Char builds

[Arganth]

What kind of builds do you use?

just finished my first playthrough on hard with an

axe
polearms
bows
constitution
armor
healing
fire

build.

apart from the tower (omfg) and the catacombs (really hard without the multiple hit polearm)
it was not too difficult.

anybody using a pure mage build? or assassin with daggers?
searching for ideas for an very hard playthrough :)

[Edo Miyamoto]

I've done it with sword, constitution, armor, fire and healing. It was quite simple, using the right pet at the right time ! I Think a ranger build like only using bow and pets (or petting magic something like that) could be interesting but rather hard !

[Ringo]

swords-max
bow-point every other level
constitution-max
armors-max
potions-max
fire-point every other level
healing-leftover points

I kinda want to do a magic based character next but I also want to knock out Hard++ and I don't really play magic or ranged based classes very well.

[Antpile]

I did it with a pure mage build. I did have high maces though to wield the mage maces, though i rarely swung them.

I was:
maces
constitution
robes
fire
healing
mind
alteration

And really, the game felt a bit easy. Fire is just so destructive. For example, I breezed through the catacombs with fire breath slaughtering entire hallways of skeletons in one cast. My firebolts were hitting for around a grand a shot (non-crit) nearing the end and i could rapid fire them because i used the robes of concentration that upped fire cast speed by like 35%. When I combined that with the brilliant mind (or whatever it was called) buff I could crank them out about as fast as you can swing a sword. It was pretty nuts.

Tower was a cake walk too, although those guys that made skeletons took a bit of time because I had to sleep them. I heard the skull pet ignores those shields. Wish i had thought of that.

Only rough part of playing like this is when I did get hit, it hurt a lot as I had no protections at all except some very low resists from rings. I was an offensive powerhouse though.

Edit: Oh, and part of the laboratory was tough because there were things in there that were completely immune to fire and frost damage and others that took drastically reduced damage.

[Arganth]

Originally posted by Antpile:

I did it with a pure mage build. I did have high maces though to wield the mage maces, though i rarely swung them.

I was:
maces
constitution
robes
fire
healing
mind
alteration

And really, the game felt a bit easy. Fire is just so destructive. For example, I breezed through the catacombs with fire breath slaughtering entire hallways of skeletons in one cast. My firebolts were hitting for around a grand a shot (non-crit) nearing the end and i could rapid fire them because i used the robes of concentration that upped fire cast speed by like 35%. When I combined that with the brilliant mind (or whatever it was called) buff I could crank them out about as fast as you can swing a sword. It was pretty nuts.

Tower was a cake walk too, although those guys that made skeletons took a bit of time because I had to sleep them. I heard the skull pet ignores those shields. Wish i had thought of that.

Only rough part of playing like this is when I did get hit, it hurt a lot as I had no protections at all except some very low resists from rings. I was an offensive powerhouse though.

were mind and alteration worth it?

the game is definitely much easier as a ranged char. As an archer once you have the acid bow from the labs you can basically 3 shot every knight or golem in the game. Melee is really weak against larger groups enemies..

[Zel]

Alteration is a hidden godsend. You get port spell to every shop and a movable port, so you can drop it right before a boss or a hard room. Also has a transmute spell that turns any mech type mob into free gold.

[Antpile]

Really, alteration could probably be abandoned on a mage character. Invisibilty came in handy here and there and so did phase door, but mostly I just used it for transmuting gems into basically unlimited essences. Oh, and all the teleporting around was quite convenient. Especially on hard++, it is nice to be able to drop a portal and halo home to save and heal, and then port right back to where you were.

Mental is amazing. Brilliant mind basically doubles magic based dps and all of the crowd control comes in very handy. Also, having see invisible and infravision isn't terrible either. Although, I will admit I stopped casting stun when I found the pet that constantly stunned everything. Biggest reason to go mental magic though is by far brilliant mind.

[gASK]

Alteration is not useless. Why? One word: polymorph. You can one-hit kill any enemy. Those two annoying griffons in the elf village? Polymorph. Casters bugging you? Polymorph.

[ElectroRanger]

I finished the game on Hard mode at lvl 15,abit close to next level.My stats:
Daggers:5(Makes starting combat easier,altough if you think in a long run then avoid that skill)
Swords:1
Maces:1
Axes:9(With rapid attacks this weapon is like a god almost)
Polearms:1
Bow:5(mostly used on small critters,but it may end up as a good thing to level..)
Staves:1
Wands:2(Not really recommended,but it makes the 2nd boss area much easier)
Con:11
Armor:11
Potions:8(But I'd recommend to have a lower level)
Robes:7(Ignore that,from personal experience it's not really great)
Fire:10(From experience,level 5 is probably better)
Frost:9(Ice block is a life saver when fighting Medeox.If you have a better idea,then leave it at 7)
Healing:4(Instead level it to 3)
Arcane:1(Only needed arcane control,other than that can't say it's much of use to me)
Light:6(Take it down to 5 if you want the Devil's Number challenge,if not just leave it at 1)
Mental:1(Sleep is probably the only thing you may need)
Protection:2(Was on mistake clicking,don't put into that)
Alteration:14(Only if you want faster travel,if not leave it at level 9)

I'd recommend sticking to rapid attack axes,using fire breath and fire balls and stalactites for most of the enemies.The bow is rather usefull only on small critters

[RabidChoco]

Everyone who neglected bows didn't find Meltroth. That bow (you'll need level 12 in Bows to use) can take out just about anything non-boss in two shots with the added DoT effect. Three if you're unlucky. Especially the lab golems and hall suits of armor. Forgot precisely where it was hidden, but I found it early in the laboratory.

I focused on daggers, axes, bows (again, hail Meltroth), armor, con, healing and fire, with a few scattered points in alteration and light.

[ElectroRanger]

Yeah,well I actually heard of it being a mighty bow,and since now I'm playing the game as a "thief" class (aka using daggers,bows,leather armor,crafting potions and such),I'm going to see it's power through personal experience(the bow still sounds pretty awesome though).

[Ruebeus]

I currently put my points into Bows, Daggers (I have a Legendary dagger from a quest), Robes (for +10% Fire Cast Speed), Constitution (why would you NOT max this?), and Fire Magic. I am only at the Garden and am playing on Hard++ and have not had any trouble.