Wizard101 Advanced Lighting in Housing, Lighting Notes, and A Challenge

Don't forget to enter for your chance to win a Boar Knight pet + 1,000 crowns or one of four Wyvern's Hoard Packs! Details at http://www.swordroll.com/2011/12/holiday-contest-and-wizard101-sales.html!

Advanced Lighting can be used a variety of ways, not just in the scenery around the Spiral. Think of the possibilities for housing. You have the ability to create the lighting to fit your style. Are you making a massive maze? Which parts have light and which don't? Obviously there will be some universal lighting here, but there is so much creative opportunity!

100th Post Special - Wizard101 Advanced Lighting, New Poll, and Question for Readers

Don't forget to enter for your chance to win a Boar Knight pet + 1,000 crowns or one of four Wyvern's Hoard Packs! Details at http://www.swordroll.com/2011/12/holiday-contest-and-wizard101-sales.html!

Wizard101 has always been a fantastic game where graphics were concerned, especially on characters. With each major update, they've introduced a new system such as Critical and Block and Armor Piercing. I propose that with the coming updates, they add to their amazing graphics with advanced lighting. The one thing I've noticed is that, in many areas, they placed light sources in various places, but the light is always universal, it's never FROM the light sources. Before you completely throw out this idea, take a look at some of the benefits and example pictures for advanced lighting!

Crazy "Insane Bolt" Pictures and Another Day in PvP

The Friendly Necromancer has made his call for the Spell of the Week again, and this week it's Insane Bolt! Having a Storm wizard would be helpful here. Thankfully, Fred Goldriver was ready for action! Speaking of Insane Bolts, what are you supposed to think when you come across a level 58 with nothing but an amulet and deck that casts this spell repeatedly? Just another day in PvP, I suppose.

Merry Christmas From Swordroll's Blog and Gifting Details

It's the one day of the year that we can all rest in knowing that we are provided for. Or at least some of us can rest. Either way, today is December 25th - Merry Christmas to all! I've personally had quite the day, but I couldn't forget my fantastic readers and followers! Remember, as a Christmas gift, all you have to do is send in a picture, drawing, graphic, etc. that you captured or created of a Christmas tree by December 31st at midnight for your chance to win a Boar Knight pet + 1,000 crowns or one of four Wyvern's Hoard Packs! Everyone has a fair chance - the winner is decided through a random drawing of all those who enter - it's my Christmas gift to you! Check out THIS POST to see how to enter!

Holiday Contest and Wizard101 Sales!

What are you hoping for this holiday season? It's time to get out the camera, art supplies, or whatever you use best, and capture or create your best Christmas tree for your chance to win a few prizes!

All you have to do is send your best Christmas tree drawing, picture, graphic, or any other type of Christmas tree to swordroll@gmail.com by December 31st at midnight for a chance to win! One lucky grand prize winner will receive a code for a Boar Knight pet and 1,000 crowns, and four lucky first place winners will receive a code for a Wyvern's Hoard Pack! Keep reading for more details!

Wizard101 UK Christmas Party, Happy Hours, and The Fourth Week of Advent

The US may have had the Twelve Days of Wizard, but the UK certainly isn't being left behind in the festivities! They were presented Felix and the Christmas decorations sooner, and between their amazing party, "happy hour" sales, and four weeks of advent, there's plenty going on to celebrate the holidays! Because my time conversions were correct this time, you can also get a look at the Christmas Party for yourself - between the Commons and Mason's House, the party was definitely a hit!

Treasure Card Marketplace, PvP Talk, and New Backgrounds!

Between the holiday celebrations and festivities, there's hardly been time to sit down and do some questing, or one of my favorite activities - Practice P.V.P. Between out-of-game death threats, cheating accusations due to "may casts," and a number of crazy Warlords, PvP (If you don't mind if I leave out the periods) never ceases to hold my interest, despite many crazy players.

I always try to reply to opponents - they'll figure out my school eventually, so if they say "Hi," I don't hesitate to respond. Now if you say, "Your Pathetic, Cole" I might not want to hold a conversation. Especially when you can't distinguish "your" and "you're," but I suppose I'm in no position to criticize word choice - believe me. Anyway, I'd like to share today's ideas, PvP experiences, and some other new items.

Swordroll's Blog Backgrounds and More On the Snowball Pet!

Introudcing Swordroll's Blog Backgrounds! With this post comes the release of a brand-new page! I've noticed that many wizards have been searching for Wizard101 Backgrounds lately, and several have stumbled upon images here on the blog. To make things easier, I've taken some of my best shots (yes, they're all mine), and made them a uniform size for your to use as a computer background! There's even a guide on how to do it! Check it out at http://www.swordroll.com/p/backgrounds.html!

"The Twelve Days of Wizard: Day Thirteen - Pet Snowball" and Producer's Letter

How has your questing been, wizards? Well, in celebration of the the now thirteen days of Christmas, KingsIsle has released a Snowball pet to help you with your many challenges in your journey throughout the Spiral! I'm not surprised that all of its pet abilities have already been revealed on the Petnome Project, including an interesting new "may cast" talent!

"The Twelve Days of Wizard: Day Twelve - 50% Off Select Mounts," Random Weekly Puzzle Answers and Winner, and Poetry Contest Finalists

Today only, select mounts are 50%! If you've got any crowns left after the holiday season, check out the shop for some great sales on some of your favorite mounts! The Nightflame Pegasus, Skyracer Pegasus, Seraph Wings, Bat Wings, Swiftshadow Wings, and Enchanted Broom are all 50%. Unfortunately, any mounts that include gold options do not have their gold cut in half.

"The Twelve Days of Wizard: Day Eleven - Boon Tree," Random Weekly Puzzle Reminder, Poetry Contest Information, and Helephant Castings

The serenity that comes with a nice, green environment is quite refreshing. Likewise, a garden is always a nice touch to a house, whether it's a massive circle of Prickly Bears, or a few plants placed in a garden patch. KingsIsle (I can't decide whether I prefer Kingsisle or KingsIsle) is giving you a chance to do just that with some holiday plants with great rewards. And don't forget about our Random Weekly Puzzle for a chance to win a 10% off coupon. All entries are due by tonight at midnight! Plus, KingsIsle has a message for all of the creative wizards who entered the Poetry Contest!

"The Twelve Days of Wizard: Day Ten - Silent Nightcap," Into Wizard101 UK Pt. 2, and Question of the Week

Upon our arrival at day ten, the excitement is dying down slightly with a code for the Silent Nightcap. While this item was offered previously, you can get a second hat with the code this year! The cap various, of course, between male and female wizards. You can see, above, that I've claimed mine. Hurry - this offer is only valid today!

The Top Five Rarest Treasure Cards and Where to Find Them

So what are the top five rarest treasure cards? What should collectors be after? Is it personal preference? I'm here to answer these questions, and let's start with that last one - no, the rarity of something isn't personal opinion, though opinion can be what makes a card rare. It's time for Dampen Magic vs. Lifebane, and a bunch of other feuds that bring you the top five rarest treasure cards and where to find them! It's all here, just for you.

"The Twelve Days of Wizard: Day Nine - Mystery Email Coupon," Random Weekly Puzzle, and Into Wizard101 UK Pt. 1

Day Nine - Mystery Coupon! For all of those that have a registered email and have opted to receive Wizard101 emails, you'll be getting a code via email to save money on your next online purchase - it could be 10%, 25%, 40%, or even 50% off! Wouldn't it be great to get 60,000 crowns for $30? That's a $50 savings! Don't have a registered email? Answer the Random Weekly Puzzle for your chance to win a code!

"The Twelve Days of Wizard: Day Eight - Candy Cane Mounts," Happy Holidays From KingsIsle, and IcyWiz's Party

Into the EIGHTH day of Christmas already, and Kingsisle isn't slowing down with the gifts! Today, they've released a brand new Candy Cane Mount - and it comes in six different colors, too, and it's the cheapest mount ever! While it is only available for crowns, it's only 3750 per mount! Choose from Green, Red, Mixed, Blue, Pink, or Yellow!

"Happy First Birthday, Wizard101 UK" and a New Video!

Happy Birthday, Wizard101 UK! Wizard101 UK is turning one, and to celebrate, you're getting an inside look at what's different in Wizard101 UK. You'll see pictures, learn new facts, and more! And in addition, there are crazy prizes for both the US and UK! Read all about it in this special post!

Introduction

To get more familiar with Wizard101 UK, I needed to log on myself, and see what it was really like, and how it was different from the US's version. I logged on and created a character, who ended up being Balance, and set forth on my journey to find the differences in the game. I quickly learned that with only TWO realms, a lot of the members know each other, and it's a close community! "We stick together," Talon Dragonflame said.

"The Twelve Days of Wizard: Day Seven - Snowman Transformation" and a Message From Kingsisle

As we enter our seventh day of Wizard, we see that Kingsisle has already showered us with numerous gifts, sales, and new items, and now they're back again - with a free Snowman transformation for everyone! With this one hour change, you'll be sure to be looking 'ice for the holiday season! And, were you hoping for the new Milk and Cookies and wallpaper to be available for gold? Kingsisle has a message for you!

"The Twelve Days of Wizard: Day Six - Holiday Decorations," Game Updates, and Kingsisle's Expansion

Are you loving the celebration, but need something that you DON'T have to spend crowns on? Did you miss out on that free Color Light Strand? Can you not master that Christmas tree look? Need a snowy background to go with your decor? Don't worry, there's all that and more - now in the Crown Shop, and most of it available for gold! From snowmen to wreaths to presents, you now have all of the decorations you need for the perfect holiday party... or maybe just a warm, inviting house! It's time to head to the Bazaar and clear out your backpacks - there are 18 new holidays items for sale!

"The Twelve Days of Wizard: Day Five - Arctic Ninja" and Massive Wizard101 UK Celebration!

At this point, we're beyond "beginning to look like Christmas," because the full celebrations are underway. Not to mention that Wizard101 UK is having a massive celebration with all sorts of fun events and prizes! First, let's check up on the "Twelve Days of Wizard." Having now entered day five, Kingsisle has dropped in an Arctic Ninja pet. This 61 pedigree pet is the perfect way to keep bacon for breakfast fresh... I mean, it's the perfect pet for the holiday season!

"The Twelve Days of Wizard: Day Four - Huge Pack Sale" and a Zafaria Behind the Scenes Story!

It's now day four of "Wizard," and Kingsisle has another surprise for us! You can now buy the most popular packs - the Dragon's Hoard Pack, Wyvern's Hoard Pack, and Mega Snack Pack - for 50% off! Act quickly, though, because this amazing sale lasts for today only! Plus, Wizard101 has released a funny, new Zafaria trailer. "Yeah, this is so much better than Zafaria. 'Penguinonia' is definitely the way to go."

Exclusive Interview With Mason Swiftblade, A Wizard101 UK Player!

In celebration of Wizard101 UK's first birthday, Wizard101 UK player and blogger Mason Swiftblade is teaming up with a number of wizards around the Spiral on the US side of things to make it a special day indeed! Mason Swiftblade himself generously agreed to take part in an interview via email and answer questions about himself, Wizard101 UK, and the many celebrations for the first year of Wizard101 UK! In this experience, I learned a lot and had tons of fun, and I hope that Mason did, too! Here's our interview, and his responses!

"The Twelve Days of Wizard: Day Three - Free Light Strand," Mander Blast, and Other Details

If you didn't already know, this holiday season, Wizard101 is giving away free items, releasing new items, holding contests, and presenting sales EVERY DAY for "The Twelve Days of Wizard!" Every day, for twelve days, we'll be getting some sort of new surprise, and today, every Wizard101 account can redeem a free Color Light Strand! The code for the strand is universal, and has no requirements, so it's safe to fairly post it anywhere. Get your code, learn more, and read about several other adventures that are sure to please!

"The Twelve Days of Wizard: Day Two - Poetry Contest" and Question of the Week

It's being to look more and more like Christmas in the Spiral! And, of course, with Christmas comes the "Twelve Days of Wizard!" Today's day two, and Kingsisle isn't disappointing anyone - they've got a Poetry Contest going. You can enter as many times as you like, as long as the poems fit their criteria! The top 10 entries based on "Likes" and the top ten entries chosen by staff members. All of these participants will receive a Super Bundle!  Wizards will then get a chance to vote on their favorite poem, and the winner will receive 60,000 crowns and a mystery holiday pet that is sure to please!

"The Twelve Days of Wizard: Day One - Chrismoose" and Other Details

Wizard101 is now hosting an event called "The Twelve Days of Wizard," and to celebrate day one, you've got a chance to be generous yourself - purchase your Charity Chrismoose today - the cost is 7500 crowns, and I'm certainly not one to buy crown items as such, but this moose is benefiting two charities - the Austin Children's Shelter and Children's Medical Center at Legacy! Not to mention the fact that these mounts retire after the season, and you'll never get another chance to get another. Make it your own Christmas gift to yourself - and you'll be giving to charity, too!

Wizard101 UK Turns One, A New Commercial, and Other Updates

Happy Birthday Wizard101 UK! They're turning one! To celebrate, Diary of a Wizard, a fellow blogger who has been approved as an official fansite by Kingsisle themselves, is joining together with Mason Swiftblade and his blog to bring you a celebration of epic proportions! Check both of the links out for updates on parties, giveaways, and more!

Wizard101 UK members are also entering their second week of advent, meaning all new specials and sales! Right now, they can save 50% of all card packs, plus buy a Snappy Lobster or Purple Glider at half the original gold price!

Random Weekly Puzzle and Plant-A-Palooza Ends Today!

I've decided to do a "Random Weekly Puzzle" segment. It'll just be for fun, no prizes involved, so answer as much of it as you know and you might be mentioned in next week's puzzle post. All comments for puzzle posts will be kept unpublished until next week's puzzle is revealed, and the quickest, and closest wizards to answer will be recognized! It'll be something different every week, and this week's puzzle is figuring out what picture goes in the blank. Who might have been saying the dialogue? What might I have been reading? Parts of the picture and the wording used will give you subtle hints as to what it could be - just describe the way it should look the best that you can, and remember to have fun with it!

Double Discussion of the Day

This past week, we've talked quite a bit about spells and wands and whatnot, so I stopped by Central and asked users there what they thought. Being a more vague topic, asking where our spells were headed didn't receive nearly as many answers as the wand topic, but several people did express their opinions, and they're here for you to read! In addition, you'll see an interesting little bit at the end... no explanation, sorry, that ruins room for interpretation. This post is worth reading!

Decorating For the Holidays

During my first Christmas in Wizard101 several years ago, I wondered how I'd decorate a house. I couldn't buy Santa's Sleigh, or a giant Christmas tree, so what COULD I do? I didn't realize that there were quite a large number of things that worked well for a Christmas celebration, and that the entire house didn't have to be covered in snow to be a nice home. Typically, we only set up a tree and occasionally put up lights as it is, but we love Christmas as much as the next person! While Felix having a nice Christmas Tree and other decorations in a potential Christmas Card Pack would be nice, there are plenty of other options out there for making your holiday home special!

Choosing the Perfect Wand Pt. 2 and Wizard101 News

To follow up on my first part of choosing a perfect wand where I focused on appearance, I now want to focus on the equally important statistics of a wand. For some, this is all they use a wand for - the statistics. They can be the gamer-changer, or that extra bit of block that you need. Now that I have my chosen appearances, I'm ready to stitch in the stats... then I thought for a moment... all of those great wands with good stats... if I want to keep this appearance, I'll have to re-stitch when there are new, more powerful wands. Then, if I stitched in the stats of a Lifeforce Blade, I'd lose that blade altogether, and any other character who wanted to use it as they were leveling up would not have a chance. This would bring some difficult decisions, and spark a new idea.

Question of the Week, Gardening, Felix Navidad, Feedback Friday, Crowns Sale, and Contest Updates - Yes, It's Christmas!

Ever feel rushed during the holiday season? Well, the gap between real life and Wizard101 in closing in that way - there's plenty to update you on today! First, I'm taking a question from Destiny Soultamer. I'll follow that up with a little gardening update, and inform you about Felix Navidad and his items - including the latest, the Yuletide Spirit! Then, there's the ongoing Feedback Friday that started this past weekend, as well as Wizard101's crowns sale starting today! If that isn't enough, there's a plethora of crazy contests going on all over the Spiral for wizards of every talent!

If I Were To Make A New Spell...

J Todd Coleman asked on Facebook, So, if you were to design a spell for your class, what would it be? What would would it look like? Do? To make this question more challenging, don't just make it more porwerful -- come up with something interesting, diffenerent. Bonus point if it doesnt completely overpower your class. I'd like to address his question, because I have a few ideas of my own!

Our schools, more than anything need utility spells, or some sort of addition to our previous spells. If you read my post, "Where Our Spells Are Headed," you know that they can't just keep getting more and more powerful!

Choosing the Perfect Wand Pt. 1 and Mysterious Updates

Choosing a wand, to me, is just as important a decision as choosing an entire outfit. Your wand is a summary of your outfit, and by extension, your wizard's playing style. Its looks show the theme of the outfit and its stats can show how much work you put into having a nice outfit or what you most prefer where Critical and Block are concerned. It can identify you as someone who enjoys PvP or PvE. Sometimes, I find myself judging other people's play style simply by their wand. Therefore, the decision is important to me, too. In fact, it is such a big part of your wizard, that I have divided this into two parts.

Where Our Spells Are Headed

Recently, I've been asking myself a few questions. After doing an analysis of the level 68 spells, reading Kevin Battleblood's Post, and The Friendly Necromancer's Post, I've been considering the "combo moves," or "fusion magic." They would provide a new need for teammates and teamwork and add an exciting touch to the game that would be much more difficult to figure out than something like hatching combinations that have a set system. I began thinking.

Finishing the Savannah and Other Wizard101 Updates

After having killed about 145 lions, I've finally completed the Savannah! Between the Shadow Weavers, the lions, and the Zebras, peace has finally been restored for now in the Savannah. I've unlocked the newest garden mole and activated both teleporters. I'm now on my way to Zamunda, but first, I've got a few comments on the start of Zafaria. Stay tuned for more updates from Kingsisle, too.

Analyzing the Level 68 Spells, Plant-A-Palooza, and December Newsletter

After posting "Zafaria Pt. 5" about the Test Realm updates, it quickly became the most popular post, and so I assume that readers are interested in that topic. As part of the second ever combined PvP Talk and Question of the Week, we'll be analyzing the newest spells - how they affect the game, PvP, questing, and how they change each school.