How to play the grave robber?

[Uncles PTSD gaming disciple]

Im just having trouble finding usefullness in her, I know she is probably pretty good. So can someone help me with her?

[Skinny Pete]

Lunge Lunge Lunge Lunge Lunge. Pick to the Face for armored enemies. That's all there really is other than never use Shadow Fade unless you really, really have to. Avoid having to.

[SergeTroy]

First, always keep in mind her class specific page for useful tips and planning out strategy / tactics. The Grave Robber[darkestdungeon.gamepedia.com] on Darkest Dungeon Wiki.

The Grave Robber (GR) is a dual combat specialist that focuses heavily on mobility, meaning she uses both melee and ranged attacks and works well in most positions. She has extremely low health (I believe the lowest of all heroes) and does not gain extra health from any District or Trinket: heck, most of her trinkets actually lower her health pool. She is pretty accuractely looked at as a glass cannon, though she's probably only worthy of the "cannon" part if you have her in a group with someone that marks and someone that blights, like an Occultist, Bounty Hunter, or Houndmaster & a Plague Doctor, Shieldbreaker, Abomination, or another Grave Robber.

From my own view point, I'd actually suggest always sticking her in a group with a fellow Grave Robber, another Marker / Blighter, and maybe an Occultist if that third option was a Plague Doctor (otherwise a Vestal for the best healing results available).

I don't particularly care for her myself, but I do remember having a lot of fun with chaining Lunges on her with other Grave Robbers and the Shieldbreaker / Crusader.

Originally posted by Skinny Pete:

Lunge Lunge Lunge Lunge Lunge. Pick to the Face for armored enemies. That's all there really is other than never use Shadow Fade unless you really, really have to. Avoid having to.

Yeah, kinda agree with that. The bonus dodge is nice, but the shadow fade is used to set up another Lunge most often which is usually better set up by someone else putting you back in position to lunge. It's kind of like marking a target, you should really only do that if the extra damage you will get would be higher than 2 regular attacks (or if you're just stalling which is also totally understandable).

[Sines]

Well, playing her as a back line ranged attacker is just fine, but I feel you aren't getting the most out of her if she isn't using Lunge for strong burst damage towards the start of a fight.

Lunge moves forward two, so it really helps if you're not displacing anyone to ranks they can't fight from. So if you put her in Rank 4, make sure that your Rank 3 character can fight in Rank 4, and your Rank 2 character can fight in Rank 3. Most backline characters are fine in position 3 or 4, so it's really about a Rank 2/3 character. Good choices here are Bounty Hunter, Houndmaster and especially Highwayman.

Alternatively, get a dance party going. Highwayman, Shieldbreaker, and Crusader all go along well with a Graverobber. Indeed, if you start your Graverobber in Rank 4, Lunge forward, and then your newly rank 3 character uses their own forward moving ability, then she can Lunge a second time. If you have the Sharpened Letter Opener Crimson Courtyard trinket, this is incredible damage.

I recommend the skills Throwing Dagger and Lunge in all builds. Throwing Dagger allows her to hit an enemy in the back row, and doesn't mind if she sits still for a little bit. Lunge is just a core skill. Pickaxe is good to help hit the front line, or if she's going to wind up in Rank 1. Shadow Fade is good for getting back into a proper position, especially if you don't have Pickaxe. Grabbing both of these skills is not a bad idea, but I'd say you really need at least one. Poison Darts, Toxin Trickery and Flashing Daggers are all situational. I'd say they're mostly useful for a non-Lunge build, however.

Speaking of a non-Lunge build, Throwing Dagger, Flashing Daggers, Poison Dart (to hit Rank 1) are your core. Pickaxe can be added to do direct damage to Rank 1, and to ignore protection. Not a bad idea to replace Poison Dart with this in the Weald and Warrens if your Robber is in Rank 3. Toxin Trickery can be useful for clearing DoTs or it's fight-long buff. And Shadow Fade is good if you expect to be shuffled. Your fourth skill is always going to be a niche pick for a ranged Robber. Unless you go for both Pickaxe and Darts, your fourth skill is just going to be a defensive measure against potential enemy action. Use the slot accordingly, or even consider dropping Flashing Daggers to bring both of them.

Also, Throwing Dagger, which I recommend in all GR builds, benefits from Marks. So including her in a mark party is always a good idea. The Houndmaster and Bounty Hunter, in particular, are capable of marking and generally don't mind being shuffled around by Lunge.

[Shaman]

I love having her in slot 4 open with lunge and someone in slot 2 that can also move forward like highwayman. Than the HWM can push GR back to slot 3 (if she went 1st) letting her lunge right away. After that, pickaxe has armor piersing so its good for finishing tanky characters, shadowfate if ♥♥♥♥ goes wrong and throw dagger for snipe on slot 4. With her mobility make sure you have tean that can handle it (no leper hellion front). She has high dodge and good crit so she will naturaly stressheal others with crits while dodging a lot of stress attacks on her. Also best scouting and disarm chance in the game. Favorite trinket is letter opener for that fat lunge dmg and that legendary talisman that gives you pretty much all the stats you like on her. Or just go with dmg, speed, crit and dodge. Speed not that much since she has big base but going first is nice.
Shes good vs bosses with high prot, but be careful around siren, that ♥♥♥♥♥ can steal her while stealth and than use that dmg buff from shadow fate against you. Learned that the hard way.

[Skinny Pete]

Originally posted by Sines:

Alternatively, get a dance party going. Highwayman, Shieldbreaker, and Crusader all go along well with a Graverobber.

Jester's also particularly good, as are any other characters with skills that move them forward while they attack.

The general trick is start GR in the very back and your designated dancing partner in rank 2. Your rank 3 starter is someone you'd prefer in the back like an Arbalest or a healer.

You open with Lunge, and then your now rank 3 guy (HWM/SB/CRU) opens with his move forward attack, shipping GR back to rank 3 so she can Lunge again on the second round. The attacks that do this, Duelist's Advance/Pierce/Puncture/Serpent's Sway/Holy Lance, are also all fairly devastating. You can often end fights before they even begin.

Another useful trinket for all this is the Quickdraw. This has the unique attribute of making it very likely your GR goes first in the first round, before your characters like Vestal with Prophet's Eye who you want in the back by the time they act. Then your dancing partner can either use their attack to move GR back immediately or save it for the next round, when GR is likely to act after them instead.

It's about the only use I've found for that trinket.

[kappahun]

I like to bring her in the cove. She can pickaxe the snails, and also all front high PROT enemies, which I find an effective way to deal with them.

Also she has nice scouting trinkets and camping skills, and scouting is king for making money.

[feeWAIVER]

Originally posted by Skinny Pete:

Lunge Lunge Lunge Lunge Lunge. Pick to the Face for armored enemies. That's all there really is other than never use Shadow Fade unless you really, really have to. Avoid having to.

I have to strongly disagree here.
I kit my Grave Robber with Lunge, Shadow Fade, Thrown Dagger, and Poison Dart.

Prefered Trinkets:

Raiders Talisman
+5% CRT
+30% Trap Disarm
+15% Scouting Chance
+2 SPD
-10% HP

Acestors Pen.
+10% DMG Melee Skills
+10% CRT Melee Skills
+10% Stress


Round 1: Lunge at the start of the round, this pretty much garruntees a kill on a stress dealer.
So obviously the fight is now 4v3. The rest of your team should be able to kill at least 1 more in the first round most times.


Round 2: Shadow Fade at the start of the round, this gives the Grave Robber near immunity for the round. She won't be targeted by any big direct damage crits. So generally, her HP never get's below around 80%. Also this increases the chance her teammates, like MaA or HWM, will be targetted.

Round 3: Stealthed Lunge. This round usually starts with Grave Robber finishing off the last enemy. Usually a high prot tank target.

Additional Bonus-
If the fight ends with her stealthed, she will stay steathed for a couple "rounds".. So if you have two fights in a row, it's not uncommon to start the second fight with her already stealthed.

[Skinny Pete]

Originally posted by feeWAIVER:

Originally posted by Skinny Pete:

Lunge Lunge Lunge Lunge Lunge. Pick to the Face for armored enemies. That's all there really is other than never use Shadow Fade unless you really, really have to. Avoid having to.

I have to strongly disagree here.
I kit my Grave Robber with Lunge, Shadow Fade, Thrown Dagger, and Poison Dart.

Prefered Trinkets:

Raiders Talisman
+5% CRT
+30% Trap Disarm
+15% Scouting Chance
+2 SPD
-10% HP

Acestors Pen.
+10% DMG Melee Skills
+10% CRT Melee Skills
+10% Stress

Why not Sharpened Letter Opener?

+25% DMG Melee Skills
+10 ACC Melee Skills
+5 DODGE

Also I usually prefer putting Ancestor's Pen on someone else.

[feeWAIVER]

Originally posted by Skinny Pete:

Originally posted by feeWAIVER:

I have to strongly disagree here.
I kit my Grave Robber with Lunge, Shadow Fade, Thrown Dagger, and Poison Dart.

Prefered Trinkets:

Raiders Talisman
+5% CRT
+30% Trap Disarm
+15% Scouting Chance
+2 SPD
-10% HP

Acestors Pen.
+10% DMG Melee Skills
+10% CRT Melee Skills
+10% Stress

Why not Sharpened Letter Opener?

+25% DMG Melee Skills
+10 ACC Melee Skills
+5 DODGE

Also I usually prefer putting Ancestor's Pen on someone else.

That's not a bad idea, but I personally don't feel like 10acc is a great stat for her.
Her base acc on Lunge is already good. And if acc is an issue, she can buff it herself with Thrown Dagger.

But I agree, I like to use Ancestors Pen for other characters, too. It's a good trinket.

[Skinny Pete]

Originally posted by feeWAIVER:

That's not a bad idea, but I personally don't feel like 10acc is a great stat for her.
Her base acc on Lunge is already good. And if acc is an issue, she can buff it herself with Thrown Dagger.

A lot of the guys I like to hit early and hit hard with GR are really dodgy. Think Swine Skiver (32.5), Squiffy Ghast (33.5), or Hateful Virago (48) (!!!). Even those miserable puking pigs are 35.

[Uncles PTSD gaming disciple]

Originally posted by feeWAIVER:

Originally posted by Skinny Pete:

Lunge Lunge Lunge Lunge Lunge. Pick to the Face for armored enemies. That's all there really is other than never use Shadow Fade unless you really, really have to. Avoid having to.

I have to strongly disagree here.
I kit my Grave Robber with Lunge, Shadow Fade, Thrown Dagger, and Poison Dart.

Prefered Trinkets:

Raiders Talisman
+5% CRT
+30% Trap Disarm
+15% Scouting Chance
+2 SPD
-10% HP

Acestors Pen.
+10% DMG Melee Skills
+10% CRT Melee Skills
+10% Stress


Round 1: Lunge at the start of the round, this pretty much garruntees a kill on a stress dealer.
So obviously the fight is now 4v3. The rest of your team should be able to kill at least 1 more in the first round most times.


Round 2: Shadow Fade at the start of the round, this gives the Grave Robber near immunity for the round. She won't be targeted by any big direct damage crits. So generally, her HP never get's below around 80%. Also this increases the chance her teammates, like MaA or HWM, will be targetted.

Round 3: Stealthed Lunge. This round usually starts with Grave Robber finishing off the last enemy. Usually a high prot tank target.

Additional Bonus-
If the fight ends with her stealthed, she will stay steathed for a couple "rounds".. So if you have two fights in a row, it's not uncommon to start the second fight with her already stealthed.

Alright well, What other heroes would you play with?

[feeWAIVER]

Originally posted by Toyota Brown:

Alright well, What other heroes would you play with?

I personally like MaA and HWM with her, because they have that reposte, and when she fades, they are more likely to get the reposte attack.

The core thing to remember is that she is going to start in row 4 and move to row 2 when she lunges.. So rows 3 and 2 are going to get pushed back to rows 4 and 3, so you need someone there who can still function in different rows.


But I'm of the belief that there is no right or wrong way to play this game (which is why I fell in love with DD) Pretty much any team composition can work.

Play around, experiment, and have fun.