Now that you’re at the max level, it’s time to focus on better gear. Helltide, Bosses, Nightmare Dungeons, and Undercity will help you farm, and you can raise your difficulty through the Torment levels as you progress.

Diablo IV is available now on PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, and Windows PCs.

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June 11, 2025 0 comments

Product Reviews

Dune Awakening base building guide: Best locations and design tips

by admin June 9, 2025

Arrakis is a harsh and unforgiving place, but that doesn’t mean you can’t carve out a small corner of the sands and create a nice little home for yourself. Building a base in Dune: Awakening is the key to surviving the sands, but there are a few additional restrictions to keep in mind compared to other survival games.

A base not only shelters you from the harsh desert heat and deadly sandstorms, but also gives you a place to refine raw materials and create clean drinking water. Bases are somewhat disposable in Dune: Awakening, though, so sometimes it’s best to abandon your humble abode to create a foothold in a different region of the desert. Don’t think of your first few bases as forever homes: as you progress you’ll be able to build bigger, cooler, and better-located bases to return to at night.

Best Dune: Awakening base locations

You’re free to build a base anywhere in the desert in Dune: Awakening, but some locations are much more advantageous than others. The game guides you through the creation of your first base, but after that, you should take some time to really think about the best places to settle down.

Best early game base location

(Image credit: Funcom)

The best early-game Dune: Awakening base location is near the Tradepost in Hagga Basin South. Building on the rocky areas below the Tradepost will keep you safe from sandworms, and you’ll only be a few hundred meters away from a few moisture-sealed caves, a shipwreck, and an Imperial Testing Station. Just get used to the idea of having neighbors: most likely you’re going to see a lot of other boxy beginner bases nearby.

This is hands down the best place for new players to stock up on key resources and get some easy XP to kickstart the research process. You’ll only need to venture out to get materials that can only be found in other regions. This base will take care of all your basic needs so you can focus on finishing the first set of main story quests. Most of the advanced blueprints are locked behind quest progression, anyway, so simple is better at this stage of the game.

Best overall base location

(Image credit: Funcom)

The best overall base location in Dune: Awakening is located in Jabal Eifrit Al-Janub. You’ll unlock this region after completing the first few main story quests and zooming north on your sandbike to Vermillius Gap. Once you reach Vermillius Gap, you’ll hear from Zantara one last time before he leaves you to your own devices. You’re then free to explore Arrakis as you see fit, and Jabal Eifrit Al-Janub should be your first stop.

This spot is prime real estate for your base. It’s near an Imperial Testing Station, a shipwreck, and some moisture-sealed caves so you’ll never have a shortage of rare materials or Fremen resources. There are also several Carbon Ore deposits nearby, plus other metals for good measure. To top things off, the nearest Tradepost is just a short sandbike ride south.

You can set up other outposts across the desert, but Jabal Eifrit Al-Janub is the perfect spot for your main base since it’s a central location where you can easily access everything you need. It’s safe enough for a permanent setup, and there are enough basic resources in the surrounding area to ensure you can always craft the essentials. Again, you’ll probably have neighbors, so practice your spice casserole recipe.

Dune: Awakening base building tips

No matter where you choose to build your base in Dune: Awakening, there are a few key things to remember.

Keep it simple

(Image credit: Funcom)

Most important: Keep things compact. Unless you’re planning on permanently settling down in an area with your group, don’t waste time building extravagant hideouts with multiple floors and rooms. You only need room for the basic crafting stations like a Blood Purifier and an Ore Refinery. Keep things as simple as possible so you can pack up and move later down the line.

Establish outposts

(Image credit: Funcom)

Don’t be afraid to use all of your available Sub-Fiefs! You get multiple base slots as you research more stuff in Dune: Awakening. Use those extra slots to establish small outposts in regions that are too far from your main base to conveniently commute. That way, you’ll have a safe haven with water and a place to refine any resources you collect while you’re out.

You can always abandon these bases when you’re finished with them, too.

Save blueprints

(Image credit: Funcom)

You should really save a blueprint of a simple outpost design so you can easily rebuild it in different areas. Researching the Solido Replicator will allow you to save a build as a blueprint that can be replicated in a single click as long as you have the materials in your inventory. Since a basic outpost won’t require much more than some Granite Stone and Salvaged Metal, you should be able to establish a pop-up camp basically anywhere on Arrakis.

Keep supplies close

(Image credit: Funcom)

Location is king. Try to place your bases close to shipwrecks and Imperial Testing Stations so you can have easy access to rare materials exclusively found in these areas. It’s also a good idea to build your base right next to a few ore deposits so you can mine them every time you come back home. It’ll save you a trip if you’re short a few ingots for your next equipment upgrade!

Stay hydrated

(Image credit: Funcom)

You should also try to place your base near a field of Dew Flowers. Blood is the main way to get water in the early stages of the game, but you’ll be able to research a Fremen tool called a Dew Reaper within the first few hours of your playthrough.

A Dew Reaper lets you harvest water from Dew Flowers instead of drinking from them directly. Not only will this let you bypass the dew limit that prevents you from fully hydrating yourself with these flowers, but it’ll also let you store a ton of water in Literjons so you’ll never get thirsty again. Dew Flowers can only be harvested in this way at dawn, but if you build your base near a field of them, you won’t have to worry about timing your water-gathering trips.

Protect your sandbike

(Image credit: Funcom)

Since vehicles will take damage if they’re left exposed to the elements for too long, don’t forget to build a little garage for your sandbike until you research the Vehicle Backup Tool that lets you store your bike.

As long as the game says “sheltered,” your bike should be safe in that spot. You don’t have to be fully enclosed and Watersealed for your bike to be protected. A few walls and a solid floor will do the trick.

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June 9, 2025 0 comments

Game Reviews

A Beginner’s Guide To The Duchess

by admin June 6, 2025

In Elden Ring Nightreign, there are two unlockable characters, one of which is the Duchess. She’s the game’s agile, stealth archetype. While her overall strength may be lacking, her abilities make up for it. She probably has one of the most compatible team synergy in the game, and is dangerous in the hands of a skilled player.

The Top 10 Most-Played Games On Steam Deck: August 2023 Edition

Ability: Magnificent Poise

Screenshot: FromSoftware / George Yang / Kotaku

Duchess’s passive ability is called Magnificent Poise, which lets her “optimally” attack and dodge. The Duchess lunges instead of rolling when she dodges. Additionally, Duchess gets two dodges in a row, letting her get out of sticky situations and avoid enemy attacks easier.

Read More: How To Unlock Nighreign’s Duchess

Furthermore, this ability makes it so that her dodging and attacking actions deplete less stamina than usual. This lets the Duchess string together long combos before tiring out and needing to recover stamina.

Ability: Restage

When activated, Restage will see time will rewind and about 50 percent of the damage that has been inflicted during the last few seconds will be inflicted on the enemy a second time. You can tell when she uses Restage because phantoms of the enemies appear and reenact themselves receiving that damage.

Despite being a melee character, [the Duchess] can put her high Intelligence to use with staves to inflict long-range magic damage

Not only does Restage replay the Duchess’ previous damage output, but it also applies to any teammate’s. This has huge damaging potential as you could coordinate with your squad to have them unleash Ultimate Arts on a boss, only for you to activate Restage to pile on even more hurt.

Screenshot: FromSoftware / George Yang / Kotaku

Restage can also be used at any time, including during the middle of a combo, while dodging, or even being attacked. The Duchess doesn’t have to reposition herself in order to activate. It’s essentially instantaneous. This skill has a relatively quick cool down period, so make sure to constantly utilize it.

Ultimate Art: Finale

Screenshot: FromSoftware / George Yang / Kotaku

The Duchess’s Ultimate Art is called Finale, and it’s a pretty simple one. She pulls out her cape and turns herself and nearby teammates invisible. This lets those impacted to avoid detection from enemies. This skill is mostly used defensively, especially during boss battles. When the Duchess is invisible, this lets her take the time to revive downed teammates without being interrupted, or just take the pressure off and heal.

While invisible, she can still be targeted, particularly by projectiles that home in on their targets. Area-of-Effect attacks will still hit her as well, along with grabs if she happens to get caught in one. Hitting an enemy will reveal her location, too; so make a big splash before coming out of invisibility.

A look at the Duchess’s attributes

HP: C
FP: C
Stamina: D
Strength: D
Dexterity: B
Intelligence: A
Faith: B
Arcane: C

Surprisingly, the Duchess’s highest stat isn’t Dexterity, but is instead Intelligence—although her Dexterity is still above average. This means that daggers are her best option as they take advantage of her rapid-fire attacks. Daggers are also great at inflicting status effects, so if you come across any rare ones like Bleed or Scarlet Rot, those will be a boon for your run. The more hits dished out, the faster status effects build up.

Despite being a melee character, she can put her high Intelligence to use with staves to inflict long-range magic damage. Speaking of long-range damage, bows scale well with dexterity, so you can use her as a backup ranged character if you can’t get in close..

“Successive attacks negate damage” is a really useful buff that’ll be incredibly helpful if you come across it. Because the Duchess inflicts so many small cuts without losing stamina, she can end up becoming tankier with this buff active, sometimes not even having to dodge out of enemy attacks.

Regardless of how you play her, the Duchess is well-worth unlocking and using on your next expedition.

Elden Ring Nightreign is available now on PS5, Xbox Series X, and Windows PCs.

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June 6, 2025 0 comments