Greeting Theta Gang boys and girls,
I hope you're well and not bankrupt after last week. I'm just now recovering mentally myself. I saw a few WSB converts and some newbies asking for tips, so here you go. V2 of my Options guide. I hope it helps.
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I spent a huge amount of time learning about options and tried to distill my knowledge down into a helpful guide. This should especially be useful for newbies and growing options traders.
While I feel I’m a successful trader, I'm not a guru and my advice is not meant to be gospel, but this will hopefully be a good starting point, teach you a lot, and make you a better trader. I plan to keep typing up more info from my notebook, expanding this guide, and posting it every couple months.
Any feedback or additions are appreciated
Per requests, I added details of good and bad trades I made. Some painful lessons learned are now included. I also tried to organize this better as it got longer.
Here's what I tell options beginners:
I would strongly recommend buying a beginner's options book and read it cover to cover. That helped me a lot.
I like this beginner book: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00GWSXX8U/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_OxNDFb2GK9YW7
Helpful websites:

• Tasty Trade (TT) and Ally Invest have helpful articles and videos.
  • https://www.tastytrade.com/tt
  • https://www.youtube.com/c/tastytrade1/featured
• Ally training:
  • What is options trading? https://www.ally.com/do-it-right/investing/trading-options-for-beginners/?CP=EM2012111
  • Top 10 options mistakes: https://www.ally.com/do-it-right/investing/top-10-option-trading-mistakes/?CP=EM2012111
• 3 common option mistakes: https://us.etrade.com/knowledge/library/options/common-mistakes-options-traders-make
• Common options strategies: https://www.optionsbro.com/basic-options-strategies/
• Investopedia has tons of great investing info for stocks and options: https://www.investopedia.com/
• Kamikaze Cash Theta Gang Videos: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLOweupE79XXiBaeH_xBpkUcYUsrAaKQen
• 20 rules of professional traders: https://www.investopedia.com/articles/active-trading/022715/20-rules-followed-professional-traders.asp

Don't trade until you understand:

• You can lose your entire contract value when buying.
• You can lose a lot of money when selling "naked", theoretically unlimited.
• How option expiration works.
• Theta (decay) and how it works. This is imperative since it's attrition when buying and a payout when selling. https://www.optionseducation.org/advancedconcepts/theta
• DTE: Days till expiration/expiry
• Options positions with respect to price:
  • ITM: In the money; strike is below stock value. Signif
  • ATM: At the money; strike is just at or above the stock value, often very highly traded. Can be very effective with moderate - long term expiry.
  • NTM: Near the money; strike is above the stock value, but fairly close. Slightly unofficial term.
  • OTM: Out of the money; price is at least a few strikes from the current stock price. I would say 10-30% over stock price.
  • Very OTM: Not a real definition, this is essentially a lottery ticket. Cheap, but almost certain to expire worthless unless there is explosive movement.
• Understand delta in general and how delta changes with ITM and OTM options.
• Understand all the greeks at a high level, as you get better understand them well. The greeks: https://www.optionsplaybook.com/options-introduction/option-greeks/
• IV, IV crush, and how IV affects pricing. In general, you want to sell when IV is high and buy when the IV is low. Increasing IV is good for held calls/puts. IV drop or crush is generally good for sellers.
• Selling options can be quite beneficial. Once you have a good general understanding, lookup thetagang . Kamikaze Cash has good youtube videos on most theta strategies (linked above). I personally believe selling options (especially cash secured) is much safer and can consistently make you profits. Θ Gang 4 life.
• FOMO and how to avoid chasing a dangerous trend. DO NOT CHASE FROM FOMO!
• What intrinsic and extrinsic value are. Know how they are affected by being exercised/assigned and how theta affects them.
• Understand that some of WSB recommendations are straight up high-risk gambling and factor in the information accordingly. Be careful with Meme stocks and the survivorship bias on YOLO plays. However, I love the sub and think it’s hilarious. It has a lot of valuable information / DD if you are comfortable with the “colorful” language. It’s also great if you like rocket ship emojis.

Basics / Mechanics

• Understand the 4 "main" option types. Buying or selling a call and buying or selling a put. Spreads and more complex multi-legged option strategies are based off these in some way (see below)
• You can sell calls with 100 shares of stock or if you own an underlying longer term option; see LEAPS and PMCCs later. Selling calls naked is incredibly risky and often requires Level 4 (very advanced) permissions and usually a lot of capital. I will literally never sell calls naked since I don't want to ruin my life and end up living in a dumpster eating saltine crackers.
• Puts can be sold/written cash covered (cash secured), which means you have the cash in your account to buy 100 shares. Your broker will put this money on hold until the trade is closed. Puts can be sold "naked" using Margin and Level 3 (with most brokers). Your broker will hold a percentage of cost of 100 shares (often 30-40%, 100% on meme stocks) allowing you to sell more puts. This increases your available capital/power as well as increasing risk.

General Tips and Ideas:

• Don't EVER leave (short) spreads open on expiration day, close them. (more details below)
• Start off trading very small. Slowly build up over weeks / months. You need to get accustomed to a fifty dollar swing a day, then a few hundred, then a few thousand. You need to ensure you don't get emotional (see below). I started trading options with 5k, then 25k, 50k, and later over 100k. I added my own funds over time and used my gains to build my account. Don’t go all in immediately, that’s dangerous and unwise.
• Especially as you build up the amount of money you have invested, keep it diversified among several stocks.
  • Don't go all in on one thing, ever. Be able to take a hit from one stock and not mortally wound your portfolio.
  • A company may be doing great, then there's a major product issue out of nowhere. If you are overexposed in one stock this can really hurt you.
  • I had to roll options I sold that were about to expire completely worthless because FDX's CEO changed and the stock took a hard dip.
• Don't trade emotionally. If you realize you are emotionally trading for vengeance, you should probably exit the trade and cool off for several days with that stock. Same if you get caught up in a wave of hysteria.
• Have a plan for every trade, ideally with entries / exits that are specific values, ranges, or a set condition. This helps remove emotions. This is super important for strong movements and high volatility (see later).
• Use an options profit calculator from your broker or an online one before entering a "new" trade, especially a complex multi legged trade: https://www.optionsprofitcalculator.com/
• “Rolling” an option: Closing your existing option and opening a similar one at different strike and/or expiration.
  • Rolling a call “Up” would be selling a call you own and buying a cheaper call at a higher strike.
  • Rolling a put “Down and out” closes your original one and buying or selling one at a lower strike at a longer expiry.
  • Better broker interfaces have a literal “Roll” button. I know E-trade does. You can manually do it by selecting relevant contract legs.
• If you have a losing trade, re-evaluate it. If your initial assumption is definitely incorrect, close it. Don't stay in losing trades forever and lose the entire value of the option over stubbornness. If you re-evaluate and you think your assumption was right, hold, potentially consider adding another cheaper option (or buy another call / put). Rolling out sold options can help here.
• Don't try to day trade, especially with options. It's statistically unlikely to be profitable. Day-trading with options introduces extra liquidity risks and is dangerous, especially with spreads.
• Try not to over-trade, you'll likely mis-time the market over time. When I get emotional I over trade, then lose additional money on wash sales. If you scale your entries into positions it should help alleviate your desire to exit positions when they turn badly against you. Whenever I buy calls I do it at larger increments after W almost made me loss my hair; luckily it eventually came back.
• NEVER enter a position on a stock you have no idea about, especially when you read about it online or heard about it from some rando.
• At market open options contracts are often volatile and inflated. Buying during this time can be more expensive. Options are usually cheaper mid-day, I read somewhere 2-3PM is cheapest. I’ve had success around 12-1PM EST after prices settle.
• Try wheeling on cheaper stocks once you get all fundamentals down.
• When selling puts if you are very bullish consider "doubling down"; note this is higher risk. Use the credit from your put sale to buy shares or a cheap call. This can be roughly inversed with puts, except I wouldn't ever recommend shorting shares.
• Learn from your mistakes. You can’t go back in time and beating yourself up (to a point) is useless. Make a physical &/or mental note of it so you don’t do it again. If you don’t learn from it, then beat yourself up so you won’t do it again.
• If you have friends that like to trade, I find it helpful to discuss strategies and planned plays. I talk openly with my close friends about my current holdings and planned trades, it helps keep me accountable. If I get a wide-eyed look, I might be doing something excessively risky or stupid. I’ve over-leveraged myself in calls twice and I knew I shouldn’t have done it both times. When I tell my friends what I did and I’m embarrassed, it exemplifies the face that I shouldn’t have done it in the first place. You will also get ideas for new strategies or plays from them. It’s good to stay versatile and use multiple strategies when appropriate. Beware of group think/echo chambers.
• I recommend NEVER telling someone what to buy/sell and when. I’ll tell people MY plays or what I like and why, but I will not encourage them to emulate what I do. Depending on the audience, I’ll tell them my exact positions along with my exit and entrance strategy. With closer friends I’ll offer my thoughts on their trades (if asked). If my friend is doing something really risky (one of my friends does some scary stuff) I may ask them if they want my advice, and provide it, especially if they overlooked a risk/event. I will not encourage someone to execute/enter a trade since it has a high potential for hurt feelings or animosity all around.
• Don’t fall in love with a stock. Just because something made you money before and you have high confidence in it doesn’t mean it will keep performing. I joke that FDX betrayed me when it started dipping and losing me money. I was over-confident of its bounce-back and sold too many puts too quickly. I’m in several losing trades because of it. However, I will keep good stocks in my rostetracking list or try different strategies or re-enter trades when they change their behavior.
• As you start to both buy and sell options and get more experience in general, you'll start seeing the two sides to every trade. You will likely start adjusting your strategies or trying new trades out because of this. Things will likely click one day. Most/all the greeks and options concepts will become almost second nature. For me this was when I could build an Iron Condor from scratch, which was a watershed moment involving a good understanding of many strategies.
• Understand Liquidity and volume.
  • Trading in low volume, low open interest contracts results in wide bid/ask spreads and difficulty having your contracts filled. Look at all the data for a contract, not just the strike and price.
  • Monthly Expiration dates typically have better liquidity.
  • Multi-legged trades (Common examples are 2-legged vertical spreads or 4-legged iron condors) have more difficulty being filled, especially on bad brokers like Robin Hood. Having very liquid options for all legs is extremely helpful in obtaining timely and well-priced fills, which maximize your potential profits.
• Time in market vs timing the market:
  • It is extremely difficult to time the market perfectly. If you wait for the perfect opportunity forever, history has proven you will miss out on gains. Keeping all your money out of the market has proven to be ineffective. Now if there is something serious happening with a stock/the market (like say a new pandemic), don’t go all in. I recommend entering incrementally at dips. If the stock has huge upside potential it may never go down, so it might make sense to partially enter at the current price.
  • IMIO selling puts is a great strategy to get into a stock you like, or at least make money off it. I think buying stock in lots of 100 is usually for suckers. Selling an ATM or ITM put (assuming the math works out) on a stock you were going to buy and hold is ALMOST free money.
  • I recommend keeping some cash available regardless. If you have a very large account or expect a downturn, hedging with indexes like QQQ, SPY, or VIX or calls/puts may be wise.
• Every trade can't be a winner. You will take some losses, you must get used to it. I don’t like having a realized loss of 1K or more on any trade. However, this will happen, especially with larger accounts.
  • As long as you win more often and beat the S&P that year I consider it okay. I’m kind of aggressive, so I consider 20%+ annually good. 30%+ annually is great. 40%+ and I’m dancing. After trading options I am almost baffled by my old belief that 5% annual returns (mostly from dividend ETFs) was “good”. That’s nothing to me now since I’m willing to take risks. Note: While lots of people danced in 2020, realize that’s an insane Bull Run year and is atypical.
  • Adhere to your own risk tolerance and never over-extend yourself, especially with margin use. Don’t make huge gambles leaving you uncomfortable. Only gamble with money you are willing to lose.
  • My personal strategy is to make safer gains for the year and then enter slightly riskier strategies using those gains. I can be slightly-moderately more aggressive and compound my gains. For me I often sell puts to make money, then when I see a big opportunity I’ll sell a put and buy an OTM or moderately ITM call.
• Understand it’s not safe to try and get rich overnight. However, once you hit big “steps” things may start to snowball. You can enter more positions and take more risks if you choose to.
  • For me this when I hit 50k, then 100k. I was able to balance low and moderate risk positions to more significantly grow my account. I’ll even do a high risk thing now and again because my gains can absorb it (assuming I have them).
  • I can’t wait to get to 250K, then 500K. I know it’ll take quite a long time, but I am confident I’ll eventually be able to have 500K and (hopefully) 1M in my non-401k trading account with gains and additions from my job. I can only imagine how “dangerous” I will be with that kind of capital.
• If you missed "the next big thing" like AAPL, TSLA, or the time machine I’m building in my basement. Don't get upset, learn from it. Adapt and become a better trader for next time.
  • Figure out why a company was so promising, before they mooned. Determine how you would have traded differently in hindsight. Apply those lessons to the next company you believe has long term growth prospects.
  • For me that's putting in 1-2.5k towards shares and/or buying LEAPS on it. Depending on my bullishness I may buy “cheap”, fairly far OTM calls. The far OTM options are sort of lottery tickets. If I'm right the (relatively) low cost will have explosive profits; if I'm wrong, they didn't cost that much so it's a calculated loss I’m willing to accept. For more serious bets I’ll buy ITM LEAPS to run PMCCs on. I also like to buy 1-2K in my 401k for very long-term plays.
• The stock market hates uncertainty, it seems to crave the status quo. A shakeup can potential tank a stock, even if it's nothing. With shares you can wait it out, but this can be problematic for options. If you see volatile/uncertain times ahead (politics, disease, manufacturing, earnings, etc.), you might want to reduce your overall portfolio risks or hedge.

Profit Retention / Loss Mitigation

• If selling options, it is a viable strategy to close early after a large gain with many DTE left until expiry. See TT videos / strategies on this.
• Don't hold options through earnings unless you literally want to gamble. I like playing on earnings run ups, but that can be risky.
• If you hold options through earnings, IV crush will happen immediately afterwards, devaluing the option. However, if the option is profitable enough, IV crush won’t matter, which will still make money for a call buyer. A sold put sufficiently far OTM will benefit from IV crush, even if the stock dips after slightly bad or lukewarm earnings.
• Don't throw good money after bad. Don't gamble on a recovery if your assumption appears to be wrong or the market is flat out tanking. If you are wrong and still believe in the company, wait twice as long as your original plan (wait for your 2nd entry point vs 1st) before adding to your position.
• Consider using stop losses to lock-in profits on rides up or sometimes use them to prevent losses. Note, stops can be easily triggered in volatile options. Now when I'm up a lot on calls (especially around earnings or large momentum run-ups) I always set stop losses. I have been burned too many times. In December 2020 I didn't set a SL on several thousand dollars of FDX calls I was already up on and I "lost" ~$5K of unrealized gains. If you're up big, don't get too greedy.
• A possible strategy if a stock is on a tear and you have multiple options open: Close some positions (I prefer to do this incrementally if the stock has momentum), but leave 1+ open in case the stock goes into outer space/the floor. Next, set a stop loss with a little buffer below its current movement / range so it doesn't get hit unless the stock falls hard. Finally, watch the stock closely and if it keeps rising, keep moving the stop loss up in little bits incrementally. This will let you keep more profits on a hot streak, but give some protection and secure more gains. It will also help eliminate FOMO if a stock exceeds your expectations.
• Have rules when to roll out, down & out, or up & out. I like TT’s roll at break even or at 1x loss and to always roll for a credit (or for me a very minor cost). Obviously these rules need some monitoring. Know your stocks, the news, and technicals so you don’t jump the gun.
  • If you roll early for a credit and you’re right, it’s not the end of the world. You’ll just need to hold longer, which will obviously tie up capital. Sometimes it’s better to tie up some money (especially if you aren’t paying interest) than eating a huge loss.
  • Rolling too late can be worse though. I currently have a very underwater FDX put I sold that is over 2x loss, rolling it does almost nothing unless you want to pay a debit or extend it extremely far out.
• On huge options gains, I strongly you recommend taking profits by rolling up/down or incrementally sell your contracts at several different prices (this is why having multiple contracts is nice).
  • Rolling up involves selling your initial call, then using a fraction of your proceeds to buy a cheaper, further OTM call with the same expiry; puts are inverse this. When rolling up I like to ensure the new option’s cost is 15-40% of my realized gains. I’ll buy a more or less expensive new optoin based on my convication to the stock and predicted movements. You can also roll up and out to get a further expiry and strike.
  • This is monumentally important if you are playing with incredibly high rising stocks or during a short squeeze.
  • Sad story time: I completely screwed up when I forgot to roll up, twice, during the GME gamma/short squeeze. I didn’t take my own advice; I didn’t have a real exit or transition plan and I got emotional. It all happened so fast and I was at work; the insanity of the run up and subsequent gamma squeeze caught me off guard. I should’ve clocked out and thought through the situation for 15-30 minutes to form an impromptu plan, then executed trade(s). My moderate risk tolerance coupled with my desire to take profits took over. When the stock partially cratered after a run up, I sold to retain gains. In the heat of the moment I thought the squeeze was squoze and it was going to plummet into the ground and I wasn’t being rational.
    • On 1x 4K call I would’ve made an additional 15-25K if I rolled up to a cheaper contract with some of my profits.
    • I know I missed out on significantly more with a 2nd call I had. Depending when I rolled it, it would likely have been an additional 25-50k in profits.
  • I talked about learning from your mistakes above. This mistake is branded into my brain due to the massive gains I missed out on by not rolling up. I’m furious with myself as I write this 1 week after the GME gamma squeeze, I’m a planner and I didn’t plan. If anything I own is significantly up ever again, I’m rolling up (or at least setting a stop loss). If necessary, I’ll roll up a trade multiple times to keep extracting profits.
  • Learn from my mistake so you don’t miss out on gains too. I strongly recommend rolling up when you are up big on a call / roll down when you are up big on a put. This enables you to take profits, stay in the game, and keep extracting more gains.
• If you trade a lot of options, talk to your broker about a discount. I was getting the standard $.50/contract with E-Trade, but I traded over 300 contracts a quarter and was able to get the fee reduced by over $.10 by just asking. I am now doing more spreads and condors, so once my volume gets very high, I’ll ask again.
• If you have a broker that isn’t great and you want to switch, leverage your current trading fees to the new broker. Tell them you’ll move over $### thousand if they beat your current options trading fee per contract.

Trade Planning & Position Management Tips

• As you gain experience, start monitoring what kind of Delta, OTM, DTE, etc. you are most profitable with. Use it in your future trades. You'll often see the tasty trade 30-45DTE .3 Delta strategy for selling.
• Before entering a trade, look at rough technicals like resistances and supports to consider your relevant strikes as well as entry/exit points. Look at upcoming earnings & dividend dates as well as stock/market news.
• Consider staggering strikes and expirations for safety and diversity; it’s nice to avoid assignment on 3 puts at once because you used the same strike for all 3.
• Incrementally enter positions on large rises/falls. One of my favor strategies is to buy dips after over reactions. By doing this slowly in large price "steps" it helps combat FOMO and helps you avoid getting slaughtered.
  • This will also help you avoid "chasing a falling knife". It also ties into having a plan.
  • I set alerts at several predetermined prices and I REALLY try not to enter new trades unless I hit my preset points. It makes me less emotional and usually more effective.
• Don't buy far expiration options with poor liquidity for shorter term plays. I bought 1x GME 1-year+ LEAPS call before the 2021 short squeeze. That was stupid, I should've bought 2-3x 60-120 day calls to have better liquidity. I also paper-handed it and missed out on my lambo.
• If selling options, consider rolling (for a credit) to avoid assignment when it makes sense / meets your plan. Rolling closer to expiration can be a valid strategy to get theta on your side. On the flip side, if the stock moons or plummets it could've been better to roll before it got crazy deep ITM. See rolling “rules” above.
• Covered Calls:
  • If a stock has a large movement range, I think it can be worthwhile to wait to open a CC after the last one is closed/expires. I have been more successful waiting for another opportunity vs. opening one immediately on the Monday after the second the last one expires.
  • Consider selling covered calls at all time highs/peaks. If you sell a CC and the stock dips significantly, and you think it’s temporary, you can buy to close your CC for a quick profit, then reopen it later.
  • If you own Meme stocks, selling covered calls runs the risk of missing out on large gains. On these stocks I typically only sell them further OTM than I normally would or not at all. If I do sell CC on a Meme stock I try to ensure I have 25-100 other shares that won’t be called away.

-Advanced Beginner-
Spreads

• Spreads (with 2 legs) are neat because they manipulate how delta and theta act. It caps your gains and losses, but you can profit with less stock movement. Try several spreads on a P/L calculator to see for yourself.
• Spreads usually require margin trading.
• Spreads allow you to define max losses (assuming you close before expiration day) and use less capital.
  • Experienced traders will open many spreads at identical/similar strikes to heavily profit off movement. Spreads can make you/lose you a lot of money if you are right.
  • For example. I could make a $200 premium off a $500 risk trade, max loss would be $300. This is much more effective capital utilization than a naked or cash secured put, however it does not have the same downside protection or “wheel” potential as a sold put. Higher risk, higher reward.
• Vertical Debit spreads: I think of these like mini calls/puts. I personally don’t use them unless calls are outrageously expensive or the break even is absurdly high, but there’s nothing wrong with them. A call debit spread will lower your breakeven and overall cost vs just a call. You can do clever things like making a positive theta call spread if you’re creative. I like doing this since I hate losing money to theta.
• Vertical Credit spreads:
  • Very good theta strategy to define downside/upside risks.
  • A put credit spread is bullish and allows you to bet on upward movement with less capital and defined losses.
  • A call credit spread is a bearish strategy that allows you to bet on downward movement. These are very cool since they allow you to sell calls without selling naked calls, which can ruin you financially. I see selling these as better than buying puts since it’s so much easier to be profitable; to be redundant, Θ rocks.
  • https://www.schwab.com/resource-centeinsights/content/reducing-risk-with-credit-spread-options-strategy-0
• I repeat this on purpose: Don't EVER leave short spreads open on expiration day, close them. If you don't close, they better be VERY far from the strike on a non-volatile stock. In after hours a stock can jump/dip below your strike and be exercised without the other leg to protect you. This can lead to massive, life ruining losses. This is not an exaggeration, google this and be scared. It happened to a fair number of people with TSLA. Video explanation: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rtVFj9nRRDo&t=315s
• Short Straddle:

Trading Mechanics, Taxes, Market Manipulation

• Learn about wash sale rules. They suck and are very easy to activate with options. This will eliminate your ability to write off losses. Over trading can easily cause wash sales. https://www.investopedia.com/terms/w/washsalerule.asp
• Short attacks:
  • Learn to recognize these sketchy attacks by hedges/firms. They manipulate the market, it’s been documented countless times. A common one is rapid short selling, which pushes the price down.
  • Short Ladder attacks:
    • https://www.google.com/amp/s/seekingalpha.com/amp/instablog/11442671-gerald-klein/3096735-anatomy-of-a-short-attack
    • Some people say short ladder attacks don't exist. I've seen some very strange stock nosedives off low volume, so I tend to think they do.
  • If you plan well enough and the market doesn’t give up on the stock you may be able to use it as a great opportunity to buy the dip.
• Cramer explains how he intentionally manipulated the market when he ran a hedge fund years ago. Multiple links to the video are below since this video gets pulled often, Cramer / The street never wanted this to go public.
  • Reuters article: https://www.reuters.com/article/cramer-interview-idUKN2036292620070320
  • httpss://youtu.be/r07Gg92YjOI
  • https://youtu.be/VMuEis3byY4
  • https://youtu.be/JEzsfPmh894
  • https://youtu.be/QFfjX8dW-QQ
  • Due to this video I don’t fully trust Cramer. His show can give you stock ideas to buy (or inverse), but you never know where his true loyalties lie.
• Plan for taxes if you are up big. You may need to over withhold or contribute to taxes quarterly depending on your situation. https://www.irs.gov/taxtopics/tc306

-Intermediate / Advanced Strategies (work in progress)-
You’ll notice many of these strategies inverse one another.
Options Strategy Finder
This website is great for learning about new strategies, you’ll see many links to it below.
https://www.theoptionsguide.com/option-trading-strategies.aspx
Short Strangle / Straddle

• Both of these strategies profit from little price movement. I recommend using a P/L calculator to determine BE, profit, etc.
• A straddle sells (or buys) two options at the same expiry and strike.
• A strangle sells (or buys) two options at same expiry with different strikes.
• Both these strategies involved selling a Call and a Put for a credit. Straddle uses ATM legs, strangle uses OTM legs.
• Limited max profits and unlimited risk. Due to the unlimited risk, I am not a fan. However, many people like these a lot.
• https://www.theoptionsguide.com/short-strangle.aspx
• https://www.theoptionsguide.com/short-straddle.aspx

Iron Condor and Iron Butterflies

• These strategies profit from neutral or mostly neutral stock movement. They receive a credit to open and benefit from theta decay. If your stock is range bound, these may be a good choice.
• These are both 4 "legged" trades, so you will have 4 trading fees to enter or exit the trade. A lower cost or zero cost broker shines here. However, “bad” free brokers will give you poor fills, which may not be worth the discount.
• Condors and butterflies have "wings" which are your purchased puts and calls. The wider the wing the higher the max profit/risk. The condor body can be riskier and skinny with a narrow high profit range or wider for a much greater chance of success with lower payout.
• An iron condor is built by combining a put credit spread and a call credit spread with the same expiry.
• An iron condor can be thought of as a modified short strangle with limited risk, and therefore a bit less profit. I prefer defined limited risk.
• The butterfly is similar except instead of a plateau it has a sharp peak. My personal mental note is that a condor looks more like a strangle with wings, while a butterfly looks like a straddle with wings.
• Pay attention to earnings dates when you open these, I have forgotten to check before and it led to bad trades.
• https://www.theoptionsguide.com/iron-condor.aspx
• https://www.theoptionsguide.com/iron-butterfly.aspx

Long Condor (Debit Call Condor)

• The debit version of an Iron Condor. You expect the price to stay inside your defined range. This strategy profits from neutral or mostly neutral stock movement. I’ve never tried this, Iron Condors make more sense to me.
• Limited risk / limited reward.
• https://www.theoptionsguide.com/condor.aspx

Short Condor (Credit Call Condor)

• Inverse of an Iron Condor. You expect the price to go OUTSIDE your defined range. These are useful when you expect significant price movement. Credit to open.
• Limited risk / limited reward.
• Can be harder to set up. I want to try these, haven’t yet.
• https://www.theoptionsguide.com/short-condor.aspx

Reverse Iron Condor

• Inverse of an Iron Condor. You expect the price to go OUTSIDE your defined range. These are useful when you expect significant price movement. Debit to open.
• Limited risk / limited reward.
• https://www.theoptionsguide.com/reverse-iron-condor.aspx

LEAPs

• LEAP Options are options that are long term with many DTE, often over a year until expiration. LEAP calls are great for long term growth plays (downtrends with LEAP puts) or simply when you really like a company and can't afford 100 shares. LEAPs (or any "longer term" option) enables you to sell a PMCC or PMCP (below)

PMCC / PMCP

• PMCC or PMCP are poor man's covered call (or poor man's covered puts). They are diagonal options often used with purchased LEAPs. You sell a shorter DTE call/put with a further OTM strike than your purchased call/put. For PMCC/PMCPs it is often recommended to recoup your extrinsic value as soon as possible, some recommend with your first call CC or put sale, to ensure you are positive if the option is assigned early. These have a lot of moving parts and strategies. If you buy a barely ITM call/put and sell a nearby strike call/put you run the risk of the purchased option getting "blown by" on large stock movement and ending up with a very negative losing trade. Keeping your purchased LEAP deeper ITM should protect you. Check your initial PMCC using an options calculation to make sure you don't screw up.
• I'm currently tinkering with these myself. So far I like .7-.9 delta call LEAPS with 30-45 DTE calls on my CC. The goal is to hold the LEAP long term, potentially until expiration, and constantly sell calls/puts on it that expire worthless. Typically the call/put is rolled up and out or down and out if it's going to be assigned, unless you don't want your LEAP anymore.
• Some people look at these many sold CC or puts as profits, I look at them as lowering my cost basis until it's zero (or even negative). I have a page in my notebook I write each CC on my NIO LEAP (I Meme stock sometimes). I find it satisfying to slowly see the cost of the original option disappear. When I originally wrote this I had ~2 years left on it and it's 9-10% paid for; that doesn't even count the actual gains the LEAP has.
• TT states this is considered an IV play, which I partially agree with. You want to buy these during low IV times since an IV drop will hurt your LEAP value. I look at them more as a way to sell calls/puts on a high IV company with a lot of price movement and potential upside/downside.

Advanced Orders

• Guide to several order types: https://us.etrade.com/knowledge/events/webinars/order-types-from-basic-to-advanced-07162019
• One Triggers Other (OTO):
  • Good brokers will allow you to set these up, some will require a desktop to do it. This lets you link one action to another. In programming think of it like an if-then. You’ll tie a buy/sell to another buy/sell
  • Setting trailing stops on options is very chaotic since their price movement can be drastic due to volatility. I prefer to set my trailing stop to a stock.
  • What I like to do is set a trailing stop on a stock (or just link it to a stock price drop) and have it sell 1 share I own. Then it immediately executes a market order to sell my call. I’ve had good luck doing this with incredibly volatile plays were stop losses aren’t effective. I’ll often have an order saved and ready saved for when a strong run up starts. When my price alerts start blowing up my phone, I’ll immediately hit execute to turn it on.

​
Disclaimer:
I’m not a financial adviser, I'm actually an engineer. I’m not telling you to invest in a specific stock/option or even use a specific strategy. I’ve outlined and more extensively elaborated on what I personally like. You should test several strategies and find what works best for you.
I'm just a guy who trades (mainly options) part-time for financial gain and fun. I don't claim to be some investing savant.

TLDR: T-ARA was one of the most successful group in the second gen of kpop, however all of this success was sweeped away with a series of tweets made by the groups members which lead fans to believe Hwayoung was being bullied, this ruined their image almost completely, years later staff members come out and set the record straight about what happened and also expose some of her behavior towards the staff members flipping the public opinion entirely in only one day.

• Music show win: It's a win on one of the weekly music shows that groups promote on for 2–4 weeks after a release
• Gaon: Korean music chart
• Oricon: Japanese music chart
• Big 3 company: The 3 most successful entertainment companies (YG, JYP and SM)
• SNSD: also known as Girls Generation, they were the biggest kpop girl group from around 2007 to 2017, they were given the honorary title of "Nations Girl Group."
• Visual: Member in a group that adheres the most to Korea's beauty standards

Who was T-ARA?
T-ARA debuted on July 29th, 2009 as a six member group with the original lineup being: Qri, Soyeon, Boram, Jiyeon, Hyomin and Eunjung. Upon their debut they had minimal success with songs like Lies, Wanna Play, Time To Love and Time to Love 2.
It wasn't until November 29th 2009 when the group had their first hit "Bo Peep Bo Peep", the song peaked at #4 in Gaon and at #1 in Oricon, it won 5 music show wins and sold 100.000 physical copies. The girls also went on to win Rookie of the year.
Road to domination
On July 16th 2010 Hwayoung was added to the line up and the group started to promote as a 7 member group. In June 29th 2011 they released their biggest hit "Roly-Poly". The song peaked at #2 on Gaon and #3 on Oricon, they got 3 music show wins, 62.774 physical sales in Japan and 4,077,885 dowload in Korea making it the most downloaded song of the year. T-ARA were one of the biggest kpop acts at the time which was surprising since they were not created by a big 3 company.
They were the only girl group at the time that could compete with SNSD, the group was getting endorsement deals left, right and center, had a 1 billion budget for their "Cry cry" music video, were rapidly gaining fans, had a well received debut in Japan, were huge in China, were getting acting gigs and Jiyeon was being considered one of the top visual of the industry.
In 2012, T-ARA released "Lovey Dovey" which sold 3 million digital copies in Kr and were considered one of the most powerful ggs by Forbes. In 2012 their company decided to add to more girls to the line up, Ahreum in July 7th during their "Day by Day" promotions and Dani, however she never officially debuted with the group.
The "Bullying"
The group had their first independent concert on July 25th and 26th at the Budokan in Tokyo, Japan, where Hwayoung was only able to perform one song while sitting on a wheelchair after having a leg injury during a music show on July 22th.
After the show the members when on twitter and tweeted messages that fan assumed where directed towards Hwayoung.
Hyomin had began by writing:

The differences in levels of determination^^, Let us all have more determination. Fighting!!!

Member Jiyeon then responded:

The differences in levels of determination ^^, Always be humble ^^ and sensible ^^ I applaud you, acting genius ^^

Eunjung added:

A position can make or break a person, but determination can make a person too. Sigh, it's unfortunate. You have to know to take care of the people around you.

All of the group members, except for Ahreum and Qri retweeted Hyomin´s tweet.
In response to this, Hwayoung had tweeted:

Sometimes, even determination alone is not enough. At times like these, I feel upset but I trust that it's a blessing in disguise from the heavens. God, you know everything right?

Hyoyoung, Hwayoung's twin sister then wrote:

My better half is suffering. My heart hurts. No matter what anyone else says, (Hwayoung), you can get through this

and Hwayoung responded to her saying:

You're the best.

Hwayoung's rap teacher tweets:

"Brainless airheads do worthless shit but this is really over the top. Not even thinking aboutwhen they were trash (low levels) right? "

The teacher denied this being related to the scandal but everyone thinks otherwise because of the timing and how Hwayoung answered "I miss you.." right away.
This lead fans to the conclusion that Hwayoung was being bullied by her bandmates, at first the company said that all of the members had been hacked however no one believed that. (og tweets, tweets)
Due to this fans decided to find proof that Hwayoung was being bullied, this lead to to fans creating videos with out of context clips and sad music to prove the bullying, videos such as "T-ara gangs up up to bully Hwayoung".
Apology and Hwayoung leaves
On July 31st Hwayoung Tweeted:

To my fans, you've loved me until now, and I'm sorry that I've only given you disappointment. Please stop now, and look forward to our more mature and improved selves in the future. I apologize for making you worry during this time. I also want to apologize to my Core Contents Media family. I'll greet you all with a better image next time

On August 28th she says that while she did have arguments with the group members she was not bullied:

I do not feel so great hearing about Eunjung's removal from her drama. While being a part of T-ARA, there were some disagreements, but due to that, people have made it worse by thinking that there was bullying going on. I'm also sad that because due to these twisted rumors, all the members must've been hurt by it. However, because we have all these good memories together, I want to forget the past and see each other and support each other with a smiling face. I am truly sorry to all the fans that have supported T-ARA.

On August 29th T-ara made the first statement regarding the situation with a hand written apology:

We are writing this letter after a long period of thinking.
The past month has felt longer than our pre-debut trainee years or the years that we spent receiving love from our fans.
First, we would like to sincerely apologize for hurting and disappointing so many people.
Not being able to solve the issue of the difference of our members’ will amongst ourselves and making our personal problems viewable to the public was a very immature thing to do and we are deeply reflecting upon our actions. We sincerely apologize for acting so carelessly.
If we would’ve understood, sacrificed and acted more maturely toward each other, none of this would have ever happened. At the thought of this, each and every day was so torturous to us.
When we look back, we know that everyone carried the same dream going forward and we tried to overcome hardships together. But in just one momentary action, those good times were shone with a negative light and it really pained our hearts.
We also think that it must have been so hard for Hwayoung, who was suffering because of the misunderstandings people had about her being bullied.
We were all so shocked at all of this because no one wanted it and no one even thought of this happening. And now, we are truly saddened that we cannot be together [with Hwayoung] anymore. We only hope that nothing hurtful will happen to Hwayoung from now on.
To all the people who were worried because of us, to all the disappointed people who loved our music – we are truly sorry.
We believe that this hard time was truly a big lesson for all of our members. Since we need to be ones to give strength to others, we realize how much of a responsibility we have and how we must take responsibility over every single thing we do.
From now on, to our parents who live for us, to all the fans who stayed with us till the end, to all the people who listen to our music… and to all of those who we’ve worried and disappointed – instead of breaking down, we would like to work even harder by asking for forgiveness.
We genuinely apologize. We also hope that you will give generous support and love to Hwayoung, who probably had it harder than us. We will always be supporting Hwayoung as well.

On July 30th the company put out a statement in which they announced that Hwayoung´s contract had been terminated, this is the full statements but the highlights are:

I wish to emphasize the fact that the 'bullying' reports surrounding T-ara have no basis in truth.
Hwayoung's leg injury and her subsequent absence for the concert was for the protection of the star. Although she wanted to stand on stage, all the staff and T-ara members argued against her and she eventually took the stage only for her "Day by Day" performance, as per her wishes.
Because the eight members of T-ara put teamwork ahead of themselves, they respected the decision of the 19 staff members. Because there couldn't be any more staff members going through such pain, this decision was made after much debate.
Again, I stress that there was no bullying taking place between the T-ara members and Hwayoung and all such reports are without truth.
Since Hwayoung has much promise as a rapper, Core Contents Media has decided to end her contract without conditions and believe that she will grow into the future as a free artist.

As a response to this Hwayoung tweeted

Statements are not true

Now the group, the company and Hwayoung had all denied that there was any type of bullying happening being close doors, however it was too late, the public had already decided that Hwayoung was a victim of bullying and not only that but her bullies where getting away with it now that she had been kicked out of the group.
The truth comes out
On february 2017, 5 years after the controversy first happened it gains relevancy once again.
Hwayoung and her twin sister were guest stars in the show "Taxi" on February 8th 2017, in the show Hwayoung was asked about her life after leaving the group and she responded:

It’s a shame. Thinking about it now, it’s something that can definitely happen between girls. Looking back, we were still young and inexperienced. I, also, wasn’t an adult.” When asked if she ever cried, she responded, “I locked myself in my room and cried a lot. I had lost a lot of weight at the time, and my sister, choking up, told me to stop losing weight.

Her sister also said:

My sister was watching a music program, and she was spaced out [thinking about something else]. It made me think that I should work harder.” Ryu Hwayoung, hearing her sister say this, started crying

The day after a former T-ara staff member came forward with more information regarding the incident, they said:

I saw yesterday’s broadcast of ‘Taxi.’ I saw that Ryu Hwayoung and Ryu Hyoyoung cried, too. [Hwayoung] said ‘It’s something that can definitely happen between girls’? That they didn’t know better? As if what happened was nothing? What, exactly was it that ‘could have just happened’? The threat that [Hyoyoung] would scratch up someone’s face?

This staff member posted pictures of the text messages that were later confirmed to be real, they read as follows:

Hyoyoung: Areum, it’s Hyoyoung.Areum: Yes hi!Hyoyoung: Areum, you have to be thankful and thank people when they take care of you. If you don’t want to get hit, then act properly because word spreads around fast. Don’t gossip around and act cheap. I’m really angry right now, so let’s not see each other, okay?Hyoyoung: If I misunderstood anything, do you want to meet up and talk? Or do you want to apologize now?Areum: I don’t know what you’re talking about, bu I want to meet and talk with you. I’ve never done anything bad enough to hear words like this.Hyoyoung: Baby, you should just go away.Hyoyoung: I’m going to beat the dust off you at ‘Music Bank,’ so just wait.Hyoyoung: I’m going to scratch your face so you can’t go on broadcast.Hyoyoung: Hehehe, just you wait.Hyoyoung: I’m not going to be a singer, so just wait. Dogs only learn when they get hit.Hyoyoung: Stupid bitch, just wait until I catch up with you.Hyoyoung: Okay, you’re doing a grrrrreat job at snitching.

But that definitely wasn’t all that the staff talked about, as the person spilled on the events that led to the “bullying” controversy getting started, beginning with Hwayoung’s leg “injury”.

T-ara had an MBC ‘Music Core’ special in Ulsan [on July 23]. That day, after the performance, Ryu Hwayoung twisted her ankle while running back to the dressing room. When we got back to Seoul, Ryu Hwayoung went to the hospital to get x-rays and tests done.
She was with her manager at the time, and they told her that there was nothing wrong. The next day, July 24, T-ara had a scheduled Budokan concert in Japan. The manager went to pick up Ryu Hwayoung, but she came out of her house in a cast. She was definitely told that there was nothing wrong, but she had a cast on.
The manager asked her what happened, and Ryu Hwayoung said she went to a different hospital with her dad, where they gave her a cast. She got in the car in her cast, and in the car, she said she thought she could walk, and took it off. (This is something that I heard from their manager at the time.) When they got to the airport, Ryu Hwayoung knew there would be reporters, and she demanded someone get her a wheelchair.
But where would we suddenly get a wheelchair? Eventually, the manager was the one to help her get around the airport. She was the most-searched topic that day on Naver. That was the first time I thought something was off

Basically, what the staff is saying here is that Hwayoung was faking an injury to get out of schedules and so that she could get sympathy points.

Anyone who knows what happened at the rehearsal for the concert in Japan on July 24 will understand. Ryu Hwayoung demanded a wheelchair even when she arrived in Japan, and she kept claiming that her ankle hurt. So we went to the hospital in Japan. Sure enough, they said there was nothing wrong and she wouldn’t need a cast.
Even so, Hwayoung demanded a wheelchair, saying it was difficult to walk. What happened after is even more ridiculous. To a Japanese staff member that went with her to the hospital, Hwayoung said, ‘I want to get some nail art done. Instead of the concert venue, let’s go to the hotel.’ I recall that the Japanese agency was very angry about this. She knew that the other members were practicing, but wanted to go to the hotel and get her nails done. How ridiculous is that?

The staff member also goes on to explain that the day of the concert (24th) the girls had to re arrange all of their choreographies because of Hwayoung´s "injury" and all of the staff had to rehearse for 8 hours.

As a staff member, I know. If you take choreography and formations meant for eight people and change it for seven, you have to change everything. Because the empty spot needs to be filled. Because of Ryu Hwayoung, everyone — the choreography team, directing team, lights team, performance team — all had to change everything.
Because of one missing person, about 80 staff members toiled for eight hours for a rehearsal that should have ended in two. In the end, Ryu Hwayoung only sang one song at the Budokan concert. It was ‘Day by Day,’ the song they were promoting at the time

This is where the "will" thing comes in, while the staff members agrees that this was immature they also simpatice with how the T-ara members might have felt at the time.

That’s why the members talked about ‘will.’ If she had come to see T-ara and the staff members who were rehearsing, explained what had happened and offered one word of apology, would it have been as big of an issue?”
The next day, July 25, T-ara’s Hyomin posted the comment ‘A difference of will’ on Twitter. The other members replied, retweeted, and agreed. Whatever the reason, in the end, it was the members attacking Ryu Hwayoung. There are no excuses for this, as it was a public complaint against a fellow member. But I’m a third party. Seeing everything happen from afar, on one hand, I understand why the members said those things.

The staff member explained that after the concert, when everyone had returned to Korea for ‘Music Bank,’ the T-ara members were sorry about what they posted, and wanted to make up.

Hyomin tried first to talk to Hwayoung, but Hwayoung said, ‘There’s nothing that I feel bad for, so I have no reason so say sorry,’ which cut off any conversation. And that’s when it happened: the threatening messages from Hyoyoung to Areum

The staff member said that after everything that happened, Areum, though she also was a late addition to T-ara like Hwayoung, didn’t agree with how Hwayoung was acting, and became distant from her. When Hyoyoung heard this from Hwayoung, the threats started.
On the industry side, journalists and ‘Music Bank’ PDs seemed to confirm the story. In addition, a well-known Hyomin fansite revealed that Hwayoung threw her crutches on July 30 at 1:49 PM, while the agency CCM confirmed it the same day at 2:38 PM. It seems then, as fans knew about the incident before the agency announced it, the story leans toward truth rather than simple media play
When asked why she decided to come out with the story now the staff member said:

Yes, it’s true. Everyone was young and inexperienced then. But honestly, I can’t watch [Hyoyoung and Hwayoung] play the victim. And now, five years later, seeing them act like they’re taking the high road? I really can’t just watch. What Ryu Hwayoung said in 2012? ‘Only fans will know’? I don’t know if that was a premeditated move, but everyone, including fans, only know bits and pieces. For example, Ryu Hwayoung running out of a dressing room. But the staff members from back then remember exactly what happened. Ryu Hwayoung’s selfish actions … playing the victim wasn’t enough and now they have to pretend like they’re taking the high road? I was frustrated, and I talked for a long time. Thank you for reading my long message

T-aras manager went on to confirm the story by saying:

Everything in the post that came up on the online community is true. Any employee [from that time] knows the story.
It’s something that has come out through blogs several times since the beginning. It’s something that we had collectively decided to keep quiet, but seeing it now in the news, it’s alarming

(Source)
More staff comes forward
Dispatch interviewed two T-ara members who came out with more stories about Hwayoung´s behavior while being in the group:

- It’s true that Hwayoung belittled the staff members by referring to them as ‘shampoo’. The other members usually referred to us by our names but Hwayoung would use ‘shampoo’ for us.
- She expressed her dissatisfaction and complaints right in front of me. Right in front of me she would say things like, ‘you can’t style hair for shit.’ If I made a mistake while doing her makeup, she would say ‘you can’t even draw a line?’
- Hwayoung would embarrass us in front of others. The staff simply could not find a reason to like her. She wasn’t feeling bad about it either, it was as if her style was to target specific people and make them feel insulted.

The fallout
The group felt the consequences of the tweets almost immediately, people started to return their tickets for their concert on the 25th, T-ara fan clubs turned into Hwayoung fanclubs, the members who had roles on tv shows were dropped because the public did wanted to have "bullies" on tv, they were also dropped from their advertisements for brands and even had to pay money back to some of them for ruining their reputation.
2 months after the scandal the group came back with "Sexy Love" and it was not well received, the album got a 0.7/5 in the reviews and some of the comments read:

[+2,442, -60] So they're going to try and use kids too? ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ It's so easy to hate them
[+527, -12] They saw the response of the netizens and realized they really could be egged on stage so they're trying to use the kids with determination as their shields. And are they crazy? They're putting kids on a stage titled Sexy Love?
[+188, -11] Like rookies, they should also pass out rice cakes to their peers as well as bottles of water so they don't choke

During a show in 2013 the public turned their back on them while they were performed. The only thing that kept the group at float was their popularity in China, the korean and japanese public did not like them and they kept diminishing in popularity in both countries.
The groups continued to have comebacks but they were never able to reach the same popularity they had before the scandal.
After the truth about the incident came out "Taxi" pulled the episode that featured Hwayoung and her sister. On June 21 2017 after 5 years T-ARA finally went home with a music show win for their song "What's my name".
On November 1st 2020 Hwayoung appeared in the show "King of masked singer" and she got a lot of backlash, the comment section was filled with snake emojis and people saying that she doesn't need a duck mask because she can wear her own face as a snake mask.
As it stand the public opinion has completely flipped and now people see T-ara as victims while Hwayoung is seen as responsible for the demise of the group.

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https://preview.redd.it/19hjpkyr5x961.png?width=220&format=png&auto=webp&s=f361050a8adb902765de0ee183d5bd3bca076046
Artist: Quelle Chris and Chris Keys
Album: Innocent Country 2
Released: April 24th 2020
Label: Mello Music Group
Listen:
Youtube
Spotify
Apple Music
Soundcloud
Innocent Country 2: Melody as Remedy and Identity
A Tale of Two Chrises: Quelle and Keys
Innocent Country 2 by underground rap extraordinaire Quelle Chris and Bay Area-based producer Chris Keys is the second installment in a hip hop saga concerning creative catharsis and the triumph of the personal spirit over the seeming hopelessness of the world at large. The first Innocent Country was released in 2015, as part of Quelle Chris’s 2Dirt4TV series. IC2 was created over the past few years, comprising Quelle’s travels and friendships across this lost, blessed country God forgot.
In the modern day we’re inundated with information, digital access feels like a double-edged sword. It all makes our era one of perpetual existential anxiety about the climate, the future, ourselves, race and sex, money, and most of all, time. Though we’ve never been more comfortable or connected as a society at large, the problems are impossible to ignore. Wealth disparity persists amidst a resurgence of far-right hate groups and “politics” globally. The technological addiction of social media pervades our lives, as we scroll our way through the everyday, chained to our glowing, electronic boxes of dopamine and superficial validation, all made by unseen workers in foreign countries paid in pennies and subject to inhumane conditions. Anything mass-produced is almost always made possible through exploitation, and so consumers are passively complicit in that exploitation. Anybody who’s paying attention likely feels a deep sense of hopelessness against the corporatist destruction of the earth as we know it.
As I edit this review, the American Capitol in DC has been stormed today by unabashedly fascist members of the Trump cult attempting to overthrow democratic institutions. These are the same people who fantasize and salivate all day online for a race war or “revolution” ie lynching non-white people and anyone else they don’t like. You have shirtless rednecks in Spirit Halloween headdresses maniacally waving Confederate flags in the chambers of congressional buildings, sitting in the offices of Senators, and taking selfies with police, the same police who suit up in riot gear and indiscriminately beat and shoot people of color at the first sign of peaceful protest. Of course, once the police turned on the white terrorists in response to increased violence, the “party of law and order” subsequently dubbed law enforcement as antifa traitors. I guess blue lives only matter when they’re killing black people.
Despite the insanity of these past few years and many more to come, IC2 is sprinkled with surprising optimism. It demarcates art as catharsis at a time when we’re coming to grips with the fact our species is finite as our individual lives are. The album strives to provide a remedy in its light melodies, celebration of black identity, crafted lyricism, and fruitful collaborations. America is veritably glued together with the sweat and blood of the subjugated, so IC2 is a project that sees the country and the self within the country as complicated, to put it lightly.
But this album doesn’t deal with big topics in a heavy-handed way like I just did, and it does focus extensively on the personal. It’s full of smooth rhythms driven by drum, flute, strings, and pellucid piano keys. It’s an album with real substance cloaked in sultry instrumentation and silky, funny, impactful flows, like when you have to wrap your dog’s tramadol in honey-baked ham; this album is all cure, no false nostrum. The album’s goal feels like it could be summed up in “Let’s make America think, feel, heal, and dance again, if that’s still possible”.
Quelle Chris tweeted recently,

To be honest this run has been so wild that at many points I forgot about IC2 due to stress and life and world and so on as well. We really hoped everyone’d hear this album cause there’s something very healing in there.

And that makes sense. There’s a sense of wistful triumph all over the album, and it’s a triumph in spite of mayhem and oppression. It’s a love letter for PoC who have been mentally, physically, socially, financially, and generationally oppressed for centuries. It’s an album that refuses spiritual oppression. It’s an album that makes it clear you can’t kill soul.
As mentioned in his interview with passionofweiss, Chris knows his music is timeless, and that’s what matters. He measures his music in emotional resonance instead of surface-level metrics like money or fame. The feature list is a veritable who’s who of the sometimes lofi, introspective, afrocentric underground rap wave, including Pink Siifu, billy woods, Cavalier, Homeboy Sandman, Earl Sweatshirt, Denmark Vessey and others.
I did my best to highlight the features on this album since it's a project that deals so directly with human relationships. All of these features build a key theme of the album, through the highs and the lows, relationships are what make us, humans are social by instinct, it’s how our species came this far, despite the natural turmoil of human interaction. The album makes a statement that if we can heal ourselves through art, gratitude, love, relationships, and emotional awareness, maybe we can even heal this hemorrhaging, not-so-innocent country one day.
Scuffed Knees
Early in the tracklist, *Honest* is addressed to the world at large, carrying on hip hop’s personification tradition a la Common’s *I Used to Love Her,* except Quelle addresses civilization and the earth on a social and political level. As is tradition, Quelle’s writing style feels equal parts sarcastic profundity and impassioned introspection. He laments a world perverted and exploited by capitalistic imperialism while being bleached of the colorful expression and creativity that makes humanity special. He refers to Obama’s presidency before rapping about the subsequent Trump debacle built on hate,

You back hangin' with them same lames
That had my great gran and grand croppin' like the slave days
You in denial and ya friends fickle and fake
You was Kim K'in, flauntin' your new black friends
And they two black kids, for like eight straight years
Then you switched up like, "bitch, I don't know them n*****

The track is bookended by an angry voicemail from a spurned lover, voiced by comedian and Desus and Mero writer Marcella Arguello, embodying a fiery rage. She’s angry about the fact that her phone call has been ignored yet her man is still tweeting, almost like Mother Earth herself, exasperated that we have the time to tweet self-righteously about our important opinions yet can’t bring ourselves to concrete solutions. Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned.
Next up, *Living Happy* manages to be fun and melancholy, its hook made of different dance moves from past decades, composing a catchy chorus celebrating the nostalgia of yesteryear’s dance floors and Black contributions to music and culture at large.

Bust the juke, hit the jit
Cabbage patch, Bankhead
Butterfly, Tootsie Roll
Lean wit' it, rock wit' it
Do the jerk, hit the whoa
Pee-wee Herman, Charlie Brown, Raise the roof
Running man, Roger Rabbit, Dougie, Thizz
Stanky leg, Cat daddy, Ambulance!

There’s also a great feature from Joseph Chilliams, cataloguing a young, wild summer day, starting in a shower after being in the sun for hours, then to a party, until gunshots break out, the narrator then sprints from the mayhem, and ends in bed getting laid. The verse strikes a tenuous balance between nostalgia, senseless violence and the newfound excitement of sex, stretching the capacity of what a day can contain, as well as what a person of color can face when leaving their own home.
A standout bar references the feet of slaves, both in how much those feet had to bear in work or escape, as well as referencing the practice of cutting fingers and limbs from runaway slaves who were captured. The image could be taken literally or metaphorically, where slaves both lost their actual feet and lost their free will and autonomy due to heinous subjugation. And so, Chilliams is going to live his best life and make art for them, so their suffering wasn’t for nothing. The verse holds some lurid wordplay in the line “showing love to everyone I come across like glory holes” and has a great, galloping rhythm on the “Runnin' up the block like those camera men on the Maury show” line, whose syllabic meter sounds like feet running on pavement. He goes on to say,

Happy that we made it home, can't believe I'm still alive
Life or death decision when I simply plan to step outside
Move my feet for all the slaves that got theirs taken
Face down, ass up, watchin' Netflix naked
Clouds swayin', I can clearly hear God sayin'

Sacred Safe is a standout song and fan favorite from the record, with a beat of blissful bass lines, vocal riffs, choral harmonies, and a hypnotic drumbreak, with spatterings of patois-tinged lyrics to complete the reggae tribute. It’s the kind of beat where I imagine myself spinning in circles on a sunny beach, hands held to the sky.
Rap often incorporates Jamaican Patois, so it only makes sense to include on a record celebrating Black art. Jamaican Patois is a Caribbean dialect, first created by colonized slaves exposed to English, the dialect itself is often a source of pride symbolizing the struggle of slaves stolen from their homelands. This carries on the tradition of Golden Era rappers who were often first generation Caribbean immigrants that threw patois in their rhymes.
Cavalier comes through with a melodic verse that still holds substance. He describes the plight of many who come from generations of hardship. It includes a commonly felt but seldom explored sentiment, how we hand down and inherit trauma in our families.
He ponders the possibility of rising from the ashes, while confronting the hard truth he might not make it despite how much he goes through. Cav doesn’t let himself escape personal blame for his “fuckups” and even spits some light karmic philosophy, as if he has to keep coming back lifetime after lifetime until he figures it out and stops shooting himself in the foot (or soul) so much. His verse conveys the idea that we’re as much a sum of our mistakes as we are a sum of our victories. He shows the trappings of the “suck it up” attitude meant to toughen people who have to deal with a tough world, and who can fall victim to self-sabotage. He channels a bit of Buju Banton on the inflection, rapping:

Born of a sufferer, might die a sufferer
Fight like a sufferer, might rise as a sufferer
Took me a couple of lifetimes to toughen up
Each life like one hell of ride, buckle up
Keep on truckin', we Einsteins of fuckin' up
These are the breaks, just shake it off or suck it up
Or sabotage through self-destruct
We camouflage with healthy blunts
I'm findin' comfort in my personal space of pain
I'm just a sculpture getting shaped by mistakes I've made

This is a theme that comes up again and again on the album, the cleansing, comforting, even sanctifying nature of pain and how we can rise stronger from struggle. It inspires a hope that maybe this year is an exorcism and we’ll come out of it for the better.
Homeboy Sandman comes in with the second guest verse, lamenting his psoriasis and how it affects his self-esteem, hindering his dating prowess. This theme also comes up on Sandman’s newest record, Don’t Feed the Monster, produced entirely by Quelle.
Quelle then gives an image-thick verse echoing similar sentiments, once again managing to make a sing-songy verse that stills mean something beyond surface-level preoccupations, ending with some reggae-inspired singing.
Horizon is a short, potent song soon after. Beginning with a Pharcyde *Passin’ Me By* reference in the lyrics, Quelle ponders how he always felt like an outsider as a child. He ends the first verse with sentiments of wanting to make his ancestors proud. He wants to thrive and be his best self for the people who aren’t here, who are the reason he is here. This is a theme that gets echoed a lot on the album, ethereal dialogues, referencing ancestors, feeling as though you can communicate with ghosts via despair or celebration. These images always circle around to an emphasis on knowing oneself and where you came from, so you can better navigate and fulfill your ambitions.
Pressing Blood from a Scab
A lot of this project straddles the line between sentence and seance, as Quelle says in the flute-powered *Graphic Bleedouts*. This song has some of the most haunting, powerful imagery on the album, provided by Bay Area artist Merrill Garbus, with saturnine lines like:

You know me the best and so you hurt me the worst,
you stab a knife inside my lungs until it bursts,
you cut me like a knife, cut me like a knife,
oh what happened to us, oh my love,
what will happen to us, oh my love
what a cut what a cut what a cut, oh my love
what the fuck, what the fuck, what the fuck

Garbus emphasizes the inherent vulnerability behind intimacy, and the exasperation of a waning relationship, the low after the high, the drug-like withdrawal.
Quelle’s verse feels like a reminiscent diary entry, lamenting a previous relationship while not letting himself be blind to the hurt and dysfunction, a mix of wistful but resolute. Chris raps “Wounds heal but scars, arms grow” flipping the dictum “what doesn’t kill you makes you stronger,” making the point that we carry our pain with us for good and bad. He catalogues the cycles of relationships, “friends turn to villains, feelings turn into drinks” and “the wrong words heard by a heart can weather your skin folds”. He goes on,

Don’t let em sell your soul and stay faithful, loving and grief
Let it out and if need be let it be
Don’t blow with the when’s wherevers and what’s
Some openings never shut once one delivers the cut

He makes a point that life does go on even when it feels like it wont, pain can be a positive catharsis. It’s possible to live past personal turmoil, it does change you, yet you can learn from it if you let yourself.
On the lighter side, Make It Better has a beautiful chorus and verse by Starr Busby, with hints of Badu-esque neosoul, expounding the power of confidence and positive thinking, repeating "If I am can imagine it better than it will be better" in an uplifting, lilting voice against the wilting abyss of outer hopelessness.
Starr has one of the best verses on the album, with a confident introspection asserting herself as a black woman who’s been through it, letting the listener know just how much she’s rightfully feeling herself, after all, nobody deals with more discrimination and bullshit than black women and so nobody has to be stronger. The song celebrates hard work, acknowledging that there is pain in work but there’s also growth, as much as there’s the cuts and scratches, there’s the callouses and strength. Starr wants to “learn the ways of work, uncover the treasure...there’s no use in crying over what is, it’s not forever.” We can get so wrapped up in our disappointments and failures we can get stuck, when the key is to keep moving forward, an object in motion tends to stay in motion, you won’t get anywhere dwelling on the past.
These confident reveries extrapolate to the point of dreamy fantasy, as Starr hypes herself up, asserting that she can improve her station in life through her own mental fortitude and action. If she can imagine it better, then it’s possible to manifest that materially.

Never been a reason to think that I’m less than a god
Brown skin bright eyes pure gold between my thighs
Shining diamonds between my ears
Singing loud for you to hear
What you thinking bout me ain’t got no say in how I win
No. I set my sights on higher things like driving a Mercedes Benz
Scratch that. I’d rather jet to an island
Do my own thing. I own it like Oprah showing up in my dreams
Saying what up cousin? When we gone kick it? When’s the next party?

Limitless Black Canvas of Space
The album continues with an excellent run of songs cementing its celebration of Black art. Black Twitter, one of the prettiest sounding songs on the album, is a reference to the cultural lodestone that is actual Black Twitter, where so much humor, slang, memes, and cultural artifacts and trends are stolen from. It’s like the internet itself can’t help but take from black culture, even in the age of social awareness, however performative for some people that may be. The beat's infectious organ melodies sit somewhere between bouncy 70’s Black sitcom and bright gospel keys, and it’s impossible to not hum along.
The song title is a wink like, don't forget where you got all that cool art from, don’t forget where you got that dope slang or dance move from. It flips the colorist concept of black’s traditionally negative connotation, especially in its hook “Good luck from black kitty cats, favorite color, favorite word”. Mosel addresses the black youth, comparing their skin and blackness to the dark backdrop of deep space, a canvas for constellations made of limitless beauty and potential. It also makes the pertinent point that we are all human, and oppressed peoples refuse to be erased.

Beautiful black baby boy, the world is ours
Beautiful black baby girl, like twinklin’ stars
Balcony of your bounty read the black man's God
Simply a positive affirmation, ’cause we all got hearts
All bleed out red, brain in my head
Grey matter in every crevice, can't fake blackness
No amount of consumption can erase our skin

Mosel goes on to echo the existential, apocalyptic backdrop of the album, mixing in Black Power sentiments and humorously implying we’re in the end times. He also makes a good point, saying you have to be privileged to say “color doesn’t matter” because it does matter socially, and it affects how you’re treated in your life, good or bad.
But Mosel works against the idea that anyone born black is destined to fail in this wonderfully "egalitarian" country of America, all while simultaneously discussing the nutritionally desolate food deserts of underprivileged neighborhoods. He plays on the black twitter slang of “king” and “queen” while making a point that many who created the slang don’t comparatively own much or have access to the same opportunities as white people.

Shouts out to all my black folks in the rapture
I promise to behave after, I'll be right black at ya
Holla black, I got your back, says the black pastor
Love's the next chapter and color don’t matter
For now, that's just privileged chatter
Sure, you're right
Across the states, what I seen, are neighborhoods’ food deserts
Tumbleweeds be a black women's weave
Said the black woman's queen, but that's old news
And if her counterpart is king, then what do we rule?

Nelson Bandela’s guest verse (great stage name) echoes these themes, showing black to be the root or refraction of every color, reflecting the omnipresent contributions of black culture with his “The infinite hue, poetry shiny and matte, every other color, just the refraction of that.” It’s a brief, sing-songy verse that fits the song like a key, while his playful tone contributes to the sitcom theme song feel.
Another song that fights against the colorism associated with black is Ritual. Art, especially Black art, means using creativity as a way out, as a medicine, as a way of surviving struggle. Here, art is shown as medication and meditation. This whole album feels like a form of musical, healing prayer. This is especially exemplified in the ancestral eulogy by Dr. Tennille, embarking on a role call of long-gone family, artists, revolutionary civil rights figures, and others who live through his words, voice, and refusal to be silenced,

Black is more than a color
It is a feeling, an emotion
It is what my children claim to be proud of
In the same intonation used by James Brown
It's a fist raised by Fred Hampton before his demise
It is what I experience 10 minutes into meditation as I search for peace
Black is the Earth, under the dirt, where my ancestors dwell
It is the distance between past, present and future
It is a gap in space where the moon and stars reside
Black is love, Black is you, Black is me, Black is we
I call forth my positive ancestors and angels to this space
I thank you for working on behalf of myself and my family in the spirit world.

Next, Sudden Death is one of my favorite cuts, it’s some dancing in your kitchen drunk at 4 AM music. The sultry bass line, the spastic-jazzy, scatterbrained but perfectly laid piano lines, the humming choruses and adlibs. It paints life as cruel, random, beautiful, confusing, and genius all in a few simple lines. The reticent singing echoes the death-anxiety we all know too well, but it makes a case for the importance of perseverance.
Quelle even cleverly flips a line from “it ain’t certain, cause life aint perfect” to “you’ll find it’s worth it, cause life aint perfect”, practically switching the emotion of the song from a negative, confusing portrait of life to the acceptance of life and death. He shows life and death as inevitable, special, and liberating.
The song has some big ideas crammed in short lines, and the overarching message seems to be we need to accept our lives as imperfect and temporary, because expectation can only build us up to break us down. The sooner we accept life’s imperfections, the happier we’ll be, because there’s no point in exhausting time on something you can’t control. You bought the ticket, might as well enjoy the ride in whatever way you can.
Mirage is another track with a loaded feature list, the beat sounding like a half-broken piano played by a blind bluesman in a dusty church basement where they usually let the addicts do their AA meetings. Cav has a great line that really sums the album up with “melanated, melancholy styles” painting this album as a uniquely black expression. It sounds like a gospel underground rap song, but more in awe of personal strength, creativity, and growth as opposed to a deity or belief system.
Quelle’s chorus sounds like a happy dirge, a kind of requiem for the current era, accompanied by a pitched-down voice exclaiming “mirage”. It has a great Earl verse, in his now customary world-weary tone, though it isn’t the tone of someone who’s given up, but someone who made it through personal turmoil to the other side.
Quelle’s first verse ponders concepts about life and its meaning, whether predetermined destiny or religious journey. By the end he shares his own view, this whole big life thing is a mirage or a joke, who knows what it is, if it’s real, if we’re even here. He ends with a laugh, the best medicine, chuckling at the immensity and liberating meaninglessness of it all. At various parts of the verse, he considers the present in the context of the past while going over his career, from humble beginnings in Detroit to underground figurehead.

We carried the state on our back like new quarter change
Rats was at ‘em like Elmira to Maximillian
I was focused on the craft, I knew racks was in the cards (*I knew it*)
Sorta mutant, I seemed to see through the ceilings
Some homeys hid under tables
My head was up in the stars
That's real bars
I know niggas that caved in but still gods
Some said it's pre programmed, some state it's up to Allah
You ask me, it's all part the mirage, ah-ha-ha!

Earl comes in second, mixing in similar nostalgia bars with drug imagery and wordplay, like “on the up n up, countin downers” or “we hit the tavern for some gin n rye, whiskey gingerly applied.” He even begins the verse “I thought I saw a fountain” with a possible Nabakov reference, from Genius:

I think that this line might be an allusion to Vladimir Nabokov’s ‘Pale Fire’. In the novel, a poet named John Shade envisions a white fountain while he is on the verge of death. He later reads about a woman who had a similar experience. Shade thus believes that this white fountain is a universal symbol that explains or represents what is beyond death.Shade later learns that the woman had not seen a fountain but rather a mountain; there was a printing error in the magazine that he had read. Shade had conjured up this image of a white fountain and had imbued it with universal meaning, only to learn that its significance arose out of coincidence. As such, the poet had experienced a mirage in a way, believing a vision to be representative of something greater when it was not.

Denmark Vessey also has an intensely personal verse. He begins with a description of his artform, then expresses personal gratitude, knowing he could just as easily not be alive, but he fought to exist.

Oh yeah, hit me in the heart one day, it's just words
A string of letters I smashed together
Some random sequence calls to cast the weather
InSh'Allah could last forever
I don't have to be here, but I made it through”

Then he addresses his daughter and familial hardship.

“That's where the melanated, melancholy style's from
Fly, birdie, fly, be as wise as the owl
Keep the eye of the falcon, that's eyein' the sparrow
I know my daughter's watching, I know you watch me
I know the times rocky
I know it's hard to remember, it blurred
December was brrr

Vessey goes on, contrasting his actual age with his emotional age, as if he’s perpetually looking for someone to look up to, despite knowing he has to do it himself, ultimately depicting himself as having gotten the last laugh against the doubters. He’s found a way to use art to assert his sense of self, while reminding himself to not be so morosely serious.

When reality bit, it pierced my heart
But lifted hardships, my soul carried
A voice, close, near me, said, "Don't be so scary"
"Enjoy your thirties"
Listen, I'm still looking for father figures
Around me, in even niggas who clowned me
The last laugh is a nectar

King Sen later breaks it all down at the end in a gripping, prescient monologue, promising:

...What’s gon’ come to pass is what’s gon’ come to pass. All that voting and all that shit—you can do that, that’s cool, but that ain’t gon’ stop it. It’s—It’s already on the way, you know what I’m saying? Just buckle up. Have a good time, you know? Security is largely a superstition. It does not exist in nature. Life is either a grand adventure or nothing, baby. Go have your adventure, 'cause I’m having mine.

This unsettling omen, proselytized six months before a global pandemic began in the midst of the most contentious election year in recent memory, is hard to ignore or downplay. Has Big Sen’s homegrown weed enlightened him with Nostradamus-level clairvoyance? I’m not counting out the possibility.
When You Fall is another impeccable posse cut, showcasing amazing yet lesser known artists in the same scene. Quelle spits one of the best lines on the album, “We OG like airbrushed backdrops and group photos” then makes a point at the end of the verse that he and his collaborators don’t want to be idolized, they just want their roses and due respect, whether that’s while they’re here or when the proverbial curtain closes on their earthly lives.
Nappy Nina starts the guest verses, an Oakland-Brooklyn rapper with critically acclaimed projects like The Tree Act that investigated the racial prejudices of the legal cannabis industry. She starts by describing a restlessness she transfigures to art, mining her solitude with a pick for creative gems.

Second day drawers, all for the cause
I ain't funky, I'm just workin' it out
Climbin' the walls, put a pick to this shit
'Cause, I'm minin' them all
Fuck a fortress, got a forest this tall

Fresh Daily, a rapper I’ve never heard of before who had one of my favorite verses on the album, shows that real self-enrichment is hard because it’s work. It’s different from passive forms of transient, materialistic, vice-driven satisfaction. It’s work, but it’s worth it, again describing the powerful catharsis and satisfaction of creative work. Self-fulfillment isn’t found in expensive shoes or Instagram models, but in making something you’re proud of.

I got somethin' I been workin' on
When I'm feelin' dark in my apartment with the curtains drawn
In my bag like Birkin, on hermit mode, gettin' verses out
If ever I'm hurtin' or I'm nervous or I'm kirkin' out
One thing is for certain, this helps a nigga just work it out
Better than jerkin off or lurkin' on a third account on Instagram
Just listenin', I'm hopin' that y'all heard me out
The self care is important as a person, I'm just learnin' how
It aint sneaker purchases or puffin' purple burning clouds
Or pervin' curvy models, flirting on every twerk account
I stop and breath, close my eyes, I count to three
I count my blessings not my curses, lay my burdens down

5ILL has yet another great guest verse, cataloguing his travels spurned forward by his own creative talent, imparting that he misses his home and still has love for the hometown homies, but he’s also found peace in pursuing his passions, and feels content with where he is.

And now I'm three thousand miles from home
Wish I could hop a flight to kick it, I'll just pick up the phone
You know me, homie, I'm the same, I'm just a little more grown
Remainin' patient, makin tracks and tryin' to stay in the zone
Prayin' you won't fall victim to the negativity that surrounds
And if you ever need to vent, just know I'm always around

This verse is a great example of this album’s ethic, values, and its celebration of being healthily in tune with your emotions and identity. And it’s even a bit meta, as 5ILL writes about exploring those things on a rap record, on a rap record. Evidently, Quelle isn't afraid to share the spotlight with his musician friends, and the verse ends up being the perfect bow on a phenomenal, sprawling project deeply concerned with mental wellness, creative catharsis, and Black identity. And that subject matter is a great thing, I think we can all use some healing at this point, or at least a stiff drink and some good music.
Discussion Questions

1. This album can feel sprawling. What would you say the main themes are? What does the title mean?
2. Did you feel healed by the end of your listen?
3. Where does this rank in Quelle’s discography and where do you think he'll go from here?
4. What was your favorite bar and why? Favorite beat?
5. How are you feeling about the future? How do you think this album feels about the future?
6. What do you make of the album cover? To me it looks like an anime show opening screen with a cigarette shoved in a citrus moon.

ATTENTION: This is a new type of content that we’ve created for the MMORPG community, let us know if you think we should make this a regular thing. Also if you’d like there’s a feedback form at the bottom of this post, should you like to provide more detailed feedback.

AdventureQuest World

July 17th
Return to Doomwood This Weekend
https://skip.gg/AVGbJ
Doomwood 3 is now available this weekend

• Meet up with Artix in a forest in Doomwood
• Battle the monsters in the Deadtech Army
• Dismantle CryptHackers
• Defend the town... and the children who are its future
• Get ShadowScythe Trooper, Mage and Rogue sets, then talk to Stellaria to create darker versions
• There will be a daily gift of a 72-hour Void Aura farming resource buff
• Log in each day for a new server-wide reward item, boost, or drop rate increase

Coming next week:
Monday: 48 hour Class Points boost
Tuesday: rare 0 AC pet drop
Wednesday: 72 hour Reputation boost
Thursday: new weapon drops
Friday: 72 hour farming resource buff
Saturday: 48 hour Gold boost
Sunday: new helm drops
Bido’s Birthday Bash is Back!

• Find his birthday rares in the July Featured Shop in your game menu, and find Bido himself in-game (in Yulgar’s attic) to begin his quest for even more gear

July 17th
DoomWood III: Legacy of Darkness
https://skip.gg/GmF2z
DoomWood is back with its third installment, you’ll be able to access it by clicking the button in your home town to go there.
This latest installment requires no knowledge of the previous two, with all new characters and a special guest character from another game.

Aion

Aion North America
July 14th
Fields of Fame Event
https://skip.gg/3o30w
The event will continue through August 19th

• Earn Renown and acquire gemstones and gemstone shards
• You can earn Renown in special zones that have an event npc
• The NPC will provide quests that will give you Nabaru’s Fruit, when used it will provide a buff that increases the amount of Renown you earn for a set number of points (there is no time limit)
• Higher Renown provides access to a special shop.
• Get the full event details in the link above

July 15th
Changes to Paragon Equipment
https://skip.gg/yUS0o
There is a new way to upgrade Paragon equipment without fear of breaking the equipment

• A new upgrade material called Blessed Ultimate Paragon Enchantment Stones are now available
• Obtain these through a morphing recipe
• The recipe requires a normal Ultimate Paragon Enchantment Stone as well as a new material item: the Purified Abyssal Fragment. This material can be obtained as a guaranteed result of extracting Paragon Equipment.

Albion Online

July 16th
Dev Talk: Roads of Avalon, Part 2
https://skip.gg/oZfnc
Part two of the preview for the Roads of Avalon system that will be available in the next update.
TL;DR

• The zone map shows that the roads form a distinct shape, making it easier to recognize where you’ve already visited
• There are roadless paths called the Wilderness of Avalon
• The wilderness hosts a variety of different locations
• Forest paths, these paths wind through and can be used as shortcuts or to avoid the main roads
• Resource sites, these locations have a high concentration of resources as well as elemental spirits guarding them, these can appear in the Veteran and Elite versions, you may even encounter tier 7-8 aspects and guardians
• Avalonian camps, these camps have mobs, clear them and obtain treasure
• Randomized dungeon entrances, these lead to the same randomized solo, group, and elite dungeons that you’ll find in the open world, but with a significant buff to fame and loot.

July 17th
In-Game Anniversary Events and Fame Boosts
https://skip.gg/LVvKg

• Login to enjoy a week-long fame boost, free fireworks, and a classic dungeon from Albion’s beta.
• Between now and July 24th, get 25% additional fame for all in-game activities
• The classic Keeper dungeon Defenders of the Past has returned, with updated shrines, loot, and rewards. Additionally, those who complete it, have a chance to score the brand-new Red anniversary Banner.

July 17th
Happy Third Anniversary, Albion Online!
https://skip.gg/GvMAE
It's been three years since Albion's official launch on July 17, 2017, the post is a massive retrospective on the year, the gist of it is as follows

• Look forward to the Rise of Avalon update next month
• The Avalonians were added and defeated, culminating in the Battle of Caerleon
• The Queen Update was added in January of 2020, adding a new outlands continent, this update brought a new guild warfare system allowing players to fight over territory.
• The Queen Update was the most successful update since launch, greatly increasing the player count
• Covid-19 relief, in-game item was added to the cash shop, with 100% of proceeds going to Covid Solidarity Fund, they raised $42,644.94 USD.
• The mobile experience was greatly improved.

Archeage

July 15th
ArcheAge: Unchained : Refer-A-Legend Program
https://skip.gg/DOeSp
Invite your friends to play ArcheAge and get rewards, full detail in link.
This program ends on August 17th,
July 15th
To the Gate and Beyond – Community Voting Has Begun!
https://skip.gg/BkSJF
Beginning July 14th, vote for your favorite entry for the video music contest.

• The video with the most votes will win a grand prize sponsored by GIGABYTE; an Aorus keyboard, Headset Aorus 5, and M5 Aorus Mouse
• Voting period ends on July 17th

July 16th
Become A Traveling Merchant!
https://skip.gg/iI0TG
July 17th
ArcheAge: Unchained: The Daru’s Special Costume Offer: #1 is still available!
https://skip.gg/jgHDN
Daru ‘s Special Costume Offer: #1 – 799 Credits
The costume pack, containing three costumes is still available.

Ashes of Creation

No updates from July 12th onwards.

Black Desert Online

July 14th
[Maintenance] Regular Maintenance July 15th 2020
https://skip.gg/b1kFJ
Dear Players,
We will perform our weekly maintenance as follows:
Date: Wednesday, 15.07.2020
Duration 4 hours - 8:00 UTC till 12:00 UTC
Reasons

• New Naru gear will be given as rewards for main quests in Serendia and Calpheon.
• Season Server where PvP is available will be introduced.
• New Red Battlefield effect will be added.
• New Hairstyles for Female Classes will be added.

Ending Events

• Season Special Attendance Rewards: Available until July 15 (23:59 UTC)
• Tapu's Golden Travel
• Hot & Cool

– Event 2: Cool Time

• Season Server Launch Events
• Event 3: Get Refined Magical Black Stones
  
• Refer-a-Friend Promotion
  

July 15th
Patch Notes - 15th July 2020
https://skip.gg/5t5b2
Too long to list here, view full notes with link above.
July 15th
Pearl Shop Update: Summer Sale!
https://skip.gg/I3Twx
Cash shop update

• 20% off inventory, weight limit, pet, and mount
• 50% off interior and accessory
• Premium outfit box 2+2 pack is back and 50% off
• Classic outfit box 2+2 pack is back and 50% off
• [Mystic] Ludine Outfit Set is now available for 2,200 pearls
• Queen of fighters pack is now available for 25% off, including the following mystic outfits Lupine Outfit set, Khamsin Classic Set and your choice of the following premium sets, Banha, Rakshande, or Crown Eagle. The set additionally contains a secret book of old moon 1 day, and 5 item collection increase scrolls 60 min
• [Archer] Lunawulf premium set is 20% off
• [Event] New Dream Horses’s Dream Pack is 30% off
• [Event] Double penguin pack is 25% off
• Willow breeze outfit sets are 20% off
• Spring blossom outfit sets are 20% off
• Epheria Marine classic set is 20% off for Lahn

Blade & Soul

July 13th
2020 Cosmetic Design Contest – Winners Revealed
https://skip.gg/hIdvg
Check out the winners of the outfit and weapon design contest, as well as the runners up in the link above.
July 15th
Blade & Soul: Dark Passage Arrives July 22
https://skip.gg/jYeus
New 12-player raid Silversteel Laboratory
Recommended for Level 60 HM 16 or higher
Limited time content - Nyarka added - open PvP zone.
Two new events will be part of the update

• Pick up a bonus daily quest when entering Koldrak’s Lair and earn rewards
• Summer of splendor - restore antique lamps and see what they have to offer

Weapon Enchantment System

• Will soon be available for Legendary raid weapons, Thornbreaker and Silversteel
• The system allows you to add boss attack power and critical damage stats
• To upgrade you’ll need Fusion Stones, Enchantment Stones, and Transformation stones
• Fusion stones can be acquired through the upcoming Halcyon Hills Challenge dungeon, Nyraka, Merchant of Wonders, and Achieving high ranks in the battlegrounds

July 17th
Blade & Soul: Dark Passage Events Preview
https://skip.gg/lopEc
Event 1; Koldrak Fever

• Event Duration: July 22nd - August 19th
• Reward Redemption Period: July 22nd - September 23rd
• Daily quests will be available Friday, Saturday and Sunday

Event 2; Summer of Splendor

• Event Duration: July 22nd - August 19th
• Reward Redemption Period: July 22nd - September 23rd
• Go to the cash shop and redeem a wishing chest for 0 coins (once per account).
• The chest contains 60 lamps and 5 polishing cloths, use the cloths to restore the lamp into a Pristine lamp or a Wishing lamp
• You can obtain cloths through login rewards, daily challenges, the dragon express or once per day at the hongmoon store for 80 NCoin

Visit the link above to see the full reward list for these events.
July 17th
Blade & Soul: Dark Passage – Items and Systems Preview
https://skip.gg/SvmLt
The Dark Passage update will launch on July 22nd. Below are the notable changes coming with this update.

• New hunting zone - Nyraka. This is an open PvP and PvE zone available from July 22nd till August 19th
• New raid - Silversteel Laboratory. 12-player raid, recommended HM 16 or higher, rewards listed in link above
• New PvE Weapon Tier - Dragon Spire. Upgrade your Thornbreaker weapon stage 7-9 weapons to the next legendary PvE weapon tier.
• New Mythical Weapon Enchantment System. A new system will allow you to change your legendary raid weapon into a mythical weapon, allowing you to use fusion stones to enchant your weapon for added boss attack power and critical damage.

Crowfall

No updates from July 12th onwards.

Destiny 2

July 14th
DESTINY 2 UPDATE 2.9.1.1
https://skip.gg/Sy3B2
July 16th
BEYOND LIGHT RELEASE WINDOW UPDATE
https://skip.gg/XQx2X
The release of Destiny 2: Beyond Light has been moved to November 10th.

• There have been delays due to the difficulties of working apart because of the Pandemic
• We’re committed to a certain level of quality and that’s why we’ve decided to move the update to November 10th.
• Or read their words, it’s literally a 3 paragraph update.

July 16th
THIS WEEK AT BUNGIE – 7/16/2020
https://skip.gg/qVZgB

• Season of Arrivals is being extended till November 10th
• The Festival of the Lost will now take place during the Season of Arrivals, beginning on October 6th

Dungeon Fighter Online

No updates from July 12th onwards.

Elder Scrolls Online

July 14th
MEET THE CHARACTER—LADY THORN
https://skip.gg/wqa1P
Linked above is a lore-dump/teaser for upcoming Stonethorn DLC content.
July 15th
DEFEND THE HOME OF THE HIGH ELVES DURING THE SUMMERSET CELEBRATION
https://skip.gg/uk4On
The Summerset Celebration begins Thursday, July 23 at 10:00AM EDT and continues until Tuesday, August 4, at 10:00AM EDT.

• During the event period, you can earn bonus rewards and a new event-specific outfit style
• As you venture throughout Summerset, you’ll receive extra loot from all daily quest rewards, resource nodes, world, trial, delve bosses, and Psijic Portals (only in Summerset!)
• Indriks mounts will be available, to acquire them you’ll need to have a Nascent Indrik, and all four Mossheart berries. The first two berries are available from the Impresario during this event, and the rest will arrive in later to-be-announced events.
• The Summerset DLC will be 50% off n the crown store throughout the event
• The Summerset Collector’s Pack will be 50% off as well.

July 16th
GET A FREE CROWN STORE BUNDLE FROM US!
https://skip.gg/FTssr
From now until July 30th, grab a free bundle from in the in-game Crown Store.
It includes in the following items:

• Vampiric Dragon-Imp pet
• The Mace of Molag Bal outfit style
• Three Outfit Change Tokens
• 10 Crown Repair Kits
• 20 Crown Soul Gems
• Three Gold Coast Experience Scrolls (50% boost for one hour)

EVE Online

July 14th
ZENITH - QUADRANT 3 BEGINS TODAY!
https://skip.gg/eH9mr
EVE online’s third Quadrant, called Zenith has arrived.

• It will bring with it the final chapter of the invasion story arc
• There will be an update to the Abyssal Proving Grounds and a new Proving Filaments
• Proving Filaments will take players from any point in space, directly to an Abyssal Proving Ground inside Abyssal Deadspace.

July 14th
NEW ZENITH OF POWER PACK
https://skip.gg/kdNAC
New addition to the cash shop, limited to one per account.
The pack includes:

• 3 months Omega
• Fierce Abyssal Filaments Crate
• Vulture Zento Isideko Combine SKIN
• Sleipnir Snowline Bladeracer SKIN
• Absolution Oasis of Faith SKIN
• Astarte Inner Zone Vanguard SKIN
• Agency 'Pyrolancea' DB5 Dose II Booster

July 14th
QUADRANT 3 LIVESTREAM
https://skip.gg/hpdsp
UPDATE: This stream has concluded. You can view the Twitch VOD here
https://skip.gg/EJyVT
July 16th
THE NEW ABYSSAL PROVING GROUNDS ARE NOW LIVE!
https://skip.gg/fZibX

• Proving grounds are now available
• The leaderboard feature needs some more work and won’t be available for the first few events, however, there will be a thread on the forums keeping track. You can find it here: https://skip.gg/rMMtY
• from today and over the weekend, extra Proving Filaments for this event will be available as a daily log-in reward

July 16th
EVE ONLINE: EMPIRE SPACE II ON SPOTIFY!
https://skip.gg/ueBlI
EVE Online’s second album, EVE Online: Empire Space II has been added to Spotify

• https://skip.gg/mwqnD
  
• The music was created by RealX, a former CCP Games employee of more than 16 years. You can follow him on Spotify: https://skip.gg/8wReV
  

July 17th
PROVING FILAMENTS STREAM DREAM TEAMS
https://skip.gg/JUsrZ
Watch some awesome 2v2 PvP Fights.
On Saturday, July 18 from 19:00 to 21:00 UTC/EVE time the streamer + dev teams will be running the Proving Filaments on Tranquility in their best* T1 cruiser fits, streaming the action live and looking for fights!
Check out the confirmed teams and where to watch them in the link above.

EverQuest

No updates from July 12th onwards.

Final Fantasy XI

July 14th
FINAL FANTASY XI Updated (Jul. 14)
https://skip.gg/gXqlQ
[Update Details]
The following issue was addressed in the English version of the game.

• The system message for obtaining Key Item " Sheet of Jeuno tunes" was not displaying correctly.

Final Fantasy XIV

July 14th
Companion App Updated (Jul. 13)
https://skip.gg/MAPHX
[Update Details]
Added the following function(s):

• Members can now be removed from the Chat function in Community.

"Remove from Chat Group" can be selected after long tapping the character name from the member list,

• "Purchase from Market" can now be access by long tapping the items from Items and Market Board.

July 14th
Ceremony of Eternal Bonding Reservation Restrictions
https://skip.gg/S11lS
Maintenance may cause your reserved Ceremony of Eternal Bonding to not be held, requiring a reservation for another date.
We ask that you please consider the information below before making your Ceremony of Eternal Bonding reservation.
[Possible Maintenance]
・Sometime between Jul. 13, 2020 9:00 p.m. and Jul. 14, 2020 4:00 a.m. (PDT)
・Sometime between Jul. 14, 2020 9:00 p.m. and Jul. 15, 2020 4:00 a.m. (PDT)
・Sometime between Jul. 15, 2020 9:00 p.m. and Jul. 16, 2020 4:00 a.m. (PDT)
・Sometime between Jul. 20, 2020 9:00 p.m. and Jul. 21, 2020 4:00 a.m. (PDT)
・Sometime between Jul. 21, 2020 9:00 p.m. and Jul. 22, 2020 4:00 a.m. (PDT)
・Sometime between Jul. 22, 2020 9:00 p.m. and Jul. 23, 2020 4:00 a.m. (PDT)
・Sometime between Jul. 27, 2020 9:00 p.m. and Jul. 28, 2020 4:00 a.m. (PDT)
・Sometime between Jul. 28, 2020 9:00 p.m. and Jul. 29, 2020 4:00 a.m. (PDT)
・Sometime between Jul. 29, 2020 9:00 p.m. and Jul. 30, 2020 4:00 a.m. (PDT)
July 16th
Actions Taken Against In-Game RMT & Other Illicit Activities (Jul. 16)
https://skip.gg/SfgQe
Real money trading (RMT) and other illicit activities upset the balance of the game and, as such, are prohibited under the Terms of Service.
Because we have confirmed the existence of players who are engaging in these illicit activities, we have taken the actions listed below.
Time Period: Jul. 9, 2020 to Jul. 15, 2020
・Participation in RMT/prohibited activities
・Accounts terminated: 3,878
・Accounts temporarily suspended: 21
・Botting activity (excluding RMT vendors)
・Accounts terminated: 9
・Accounts temporarily suspended: 14
*Botting activity by RMT vendors has been included under "Participation in RMT/prohibited activities."
・RMT advertising
・Accounts terminated: 791

Gloria Victis

No updates from July 12th onwards.

Guild Wars 2

July 13th
The ArenaNet Streaming Schedule for the Week of July 13
https://skip.gg/vXfwb
We’ve partnered up with players to showcase their creative Guild Wars 2-inspired content on the official Guild Wars 2 Twitch channel: https://skip.gg/2nLB3
Wednesday, July 15th
The Guild Wars 2 Art Show (by Fiaoradd)(English)
Noon Pacific Time (UTC-7)
Watch ArenaNet Creative Partner Fiaoradd create art on this week’s show. https://skip.gg/anJ9T
July 14th
Watch the Trailer for “Jormag Rising”
https://skip.gg/3au8L
The fourth episode of The Icebrood Saga arrives on July 28. Watch the trailer below and visit the release page for all the details.

• Release page: https://skip.gg/knvsP
• Trailer: https://skip.gg/VdQq0

July 14th
Excelsior! Behold the Synergetics Gyrocycle Roller Beetle Skin
https://skip.gg/3nqjT
Cash shop update

• Synergetics Gyrocycle Roller Beetle Skin - mount skin
• Maguuma’s Grasp Skin
• Maguuma’s Mantle Skin
• Maguuma’s Treads Skin
• Nature’s Oath Outfit—20% Off
• Verdant Executor Outfit—20% Off
• Sylvari Seed Pod Mail Carrier—50% Off
• Floral Glider
• Wreath of Cooperation
• Toxic Gloves
• Toxic Mantle
• Toxic Boots
• Toxic Cape

July 16th
Guild Chat: Working at Home
https://skip.gg/7XZL9
What’s it like when a whole game studio works from home? We’re learning every day! Join host Rubi Bayer and her developer guests—remotely—for an inside look at how ArenaNet is adapting to safety precautions during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Watch the replay here: https://skip.gg/dyrhU

MapleStory

July 15th
Cash Shop Update for July 15
https://skip.gg/Dq4X0

• The Surprise Style Box has been updated, preview the additions using the link above
• Mystery Mix Coupons are back from July 18th to July 20th
• Royal style coupons have been updated
• Summer Story Permanent Outfit Packages
• Summer Styles Permanent Covers
• Wisp's Wondrous Wonderberry

July 17th
Burning World Event
https://skip.gg/It4rM
Burning World is back, in these special servers all players have access to the Burning Skill which gives the following bonuses:

• 1.5x EXP
• Weapon ATT/Magic ATT +50
• Damage against Normal Monsters +30%
• Damage against Bosses +30%
• Critical Rate +30%
• Critical Damage +30%

Additionally, you can create three mega burning characters on this world who will receive 2 bonus levels from level 10 to 150.
At the close of the server, you will be able to transfer up to six characters to a permanent server.
July 17th
Check Out the July 17th Art Corner!
https://skip.gg/wuSjE
Use the link above to see some fanart from Maplestory players.

Mabinogi

No updates from July 12th onwards.

Neverwinter

July 15th
2x Dread Ring Currency!
https://skip.gg/2F4U6
This coming week, every time you would earn Dread Ring Currency, you’ll now receive twice the amount, making it much easier to complete the campaign!

• 2x Dread Ring Currency starts Thursday, July 16 10am PT (19:00 CEST)
  
• 2x Dread Ring Currency ends Thursday, July 23 at 10am PT (19:00 CEST)
  

July 16th
VIP Only - 50% off Refinement Pack and Coal Ward!
https://skip.gg/0u7lL
Get the VIP treatment with a special sale available exclusively to VIP members Rank 3 and up! For the next week, these VIP members can get 50% off 1 Refinement Pack and 1 Coal Ward!

• VIP only sale begins Thursday, July 16 at 10am PDT (19:00 CEST)
• VIP only sale ends Thursday, July 23 at 10am PDT (19:00 CEST)

July 16th
20% off VIP!
https://skip.gg/HRcSb
Are you looking to extend your VIP benefits or increase your rank? Lord Neverember has you covered!

• 20% off VIP begins Thursday, July 16 at 10am PT (19:00 CEST)
• 20% off VIP ends Monday, July 20 at 10am PT (19:00 CEST)

Pantheon: Rise of the Fallen

No updates from July 12th onwards.

Phantasy Star Online 2

July 14th
SG SCRATCH TICKET: FALLEN HEROES
https://skip.gg/s3nft
From July 15th till September 8th
By purchasing SG Scratch Tickets you have a chance to obtain special items, including Outfits, Accessories, and Enhancement Items! Check the list below to learn what can be obtained by drawing a ticket from the Fallen Heroes collection!
See the rewards using the link above.
July 15th
CAMPAIGN: COMPLETE URGENT QUESTS (7/15)
https://skip.gg/VZR9B
From July 15th to August 4th, operatives who complete the specified amount of Urgent Quests will receive either an SG 20 TICKET or an AC SCRATCH TICKET! Furthermore, for those who go the extra mile in shoring up our defenses on Lillipa by completing the Urgent Quest Mining Base Def. Op.: Despair the specified number of times on either Super Hard or Extra Hard difficulty with an S Rank, additional SG 20 Tickets and the Emote 224: “We Did It!” can be won!
Get the full details in the link above
July 15th
CAMPAIGN: GET FREE SG! (7/15)
https://skip.gg/Dl9HM
Log in between July 15th and July 21st, and you’ll receive an SG 10 TICKET!
Log in at least 5 times during this period, and you’ll get a bonus of 3 SG 10 Tickets! This means you could be sitting pretty on a free 100 Star Gems over the course of this campaign!
July 15th
CAMPAIGN: BUY A PREMIUM SET! (7/15)
https://skip.gg/xVuyo
Sometimes, it’s the little things. That extra Premium Storage, access to improved Personal Quarters, persistent access to managing your own Player Shop, a MISSION PASS GOLD TICKET; all of these things can be yours with the purchase of a PREMIUM SET! There’s also a few extra little things ARKS HQ will be including if the purchase is made between July 15th and August 18th! With the purchase of a Premium Set (30 Days) you’ll receive Half Scape Dolls, Rare Item Drop Rate +50%, and some Triboost +50%. Purchasing a Premium Set (90 Days) will net you all of the above, and Emote 231: Bang Bang!

Realm of the Mad God

July 15th
Patch Notes, ST Drops Locations, new OSTs and more!
https://skip.gg/8khAL
Too long to list here, view the link above for details.

RuneScape

July 13th
This Week In RuneScape (13/07/20)
https://skip.gg/l6hcx
Too long to list here, view the link above for details.
July 15th
LIVESTREAM ROUND-UP (07/07/2020)
A brand new quest called Desperate Measures is nearly here! This is a follow-up to 2019's Desperate Times and will be rolling out on Monday July 27th:

• The quest will see players exploring the secrets of the dragonkin on Anachronia
• Users must have completed 2019 quest Desperate Times in order to take part
• They will also have to have completed the tutorial at the Anachronia base camp, and have level 50 Agility, Level 50 Archaeology and Level 75 Combat
• Desperate Measures has been in development since March

Executive Producer Mod Warden outlined the recent challenges for the team in the current develop-from-home world. COVID has to an extent reduced production capacity.
In order to address this, the team has switched to a new development model:

• Archaeology level content isn't possible right now under the current conditions.
• The goal is to focus on meaningful content that's smaller in scope - some releases will be bigger than others.

Upcoming Content
During the livestream, the developers shed some light on some of the new additions heading to RuneScape in the coming months:

• New Alchemical content is on the way - expect details at a later date.
• The team is also working on an update to celebrate the 12th anniversary of a certain mystery piece of content in September. Teases!
• You can also expect more work on seasonal events, such as Halloween and Christmas. The Beach returns on July 20th, featuring new cosmetics and fun things to do.
• The designers have been hard at work investigating new methods for training RuneScape's various skills.
• A brand new Orthen dig site for the Archaeology skill is currently in development.

July 15th
Desperate Measures - The Story So Far
https://secure.runescape.com/m=news/desperate-measures---the-story-so-far
Desperate Measures is the next quest in the Elder Gods storyline, and you can play it in-game on July 27th.
To start Desperate Measures, you’ll need the following:

• Completion of Desperate Times
• Level 75 Combat
• Level 50 Archaeology
• Level 50 Agility

Additional lore in the link above.
July 17th
Double XP LIVE - Returning Soon!
https://skip.gg/dFIHq
Between August 7th 12:00 game time and August 17th 12:00 game time, players will once again be able to enjoy a whopping 48 hours of double XP gain.

Skyforge

July 15th
Promotion: Ocean of Gloom
https://skip.gg/VUr4J
Adepts may bring ominous seeds from their journeys. 300 seeds can be exchanged for one random dark version of a legendary relic. These relics are special: while they grant bonuses, they also weaken one of the adept's stats. Once you have all the relics, you can exchange the seeds for Victor’s Medals. When the event ends, the remaining seeds will be automatically converted to Victor's Medals.
The event runs July 15 to July 29. To take part in the Ocean of Gloom event, open the special interface which you can access by pressing the 9 key.
Unique Rewards
Legendary Relics

• Shiny Bracelet
• Folio of a Thousand Truths
• Triumphal Banner
• Glittering Scepter
• Cursed Bracelet
• Ominous Folio
• Ghastly Banner
• Scepter of Doom

Check out the full stats and event details in the link above.
July 16th
Save up to 50% in the Mega Market Sale - July 16, 2020
https://skip.gg/Bzr54
Push your Immortal coffers to their limits with huge discounts on Knowledge of Enemies, Stimulants, and Credits! With up to 50% off selected items for a limited time only.

• Collection of Knowledge, 1,350 Argents, 30% discount
• Small Collection of Knowledge, 4,800 Argents, 40% discount
• Large Collection of Knowledge, 11,950 Argents, 50% discount
• Small Pack of Stimulants, 2,500 Argents, 30% discount
• Medium Pack of Stimulants, 9,300 Argents, 34% discount
• Large Pack of Stimulants, 25,920 Argents, 40% discount
• Small Pack of Credits, 720 Argents, 20% discount
• Medium Pack of Credits, 2,100 Argents, 30% discount
• Large Pack of Credits, 3,900 Argents, 35% discount

July 17th
Get your King’s Ransom - July 17, 2020
https://skip.gg/MjoWZ
Another game of King’s Ransom is starting. Participate, earn rewards, and try for the Triumph grand prize. Don’t forget to visit the traveling merchant!
Read the full event details in the link above.

Star Trek Online

July 15th
PC Patch Notes for 7/16/20
https://skip.gg/WBDRm
General:

• Female Captains can now tint Klingon 2409 Furry Sleeves Undershirt/Accessory correctly.
• Reduced briefing time in stage 3 of the Task Force Operation, “Best Served Cold”.

July 15th
Double XP Weekend!
https://skip.gg/htiBE
We’ve doubled our efforts to give Captains the necessary experience to deal with threats to the Galaxy! From Thursday, July 16th at 8AM PT (17:00 CEST), to Monday, July 20th at 10AM PT (19:00 CEST), players will be able to enjoy twice the experience!
During the event, content that provides skill points and expertise will reward a 100% (2x) Bonus above normal amounts – this bonus will be available for all content that rewards skill points and expertise.
July 17th Infinity Packs Return! https://skip.gg/keEq2
From July 17th at 12pm PT (21:00 CEST) to July 19th at 12pm PT (21:00 CEST), we are running a promotion that will provide an additional bonus when opening a Research and Development Pack or a Duty Officer Pack – and from July 17th at 12pm PT (21:00 CEST) to July 19th at 12pm PT (21:00 CEST), all of these packs will be 30% off!
When you purchase a Research and Development Pack or a Duty Officer Pack from the C-Store during this promotion and open it, you will receive either 10 Lobi Crystals or a Special Requisition Choice Pack - Tier 6 Promotional Ship Choice Pack in addition to the Research and Development Pack.
Opening this Special Requisition Choice Pack - Tier 6 Promotional Ship Choice Pack will give the recipient a choice of any Tier 6 ship found in any previous Research & Development or Duty Officer Promotional Pack.

Star Wars: The Old Republic

No updates from July 12th onwards.

Star Citizen

July 13th
This Week in Star Citizen
https://skip.gg/8dkY6

• We’re currently putting the finishing touches to Alpha 3.10 and working out the final kinks keeping us from opening it up to a wider audience with PTU Wave 1
• Foundation Festival is in full effect throughout the ‘verse and we’re encouraging citizens everywhere to help each other up their games. https://skip.gg/uCfIO
• we’re looking for the coolest crews in the ‘verse in our Foundation Festival screenshot contest. https://skip.gg/rjGaH accepting submissions until August 2nd
• On Tuesday, the Narrative Team will treat us to a former Subscriber-exclusive Portfolio piece on ubiquitous equipment manufacturer Greycat Industrial.
• Inside Star Citizen is still on its three-week hiatus, so no new episode this week. The show will return on the 23rd of July with the latest Star Citizen news.
• On Friday you’ll see a Roadmap update and Roundup, an update to the Subscriber Vault, and the RSI Newsletter delivered to your inbox.

July 15th
Portfolio: Greycat Industrial
https://skip.gg/bW1bI
Giant lore dump - read at your own discretion
July 17th
Roadmap Roundup - July 17th 2020
https://skip.gg/c7eyG
Notable Changes
Images have been updated for the following cards:

• Space Station – Refinery Deck
• Space Station – Cargo Deck July 18th

Star Citizen Live: Beast Armors
See the full video here: https://skip.gg/xkkEn

Tera: The Exiled Realm of Arborea

No updates from July 12th onwards.

The Lord of the Rings Online

July 17th
The LOTRO Beacon: Issue 168
https://skip.gg/k5suu
Several events are described in the post, read about them in the link above.

Tibia

July 13th
Summer Update 2020
https://skip.gg/okavH (unable to link directly)

• Team finder - allows premium players to easily gather a party.
• New monster difficulty
• New charms and reworked charms
• Compare your charm yield to other players via the new global highscores
• You can now export client settings and import them, that way you no longer need to rebind all your hotkeys and action bars after reinstalling.

Tree of Savior

July 13th
Leticia's Secret Cube: July 14
https://skip.gg/J9XJX
Leticia’s Secret Cube has been updated, check out the rewards in the link above.
July 13th
List of Issues: July 13, 2020
https://skip.gg/oNASQ
Long list of issues outlined in the link above.
July 15th
Like & Comment Event: Keep Calm and Gear Up!
https://skip.gg/f94mP
How to Participate

• Press ‘Like’ and 'share' on the Gear Up Event post uploaded on Facebook and leave a comment
• The comment must include the following:
• 1) The correct serveteam name of the character you wish to receive the reward
• 2) The phrase "Get Ready! TOS Task Force!"
• 3) Feel free to fill in any other comments after including the phrase in 2)!

Rewards

• Reward will be given to 10 saviors in total by random.
• 1 savior - Police Shepherd Egg(Companion) x1
• 2 saviors - Police Line x1 or - Emergency Siren x1
• 1 savior - TOS Task Force Perfect Kit x1
• 2 saviors - TOS Task Force SWAT Costume Selection Box x1
• 2 saviors - TOS Task Force Police Costume Selection Box x1
• 2 saviors - TOS Task Force Fire Fighter Costume Selection Box x1
• Winners will be announced on July 27

Trove

July 14th
Sunfest Savings in the PC Web Store
https://skip.gg/aGY7n
Sunfest Credit Savings – PC only
15% credit bonus for Patrons
10% credit bonus for non-Patrons
There’s something for everyone on PC, but don’t delay since the sale ends on Tuesday, July 21 at 4:00am PT / 11:00 UTC.

Vindictus

No updates from July 12th onwards.

Warframe

July 13th
THE WARFRAME CREATOR PROGRAM
https://skip.gg/5t44K
To better support the work of our talented community, today marks the beginning of the brand-new Warframe Creator Program!
From Captura to Podcasts to everything in between, the goal of the Creator Program is to support and elevate the depth and varied work from our Creators, while providing tools and resources along the way. If you’re a Creator looking for a little help with your content creation, this program might be the fit for you!
The new Warframe Creator Program supports:

• Video Producers
• Broadcasters
• Podcasts
• Fan Sites
• Fan and Captura Artists Submit your application to join the Warframe Creator Program here! https://skip.gg/jmItZ

July 15th
DOG DAYS TACTICAL ALERT NOW ON ALL PLATFORMS
https://skip.gg/HE3QY
Slap on some sunscreen, grab your Soaktron, and hurry to the beach arena, Tenno.
With your ultra-powered Soaktron, enter the beach arena and win this splashdown before July 27 at 11 a.m. ET to earn a wave of rewards:
Mission 1: 50,000 Credits and Redeemer Abysso Skin
Mission 2: 50,000 Credits and Hydroid's Relay Scene
Mission 3: 50,000 Credits and Hydroid Reprise Noggle
Mission 4: Orokin Reactor and Stratos Emblem
In the arena, there are no Mods, no Pets, no Abilities — just an equal engagement between you and your opponents. The team with the most soaks before the timer runs out wins. Run out of water? Reload your Soaktron at the water fountains shooting throughout the arena.
During your water wars, you’ll earn currency that can be exchanged at Nakak in Cetus for extra rewards, including Floofs, Captura Scenes and more! Nakak's Dog Days reward prices have been reduced by 30%, so put those Pearls to good use!

World of Warcraft

July 14th
Weekly Bonus Event: Mists of Pandaria Timewalking
https://skip.gg/OtjQ0
Players level 91 and over will be able to venture into six of Mists of Pandaria’s storied dungeons to reap new rewards all week during this Bonus Event. Simply open the Group Finder (default hotkey: “I”) and then select Dungeon Finder and Timewalking in the “Type” dropdown menu. Selecting “Find Group” will match you with other players and send you to one of the following Heroic Dungeons.

• Temple of the Jade Serpent
• Stormstout Brewery
• Shado-Pan Monastery
• Mogu’shan Palace
• Siege of Niuzao Temple
• Gate of the Setting Sun Your character and items will be scaled down to a power level fitting for the challenge at hand, but bosses will yield loot appropriate for your natural level

You’ll also be able to visit a new Timewalking vendor located on the Timeless Isle. Mistweaver Xia is waiting to take your hard-earned Timewarped Badges in exchange for some tempting rewards:

• Reins of the Heavenly Jade Cloud Serpent (Yu’lei, Daughter of Jade mount)
• 2 Pets— Infinite Hatchling (dragonkin) and Paradox Spirit (aquatic)
• Reputation Tokens for all major Pandaria factions and friendship items
• 2 Toys— Adopted Puppy Crate and Portable Yak Wash
• Chilled Satchel of Vegetables
• Updated equipment selections from Pandaria faction

July 14th
Shadows Rising Now Available
https://skip.gg/VbT1a
An all-new official prequel novel to the upcoming Shadowlands expansion penned by New York Times bestselling author Madeleine Roux, Shadows Rising is the next epic tale in our novel series. Shadows Rising is available to purchase on Penguin Random House now. - https://skip.gg/YUkYk July 18th Hotfixes: July 17, 2020 https://skip.gg/uq0tC
Check the link above for a long list of hotfixes.

Weekly News Feedback Form: https://skip.gg/opip9