A Comprehensive Guide To The BFG Seraphim

[ka243 3]

I redid my BFG character following this guideline and its rocking at level 20.

The white griffon is a bit slow to go down but kobold cheif is very quick. I found that a good way to level up to 20 is to repeatedly do the kobold chieftan quest in silver and make sure you do that cave at the entrance to the kobold layer thats got tons of kobolds. Chance for good drops form boss & quest reward.

 

Skills so far:

Concentration

Armor lore

Ranged Weapons

Tactics Lore

Revered Focus

 

... so far so good. Found a regen per hit ring and its really helping at low levels.

 

Slot 1 = Using divine protection and dashing alacrity in a combo and

Slot 2 = soul hammer + pelting strikes in a combo, works great. Normal attacks while the Warrior combo is recharging.

Slot 3 = Flaring nova + Archangel's wrath.

Solt 4 = Hallowed restoration to conserve health pots.

 

Read 2 runes in battle stance and 3 in BFG. Dobri, How many runes did you end up reading in both of these skills at levels 30, 50, 75?

 

Modded bfg for more damage, don't know about penetrate or accuracy... If I will not have any problems hitting penetrate would be better but maybe I will have problems hitting? True its rare for the mobs to be lined up like ducks but it definately does happen especially in caves and I think the BFG range is quite far so it might hit things off screen?

 

I think combat discipline would add a lot to this build by reducing combo regen times and upping damage for both warrior and revered Combat Arts.

Is constitution the proper defensive skill to drop?

 

This would leave us with: Toughness, Armor, Warding Lore for defense.

I want to try to beat niob at level 75 I think this build can do it.

 

If I drop constitution should I put all points in vitality?

Edited December 1, 2009 by ka243

[Dobri 55]

The white griffon is slow because he's phys + ice resistant and that's the damage your BFG is inflicting. He should also be able to debuff you, which means you shouldn't do griffin runs with the BFG seraphim unless you're using Archangel's Wrath all the time.

 

If you drop constitution, vitality is indeed the way to go. You should also make sure you have around 95% (100% is perfect) absorption warding energy on your character so that your shield takes (almost) all the damage. You should also find a lot of items with +% warding energy as well, because you will need a 100k+ points shield by all means in niobium if you're low on HP.

 

As for accuracy vs penetrate, it's a matter of personal preference and BFG + BS mods.

If you pick +attack rating (it's accuracy anyway) mod on BS, since you'll be pumping it up, you don't need accuracy on the BFG buff.

If you pick the +damage mod on the BS, you should pick accuracy on the BFG.

 

Ouch. As for the runes, I started strong (meaning a lot of pre-set runes), so I was way over the focus limit all the time. Right now, since I"m not playing, the BFG seraphim is low - around level 50, but she has over 250 runes in BFG and over 150 in BS. So don't worry about the runes and read like crazy. In the end, the char will balance herself, and besides, the more damage you do with the BFG, the better your CA level 1 AW will be.

Edited October 18, 2009 by Dobri

[ka243 3]

Just saw the topic where you actually got a seraphim to 100% mitigation and it looks like it was done around level 144 and required a high level seraphim shopper, which I don't have. This is making my all out mitigation idea to beat niob at level 75 seem not so good. On the fence about what skill to drop for combat discipline between toughness & constitution or maybe I just leave combat discipline out.

 

If your shield never goes down you probably don't need constitution but it might well go down in niob at some point. I'll let you know how it goes.

Edited October 19, 2009 by ka243

[Dobri 55]

Good idea leaving out CD. I really wanted to put it somewhere in the build, really. However, I don't see a skill that can be left out... so I left CD out with the knowledge that since I'll be pumping a ton of runes in bfg, AW will be just as good even without CD.

 

One skill I was thinking about leaving out to sub for CD was Warding lore, since you can boost the power of the shield through items as well. However, I found out that the BFG needs the big shield BIG TIME. It is not because the enemies will cause much trouble, it's because you may get a random reflect and your wicked overpowered goddess will go 6 feet under.

[ka243 3]

The reason I wanted to put it in was because there are sooo many combos that are nice with this build (see above) and reducing the regen time would be nice. Agreed that big shields are very good. For warding energy, I'm thinking Field Force, Magic Mirror, Dunno. I read that DP blocks CAs rather than reflecting. Does magic mirror actually reflect and if you cast DP on top of it will that reduce your chance of reflecting?

[Dobri 55]

I like your WE buff choice of mods. This is the mods for a more advanced player in my opinion. Double field force is good if you're going for the ultimate mitigation, since pumping it will help you mitigate more damage, which will pay off big time later on, but ultimate mitigation is by no means mandatory. This build is so powerful that the char doesn't need it.

 

As for DP, you caught me. I barely use this CA unless I combo it with Dashing Alacrity, so I didn't have the chance to study it in-depth. However, my personal observation (and thus it may not be true) is that DP provides an ultimate shield against all incoming damage until it is exhausted or the duration of the CA runs out. As such it should prevent any damage from being absorbed by warding energy.

[ka243 3]

I updated the wiki page for BeeEffGee recently, take a look and feel free to add/change: http://www.sacredwiki.org/index.php5/Sacred_2:BeeEffGee

 

Can you confirm whether revered lore really increases the damage for BFG? Its not listed currently as something that effects it. What is listed is:

 

* Revered Technology Focus will lower it's regeneration time

* Tactics Lore will raise damage of BeeEffGee

* Ranged Weapons increases chance to hit & rate of fire. BeeEffGee comes with a native bonus to Ranged Weapons skill.

* Combat Discipline will directly raise it's damage.

 

 

I suppose we should add:

* Dexterity will increase hit chance and damage?

* Revered lore will increase damage?

* Stamina reduces regen penalty?

 

By the way, I don't understand what the "native bonus to ranged weapons skill" is? I assume this requires you to actually have the ranged weapons skill to unlock?

[Dobri 55]

Well, I cannot confirm it but the damage did improve (looking at the raw damage value) by pumping the skills. However, it may have been a result of rune pumping as well. I guess I should really try to go through the problems of installing the game again sometime. Still, you lose nothing by revered lore, since AW is a great backup to the BFG because of the different damage type, and it is boosted by revered lore.

 

I only leave out revered lore if I play a BFG-shopper seraphim. In this case I need to prioritize and I usually leave out Warding lore and Revered lore so that I can take riding + bargaining or EP + bargaining.

 

I suppose we should add:

* Dexterity will increase hit chance and damage?

* Revered lore will increase damage?

* Stamina reduces regen penalty?

 

The first and the third statements are correct 100%, as for revered lore, I wouldn't hurry till we can confirm it.

 

By the way, I don't understand what the "native bonus to ranged weapons skill" is? I assume this requires you to actually have the ranged weapons skill to unlock?

 

Absolutely. All you need is level 1 ranged lore, but you do need it. Otherwise you will be forced to play with a speed penalty on the BFG, which is undesirable, to say the least

[ka243 3]

Thanks, I'll try to do the test with revered lore if I get a chance this week.

 

By the way, there's something in the wiki that seems off for BeeEffGee: "Combat Discipline will directly raise it's damage."

 

I think that CD would raise the damage of BFG only if the weapon is used in a combat art but it should not effect the damage of the BFG when used as a regular attack, correct?

[Dobri 55]

I am not certain that this line is proper at all. In order for combat discipline to raise the damage of a Combat Art, it must be put in a combo, even a 1-Combat Art combo. Since the BFG is a buff, and thus cannot be a part of a combo, I can't see how it can benefit from CD.

 

The offensive Combat Arts of all aspects will benefit from CD, but not the buffs. Maybe whoever wrote that simply pasted it without thinking.

Edited October 21, 2009 by Dobri

[locolagarto 15]

I want to try to beat niob at level 75 I think this build can do it.

 

If I drop constitution should I put all points in vitality?

 

KA, I see what you are thinking and if you want to try for a dash to noib. I think you should build 2 Seras. 1 with bargaining, and 1 exactly as Dobri published in his build. The key is to have the armor sets he recommends and +all skills to put in them. and lots for BFG runes. I had 100 read into BFG by level 30. I also see you have been posting lots of question about different Combat Art's of the seraphim. She does have some cool stuff, but for you first build, try concentrating on the key Combat Art's BFG, Pelting Strike, and Battle stance. After taking my First BFG to Noib in less than a week, I realized she was going to surpass my level 124 shopper really quick. So I started a second BFG with EP and Bargaining. left off Revered Lore and Warding Lore. I would definetly keep Constitution over CD on this build. Having full time HP regen by level 75 will come in really handy when your getting nailed with poison in the swamp. As far as farming for Sets, its not necessary. You kill so quick that you'll pick up more set items than you know what to do with. I have a full chest with nothing but 3 star items and I have sold more set pieces than I can count just to make room for more. All by 1-shot killing every champ I see.

 

Just my 2 cents. Also another plug for getting on Xbox live. Friends like me could trade u gear and Niob smith services so you would have to build that shopper.

Edited October 21, 2009 by locolagarto

[Dobri 55]

The advice is very sound. However, he's trying more than rushing niob for all I understand. He's trying to complete it

 

1 seraphim like this, 1 with Riding+Bargaining in the place of revered lore/toughness + warding lore and things will be simpler. Why toughness? Because at level 75 the damage mitigation won't be that meaningful. In order for damage mitigation to become significant, it needs a lot of levels in toughness - 200+ if possible. That can be achieved I think, but still, that would be very hard to do. But that''s a good challenge anyway

[ka243 3]

I took out CD from the wiki BFG page as I agree that's probably not correct. CD would increase damage of Combat Arts, not normal attacks following buffs.

 

Yes, goal is to beat niob at lowest level possible. Its just for fun to add an extra challenge because I think the BFG seraphim is the character that can do it at lowest level possible.

 

I'll think more about live thanks for the offer anyways .

Edited October 22, 2009 by ka243

[clatters 0]

Hey there, really nice build you have on the go here

 

I just have one question.

 

What ratio of battle stance to bfg runes would you suggest?

 

Im new so dont have unlimited runes to keep eating, I think I have 5-6 in bfg and 1 in battle atm (only level 8:P)

 

Thanks.

[locolagarto 15]

Hey there, really nice build you have on the go here

 

I just have one question.

 

What ratio of battle stance to bfg runes would you suggest?

 

Im new so dont have unlimited runes to keep eating, I think I have 5-6 in bfg and 1 in battle atm (only level 8:P)

 

Thanks.

 

Watch your Regen times on Soul hammer and Pelting strikes. when they get down to 0.5s add runes to BFG. as long as your Regens stay low, you can keep adding to BFG only. You will be looking for your BFG weapon level (not combat art level) to equal 2X your character level. maintain that 2x level until the end of time. If you have 0.5s Regens and BFG weapon at level 2x character level, then add to battle stance 1 rune at a time. keep all others a 1 rune except Dashing Altricity and Divine Protection which you can eat all u want.

 

Hope this helps

[clatters 0]

Hey there, really nice build you have on the go here

 

I just have one question.

 

What ratio of battle stance to bfg runes would you suggest?

 

Im new so dont have unlimited runes to keep eating, I think I have 5-6 in bfg and 1 in battle atm (only level 8:P)

 

Thanks.

 

Watch your Regen times on Soul hammer and Pelting strikes. when they get down to 0.5s add runes to BFG. as long as your Regens stay low, you can keep adding to BFG only. You will be looking for your BFG weapon level (not combat art level) to equal 2X your character level. maintain that 2x level until the end of time. If you have 0.5s Regens and BFG weapon at level 2x character level, then add to battle stance 1 rune at a time. keep all others a 1 rune except Dashing Altricity and Divine Protection which you can eat all u want.

 

Hope this helps

 

Thanks very much, it did

[clatters 0]

Just hit level 35 using the build and everything is going well so far.

 

However, I cannot select constitution at level 35, the only skill I can select out of the remaining 3 skills is warding energy law. Is this right?

 

Nevermind, had to put 4 more points into armor lore to open it up.

[Dobri 55]

If you cannot select constitution, this means you don't have 5 hard points in the first tier of the defensive skills, which is the prerequisite to select a 2nd tier skill, in our case, constitution.

[locolagarto 15]

Just hit level 35 using the build and everything is going well so far.

 

However, I cannot select constitution at level 35, the only skill I can select out of the remaining 3 skills is warding energy law. Is this right?

 

Nevermind, had to put 4 more points into armor lore to open it up.

 

 

I think the order that you add skill points is important too. obvoiusly. but at early levels I concentrated on the exalted warrior focus, armor lore, tactics lore. concentration I left low in the beginning, ranged weapon stays at 1 point forever. only put 9 points into revered focus to mod BFG then left that for later. Constitution was a huge one. once you select that skill I pumped it hard until I hit level 75. don't forget to farm for those set pieces with mitigation. The boar boss and white griffin were best for me. Just don't let the griffin get close to you, he'll strip your buffs(including BFG)

[clatters 0]

When did you find that your soul hammer/pelting strikes came down to a reasonable cd. Im level 53 now in the build on europe open (playing with a friend here) and my soul hammer/pelting strike are still 1.9/2.9 cd respectively.

 

I make sure that I socket everything with -regen.

 

Also, is any other build worth playing after you play this one Ive tried a few out but a lot seem to rely on Combat Art's that have silly regen rates at the start, thus I end up getting bored

[Dobri 55]

Well, the biggest deal with the Combat Art's of this build is that most of them must be kept at Combat Art level 1. Due to the constant pumping of runes in Battle stance and BFG the regen times will be high most of the time even at that low level of the offensive Combat Arts. When you add warding energy at level 75 as a third buff, things will get even more out of hand.

 

What I have noticed, is that pretty much any build (not only the BFG) balances itself on its own (unless you screw it up really badly, which I doubt you have done since you're a great player) around level 75, 100 or 125 if you keep adding + all skills, - regen time and - regen penalty from buffs equip. So don't worry Things will get much better later on, and besides, you do have the big overpowered gun at your side.

 

 

What may cause a problem is the expansion. It will take a bit more time for the build to balance itself due to the reduced + all skills values. In that case, I guess one just has to be patient

 

EDIT: Oh, by the way - the best thing that balances a build is a niob shopper

Edited October 27, 2009 by Dobri

[clatters 0]

A niob shopper? Can you buy set items from the shops if you get lucky then? Quite new so still trying to understand it all.

 

At the moment I seem to be spending most of my time in silver (I do have gold unlocked) running boar/swamp dragon/poison lord and then finish up with a guardian run.

 

Unfortunately, I died about 3 hours ago to due to having the 2nd and 3rd guardian come at me at once (since learned to take 1 on at a time ) so as I am to understand my SB has dropped back to 0. I also noticed that my drop rate for unique items has gone down the pan as well

 

So is it best to keep farming these bosses till I get the full edi set, ergo dropping regen times down?

 

Thanks for the replies.

[Dobri 55]

Well, it has been reported that you can see (and buy) a set item in the shop, but it is much, much faster to farm them yourself. I know it's hard, I know it's tedious. What's worse is that if you, for example get a full endijian set at level 30, at level 50-60 it will be outdated to say the least... and you have to do it all over again. So I strongly suggest that everyone invests their time in making a run to niobium with a powerful char with good bagraining and ensure some good equip. Then do the same with an easy-to-play char with blacksmith skill. This way you get niobium set arts and niobium equipment very early on and your other chars will feel much more secure.

[Dobri 55]

Well, I hope this helps

 

1. Which skills should I level after armor lore 75? Should I start cranking up toughness, or should I continue to put points in armor lore? Maybe even constitution?

 

- Toughness is a good idea. It will make your BFG even harder to kill

 

2. As for the offensive side, should I put more points in tactics, revered focus or warrior focus? I cant quite decide which one will improve my damage the most, eating more bfg and AW, or eating more SH PS and BS runes. Maybe improve revered focus so I can further improve WE (level) and DS (mods)

 

- tactics should be left at 75 for the time being. As soon as you master the necessary skills, you will put more points there. Don't worry.

As for the damage, improving the BFG will indirectly improve the damage of AW. However, without revered lore (you had to sacrifice it, and it's all right), I suggest you turn your attention to your gun and eat more BFG runes. You can never go wrong with these, and AW will be sort of low damage without Revered lore anyway.

 

3. Is socketing runes into gear (like a bfg rune) a better thing to do than socketing a "dmg 35% + opponents chance to evade -25%" or something similair for that matter? I mean, my BFG rune level is way beyond its penalty level anyways, so there wont be a big bonus right? Might as well socket something else there? I just dont know for sure...

 

- actually it is much better to find rings with + all skills/opponents' chance to evade than runes Take your time, do some shopping and you will never feel the need to socket runes in equipment.

Edited October 28, 2009 by Dobri

[ka243 3]

THose gauntlets that do damage conversion to poison/magic/fire are amazing. I found one with tactics +9 and a gold socket .

It converts all my ice damage to poison. If I find one for fire I think it will make AW useless? Soul hammer doing fire damage will be more powerful anyway I think.