Mechanics deep-dives — how the hidden systems actually work
Damage formulas, resistance math, AI behavior, crafting tables — the under-the-hood mechanics we verified against the latest patches, across every game we cover.
87 guides across 12 games. Jump to a game: ARC RaidersPath of Exile 2Monster Hunter WildsWarframeBaldur's Gate 3Stardew ValleyCrimson DesertElden Ring NightreignTerrariaValheimPalworldProject Zomboid
ARC Raiders
10 guides · Full ARC Raiders hub →
ARC Raiders Armor System Explained — Slots, Durability & Upgrading
Armor is your most critical defense layer in ARC Raiders. This guide covers every armor slot, how durability works, when to repair versus replace, and how to upgrade crafted armor at the workshop for maximum protection.
ARC Raiders Crafting System Explained — Materials, Blueprints & Upgrades
The crafting system is the backbone of progression in ARC Raiders. Learn how crafting stations work, how material tiers are structured, how to unlock blueprints, and how to progress from basic gear to endgame equipment.
ARC Raiders Damage Types Explained — Physical, Energy & Elemental Damage
Not all damage works the same in ARC Raiders. Understanding how physical, energy, and elemental damage interact with armor and ARC machine types dramatically improves your combat efficiency and loadout choices.
Verified 2026-05Discovery Stat Explained in ARC Raiders — Does It Affect Loot?
Discovery is one of ARC Raiders' more obscure stats — and community opinion on whether it genuinely affects loot quality is divided. This guide breaks down what Discovery does, how to increase it, and whether it's worth building around.
Verified 2026-05ARC Raiders Extraction Timing Guide — When to Extract for Maximum Value
Knowing when to extract is one of the highest-skill decisions in ARC Raiders. This guide covers extraction zone types, the risk/reward calculation, inventory thresholds that signal it's time to leave, and the warning signs that danger is approaching.
ARC Raiders Headshots & Weak Points — How to Maximize Damage
Understanding headshot mechanics and ARC machine weak points is the difference between burning through ammo inefficiently and eliminating targets decisively. Learn the multipliers, weapon choices, and aiming techniques to maximize every shot.
ARC Raiders Loot Tier & Rarity Explained — Common to Legendary
Loot rarity in ARC Raiders changes how much you should risk for it, how much trader payout to expect, and how it converts at the recycler. This mechanics guide explains the tier system from common to legendary, drop rate intuition by zone, and how recycler and trader values differ across tiers.
Verified 2026-05ARC Raiders Recycling vs Selling — Which Items to Keep, Recycle, or Sell
Every item you bring back from a raid creates a decision: keep it, recycle it for components, or sell it for Credits. This guide gives you the framework and item-by-item breakdown to make the right call every time.
ARC Raiders Skills & Abilities — How the Progression System Works
ARC Raiders features a skill and ability system that lets you customize your Raider's capabilities. Learn how skills unlock, the three specialization paths, and how to build skill loadouts that match your mission type.
Verified 2026-05ARC Raiders Weapon Mod System Explained — Slots, Tiers & Best Mods
The weapon mod system in ARC Raiders lets you customize every aspect of your weapons through attachment slots and tiered upgrades. Learn how mod slots work, the difference between mod tiers, and which mods are worth crafting versus looting.
Path of Exile 2
18 guides · Full Path of Exile 2 hub →
PoE 2 Ailments Explained — Ignite, Freeze, Shock, Bleed & Poison
Path of Exile 2 has six primary ailments that define entire build archetypes. This guide explains how each ailment works mechanically, which skills apply them, how they scale, and why ailment immunity on flasks is mandatory for endgame survival.
PoE 2 Atlas Passive Tree Guide — How to Shape Your Endgame
The Atlas Passive Tree is Path of Exile 2's endgame customization system. Learn how to earn Atlas passive points, which strategies to invest in (Breach, Ritual, boss farming), and how Voidstones elevate your map tiers.
Chaos Resistance in PoE 2 — Why It Matters & How to Stack It
Chaos resistance in Path of Exile 2 starts at 0% and is much harder to cap than elemental resistances. Understand why it matters in endgame maps, the best sources of chaos resist, and realistic goals at each stage of the game.
PoE 2 Crafting Guide — How to Craft Good Items with Currency Orbs
Master Path of Exile 2 crafting from basic Transmutation orbs to advanced Essence and Fracturing Orb techniques. Understand prefixes, suffixes, item levels, and how to efficiently craft gear for your build.
PoE 2 Currency Guide — What Every Orb Does & Trading Tips
Learn what every currency orb does in Path of Exile 2, from basic Transmutation Orbs to high-value Divine Orbs. Understand the currency hierarchy, how to trade on poe2.trade, and how to value your drops.
PoE 2 Currency Spending Priorities — Where to Use Exalted, Chaos, Divine, Annulment
Knowing what to spend your orbs on is more valuable than knowing how each orb works. This guide breaks down currency spending priorities by progression stage — campaign, early endgame, yellow maps, red maps, and pinnacle prep. Includes a stage-by-stage spending sequence, the common mistakes that waste currency, and a chart of which orbs to save versus use immediately.
PoE 2 Defensive Layers Guide — Armour, Evasion, ES, Resists & More
Survivability in Path of Exile 2 comes from layered defenses, not a single big stat. This guide explains how armour, evasion, energy shield, resistances, life recovery, spell suppression, and block stack together — and which layers to prioritize for each build archetype. Includes the math behind each defense and tier-prioritized recommendations.
PoE 2 Flask Mechanics Explained — Life, Mana & Utility Flasks Guide
Master Path of Exile 2's flask system from the ground up. Learn how flask charges work, which utility flasks suit your build, and which ailment-immunity suffixes are mandatory for endgame survival.
PoE 2 Map Guide — How to Run Maps, Modifiers & Scarabs
Learn everything about Path of Exile 2's map system: how to use the Map Device, understanding map modifiers (prefix/suffix), how Scarabs add extra content, and the tier system from T1 to T16.
PoE 2 Passive Tree Guide — How to Navigate & Plan Your Build
The Path of Exile 2 passive tree has thousands of nodes. Learn the difference between small nodes, Notables, and Keystones, how Cluster Jewels extend the tree, and how to plan an efficient path for any build archetype.
Verified 2026-05PoE 2 Damage Types Reference — Physical, Elemental, Chaos & More
A complete reference covering all damage types in Path of Exile 2: physical, fire, cold, lightning, chaos, and their interactions with resistances, penetration, conversion, and reflect mechanics.
Verified 2026-05Item Level & Mod Tiers in PoE 2 — How ilvl Affects Your Gear
Item level in Path of Exile 2 determines which affix tiers can roll on your gear. This guide explains how ilvl gates mod quality, the key breakpoints to target, and where to farm items at each level threshold.
Verified 2026-05PoE 2 Loot Filter Guide — How to Set Up Filters and Why You Need One
Without a loot filter, PoE 2 buries you under a wall of unidentified blue and yellow items every map. This guide explains how loot filters work, where to download the best community filters (NeverSink, FilterBlade), and how to customize tiers per progression stage.
Verified 2026-05Mana Management in PoE 2 — Reservation, Regen & Cost Reduction
Mana problems derail many Path of Exile 2 builds early and in the endgame. This guide explains how mana and mana reservation work, the best sources of mana regeneration, and practical solutions for every build type.
Verified 2026-05Spirit Reserve Explained in PoE 2 — How Spirit Works for Minions & Auras
Spirit is Path of Exile 2's resource for persistent skills — minions, auras, and buffs. This guide explains how Spirit works, how to increase your Spirit pool, the Spirit cost of common skills, and how to optimize Spirit for minion builds.
已核对 2026-05POE 2 抗性怎么算 —— 75 上限、超额抗、对应负面抗的全公式
POE 2 的火/冰/电 / 混沌抗性到底怎么生效?最大抗性卡在哪里?超额抗有什么用?这一篇把所有公式和实战取舍讲清楚。
PoE 2 Resistance Math Explained — Why 70% to 75% Is Bigger Than You Think
Why the last 5% of elemental resistance gives you more effective HP than the first 50%, and how to plan your gear around that fact.
Verified 2026-05Support Gem Tag Matching in PoE 2 — How to Link Gems Correctly
Support gems in Path of Exile 2 can only link to skill gems that share at least one matching tag. This guide explains the tag system, shows which supports pair with which skills, and helps you identify compatible links before you socket them.
Affinity & Critical Eye Explained in Monster Hunter Wilds
Affinity is Monster Hunter Wilds' critical hit chance system, and understanding it is essential for building effective damage builds. This guide explains how affinity works, what Critical Eye does, how conditional skills like Weakness Exploit and Agitator multiply your effective affinity, and the optimal thresholds to target.
Charge Blade Guide in Monster Hunter Wilds — Phial Management & Combos
The Charge Blade is Monster Hunter Wilds' most mechanically complex weapon, blending sword-and-shield mobility with explosive axe-mode damage. This guide covers phial charging fundamentals, SAED vs. AED playstyle, essential combo routing, and beginner tips to get you started.
Monster Hunter Wilds Decorations Guide — How to Get & Use Skill Gems
Complete guide to decorations in Monster Hunter Wilds — how decoration slots work, how to get rare gems, the best decorations for each build, and the Melding Pot system explained.
Monster Hunter Wilds Elements Explained — Fire, Water, Thunder, Ice & Dragon
A complete breakdown of all five elements in Monster Hunter Wilds: how element damage is calculated, what blights each element inflicts, and how to cure each blight mid-hunt.
Monster Hunter Wilds Endemic Life Guide — Capturing Creatures for Bonuses
Complete guide to endemic life in Monster Hunter Wilds — which creatures give the best buffs, how to capture them, and how Palico gadgets interact with the ecosystem.
Gunlance Guide in Monster Hunter Wilds — Shells, Wyrmstake & Fullburst
The Gunlance combines lance-style blocking and poke damage with shotgun shells that blast regardless of monster elemental weakness. This guide covers shell type differences, Wyrmstake mechanics, the fullburst vs. poke-shell playstyle debate, and the guard skills every GL hunter needs.
Hunting Horn Guide in MH Wilds — Songs, Buffs & Combat Mechanics
The Hunting Horn is Monster Hunter Wilds' support weapon that packs deceptively powerful attacks alongside buff songs that enhance the entire hunting party. This guide covers song mechanics, how to build and play melodies, the best songs to prioritize, and how to play HH effectively both for self-support and team buffing.
Insect Glaive Guide in Monster Hunter Wilds — Kinsect & Aerial Combat
The Insect Glaive is Monster Hunter Wilds' most acrobatic weapon, offering unmatched aerial mobility and a unique buff system powered by your Kinsect companion. This guide covers Kinsect management, extract buffs, aerial combat routing, and essential combo sequences.
Light Bowgun Guide in Monster Hunter Wilds — Ammo Types & Build Tips
The Light Bowgun is Monster Hunter Wilds' most mobile ranged weapon, combining fast movement, constant fire capability, and the rapid fire mechanic to deliver consistent damage from a safe distance. This guide covers all ammo types, rapid fire mechanics, the dodge-heavy playstyle, and the essential skills for LBG hunters.
Sharpness & Handicraft Explained in Monster Hunter Wilds
Sharpness is one of the most impactful and least understood damage multipliers in Monster Hunter Wilds. This guide explains every sharpness level and its damage multiplier, how Handicraft and Protective Polish interact, and how to choose weapons based on natural sharpness for maximum efficiency.
Monster Hunter Wilds Skill System Explained — How Skills, Levels & Caps Work
A complete breakdown of Monster Hunter Wilds' skill system: how skills are sourced from armor and decorations, how levels and caps work, and which skills matter most for every playstyle.
Monster Hunter Wilds Status Effects Guide — Poison, Paralysis, Sleep & Stun
Complete breakdown of all monster status effects in Monster Hunter Wilds: how they accumulate, what they do, the best weapons and tools for each, and how escalating thresholds affect repeat procs.
Monster Hunter Wilds Weapon Types Explained — All 14 Weapons Overview
A full overview of all 14 weapon types in Monster Hunter Wilds, sorted by complexity and playstyle. Find the right weapon for your skill level and goals.
Warframe
8 guides · Full Warframe hub →
Warframe Damage Types Explained — Elements, Combos & Enemy Weaknesses
Warframe's damage system has 16 damage types spanning physical, elemental, and combined elements. Understanding which types to use against each enemy faction is essential for high-level content.
Warframe Focus Schools Guide — Zenurik, Naramon, Madurai, Unairu, Vazarin Compared
The five Focus schools unlock Operator powers and passive bonuses for your Warframe. Zenurik dominates for energy regeneration, but every school has a role. Here is a complete breakdown.
Forma, Orokin Catalyst & Orokin Reactor Guide — Warframe Upgrade Items
Forma, Orokin Catalysts, and Orokin Reactors are the three upgrade items that turn a leveled Warframe or weapon into a fully built endgame piece of gear. This guide explains exactly what each does, where to get them, how often to use them, and how the math works on capacity doubling.
Helminth Subsume Guide — Best Abilities to Replace and How the System Works
Helminth is Warframe's late-game power multiplier — sacrifice a Warframe to extract one of its abilities, then infuse that ability onto any other frame. This guide explains the full Helminth chamber, the 8 most impactful subsume abilities, how to feed Helminth efficiently, and which infusions to prioritize first.
Warframe Mod System Explained — Capacity, Drain, Polarity & Forma
The mod system is the foundation of Warframe's build design. Understanding mod capacity, drain values, polarity slots, and Forma is essential to building effective Warframes and weapons. This guide covers everything beginners and returning players need to know.
Warframe Mod 系统讲清楚 —— 90% 的输出靠它,但游戏不告诉你
Warframe 的官方教程里几乎不讲 Mod 系统,但你 90% 的强度都来自 Mod。这一篇把极性、Capacity、Forma、Orokin Catalyst 等核心概念讲透,告诉你新手该先升哪些 Mod。
Warframe Mods Guide — How Modding Works, Capacity & Best Mod Types
Mods are Warframe's primary progression system. This guide explains mod capacity, Forma, polarity, and the best mod categories for weapons and Warframes across all content levels.
Warframe Arcanes Guide — Best Arcane Enhancements & How to Rank Them
Arcane Enhancements are powerful passive bonuses equippable on Warframes and weapons. This guide covers the best arcanes, how to rank them, and where to farm the most valuable ones.
Baldur's Gate 3
10 guides · Full Baldur's Gate 3 hub →
BG3 Action Economy Guide — Actions, Bonus Actions, Reactions Explained
Master turn-based combat in Baldur's Gate 3 by understanding how Actions, Bonus Actions, and Reactions work — and how to squeeze maximum value from each resource every turn.
Advantage & Disadvantage in BG3 Explained — How to Stack Bonuses
Advantage and Disadvantage are BG3's core dice-rolling modifiers. This guide explains how they work, why multiple sources don't stack, the Elven Accuracy exception, and all the most common sources for each — so you can set up every fight for maximum success.
Initiative & Turn Order in BG3 — How Combat Starts & DEX Ties Work
Initiative determines who acts first in BG3's turn-based combat. This guide explains BG3's d10 initiative system (different from tabletop's d20), how DEX ties are broken, the Alert feat's massive +5 bonus, and how to set up surprise rounds through stealth.
Multiclassing Guide in BG3 — Rules, Best Combinations & When to Start
Multiclassing in BG3 unlocks powerful class combinations by spending levels in multiple classes. This guide explains the rules, proficiency requirements, the best 1-2 level dips, and when multiclassing helps vs hurts your character.
Bless Spell in BG3 — Why It's the Best Concentration Spell in the Game
Bless is a 1st-level spell that adds +1d4 to attack rolls AND saving throws on three targets simultaneously. This guide explains why Bless delivers more value per spell slot than almost any other spell in BG3, how to use it optimally, and which classes should always have it prepared.
Concentration in Baldur's Gate 3 — How It Works & How to Protect It
Concentration spells are BG3's most powerful spell category — and the most fragile. This guide explains the mechanic, the Constitution save formula, and all the feats, items, and strategies to make your concentration virtually unbreakable.
When to Long Rest in BG3 — Full Rest vs Short Rest Strategy Guide
Long rests are powerful but come with story consequences in BG3. This guide explains what long and short rests restore, which class features depend on each, when to avoid resting during critical story moments, and how to use camp supplies efficiently.
Reactions in BG3 — How They Work & Which Are Best
Reactions are the most underutilized action type in BG3. This guide explains how automatic vs. manual reaction mode differs, which reactions are worth burning, and how to get the most out of Shield, Counterspell, Sentinel, and Uncanny Dodge.
BG3 Surface Spells Guide — Oil, Grease, Fire & Combo Mechanics
BG3's surface and combo system turns environmental interactions into some of the most powerful tools in the game. This guide explains how surfaces work, which combinations do what, and how to exploit oil+fire, water+lightning, grease+spark, and more to trivialize difficult encounters.
How to Use Withers to Respec in BG3 — Full Guide
Withers is BG3's undead camp butler who lets you completely rebuild any character's class, subclass, feats, and stats for just 100 gold. This guide explains how to unlock him, exactly what changes on respec, what doesn't change, and how to use respec for multiclassing.
Stardew Valley
5 guides · Full Stardew Valley hub →
Stardew Valley Energy Management Guide — Stamina Tips & Efficiency
Energy is the most constrained resource in early Stardew Valley. Every action — watering, mining, chopping, foraging — costs energy, and running out early means a wasted day. This guide covers how energy works, the best foods for restoring it, and how to structure your day for maximum efficiency.
Stardew Valley Fishing Guide — How the Minigame Works + Best Spots
Fishing is one of Stardew Valley's most rewarding skills once you understand the minigame mechanics, the right rod upgrades, and where to find rare fish by season.
Friendship Mechanics in Stardew Valley — Hearts, Decay & Events
Friendship with Pelican Town's residents is one of Stardew Valley's most rewarding systems, unlocking heart events, recipes, gifts, and eventually marriage. This guide covers exactly how the friendship point system works, gift limits, decay rules, and how to build hearts efficiently.
Stardew Valley Livestock Guide — Cows, Goats, Sheep, Pigs Compared
Livestock is one of Stardew Valley's major money-making systems, but it requires significant upfront investment. This guide compares all barn animals by profit, care requirements, and best artisan uses.
Stardew Valley Profession Guide — Best Choices for Every Skill
Every skill in Stardew Valley offers two profession choices at Level 5 and two more at Level 10. This guide breaks down all 10 skills-worth of decisions, explains the math behind each choice, and tells you which profession wins for income, efficiency, and different playstyles.
Crimson Desert
4 guides · Full Crimson Desert hub →
Crimson Desert Combat System Explained — Stagger, Counters & Combos
Crimson Desert's combat system is built around staggering enemies, landing precise counters, and chaining skill combos. This guide explains every core mechanic — posture damage, timing windows, stamina management, and skill slot usage — so you can fight efficiently from day one.
Element System Explained in Crimson Desert — Fire, Dark, Earth, Water
Crimson Desert's element system gives Kliff and other characters access to four distinct damage types that interact with enemy weaknesses. This guide explains what each element does, how to identify enemy weaknesses, how to switch elements, and which builds benefit most.
Verified 2026-05Crimson Desert Life Skills Guide — Fishing, Gathering, Cooking & Trade
Life skills in Crimson Desert let you progress outside of combat — earning silver, crafting buffs, and contributing to your camp's economy. Here's how each life skill works and which to prioritize.
Verified 2026-05Crimson Desert Refinement & Enhancement System Explained
Gear enhancement and refinement are the primary power progression mechanics in Crimson Desert. This guide explains how enhancement works, success rates at each level, materials required, the refinement sub-system for quality, and when to enhance versus craft new gear.
Elden Ring Nightreign Night Cycle Explained — Day Phase, Night Phase & Evacuation
The day/night cycle is the core tension mechanic of Elden Ring Nightreign. This guide explains exactly how the day phase exploration timer works, how the evacuation circle forces players toward Night Bosses, and what to expect in Night 1, Night 2, and the Day 3 Nightlord fight.
Verified 2026-05Damage Affinity Guide for Elden Ring Nightreign — Physical, Magic & Status
Understanding damage types and affinities is one of the most important optimizations in Nightreign — some Night Bosses and Nightlords have significant resistances that can halve your effectiveness if you're using the wrong damage type. This guide explains how damage types work, enemy affinity resistances, status effects, and the best damage choices for each Nightfarer.
Spirit Springs in Elden Ring Nightreign — How to Use Them for Fast Travel
Spirit Springs launch Nightfarers skyward for rapid cross-map traversal in Limveld. Combined with Torrent (the spectral horse), they are the fastest movement tools in the game. Learn how to use them efficiently for day phase exploration and evacuation routing.
Elden Ring Nightreign Status Effects — Bleed, Frostbite, Poison & More
Status effects are powerful damage multipliers in Elden Ring: Nightreign. Bleed, Frostbite, Poison, Scarlet Rot, and Sleep each accumulate in a meter and trigger on full buildup. This guide explains how each status works against Night Bosses and field enemies.
Terraria
1 guide · Full Terraria hub →
Valheim
4 guides · Full Valheim hub →
Valheim Boss Powers (Forsaken Powers) — Which One to Use & When
Every Valheim boss drops a trophy that unlocks a Forsaken Power. Learn what each power does, when to activate it, and which power is best for different situations from exploration to boss fights.
Valheim Food System Explained — HP, Stamina & Healing Mechanics
Understanding Valheim's food system is essential for survival. Learn how three food slots work, which foods maximize HP or Stamina, how healing works, and the best foods at each progression stage.
Valheim Food Loadout Guide — Best Food Combos by Biome and Boss
Choosing the right three foods in Valheim determines your health, stamina, and survivability more than almost any other decision. This guide covers the best food combinations for every biome and major boss fight, from early Meadows to late-game Plains.
Valheim Stamina Management Guide — Food, Rested, Gear, and Skills
Master Valheim's stamina system: how food sets your stamina ceiling, why the Rested buff is the biggest passive boost, how armor weight affects regen, which skills lower stamina costs, and the meads that round out a fight.
Palworld
6 guides · Full Palworld hub →
Verified 2026-05How to Catch Pals in Palworld — Best Sphere Types & Catching Tips
Catching Pals is the core gameplay loop of Palworld. Understanding sphere tiers, catch rate mechanics, and how to lower HP without killing your target makes the difference between an empty and a full Paldeck.
Verified 2026-05Palworld Breeding Guide — How It Works + Best Pals to Breed
Breeding is Palworld's most powerful system for obtaining rare Pals and stacking powerful passive skills. This guide explains the Breeding Farm, Cake requirements, egg incubation, and the best breeding combinations.
Verified 2026-05Palworld Condensing Guide — How to Level Up Pal Passive Traits
Condensing is Palworld's system for improving a Pal's overall power level by sacrificing duplicates of the same species. This guide explains how condensing works, how many Pals you need for each rank, which Pals to condense first, and tips for maximizing efficiency.
Verified 2026-05Palworld Electricity & Power Grid — Best Electric Pals & Layout
Most mid-to-late game machines in Palworld need electricity to operate — Electric Furnace, Production Assembly Line, Cooler, Egg Incubator industrial mode. This guide explains the Power Generator + Power Pal setup, the best electricity-generating Pals, and how to build a stable grid that doesn't brown out.
Verified 2026-05Palworld Passive Skills Guide — Best Traits for Work & Combat Pals
Passive skills are the hidden multipliers that separate an average Pal from a powerhouse. This guide covers every important passive, how to get them through breeding, and which to prioritize for workers vs fighters.
Verified 2026-05Palworld Technology Tree Guide — Best Unlocks & Research Priority
The Technology Tree determines what you can build and craft at every stage of Palworld. Knowing which unlocks to prioritize saves time and accelerates your progression from early survival to late-game automation.
Project Zomboid
4 guides · Full Project Zomboid hub →
How Skills Work in Project Zomboid — XP, Multipliers & Leveling Guide
Skills in Project Zomboid level through practice and book reading. This guide explains how the XP formula works, how passive and active leveling differ, how skill books multiply XP gains, and which skills to prioritize.
How to Survive the Helicopter Event in Project Zomboid
The Helicopter Event is one of the most feared scripted events in Project Zomboid — it follows your character and attracts massive zombie hordes to your position. This guide explains exactly how it works, when it happens, and the strategies to survive it.
Project Zomboid Medical Guide — Treating Wounds, Infection & Illness
Injuries in Project Zomboid are serious and potentially fatal. This guide covers all wound types, how to treat bacterial infection versus Knox Virus exposure, and what First Aid skill unlocks.
Project Zomboid Moodles Guide — All Status Effects & How to Manage Them
Moodles are Project Zomboid's status effect system. They tell you exactly what your character needs. This guide covers every moodle, what causes it, and how to resolve or manage it.