As the Siege War enters its fourth week, the experience varies significantly across servers. While the new 'Forgotten Island' update is slated for release on July 22, players are debating the impact of expanded leveling routes, citing concerns over potion costs and weight limits. Additionally, the recent influx of high-tier equipment has sparked active discussions regarding their performance.

■ Siege War Week 4! Server Atmospheres Vary Wildly

The atmosphere of the Siege War currently differs greatly from server to server. Since the war is inherently influenced by power dynamics, many servers where the balance of power has already collapsed are seeing a decline in actual combat.

However, not all servers are quiet. Servers like Christer and Isilote are known as 'must-watch' servers, where, despite significant disparities in the size of the two major factions, every Siege War turns into a bloody, hour-long battle. In particular, Christer sees the ownership of Orc Fortress change hands right up until the final moments of the siege every week.

This week also brings news from the Lindel and Sayha servers. On Lindel, the Sword Alliance and the Sky Invincible Alliance have been fiercely trading control of the main castles, Kent and Windwood. In this fourth week, however, the Sword Alliance gained the upper hand, securing the main castles and pushing the Sky Invincible Alliance back to Orc Fortress.

Sayha is notable for the counter-offensive by the smaller dissident faction, the Hangil Alliance. The original dominant faction, the Winner Alliance, suffered a major blow when the Winner and Sashin groups split off. The remaining Legend and Top groups reunited as the Legend Alliance to defend the castle, holding their own until mid-siege. However, as the second wave of combat began in the latter half, ownership started to shift, and the Hangil Alliance claimed victory.

■ Forgotten Island Countdown: Will It Be Exclusive to Top-Tier Players

The release of Forgotten Island is confirmed for July 22. Known as a high-difficulty hunting ground during the past Episode 10.5 update, interest is high regarding how it will appear in Lineage Classic.

Forgotten Island is arriving just five and a half months after the game's launch. Even with differences in leveling speed, the Level limit of 45 is a significant barrier. Given that it was historically a high-difficulty region, there is a high probability that many players will not even be able to set foot in the area when it launches on the 22nd.

Nevertheless, interest in Forgotten Island is intense. Beyond its excellent EXP efficiency, it offers the chance to obtain rare items—such as ancient weapons and spellbooks—from regular monsters, not just bosses. While the drop rates are low and the difficulty is such that one might question if they can even be called 'regular monsters,' a new hunting ground with the potential for big loot always generates excitement.

■ 'Please Sell Light Potions' vs. 'Stop Selling Them

With the Forgotten Island launch approaching and the new ATS region 'Land of the Abandoned' updated, players are pushing hard to level up. Yet, a voice of discontent is rising regarding 'Potions.'

Lineage Classic has recently introduced various high-efficiency hunting grounds like Oren, Ivory Tower, and the aforementioned Land of the Abandoned. While these areas offer high EXP, the monsters' high Attack makes them resource-intensive. Because the Classic Shop is not currently selling potions, players are running out of previously purchased 'Light Potions' and complaining that hunting has become too difficult.

The complaints about potions center on price and weight. While potion prices follow the logic of the original Lineage, players argue that because high-difficulty hunting grounds are added quickly and monster drops are lower, the cost is effectively higher than in the past.

Regarding weight, current options to expand capacity are limited. Even for a Knight, who can carry the most, a standard set with a +500 weight Belt only allows for about 150 potions at 50% capacity, or 400 at 82%. Depending on the level, this amount of potions allows for less than 30 minutes of hunting in the Land of the Abandoned, forcing frequent trips back to town. Consequently, some argue that the current content direction assumes the use of Light Potions, and they should be sold permanently.

However, not everyone agrees. Some argue that managing potion distribution according to limited weight and optimizing time spent in hunting grounds is a fundamental element of Lineage gameplay.

Others point out that since the introduction of Light Potions—starting with Red and Orange, and recently Yellow—players can carry massive amounts of potions without weight burdens. This has made Clan combat tedious and caused the consumption of consumables to skyrocket.

Some suggest that if hunting is difficult and potion consumption is high, it is due to low levels and insufficient Defense. If a player cannot survive using regular potions, the solution should be to adjust the hunting ground level rather than buying more Light Potions.

As the first cash item in Lineage Classic, Light Potions have been part of the service since the beginning, and both sides have valid points. With the desire for leveling likely to increase after the Forgotten Island launch, this debate is expected to intensify.

■ New Equipment is Great, but Devaluation is a Burden

In line with the developer's promise to increase the fun of finding loot, new weapons were added to the drop tables of various monsters last week. High-tier equipment like the Death Blade, Sayha's Bow, and Thunder Sword have been released, drawing keen interest from top-tier players.

In particular, the Thunder Sword, which was the first to be introduced, became a hot topic as players compared its performance to the existing top-tier weapon, the Ssaulabi Sword. Reviews poured in, with some claiming that a '+7' version rivals a '+9' Ssaulabi, while others noted that while a '+7' might be underwhelming, a '+9' Thunder Sword is vastly superior. Since then, discussions have been in full swing as players share their experiences with various other weapons, such as the fire-attribute weapons exclusive to Elves.

However, some are disappointed by the new weapon releases. While the addition of items is welcome, critics argue the cycle of 'generational turnover' is too fast, specifically pointing to the Samurai Sword. Initially difficult to craft, the supply of materials like 'Asijae' through pouches led to a rapid increase in volume, and the subsequent quick release of new weapons has caused its value to plummet.

While high-end, rare items are expected to depreciate, some argue the cycle is too fast to be considered a natural evolution. There is also concern that the upcoming release of ancient weapons will further undermine the value of current gear.