While Path of Exile 2 has six unique classes to choose from at the start of the game, you can eventually specialize in one of two Ascendencies from each class. This gives you a total of 12 incredible Ascendency classes to play around with, but some are just better than others.This ARPG offers an array of skills on your skill tree, and even more exclusive skills for each Ascendency. Even if you havent reached the point where you get to choose one yet, its good to know how good each Ascendency is in the meta right now. Heres a list of the best Ascendency classes in Path of Exile 2, ranked from worst to best.Recommended Videos12. Acolyte of ChayulaGGGThis Monk Ascendency has a unique playstyle that just doesnt hold up to how powerful the other Ascendencies are in Path of Exile 2. Acolyte of Chayula deals with Chaos damage and resistance, as well as the exchange of Spirit for Darkness abilities that can deal Shadow damage.RelatedIt plays with this through the Embrace the Darkness skill, but other than that, theres nothing really special about this Ascendency. When compared to the Monks only other Ascendency, the Invoker, Acolyte of Chayula is the worst choice you could make in the current meta.11. Gemling LegionnaireGGGThere is a lot of opportunity for the Gemling Legionnaire Mercenary Ascendency to work better in the games future, since as of right now its lacking when compared to its much better counterpart, the Witch Hunter Ascendency. This Ascendency gives you an overall boost to all of your skills, such as improved skill quality, level, and the cost of Skill Gems.Other than granting you additional skill slots or doubling bonuses from your Attributes, theres nothing much else with the Gemling Legionnaire. Its still a decent Ascendency if you love playing around with Skill Gems, but the Mercenary class has a much more effective Ascendency to choose.10. WarbringerGGGWarbringers are powerful armor-breaking Warriors who focus on using Totems. This Ascendency is good for players who like to play melee-focused tanks, but again, Warbringer falls flat against the better Warrior Ascendency Titan.If youre a Warrior who uses the Warcry ability often, youll find Warbringer skills useful, such as Warcallers Bellow, which has corpses explode whenever you Warcry, or Greatwolfs Howl, which ignores Warcry cooldowns. Otherwise, Warbringer still isnt one of the better Ascendencies to choose in the current meta.9. InfernalistGGGInfernalists are Witches who love to play with fire skills. If youre one of them, Infernalist may be a good pick for you. This doesnt mean its one of the better Ascendencies, and its certainly not as good as the Blood Mage Ascendency.Still, Infernalists deal extra fire damage, gain extra mana, Spirit, and energy shields, as well as summon an Infernal Hound, which can help protect you. Overall, Infernalists is an OK choice for an Ascendency, as it gives you a ton of options for improved survivability.8. InvokerGGGThe best Monk Ascendency has to be the Invoker, which can allow you to utilize the power of the elements. There are many build options with an Invoker Ascendency that can help you deal a ton of elemental damage, while also improving your evasion from oncoming attacks.The Invoker Ascendency may not be the best Ascendency, but if youre a Monk, its a great choice for mobility and powerful attacks. More changes will have to be made in future updates for the Invoker Ascendency to rise in its ranking.7. PathfinderGGGA great Ranger Ascendency to choose is Pathfinder, despite the fact that its not the best one for that class. It focuses on poison afflictions, mobility, and improved flasks. Connected Chemistry and Enduring Elixirs increase flask charges and life flask consumption, which improves your survivability as a Ranger.Meanwhile, Contagious Contamination will help spread poison to enemies and Overwhelming Toxicity doubles the poisons you can inflict, making this a perfect Ascendency for Rangers who love poison-inflicting skills. On top of the improved movement speed skills, Pathfinder is a good Ascendency in the meta right now.6. Blood MageGGGAs a Witch, your best choice for Ascendency in the current meta is Blood Mage. This Ascendency gains the skills to leech more life for survivability, inflict curses with infinite duration, and increase critical damage. Your enemies as a Blood Mage will be gasping for life as you stay far from death.Blood Mages have better survivability than Infernalists, which is important for your squishy Witch. You do eventually get Crimson Power, which has you gain energy shield from equipped body armor as extra maximum life. Its one of the better Ascendencies overall, as well.5. ChronomancerGGGThe Sorceress class has the incredible Chronomancer Ascendency, which can manipulate time in various ways. Now and Again has a chance to not consume a cooldown when used, and Quicksand Hourglass grants you extra cast speed every 12 seconds.The best parts of the Chronomancer Ascendency are skills like Time Snap and Time Freeze. The former will reset the cooldowns of all your skills, while the latter stops time temporarily for affected enemies. Theres a lot more unique and interesting skills and passives you can use as a Chronomancer, although its overshadowed by its counterpart, Stormweaver.4. Witch HunterGGGThe best Mercenary Ascendency currently is Witch Hunter, which is leagues ahead of Gemling Legionnaire. They excel at hunting down magical enemies and monsters. Abilities like Culling Strike kill enemies automatically at the brink of death, and Decimating Strike can chip off a good chunk of health right away on full-health enemies.Its a great Ascendency for putting down enemies as fast as possible, but it can also protect yourself against their elemental damage through the Sorcery Ward spell. You also eventually get a skill that makes enemies you kill have a 10% chance of exploding upon dying, making this a destructive and effective Ascendency.3. DeadeyeGGGThis Ranger Ascendency improves your projectiles and frenzy charges. Deadeye Rangers can accurately damage enemies from a safe distance while also having better mobility with skills like Gathering Winds that grants a stacking buff to increase your movement and skill speed.Although the Pathfinder Ascendency for this class isnt too far behind, if you want to maximize your damage output, choose Deadeye. In the current meta, its your best choice for high damage and mobility.2. TitanGGGTitan is by far one of the best Ascendencies in Path of Exile 2 and is the better choice for the Warrior class. This Ascendency makes you an indestructible tank with increased armor and maximum life. You can also carry a chest around that gives you an additional 20 inventory slots, which is important in a game with inventory management.Not only can you take more damage but you can deal it back too. Earthbreaker has a chance for Slam skills to cause AoE aftershocks, while Crushing Impacts makes your hits crushing blows to stun enemies. Then, Surprising Strength has you deal 40% more damage to heavy stunned enemies, making you unstoppable on the combat field.1. StormweaverGGGCurrently, the best Ascendency in Path of Exile 2 has to be Stormweaver from the Sorceress class. They are champions of thunder and lightning, and the battlefield will look like a colossal storm while you fight. Elemental Storm is one of your main abilities here, which can trigger through critical hits on spells.This Ascendency also focuses on inflicting certain debuffs like Chills and Shocks from your stormy skills. Youll also gain more energy shield with Heart of the Storm, giving you a bit more survivability as a Sorceress. In the current meta, Stormweaver is the way to go.Editors Recommendations

Table of ContentsTable of ContentsThe premise is still timely in 2024The core cast members are terrificTheres a love triangle at the heart of the seriesNetflix may be the top streamer for original programing, but its also a digital afterlife for shows that aired on broadcast networks, cable channels, or even other streaming services like the recently resurgent Evil. This month, our pick for the one Netflix show you need to watch in January 2025 is Younger, a drama/comedy that premiered on TV Land in 2015.Prior to the debut of Younger, series creator Darren Star had a proven track record in television including Beverly Hills, 90210, Melrose Place, and Sex and the City. Younger lived up that pedigree by having a six-season run on TV Land before it moved to Paramount+ for its seventh and final season. This show already has a following, but Netflix has a way of helping old programing to reach new heights. Ahead of Youngers Netflix premiere on January 7, were sharing the reasons why you should stream this show.Recommended VideosMTV Entertainment StudiosBroadway actress Sutton Foster stars in the series as Liza Miller, a recently divorced woman who is in desperate need of a fresh start. She also needs a new job, but since Liza is 40 years old, no prospective employer in the publishing field is willing to hire her. To get around this ageism, Liza decides to pass herself off as a 26-year-old who is new to the industry. Lizas deception works, but it also means that she has to continue it 24/7 with the people she knows from work.RelatedMaintaining that secret is a constant source of stress and drama for Liza in the show, especially when other people are more likely to blackmail her than to understand why she did it in the first place. Liza has to walk a delicate path at all times, and if she slips up then she could lose everything she worked for.MTV Entertainment StudiosEntourages Debi Mazar co-stars as Maggie Amato, Lizas best friend who proves to be instrumental in helping her pass as a much younger woman. Hillary Duff (How I Met Your Father) plays Lizas other best friend, Kelsey Peters, a book editor who really is 26 years old. All three of these actresses play off each other well, but the pairing of Foster and Duff is especially intriguing because Liza constantly has to act against her nature around Kelsey. In other words, she cant really mentor or mother Kelsey, so she has to be her contemporary.The rest of the performers, including Nico Tortorella, Miriam Shor, Molly Bernard, Peter Hermann, and Charles Michael Davis, are also well-cast and very entertaining. Tortorella and Hermanns characters also play into the larger arc of the series through their mutual interest in Liza.MTV Entertainment StudiosOne of the main reasons why Liza took up her deception in the first place is that a young tattoo artist named Josh (Tortorella) mistook her for a woman his age. That convinced her that she could pull it off long term. What she didnt calculate is the toll it would take on her to maintain that secret in her professional life and during her romance with Josh.At work, Lizas boss, Charles Brooks (Hermann), also takes a strong romantic interest in her. And like Josh, hes unaware of her true age. Throughout the series, Lizas heart is torn between both men even as she fears the fallout if one or both of them learn what shes been hiding from them. Would they still want Liza if they knew she was 40? Or is age just a number? Youll have to watch all 84 episodes to find out how this love triangle resolves itself. But that should keep you busy well into February, and possibly beyond.Watch Younger on Netflix on January 7.Editors Recommendations

Trump has raised millions from CEOs and businesses for his inauguration and presidential library.Apple CEO Tim Cook was the latest to contribute, Axios reported.The Times reported that Trump has raised over $200 million since winning a second term.President-elect Donald Trump will take office in less than three weeks.In the meantime, he continues to craft his policy agenda and make keyappointmentsfor his second administration.He is also raking in substantial amounts of money.From Meta and Coinbase to Ford and GM, businesses and CEOs are contributing large sums to Trump's inauguration and future presidential library as the president-elect prepares to enter the Oval Office for a second term.Apple CEO Tim Cook is the latest to contribute $1 million of his own money to Trump's inaugural committee, according to Axios.Trump has so far collected a total of at least $200 million, according to The New York Times, which spoke to sources involved in the fundraising. At least $150 million of that will go toward his inaugural, far more than the $107 million he raised for the event in 2017.The super PAC Make America Great Again Inc. is also set to benefit from the cash infusion, giving Trump's allies a powerful vehicle to boost his conservative plans on everything from tax policy to the environment, as well as the GOP lawmakers who'll back his agenda.David Tamasi, a Washington lobbyist, waved off the notion that donors were contributing to Trump to stay on his good side. However, he told the Times that some leaders may seek to build rapport after being detached from the president-elect's orbit."It is a time-honored DC tradition that corporations are enthusiastically embracing this cycle in all manners, largely because they were on the sidelines during previous Trump cycles," Tamasi said. "They no longer have to hedge their political bets."There are virtually no limits to contributions for inaugural committees, and corporations have traditionally funded inaugurations regardless of the political party of the incoming commander in chief.President Joe Biden's inaugural committee raised $63.8 million for his 2021 inauguration, according to FEC filings.Trump's relationships with many top business leaders became rocky during his first term, namely in the aftermath of the August 2017 Unite the Right rally in Charlottesville, Virginia, where white nationalist groups sparked violent clashes. The January 6, 2021 attack at the US Capitol, days before Trump left office, led several companies to pause financial contributions to GOP politicians who had voted to overturn the 2020 presidential results.Even during the 2024 presidential campaign, some business leaders stayed out of the political fray, while others, like LinkedIn cofounder Reid Hoffman and Netflix cofounder Reed Hastings, supported Vice President Kamala Harris' presidential campaign.

Ron Shaich uses 'premortems' to motivate a meaningful life and guide his work.Shaich, Panera's founder, sold the chain for $7.5 billion in 2017.His investment fund, Act III, backs brands like Cava and Tatte Bakery.Panera's former CEO, Ron Shaich, isn't afraid of death he's inspired by it.Over the years he's realized that the time to review whether or not your life was meaningful was "not in the ninth inning with two outs," he told the Wall Street Journal, referring to the final phase of a baseball game. "It was in the seventh inning, the fifth inning, and third inning."During the final week of every year, he conducts what he calls a "premortem:" a ritual that helps him reframe death as motivation to live a more meaningful life. "I ask myself: What am I going to do now to ensure that when I reach that ultimate destination, I've done what I need to do?" he wrote in his 2023 book, "Know What Matters."He starts by envisioning all the key areas in his life. "I'd pull out a yellow legal pad and I'd start to divide that yellow legal pad into the areas of my life that I cared about," Shaich once told Business Insider. "And to me, that's my relationship with my body and my health, my core relationships my wife, my family, my kids my relationship with my work, what I wanted out of my work, and what gave me joy, and then my relationship with my own spirituality. And then based on that, I literally would say, 'What is it I want to have accomplished in each of these spheres of my life?'"Shaich, who reached billionaire status this past July, has built a career off some of the most successful food chains in the country. He launched Panera in 1999 and sold it in 2017 to the European investment fund, JAB, for $7.5 billion.Through his over billion-dollar fund, Act III, he's invested in chains like Mediterranean fast-casual brand Cava, Tatte bakery, and organic cafe Life Alive.He told the Journal that his philosophy of life and death also guides his work. He asks his companies to conduct premortems, envisioning goals for the coming three to five years and planning the path to achieve them."It's been the key to all of our successes," he said.

November 5Election night photos of the two at Mar-a-Lago circulated on X, formerly known as Twitter. In a picture posted by Musk's America PAC, they sit huddled over a table as results stream in. A few days after Trump secured victory, Elon reveled in his unofficial role as bestie-in-chief, and posted on X that he's "happy to be first buddy."Musk and his four-year-old son, X, later joined a family photo on Election Night. November 10Kai Trump made Musk an honorary family member in a post on X a few days later, showing them golfing at Mar-a-Lago and saying that he'd achieved "uncle status." That same day, the young Trump posted a picture with her grandfather on the golf course. November 14Trump and Musk mingle at the America First Policy Institute Gala at Mar-a-Lago. AP Photo/Alex Brandon Trump celebrated his incoming administration at the America First Policy Institute Gala, which was held at Mar-a-Lago.Musk went to the soire, which was filled with GOP officials who will be a key part of Trump's second term as he returns to Washington in January. November 16Trump and Musk were chummy at UFC 309 at Madison Square Garden. Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images Trump attended the UFC 309 event at Madison Square Garden in New York City, which marked a return to his home city and the site of a controversial October rally where a comedian made several crude jokes in advance of the election.The president-elect was accompanied by UFC president Dana White, along with Musk and several other key figures in his orbit: House Speaker Mike Johnson of Louisiana; Robert F. Kennedy Jr., Trump's choice to lead the Department of Health and Human Services in his second term; and former Rep. Tulsi Gabbard of Hawaii, whom Trump tapped to be his next director of national intelligence. November 18Donald Trump Jr. posted a photo on X of his dad's inner circle sharing a meal on an airplane, with Musk sitting next to the president-elect. The three of them are eating McDonald's alongside Kennedy Jr., as Johnson stands in the background.Musk and Trump smile over trays of french fries, quarter pounders, and 10-piece chicken nuggets. November 19Trump during the presidential campaign praised Musk's technological advances. Brandon Bell/Pool via AP The President-elect and SpaceX CEO were pictured hugging ahead of SpaceX's sixth test flight of its Starship rocket in November."I'm heading to the Great State of Texas to watch the launch of the largest object ever to be elevated, not only to Space, but simply by lifting off the ground," Trump wrote in a post on Musk's social media platform, X, before the event. "Good luck to @ElonMusk and the Great Patriots involved in this incredible project!"Musk wrote in a subsequent post that he was "honored" to have Trump in attendance.The launch of the rocket was successful, but the company abandoned its attempt to catch its Super Heavy booster after takeoff. SpaceX had previously announced it would not attempt to catch the booster if proper catch criteria were not met after launch. November 28Musk was spotted alongside Trump at Mar-a-Lago for the Thanksgiving holiday.Musk's mother, Maye Musk, joined her son at the club and called the event a "wonderful Thanksgiving celebration."As Trump prepares to head back to the White House, Musk has remained squarely in president-elect's orbit. December 7Musk attended the re-opening of the Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris. THIBAULT CAMUS/POOL/AFP via Getty Images Trump in early December traveled to Paris to witness the re-opening of the Notre Dame Cathedral. Parts of historic cathedral were heavily damaged by a 2019 fire, which prompted its restoration.Musk also attended the event, and while he didn't sit directly beside the president-elect, he wasn't too far away."Magnificat Cathdrale," Musk wrote on X as he posted a video from inside the cathedral. December 14Musk attended the Army-Navy football game alongside Trump and Vice President-elect JD Vance. Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images Speaker Johnson and Senate Majority Leader John Thune of South Dakota were photographed with Trump at the annual Army-Navy football game in Maryland on December 14. The two GOP lawmakers will play a critical role in working to advance Trump's agenda through Congress over the next two years.Embattled Defense secretary nominee Pete Hegseth whose Senate confirmation remains in question was also at the game.And once again, Musk was a part of the entourage as Trump was joined by Vice President-elect JD Vance. December 31Musk attended a New Year's Eve gala at Mar-a-Lago alongside the president-elect.Other high-profile attendees included Vance, Lara Trump, Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas, and the boxing promoter Don King.Before entering the gala, Trump said he believed 2025 would be a "great year," adding that "we're going to do fantastically well as a country."

If youve seenKraven the Hunter or just been online, you probably know about an odd moment that occurs midway through the film. After being informed that his goons died trying and failing to kidnap the titular hunter, Alessandro Nivolas Aleksei Systevich lets out a scream that sounds like a dying machine of some kind. Youd think it was meant to set up his transformation into the Rhino later in the film, or even get some kind of reaction out of his top goon. But neither happens, so it just exists as a weird moment in a movie that could stand to be more interesting in general.What happened here? According to Nivola in a recent interview with the Hollywood Reporter, hed initially done a silent scream during shooting basically because he decided to at that moment. It seemed to pay off since it got the crew to laugh, and director J.C. Chandor later told him that take would be kept in the films final cut. But at some point during post-production, things changed, and that strange sound he makes was something done in post-production. He thinks its not as effective as the quiet scream, and he mightve had a point, given how memetic its become over the past month. In that same interview, Nivola gave some thoughts on whyKravengot critically raked over the coals. By his telling, being on set was a really joyful experience, and he enjoyed getting to run wild with Chandor and co-star Christopher Abbott. (The three previously teamed on Chandors 2014 filmA Most Violent Year.) He said there didnt seem to be any production problems from his perspective, and noted some of the films issues probably starts to play out in the edit. On these kinds of movies, you hear about all the wranglings at the studio, and maybe there were too many chefs. DespiteKravensnegative reception, Nivolas been taking it stride. Hes grateful to the reviews thatve praised his performance, but otherwise, hes fine avoiding the black hole that can be critical and fan responses. It probably helps this isnt the only film hes in lately: you can also see him inThe BrutalistandThe Room Next Door,both of which are in theaters now, or will be later in January. Want more io9 news? Check out when to expect the latest Marvel, Star Wars, and Star Trek releases, whats next for the DC Universe on film and TV, and everything you need to know about the future of Doctor Who.

Cargo House / MadeiguinchoSave this picture! Joo CarrancaArchitects: MadeiguinchoAreaArea of this architecture projectArea:27 mYearCompletion year of this architecture project Year: 2024 More SpecsLess SpecsSave this picture!Text description provided by the architects. We undertook the challenge of transforming an old 6 x 2.5 m cargo container into a tiny house to be placed in the Algarve region in the south of Portugal. The project includes a small front porch, an arched doorway, and a porthole window framing the sunset. There is a rooftop terrace accessible via a metal ladder that goes through the exterior ceiling, providing additional outdoor space to enjoy the scenic views.Save this picture!To integrate the structure with its natural surroundings, cork panels were chosen for the exterior walls to provide insulation and blend with the landscape. Inside, the space features poplar wood panels on the interior walls and concrete floors.Save this picture!Save this picture!The layout is simple but very functional, with a raised bed, offering storage underneath, an L-shaped kitchen, and seating area. The kitchen is equipped with essential amenities such as a sink, a fridge, an induction hob, and storage. Additionally, there's a bathroom with toilet and shower behind a translucent wall for both privacy and natural light.Save this picture!Save this picture!We decided to keep the container doors fully operable to allow a direct connection with the environment when weather permits. The design maintains the industrial characteristics of the original container while maximizing livability.Save this picture!Project gallerySee allShow lessAbout this officeMadeiguinchoOfficePublished on January 04, 2025Cite: "Cargo House / Madeiguincho" [Casa Cargo / Madeiguincho] 04 Jan 2025. ArchDaily. Accessed . <https://www.archdaily.com/1025071/cargo-house-madeiguincho&gt ISSN 0719-8884Save!ArchDaily?You've started following your first account!Did you know?You'll now receive updates based on what you follow! Personalize your stream and start following your favorite authors, offices and users.Go to my stream

Hypnosis is safe and can work as both a standalone or a complementary treatment with other therapies.

Ive already posted my work, and someone asked about the mesh. Can anyone explain to me, without going crazy, why a super-optimized mesh is necessary for a model? I get it if your PC is a potato or it's for a mobile game, but why obsess over this for everything else? Take any random weapon from a gameits probably just a remesh from ZBrush or done with Quad Remesher. And if its in Unreal Engine, it could even be a Nanite model that uses the high-poly with textures directly. Seriously, it feels like everyone learned from outdated tutorials made by old-school devs who were modeling for the first Half-Life. Polygons dont put as much strain on the system as textures do, yet no one teaches how to optimize texture space. Instead, you always hear, Uh, too many polygons are bad, or N-gons are evil, as if there are no other pipelines besides high-poly and low-poly. Nothing else. Sorry for the rant submitted by /u/TwinKinggg [link] [comments]

Marvel Rivals' competitive mode brings an interesting twist to the ranking system with the introduction of the Chrono Shield, and it can be quite tricky to figure out what its purpose is at first. For players looking to know more about it, here is what they need to know.