We got a preview of the Blacksmith and the Battlegrounds in Stormthrone.

Stormthrone: Aeos Rising is an upcoming F2P browser-based experience by R2Games, styled in the tradition of MMORPG classics. R2Games has recently shared with us a preview of two exciting features in the game: the Blacksmith and the Battlegrounds.

Blacksmith

First, find the Blacksmith icon at the bottom of the main interface and click it to open the Blacksmith panel.

Here you’ll find seven tabs, each allowing you to empower your gear in a different way.

1. Forge – this directly boosts the stat bonuses provided by a piece of gear. It costs only gold and easily available materials. Offers a great bang for the buck.
2. Upgrade – this multiplies the basic stats and the stat bonuses of a piece of gear. You’ll need Upgrade Stones.
3. Gems – socket different gems to get different stat bonuses
4. Imbue - this gives new stat bonuses to a piece of gear. You can get materials easily by recycling other gear.
5. Enchant – this unlocks powerful special attack effects (eg daze, HP drain). Once unlocked, they’ll always be there, even if you switch to better gear. You’ll need to get your hands on Enchantment Manuals, though!
6. Craft – nothing feels better than crafting your very own gear! Explore and hunt around Aeos for blueprints and materials.
7. Recycle – got piles of gear that you don’t need but can’t auction away? How about converting them all into materials?

Master blacksmithing and the power is yours!

Battlegrounds: Crumbling Throne 10v10

Stormthrone's first Battleground, Crumbling Throne, is a knock-down, drag-out 10-vs-10 battle for territorial supremacy. Available to all Alpha players as soon as they reach level 30, Crumbling Throne challenges players to capture and maintain control over five Resource Points: the Stockade, Crystal Mine, Fire Forge, Lumber Camp, and Rift Valley Farm.

How you get to level 30 is up to you – pursuing the main quest, teaming up for intense multiplayer dungeons, anything you like – but getting started is simple:

Once battle is joined, it's Red versus Blue in a battle to the finish! Gathering Resources is the name of the game, and the more Resource Points a team controls, the faster those Points will roll in.

Crumbling Throne is easy to learn, but tough to master – only a truly coordinated effort will yield victory. If neither team reaches 1600 points in 30 minutes, the team with the most Resources will win.

The stakes are high in the shadow of the Crumbling Throne, but the upcoming Stormthrone Alpha will be the best place to master 10v10 tactics before your leaderboard position becomes permanent.

Check out the official site and keep in touch with Stormthrone on Facebook and Twitter!

Ann "Cyliena" Hosler, Managing Editor

Supplemental material provided by R2Games