The best builds for Wolcen are not yet know, given the game has just been released — but that doesn't mean you can't build usefully!
In addition to our Beginners Guide, here is some help and explanations to design your first generalist and beginner build, to play a Melee Assassin or Archer.
Although the two have very different ways of playing, they are largely grouped together in terms of skills and equipment.
Equipment selection & statistics
Your first big choice will be to decide what kind of weapon you're going to play with. Since the skills are a little different, and the way of playing is a lot different:
- A bow for purely ranged play and you specialize in that. Two guns is also an option but considered inferior.
It's better to play hybrid builds with other weapons, because you don't really have a reason to equip 2 daggers for example
- Play Assassin with a dagger and melee weapon to take advantage of some of the bonus warrior abilities. A pistol and melee weapon is also an option.
- Dagger and Catalyst or Gun and Catalyst to access the many Mage spells, many of which are useful whether in melee or ranged.
- A dagger or gun and shield to play a tanky version.
There are obviously other ways to equip and other possible priorities depending on your choices of passives and your plans for character orientation.
Dodging is the defensive statistic favoured by default by assassins and rangers, but you should not rely solely on it. Life and resistance are also important.
- Blocking must be given priority if you play shield, you can also benefit from it with other weapons via certain passives or pieces of equipment. In any case, it will take life and resistance score to cash in.
- You will get bonuses that affect the damage of weapons and attacks, not to be confused with spell bonuses (which only affect techniques that require to be used with a staff or a catalyst).
- The life drain statistic will be of immense help to you in surviving.
In the same way, favor the bonuses of rage, avoid those of will, unless you play a hybrid build which makes it possible to make profitable the 2. - Be careful, it's not very intuitive, but the damage and effects are divided into several large families. You are going to seek the damage of the attacks, and not the damage of the fates (unless playing hybrid), and you are going to want bonuses to the material damages (alias physical damage) in the majority of the cases, unless you try to play an elemental variant. You'll need to take into account the techniques you've selected, otherwise you'll be making mistakes in your equipment choices. It may be wise to use the runes of the techniques to adapt their element.
Skills
There are dozens of techniques available and you can only choose five to start with. Luck has its role in what you'll quickly get your hands on, but don't forget that you can consult the saleswoman in town who often updates her inventory. Here's a short list of excellent, easy-to-use spells to play with:
Basic Spells
- Stings of Krearion: Summon an imposing bow and launch several piercing arrows at once.
Or
- Slayer's Flurry: Summon two blades and dash forward to the target, dealing single target damage. Does not dash if used in melee range.
Or
- Deathgazer Railgun: Charge a powerful sniper shot that damages in an area of effect. AS the shot is charged, the area of effect narrows and the damage of the shot increases.
Or
- Bleeding Edge: Throw a spinning axe in a circle around you. damaging and making those affected bleed.
Additional
- Phantom Blades: Throw a spinning dual-blade in a line in front of you that damages enemies caught in its path.
- Avenger Autoturret: Summon a Deviceanial turret to provide covering fire. Can be detached and wielded by holding the skill.
- Mark of Impurity: Curses a target, increasing the damage it receives.
Assassin: Support Techniques
- Duskshroud: Drop a shadow cloud on the ground that grants invisibility and reduces Threat.
- Sovereign Shout: Unleash a powerful warcry which buffs attack speed and cast speed by 25% for yourself and nearby allies.
- Wings of Ishmir: Summon a giant spear and leap onto your enemies, damaging them.
Archer: Support Techniques
- Evasion: Dash in the opposite direction of the cursor and drop a projectile where the skill was activated that slows enemies in an area of effect.
- Livor mortis: Summon a large Poison golem that cleaves enemies. If skill is cast again, golem shouts a warcry that generates Threat.
- Aether Jump: Jump through the Aether to teleport to another position.
Attributes
Choosing which attribute to invest in is a difficult decision. It will depend on how you want to play. And while intuitively you may think it's better to invest in Agility with this type of class, for the moment the balance of the game clearly makes it better to split its points between Ferocity and Ruggedness, or even everything in Ferocity.
Passives
You can go in many different directions and take spheres that will help you create your own style of play.
For a warrior, red dots are usually more suitable, but you can definitely invest in blue and green dots if you need to. For example, in the second circle, there are mage talents that also improve willpowerl and maximum rage, which is a huge comfort boost and improves your ability to chain attacks.
Don't hesitate to spin the wheels, and don't hesitate to make useful "detours" with your points. You will be able to go to several destinations in the future.
Here is a list of the most widespread generalist liabilities as well as the useful ones for a warrior :
- Damage Bonus
- Maximum life
- Critical Damage Bonus
- Maximum Wilpowerl and Rage Bonus
- Cost reduction in Willpower and Rage (indicated as a "+" ironically)
- Resistance Bonus
- Life drain
- Reduced cooldown time
- Maximum Life Bonus
- Attack speed
- Critical chances
- +25 Toughness or Ferocity
A lot of talents are common with those of warriors. For example, the Soldier tree (the first red one) is full of big useful highlights like "The Luck Card", which improves criticals, or "The Fire of Action" which gives Rage when you are hit.
The Blood Tree also has good things, such as "Gods Among Men" which converts all your damage into physical damage and boosts the latter, "Beastly Frenzy", and "A Feast for Crows" improve lifesteal. Tanks or players in need of survival will want to take a turn in the Praetorian tree for blocking bonuses.
The point that once again caught our attention the most is in the third circle however — in the Child of Fury section, the fantastic "Furious Appetite" bonus turns all your Will into Rage, and makes you regenerate Rage passively instead of Will. This will totally transform your gaming experience. If you don't feel like taking the lead anymore, just go for it.
The Ranger Tree is obviously a must if you want to get the most out of your shots, as is the Assassin Tree, even if you play at a distance.
Apocalyptic form
This choice will only be offered to you at the end of Chapter 1, and you will not be able to change it before the end of the story. The Aspect of Dawn is appropriate for tanks, the Aspect of Flesh is good for more aggressive players.
Want to cruise the high-level content and decimate everything in Wolcen? Here's how to play a high-powered character with this detailed guide to passives, attributes, equipment and skills.
