Arc five has now officially kicked off in the Spiral with the much-anticipated world drop of Darkmoor. Wizard101 is under a new threat, the Broken Branch. Meet all new enemies, including an arc five villain unlike anyone we’ve seen before. While I’m not the biggest Wizard101 content creator, I would like to give my personal opinions on everything Darkmoor after playing over the weekend. Included will be tips, opinions, and comments regarding the newest world.
Arc 5 Storyline
It wasn’t hard to top the storyline of Novus and Wallaru and Darkmoor blows them out of the water. A new threat faces the Arcanum from a far-away galaxy, a forgotten branch upon Bartleby’s watch. They seek to fix Darkmoor, where Bartleby’s back has been turned since the start of time. The people in Darkmoor are made up of farmers and poor men/women, dominated by several houses of vampires, werewolves, and gypsies. It is your job to uncover the secrets of Darkmoor and restore balance and security to the new world.
While I’m not quite finished with the story of arc 5, it’s so much better than nearly anything written in arc 4. There’s congruency not seen in the former arc. I think the return to human beings (like the Wizard) is much needed to reconnect with the early Wizard City roots. It genuinely feels like a world that should be in the game, unlike poorly copied cliches (Wysteria, Karamelle, Novus). The enemies vary from gargoyles to vampires, to fellow human beings, misguided. You have genuine reason for every fight unlike other worlds where you’re just defeating mobs to defeat them. I think the storyline is a major step up in Darkmoor in comparison to other worlds. And I haven’t even begun to tap into the side quests of Darkmoor yet.
Difficulty Level and Combat
Through to the end of the Howling Lands, there have been a couple of “must queue” dungeons. What do I mean by “must queue”, you ask? I clarify dungeons as soloable (things that can be done by myself, in my opinion) and “must queue” dungeons, which would require the extra help from other wizards either helping or on the same quest as you. Luckily, in a new world release such as Darkmoor, there are plenty of people questing at the same time. If you’ve been around for new world drops, you’re well aware that everyone comes in blind to boss cheats. There’s no or very little guides regarding cheating, so you’ll have to figure things out as a team.
With all of that said, I have had no problems with mob fights. Typically, they might cast a weakness or an earthquake and ruin your strategy, but nothing in Darkmoor. They can also be finished off second round (with a Frenzy or blade), if not first round with high enough damage. The boss fights in Arcanum are the trickiest of all of the fights, in my opinion. I especially struggled with the final Arcanum fight before being shipped off to Darkmoor. Each area in Darkmoor has a final boss fight, of sorts, which will almost always require a full stack, or at least one very competent person. My one big tip would be to always team-up unless you’re sure it is a mob fight. This can typically be determined based on the XP payout of each quest.
Tips and Final Comments
My biggest tip is to take it slow and be patient. KingsIsle has been cooking with Darkmoor’s story and it’s worth paying attention to if you’re an actual fan of the game. Most players just spam skip the dialogue and get on with the combat, which defeats the purpose of the game. Where’s the fun in the game if you just blade + AOE? Because this is a new world, you’re going to have a lot of people around you. Everyone has different playstyles, not everyone’s absorbed in the meta. Some people may have been grinding for days before playing with you, and others may be coming back after a two-year hiatus. Be patient with everyone and treat them with the same respect you’d like to have for yourself.
I’ll be waiting to give my final verdict on Darkmoor and place it on my grand world rating chart until I’m done. I hope with the slow week ahead, I will have the time, but no promises. Until then, stay curious and continue on in the Spiral without me!