Harness Powerful Artifacts in Issue #2: Dark Arrival
New Artifacts are like birthday presents: you don’t know exactly what they are, but you’re sure they’re going to be great. With new Artifacts come new ways to play, new buffs to include in your loadouts, and new additions to your collection of X-Isle treasures. In Issue #2, you have six new Artifacts to collect, equip, and use to your advantage.
Here’s a rundown of all six new Artifacts, the stories behind each of them, and what effects they have on the wearer.
[h2]Utility Artifacts[/h2]
Utility Artifacts are perfect for improved maneuverability and discoverability on the island. Some also unlock disguises and status effects for combat trickery.
[h3]Ballistic Bag
[/h3]
Upon discovering the Ballistic Bag on X-Isle, GRAIL scientists knew they uncovered something very special. The Artifact’s ability to passively restore supplies could have made for an incredible breakthrough in GRAIL logistics. Unfortunately, after Bjorn’s experiments with passively regenerating snacks failed, GRAIL realized that this artifact works exclusively with ammunition.
It turns out, that Renegades who equip the Ballistic Bag have their weapons reloaded when holstered. This is still an incredible breakthrough, mind you, but nowhere near as revolutionary as passively generating sandwiches would have been.
[h3]Specter's Gaze
[/h3]
The discovery of the Specter’s Gaze strengthened the fringe theory that X-Isle's lost people had a door into other dimensions, where all sorts of wonders (and horrors) awaited. This is why GRAIL scientists were advised to exercise extreme caution when studying this Artifact and its abilities.
A number of Renegades who’ve used the Specter’s Gaze reported the sensation of constantly being watched. Our recommendation: don’t leave this Artifact in your quarters at night.
[h2]Hunt Artifacts[/h2]
Hunt Artifacts grant abilities that allow you to track and take out enemies more efficiently, and can net you extra benefits from eliminations.
[h3]Maelstrom
[/h3]
The most widely accepted theory about the natives of X-Isle is that a storm of titanic proportions trapped them on the island many years ago. This theory is supported by the Artifact known as Maelstrom, which GRAIL scientists believe was created with the purpose of, for lack of a better term, trapping lightning in a bottle; lightning from the very storms that trapped the natives on this island.
This rudimentary battery may suggest that X-Isle natives had some sort of use for electricity. If proven true, this Artifact will change our entire perception of X-Isle’s native population and their technological capabilities.
[h3]Apex Prize
[/h3]
We believe the Apex Prize is not just a vessel of power, but also a trophy. In the times before their civilization was overrun, the lost people enjoyed a life of music, discovery, and games. There was no greater game than the annual race to the top of the island's volcano, the winner of which would receive the Apex Prize as a trophy for winning that fiery footrace.
While these pastimes are not around today, Renegades maintain the tradition of passing the Apex Prize as a trophy to their comrades who’ve demonstrated exceptional skill on X-Isle.
Fun Fact: Specialized X-ray scans of the Apex Prize reveal ashy fingerprints of the last X-Isle native to have won the Artifact in their annual volcano footrace. To this day, this fingerprint remains the sole piece of biological evidence GRAIL has on the lost natives of X-Isle.
[h2]Survival Artifacts[/h2]
Use Survival Artifacts to improve the defenses of you and your squad, and gain extra supplies to restore your health and shield.
[h3]Scallop Shield
[/h3]
The Scallop Shield is yet another piece of evidence of the beautiful craftsmanship of X-Isle’s lost native population. But besides it being a gorgeous piece of X-Isle history, the Scallop Shield also comes with defensive qualities.
The beautiful shells and colorful feathers, sourced from X-Isle's golden shores, have the innate ability to improve the wearer’s shields and give them an extra layer of protection. If this shield was commonly used by X-Isle natives, then their warriors would likely have been incredibly durable.
[h3]Boonie
[/h3]
Many X-Isle Artifacts are known to be haunted, with some of them causing the wearer to hear disembodied voices. While most of the time, this phenomenon is quite frightening, the Boonie totem is a very rare exception.
Instead of the classic sounds of lost souls haunting the wearer, the disembodied voices in the Boonie sound like they’re hyping you up. Though nobody understands what the voices are saying, Renegades still appreciate being cheered on by spirits of the past.
Fun Fact: GRAIL is actively looking for translators to decipher what words of encouragement the spirits of the Boonie are saying.
IMPORTANT: All details are accurate at the time of writing, but are subject to change and expand as we discover more about X-Isle’s mysteries. Play HAWKED to discover all this and more for yourself!
Here’s a rundown of all six new Artifacts, the stories behind each of them, and what effects they have on the wearer.
[h2]Utility Artifacts[/h2]
Utility Artifacts are perfect for improved maneuverability and discoverability on the island. Some also unlock disguises and status effects for combat trickery.
[h3]Ballistic Bag
[/h3]Upon discovering the Ballistic Bag on X-Isle, GRAIL scientists knew they uncovered something very special. The Artifact’s ability to passively restore supplies could have made for an incredible breakthrough in GRAIL logistics. Unfortunately, after Bjorn’s experiments with passively regenerating snacks failed, GRAIL realized that this artifact works exclusively with ammunition.
It turns out, that Renegades who equip the Ballistic Bag have their weapons reloaded when holstered. This is still an incredible breakthrough, mind you, but nowhere near as revolutionary as passively generating sandwiches would have been.
- Common: Holstered weapons automatically reload/cool down after a few seconds. You need sufficient ammo in your inventory for the ability to trigger.
- Legendary: The Ballistic Bag will reload your holstered weapon with a full clip, regardless of whether you have the necessary ammo in your inventory.
[h3]Specter's Gaze
[/h3]The discovery of the Specter’s Gaze strengthened the fringe theory that X-Isle's lost people had a door into other dimensions, where all sorts of wonders (and horrors) awaited. This is why GRAIL scientists were advised to exercise extreme caution when studying this Artifact and its abilities.
A number of Renegades who’ve used the Specter’s Gaze reported the sensation of constantly being watched. Our recommendation: don’t leave this Artifact in your quarters at night.
- Common: Take less damage while invisible or disguised. While reloading after emptying a full magazine or while your weapon is overheated, Specter's Gaze grants you invisibility.
- Legendary: Become invisible while knocked down.
[h2]Hunt Artifacts[/h2]
Hunt Artifacts grant abilities that allow you to track and take out enemies more efficiently, and can net you extra benefits from eliminations.
[h3]Maelstrom
[/h3]The most widely accepted theory about the natives of X-Isle is that a storm of titanic proportions trapped them on the island many years ago. This theory is supported by the Artifact known as Maelstrom, which GRAIL scientists believe was created with the purpose of, for lack of a better term, trapping lightning in a bottle; lightning from the very storms that trapped the natives on this island.
This rudimentary battery may suggest that X-Isle natives had some sort of use for electricity. If proven true, this Artifact will change our entire perception of X-Isle’s native population and their technological capabilities.
- Common: Increases your Gear’s active duration and damage per charge. You get one charge for each empty weapon slot.
- Legendary: Wielding or carrying armaments no longer counts against Maelstrom's charges.
[h3]Apex Prize
[/h3]We believe the Apex Prize is not just a vessel of power, but also a trophy. In the times before their civilization was overrun, the lost people enjoyed a life of music, discovery, and games. There was no greater game than the annual race to the top of the island's volcano, the winner of which would receive the Apex Prize as a trophy for winning that fiery footrace.
While these pastimes are not around today, Renegades maintain the tradition of passing the Apex Prize as a trophy to their comrades who’ve demonstrated exceptional skill on X-Isle.
- Common: When attacking enemies from above, your shots become Empowered, increasing their damage dealt. The more vertical distance between you and your target, the deadlier your Empowered shots become. Maximum damage bonus is capped and achieved at a big vertical distance from the target. Empowered shot bonuses from other sources do not stack.
- Legendary: Firing a weapon while falling or from a zipline reduces bullet spread and recoil.
Fun Fact: Specialized X-ray scans of the Apex Prize reveal ashy fingerprints of the last X-Isle native to have won the Artifact in their annual volcano footrace. To this day, this fingerprint remains the sole piece of biological evidence GRAIL has on the lost natives of X-Isle.
[h2]Survival Artifacts[/h2]
Use Survival Artifacts to improve the defenses of you and your squad, and gain extra supplies to restore your health and shield.
[h3]Scallop Shield
[/h3]The Scallop Shield is yet another piece of evidence of the beautiful craftsmanship of X-Isle’s lost native population. But besides it being a gorgeous piece of X-Isle history, the Scallop Shield also comes with defensive qualities.
The beautiful shells and colorful feathers, sourced from X-Isle's golden shores, have the innate ability to improve the wearer’s shields and give them an extra layer of protection. If this shield was commonly used by X-Isle natives, then their warriors would likely have been incredibly durable.
- Common: Channel the endurance of X-Isle. Increases maximum shield. Performing any offensive action triggers a cooldown until the maximum Shield can be raised again.
- Legendary: Maximum shield bonus is increased.
[h3]Boonie
[/h3]Many X-Isle Artifacts are known to be haunted, with some of them causing the wearer to hear disembodied voices. While most of the time, this phenomenon is quite frightening, the Boonie totem is a very rare exception.
Instead of the classic sounds of lost souls haunting the wearer, the disembodied voices in the Boonie sound like they’re hyping you up. Though nobody understands what the voices are saying, Renegades still appreciate being cheered on by spirits of the past.
- Common: Restores some health per second for every active Buff you have. After losing health, the Artifact enters a cooldown.
- Legendary: Your maximum health is increased for every active Buff you have.
Fun Fact: GRAIL is actively looking for translators to decipher what words of encouragement the spirits of the Boonie are saying.
IMPORTANT: All details are accurate at the time of writing, but are subject to change and expand as we discover more about X-Isle’s mysteries. Play HAWKED to discover all this and more for yourself!
