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Top 10 Best Helmets in Escape from Tarkov
Helmets in Escape from Tarkov are a touchy subject for tierlist enthusiasts. The items tend to be difficult to place in terms of power simply because ranking their individual effects (or uselessness) alongside debuffs and a solid definition of what counts as ‘good’ is a fairly subjective endeavor.
That said, there’s not much room for arguing over what helmets are actually good and which ones are trash. Today, we’re talking about the former. Here’s a list of the top 10 helmets in Escape from Tarkov, Roubles not included.
10. Crye Precision Airframe Tan
The airframe is widely regarded as a helmet that can justify its price point for players who want to optimize their odds in Tarkov. As a tier 4 helmet, it can stop the initial round from pistol rounds, slugs, shells, and some softer rifle ammunition.
In addition to this, the Airframe features a high deflection chance and the unique ability to add two separate face covering modifications before heading out. The sheer luck involved in getting capped three times in the head and suffering no damage thanks to face coverings and ricochets shouldn’t be expected, but is absolutely something that’s possible thanks to the mods on the Airframe. To top it off, this helmet features a nice 40 durability and 0% change to movement speed.
9. Ops-Core Fast MT SUPER HIGH CUT Helmet
The Fast MT is a high durability, decently stated helmet with various modifications that make it a worthwhile option, but suffers from the high cost of $1200 / 140K RUB as its downside. It features top / nape coverage with a high ricochet chance, along with a 0% reduction in ergonomics and a 7% / 1% reduction to turn speed and movement speed respectively.
As solid as this helmet turns out to be, it should really only be taken up by experienced players who have confidence in their ability to turn a consistent profit with it.
8. Diamond Age Bastion Helmet
The ultimate tank machine. The Diamond Age Bastion is similar to the Fast MT by default, but features a modification for extra armor that’s extremely expensive, but mainly what makes this helmet so incredible.
The modification takes this class 4 armored helmet to a class 6, which makes it the tankiest helmet in the game, capable of stopping / ricocheting multiple rounds from the vast majority of ammunition types in the game.
You can purchase it from the market for ~ 55K RUB, which turns into ~155K RUB with the armor modification.
7. Team Wendy EXFIL Ballistic Helmet
Yet another helmet similar to the Fast MT by design, the Team Wendy EXFIL Ballistic Helmet is a slightly cheaper variant that suffices as the newbies’ safe haven. If you don’t want to worry about modifications or cost, but still want a reliable helmet, you can skip out on the Fast MT and focus on trading in RUB (if peacekeeper LL4) or 10 dog tags (if peacekeeper LL3).
This helmet has a slight durability advantage over the Fast MT, with a face shield modification option that features a high ricochet chance.
6. Galvion Caiman Ballistic Helmet
The Caiman Ballistic Helmet is another class 4 armor piece that boasts a large 50 durability and a visor modification that reduces blinding effects by 15%.
This, in addition to the -2% movespeed effect and -8% turn speed means that this helmet is largely used by a few niche players who have specific purposes for it in mind. In a general sense, this helmet isn’t the greatest around, but it’s definitely not a generalist’s helmet to begin with.
5. BNTI LSHZ-2DTM Helmet
The 2DTM features a durability rating of 55, offers a face shield modification, and can boasts the high ricochet chance that class 4 helmets enjoy. This helmet does, unfortunately, come with the drawbacks of -3% movement speed, -15% turnspeed, and -10 to ergonomics.
These issues only seem worse thanks to the noise reduction penalty given to players, but compensates with an interesting bonus of actually offering more protection around the ears instead of the standard head and nape.
The 2DTM can be bought from Ragman (Loyalty Level 3).
4. Maska 1-SCH Helmet
For Tachanka lovers everywhere, the Maska proves useful (and difficult) to dawn. Make no mistake, this helmet is objectively a tanker’s delight, but is ultimately too linear in design for players who rely on positioning and flanking for their combat.
Thanks to its class 4 armor base and class 5 faceguard modification, this helmet can theoretically protect a player from most rounds in the game, especially when factoring in its high ricochet chance. To offset this, the helmet has some pretty hefty prices that need to be met.
Firstly, the helmet gives the player a huge audio penalty just for wearing it. Along with the 3% reduction to move speed and 6% reduction to turn speed, this audio penalty is enough to turn the majority of players who prefer situational awareness away immediately. To top it off, the helmet’s design (with the faceguard) limits the player’s peripherals to almost only directly in front of them.
In short, the 1-SCH is for people who want maximum protection and feel confident in knowing where the enemy is (directly in front of them).
3. Altyn Helmet
If the 1-SCH seemed like something you’d like, if only slightly upgraded, then look no further than the Altyn Helmet. This is the first helmet with a class 5 armor base on this list, and also features a faceguard modification that makes this piece one of the best PVP helmets in the game.
In fact, for a long while, the Altyn was actually considered THE best PVP helmet in the game thanks to its armor class and high ricochet chance preventing many rounds from landing home, even in close quarters combat, where lighter armor just doesn’t prove effective.
With the introduction of two new helmets, which we discuss below, the Altyn lost its place as the objective best helmet around. To this day, though, it’s still rocked by many players as one of the better options in the game.
2. Rys-T Helmet
The Rys-T is unapologetically a straight up better version of the Altyn. It was designed, as is described by the community, as an Altyn that is lightweight, and it shows.
Featuring all of the same ricochet chance, armor class, and even better durability as its heavier twin, the Rys-T also boasts lower stat penalties than the Atlyn, all which still featuring the same beloved faceguard that makes the Rys-T not only a great CQC helmet, but one that allows for much more mobility and speed than an Altyn.
Great stats, great upgrade, great helmet.
1. Vulkan-5 (LShZ-5) Heavy Helmet
The Vulkan-5 presents some extremely interesting design choices by the developers towards helmet balance. First things first: the protection.
The Vulkan-5 is a class 6 base armored helmet that weighs more than any other helmet in the game, but offers full head protection from nape, head, to ears. As a result, it also offers some heavy turn speed, movement speed, and egronomitry penalties, too. The turn speed, at 33%, is particularly harsh.
Unlike the aforementioned class 5 armored helmets, the Vulkan doesn’t actually come with a faceguard. It comes with a face visor, making it immediately worse when taking bullets to the face, despite a high ricochet chance, but all the better for utility in reducing blinding effects.
This makes the Vulkan a thinking player’s helmet, a lucky player’s helmet (lest those bullets find you head on,) and a rich man’s helmet. Happy days.
Conclusion
All of these helmets are going to offer something to someone. The real question is how each player plans on using them, and if they can reliably turn a profit for the required price of each piece of gear.
Ultimately, the helmets that aren’t quite as powerful (or protective) and the one’s higher on the list are going to be cheaper, effective against lighter ammunition (which low tiered players and NPC’s run), and will be easier to access.
The helmets that do make the latter half of the list, well, they may be objectively more powerful, but they certainly come at their own costs, both in terms of money and mobility / spatial awareness.
To each their own, and pray those bullets miss altogether.
GLHF,
-E
Which are the best weapons in WoW TBC Classic?
Happy TBC release, everyone.
To celebrate the historic moment in WoW’s history when The Burning Crusade was released to the public on its own server, we’ll be going over the top ten weapons available in expansion.
Note that these weapons will be limited to TBC’s update, and weapons that are classic exclusives won’t be mentioned.
The Best Weapons in WoW TBC Classic
These weapons are listed based on a somewhat arbitrary calculation of their usefulness and power in-game.
What might be your favorite weapon for a certain situation may be ranked lower than what you wanted, but what can’t be denied is that these ten weapons, collectively, make up the ultimate armory available in TBC.
Let’s get stuck in.
10. Hammer of Naaru
Should the Shaman or the Paladin get it?
An age-old question. What’s not up for discussion is the borderline op healing and DPS power The Hammer of Naaru gives to its wearer.
With the introduction of the socket system in TBC (which grants bonuses to weapons much in the same way you can get from enchanting), this two-handed mace comes with some serious benefits.
Firstly, 120 DPS is nothing to scoff at.
But of course, the +44, +41, and +37 bonuses to your character’s strength, stamina, and intellect, respectively, is the main meat of this weapon’s attraction, with additional benefits coming after you’ve geared out its sockets.
With TBC’s buffs to the Paladin’s ability to function as a proper tank, it’s worth considering giving this to your best Pally guild buddy so he can dish out solid AOE party heals and revives to protect from wipes.
But for you hyper-efficient raiders, the buffs given out by shamans with this weapon are absolutely wild, and should be considered for their meta-defining party benefits.
All of this is assuming you don’t just want it to have a gorgeous purple hammer to walk around with. Good luck grinding High King Maulger for this beauty.
9. Golden Bow of Quel’Thalas
“Hunter wep.”
So, we’re finally moving away from classic bows and towards TBC’s offerings.
The Golden Bow of Quel’Thalas is a 97 DPS weapon with +18 agility bonus and the following equip bonuses:
- 1. Your attacks ignore 175 of your opponent’s armor.
- 2. Increases attack power by 34
- 3. This is actually a hunter wep.
As the totally real third equip bonus states, this is actually a hunter only weapon, and one of our favorite looking bows in the entire game. The lore-privy of you would have noticed that this bow is originally from Quel’Thalas, the Horde-sided Blood Elves’ homeland, and serves as an important piece of lore content, especially for The Burning Crusade, in particular.
You can grind this iconic slinger out at Sunwell Plateau by slaying Grand Warlock Alythess and Lady Sacrolash. But, seriously, give this to a hunter, please.
8. Gladiator’s War Staff
What’s up, druids?
Considering the sad fact that we don’t know when we’ll be able to buy items from arena vendors, this incredible item isn’t necessarily going to be available to act as BiS pre-raid gear for the healies. All the same, it’s worth taking a look at, if for no other reason than to water the mouths of all those who want to be the top healer in any given raid.
Gladiator’s War Staff is a two handed… well, staff, that applies 68.5 damage-per-second and comes with some pretty insane equip effects. But first, the passive buffs; +48 stamina, +35 intellect. There are no sockets available on the War Staff (sorry).
The equip effects are as follows;
- 1. Improves spell hit rating by 21 (1.66% @ L70).
- 2. Improves spell critical strike rating by 36 (1.63% @ L70).
- 3. Improves your resilience rating by 25 (0.00% @ L70).
- 4. Increases damage and healing done by magical spells and effects by up to 199.
To be quite honest, this weapon is absolutely insane. And given the news about not needing an arena rating to get rewards from previous seasons, it’s likely most players who want this item are going to be able to get it without much fuss, if a ‘little’ grinding.
It’s insane healies to escape your feelies, after tax, of course. The cost of the War Staff will be 3750 Arena Points.
7. Apolyon, The Soul-Render
148 points of pure DPS with a 3.4 speed that causes some issues with certain classes and builds, but honestly shouldn’t be dismissed by almost anyone.
If you can swing this weapon, you’re going to benefit from having it, end of story. Something to look at is definitely the Tauren +5% passive stam increase, as this two hander gives out a +75 stamina bonus before having its three red sockets filled, which give +6 stamina each.
The equip effects are as follows;
- 1. Improves critical strike rating by 42 (1.90% @ L70).
- 2. Improves haste rating by 32 (2.03% @ L70).
- 3. Increases attack power by 126.
So, you’ll notice some things immediately. First, this weapon is simply one of the best two handers in TBC, but also leaves a lot to be desired, somehow. The attack power increase is objectively nuts, yet would be slicker if replaced with some str. Instead.
I know, I know, I can’t have everything, right? This thing absolutely destroys anything classic could try to compare with it, as you’d expect.
Just thought it was worth mentioning that you’ll be feeling a bit down being so powerful without much room for itemization given the some-what bottleneck nature this weapon possesses.
You can snag it from the murder of Kil’jaeden in Sunwell Plateau. Obviously, a late game weapon that most of you won’t ever have. Sorry. Still, a pretty thing to look at as it wildly swings rapidly at everything in sight.
6. Staff of Immaculate Recovery
“It’s like wielding a priest on a stick” -Some guy, definitely.
Staff of Immaculate Recovery is the optimal healer’s dream. The dps is around 70, so whatever, right? The passive stat increases are; +73 Stamina, +51 Intellect, and +35 Spirit. Already, we’re working with some insane buffs. To compliment this to the Nth degree, we have the equip bonuses;
- 1. Increases healing done by up to 443 and damage done by up to 148 for all magical spells and effects.
- 2. Restores 14 mana per 5 sec.
Staying true to its name, isn’t it? This staff is the ultimate weapon not just for dishing out heals and restoring other people’s health, but also restoring your own resources. The passive 14 mana per 5 seconds and +35 spirit mean that this weapon not only boosts heals to disgusting degrees, but also helps to keep you (or your healer) throwing out their spells often with little to no downtime. Priests and druids rejoice!
This weapon is the unofficial ‘bonus’ piece to the priest tier 5 set, and is dropped by Gurtogg Bloodboil in the Black Temple raid. Good luck!
5. Stormherald
Take our Apolyon friend above and make him worse in PvE but slightly better in PvP, and you get Stormherald.
This thing requires the master blacksmith title to create AND wield (you can’t abandon the profession after creating the Stormherald), meaning it’s far more expensive to wield than just having its required reagents (Deep thunder + 5 nether vortex, btw, very expensive when factoring in all the reagents for the weapons that come before it.)
The cost goes beyond just 300 gold, in short. Holding that profession continuously just for one weapon might present an annoyance some players might not want to put up with. All the same, if the only thing this weapon hurts you on is gold, we can help you out.
Aside from its incredible +42 Strength, +42 Agility, +61 Stamina bonuses, It also comes with a passive chance to stun any target it smacks for 4 seconds. Perfect for those clutch PvP moments. And, honestly, it doesn’t look bad on someone who likes to roleplay as a big ol’ *bonk* warrior.
Seeing someone get clapped with this thing is hilarious when you see that’s its the size of a character model.
Happy smackin’.
4. Sunflare
A dagger fit for mages, Sunflare embodies that classic look of top tier WoW weaponry with its intricate design being completely engulfed by a messy orange flame. The passive stat benefits are as follows; +17 stamina, +20 intellect, with no room for socket reinforcement.
The equip bonuses are;
- 1. Improves spell critical strike rating by 30(1.36% @ L70).
- 2. Improves spell haste rating by 23 (1.46% @ L70).
Basically, you want to use this weapon when pairing it with another item of significant value, such as the Heart of the Pit to gain something from the fact that its one handed.
If you can’t do that, you’re more likely going to want to use something like Staff of torrents, which doesn’t require a pairing object and gains all of its use as soon as you socket it out.
If you’ve got the off hand items to group with it, which you probably do at this point of your accounts journey, then you’ll want to go and murder Kil’jaeden in Sunwell Plateau. You’ll likely be spending a lot of your TBC journey here, so get comfy!
3. Thori’dal, the Stars’ Fury
“Hunter wep.” the sequel.
162 DPS and 59 armor of pure power creep right here, lads. Thoridal, the Stars’ Fury is undeniably something that puts this list of weapons to shame. And not just because you can smack an enemy from range with it. This special bow is identifiable from a mile away with its murky mysterious design, and features a modest +17 agility buff to its wearer.
The true meat is in the equip bonuses;
- 1. Improves critical strike rating by 16 (0.72% @ L70).
- 2. Increases attack power by 34.
- 3. Your attacks ignore 112 of your opponent’s armor.
- 4. Increases ranged attack speed by 15%. Does not stack with quiver or ammo pouch haste effects.
- 5. Thori’dal generates magical arrows when the bow string is drawn. Does not use ammo.
Now, look, I’m not going to pretend that not needing to use ammo is that big of a deal for someone at this stage of the game, but also, it’s a pretty big deal and is probably the most satisfying thing for any hunter to obtain on their character. It’s the first time in WoW’s history (for the second time, now) that a ranged weapon can be used without the need for a quiver or bags of bullets. Wowie zowie.
Bag space and peace of mind, that’s what Thori’dal offers. (Also, It’s the most powerful bow in TBC’s era, but whatever.) Guess where you can farm this beast: Sunwell! Have fun!
2. Dragonmaw
The second of the ‘upgradable’ weapons on this list, Dragonmaw serves as a weapon you can build your account with while keeping your main hand weapon in mind as a goal. Farming the mats early on is your only real challenge.
After obtaining the vortex mats and mastersmith rank required to obtain dragonmaw? You get a 90 DPS weapon with a +9 stamina bonus. Additionally, this weapon has an on-hit chance to increase your haste rating by 212 for 10 seconds, which is absolutely god-like for warriors who want to spam those fury spells (which are affected by weapon speed.)
In the right hands, this is one of the best main-handed weapons a warrior can wield, and comes with the added bonus of being absolutely iconic in the WoW series.
1. Warglaive of Azzinoth
“Rogue wep.”
Sure, the single-sword variant of this weapon is neat. But the real reason Warglaive is #1 on our list is simply because of its set bonus with the off hand Glaive; your attacks have an on-hit chance to trigger a 450 haste rating for 10 seconds, and you gain a 200 attack bonus when fighting demons.
That’s on top of the fact that these items are clearly strong even without the set bonus. Memories will fill your mind of being instantly deleted after finding (really, being found.) a rogue in a BG with this item set. There’s really not much you can do if that happens and you don’t have a solid team and therapist there to save you.
If you’d like to take the 5% chance of obtaining one of these two set pieces, you can do so by defeating Illidan Stormrage at the Black Temple. And the drop rate is 5%. Good luck!
Summary
That’s it for this Top Ten List. Agree with our rankings?
Think we missed something? Let us know.
In the meantime, we’re sure you’ll be grinding away with TBC classic’s recent release. Be sure to refer to this list if you’re in need of some goal to accomplish, as obtaining any of these items is a feat in itself.
Good luck, have fun, and happy grinding.
Here’s a quick recap of the list of the 10 best weapons in WoW TBC Classic:
- Warglaive of Azzinoth
- Dragonmaw
- Thori’dal, the Stars’ Fury
- Sunflare
- Stormherald
- Staff of Immaculate Recovery
- Apolyon, The Soul-Render
- Gladiator’s War Staff
- Golden Bow of Quel’Thalas
- Hammer of Naaru
What’s your favorite weapon in WoW TBC Classic? Leave a comment below.
By Emily Barnes
*As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
Becoming an established Twitch streamer is one of the most common ambitions for people around the world, and the market is as saturated as ever. In order to keep up with the competition streamers are constantly searching for new games to play and updating their setups to improve the quality of their streams. The majority of the most viewed games on Twitch rarely change, but more recently a certain game has made a regular appearance.
Developed by Russian studio Battlestate Games, Escape from Tarkov has recently soared to the very top of the Twitch browse page, and well-known streamers are taking advantage of the game’s rise in popularity. Escape from Tarkov provides players with a huge multiplayer first-person universe with RPG and MMO elements while prioritizing realism and an intriguing story-driven gameplay.
In late 2019 the Escape from Tarkov Twitch Drops Campaign was introduced allowing ample opportunity for players to receive in-game loot for simply watching streamers play the game. First you connect your twitch profile with your in game profile, watch streamers with broadcasts marked “drops are enabled”, and after a certain amount of time spent watching you are guaranteed at least one in-game item. Escape from Tarkov was also on sale during this time, increasing the normal amount of viewers on Twitch to over 200,000, showing the massive impact this marketing strategy and promotion had on the popularity of the game. Many streamers have taken advantage of this spike in viewership by streaming the game, and one of the most important parts of streaming is using the best gear to maximize your quality. Below is a list of the top ten Escape from Tarkov streamers and their gear:
[table id=1 /]
10. Smoke
Smoke is a popular streamer boasting over 100,000 followers and averaging thousands of viewers for every broadcast. Already being primarily focused on playing first person shooters and survival games, Smoke choosing to play a title like Escape from Tarkov is not surprising at all.
Having a monitor with a crystal clear image of your games can significantly improve your game sense and skill, and Smoke is no stranger to this fact using an ASUS ROG PG279Q 27″ Gaming Monitor. A 27-inch screen provides Smoke with a large enough screen to increase game awareness completed with ASUS Ultra Low Blue Light filters that protect his eyes during those eight hour streams.
The mouse Smoke uses for gaming is the Logitech G Pro Wireless Gaming Mouse with Esports grade performance. This mouse is created to be used by esports professionals with a 16,000 DPI and an extremely lightweight design. Although more towards the pricier side of gaming mice, for a successful streamer it’s a small investment towards the bigger picture.
9. Sequisha
Sequisha is very popular with over ten million twitch channel views and a substantial following. Known for his great sense of humor and very recognizable facial hair, Sequisha mostly streams shooter and survival games, and has recently been strictly streaming Escape from Tarkov. He also has a very substantial knowledge of video games considering he attended school for Simulation and Game Development. When he’s not streaming he’s creating 3D art and developing games.
His Twitch account was created in 2011, so he has been on Twitch for almost a decade. During the years of growing his following Sequisha has invested in a professional setup that is affordable and efficient. His mouse of choice is the Logitech G502 Proteus Core Mouse. This mouse is very customizable with a variety of balancing and weight settings and custom lighting options. Paired with the Logitech G513 RGB Wired Gaming Keyboard, Sequisha’s set up has a visually appealing and colorful look with many custom options.
8. Deadlyslob
Deadlyslob is known for focusing primarily on streaming and creating content around survival shooters: PUBG, Day Z, and of course Escape from Tarkov. His Twitch and Youtube profiles both have significant followings, and he has created informative content about Escape from Tarkov. For someone new to the game, Deadlyslob’s streams are a great way to improve your own gameplay.
Deadlyslob’s gaming rig sports an extremely powerful Gigabyte AORUS GeForce GTX 1080 Ti Xtreme Edition GPU. This GPU is a powerhouse with the price tag to match. A Graphics Card as powerful as this one can run practically any game beautifully, and his ASUS 24-inch 144Hz Full HD FreeSync Gaming 3D Monitor is a wonderful pairing with top notch response time and resolution.
7. Sacriel
Sacriel is a lifelong gamer from the United Kingdom. He streams full time averaging thousands of viewers, and recently has heavily focused on Escape from Tarkov. Before starting to play Escape from Tarkov he logged over 3,000 hours in Day Z, showing his dedication to survival style games.
Sacriel’s gaming rig includes the NVIDIA GEFORCE RTX 2080 Ti which provides gamers with a very realistic gaming experience with a 13-phase power supply. For a realistic game like Escape from Tarkov, this graphics card is a perfect part for your gaming PC. Another part of his set up is the VIRTUOSO RGB WIRELESS High-Fidelity Gaming Headset, a high quality headset that is comfortable and aesthetically pleasing.
6. Veritas
Since his first stream in early 2018, Veritas has gained over 100,000 followers. To gain such a big following in such a short amount of time is nothing short of amazing, and Veritas is known for incorporating his musical talent into his streams.
Veritas’s setup includes the Cooler Master MasterKeys MK750 Mechanical Keyboard. This keyboard features a sleek floating key design with a surrounding RGB light bar. The removable magnetic wrist rest allows for maximum comfort for his streaming 40 hours a week. As a musician, it’s not surprise Veritas’s headset is on the pricey side. The Sennheiser R185 is a top quality headset that guarantees a high quality sound experience with no struggles to hear any footsteps or in game sounds.
5. Anton
Anton is another streamer from this list that puts a lot of his focus on creating informative content. He has created quite a following across multiple social media platforms and has done so without using a webcam. He is primarily focusing on creating Escape from Tarkov content across all his profiles.
Anton uses the Logitech G502 LIGHTSPEED Wireless Gaming Mouse featuring the next-gen HERO 16k sensor allowing for maximum speed, responsiveness, and accuracy. His monitor of choice is the ASUS ROG PG279Q 27″ Gaming Monitor with a 165 Hertz refresh rate for an enticing gaming experience that is visually stunning
4. Dr. Disrespect
Dr. Disrespect is one of the most mainstream streamers on this list. Known for his iconic mullet, charisma, and a controversy or two, Dr. Disrespect has soared in popularity on the platform. It shouldn’t be shocking to anyone that Dr. Disrespect quickly took an interest in playing a game like Escape from Tarkov.
Dr. Disrespect’s setup includes the extremely affordable Razer DeathAdder Elite Gaming Mouse proving that you don’t have to break the bank to get gear that gets the job done well. Razer also manufactured Dr. Disrespect’s keyboard of choice, the Razer BlackWidow TE Chroma v2 Mechanical Gaming Keyboard.
3. Dr. Lupo
Continuing with mainstream streamers, Dr. Lupo is one of the most well-known names from Twitch. Previously known for excelling in games such as Fortnite and PUBG, Dr. Lupo has taken on Escape from Tarkov as well. Dr. Lupo is insanely skilled at most of the games he plays, and Escape from Tarkov is no exception.
Just like Smoke, number ten on this list, Dr. Lup uses the Logitech G Pro Wireless Gaming Mouse. This mouse provides users with Logitech’s most accurate sensor available. His keyboard is also created by Logitech, the Logitech G Pro Mechanical Gaming Keyboard. This keyboard was created to be used by esports athletes and provides a powerful yet quiet performance.
2. Summit1g
Summit1g has grown a following of millions of viewers. After retiring from the professional competitive CS:GO scene, Summit1g has seen massive success on Twitch. Summit1g is a variety streamer who has played many different games, and he most recently picked up Escape from Tarkov.
One of the more affordable parts of Summit’s setup is his headphones, the Audio-Technica ATH-AD700x Audiophile. Costing under $100 while maintaining a high quality sound and a unique open-air design make these headphones a great part of any setup. Summit’s monitor is the ASUS ROG Swift PG258Q Gaming Monitor that minimizes screen tearing and stuttering.
1. Pestily
The final streamer on our list is none other than Pestily. Pestily is a very honorable man having served eight years in the Australian military and for the entire year of 2020 he is giving away all of his donations and tips to the Starlight’s Children’s Foundation. The combination of an interesting backstory, mechanical skills, and work ethic have caused Pestily to rise to success playing Escape from Tarkov.
Pestily’s gaming PC includes an impressive Gigabyte AORUS GeForce RTX 2080 Ti Xtreme 11GB. This graphics card can run even the most demanding games smoothly, and is a perfect addition to a serious streamer’s rig. His headset of choice is the Corsair Virtuoso, a moderately priced headset that provides high quality sound and comfort.
Conclusion
The streamers on this list have some similarities in their setups: Top quality monitors with blue-light protection, headphones with comfortability and high audio quality, keyboards with vibrant and customizable RGB lighting, and gaming mice varying in prices but maintaining the esports athlete standard.
Streamers will always benefit from keeping up with trends and playing games that they genuinely like. Incorporating games into your stream that run campaigns like Attack On Tarkov is a great way to boost your viewer count while rewarding people for tuning in. The streamers on this list have found major success in contributing to the surge in popularity for Escape from Tarkov, and have possibly helped a title to remain popular for years to come. If your new to Escape From Tarkov, check out our Top 10 Tips for Escape from Tarkov and our guide for Top 10 Guns In Escape From Tarkov!
The masterfully-crafted melodies of my favorite video games often dissolve me in my at-home office space, floating back into these worlds I adore. Waves of nostalgia break, releasing sweet, sweet euphoria as I’m transported into the memorable battles and blooming landscapes of games past.
A truly great original soundtrack for a video game is timeless. It transcends outdated graphics and dusty game mechanics. Each score is like a save point for a moment; with a listen, loading the individual back into that space.
Some of the best soundtracks belong to RPGs, because these games more than any other strive to transport the gamer to a fleshed-out world with a strong narrative supported by vivid characters. They evoke feelings of wonder, of triumph, of loss, and this is all bolstered significantly by an imaginative background score.
Below are my top picks for the best RPG soundtracks of all time.
10. Secrets of Mana
The first of a few Square Enix additions, Secrets of Mana is the oldest pick on this list, a classic musical score by its own merits. Factor in that this game was composer Hiroki Kikuta’s first video game score, AND that he was limited greatly by the Super NES software capabilities. I put a lot of respect on this game’s soundtrack.
Within the parameters of the Super NES, Secret of Mana displays a full spectrum of emotional depth to accompany the game’s protagonist trio as they fight against the Empire. While the game itself hasn’t aged particularly well, the soundtrack is still a fantasy-laden, MIDI-driven bop. Ch-ch-check it out.
9. Pokemon Ruby/Sapphire
The classic premise of pitting wild animals against each other in battle has remained largely unchanged over the course of Pokemon’s long history. However, each iteration introduces a new region to collect all new Pokemon in, and an engaging soundtrack to liven up the adventure.
The 3rd Generation of Pokemon, Ruby and Sapphire, went particularly hard in the music, incorporating a broad list of styles that never got stale. Perhaps, I’m partial to the trumpet heavy soundtrack as a former player myself. Bops like the Lilycove City waltz, the pump-up Gym Leader battle music, and the prevailing Route 104 march keep me coming back for more.
8. Dark Souls 2
Dark Souls 2 is a standout in this list, because the game developers don’t care to coddle the player with music to carry them through their quest to kill a queen. Naught but the sound of your lonely footsteps and the roar of the monster will join you on your quest.
That is, until death is upon you. The Dark Souls 2 soundtrack is composed of epic boss music that complements the environment you’re fighting in. The Ancient Dragon fight has a loud cacophony of choral voices with interspersed bells that callout to the wingbeats of numerous dragons and the cathedral you fight before. The haunting strings of the Mytha fight really underscore the creepy movements of the beheaded snake lady who aims to smite you
Still, there are beautiful moments here, which is a divergence from the others in the series. Meditating to the sweet tune of Majula brings me great peace between getting slaughtered wrecked by every enemy imaginable.
While there isn’t a great deal of mood variety on this soundtrack, no other game scores legendary showdowns quite as well.
7. Bastion
Indie hit Bastion follows the adventures of a sharp shootin’ young buck known as “The Kid,” as he navigates a beast-infested world following the mysterious Cataclysm. There is a prevalent Western theme throughout the soundtrack, slide guitars and distorted twang that pair well with the Sam Elliot esque narration along your journey.
The addition of strong vocal tracks in any video game is a bold decision, but memorably executed on “Setting Sail, Coming Home” and “Zulf’s Theme.” Whether you’re feeling nostalgic or just need a good soundtrack to ride off in the sunset to, Bastion’s got you covered.
6. The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt
Steel for humans, silver for monsters, and a golden soundtrack for the rest of us.
It’s no surprise to me that the rugged, monster-killing ladykiller Geralt got picked up for a television series. The Witcher 3 has it all: Lively, expansive world, sharp dialogue, but most important, a lovely cinematic soundtrack.
With the following DLCs, “Hearts of Stone” and “Blood and Wine,” the musical journey only continues along the route of tense clashes and quaint village pieces. The composer triumvirate of Marcin Przybylowicz, Mikolaj Stroinski and Percival really nailed it here. If you liked the Skyrim soundtrack, you’ll love this one.
5. Chrono Cross
Hopping back and forth between alternative universes can leave a player in a real headspin, especially when those realities tend to resemble each other. Composer Yasunori Mitsuda found inspiration within this complex game mechanic, composing a masterful soundtrack that explores this duality, evoking moods that complement two realities Serge and company bravely navigate.
What this leads to is a distinct musical experience whether you’re dashing around “Home” or “Another World.” One of the best examples of this is expressed within the two Terminas. While both have an overarching Celtic theme, Another Termina is driven by a beer swigging, bouncy Irish jig, while Home Termina retains its Irish roots in a more subdued manner, more akin to your local Renaissance Faire.
This soundtrack has also aged remarkably well. While it lacks ironclad hits to truly sweep you off your feet, the music of Chrono Cross swims along with no misses, an uplifting adventure through tropical paradise from first sip to last call.
4. Persona 5
Clearly, we’re showing a lot of love for JRPGs here. That said, Persona 5 is a breakout vibe on this list, high-octane acid-jazz with cooler coffeehouse piano to break up the action.
Bouncing between character’s mental labyrinths and exploring a cel-shaded Tokyo presents a unique opportunity for sound exploration, and Atlus delivers the goods. Even more impressive, the soundtrack is able to remain engaging and fresh throughout the nearly 4-hours album length.
While I haven’t played the game, this is one of those rarities that has me interested in picking it up solely based on the grooves, man.
3. Undertale
Undertale has received a lot of hype among indie game connoisseurs, and it’s all dead on. The low-grade graphic style that may be initially off-putting hides a game with some of the best dialogue and narrative writing.
What might be most memorable is the vibrant soundtrack is the immense mood shifts you get here. “Death By Glamour” could easily fit into your favorite DJ’s party set, while the forlorn piano in “Undertale” makes you want to weep ugly tears. Megalovania is a raucous headbanger that fits the frantic boss fight, though it should be stated here that all of the boss fights really excel at having their own signature music.
This soundtrack has also seen many different remixes, which only further memorializes the powerful effect the music has had on fans.
2. The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind
In almost every way, global megahit Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim, is superior to any other game in the series. Almost. Musically, Morrowind gets the nod over Skyrim as one of best gaming soundtracks birthed by prolific composer Jeremy Soule.
It’s not even close. At just under an hour long, the Morrowind soundtrack triumphantly cultivates the curiosity of the mushroomed continent, the serenity of solo exploration, the bold glory of fierce overland conflict. It almost feels like one continuous piece of music, no jarring transitions or flaccid fadeouts.
While Skyrim delivers three hours of beautiful ambience with a few memorable high points, the Morrowind soundtrack is an unceasing movement of captivating, truly epic storytelling.
1. Final Fantasy IX
Lemme tell you, choosing the best soundtrack from composer Nobuo Uematsu’s catalogue throughout the Final Fantasy series is a heart-wrenching endeavor. There are some seriously strong contenders here, and all could earn a well-deserved place on this list.
FFVI is a strong soundtrack throughout the album, with many high points including Kefka’s boss theme, “Dancing Mad,” which takes a close second to “One-Winged Angel” as the series’ best boss theme. FFVII easily has the best battle music across the series, but besides that, holds another sentimental high point in the collection with the tragically beautiful “Aerith’s Theme.”
Plus, who could forget the intense intro music of FFVIII “Liberi Fatali,” or the only song in the series I would take molly before listening to and dance my face off: “The Man with the Machine Gun.”
However, as a cohesive body of work that has stood the test of time, I give the crown to FFIX. Uematsu has stated in interviews this was also his favorite soundtrack, and with this soundtracks’ string of memorable hits it’s hard to disagree.
Some of the most recognizable tunes here are the sexy “Vamo Alla Flamenco,” the summer favorite “Ukulele de Chocobo,” Kuja’s savage organ piece “Wicked Melody,” and the sweeping love song “Memories of Life.”
Conclusion
One of the toughest parts about ranking this list was discerning personal nostalgia from the musical quality of these soundtracks. While there are some on the list I haven’t played, the strengths of the scores largely speak for themselves.
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