4 Classes combining 8 masteries [Build Guides]

[Minervian]

Originally Posted by schellen

you play exactly the same classes as Minervian! he also has a thane and a ranger.

LOL! It's true, Shadowshire, my first character was a Champion (now 61 in legendary), 2nd char a Spellbinder (42, epic), 3rd character Elementalist (23, still in normal), 4th Brigand (21). and I too purposely did this to try out all the 8 masteries.

One thing I'd like to say is that my Spellbinder gives me greater confidence in battle than my Champion. Defense mastery is amazing. So much so I've started to purposely rearrange his equipment to make him LESS powerful.

[Shadowshire]

That's quite funny that you did excatly the same, but i think that these build are really good each in it's own, though The Champion should give more damage. I like him most for his pets, as they are making the journey not that lonely with two faithfull dogs along...

You are right about the Spellbinder. I must say that it is the strongest melee character i have ever tried. He's got about the best defence, even better than the Corsair, and his damage is far better than the Champion. I find it a bit sad that Warfare, almost is a visual choice for the dual thing. It never near the damage of defence unless you go assassin or slayer, which have really sad defence skills.

Im hoping that the Dream Class will have something to offer to Warfare that isn't just better with defence damage and offcourse compensation in defensive skills for the lacking sheild, but i doubt it. Seems like every melee build you think off, defence will do it best. I also hoped that v.1.20 would give Warfare supirior damage in slashing and blugdoning, which anyway should be logic.

In my opinion defence should be based more on clerical skills as healing, divine blessings and protective auras, than on sheild damage. Adrenalines damage boost and using sheilds offensive belong with offensive masteries IMO.

[Vilify]

Maybe the Devs made defense an offensive mastery to make it more appealing to some people?

I agree that it should be based more on actual defensive skills than offensive sheild bashes and whatnot (not that I'm complaining, my Paladin seems alot more powerful than my battlemage)

[Shadowshire]

Having a closer look at the Dream Mastery and finding it actually supporting melee very good having great close encounter defences and being based on Strength and Intelligence attributes, could meen that Warfare finally could stand a chance as an alternative to Defence...but we'll have to wait and see.

[Dedo]

Originally Posted by Shadowshire

Seems like every melee build you think off, defence will do it best. I also hoped that v.1.20 would give Warfare supirior damage in slashing and blugdoning, which anyway should be logic.

In my opinion defence should be based more on clerical skills as healing, divine blessings and protective auras, than on sheild damage. Adrenalines damage boost and using sheilds offensive belong with offensive masteries IMO.

I couldn't agree more. Warfare needs to be buffed to make it less of a clear decision. Nearly anything melee with a shield = defense as 1 of the masteries.

However, I doubt this will happen.

[Evilyn]

Thanks for this guide, Shadowshire.

Im a pretty green newbie to this game and to this forum, but your ideas on builds helped me to get started in a better way than i did myself. Actually, this forum seems to be the best i encountered since i started playing TQ. Im playing as a Spellbinder and here at level 28 i can already see that it's gonna turn out real good,thanks to your advice...

[Sancuary Denied]

Thunderball:
Though some may argue for choosing chain lightning or Volcanic Orb, here's why i say Thunderball. Your staff and pet is already doing very high damage, so you need something other than that, in this case stun. Offers better surviverbility and you can take out the stunned enemies with the staff. So max it for the stun and the damage.


I had planned out an elementalist very close to yours w/ chain lightning being the exception before coming across you post.

I've dropped chain lightning for Thunderball, it's a little tough giving up my mob killer. I'm in act three normal, I'm assuming T-ball will pay off later on (when maxxed/epic, ledgendary).

[Shadowshire]

Well, Thunderball will never reach anywhere near the damage of Chain Lightning. The reason i choose to go with it is because that you have other ways of doing high damage. Thunderball and it's fragments stops enemies for seconds enough for you to Use your staff or eruption to take them out. Offcourse these more protective spells don't really kick in as much as damage spells in Normal or Epic, but in Legendary you'll be grateful every time you can keep enemies away from you. Squall weakens and damages your enemies alot and the "low damage" of thunderball is often enough to kill them then. If not they are stunned and easy to take down.

Another thing about Chain Lightning is the very long recharge time, and without having loads of -recharge gear, you won't be able to depend on it when it counts later in the game. There is also alot of + stun length/damge stuff to pick up when you start getting purples. So Chain Lightning is great but its very hard to depend on in Legendary, where thunderball really starts to pay of...
I focus on Masteries, Static Charge, Squall and a few points in Coredweller through Normal. Start on Wisp, Thunderball, Eruption and Earth Enchant through epic and Start Volativity and maxing all skills towards and through legendary...

I play a paladin aswell, and defences concusive blows 40% stun damage + thunderball is really sweet...

[raduneo]

Very nice thread!

I'll post my 4 favored classes very soon.

[Sancuary Denied]

Originally Posted by Shadowshire

Well, Thunderball will never reach anywhere near the damage of Chain Lightning. The reason i choose to go with it is because that you have other ways of doing high damage. Thunderball and it's fragments stops enemies for seconds enough for you to Use your staff or eruption to take them out. Offcourse these more protective spells don't really kick in as much as damage spells in Normal or Epic, but in Legendary you'll be grateful every time you can keep enemies away from you. Squall weakens and damages your enemies alot and the "low damage" of thunderball is often enough to kill them then. If not they are stunned and easy to take down.

Another thing about Chain Lightning is the very long recharge time, and without having loads of -recharge gear, you won't be able to depend on it when it counts later in the game. There is also alot of + stun length/damge stuff to pick up when you start getting purples. So Chain Lightning is great but its very hard to depend on in Legendary, where thunderball really starts to pay of...
I focus on Masteries, Static Charge, Squall and a few points in Coredweller through Normal. Start on Wisp, Thunderball, Eruption and Earth Enchant through epic and Start Volativity and maxing all skills towards and through legendary...

I play a paladin aswell, and defences concusive blows 40% stun damage + thunderball is really sweet...

I had a feeling the pay off later on would be worth it. I'll stay the course. Thanks