The Pokemon Company teased that a new Tera type would be added to Pokemon Scarlet and Violet in the upcoming DLC, The Indigo Disk. The tease was briefly shown at the end of a three-minute trailer during the conclusion of the 2023 Pokemon World Championships, which left many Pokemon Scarlet and Violet players guessing what this new Tera type is and what it could do in battle.
Introduced in the ninth generation, the Terastal battle gimmick of Pokemon Scarlet and Violet allows trainers to change their Pokemon's type into a different type in the middle of a battle, which added another layer of complexity to competitive battles. Following in the footsteps of Dynamax raid battles in Pokemon Sword and Shield, the Terastal gimmick has allowed Pokemon Scarlet and Violet to host a variety of Tera raids, including a seven-star Tera raid battle against Mewtwo the Unrivaled. While there are currently 18 Tera types that correspond to each Pokemon type at the time of writing, The Indigo Disk will increase that number by one when the DLC arrives in Winter 2023.
The Pokemon Company has not revealed the name of the nineteenth Tera type at the time of writing, but some details were teased in the aforementioned trailer. First, the icon for the nineteenth Tera type in the battle menu is a rainbow-colored shell, which looks similar to the shell of Terapagos, the Legendary Pokemon of The Indigo Disk DLC. This may indicate that catching Terapagos could be the key to unlocking this new Tera type in Pokemon Scarlet and Violet. In addition, this new Tera type is not exclusive to Terapagos, as The Pokemon Company used Baxcalibur to seemingly confirm that any Pokemon can have its Tera type changed to the new Tera type. It remains to be seen what methods will be used to obtain this new Tera type in The Indigo Disk.
As for its usage in battle, the new Tera type was shown to affect Tera Blast, which is in line with how the move's type changes to correspond to the Tera-type of a Pokemon. However, the outlines of Baxcalibur's Dragon and Ice attacks in the menu also had the same rainbow coloration as the Terastallize icon. This could indicate to Pokemon Scarlet and Violet players that moves that grant the usual same type attack bonus (STAB) could benefit from the new Tera type in some capacity.
Between the reveal of the new Tera type, and the return of past starter Pokemon in The Indigo Disk DLC, Pokemon Scarlet and Violet players will have plenty to look forward to in the expansion. Only time will tell when a proper release date for The Indigo Disk is confirmed.
Pokemon Scarlet and Violet are available now for Nintendo Switch.
The Pros and Cons of Baldur’s Gate 3’s Co-op Features
Baldur's Gate 3 may primarily be a single-player RPG, but Larian Studios also included a co-op mode that can be a lot of fun. Players can explore this fantastic world and experience its wild cast of characters with up to three of their friends. This makes it feel like an actual Dungeons and Dragons campaign and can be a fantastic ride. However, there are also a few downsides to Baldur's Gate 3's co-op that prevent it from being as good as it could be.
Baldur's Gate 3 is a fantastic RPG, but its co-op mode can also limit its potential a bit. While the core gameplay is still thrilling, some players may find it hard to actually follow the story when they are playing with others. Co-op can also limit the player's freedom, cuts out the party feature, and can cause problems with things like vendors. The entire concept is still a terrific addition to the RPG, but it also needs a bit of work.
Baldur's Gate 3's Co-op is a Great Ride
Baldur's Gate 3 is a wonderful time when playing solo, but it can be even better with friends. The game is supposed to feel like a Dungeons and Dragons campaign, and the only way to truly get that feeling is by playing co-op. Up to four players can adventure through the world together and engage in everything that it has to offer. They must fight alongside each other, make game-changing choices together, and explore every corner of this fantastic world. It can be a riveting adventure with the right people, and some players may even prefer it over the single-player mode.
Larian Studios did not alter Baldur's Gate 3 much to make room for the co-op mode, and that makes for an exciting time. The entire game can be played online or through split-screen multiplayer, and it will often result in some wild shenanigans. A simple conversation can quickly become a bloodbath as players constantly make the most unexpected decisions. This can lead to some unique and wild times that are only possible when playing with friends.
Baldur's Gate 3's Co-op Is Not Perfect
Baldur's Gate 3's co-op can be a lot of fun, but it also has a few limitations. The biggest thing holding this mode back is that it can be hard to actually follow the main narrative. Unless players opt into every single dialogue, they may miss crucial plot beats. This is because Larian chose to not pull every player into a cutscene when players start conversations. While this helps the flow of co-op since there are hundreds of conversations, it can also hurt the flow of the plot.
Players also do not have much control over the dialogue choices that their friends select. While they can give their input, the final choice is up to whatever player starts that dialogue sequence. This gives the game a Dungeons and Dragons feel, but some players may want more control over the narrative. They do not get that control here, and that can often lead to Baldur's Gate 3's story going in very unexpected directions.
Co-op also removes the party feature from Baldur's Gate 3 as players take the place of the NPCs. The party feature is a major part of the game as players will recruit various NPCs that will follow them on their journey. They can take control of these NPCs, use their skills in combat, and slowly grow closer to them over the course of the story.
While the NPCs are still present in co-op, they are stuck at the camp for the duration of the campaign. There is a lot to enjoy about Baldur's Gate 3's co-op, but those looking for the complete experience may want to play single-player instead. It is ultimately up to what players prefer, and both modes are still worthwhile.
Baldur's Gate 3 is available now on PC, with a PS5 release on September 6 and an Xbox launch to follow.
With respect to how to get to the ancient temple upon reaching Act 2, there is heavy overlap between that objective and this section's main quests. As such, Baldur's Gate 3 players that simply continue to play through the story should eventually reach the relevant location and advance the Chosen of Shar questline.
For those fans that would like some more specific information on this process, the first step toward reaching the ancient temple is to enter the Thorm Mausoleum through the door at X:-118 Y:112. For full clarity, this location is north of the House of Healing within Baldur's Gate 3's Reithwin Town (north of the Moonrise Towers), and again a main quest should send players directly to it.
With respect to how to get to the ancient temple upon reaching Act 2, there is heavy overlap between that objective and this section's main quests. As such, Baldur's Gate 3 players that simply continue to play through the story should eventually reach the relevant location and advance the Chosen of Shar questline.
For those fans that would like some more specific information on this process, the first step toward reaching the ancient temple is to enter the Thorm Mausoleum through the door at X:-118 Y:112. For full clarity, this location is north of the House of Healing within Baldur's Gate 3's Reithwin Town (north of the Moonrise Towers), and again a main quest should send players directly to it.
Upon entering the Mausoleum, players should head northward to enter a room with several paintings on the walls. Fans should press the buttons under those paintings in this order to reveal a path forward:
- Moonrise Towers
- Grief
- General
Beyond the painting room, players can interact with a Traversal Gem in order to activate a lift that travels to the Gauntlet of Shar. Here, fans will encounter a room with a statue in its center, and they must interact with the eight Mystic Thuribles that hang around the room's perimeter before they can move forward.
To interact with the Mystic Thuribles, players must lower them by flipping the four levers that are situated in the alcoves that extend from the statue room. Here are the coordinates of those levers, and fans will be able to pass through the door at the north end once they have interacted with the statue:
- X:-731 Y:-858
- X:-729 Y:-834
- X:-706 Y:-839
- X:-707 Y:-862
All that is left to do now is head northward and interact with the Pedestal of Reckoning at X:-715 Y:-776. This action will trigger a cutscene focusing on Shadowheart, and the Chosen of Shar's "reach the ancient temple" objective will be replaced with a new one thereafter.
