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Hello everyone, I'm Game Xiaodi.

This season, Honor of Kings launched the destiny hero Xin Mo Liu Er, which is essentially the dark side of Sun Wukong. This reminds me of the old specialized equipment system that was removed. Although gone, the two concepts have similarities and differences, so let's discuss them here.

Specialized Equipment and the Destiny System

Specialized equipment—many players who joined later might not know what it is. Let me briefly explain. It allowed you to add a designated item in the equipment slot for a specific hero. After purchasing it, the hero's skill effects, mechanics, and values would change. For example, Xiang Yu without specialized equipment had his first skill as a forced displacement pushing in a direction, his second skill as a damage + buff effect, and his ultimate as a charged slash. With specialized equipment, Xiang Yu gained a passive: when using his second skill, he got a 2-second speed boost and enhanced his next two basic attacks. Additionally, if his bonus attack damage reached 300, the first enhanced basic attack (a sweep) would always crit.

It was actually somewhat similar to this season's Formless Artifacts, but not all heroes could use it, and the effects were tailor-made for each hero. Heroes who previously had specialized equipment included Zhang Fei, Da Qiao, Gan Jiang Mo Xie, Luban Master, Liu Bang, Da Mo, and others. However, after a few seasons, the developers suddenly announced the removal of all specialized equipment and integrated their effects into existing skills. The specific reason was not disclosed.

As for the destiny system, you should be more familiar with it. It's a new "Hero Destiny" project launched this season, starting with Sun Wukong's destiny, Xin Mo Liu Er. Conceptually, it's quite similar—both provide different skill effects for the same hero. For example, Xin Mo Liu Er is essentially Sun Wukong himself but with a different set of skills. Similarly, purchasing specialized equipment also changed the hero's skills, giving another set of abilities.

However, in terms of actual gameplay, they are completely different. The hero destiny has a separate entity, and it feels like an entirely new hero, although it shares some similarities with existing heroes. For example, both Sun Wukong and Xin Mo Liu Er have passive crit and Cloud Somersault, but everything else is different. Personally, I never see Xin Mo Liu Er as Sun Wukong. As for specialized equipment, as mentioned earlier, it's still the original hero, just with a different playstyle—you don't feel it's a new hero.

Which one is more fun?

If I had to say which is more fun, I'd lean towards specialized equipment. After all, you can choose whether to use it or not—not using it is one playstyle, using it is another, and you can even switch during the game. It's like Li Xin, who has a berserker form and a commander form—essentially the same feeling as specialized equipment.

However, balancing specialized equipment was really difficult. If it wasn't strong enough, it was pointless—no player would abandon their familiar playstyle for a weak alternative. But if it was too strong, it defeated the purpose, because the goal was to change playstyles, not replace them. If it was too strong, everyone would use it, and the original playstyle would lose its place. In the seasons when specialized equipment existed, it was mostly too strong, everyone used it, and then it was adjusted and reworked repeatedly. This might have been a major reason for its eventual removal.

So, do you still remember specialized equipment? That's all for now. If you liked it, feel free to give a like to support me. If you have anything to say, ask, or want to see, leave a comment—I'll read them all~

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