The 25th Ancient Citadel in Raven 2 has drawn to a close, and the winners can be sorted into two distinct categories. First, we have the veterans of the Primordial Battlefield, where many guilds have shattered their previous win streaks. Most notably, 'No-ppak-kku' and 'Romantic' from the Lux world have secured 5 and 4 victories respectively, climbing the ranks of the Ancient Citadel leaderboard. Most other victors in the Primordial Battlefield have managed at least 2 wins, suggesting that the top-tier guilds are finally establishing their dominance.

The second category consists of smaller or elusive guilds. Our post-match analysis revealed that some winning guilds had as few as 5 to 15 members, or were simply untraceable in the rankings. This trend was particularly prominent in the Elemental and Life battlefields. While it isn't uncommon for smaller guilds to snatch a win, their total disappearance from the rankings is a first, leaving us to wonder what exactly is going on behind the scenes.

The heat of battle is palpable in Lux, Kerum, and Solah.

The energy in Lux, Kerum, and Solah worlds is staggering, with a massive number of guilds bidding for entry. The dynamics vary slightly; Lux sees the highest performance from multi-win guilds. The grouping is also a critical factor, with Lux, Terra, and Nox bundled into the 3-server, 3-group format. Check the image for the full bracket; as you can see, participation in Groups 5 and 6, where Lux resides, is significantly higher.

Lux has monopolized both groups in the Primordial Battlefield, driven by the 'Dandan' alliance. This includes 'No-ppak-kku', 'No-ppak-kku 2', and 'No-ppak-kku 3' in Group 5, with 'Romantic' and 'Valentine' in Group 6. There is an additional 'Dandan' alliance, likely affiliated with the same power block given their identical guild icons and naming conventions. These alliances are not only dominating the Primordial Battlefield but are also extending their reach into other arenas.

Kerum and Solah clashed in Groups 3 and 4, with the competitive edge tilting toward Kerum. Group 3 saw participation from Raven 2 Guild Championship veterans like 'Jung-dok 1' and 'Kingz', with 'Jung-dok 1' taking the win. Group 4 was swarmed by the VIP alliance, as 'BOSS1', 'BOSS2', 'BOSS4', and 'BOSS5' appeared across the Elemental, Life, and Vegetation battlefields. It appears to have been a highly successful diversification strategy, with BOSS1, BOSS2, and BOSS5 racking up points.

However, Solah wasn't just rolling over. 'Code Number' secured a win in the Vegetation Battlefield for Group 3, and they claimed exclusive rights to the Primordial Battlefield in Group 4. It must have been a fierce contest.

Ancient Citadel Winning Rankings

Looking at the Raven 2 Ancient Citadel winning rankings, No-ppak-kku and Romantic have shaken up the charts with their point gains. The former has risen to 6th place with a record of '5/0/0/0'. To climb further, they only need one win in the Elemental Battlefield—a goal that seems well within their reach. Since the guilds tied for 4th, 'Ho-hyung-ho-je 1' and 'ROYAL', are currently inactive, a win in the Primordial Battlefield would propel No-ppak-kku into a solo 4th place. We look forward to their next move.

Romantic has entered the Top 10, landing in 8th place with a '4/0/0/1' record. Their outlook is equally bright, bolstered by a win in the Vegetation Battlefield. The gap between them and the No-ppak-kku guilds is surprisingly slim, meaning a single win could flip the leaderboard. It’s a race decided by the thinnest of margins.

At the very top, the rivalry between 'Da-nae-kkeo' and 'Kingz' remains tight. With overall records of '8/1/0/1' and '8/0/2/0' respectively, they are separated by just one win. Both continue to bid for content aggressively; we wait to see who will break the deadlock first.

Ancient Citadel Content Analysis

On July 30, Raven 2 is set for a major update, with several quality-of-life improvements regarding guilds. New features will allow members to purchase Hero-grade crafting patterns and materials for Legendary gear using guild contributions, which should prove a boon for guild development.

More importantly, the update brings balance adjustments for classes, new Hero skill books, class change tickets, and server transfer tickets—a quadruple-threat of big changes. The classes slated for rebalancing include Deathbringer, Berserker, Destroyer, Elementalist, and Divine Caster.

We are particularly interested in how Deathbringer and Divine Caster will fare in the Ancient Citadel. Deathbringer is receiving a boost to the healing efficacy of skills like 'Spirit Spear', 'Disease Cloud', and 'Listen: Harvest'. Meanwhile, Divine Caster will now be able to cast buff skills such as 'Goddess Heart', 'Eye of Goddess', and 'Day of Glory' while moving.

Keep an eye on the server transfer tickets, available from July 30 to August 5. While the Raven 2 Ancient Citadel constantly shifts matchmaking worlds and servers, the potential for power dynamics to flip due to server transfers is massive. The 26th Ancient Citadel is shaping up to be chaotic, and intelligence will be everything.

Raven 2 Guild Contribution Analysis

Recent guild contribution rankings show plenty of movement, which is a sign of a healthy ecosystem. At the top, Solah's 'Myth Red' has climbed one spot following their strong performance in the previous Ancient Citadel. However, their lead over 4th-place BOSS2 is less than 100 million, making their position precarious.

In the mid-tier, BOSS1 and Valentine have both risen one spot, increasing their contributions from 17 billion to 18 billion. This pushed Gzone down two spots; despite hitting 18 billion, their growth rate was insufficient to hold the line. A similar story plays out in the lower ranks with Myth and Da-nae-kkeo, where Myth’s superior growth allowed for a successful reversal.