In 2006, Korean players received the official announcement for Lineage II Chronicle 5: Frintezza, one of the most memorable updates in the game's history. More than just a content patch, C5 introduced major improvements to clan progression, hunting systems, character skills, and PvP balance while expanding the world of Aden and Elmore.
This article revisits the original announcement and highlights the key features that defined the update.
A New Chapter Begins
Chronicle 5 marked the continuation of Lineage II's evolving story. The update introduced the growing influence of the kingdom of Elmore, adding a new capital city and expanding the world map. The announcement described this as the beginning of a new story, bringing players deeper into the political and military conflicts of the continent.
Frintezza and a New Hunting Experience
One of the headline features of C5 was the introduction of Frintezza, a terrifying new raid boss designed to challenge players with a more immersive and realistic combat experience.
The update also focused heavily on improving hunting gameplay:
Increased opportunities for solo hunting.
Better rewards for individual players.
Changes to the party recruitment system.
New monster interactions, including reactions to musical abilities.
Reduced dependence on overwhelming item power and numerical superiority.
Special items appearing in solo hunting areas could temporarily increase HP and MP, significantly improving leveling efficiency.
Zariche: The Cursed Sword
Chronicle 5 introduced one of the most iconic weapons in Lineage II history: Zariche.
According to the game's lore, as demonic forces expanded their influence in the mortal world, the demon Bremnon sent his right hand, Zariche, into the world to spread chaos. Players who discovered this cursed weapon gained extraordinary power, creating unpredictable PvP encounters across the server.
Improved Party Matching
Finding groups became much easier with improvements to the party search system.
Players could now search for characters that matched specific requirements and send invitations directly, making group formation more efficient and reducing downtime between activities.
Clan Development and Clan Academy
Chronicle 5 greatly expanded clan progression systems.
Clan Academy
Clans of level 5 or higher could establish a Clan Academy, allowing experienced players to mentor newer members.
When academy members completed their second class transfer, they received commemorative rewards, while the clan earned additional reputation points.
Clan Reputation
Clan reputation became an important resource for long-term growth.
Reputation could be earned through:
Clan Academy activities
Clan wars
Fortress battles
Underground warfare
Clan quests
These reputation points could be used to:
Increase clan level
Unlock clan skills
Obtain special clan-related benefits and items
New Skills and Class Changes
Chronicle 5 introduced approximately 48–50 new skills for characters above level 60 while removing several underperforming abilities.
Some notable additions included:
Mana Storm (Bishop)
Burns MP from nearby enemies.
Banish (Bishop, Prophet, Elder, Shillien Elder)
Can send an opponent's summoned pet away.
Summon Cursed Bones (Necromancer)
A new necromancer ability focused on dark magic specialization.
Arcane Destruction (Sorcerer)
Reduces an enemy's casting speed.
Hawk Totem Spirit (Tyrant)
Increases accuracy, critical rate, and critical damage while reducing defense and magic resistance.
Spear Mastery Improvements (Destroyer, Warlord)
Increased the number of targets that could be attacked simultaneously with spear-based skills.
Turn Undead (Paladin)
Instills fear in undead enemies and offers a chance to trigger an over-hit effect.
Demon Blade Dance (Bladedancer)
Reduces the physical and magical attack power of nearby enemies.
Archer's Pain (Archer, Phantom Ranger)
Restores MP at the cost of HP.
Pathfinder Ability (Treasure Hunter, Abyss Walker)
Improves the chance of striking an enemy's weak point.
PvP Balance and Clan Skills
The update also addressed PvP balance and introduced new clan skills, strengthening organized clan gameplay and encouraging greater participation in large-scale conflicts.
These changes reinforced the importance of teamwork while providing additional progression paths for competitive players.
Looking Back at Chronicle 5
For many veterans, Chronicle 5 remains one of the defining eras of Lineage II. The introduction of Frintezza, the arrival of Zariche, expanded clan systems, and meaningful class improvements helped shape the game's future and left a lasting impact on the community.
Looking back at the original Korean announcement provides a fascinating snapshot of how players first experienced one of Lineage II's most influential updates in 2006.
