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A Versatile Seraphim


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I always liked these multi spec builds, it allowed you so much more versatility in just the one character, great to see new work appearing at our site! As a side note, you can turn of the display of permanent buff effects in the game options somewhere. I think its in the gameplay settings.

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I am a fan of Eierlegende Wollmilchsäue too. Egglaying wooly milk-giving pigs is the equivalent to the english Jack of all trades. While not reaching the peak damages of specialized builds they are great to learn about a character class.

Cleansing Brilliance is also useful to fight certain summons from bosses. The golem summons these rocks, they are t-mutants so cleansing brilliance can destroy them without caring for them.

The scorpion summons small scorpions, which are of the t-mutant variant.

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Versatile Seraphim

150px-Seraphim_portait.png

This is almost the only build I like and it goes better each time I replay it. Having seen videos of seraphims beating dragons in few BeeEffGee shots, burning hordes in pillars, or ultra-specialized in a single weapon, I think that no multirole build would be useful in multiplayer when the game is only a background of real people. But in single player the game is all, and I don’t want to play this rich game using the same type of weapon, armor, and attack, looking for a narrow selection of items. Anyway please tell me if you have observations because I am always improving it.

The idea is to have a versatile heroine to challenge most situations, not a killing machine, just a lone wanderer capable to deal all threats, being not the best in any in particular but good enough in everything. She will fight with weapons, magic and technology, being free to fill the combos, using any gear, melee, ranged or shield at the same efficiency. This means that she would use almost all kind of objects she found over the vast world of Ancaria.

 

Attributes

The first priority of a multirole Seraphim is to survive, so ~50% Vitality increases hit points and regeneration rate, and ~25% Willpower increases spell resistance and efficiency. Also she need to be prepared to whatever, so ~25% Stamina aids to decreases all cooldowns.

 

Vitality.gif ~50% Vitality | hit points & health regeneration

Willpower.gif ~25% Willpower | non weapon resistance & effects

Stamina.gif ~25% Stamina | decrease all cooldowns

 

Skills

The multitask Seraphim could be mainly in melee close combat, for long range defense she can use her best weapon, and when she is surrounded, or while fighting bosses, she has spells and technology, so she will be trained in all three Aspect Focus and all three Aspect Lore. Then, Armor is essential to use of any gear and Toughness to survival. Combat Discipline reduces all cooldowns improving damage; never forget that a multi role seraphim could die in a blink so she must be prepared. And Ancient Magic guarantees max effectiveness of non-weapon skills.

 

exaltedwarriorfocus.gif 75+ Exalted Warrior Focus | fast regeneration, + runes & + modifications

tacticslore.gif 75 Tactics Lore | all weapons effectiveness

armorlore.gif 75+ Armor Lore | all armor effectiveness & higher armor with no penalty

toughness.gif 75 Toughness | resistance and damage mitigation complements the defense

combatdiscipline.gif 75 Combat Discipline | fast regeneration, more damage & better harnessing of combos

reveredtechnologyfocus.gif 75+ Revered Technology Focus | fast regeneration, + runes & + modifications

lostfusionlore.gif 75 Revered Technology Lore | effectiveness & speed casting

celestialmagicfocus.gif 75+ Celestial Magic Focus | fast regeneration, + runes & + modifications

celestialmagiclore.gif 75 Celestial Magic Lore | effectiveness & speed casting

ancientmagic.gif 75 Ancient Magic | best performance of all non-weapon attacks

 

Combat Arts

Reading ~200 runes in each one at level 150 with the Niokaste set I managed to maintain less than 6 seconds the tech-magic combo, and less than 4 seconds the conventional attacks combo, the other most used arts has fixed cooldown. I do not use the Expert Touch option who shares the cooldowns of different aspects, so I maximize combos of different aspects to interject their cooldowns enough to use one after another continuously.

 

Gods_Char_Diff_CAs_37.gif

MODicons_12.gifCapacity

MODicons_10.gifBoost

MODicons_08.gifReflection or Mirror (which you prefer)

Divine Protection is a lifesaver when she is surrounded, once shielded she can interject area and melee combos until every enemy die around. Elite creatures dies at first attack but she isn’t a killing machine, so named bosses takes more to die and she must fight them using her force field constantly, so I improve duration (Capacity) and cooldown (Boost) instead effectiveness. This is the MAIN skill that should be monitored during toughest fights.

 

Gods_Char_Diff_CAs_11.gif

MODicons_12.gifBloodlust

MODicons_10.gifDelay

MODicons_08.gifImpatience

Dashing Alacrity is the most enjoyable skill in most situations, improving duration (Delay) and cooldown (Impatience) she could be running at maximum game speed (150) by casting overtime without the necessity of mounts. Seraphims are so fast and she also could spend a modification to attack speed (Bloodlust) because with Armor Lore she don’t need more run speed (even for items), and still being the fastest creature of Ancaria...

 

Gods_Char_Diff_CAs_06.gif + Gods_Char_Diff_CAs_02.gif + Gods_Char_Diff_CAs_04.gif

MODicons_12.gifSpurt MODicons_12.gifAim MODicons_12.gifThrust

MODicons_10.gifBrawn MODicons_10.gifBattering MODicons_10.gifEnfeeble

MODicons_08.gifConcussion MODicons_08.gifIncision MODicons_08.gifIndentation

This may be the best combo attack, the seraphim will suddenly jumps over elites and finishing them, then, weapons will fly around her to kill every minion around!

Assailing Somersault with increased range (Spurt), damage (Brawn) and chance to stun (Concussion) will catapult her to the best enemy, then Soul Hammer could inflicts critical hits (Aim), damaging his armor (Battering) with chances to deep wounds (Incision). Finally Pelting Strikes will start multiple attacks with more damage (Thrust) and reduction of armor value (Enfeeble) and class (Indentation), for most packs it will be impossible to survive after that...

 

Gods_Char_Diff_CAs_35.gif + Gods_Char_Diff_CAs_20.gif

MODicons_12.gifExpand MODicons_12.gifDelude

MODicons_10.gifStun MODicons_10.gifBrightness

MODicons_08.gifLaggard MODicons_08.gifMagnify

This combo is my favorite to crowds control and also is useful because their combined effects, stunning and paralyzing most attackers around.

Attackers will only see a flash of light of the Flaring Nova with extended range (Expand), chance to paralyze (Stun) and slow effects (Laggard), then a light from skies of the Radiant Pillar will reduce their will to fight (Delude) with increased range (Brightness) and damage (Magnify). The last that a possible unfortunate survivor probably sees will be a rain of swords around.

 

Gods_Char_Diff_CAs_27.gif <- or -> Gods_Char_Diff_CAs_22.gif <- or -> Gods_Char_Diff_CAs_18.gif

MODicons_12.gifRecuperation MODicons_12.gifStrong Voice MODicons_12.gifLaggard

MODicons_10.gifPrevention MODicons_10.gifSinner MODicons_10.gif Confuse

MODicons_08.gifAntidote MODicons_08.gifFanatic MODicons_08.gif Electrocute

 

I usually lead the last slot to utilitarian skills. I want to modify the potion drop rate to turn this game more challenging, so Restoration will be much useful using that kind of “hardcore tweaks”; in normal games restoration still be useful on NPCs (which are annoyingly likely to die) in escort missions, or for its effects increasing regeneration (Recuperation), protecting for damage over time (Prevention), or dispelling of negative effects (Antidote).

Instill Belief is a funny spell when I turn an enemy to a temporary ally, I use with increased range (Strong Voice), making other to attack (Sinner) the poor accelerated target (Fanatic), by this way I manage to divide dangerous groups.

Having 5 slots for gear and being able to use all kind of weapons, this versatile seraphim will be probably more comfortable using ranged weapons at the same efficiency than melee, but she can use spells as the Baneful Smite for its side effects, slowing (Laggard) and reducing the attack (Confuse), with damage over time (Electrocute); but if she obtains an incredibly good weapon Archangel's Wrath will be a better choice for medium ranges.

 

Buffs

Most time I don’t use buffs because they consume regeneration (also I hate persistent FXs). But Battle Stance is useful when I have the certainty that I will finish the elite in the first strike and don’t care about regeneration. I use it with increased attack value (premonition), chances to evade (Flexibility) and in single player you will only feel benefits from the chance of reflect damage (Retaliation). Although I use Cleansing Brilliance to illuminate dark dungeons slowing enemies.

 

Gods_Char_Diff_CAs_14.gif

MODicons_12.gifPremonition

MODicons_10.gifFlexibility

MODicons_08.gifRetaliation

 

Mods

Besides aesthetic changes, I made this build considering the defaults game difficulty (actual gameplay is enough good to a multirole character), so even at higher levels she could manage all kind of threats reasonably well.

But she depends on gear, and if she is your only character to shared cool stuff by the stash (like I play), she will suffer the lack of Perception and/or Bargaining. So if you will play in single player and with no other “searcher” character, it will be good to adjust the drop ratio to fully enjoyment.

(Personally I always dislike those “magic find” kind of skills or items that make me play in a way that I don’t want).

Locate the file balance.txt in “\scripts\server”, and open it with a text editor (Notepad++ is the best). To fix the lack of Bargaining find this line and change 6 to 12 for reasonably good stuff and 15 for the best stuff available in shops.

TraderOfferUpperRareBase = 15

And to fix the lack of Perception, find these three lines which increase the drop rate of rare, unique and set pieces. I maintain the value of the last item type which is 16 (that means 1.6% chances, being 1000 the 100%).

ZRareExpectation15 = 16,

ZRareExpectation14 = 16,

ZRareExpectation13 = 16,

 

Well, that is how I play this great game and I wanted to share to other Sacred fans.

Valkyr, was away for a few days, didn't see your build go up, some great time you've put into it, specially with the formatting ^^

lol myself haven't had much luck with the Seraphim, was mostly dryad

 

:)

 

gogo

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Always cool to see someone come up with a jack, or jill-of-all trades. :-D Don't see guides around here these days, too. Looking at this, I was toying with the idea of dropping ancient magic for a different skill, either warding energy lore, concentration, or maybe constitution. WeL and constitution for added defence either to raise shields to higher level or health and take advantage of HP regeneration in combat at mastery, concentration to lower regeneration of CAs further and be able to, say, keep battle stance on at all times and change between buffs from your other aspects, be it bfg or cleansing brilliance. Bring concentration also to mastery and I would think the regeneration from keeping one buff on should be offset.

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  • 1 year later...

I have a question about the tactics lore, does it increase chance to hit? Would it be worth it to pick swords or something to specialize in just to get that chance to hit up? I feel like my seraphim isnt hitting her mark often. I am very new to this game and this is my first post as well. Am I making a noob assumption?

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Welcome to the forum.

 

I stopped taking a weapon lore some years back.

Hit chance:

I noticed that hit chance late game is mainly from rings with enemy can't evade and such. The

Attack speed:

A Hybrid character will most likey have casting speed on its equipment. Casting speed is attack speed if using a combat art.

Double Hit mastery bonus:

Isn't triggered at Combat Arts it seems.

Unlocking modifieres on equipment:

Actually the only reason I can think to use it. But without a weapon skill you are free in whatever weapon type you use. I am a big fan of David Hasselhoff since the 31.12.1989 at the Berlin Wall and I am looking for freedom too ;)

 

Characters I would take a weapon skill are strangely Mages which don't have a weapon based combat art like the Dragon Mage Sohei build. Or Inquisitor shoppers/smiths with double wield for more sockets.

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When you start it can take a few levels to get a decent offence going, some builds take more than others, so it's natural if you feel a bit lost.

You can get good attack value from boots and gloves, weapons and from battle stance buff (esp. later with a buff suit). Try and get rings with % chance opp. can't evade. Also combat arts like pelting strikes have a base attack value that will increase each level.
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Welcome to the forum.

 

I stopped taking a weapon lore some years back.

Hit chance:

I noticed that hit chance late game is mainly from rings with enemy can't evade and such. The

Attack speed:

A Hybrid character will most likey have casting speed on its equipment. Casting speed is attack speed if using a combat art.

Double Hit mastery bonus:

Isn't triggered at Combat Arts it seems.

Unlocking modifieres on equipment:

Actually the only reason I can think to use it. But without a weapon skill you are free in whatever weapon type you use. I am a big fan of David Hasselhoff since the 31.12.1989 at the Berlin Wall and I am looking for freedom too ;)

 

Characters I would take a weapon skill are strangely Mages which don't have a weapon based combat art like the Dragon Mage Sohei build. Or Inquisitor shoppers/smiths with double wield for more sockets.

I do have another question, I am getting the focuses in the order he listed them, is that a good strategy? Also what stat should I boost first: VIT, WIL, or STA? I have been putting points into them pretty equally.

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I always put all my points into a single attribute. Since I played HC, that meant WIL for shield builds or VIT for non shield builds. Personally, I've never put points into STA.

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Stamina, Willpower, Vitality

If you have console or AddOn you will have the patch which included regeneration per hit working. So hybrids or weapon based characters don't need stamina anymore in my eyes.

For a hybrid Seraphim: Willpower!!!

Better shield, less negative Spell effects,... Since you will be close to 100% damage mitigation the only real danger comes from poison or x% life leech. Both is better with a higher willpower. 30% life leech from 20000 is 6000 damage to your 10000 shield. 30% life leech from 10000 is 3000 damage to your 20000 shield. Numbers are fantasy but it is somehow like that if you change vitality for willpower.

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If I personally had to pick a weapon skill top specialize in, it would've been duel wield, especially for the seraphim. At the very least, you get two weapons in hand with greater socketing potential. It also makes a huge difference when using Pelting Strikes with it.

 

Beyond all that, I also never put anything into stamina myself. RPH and chance to halve regeneration are pretty big reasons not to bother, plus the build already incorporates focuses. Watching your regeneration is still important, but not as crucial as it was before. Longevity is the bigger issue.

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Wow thanks for all the help guys! Its good to see that people are still active on this awesome game. I can put it down!

It's the Uber Sacred Force of forums

And welcome to DarkMatters, CheesinIndian!

 

:)

 

gogo

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  • 3 weeks later...

YASS!

I have restarted my seraphim for 5 times already coz of messing up my build. I want to Use all of the skills of seraphim and not limit myself to BFG/Pelting strikes only. This is very helpful :D

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