Having Fun at the Battledome

     Sometimes you may find the best way to win is not to be strong, but to catch your opponent completely off-guard with an unexpected move at just the right time. There are Battledome items in Neopia that seem to be made more to humiliate your opponent in the silliest ways possible than to help you win. These prank weapons, which range from cursed mirrors to stink bombs, show that laughter might be the greatest weapon of all.

     If you’re tired of the meta and are feeling mischievous, here are ten Battledome items that will confuse, annoy, or cover your opponent in something they don’t want to talk about.

     Ancient Cursed Mirror

     An odd relic from the depths of the Haunted Woods. This little mirror doesn't look like much, fooling your opponent into thinking it's harmless. Though, the moment they gaze into the glass, a spirit will become bound to them. During the battle it might scratch at them with the power of darkness, but the real fun comes after the fight.

     Imagine when they try to rest after the long battle, only to be awoken by the ghastly wailing of their new companion. Apparitions will appear in the corner of their eye, items in their Neohome will appear to move on their own, and an unnatural chill will follow them year-round from that moment on, all thanks to you! This old spectre has proven extremely difficult to remove once placed. In fact, the shopkeeper of Haunted Weaponry says it’s never been done. This is one prank that goes beyond the battle, though it might not be as effective if your opponent lives in the Haunted Woods...

     Grey Staff

     The dreary, drooped Grey Staff seems flimsy at first. It will hit your opponent with a meager amount of damage, but just as they're about to laugh it off, they'll find they can't laugh at all! This little staff appears to have absorbed a part of the Grey Curse that's fallen over Neopia Central. Just one blast and your brazen opponent won't be smiling anymore. A few good hits and they might just be too sad to continue fighting!

     And don't worry, the effects are easy enough to reverse. A favourite toy or trip around the Roo Island carousel will have even the unluckiest of fighters fit again. Not every battle has to be about who can hit the hardest. Tame that roaring Grarrl or pouncing Kougra with a light-hearted prank in lieu of brute force. After they’re cured, they might even laugh along.

     Chia and Kacheek Flour

     Who doesn't want to be a Chia? Your opponent, probably. These mischi(a)evous flours have a bit of a reputation in the Battledome. Just one handful of Chia Flour and your opponent will go from a sharp-toothed Jetsam to a joyful yellow Chia. A splash of Kacheek Flour and that fearsome Skeith is a cuddly blue Kackeek. This used to be a prank that would strike fear into the hearts of owners everywhere. Some worried their darling, perfectly-dressed Uni would end up with a new face full of flour. The resulting trip to the Rainbow Pool or Kauvara's Magic Shop would cost them a pretty Neopoint, so this joke was sidelined by all but the most puckish of pranksters.

     In recent times, the price of morphing potions and magical paint brushes has fallen enough that it's become an inconvenience at best, resulting in a resurgence of floury fights. Still, you might want to give your opponent a heads up on this one. Every good trickster knows not to go too far for a joke.

     Sack of Sneezing Powder

     A new spin on an old classic. The pirates of Smuggler's Cove would throw this at Krawk Island authorities to make their getaways, but it eventually found a home with pranksters in the Battledome. The extra strong mix of Sneezing Powder was developed by the Cove’s brightest minds. It sends even the toughest pets into sneezing fits at the most inopportune times. When's more inopportune than during a fierce Battledome match?

     Just a dash of this Smuggler's Cove powder will have your opponent fighting their sinuses instead while doing a bit of damage along the way. Whether you just want to laugh as they sneeze or use the distraction to score the winning blow, any trickster worth their salt has a Sack of Sneezing Powder in their rotation.

     Chia Mites

     Chia Mites might look like your average friendly Chia, but these little pests are more closely related to Petpetpets like Itchis and Skritches. Not content with chomping Petpets, these vicious foes have an appetite for Neopets, with a bite that will leave your adversary itching for days. No one is sure why they look so much like the lovable pets, or how they seem to vanish into thin air as soon as the battle is over. What is known is that they're notoriously clingy, and can jump nearly as far as a Moffit, so even flying opponents have nowhere to hide.

     The mites only do minimal damage with their bites, and leave a pet with no lasting ill-effects, meaning this is a relatively harmless prank as far as weapons go. Pull out a jar during your next match when your back is against the wall and watch the chaos unfold as your rival has to contend with an army of mighty Chia Mites instead of you!

     Poison Snowball

          The Snowball is as old as the Battledome itself since its release was in Neopia’s earliest days, where these single use items were useful in dealing lots of damage to opponents. Since then, however, pets have gotten stronger, and power creep with weapons in the Battledome has kicked in, which has relegated these weapons to the domain of obscurity. And this is where the advantage of this fact comes in! Because your opponent or your friend would never expect you to carry a Snowball to the Battledome, and especially not the Poison Snowball! Mixed inside this seemingly weakly held-together bunch of snow is a concoction that causes Hoochie Coochies in your opponent. You may lose the battle, but your opponent will break out in blue and green spots that won’t go away for days! Fear not, as it’s a harmless disease that can cause a bit of itchiness on the spots and spread a few laughs, at the expense of your opponents, of course, so it’s a perfect way to mix up your next Battledome match.

     

     

     Battle Dung

     Sometimes conducting a prank requires commitment to the cause, and that may involve lugging a big sack of dung to the Battledome. Any opponent in sight of it will be running and dodging in fear of getting stricken and smelling rancid for days. So, reach in, grab a handful, aim, and throw away! And don’t forget to laugh as you rinse and repeat til your opponent is covered.

     If you’d like your opponent to smell extra funky, leave your Battle Dung out in the sun and turn it into Rancid Battle Dung, or dye it a radioactive green and use the Glowing Battle Dung and have your opponent glowing (not the good kind) for days. So, customise your Battle Dungs and the possibilities are endless. A word of caution though as this may be a bit of a prank on yourself too, since you definitely will want to wash your hands after all of this.

     Rotten Egg Stink Bomb

     On the line of stink, even the Battle Dung pales in comparison to The Rotten Egg Stink Bomb, as the bomb is made from Shenkuu’s very own Century Egg, which will release a devastating 100 year old odour if it explodes on your opponent. This is sure to pack a pungent punch to your opponent’s nostrils that will have them gagging long after the battle is over. Read its cautionary message before use though, and make sure to throw it far away from you lest you get hit with the odour as well. So keep a safe distance, throw the bomb, then laugh as your opponent fruitlessly runs away from the ensuing stench.

     Pocket Lab Ray

     Have you ever gone to the Lab Ray Scientist and obtained an awful zap? Were you once a regal Royal Zafara that got turned into a Mutant Tonu that drools at the mouth? Well, with the Pocket Lab Ray, you can hide it inside your pocket (duh) and sneak it into the Battledome to zap your unsuspecting opponent! The outcome is a surprise to you too as you can permanently change your opponent’s species, colour, or gender. It could even attack or heal your opponent, so zap away to turn the tide of battle! Beware it could just spit out some smoke and break on you then you might be in trouble…but before then, just enjoy the chaos!

     

     

     Rainbow Sticky Hand (or other Sticky Hands)

     Extra extra! Read all about it! As of recently, the Sticky Hands are back in action as TNT has patched their inability to grab and get. No one in Neopia knows what caused them to break...maybe they just lost their stickiness after two decades and needed to be repainted with glue. But now you can bring any of the Sticky Hands into the Battledome and reach into your opponent’s bag of equipment. They’ll once again randomly stick onto a weapon and steal it for your own use!

     You might steal the mighty Super Attack Pea or a disappointing Antennae Ring, but whatever the outcome, it’s all in good fun. The Sticky Hand will be turned over to your opponent once it steals successfully so your opponent can also steal something from you. The fun never stops!

     The Battledome Doesn’t Always Have to Be Serious

     There will always be a place for attack peas and magical wands in the Battledome, but these silly weapons show that humour can be the best strategy of all. Anyone can win a fight if they are strong enough, but only a real prankster can win by throwing flour, conjuring spirits, and throwing dung across the arena. The next time a Battledome match comes around, think about putting down the serious weapons for a while. Your opponent might win the battle, but they’ll always remember the time you put Chia Mites on them or hit them with a Battle Dung. That’s a win in its own right.