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Behind the Banner: CompletelyStrange

Behind the Banner is a series that shines a light on Albion's many diverse guilds, from fierce PvP warbands to tight-knit social communities. Each episode delves into the identity, playstyle, and goals of a different guild, offering a glimpse into what life is really like behind the banner.

[video]https://assets.albiononline.com/uploads/media/default/media/video_/media/68309ca5635f4_360.mp4[/video]
  • Guild Name: CompletelyStrange or “COM”
  • Alliance: Leaders of [WhyU] Why Are U Running
  • Guild Leader: JustMeWhyNot
  • Date Founded: December 3, 2021
  • Size: 256 (active) / 285 (total)
  • Primary Language: English
  • Server: Albion Americas
  • Discord: discord.com/N8gUBmfS9


Tell us about your guild.

CompletelyStrange was originally a small group of friends who were in it purely for the fun, without caring much for endgame content. We’d rather focus on helping each other and newer players.

That’s still our main focus, even though our numbers and the content we do have changed quite a bit by now. Our name still fits us – we’re completely strange. Some of our ideas may sound ridiculous at first, but you might be surprised when they actually work.

A good example is our beloved “Pike Gang.” Born out of a joke, it’s just a group of members in the cheapest T4 gear – and of course… pikes! It may not sound great in theory (and it still isn’t on closer inspection), but the Pike Gang has made millions in PvP and even managed to capture Black Zone Outposts. It’s not the most efficient way, but it’s basically no risk and a whole lot of fun.

Why did you choose this name? Is there a story or meaning behind it?

The name represents how we always approached things – not necessarily conforming to the “norm” and not always doing things the same way others do.

What sort of activities do you focus on?

We follow a simple principle. As long as our members are willing to put effort into something, we can do it:
  • If they want to join certain content, they can ping content-specific roles in our Discord
  • If enough members are interested, the guild supports events with gear and/or Silver
  • COM combines players from all Albion playstyles, so there's a wide range of content to choose from
In parallel to member-hosted content, we have Mentors, members who’ve proven trustworthy, helpful, and knowledgeable. They’re asked to take on that role as the main pillar of scheduled content. They consistently put in a lot of time and effort, and they are the glue of our community.

[video]https://assets.albiononline.com/uploads/media/default/media/video_/media/68309c506718c_720.mp4[/video]

What sort of members are you looking for?

We welcome anyone who wants to learn, teach, or just enjoy a good time with laid-back players who aren’t too into the ultra-sweaty side of things. We expect everyone to treat each other with respect and behave in a civilized manner. Apart from that, anything goes.

Where is your guild primarily located?

Our Hideout is in the Roads of Avalon. Right now, we share our Road with six lovely allied guilds and their HQs. Everyone in the alliance has full access to our Hideout, it’s a central place to team up, trade, duel, refine, and craft. We chose the Roads because most of our members prefer small-scale PvP over ZvZ. Plus, the Roads are always changing, with new areas, new resources, and new adventures every few hours.

Do you have any rivalries or ongoing quarrels with other guilds?

We try to avoid in-game politics or personal vendettas. We focus on internal growth and building a positive environment. That applies in our Hideout region as well. But there’s one moment that stands out: when CompletelyStrange and MANDRAGORA became allies, after being hostile neighbors in the Roads for a long time.



What does your guild do for fun?

We run all sorts of events, tournaments, and workshops. Donkey races through lethal zones, weekly activity rewards, PvP and economy workshops, group game nights, picture contests, and just casual voice chats. There’s always something going on.

What is your guild's approach to the game? Do you have any core values or beliefs that guide how you play together?

Patience, especially when things go wrong. That’s probably our most important value. We all started somewhere, and no one knows everything. We share knowledge through member-written guides and in person, and we celebrate when members succeed using that knowledge. Even then, mistakes are normal. We all make lots of them along the way. What matters is getting back up by working together. One of our members summed it up best: “CompletelyStrange” Characters Welcome!

What are some of your most memorable battles or activities?

Honestly, it’s usually the goofy, mostly “useless” activities that are the most memorable. We’ve collected a lot of those situations over time. For example, we decorated our entire Hideout floor with our shiny corpses:



What are your goals for the future?

This season, we’re in the process of purchasing or associating city stations, ideally one in each city, based on local bonuses. That’ll help support members’ passive economies. Next season, we plan to finish setting up all our guild islands. But COM doesn’t tax members – if they want to contribute, they can donate resources for upgrades. It’s fully voluntary. Teamwork makes the dream work!

What is your ultimate goal in Albion?

Our core goal is to help, teach, fame, and train members. That effort restarts with every new player who joins. Some will stay. Some will move on to Black Zone guilds. Either way, we want them to succeed, and if things turn out differently than they expected, they’re always welcome to come back.

Anything else to share about your guild?

I would like to express how incredibly proud I am of all our members, allies, and friends who have supported us through times of success, doubt, and everything in between. COM wouldn't exist without you, and I'm grateful our paths crossed. This is especially true for our lovely Mentors: TJSOLI, MasterPantheon, Daucina, RubberDuckie, OneTap25, Samasamasama, and Slywynn – they alone make up half of COM’s heart and soul.

Want your guild to be featured next? We’ve launched a form where guilds can apply to be highlighted in the Behind the Banner series. Click here to apply.

Changelog: Rogue Frontier Patch 8

This small patch addresses some combat balance issues and improves underused spells, alongside some minor bug fixes.

[h3]Combat Balance Changes[/h3]

Arcane Staffs

To make Magic Shock a more reliable tool for dealing damage and interrupting enemy casts, its cast time has been significantly reduced.
  • Magic Shock (all Arcane Staffs)
    • Cast time: 0.5s → 0.35s
Crossbows

Divine Engine was dealing too much damage too quickly following its recent buffs. Its damage per tick has therefore been reduced somewhat, while remaining higher than before its recent buffs.
  • Divine Engine (Energy Shaper)
    • Damage per tick: 117 → 106
Flickershots’ dash range and speed have been increased so that its dashes are no longer slower than most sprint speeds.
  • Flickershots (Arclight Blasters)
    • Dash range: 7m → 8m
    • Dash speed: 9.33m/s → 10.66m/s (duration unchanged)
Fire Staffs

Searing Flame has high damage potential with very long range. To help other ranged weapons fight back, its range has been reduced somewhat.
  • Searing Flame (all Fire Staffs)
    • Range: 19.5m → 18m
Nature Staffs

Living Armor now has an instant guaranteed heal to improve its baseline value, even in suboptimal conditions.
  • Living Armor (Great Nature Staff)
    • Added instant heal for 66
Quarterstaffs

Cartwheel’s cooldown has been reduced to help Quarterstaff tanks find more success, but to maintain a consistent total mobility, the movement speed buff on hit has been removed.
  • Cartwheel (all Quarterstaffs)
    • Cooldown: 8s → 6s
    • Removed: 20% movespeed bonus when hit
Shoes

Vengeful Sprint has fallen by the wayside after its previous nerf. Some of its bonus speed has therefore been returned to support it as a boot option with sharper moments of power, but not to the point that it becomes ubiquitous.
  • Vengeful Sprint (Demon Boots)
    • Move speed per stack: 22% → 25%
Miscellaneous
  • These abilities no longer require line of sight:
    • Boulder Crash (Earthrune Staff)
    • Lightning Storm (Battle Eagle)
  • These abilities now have more accurate spell indication areas:
    • Hail (Great Frost Staff)
    • Glacial Obelisk (all Frost Staffs)
  • These abilities have had their skillshot indicators adjusted:
    • Searing Flame (all Fire Staffs)
    • Magma Sphere (Wildfire Staff)
    • Fire Wave (all Fire Staffs)
    • Rising Blow (all Quarterstaffs)
    • Cartwheel (all Quarterstaffs)
  • These abilities now scale their slow duration with AoE escalation:
    • Caltrops (all Crossbows)
    • Frost Bomb (all Frost Staffs)
    • Frozen Surge (all Frost Staffs)
    • Glacial Obelisk (all Frost Staffs)
    • Hail (Great Frost Staff)
  • Slowing Charge (all Hammers)
    • AoE slow escalation now increases slow duration instead of slow strength
  • Frost Bomb (all Frost Staffs)
    • Initial slow area is no longer affected by diminishing returns, crowd control resistance, or ability power scaling

[h3]Fixes[/h3]

Spell Fixes
  • Spontaneous Combustion (Flamewalker Staff): Fixed issue where the transformation could be treated as a valid target by other spells or effects
UI Fixes
  • Fixed issue where clicking a character’s name in the player context menu opened via chat could cause unintended movement
Other Fixes
  • Fixed issue where Raid Banners could continue to reduce Fortification damage protection even after being dropped

This Weekend, Season 27 Reaches its Turning Point



Season 27 marks the second round of the frantic two-month format, and if last season taught us anything, it’s that in a shorter season a lead can vanish in an instant. With double scoring about to begin, anything is possible, and this season is already shaping up to be a wild one. Get ready, because this is where Season 27 really kicks into high gear.

Let’s take a look at where things stand at the halfway mark:
  • Albion Europe: At the halfway point of Season 27, Statement is making a bold charge for their first season title on the European server. With over 500,000 Season Points to their name, no other guild has come close. WorldWide sits in second with 186,000, while Heralds of Valhalla trails just behind. With such a massive lead, attention now turns to the battle for the remaining podium spots. Can anyone catch up, or will Statement’s dominance go unchallenged in the final stretch?
  • Albion Americas: The king is dead, long live the king! After ruling with an iron grip, the IFures coalition collapsed in dramatic fashion. Mistreatment and threats at the end of Season 26 sparked a full-blown rebellion, and within weeks, AYUDA and their allies had wiped IFures from the Outlands, erasing nearly every trace of their former dominance. With revenge complete, AYUDA has now declared victory… and disbanded. From here on, its former members intend to fight each other, promising a chaotic second half. No renting. No alliances. Just war. Once again, the Americas server provides the drama.
  • Albion Asia: As the politics of the top guilds unfold, CCTV and All Rise find themselves in a strange head-to-head for Season 27 – despite both being in the same coalition. CCTV currently holds the lead with 517,000 Season Points, while All Rise trails just behind at 490,000. Rumors are swirling that All Rise was aiming for Rank 1 this season, but CCTV isn’t stepping aside. With tensions rising, many are wondering: will we see a betrayal on Invasion Day? We’ll be watching closely as this slow-burn rivalry heats up in the weeks ahead.
[h3]

[/h3]
[h3]Watch the Battles Live on AlbionTV[/h3]
Join the AlbionTV crew for full coverage of the midseason Invasion Day, complete with commentary, strategy breakdowns, and a front-row seat to the day's most decisive clashes.

Catch it all live at twitch.tv/albiononline:
  • Albion Asia: May 17, 14:00 UTC
  • Albion Europe: May 17, 18:00 UTC
  • Albion Americas: May 18, 01:00 UTC
Check out the full Season 27 schedule on the forum, and follow our ongoing Invasion Day recaps while tuning in to AlbionTV each week for the latest from the front lines.

See you on the battlefield!

Changelog: Rogue Frontier Patch 7

This is a small patch focused on further polishing for select weapon lines, and some bugfixes.

[h3]Combat Balance Changes[/h3]

Cursed Staffs

Following the previous adjustments that made the application of the first Vile Curse stack faster, Cursed Tar has become too powerful in group fights. For this reason, its cooldown has been increased.
  • Cursed Tar (all Cursed Staffs)
    • Cooldown: 3s → 4s
Inner Shadow has received some adjustments to its Plate and Cloth effects to make these spells feel more responsive, while its Leather Effect has had its damage against players increased to bring it closer to the alternatives.
  • Inner Shadow (Shadowcaller)
    • The plate effect area now follows the target
    • The leather effects damage vs players: 33 → 40
    • The cloth effects initial tick: 0.2s → 0.1s
Daggers

After Throwing Blades had its damage increased, it should not also have had enough mobility to outperform the other pure mobility options. Therefore, its movement speed buff per stack has been reduced.
  • Throwing Blades (all Daggers)
    • Movement speed buff per stack: 25% → 15%
Frost Staffs

With the cast time removed, its high range, and low cooldown, Frost Lance’s damage was too high and has now been reduced.
  • Frost Lance (all Frost Staffs)
    • Damage: 160 → 148
Hail now has a small slow to help Great Frost players provide some utility to their allies and help land follow-up casts.
  • Hail (Great Frost Staff)
    • Added: 10% slow for 2s
Shapeshifter Staffs

Unstable Projectile has received a slight increase to the front of the cone’s width, allowing the caster to hit enemies adjacent to their target more often, and also has some more power behind each blast.
  • Unstable Projectile (all Shapeshifter Staffs)
    • Cone splash damage: 40 → 44
Armors

Requite has been a dominant item in 1v1 content, offering defenses, damage, and CC. We want to keep its high impact defenses and CC, but have reduced its damage to reduce its power in high hit-count cases.
  • Requite (Armor of Valor)
    • Damage: 31 → 27
Miscellaneous
  • Judgment (Lightcaller)
    • Visuals have been updated to be more readable in large-scale fights
  • These abilities no longer require line of sight:
    • Cursed Tar (all Cursed Staffs)
    • Explosive Bolt (all Crossbows)
    • Explosive Mine (Weeping Repeater)
    • Fatal Blade (Black Monk Stave)
    • Seedling’s Bloom (Rootbound Staff)

[h3]Fixes[/h3]

UI Fixes
  • Fixed issue where the Kills and Deaths tabs in Player Stats UI would show all results after reopening regardless of the selected filter
  • Fixed issue where some account-wide Avatar and Avatar Ring rewards would not appear as unlocked
  • Fixed issue where repairing an item after moving Siphoned Energy in the inventory could prevent it from being overcharged
  • Fixed issue where taking a filled Journal manually from a Mercenary could prevent Silver from being collected and the Mercenary from being sent to work again
  • Fixed issue where Marketplace offers could not be sorted by lowest price after sorting by item and then reopening the UI
Other Fixes
  • Fixed issue in Timbertop Wood where players and mobs could fall through the ground in a Dynamic Encampment

Behind the Banner: Wild Cards / High Cards

Behind the Banner is a series that shines a light on Albion's many diverse guilds, from fierce PvP warbands to tight-knit social communities. Each episode delves into the identity, playstyle, and goals of a different guild, offering a glimpse into what life is really like behind the banner.



  • Guild Name: Wild Cards / High Cards
  • Alliance: [6dog] 6oo bie ma wo
  • Guild Leader: Monojd and Monodj
  • Date Founded: January 1, 2025
  • Size: 550 - 600 members
  • Primary Language: English, Filipino
  • Server: Albion Asia
  • Discord: discord.gg/WildxHigh
[previewyoutube][/previewyoutube]
Tell us about your guild.

When I came back to Albion, I was a complete newbie and didn't know what to do. So I started a community called Albion - New Player Society and invited over 100 new players from all over Asia to help them and teach them what I had learned. Eventually, many of us joined a guild, but it was not what we were looking for. That's when I decided to create Wild Cards: a place where players would be treated fairly, with no forced timers, no tax ratting, and real transparency and benefits.

Also, as I reached out to other guilds to make connections, I realized that many so-called casual guilds were really just dying guilds, like former ZvZ guilds with mandatory timers trying to go casual after losing momentum. So I used that knowledge to unite them under my own “casual system”, a system that combines quantity and quality.

Why did you choose this name? Is there a story or meaning behind it?

The name comes from the idiom “wild card”: unpredictable, flexible, and bizarre.

What sort of activities do you focus on?

I believe our guild is the most active out there because we do every kind of content! We don’t focus on just one thing. Different hosts run all sorts of activities throughout the day. That said, this ZvZ-casual guild is addicted to group dungeons. I guess we enjoy the fun and chill environment that’s created when they're closed and we don't have to worry about getting ganked. It’s a nice change of pace.

What sort of members are you looking for?

Anyone with more than 10 million Fame, who knows at least the basics and has a good mindset. That mindset means understanding that even if we lose 1,000 times, those losses are just part of winning. As long as we remember we can be Wild or go Higher, we’ll never truly lose.

[previewyoutube][/previewyoutube]
Where is your guild primarily located in the Outlands?

Sunfang Wasteland, Quality 6 – right next to Wailing Bulwark.

Do you have any rivalries or ongoing quarrels with other guilds?

Right now we're chill, but we're trying to take over World Boss politics and overthrow the current tyrannical government in control. Revolution, a guild that monopolizes World Bosses for their own gain, became our main rival after the World Boss fight in Wailing Bulwark. I want to stop them, and right now my side is winning. We’ve disrupted their farming, pushed back their supporting guilds, and even bonked their Hideout. In return, they’ve tried to stir up drama, claiming they own the World Bosses and warning others not to farm them. We responded by farming them freely, wiping their guild, and enjoying the spoils of their arrogance.

What are some of your most memorable battles or activities?

Our first clean ZvZ win. We’d been training daily, each of us scrimming one to three times a day since April. Sure, we’d technically "won" ZvZs before, but this was different. This was the first time we cleanly wiped our enemies – not with just quantity, but with quality:

[previewyoutube][/previewyoutube]
What does your guild do for fun?

Welp, we laugh at our mistakes and bounce back from them. Oh, and we play poker whenever Albion is on maintenance.

What is your guild's approach to the game?

Our approach is chill yet explosive. We may be a casual guild, but we play with discipline and respect – not only toward each other, but also toward our allies and the friends we’ve made along the way.

Do you have an overarching philosophy?

We always stand by this conviction: Two armies go to war. One is relentlessly trained and tired. The other is well-rested and happy. You might say the first one wins through sacrifice, but the army that is happy always wins, even in defeat.

[previewyoutube][/previewyoutube]
What are your goals for the future?

Our first priority is to keep the “casual system” running strong and make history. Beyond that, I want my members to experience what it’s like for a casual guild to make it to Crystal. I’m not sure if we’d be the first one, but a casual guild running for Crystal is just woah!

I want to see everyone rich, riding Mammoths, and casually toppling Albion’s economy. We’ll become a legendary casual guild, one that breaks through handholding systems and World Boss monopolies, reclaiming content that should belong to everyone.

What is your ultimate goal in Albion?

To have fun with my guild. I really want to live up to the game’s promise to "Create Your Own Story". For me, that means to play without being forced into strict timers, and enjoy the time I have to play.

Anything else to share about your guild?

We’ve been through a lot – defeat, drama, and everything in between – but it’s only made our bond stronger. I’m grateful to the members who believed in me and followed this bizarre path I’m trying to create.

Want your guild to be featured next? We’ve launched a form where guilds can apply to be highlighted in the Behind the Banner series. Click here to apply.