Character Creation in Din's Curse

This Guide presents character creation information and user suggestions for good character builds

Basic Character Creation

SELECTING A CHARACTER CLASS IN DIN'S CURSE

There are 141 character combinations (196 with the Demon War expansion pack) in Din's Curse. This can make it a bit challenging in selecting your character class (and subclass (specialty) combination especially if you are creating a hybrid character). A hybrid character will use only two (not three) class/subclass combinations.

To help you better select the character class you prefer, the table below followed by a list of information showing the basic skill set of each class/subclass was created. Only a few specific purchased skills are addressed here, so you can either select and view them from within the game; or, better yet, there's a nice list of these skills for each class[www.soldak.com] at Soldak's website.

The list below is ordered with each class followed by each class's three subclasses or specialties. In the table, specialties (subclasses) have been abbreviated to fit the table where "We" = Weaponmaster; "Gl" = Gladiator, and so forth. For weapons that can be 1 or 2 handed, 1H = one-handed, and 2H = two-handed. (Click on the picture below to see a larger version)

Warrior

Weaponmaster

•can wear leather armor
•can wear chain mail armor
•can use all weapons except staff and bows
•receives an attack bonus per point of dexterity
•receives a damage bonus per point of strength
•receives power(mana) each time you hit an enemy
•cannot use magic
•cannot use shields
•cannot wear capes

Gladiator

•can wear leather armor
•can wear chain mail armor
•can use all weapons except staff and bows
•can use any type of shield
•cannot use magic
•cannot wear capes
•receives an attack bonus per point of dexterity
•receives a health bonus per point of vitality
•receives a damage bonus per point of strength
•receives power (mana) when hit by an enemy

Defender

•can wear leather armor
•can wear chain mail armor
•can use all weapons except staff and bows
•can use any type of shield
•can purchase the skill to wear PLATE ARMOR
•cannot use magic
•cannot wear capes
•receives a health bonus per point of vitality
•receives a damage bonus per point of strength
•receives mana each time you block or parry

Rogue

Assassin

•can use daggers
•can use one-handed swords
•can wear leather armor
•recieves a health bonus per point of vitality
•can use poison attacks (purchased skills)
•cannot wear plate armor
•cannot wear chain mail
•cannot use two-handed swords
•cannot use axes
•cannot use maces
•cannot use staffs
•cannot use bows
•cannot wear capes
•cannot use shields

Trickster

•can use daggers
•can use one-handed swords
•can wear leather armor
•can wear capes
•can purchase skill to use shuriken (throwing stars)
•receives a defense bonus per point of dexterity
•cannot wear plate armor
•cannot wear chain mail
•cannot use two-handed swords
•cannot use maces
•cannot use bows
•cannot use axes
•cannot use staffs
•cannot use shields

Thief

•can use only daggers as weapons
•can wear leather armor
•can wear capes
•can pick locks (purchased skill)
•can disarm traps (purchased skill)
•can drop caltrops (purchased skill) to slow down enemies
•cannot wear plate armor
•cannot wear chain mail
•cannot use swords
•cannot use axes
•cannot use bows
•cannot use maces
•cannot use staffs
•cannot use shields

Priest

Paladin

•can only use one and two-handed maces (hammers)
•can wear leather armor
•can use any type of shield
•can use magic (purchased skills)
•receives a health bonus per point of vitality
•receives a power (mana) bonus per point of spirit
•receives a damage bonus per point of strength
•can purchase skill to wear CHAIN MAIL ARMOR
•cannot wear plate armor
•cannot use swords
•cannot use axes
•cannot use bows
•cannot use staffs

Healer

•can use one and two-handed maces (hammers)
•can use staffs
•can use magic (purchased skills)
•receives a power (mana) bonus per point of spirit
•cannot wear plate armor
•cannot wear chain mail
•cannot wear leather armor
•cannot use swords
•cannot use daggers
•cannot use axes
•cannot use bows
•cannot use shields

Shaman

•can only use staffs
•can wear leather armor
•can use magic (purchased skills)
•receives a defense bonus per point of dexterity
•receives a power (mana) bonus per point of spirit
•cannot wear plate armor
•cannot wear chain mail
•cannot use swords
•cannot use axes
•cannot use bows
•cannot use daggers
•cannot use maces
•cannot use shields

Wizard

Fire Mage

•can only use staffs
•can wear capes
•can use magic (fire magic - purchased skills)
•receives a defense bonus per point of dexterity
•receives a power (mana) bonus per point of spirit
•receives a potion and drink bonus (more than normal mana +30%)
•cannot wear plate armor
•cannot wear chain mail
•cannot wear leather armor
•cannot use swords
•cannot use axes
•cannot use bows
•cannot use daggers
•cannot use maces
•cannot use shields

Ice Mage

•can only use staffs
•can wear capes
•can use magic (ice magic - purchased skills)
•receives a defense bonus per point of dexterity
•receives a power (mana) bonus per point of spirit
•receives a potion and drink bonus (more than normal mana +30%)
•cannot wear plate armor
•cannot wear chain mail
•cannot wear leather armor
•cannot use swords
•cannot use axes
•cannot use bows
•cannot use daggers
•cannot use maces
•cannot use shields

Magician

•can only use staffs
•can wear capes
•can use magic (purchased skills)
•receives a power (mana) bonus per point of spirit
•receives a potion and drink bonus (more than normal mana +30%)
•cannot wear plate armor
•cannot wear chain mail
•cannot wear leather armor
•cannot use swords
•cannot use axes
•cannot use bows
•cannot use daggers
•cannot use maces
•cannot use shields

Ranger

Archer

•can use any bow
•can wear leather armor
•receives an accuracy of attack bonus per point of dexterity
•receives a defense bonus per point of dexterity
•receives a damage bonus per point of strength
•receives mana for each critical hit dealt
•cannot wear plate armor
•cannot wear chain mail
•cannot wear capes
•cannot use staffs
•cannot use swords
•cannot use axes
•cannot use daggers
•cannot use maces
•cannot use shields

Hunter

•can use any bow
•can use daggers
•can wear leather armor
•can wear capes
•can use magic (purchased skills)
•receives an accuracy of attack bonus per point of dexterity
•receives a defense bonus per point of dexterity
•receives a damage bonus per point of strength
•receives health bonus per point of vitality
•cannot wear plate armor
•cannot wear chain mail
•cannot use staffs
•cannot use swords
•cannot use axes
•cannot use maces
•cannot use shields

Druid

•can use staffs
•can wear leather armor
•can wear capes
•receives a power (mana) bonus per point of spirit
•can use magic (purchased skills)
•cannot wear plate armor
•cannot wear chain mail
•cannot use swords
•cannot use axes
•cannot use bows
•cannot use maces
•cannot use shields

Conjurer

Warlock

•can use staffs
•can wear capes
•receives a defense bonus per point of dexterity
•receives a power (mana) bonus per point of intelligence
•can use magic (purchased skills)
•cannot wear plate armor
•cannot wear chain mail
•cannot wear leather armor
•cannot use swords
•cannot use axes
•cannot use bows
•cannot use maces
•cannot use shields

Necromancer

•can use staffs
•can wear capes
•receives a power (mana) bonus per point of intelligence
•can harvest souls (gain mana) from each kill
•can use magic (purchased skills)
•can raise the dead (purchased skill)
•cannot wear plate armor
•cannot wear chain mail
•cannot wear leather armor
•cannot use swords
•cannot use axes
•cannot use bows
•cannot use maces
•cannot use shields

Sorcerer

•can use staffs
•can wear capes
•receives a defense bonus per point of dexterity
•receives a power (mana) bonus per point of intelligence
•can use magic (purchased skills)
•can use lightning attacks (purchased skills)
•cannot wear plate armor
•cannot wear chain mail
•cannot wear leather armor
•cannot use swords
•cannot use axes
•cannot use bows
•cannot use maces

Demon Hunter (Expansion Only)

Reaver

•can use both one-handed and two handed axes
•can use both one-handed and two-handed swords
•can use cloth armor
•can use leather armor
•can use chain mail armor
•can purchase the skill to wear PLATE ARMOR
•receives attack bonus per point of dexterity
•receives damage bonus per point of strength
•receives power (mana) bonus from each kill
•cannot use bows
•cannot use daggers
•cannot use maces
•cannot use shields
•cannot use staffs
•cannot use capes

Warden

•can use one-handed axes
•can use any type of shield
•can use one-handed swords
•can purchase magic skills
•can wear cloth armor
•can wear leather armor
•receives a defense bonus (+0.1 fire, lightning, cold, and poison resistance) per point of spirit
•receives a health bonus (+0.8) per point of vitality
•cannot use two-handed axes
•cannot use staffs
•cannot use two-handed swords
•cannot use chain mail armor
•cannot use plate armor
•cannot use capes

Demonologist

•can use daggers
•can use capes
•can use cloth armor
•can purchase magic skills
•receives power (mana) bonus (+1.0 max mana) per point of spirit
•receives a power (mana) regeneration bonus (+0.01 mana regen) per point of spirit
•receives a defense bonus (+0.1 fire, lightning, cold, and poison resistance) per point of spirit
•cannot use one or two-handed axes
•cannot use bows
•cannot use one or two-handed maces
•cannot use shields
•cannot use staffs
•cannot use one or two-handed swords
•cannot use leather armor
•cannot use chain mail armor
•cannot use plate armor

Hybrid Characters

A hybrid character is any combination of any two of the above subcategories. So there is a slight disadvantage in that you can only possess the skills of two subclasses rather than three. The advantage is that you get to choose any two subclasses with the skills you desire.

For instance, you can select to combine a Warrior/Defender with a Wizard/Fire Mage; and then your character will have the skill sets of both those character types. This way you could have a character that could wear plate armor while wielding powerful fire magic.

Advanced Options

These options are for the more skilled players of Din's Curse, and each will make playing Din's Curse more challenging in various ways. Personally I wouldn't select any of them unless you are familiar with Action Role Playing Games (ARPG's) and are a glutton for punishment! ;)

HARDCORE - You can only select this option if any one of your characters has reached level 25. If you choose this option, and your character dies; it is permanent. Your character can not resurrect (come back to life), and so the game is over for that character. Consequently you will want to play the game much more carefully because, once you're dead... you're DEAD! In addition, another feature of this mode is that you can't use the shared stash from other characters you created earlier.

CURSED - You can only select this option if any one of your characters has reached level 25. With this option, you can only use cursed items. These item make you weaker and make play more challenging.

EGO - By selecting this mode, you only get one half the amount of experience for your achievements (kills, solving quests, etc.) that you would in normal mode. Choose this option only if you want a challenge.

UNLUCKY - Selecting this mode decreases the amount off magic items you will find.

HONORABLE DEATH - If you select this option and the town is destroyed, you will die! However, you can resurrect to save another town (unless you also selected the hardcore option.)

POVERTY - Selecting this option means that you will find less items and money while playing, which will make it harder to find or purchase better items.

FRAGILE - Selecting this option will result in you having one half (1/2) the health as a normal character, making you easier for you to die. Be very careful if you choose this option!

CLUMSY - Selecting this option will give you one half (1/2) the dexterity of a normal character, making it harder for you to inflict damage onto your enemies.

SEMI-HARDCORE - In Semi-Hardcore, each death is very painful, but not necessarily the end. Each time you die, you lose 5 base vitality. If your base vitality ever drops to 0 (zero), then you are dead forever. Can you save the world when death is actually dangerous. This option is only for advanced players.

LOST - Lost characters have no sense of direction and no mapping skills; so they are always lost. Can you save the world when you can't even find your way out of a square room with one door? This option is only for advanced players.

PRIMA DONNA - Prima Donnas will only use set, elite, artifact, or legendary items. Can you save the world if you only use the best (or nothing at all)? This option is only for advanced players.

ONLY HOPE - With this option, the town relies entirely on you alone. So, if you die, the town is immediately lost. Can you save the town with only one life? This option is only for advanced players.

HUNGER - With this option, if you don't eat enough you will begin to starve; and then die soon thereafter. Can you save the world while you are distracted by hunger? This option is only for advanced players.

Hybrid Character Suggestions

Many people have asked me to recommend some good hybrid combinations for Din's Curse. I asked folks from the forums to give some suggestions which can be found below. Thanks to those people who took the time to respond with their suggestions (especially DeathKnight1728).

Just to preface things, everyone who plays the game may like one combination over another. What you like may be quite different from what someone else finds an enjoyable character combination. However, it can be quite overwhelming with the large number of character combinations possible in Din's Curse. So here's a list of some possible combinations you can try that some players feel work well.

DeathKnight1728 says: There's too many to name. Hunter, Gladiator, Trickster, Firemage, Icemage can all be used with anything else and still work well. Whatever you do, look for a negative with your positive. If you are adding assassin (offensive class), look to combine it with something defensive (anything with a shield). Too much offense is not good as you always get hit, too much defense is not good either as you never hit.

Here are a few combinations I like:

• Trickster/Hunter-This one is almost unfair, ranged weapons are automatically powerful, now with stealth, its too good.
  
• Trickster/Archer-Just like the above except they can almost solo the game without an arrow attack (passive)
  
• Trickster/Gladiator-Shields + Cleave + Stealth + Focus damage equals super tank. This is almost too good of a hybrid.
  
• Firemage/Hunter-Fire mastery + Firetrap+ Trap Mastery= a viable magic damage build.
  
• Icemage/Defender or (Any mage class mixed with defender)= Mage that can take many more hits and survive in later difficulties due to block skill from defender.
  
• Thief/Druid-This class is the most interesting class in the game. With a lot of passives, you can essentially just use your regular attack from stalker form. You will be so fast and deal so many criticals and deep wounds that it will make your head spin. Fastest class in the game however not for beginners as you need to find a good dagger. Dagger mastery is your friend. You might be able to use Assassin/druid here instead as the defense bonus from stalker will cancel the low defense. Any passive mastery class can use the druid with stalker form. Weaponmaster might work.
  
• Reaver/Trickster-Same as weaponmaster/trickster except you use two-handed weapon mastery and stealth. Good class.
  
• Thief/Demonologist-This is my class I made. Its a lot of fun as its played differently. You basically take impale or slice and use the debuff demon roar to make enemies unable to hit you. You then destroy them as they cant hit you. You are always on the move and this class is tough but very viable as thief is hard to hit. You can debuff -240 attack/defense 4 times in a row! Dagger mastery. One word of advice to avoid getting swarmed, use dangerous monsters. As there are less of them you should be killing most things in one shot. This is where circle of power comes in for big bosses. Circle of power adds a lot to criticals and damage, with that and 1 hit attack skill and dagger mastery, you should have no trouble with mobs.
  
• Any stealth build (trickster) with an Area of Effect physical attack is a good choice. (Gladiator, Weaponmaster, Reaver, maybe even Warden-Shield sweep).
  
• Paladin/Paladin-This is probably the weirdest combination. You essentially take mace mastery (which isn't great) and double it, with double defense, double stunning blow, and double crushing blow. This class is good with regards to later levels as the beginning is tough. Pump 3 points into dexterity, 1 strength, 1 vitality. That should work for you. Use aura blessing and regenerate blessing. With reminder to above build, if you are unsure as to how to add points to a build that has a hard enough time hitting, add 3 dexterity, 1 strength, and 1 vitality.
  
• Warden/any Mage -This is an interesting choice, hear me out. With this hybrid, any mage can be more deadly and defensive at the same time. The warden will allow you shields plus health, plus wards. Wards are a good choice as there are 3 wards that help. Lightning ward adds to magic critical hit, which is your main ward. This char is what I like to call, a turf caster. He is most deadly on his turf. Not just that, he can cast defensively with ice ward which lowers speed of enemies chasing you. Even poison ward can help when getting away and stalling. This class can be mixed with anything-icemage, fire, lightning, magic, its better at single enemy spells though as the chances to crit are more worthwhile. You still can use aoe spells though.

The thing to remember mostly about hybrids is what you are getting yourself into. You can hybrid just about anything, but it doesnt mean that it will work. Take one of the hybrids ive tried. I made an assassin/icemage because icemastery works with charged strike, the build was successful at first. However as soon as I made it to lvl 30 monsters, it slowly got too hard. I probably could have stuck with it past 65, but I got hit far too often. Look at the assassin/icemage bonuses. 1.3 bonus to attack and .5 bonus to defense with a small bonus to damage and health. Everything is fine except the most important part of this build. Defense. .5 defense wont cut it without a shield. I'm convinced the assassin class will always be able to hit anything due to precision and other bonuses to hit, but too much offense without defense is really bad in dins curse.

There is one last powerful number of classes that I haven't tried yet. I still think that they will work really really well. Firemage, Icemage, and Sorcerer can be doubled and work excellently. Think about it, and icemage/icemage gets double mastery for ice just as fire and lightning do. That's a lot of extra damage when it comes to magic. Most of the time magic is not as powerful as melee and ranged, but if you double the mastery classes, you've got some potent spell-casters. Just an idea.

Poor Character Combinations in Din's Curse

As to character combinations that don't work so well, here's what DeathKnight1728 had to say:

Stay away from anything that is all offense and no defense. Assassin mixed with any offensive caster might sound great but there is no defense. Even the weaponmaster gets more defense than the Assassin as sword mastery gives parry/defense. Trust me on this, I had an assassin/icemage that used charged strike and he was a glass cannon. He could kill like no other but if someone blew on him, he was toast.

If you are generally going to use the assassin character, use a defensive build that has a shield, Gladiator, Paladin, Defender come to mind.

Also, don't use defender and try and melee him unless you have an offensive class to help him. So for example, don't go paladin/defender, paladin/warden, defender/any mage class. For the latter, if you decide to use a mage with defender, don't expect him to hit anything as he has no attack. The only build of the ones mentioned that might be done is the defender/paladin as mace mastery is there and if you increase 3 dex, 1 strength, 1 vit, you can do it.

Never forget the masteries with regards to being able to hit things. The thief class is one class for example that can hit anything no matter what and still have a reasonable defense, all due to mastery. Even though the paladin class is crippled with attack, if you put all your points in mace mastery and dex, he will hit things and be able to stay alive.

The weaponmaster is an exception to this. While the thief has high def and the paladin has a shield, the weaponmaster doesn't have a defense unless you master in swords.

[mryellow362]

I'm not sure if my combination sounds weird, but it's Druid/Demonologist.

[-=!=-Hexlaw-=!=-]

cool, thank you for this.

[sahornback]

I decided to answer here too. :) The armory is controlled by the Warmaster. So you'd need to click on the Warmaster, and then on the Equipment button. I asked the game's designer about the items put into the armory, and this was his answer: "In DC, I'm pretty sure it gets distributed to an NPC if possible, otherwise it gets sold and the funds go into the lottery fund that a random NPC will eventually win."

[-=!=-Hexlaw-=!=-]

thank you

[sahornback]

I believe it does (if they can use an item), but I'll have to check with the game's designer to be sure and get back with you.

[-=!=-Hexlaw-=!=-]

call thank you for your reply, Also how does the Town Armory work? does putting items in there auto arm the towns folk?

[sahornback]

Unfortunately, no. You can carry 2 weapons, but can only wield 1 at a time. With your inventory screen up, you can press the "W" key to switch to the other weapon's slot; then equip the second weapon. Then you can switch between them in that game by toggling the weapons with the "W" key.

[-=!=-Hexlaw-=!=-]

can you duel wield in the game?