O Christmas tree, o Christmas tree -- how angry are thy branches...!
O Christmas tree, o Christmas tree -- how much you embody the rage of nature and bring the wrath of the elements down upon us all!

Once again The Nate Before Christmas blesses our doors, and this year we are visited by a princess of snow: Odile, Snowflake Defender!

The Nate Before Christmas 6 runs until Tuesday, December 29th at 12PM PST, introducing Odile, Snowflake Defender and bringing back Frosty the Snowman, RoboSanta, The Dark Helper, RoboRudolph, Xander the Xmas Dragon, Wrena the Fair and Kris, the Enraged Elemental!

New Tier 6 Crusader: Odile, Snowflake Defender

Tags: Event, Magical, Female, Healer, Supernatural, Gold, Good

In the Realm of Berwin, Odile was the first-born daughter of Queen Odessa and King Ambros. The Realm of Berwin, also known as the Domain of Winter, was one of the four realms dedicated to fighting the dark spirits of the otherrealm and protecting the spirits of the seasons. Not only were the royal family of Berwin already strong ice magic users, but when Odile was born, the Spirit of Winter itself appeared and bestowed some of its magic upon her.

As she grew up, Odile began training in secret with her mother, but it soon became apparent that her powers were much stronger than Odessa's, even in one so young. Whispers of Odile's power made their way to the otherrealm where the Spirit of Destruction, Glut, had been resting for many years. Glut sent minions out to investigate the rumours surrounding Odile. One small shadow spirit succeeded and brought the news to its master.

Glut attacked the realm of Berwin, laying waste to the area as he made his way to capture Odile, bringing an air of blight to the once pristine world. Odessa and Ambros managed to hold off the first wave of dark spirits, but Glut had grown in power in its time away. To buy some time and save their people, the royals decided to send Odile away, wiping her memory and transporting her to Earth. Craving the power within, Glut abandoned its siege and followed Odile's trail through the realms though it would take time to find her.

Odile, now living with her new glamoured family as Odette, continued to grow up and lead a normal, mundane life. But Glut's minions eventually stumbled into the right realm and found the missing princess, causing the Spirit of Winter to break the seal her parents had placed. Odile remembered her powers, her family, and with her memories regained, she stepped into her role of Snowflake Defender, ready to help the Crusaders on their quest.

New Tier 6 Objectives

• Recruit Odile, Snowflake Defender |Odile takes up a slot in the formation. Frosty the Snowman and RoboSanta take up spots in the formation and can't be moved. Only Crusaders affected by Frosty's Chilling Power or RoboSanta's Expensive Toys will do DPS. Note: This will require having cleared the objective To Infinity and Beyond on Ghostbeard's Greed to complete. Reach area 600.


• Chocolate Spaghetti | RoboRudolph and the Dark Helper take up spots in the formation and can't be moved. Businessmen spawn randomly and target a random Crusader while they're alive. Targeted Crusaders will have their DPS reduced to 0 while the businessman who targeted them is alive and for 10 seconds afterwards. Note: This will require having cleared the objective To Infinity and Beyond on Ghostbeard's Greed to complete. Reach area 650.


• Guardians Risen | Xander the Xmas Dragon takes up a slot in the formation and can't be moved. A fiery escort takes up a slot in the formation and changes positions every 100 areas. Fireball monsters spawn randomly and provide either a debuff or buff when killed. These stacks persist until you reset the world. Note: This will require having cleared the objective To Infinity and Beyond on Ghostbeard's Greed to complete. Reach area 675.


• It's a Wonderful Life | Wrena the Fair takes up a slot in the formation and can't be moved. Only Wrena does DPS. The formation has been changed. Note: This will require having cleared the objective Bullet Hell on Ready Player Two to complete. Reach area 700.


• Stygian Christmas | Kris, the Enraged Elemental takes up a slot in the formation and can't be moved. Cerberus monsters spawn randomly and live longer than normal monsters. Note: This will require having cleared the objective Bullet Hell on Ready Player Two to complete. Reach area 725.

More info

You'll have until Tuesday, December 29th at 12:00 PM Pacific Time to complete The Nate Before Christmas!

For more info on previous Nate Before Christmas Crusaders and objectives check out the Nate Before Christmas 5 blog post.

Equipment for event Crusaders can be found in Silver and Jeweled Christmas Chests, which you can earn from objectives and the free play or buy in the shop. Each non-recruitment objective will drop a chest for its given tier of Crusaders, and free play will drop All Tier chests. Gear for Tier 2, Tier 3, Tier 4, Tier 5, and Tier 6 Crusaders will only appear in All Tier chests once you've unlocked the respective Crusaders. You can select the tier of chest you buy in the shop when you go to purchase chests with real money or event currency.

'Tis the Season for Giving!

Get into the giving mood of the holiday season by tackling the Bushwhackia Christmas event.

You'll want to get started by heading to the event area in the Commons to meet up with the stranded elf and help him fix his teleporter. (It's delicate, OK?) Once you've got it operational, you'll be able to make the journey far to the North Pole where you'll find a bevy of characters who need your special skills to make the holiday celebrations work!

Your primary task will be helping the elves make presents by bringing them Candy Canes (that you find in bushes), but there is a veritable smorgasbord of holiday related quests to complete as well. All of these quests will unlock over the course of the event, with the last ones unlocking on Christmas Day.

Once you've found reindeer chow for the poor reindeer, then you can help out Santa by delivering a present to a random house daily.

New for 2020

This year's update includes: a new Christmas tree for your ranch received from completing the Decorate Tree quest; a new Snowman companion from the Build a Snowman quest; another custom item for ice fishing; a new dress-up achievement; a new item to steal; and more!

Christmas Pet Piece

Get 100% completion this event to collect the final Holiday Pet Piece of 2020! After you’ve collected all 13 holiday 2020 pet pieces, return to the Commons to find someone to help you assemble them into the Holidoll Cat companion!


The Christmas Pet Piece!

Presents all Around!!

Here's the event that started the gifting tradition! Once a day, if you have excess tokens, you can send a Present to a friend! These presents will contain a random amount of gold, energy, mana, power and come with some other treats as well. If you want to send more presents in a day, it will cost you a few Bush Bucks. Talk to Sasha in the North Pole to learn more!


Sasha has the power to gift your friends!

Event Achievements - POSSIBLE SPOILER ALERT!!

There are a total of TWENTY-NINE possible Achievements to earn in the Christmas 2020 event:

Achievements Returning in 2020:
Apprentice Elf Helper - You've been responsible for at least one present!
Journeyman Elf Helper - You've been responsible for at least 20 presents!
Professional Elf Helper - You've been responsible for at least 50 presents!
Expert Elf Helper - You've been responsible for at least 50 presents from each Elf!
Santa Man - You've delivered a present to someone's house!
Diverse Santa - You've delivered a present to several houses!
Schoolyard Victor - You won 5 snowball fights!
Reindeer Herder - You've saved the reindeer 5 times!
Yay! Presents - You've opened a present from the Developers!
12 Days of Bushmas - You completed all 12 days of Bushmas!
Christmas Savior - You've helped all the citizens in need at the North Pole!
Snow-ho-ho! - You built yourself a snowman!
Well-arranged Caroling - Find all the special arrangements of famous Christmas carols. Sweater Weather - Buy one of Mrs. Claus' specialty sweater weather.
Grumpy Cocoa - You helped fix Grumpus a hot cocoa!


Added/Changed for 2020:
Holiday Haberdashery - You bought all the 2020 Christmas event items!*
Nicked Knicknacks - You stole something from someone's house!
Kind Krampus - You've delivered a present dressed as Krampus!


We also have 10 achievements from previous year's events, which may be earnable by spending some Bush Bucks, if a player was not present during the initial years:

Santa Santa - You're practically Santa! (deliver a present while dressed as Santa)
Materialist - You bought all the Christmas 2012 event items!
Reverse Grinch - You've delivered a present dressed as a Grinch!
All The Toys - You bought all the Christmas 2013 event items!
No Returns Allowed! - You bought all theChristmas 2014 event items!
Season of Shopping - You purchased all the Christmas 2015 event items!
Winter Solstice Souvenirs - You purchased all the Christmas 2016 event items!
The Gift of Getting - You purchased all the Christmas 2017 event items!
Boxing Day - You purchased all the Christmas 2018 event items!
Stocking Stocking Stuffers - You bought all the 2019 Christmas event items!


* The Christmas Mini Golf piece is NOT included in the Holiday Haberdashery achievement, and therefore it is not required to purchase it.

Note: The achievements Reverse Santa, Reverse Santa 2.0, Napping Nate Nabber, The Gift of Taking, Naughty Nabber, Perks of the Job, and Burglar Burglar are not available during the 2020 event.

Mount Packs

New 2020 Mounts!


Solemn Elk Guardian Mounts

New mounts are available from December 11th to 14th!
The Guardian Elk mount comes free with your first purchase of 100 Bush Bucks or more!
The Rime Elk and Eclipse Elk are in packs containing 100 Bush Bucks, 10 Pristine Feed Vouchers, and a VIP Voucher!

Pet Packs

New 2020 Pet Packs:


What festive critters are these?!

COMING SOON! December 18th to 21st! Keep an eye out for the sale pop-up!

Many other pets and ranch items available from previous years via the "Ye Past Yuletide Store"

Share the holiday spirit on the forums!

The Christmas event will run until Tuesday December 29th at Noon PST (8pm GMT.)

Coppers of the Creature Collector

The eccentric Creature Collector has returned to the Commons, this time with a trio of Reindeer!



Head to the event area and choose one to train. You have until noon on Wednesday December 9th to complete the collector's four daily quests, level up your chosen creature, earn Creature Coppers to spend in their store, and get another page to your Creature Collector's Compendium!

The Compendium Page will be given after the event ends. If you don't have the Creature Collector's Compendium ranch item, you'll get it when you get your first page.

After the event, the collector will be taking their creature back unless you adopt it by purchasing its corresponding pet pack, available starting Monday December 7th.

Train hard, Bush Whackers!

Update: The training quests now unlock at noon on Friday, Saturday, Sunday, and Monday, instead of 20 hours after the last one is completed. Those busy on the weekends can still catch up!

Note: The VIP "Quest Reset" power does not reset these mini event quests, and they are not affected by the Time Turner and Timey Whimey Watch.

Ye Olde Creature Collector's Galleria - Pets

When you speak to Tanela Tiva in the event area, you can select the "What past pets are for sale?" chat option.

This will open a new store, which will contain 3 non-event premium pets you have never owned! They cost Bush Bucks, like in event stores. The selection will change next time Tanela Tiva visits to event area.

We've done this in response to players asking to see old premium pets they've missed out on, to help you fill out your pet collection. Snag those old-school pets you're missing out on!

Read the Release Notes! Chat about this mini-event on the forum!

Someone outside Luskan has been pillaging the food stores in advance of this year's Simril celebration. Residents are becoming worried that there may not be enough to last the long Sword Coast winter to come!

Simril 4 introduces Lucius the High Elf Sorcerer, and final member of the High Rollers: Aerois party. Simril also brings back Krull, the Tortle Death Cleric of Tiamat from Baldur's Gate: Descent into Avernus, and Warden, the corrupted Warforged Warlock. Players have until Monday, December 14th at 12PM Pacific to complete their Simril 4 unlocks and objectives.

For more information about Year 4 Events and how they work, please check out our Year 4 Events Dev Blog.

New Champion: Lucius Virion-Elluin Elenasto

Lucius' Bio

Lucius Virion-Elluin Elenasto was born to high nobility. He thought he knew what he was getting into when he joined the Heroes of Aerois, but then he met his first cow. Dreadful, evil creatures.

Lucius is slowly coming out of his nobility shell as he continues to learn the true value of comradery, friendship, and a world without barriers.

II. Lucius' Stats

Race: Elf	Alignment: Lawful Neutral
Class: Sorcerer	Gender: Male
Age: 76	Affiliation: Heroes of Aerois

STR: 13	DEX: 14	CON: 13
INT: 11	WIS: 13	CHA: 18

Role: DPS
Eligible for Patrons: none Slot: 7, (Minsc)

Lucius' Abilities

Lucius is a DPS Champion with a colorful style. As a trained Arcane Chromat, Lucius uses the colors of the world around him to fuel his magical power, focusing on acid and cold spells with alternating Acid Splash and Ray of Frost basic attacks. He causes further damage with Arcane Chromat - Acid and Arcane Chromat - Cold debuffs combining in an explosion with Elemental Adept.

Lucius is the final piece of the Aerois team, and with Aerois Synergy he is buffed by his teammates. A glass cannon, Lucius's unique fighting style causes area of effect devastation to his enemies, but he falls apart if harmed in combat. A young, sheltered noble, Lucius has a fabulous style, our artists were delighted to work on Lucius' colorful wardrobe and a really gorgeous skin that Aerois fans may recognize!

For more information on Lucius and his abilities, check out his Champion Spotlight!

Year Four Variants

• No Rest for the Gifted — Only Champions with Charisma of 14 or higher can be used. Quest Goals are doubled.
  Reach Area 75.


• Udderly Deadly — Lucius starts in the formation and cannot be moved. Lucius is the only Champion that can deal damage. All other Champions have their DPS disabled, but their formation abilities are active. Lucius' attacks twice as fast as normal and his Ultimate cooldown is reduced to 30 seconds. In each area, a cursed cow appears, if the cursed cow attacks a Champion, that Champion becomes cursed, disabling all of their upgrades until you change areas.
  Reach Area 125.


• Lucius' Bedtime Stories — Nat, Jenks, and Squiddly join the Champions for their first Simril outside of Waterdeep! They each take up a slot in the formation. Lesser Gibbering Mouthers appear in each area, and move 100% faster (as nightmares do).
  Reach Area 175.
  Unlocks the Fae Lucius Skin.

For information on previous years' variants, check out the Simril 3 blog.

New Aerois Skins

The Fae Lucius Skin is unlocked when a player completes the Lucius' Bedtime Stories variant in the Simril event or later through a Time Gate!



The Sentinel Prime Sentry Skin & Feat Pack unlocks the Sentinel Prime Sentry Skin, the ‘Her Majesty's Rose’ Epic Feat - increases the effect of Sentry's Guardian of Solwynn ability by 80%, and 7 Gold Sentry Chests with 1 guaranteed shiny. It will also unlock the Sentry Champion if you don't already have her.



The Hadar Qillek Skin & Feat Pack unlocks the Hadar Qillek Skin, the ‘Dark Blessing’ Epic Feat - increases the effect of Qillek's Bless ability by 80%, and 7 Gold Qillek Chests with 1 guaranteed shiny. It will also unlock the Qillek Champion if you don't already have him.



The Valkyrian Empire Nova Skin is now available in the in-game Gem Shop for 40,000 gems. This skin is only available if you already have Nova V'Ger unlocked.



Lastly, but certainly not least the Valkyrie Aila Skin & Feat Pack is now discounted for the duration of Simril in the in-game Shop! This DLC unlocks the Valkyrie Aila Skin, ‘Storm Warden’ Epic Feat - increases the effect of Aila's Storm Soul ability by 80%, and 7 Gold Aila Chests. It will also unlock the Aila Champion if you don't already have her.