Sacred 2:The Knight (1h-Weapon and Shield), designed to plow through Niobium HC, until level cap

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The Knight (1h-Weapon and Shield), designed to plow through Niobium HC, until level cap

By gasconron


Introduction:

This is an Shadow Warrior build for HC and done in Single Player with 15+ days worth of game time. Rayearth, plowed through the campaigns fast and hard. *Warning* Even the the gameplay is simple and generic. This type of character is fairly expensive/gear-dependent, building him made me detour into fully maturing my niob smith/shopper TE and my niob EP Pyromancer HE.

When you talk Shadow Warrior melee, there are FOUR things to be considered:

1. how hard you hit 2. how often you hit, what you wanna' hit 3. how often you get hit 4. how hard you get hit.

Skill Structure and Gear addresses priority 3 & 4. Your Combat Arts, the way they are modded plus the jewelry your shoppers get you will determine how hard you hit... but it is especially true with "how often you hit." - - this will be explained further along the guide.

Skill Selection:

FIRST PRIORITY (Skills that need to reach Mastery Level A.S.A.P.)

Level 2: Death Warrior Focus - 75pts max keep to your charlvl until you get Demonic Blow 2-3 secs regen, then increase accordingly

Level 3: Tactics Lore - 100+ (100-125) pts keep to your charlvl until level 75, enemies level with you and your damage needs to increase along with it. From experience, damage is only satisfactory at low levels and will take you long to kill champions from random trash mobs. Keep it 100, further pts added (if necessary) at the end for least priority.

Level 5: Armor Lore - 75 pts no brainer, any melee lass needs it. At level 75, DW focus, Tactics and this are the only skills recieving pts. Thus, they are the first 3 skills reaching Mastery level, except for Malevolent Focus (see below for details). Keep it 75, further pts added (if necessary) at the end for least priority.

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Level 8: Concentration - 1pt Only MC Focus & DW Focus at mastery + "+skills" will take care of the regen times, you only need this for 2 buffs. Any leftover pts. at the end can be invested here if you feel your regen is not to your liking. **personally, I doubt you'll need it.**

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SECOND PRIORITY

Level 12: Malevolent Champion Focus - 75 pts max. up until the "level 75 grind," you only need enough points on here to fully mod 1-skill of your choice...that being Frenzied Rampage. Once the first priority skills are mastered build this up to make Frenzied Rampage spammable.


Level 18: Constitution - 100+ (100-125) pts. increase this according to your gut instinct, if you feel like you are getting overwhelmed by mobs or if your gonna be up against a really nasty boss then go ahead and increase it by all means. EVEN IF IT MEANS MESSING UP THE POINT ALLOCATION for the 1st priority skills. After all, there is no use building up a HC build, if you are gonna end up dead.


Level 25: Combat Discipline - 75 pts max at mastery level we gain -20% regen + chunky damage goodness from any skill/skills in a combo. Master this before even touching skill 8, 9 and 10 (which should all be at 1pt up until Combat Discipline is mastered)

THIRD PRIORITY (What Makes a Tank, a Tank...)

Level 35, 50 & 65:

    • There is no real order, this will be up to your preference. Whether you gradually increase all 3 skills to mastery, or you prioritize one over the other is up to you as a player**

Toughness - 150+ (150-200) pts You're a melee toon built to be tough so go crazy on this. I personally maxed mine at end game but I got it to 75 first, and mastered the last 2 skills before adding on to it

    • I don't think I can provide a reasoning as sensible and more convincing as Kaiden's, which is why I'm gonna quote this passage from his guide.**

QUOTE (Kaiden @ Feb 26 2009, 11:01 AM) * Combat Reflexes - 75pts Serious Damage mitigation. At 75 pts, not only do you have a 48.3% Evade chance, but a 64.3% chance to avoid critical hits from weapons. There's a 12% evade jump from 74 to 75pts, and then diminishing returns start to kick in, where as the avoid critical hit chance seems to remain steadily decreasing from 50+pts without any significant jump. Granted, Maxing this will bump the critical hit avoidance up about 15% and the evade chance up 13%, this can be raised via +skills items. If I have the points, I may take this to 100pts for 53.4% evade and 70.9% avoid Criticals.


Spell Resistance - 75pts This is essentially "Combat Reflexes" for spell damage. At 75 p At skill level 75, this skill adds another bonus, it reduces "Detrimental Effects" of spells. Extra points may find their way here, but 75pts is a definite, leaving the only vulnerability on this character in the form of ranged damage and criticals. Several threads seem to dismiss Spell Resistance for a Shadow Warrior because of Grim Resilience and it's willpower bonus which increases Spell Resistance. What Willpower does not do, and the skill Spell Resistance does, is reduce the chance for spell criticals by 64.3% and reduces the detrimental effects of spells by 35.6% at level 75. Think "35.6% Less weaken effects, 35.6% less hold/stun/root time, 35.6% more Hitpoints when that scorpion boss digs in and ruins all your HC living fun" Also remember, ALL Combat Arts are "Spells".


Stat Allocation:

50/50 ratio Vitality and Strength . However the way you increase your stats will vary, especially at lower lvls. You might want to invest your first 20-25 pts in STR first for +dmg & atk val%.

Combat Arts:

Demonic Blow - wounding > poisoning > trauma 1. This is your boss killer/champion killer, not your crowd control skill. It is designed to take out the highest threat opponent immediately in case you are overwhelmed at early levels, while waning down the rest of the mob. 2. We don't need to reduce the armor, because we are already "ignoring it" in the first place 3. personal preference... I'm a potion chugger, I don't need life leech at early levels. At level 140+, you don't even need to use a potion or life leech. this mod is useful for spikes

Scything Sweep - force > intent > rage 1. Damage - we don't need mobs getting knocked back and out of reach of Frenzied Rampage, we just wanna soften them up. 2. Damage - stun? lol, we want them dead... period. 3. Hurl isn't really effective simply because SS is used in a combo with Frenzied Rampage. SS's purpose is to soften up the mobs HP, FR finishes everything within range.

Rousing Command - persistence > spur > surge good buff for boss fights. This is GOLDEN during lower levels when you still don't have access to -opponent's chance to evade items. You will almost always not need this outside of a boss fight.

Grim Resilience - rejuv > discipline > safeguard 1. you don't need more hitpoints... you have more than enough. 2. -regen goodness, spamming DB and FR is your key to victory. 3. this was chosen because the most efficient way of lvling up was the Orc Cave, due to the lack of Area of Effect and to avoid carpal tunnel by clicking too much

Frenzied Rampage - 2x attack > 2x strike > envenom 1. crowd control - as this is used in combo with SS, it's main purpose is to finish off those weakened by SS...the way I kill mobs is like farming in Guild Wars or WoW, walk around grab 10-15, then Spike. More hits = more enemies dead. 2. crowd control - as this is used in combo with SS, it's main purpose is to finish off those weakened by SS...the way I kill mobs is like farming in Guild Wars or WoW, walk around grab 10-15, then Spike. More hits = more enemies dead. 3. I don't need life leech, thus more damage, even if it's DoT is better.

Augementing Guidon - elite > tutor or healing > fear good buff for boss fights... I barely use it outside of a boss fight.

Beligerent Vault - reach > unaware 2 applications of this skill. Taking short cuts when your cross countrying and is a great way to start a boss fight

Killing Spree - control > perseverance > sway good buff for boss fights... I barely use it outside of a boss fight. When used in conjunction with Rousing Command, this will solve all your chance to hit problems at low-level/mid-level boss fights.

Reflective Emanation - backlash > antimagic > riposte 1 & 2. are modded so that you have this 1 buff reflecting close combat, ranged attacks, amd enemy spells and Combat Arts (since Combat Arts are counted as "spells") all at the same time. 3. damage - who doesn't like damage


Booster Slots:

Slot 1 - Allocate Combo 1. At low levels Combo 1 will just be Demonic Blow to enjoy the high -regen% of DW Focus (putting FR w/ in the combo will only hider it since the the -regen% on the Malevolent Champ tree is still low). At high levels, Combo 1 will be Demonic Blow + Frenzied Rampage.

Uses: Spam for Boss Killing, or champion instant kill in case of a mob rushdown (combo assumed to be 1-2.5 secs regen)

Slot 2 - Allocate Combo 2. Scything Sweep + Frenzied Rampage.

Uses: CROWD CONTROL (combo assumed to be 1-2.5 secs regen)

Slot 3 - Allocate Combo 3. At low levels Combo 3 will just be "Rousing Command + Augmenting Guidon + Killing Spree." Upon Mastery of Combat Discipline, Combo 3 will be "Beligerent Vault + Rousing Command + Augmenting Guidon + Killing Spree."

Uses: Boss Debuff & Player Buff (combo assumed to be 1-2.5 secs regen)

Slot 4 - Beligerent Vault - Utility for short-cutting during your cross country walking throughout Ancaria.


Equipment (end game):

    • since this is a very gear dependent build, I will be as thorough as I can be on this, put forth what I personally used. I made various changes as I progressed to higher levels, and obviously as my farmer/shopper found better stuff**

1. Damage Mitigation - you should be looking for something ranging from 60-80% damage mitigation to all types of damage, depending on how many Darwargon's Circlets and Tanit's Collar you have to socket your your stuff with. At low to mid-level game, your only damage mitigation sources will only come from Glacial Defender/Armatin's Shoulder pads.

AT END GAME: - Get your shopper/EP farmer and hunt for a 1-2 socket Torso Armor & Shoulder Plates with damage mitigation mod on it.

    • The one I am currently wearing is a godly 2 socket Torso Armor (+15% dam miti, 4x% deathblow), socketed with Tanit & Darwagon, 2 socket Shoulder Armor (+15% dam miti, -2x% DW regen) socketed with Tanit & Darwagon.**

- level 190+ Glacial Defender, socketed w/ Tanit

- optional: If you feel like wasting more Tanits/Darwagons, Bust out your level 190+ Armatin's Belt and socket them, this will take you to 71-80% total damage miti

comment: combine this damage mitigation w/ max toughness, 50% vit, 100+ constitution, spell resistance & combat reflexes mastery. you'll be a "God Walking Amongst Mere Mortals." You can literally leave your Shadow Warrior on a boss on Niob and take a nap, and you'll wake up seeing the same thing going on (unless of course, you turned on Reflective Emanation, which would've killed the poor thing)

2. +chance your opponent cannot evade/-opponent's chance to evade - this is where this build suffers. you have godly defense and damage, but you can't progress if you can't hit for s***...this is where jewelries come into play. At low levels, you'll probably just Flame Smiter/Ronuil's Tears plus some jewelry assistance but at mid to end game this is when you'll depend on your shopper mostly. you'll need dual modded jewelries w/ this mod and another...

3. +chance to disregard opponent's armor % - This is a very under appreciated mod, but this one really shines at high levels. At 50+% you will be hitting anything as if they didn't even have armor on and will be taking the max damage possible (by the way I understand it). Well, regardless... your REAL DPS increases as opposed to the written DPS on your character screen. Sources are usually shopped rings or the rare Silala's Ring. Braise your shopper and go lose yourself. you'll need dual modded jewelries w/ this mod and another...


4. "Another" Being.... (anything that will boost your damage lvls or improve you overall), such as - + All Skills

+ All Combat Arts

+ Critical Hit Chance % - anything over 30% is good. **mine is at 48%**

+ Death Blow % - should be 65-70%

+ damage % - I personally use + physical (at 157%), since my weapon is majorly physical

comment: unlike some character builds that require a lot of +skills and +combat arts (100+), this build with the prescribed gear does well at +40-60 all skills and Combat Art, which is pretty low by level 160+ standards. Primarily because, defense is boosted by the damage miti gear, while damage is boosted by the base damage, + damage and the constant proc'ing of crits, deathblow and armor ignore. My Shadow Warrior is in no way a 1 combo shot Boss Killer like a BFG+revered tech Serra, but it can kill all bosses I faced under a minute in niob.

5. Optional - If you still have jewelry space, 1 Artamak's Star would be a great addition.

6. Your Weapon of Choice, since all you jewelry slots and equipment sockets are now full to address the mods, your 1h-weapon should be all about damage. So get the highest base damage 1h-wep you can find w/ at least 2 sockets (silver or higher). Then find two rings with +50 (or higher) base damage w/ another useful mod. Ice Flash (sword) comes to mind. If you want something rarer, Stradal's Hammer (blunt) or probably the best choice, Signet of Thunder (blunt)...**which I have yet to find**

Levelling Up:

It's sad, but you'll spend most of your time in this cave levelling up. I am ASSUMING you have played this game through before at least until Plat, and you should know what level your at a certain point of the campaign.

This will be the summary of your Shadow Warrior HC life, should you be like me who wants to get to niob ASAP:

Start Silver until Orc Region > Do some questing for gear upgrade> Orc Cave > Finish Silver > Start Gold until Orc Region > Orc Cave > Finish Gold > Start Plat until Orc Region > Orc Cave > Finish Plat > Now PLAY Sacred 2, the way it should be played, have fun, explore and kill them mini-bosses...


Build Rating (personal opinion):

Survivability (Early & Late Game) - 5/5

Damage (Early Game) - 3/5

Damage (End Game) - 4 to 4.5/5

Game Progression - 3/5

level'ing grind - 2/5... yah, you'll get sick of the Orc Cave.

Equipment Dependancy - 1/5... to get to the desired damage mitigation level (60-80), deathblow (65-70+), crits (30-40), ignore armor (70-90), +all skills & Combat Art's (40-60) and still have slots on your weapon of choice to socket +base weapon damage w/ +damage% type rings. It takes a long hours of niob shopping, EP Farming.



Originally published at DarkMattersfor review and discussion.

See Also