vaclaf

* Hi Oddi, before we will create a big misunderstnding - I say DL works properly/and this build is designed this way/ for ICE & BLOOD expansion, not for Sacred 2:FA or console version.. (I known that Llama8´s proof will be enough:-) * due to technical problems with pictures (strange 404) I add direct links. But clicking on "view full image" works for me.

Hi Oddi, with respect, I am absolutely sure that Damage Lore (Mastery) works great and properly with TGs Combat Arts in Ice and Blood. I dont know how DL works with other characters Combat Arts. I will demonstrate my proofs on pictures sequences (full resolution): * first and simple, look at active pure non-modified Fiery Ember with DL Mastery - it is situation after first damage tick. All enemies burns with improved damage. or direct link * second - look at Deathly Spears casting sequence - after first wave all pigs burns with improved damage. or direct link 1, 2, 3. * third - look closely at this Archimedes Beam - it is start of laser sequence, after first damage dealt. Four from five enemies are weaken. or direct link * fourth - quote of Llamas8 authority from SIF guide or direct link I hope that kind of proof is enough to over-estimate (or revalue or .. you know what word I mean:-) yours opinion about how DL works. Or just try simple experiment - create a backup of savegame files with character above level 75 with 75 unspend skill points and start this skill testing.

Content 1. Introduction 2. Attributes 3. Skills 4. Combat Arts 5. General, Gameplay and Combat tips 6. Armor and Weapons 7. Damage Lore - advantages and info 1. Introduction Hello all good organics beings, I introduce you new Temple Guardian build MECHANIX X-E level 130, using a full potential of his mechanical arm powered by Lost Fusion. All gameplay and character design is for Sacred 2: Ice & Blood v.2.65.1. and for playing Niob (finished at level 117). This character is using power of shopping and smithing ability of his ancestor, MECHANIX T-100. Understandig how this build works requires at least average game mechanics knowledge. Thanks again, Ascaron, for this great game, and thank you, readers and players. Enjoy this wall text (of my crazy english). 2. Attributes There are six types of attributes. Three of them, Strenght, Dexterity and Vitality are complete useless for this build. The three other has much more potential for us (in order of importance): * Stamina - one point per every level. Decrease regen. time of all Combat Art, this is what we want. * Intelligence - totally 50 points between char. level 50-100. Increase damage of all Combat Art and increase Spell Intensity. Due to no Deathblow for spell-based Combat Arts in Ice and Blood, this is one of many new different small ways to find new powers. * Willpower - one point per level over char. level 100. Willpower increase Spell Resistance and your Shield energy. Dont forget, Survival Bonus increase your base attribute value by +% modifier. Try to stay alive:-) 3. Skills 2. level Armor Lore (AL, 5 hard points) - basic defensive skill for all character with all benefits. 3. level Devout Guardian Focus (DGF, Mastery at 75lvl) - DGF is your gate to buff your character and effective using of Deathly Spears (DS) and it is source of modification points. Decrease regen. time and regen. penalty and increase Combat Arts (Combat Arts) level without penalty. All guardians are devout to its God, soul and mechanical body. 5. level Lost Fusion Lore (LFL, Mastery at 75lvl) - LFL is your knowledge about killing power of your mechanical arm. Learn it, use it and love it. You receive damage bonus, critical bonus and very important casting speed bonus. This is your definitely first mastery skill at all and source of modification point. 8. level Lost Fusion Focus (LFF, 7th mastery skill) - a support and necessary skill for your Fusion arm. Decrease regen. time and increase Combat Arts level without penalty. No other way. 12. level Combat Discipline (CD, 4th mastered skill) - CD is a different way how to increase your killing power. And brings great benefit - increase damage of your Combat Arts by +% and decrease regen. time of all Combat Arts in Combo slot by 10%, resp. 20%. Kalos kai agathos for your character. 18. level Concentration (CC, 5 hard points) - two buffs, decrease all regen. time. Anything else? 25. level Warding Energy Lore (WEL, 3rd mastered skill) - WEL is key to basic and amazing TGs protection. You want this blue pulsating egg around you. You are safe with your shield. You ARE the shield.. Increase your Shield energy (learn about your Shield as much as possible!) and unlock WEL item modifiers. -- In my opinion, right now, at level 25, is base essence of your LF Temple Guardian finished. Seven skills create a new Fusion warrior. Next steps create uniqe cyborg -- 35. level Tactics Lore (TL, 5-? hard points) - I choose TL to support damage of DS (yes, Deathly Spears is spell-based Combat Art affected by weapon-based skill) and because of faster adding modification points. Ahh, and one think of course - unlock Damage Lore:-) 50. level Damage Lore (DL, 5th mastered skill) - Damage Lore is a hidden brilliant, source of tons tricks, cross of character design decision, a very funny skill and deathblow substitution. It deserves players attention. Affect your shield, cannon, flamethrower, jolts, beam, armgun and weapon. Deeply explanation during this text. Next. 65. level Enhanced Percpetion (EP, 6th mastered skill) - Items, loot, treasures, chests,barrels, boxes, greed, boss farming, sets, uniqes, legendaries, epics, baalruns.. Anything else needs to be explain? Skill Masteries: Mastery skills (it means 75 hard points investment) in this order due to important benefits and game progress: LFL, DGF, WEL, CD, DL, EP. The rest is yours decision: TL greatly improves your DS, LFF adds modification points for Archimedes Beam and Propelled Levitation, decrease regen. time and increase Combat Art level without penalty. Mastery of Armor and Concentration are not neccesary. Skill Options: Instead of picking EP at level 65, you have some other nice options to maximize your survival ability or killing power. Toughness - is a great resistance and damage mitigation improvment. Source Warden Lore/Focus - is a way to make a truly three-aspects hybrid. Modify Fiery Ember to create "support static aura" by Scald and Churn. Churn is crucial for improvement fire power of your DS and FE. Or modify Icy Evanescence to create "support static aura" by Freeze and Deep Frost for improvement your AD. Or modify Charged Grid to create "support active aura" by Havoc/Unnatural Selection/Longevity and increase your possibly "weaken" radius. Or modify Untouchable Force as your third buff (need Concentration Mastery) by Mind Control/Calm/Crumble. Riding - pick this skill only if you are a truly Mobiculum fan :-) 4. Combat Arts Combat Arts and especially modifications are really uniqe part of Sacred 2 gameplay. I tried a lot of different combination (and still trying) and theres my results. In my desicion I want not only power, but I need some tricks, skills synergies and fun. I like Jack-of-all-Trades types based character, where every design desision perfectly fit in hole picture. For Battle Aura and T-Energy Shroud - memorize only ONE rune and increase their level via + Combat Arts or + Aspect and for activate them use a Buff Gear. For AD and JT - memorize unly one rune until you mastery LFF - then memorize as many runes to keep regen ~0.8sec. For FE and AB - memorize as many runes to keep Combat Art´s level without penalty or a little higher. Buffs The War Tatoo To modify Combat Alert to Battle Aura use your 7th, 8th and 9th modification point. * Offensive - well, start with testing modification. My question was, how is my weapon and armgun useful? I have great Combat Arts, but am I able to fight at the same time with my weapons? Alpha is Attack value (obtained only from Combat Arts), Omega is Attack Speed (obtained only from Items). So, thats the reason for Offensive modification. And in fact, I know that Defensive will be completely useless due to another defensive tricks. * Counter Strike - And do you know this one? Lalala, a nice walking around Kobolds camp. Ah, Kobold, he is attacking me.. he is hitting me! I am kidding, he hit himself. And againg and again. Same mistake as hundreds of dozen before him. * Permanent - I dont like recast and recast, run and recast. I know that permanent halve bonuses, but it is price I am able to pay. The Blue T-Egg Learn about your shield from Wiki. Shield is TGs main defensive ability and brings lots of useful features. And you dont need invest to Vitality or Constitution at all. To modify T-Energy Shroud use your 1st, 2nd and 6th modification point * Derogate - create short range magic damage pulses, which ticks every 1,5 sec. I love this modification, because with Damage Lore your shield become a permanent magic aura which damages and weakness your opponent. Nice trick. * Reduction - permanent Damage mitigation in Shield - long live and prosper. Read why not Rechearge in this topic. * Reflection - permanent spell, resp. Combat Arts reflection back to your enemies. Two buffs brings you: more Attack (Defense), Shield, Damage Absorption, Damage Reflection, Spell Reflection, Damage Mitigation, Magic damage and Weakness aura. Thats good I think :-) For activate your high level Buffs without increase reg. time use a special prepared Buff Gear by your smither/shopper. Killing Arts The Fiery Penetrator Deathly Spears is the second half of your main melee killing power. Use it in one Combo after Jotling Touch. DS is spell-based Combat Arts affected by Weapon Lore, Damage Lore and Casting Speed (in original Sacred 2 it was Attack Speed). To modify DS use your 3rd, 4th and 5th modification point. You receive a new DS wave: 1st at DSlvl 1; 2nd at DSlvl 18; 3rd with Jab modification which unlock way for -> 4th when you memorized 40 DS runes and DSlvl is over 40; 5th when you memorized 60 DS runes and DSlvl is over 60; 6th when you memorized 80 DS runes and DSlvl is over 80. * Gore - this modification was simple. I want to use JT and Ds in a combo, and without knock-back the combo works... However with knock-back it doesn't. But in fact, no knockback is the only one positive aspect of Gore. * Singe - Hahaa, almost every hit of DS with Damage Lore burns enemies around you. So it is like "permanent" flaming aura around you - it is similar princip like Derogate in your T-Shield. Nicely done, vaclaf:-) * Jab - one addition wave instantly and others unlocked. Great improvement. Simultaneously active DSs have devastating effect. The Freezing Billiard Fact is that Amplifying Discharge was weak in original Sacred2, and in Ice and Blood without the help of Deathblow I expected .. say nothing. But the fact is that I was mistaken, Not about the power, but how useful AD can be. Lets modify and clear my expression. To modify AD use your 5th, 6th and 7th modifiction point. Try to reach AD level 50 due to modification bonuses! * Ricochet - add third possibly target and better chance for additional hit. Continue .. * Momentum - Knockback, finally without the "direction bug" in Ice and Blood. Continue .. * Ice Bullets - Ice damage. Result and my goal with AD: with ADlvl 50 I have a cannonball with two damage types, 100% chance to hit 3 opponent and with 90% chance knock them back and, as bonus from Damage Lore, I slow them down. Is this nice, isnt it? All in fire rate 0.6s in combo.. Look, AD is not about somethink like amazing killing power (its impossible, and one extra Ice Bullets doesnt fix it) . It is about well designed tricky and protective ranged Combat Arts. Momentum keeps a permanent distance between you and up to three enemies, while Ice Bullets slows them down (improves by Damage Lore) - it gives you a perfect time to shoot again from your safe position. Right now I am playing Blood Forest area, and AD is a great weapon against all "Eye" type of enemies - Seekers, Demonic Eyes, Flying Eyes, Demonic Skulls, Mage´s Curses etc. Of course it doesnt mean you have to modify AD this way, it is only about how AD works in this build. The Protector Eh, Jolting Touch .. I think JT is the best LF Combat Art and possibly the Best Combat Art Temple Guardian has. Great modification potential, nice effects, and lucky thing is that it its a single target. JT is first half of your main melee attack combo (with DS). Finally JT features "Combat Arts regeneration per jolt" is now fixed in Ice and Blood. And small notice: JT is essential for survival ability.. thats Protector! Dont forget, bonuses from two (and more) simultaneously active JT stack! Use your first three modification points to modify JT. * Payback - additional Close Combat Reflection. Kill your enemies by your defense. * Self Repair - 5% of your total health healing every one pulse. With more JT.. I must live it. * Shelter - and finally, a huge Damage Mitigation bonus when JT is active. Well, I think theres nothing to say more. JT is amazing. The Flamethrower Furious Emblazer (FE) is your main middle range Combat Arts with very devastating potencial, but can be very badly modified due to nonclearly legend. And FE is very friendly with Damage Lore, surpising! To modify FE use your 4th, 8th and 9th modification point. * Accelerant - I pick more damage instead of chance for burn, because with Damage Lore it IS more damage with more chance for burn. * Incapacitate - stun is good, it is good lookin at stunned and burned pack of enemies (dont forget, it is only game, its not real..) Dont pick Terror, it is annoying. * Burnout - works exactly like deathblow. Excellent against champions and bosses. Intensify only change damage frequency from 1.3/sec to 2/sec, nothing more. The Laser Archimedes Beam fit flawlessly into Temple Guardian character design, but is very poorly realized. It has a very long execution animations during that you are unable to move and there are only limited combat situation in which is AB useful. Other side is, it has very good damage (one laser inflict displayed damage five times per one cast) with nice modification options. You need to learn how to use AB effectively in combat. But still I am think this Combat Art could be much better. Use your 10th, 11th nd 12th modification points. * Bundle - I decided for pure power modification to create powerful laser, but slow opponent is also very good options for AB - pick Paralyze instead of Bundle to create a tricky laser. * Intent - simple decision for Intent (increase chance to critical hit), because lowering attributes - resp. weaknes - is magic damage´s secondary effect. And this build use Damage Lore.. * Shelter - due to immobility during execution this Combat Art I decided for more protectiction. Otherwise, there are not much "debuffable" opponents. 5. General, gameplay and combat tips * This character needs support from utility character - a high level shopper and smither. * Good equipment is neccesary. * Put your Combat Arts into combo slot. You receive regenration bonus from Combat Discipline. Only one combo is "true" combo - JT+DS. * Try to reach 150% run and casting speed as soon as possible. Attack speed is only for fun, increase firing rate of your arm gun. * Optimal regen. time for combo with 150% casting speed is: AD 0.7s, JT+DS 1.5s, FE 2,2s. * At higher level, be very careful whenever you play with disabled shield. * DANGER enemies: because of DoT effect totally ignores your shield and damage mitigation, be careful in fight against Spiders, Plants and those frakkin Eyes in Cursed Forest, which inflict %life leech. And be careful about Root spells! * DANGER "undefeatable" Bosses: Forest Guardian - this tree completely heals himself. Sinister Prince and Haenir use devastating Expulse Magic. A succesfull strategy against these Bosses is more than welcome! 6. Armor and Weapons Finding and creating of your amory and weaponry is a integral part of game .. and very satisfying. As I said before, you need support of utility character, which shops some nice jewels and use his smithing art for you. Lets look at useful items, from my experience best fit to this build. Demiurge set: This set is very common as a loot and quest rewards. Use an Arm of the Demiurge (two sockets, Critical hit and +AD), Greaves (two sockets, Damage Mitigation and +JT) and Boots of the Demiurge (two sockets, run speed and + FE). Partial set bonus from this three items is + skill bonus (value depends on your actual game difficulty (Niob +9). For low level character I recommend Prototype Greaves instead of Demiurg. Prototype set: This set is amazing good-looking, every part has three sockets and nice bonuses. There is a good chance for drop from White Griffin, but Helmet drops most frequently. Lumen set: This interesting set has a good chance to drop from White Griffin. I use Sash due to very good regeneration bonus with two sockets, also improves Damage and Tactics Lore and Attack Speed - it serves only for increase firing rate of armgun (resp. for fun). Guardians of Light set: parts of this sets are hard to find. When you are lucky, it drops from bosses or as quest reweard. Shoulders of Truth has three sockets and nice + all Combat Arts bonus. And looks good. Weapon: Best weapon for this build is Nlovae´s Mystery - especially due to increase combat art range. But this weapon is very, very rare. With all guardians, I found only this one piece - drop from werevolf in swamp, near by Swamp Dragon. Another good options for weapons are Tinwora´s Curse, Officiers Sabre or Ancrid Blade (3 sockets). Battery: Plasma Energy Core is a great designed battery - three types of damage for your armgun, two gold sockets and very nice +% experience bonus. Solve a Temple Guardian class quest and you got it! 7. Damage Lore - advantages and info Mastery of Damage Lore skill is very important part of this build, because of huge synergy to your combat styles. Lets describe them one by one: * Derogate from T-Energy Shroud - increase %chance and %duration of magic damage weaknes to all enemies around you. * Gore from Deathly Spears - this fire damage burns with improvment +%damage and +%chance all enemies around you. * Ice Bullets from Amplifying Discharger - this ice damage slows almost every enemies you hit with +%chance and +%duration. * Jolting Touch weaknes every touches enemy. * Furious Emblazer burn with improvment +%damage and +%chance almost every enemies you hit. * Archimedes Beam weaknes opponents with every hit. * Better chance and damage from your weapon and battery. If you socket your Battery with Poison Fang, you have great power of all damage types in one character. * And at the end a little kiss of mathemathics - What does the additional damage bonus from mastery description mean? Base value of DoT effect is 20% from the source damage. 200% additional damage simply multiplies the damage for example the 200% = 2* and 300% is 3* . From picture you can see that every DoT effect inflicts 74% (20*3.7) damage from the base source. When Additional damage reaches 500%, your DoT will deal the same damage as your source damage. Enemies however have each of their own resistance against specific elements, which means some enemies are weak against burns but some are more resistant to burns. Info about Damage Lore and secondary effects: ! Results for PC Sacred 2: Ice & Blood version 2.65.1 ! * + %chance works for all elemental effects. * + %damage now works great for fire and poison DoT effects. * + %duration works only for status effects slow and weaken. DoT effects are not affected. ! Results for PC Sacred 2 version 2.43 and console version ! * Fire Damage -> Burn DoT (damage over time): duration 5 second, inflict 20% base elemental damage per 1sec. from weapons, weapon based Combat Arts and spell based Combat Arts. From Damage Lore Mastery apply + %chance, but NO + %duration and + %damage doesnt work properly. * Poison Damage -> Poison DoT, duration 3 second, inflict 20% base elemental damage per 1sec. from weapons, weapon based Combat Arts and spell based Combat Arts. From Damage Lore Mastery apply + %chance, but NO + %duration and + %damage doesnt work properly. * Ice Damage -> Freeze, duration 10 second, 25% slow down run and attack speed of enemies. From Damage Lore Mastery apply + %chance, but NO + %duration and +%damage. * Magic Damage -> Weaken, duration 10 second, reduce enemy statistics by 20%. From Damage Lore Mastery apply + %chance, but NO + %duration and +%damage. * DoT effects doesn´t stack (no multiple burn or poison) and doesn´t work with + %critical hit from item modifier. * DoT effects works great with Death Blow item modifier. * Damage Lore bonus + %duration seems to be complete useless, + %damage doesnt work properly and + %chance works fine for all elemental secondary effects. * It seems that some enemy types have hidden reduction of detrimental effects (-damage and -duration) statistic (like plants from Dryad Isles). * my results may not be finished and I may be wrong. Searching and verification of other players is more than welcome:-) Notes for testing * Some Combat Arts like Twisted Torment or Frost Flare has its own unique DoT effect, magic and ice, which stacks. It is question for Dryads and Elves players how Damage Lore affects these DoTs effects. * Is + %damage and +%duration bugged? (YES, but fixed in Ice and Blood) * Works + % critical hit bonus from Weapons and Lores skills for DoT effects? (NO) * Works Deathblow modifier with DoT effect from Combat Arts in Ice&Blood expansion? (NO, but Temple Guardian Furious Emblazer Burnout modification works exactly like Deathblow) * Thanks Viperseven for a lot of grammar correction. * Thanks Llama8 for later Damage Lore explanation. * Originaly posted at SIF Temple Guardian section. * I am a Temple Guardian, not a temple statue! * Firing of ceramics * "Whisperworks" * Bosses of Cursed Forest * Narmul

Hi, thank you for this long explanation about your build. I know well how good and important to create powerful build is support from high level shopper and blacksmith. But that is the point, why I am confused about Morlock - support from other char, ten skills only for lost fusion build and - the result I have seen didnt match. I played many LF TG, so there are my short notes how to improve him (HC of course). * Skills (not in order): Lost Fusion Lore and Focus, Devout Focus, Combat Discipline, Concentration, Armor, Wardind Energy Lore, Constitution, Tactics, Damage Lore. - Point is in Damage Lore Mastery - works great for this build. Improve all LF CAs by its secondary effect and make Derogate (T-ES), Singe(DS) and Ice Bullets (AD) modification more useful. * Different modification: - Jab for DS. I am interesting how many times strikes DS at high level per cast without this mod. Only twice or more? Wounding is very interesting, but I think Jab is crucial because it is key to multiple strikes. - Burnout instead of Intesify. 104 level FE with Intensify double deathblow damage (quad-damage) over 56% health treshold and it works in addition with burn effect from DL mastery. Great against both mobs and bosses. Well, back to real world, I have to go work:-) Have a nice day vaclaf

Hi Soldats , nice music, I like Radiohead´s OK Computer album. Thanks for you time to create this video. * I have one question - does Morlock use any General skills or no? If yes, then respect to hard work. If no, then, in my opinion, this is yours first presented character mistake (no offense). vaclaf

Hello, and thank you all. Although I finished SP Niob campaign, I continue playing on LAN Free Play, trying to explore everything I can - and not only map:-) Actually is Mechanix at level 129, has some new equipment and you can see 26 unique bosses videos on my YouTube profil (or from this bosses post). * it seems that this build have some locked power in Combat Discipline Mastery, because casting speed of CAs in combos is fixed. This is great damage and regen. time bonus for all yours active CAs. * I try to search best fit equipment for this build and now I have much clearly idea about useful sets and uniques. I am sure about this items (I found them, it is not theory): * complete XTM-2174 set, Shoulders of Truth, Nlovae´s Mystery, some nice unique jewels. I am still missing Boots of the Dark Path. * I think there is better options than early mastered Enhanced Perception and Warding Energy Lore. Its mastery of Combat Discipline and LF Focus. * on the other side, there are some limitation due to lack of hard skill points for this two skills: Bargaining and Lost Fusion Focus. At level 127 and only with 75 hard (+skills gear) points in Bargaining you are unable to reach (or very hard to reach) breakpoint for tier 12 item. Lost Fusion (or Devout, of course) Focus limits your level of CAs. And with every level above this "without penalty" breakpoint your casting speed is decrease. Never mind for Lost Fusion (you have mastered Lore skill), but it very slows casting speed of Deathly Spears. * Gaining Experience for next character level is very slow, even with Mentors. * Archimedes Beam and Propelled Levitation are very good support CAs. AB modified by Paralyze/Weaken/Annul is amazing. Shade that long animation. PL with Boost modifaction create much variable options of your move. I am planning about this character play for a while, try to collect much more gameplay experinences from long time playing and use Mechanix like smither for other character. I am awaiting for Expansion Ice&Blood, then I will pay interest on these experiences and create new designed Lost Fusion Guardian:-) I can honestly say that Lost Fusion Aspect is brilliant for gameplay (but not without some mistakes:-) vaclaf

Hello, I have to react to title of this topic. I know that answer is NO (its a link:-) vaclaf

Hello all good Sacred players, after eight "training" Temple Guardians, I´ll like to introduce my Temple Guardian Lost Fusion Utility Build called "Dwarf in my left Arm", which, I hope, break some opinion about this character and its Aspect Lost Fusion. Lets go to the world of Ancaria. Temple Guardian names Mechanix T-100, finished Singleplayer Hardcore, Niob difficulty, build 2.40. Content 1. Introduction and Tips 2. Attributes 3. Skills 4. Combat Arts 5. Gear 6. Relics 7. Uniques and Sets 8. Reach Level 25 Tactics 9. Character Creation Map 10. Advanced Combat Tactics 11. Survival Tactics 12. Build Options 13. Party 14. Campaign progress 15. Gameplay Videos 16. Useful links 17. Say hello * Important note - This is PC version build. There can be some different gameplays experience between PC and consoles. About console version, there is one great bug. Blacksmith doesn´t work on both consoles. Jolting Touchs modification Self-Repair is after latest PS3 patch fixed. I hope and wish for another patches. 1. Introduction and Tips For deeply understanding of Sacred I recommended SacredWiki, reading forums and experience of tons hours of playing and trying different ways of character. This is not one-trip game. Temple Guardian is very complex characters. Dont expect this build is a killing machine from the start. Start at Bronze, make 6-8 level up and then start playing Silver. For Lost Fusion build is at first point decrease regeneration time of this Aspect. Everything else is on second place. Be patient, improve your character step by step, and you will see, how grow up the killing cyborg. 2. Attributes: All points put into Stamina - you need decrease regeneration time of CA and penalty of Buffs at all. Another usefull attributes are Intelligence (CA damage and spell intensity), Vitality (more hitpoints) and Willpower (Spell resistence and increase Energy shield points). * finish notice - after level 75, distribute attributes points 2:1 between Stamina and Inteligence may be useful. 3. Skills: 2.level Blacksmith (5 points to unlock Bargaining + Skill´s Gear) - first utility skill, unlock Bargaining. Power of another socket for rings and amulets is great and Blacksmith is your first step for powerful and versatile gear. * Consoles alternative: pick Enhanced Perception and unlock Bargaining. At level 65 pick Constitution or Source Warden Focus/Lore - see section Build options. 3.level Bargaining (the first Mastered skill at level 75 + Skill´s Gear + Relics) - Bargainig is your second step for powerful gear and main source of all rings and amulets, ecxcept uniqes. Favorite place for shopping is in Thylysium near by Temple. Rune Master, Merchant and Blacksmith in small place with entrance to sewers - excellent place for Sunday shopping with girlfriend:-). At level 108, I have never find as good yellow ring as I bought it. 5.level Devout Guardian Focus (the fourth Mastered skill, need 70 points due to 9 modification points for this Aspect with next five to mastery (great benefits) + Battle Gear) - DGF is your way to buff´s this character with Combat Alert and T-Energy Shroud and unlock great power of Deathly Spears. Also decrease buff´s regeneration penalty and reg. time of DS. 8. level Concentration (the sixth Mastered skill above lvl120 + Battle Gear) - Concentration is important for using two buffs simultaneously, decrease buff´s regeneration penalty and reg. time of all Combat Arts. With mastery of this skill and Source Warden skill (resp. modify points) you are able to use 3 Buffs effectively. See section Build options. 12. level Armor Lore (1-15 points + Battle Gear) - "must have" defensive skill for this build with all benefits. At this point, Temple Guardian is ready to grow up for his killing power. 18. level Lost Fusion Lore (third Mastered skill + Battle Gear) 25. level Lost Fusion Focus (modifiy points needs + Battle Gear) With this two Aspect skills you improves your left arm CA., modification points, damage, critical chance, casting speed, reduces reg. time, this all you need to starting create a powerful killing arm, the last thing opponent see before he died:-) 35. level Combat Discipline (1-15 + Battle Gear) - Lost Fusion build has one fundamental - keep CA regen. time as low as possible. So you memorized only one rune of CA at the beginning of game and no more (except DS). But you need incerase damage and Combat Discipline is the best way for passive increase damage without disadvantage (and as bonus work for DS). At this point, Temple Guardian has utility power, killing power and a little survival power. Last two skills and there soo many good choices. So what? So what on Hardcore? 50. level Warding Energy Lore (the fifth Mastered skill + Battle Gear) - TG with Seraphim are two characters, which are possible to use T-Energy Shield. TG is the only one character which has possibility regenerate shiled during combat - Let´s try its real power of T-Energy Shield. 65.level - So, we have Blacksmith with Bargaining (resp. utility skills); Devout Focus, Concentration, Lost Fusion skills, Combat Discipline for killing power and only Armor and Shiled Lore for survival - let´s pick any good defense skill.. hmm, hmm,.. Constitution. Excellent, high powered shield with tenthousands of life.. But wait! - this is Hardcore! And Hardcore must be hardcore. And all great Hack´n Slash are about loot. Good, great, powerful loot. Greed! That´s it! That´s it all about, right? As your last skill, pick Enhanced Perception and Mastered it as your second skill (+ Battle Gear + Relics). Temple Guardian is the only one Sacred 2 character with Blacksmith, Bargaining and Enhanced Perception. And this is a great fun and RPG potential. * See Triple Panel 4. Combat Arts This build works with six CA. Three from Devout Guardian Aspect and three from Lost Fusion Aspect. Two are buffs and rest are in combat slots. Important notes about how CA works: * Except DS, you memorized only one rune of every Combat Arts because of lowest regeneration time and regeneration penalty from buffs. There are some important notes why: * Whenever you memorize one CA rune, regeneration time increase + X sec. But when you increase your CA via +1 to CA item modifier, regeneration time increase only + X/2 sec. (in Sacred 1 it was + X/3). In short: half CA regeneration penalty from item modifiers. * When you use Combat Art Gear to active high level buffs (the only one reason of CA Gear), you have high regen. penalty with high buffs improves. Then when you re-suit into your Battle Gear, your high buffs improved stats stay the same but regen. penalty goes down to actually CA level. There´s one exception in this build - %Chance of T-Energy Shroud´s modification Reflect relate with actually level of T-ES, not with activate level of T-ES. This possibility is also in Sacred 1 and there can be space for discussion about exploit. * lets explain concrete on MODEL SITUATION: You wear Combat Art Gear with + 10 to all CA. Active your buffs: Combat alert level 10 gains + 100% to attack and defense, +20% regeneration penalty, 30 % chance to reflect melee. T-Energy Shroud level 10 gains 100 Energy Shield, 10 absorption and 30% regen penalty with 30% chance to reflect spell. Now remove Combat Art Gear and suit to Battle Gear with no bonus to CA (resp only one memorized rune on all CA). Buffs bonus stay same like CA level 10, but regeneration penalty is like level 1 (for example, only 2%). - It means - Use your CA Gear everytime before you start playing or when enemies ability debuffs you (like White Griffon), play with your Battle Gear. All type of Gears stash in your Ancaria Chest. - Just try and experience, check your change at Attack and Defense value, reg. time etc, and you will see whats different. * Last piece to puzzle - increase your Aspect:LF only with item modifier + A:LF; at higher level (75+) you can use + CA item modifier to increase %chance to reflect spells of T-Energy Shroud. Shop for this items. * Everything is designed for minimal regeneration time and regeneration penalty. Buffs - designed for best protection Combat Alert (1 memorized rune + Combat Arts Gear) modified as soon as possible by: * Defensive - because Attack is absolutely uselles for you, pick this defense modifier for low opponent´s chance to hit. * Counter Strike - Reflect melee damage is great defensive ability, with benefits on higher difficulties. * Permanent - be permanent. T-Energy Shroud (1 memorized rune + Combat Arts Gear) modified as soon as possible by: * Power - increase shield power, very good for low level character. * Recharge - unique and powerful modification, "must be" for permanent protect. * Reflection - chance for reflect spell is more usefull than other shield power (which can be obtained from good amulets). * Third Buff option - it is possible to use three buffs, there is my recommendation of Untouchable Force: * Mind Control/Paralyze/Crumble Killing Combat Arts - designed for elemental damage Deathly Spears (depends on playstyle, every 20 level of DS adds one additional strike + Battle Gear). Very useful against mobs, when you are surrounded. One of two main killing CA against champion and Boss monsters. Keep regen. about 3s. DS level 88 strikes six time: 1 for 1st level, 2 for 18th level, next for Jab and last three for breakpoints at 40,60 and 80 DS level. Effectivity of Dethly Spears Create real effective Deathly Spears is a long way, because its strenght is in multiple jabs. And Jab is the modification, which make this Spears Deathly (add one additional jab and unlock next jabs at CA level breakpoints). It means you have two options, how to modify your Devout Guardian Aspect, resp. DS (dont forget, this build dont pick Tactics Lore, so you gain modification points slower, only one per level). * At level 9, you are able full modify Combat Alert. * At level 22, you are able modify T-Energy Shroud with Rechearge. - these modification are necessary Now it is crossroad and you can choose to full modify T-Shroud first or designed your DS with all three modification. See this breakpoints: * Modifications become available when you spend the following amount of skill points: 3, 5, 9, 14, 22, 31, 42, 55, 70, 87, 106, 126, 149, 173, 199 (thanks Wiki) It means that level 55 is first point when you are able to create your DS real effective. Modified by: * Batter - knockback is very useful to keep distance between you and enemies. * Singe - fire damage for close combat range, small chance set opponent to fire. * Jab - very important modification, unlock the possibility of additional deathly strikes (without Jab, after CA level 20 you have only two strikes and no more - 2 strikes at 20, 40, 60 etc.). Amplifying Discharge (1 memorized rune + Battle Gear). Do you remeber Cannon Blast? I do. And this is its Sacred 2 version. Main source of damage, fast ranged shots and main killing CA against ordinary enemies. You should be able to kill all with 2-4 shots, expect Champions and Bosses. Optimal for fastes firing is 0.7s regen. with 150% casting speed. Modified as soon as possible by: * Ricochet - 90% chance to hit three opponents * Ricochet - 100% chance to hit four opponents * Ice Bullets - for 25% Ice damage Jolting Touch (1 memorized rune + Battle Gear). Jolting Touch is very interesting, versatile and powerful CA. Slows and roots opponents (important), use pure Magic damage, very good animation makes them a favorite TG CA. Optimal for fastes touching is 0.8s regen. with 150% casting speed, and with right modification became ultimate against powerful Champions and Boss: * Payback - yes, with Combat Alert and Jolting Touch, reflect is almost maxed. * Self Repair - every impulse heals 5% of character health. Now I am able to use four JT simultaneously with 20% healing per second. Absolutely powerful and important way to stay alive against Bosses. * Flux - more pulse freqency = more damage and more healing. * PS3 bug of Self Repair fixed! Furious Emblazer (1 memorized rune + Battle Gear). Do you remeber Flamethrower? .. There it is. Pure fire damage against kobolds, undeads, animals and other enemies without fire resistance. You have to learn the right time and position for using Emblazer. Modified by: * Accelerant - for more damage. * Incapacitate - stun enemies is better than hunt them on battlefield. * Intensify - not sure about this choice, but increase damage per second (from 1.3/s to 2.0/s) * finish notice - after long gameplay experience, I would modifiy Furious Emblazer different way: * Immolation/Incapacitate/Burnout 5. Gear This build using three types of Gear for different situation. Make new version of gear every ten levels up or at the beginning of new difficulty. * You have to shop for all good rings and amulets increases your skills and CA. There is only a little chance to find from enemies something usefull (except uniques). Tips for shopping: * shop again and again (use Thylisium) - it last hours to prepare your suit to forge, find in shops good rings or amulets - its a part of playing time - intensivly shopping. Use + Barg relics, + Bargaining or + General skills pieces of armor, every new point in Barg. is important, step by step to create your shopping gear. *+ skills and + CA you are able to shop above level 20 * dont forget Mastered you Barg. skill first * are you level 20? twice your Barg level. to 40 are you level 50? more than twice, put you Barg. level to 150 and you will see amazing jewelery. In Sacred, particulary with TG, you have to tried hard for the best results. It is challenge. Skill´s Gear - using for Bargaining and Blacksmithing with properly suit socketed with + all skills rings and amulets (at this time +- 350 to all skills). Combat Arts Gear - using for activate buffs with properly suit socketed with + all combat arts rings and amulets (at this time +-230 to all CA). Battle Gear - top of your using utility and playing skills, Gear of your game, life and survival. There are a lot of useful item modification you need. "Must have" * Regeneration time * Regeneration time: Lost Fusion * Opponent level for deathblow * Aspect: Lost Fusion * All Skills "Must have too" * Damage * Chance to critical hit * Experience per kill * Chance to find valuables "Very useful" * Combat Art range * Visibilty range * Run Speed * Casting speed * Shield Regeneration * Energy Shield * Bonus Overview Try combine some Set items (XTM-2174, Guardians of Shadow) for approx. 15 socket places and with rings and amulets create your own items. As weapon I use Nlovae´s Mistery. * Combat Gear Overview 6. Relics Use relics for enhance your General Skills. Play with set of relics increased your Enhanced Perception, shop with set increased you Bargaingn skill. Good places for farming relics are Whisperwood and south-east region of Swamp near Lizurath. 7. Uniques and Sets With Chance to find valuables item modifer and Enhanced Perception you are able to collect uniqes and sets very often. Open as much chests, barrels and other "hidding places" as you can, there is a good chance to find uniqe item, even set item. And it is very enjoyable:-) I am planning post some pictures of good items, but I am still waiting for delivery my english version of this game. 8. Reach level 25 tactics First 25 levels of this TG build in dangerous world of Ancaria are critical. There is no combat skill for useful weapon attact, Lost Fusion Aspect is still weak and non-modified and slowly casted - great reasons for use "out of box" tactics to survive, character grow up and enjoying the game. After 25lvl you are able use you Lost Fusion CA to kill enemies. There´s my recommendation: * use your Shared Space in Hero´s Chest - if you have another character, put there some Mentor´s Potions, create one piece of all Combat Arts for all characters and put into this chest some valuable items to sold. You figured out problems with experience, CA and money from the start of every new character. * TG - start game at Bronze difficulty and reach level 9 (use Mentor and go kill Kobolds to Cooper Peaks). Now you are able to modify Combat Alert into buff and acquire bonus to Attack and Defense - switch character to Silver difficulty. This is very safe and non-frustrating tactics. * Play Silver, solve quest, explore map and again - go kill Kobolds to Cooper Peaks. You have two portals - Sloeford and Western Tyr-Lisia, use them for faster moving, drink Mentor for more experience, collect loot. It is a little repeatable, but very efficient. * How to kill enemies? Simple - use any good Dagger with socketed Lava Chunk (very good is Ileias´Dirk) and +X to Attack rings. Same for your armor - important are only sockets with +X to Attack, improves via Combat Alert. Why Daggers? - because daggers are fastes weapons in a single hit. As your CA use passive bonus Battle Extension for double hits and about 15 level you will see something like Assassin´s slice and dice work with claws. Above level 20 you will be able to support your dagger with first Lost Fusion CA. Now it is only short way to level 25. Let´s slice more Kobolds:-) 9. Character creation map Step by step until level 25 (all attributes into Stamina) * level 2 - pick Blacksmith (BS) +1 skill point (SP) = 2 SP * level 3 - BS + 1 SP = 3 SP * level 4 - BS + 1 SP = 4 SP * level 5 - BS + 1 SP = 5 SP - unlock Bargaining - pick Bargaining (BG) - pick Devout Guardian Focus (DGF) + 1 SP = 2 SP - gain 2 SP per level * level 6 - DGF + 2 SP = 4 SP * level 7 - DGF + 2 SP = 6 SP - unlock Concentration * level 8 - DGF + 2 SP = 8 SP - pick Concentration * level 9 - DGF + 1 SP = 9 SP, full modify Combat Alert into buff + use T-Energy Shroud BG + 1 SP = 2 SP * level 10 - DGF + 1 SP = 10 SP; BG + 1 SP = 3 SP * level 11 - DGF + 1 SP = 11 SP; BG + 1 SP = 4 SP * level 12 - DGF + 1 SP = 12 SP; BG + 2 SP = 6 SP - pick Armor Lore - gain 3 SP per level * level 13 - DGF + 1 SP = 13 SP; BG + 2 SP = 8 SP * level 14 - DGF + 1 SP = 14 SP; BG + 2 SP = 10 SP - modify T-Energy Shroud with Bronze modification * level 15 - DGF + 1 SP = 15 SP; BG + 2 SP = 12 SP * level 16 - DGF + 1 SP = 16 SP; BG + 2 SP = 14 SP * level 17 - DGF + 1 SP = 17 SP; BG + 2 SP = 16 SP * level 18 - DGF + 1 SP = 18 SP; BG + 2 SP = 18 SP - pick Lost Fusion Lore (LFL) - start shopping - your Bargaining is equal to you level * level 19 - DGF + 1 SP = 19 SP; BG + 1 SP = 19 SP; LFL + 1 SP = 2 SP * level 20 - DGF + 1 SP = 20 SP; BG + 1 SP = 20 SP; LFL + 1 SP + 3 SP * level 21 - DGF + 1 SP = 21 SP; BG + 1 SP = 21 SP; LFL + 1 SP = 4 SP * level 22 - DGF + 1 SP = 22 SP; BG + 1 SP = 22 SP; LFL + 1 SP = 5 SP - modify your T-Energy Shroud with Rechearge modification and stop putting points into DGF * level 23 - BG + 1 SP = 23 SP; LFL + 2 SP = 7 SP * level 24 - BG + 1 SP = 24 SP; LFL + 2 SP = 9 SP - full lmodify your first Lost Fusion CA - Amplifying Discharge * level 25 - pick Lost Fusion Focus and stop increase Bargaining - all SP invest to Lost Fusion skills to make your real power and for modification points. Now it´s your decision. * Learn how to fight with different enemies, improve your Lost Fusion, remember for modification point. Create you own gameplay style and experience, it´s best part of Sacred. And explore map - there are plenty of beautiful places. Solve quests - You can be rewarded wit set pieces. After level 25 there´s not unified guide :-) 10. Advanced Combat Tactics For activating buffs use Combat Arts Gear, for shopping and socketing use Skill´s Gear, for playing use Battle Gear. Try to reach as soon as possible 150% Run and Casting speed. You have psychical, ice, magic and fire damage. Learn resistance of your opponents, their weakness, battle tactics for your highest killing effectivity. Against mobs use Amplifying Discharge, Furious Emblazer and Deathly Spears. Against Champions and Bosses use repeatedly Jolting Touch and Deathly Spears. You want kill a Dragon? Just catch him into Touch, next Touch, next Touch, DS, Touch, Touch, DS, check your healtbar, his healtbar and continue. Collect a loot. There´s no problem with Boss. Make a massive mobs around you, Drink Mentor Potion and fire with the best fit CA. Good places for experience are Kobolds (Western Tyr Lisia), Orcs in Orc´s Region, Whisperwood, Grunwald and SE of Swamp region around Lizurath (my opinion - best place for experience and items). 11. Survival Tactics Stay focused during every battle, check your healtbar and be ready for drink healing potions. Dont fight without active shield (min. 15%). Run away, reload your strenght and start again. 12. Build Options Let assume that this build has one "not neccesarily" skill and still remains "Lost Utility". It is Blacksmith, but only providing when you have another blackmithing character, which is ready to create a powerful gear for the rest of your char via shared place in Hero´s chest. So, there can be one another skill choice replacing Blacksmith (actually, Blacksmith will be replace at level 2 by Enhanced Perception for unlock Bargaining, free skill will be at 65lvl): * Constitution for more life and survival chance at Niob difficulty (very good choice). * Toughness for more armor, but I think Constitution is more important. * Tactics for more Deathly Spears damage (not good choice, small benefit). * Alchemy .. Temple Guardian doesn´t have Alchemy :-) * Damage Lore sounds interesting, but I don´t have any experience with this skill and its power or synergy with nonweapon CA. * Source Warden Lore/Focus - that´s it. I think you can create a build using General skills power, Lost Fusion Power and great benefits of all three TG´s buffs. Pick one of Source Warden skills in place of Blacksmith at lvl65 (I preffer SW Focus), invest exactly 9 points for full modify Untouchable Force (1 memorized rune + Combat Arts Gear): * Mind Control - improves chance to stun opponents * Paralyze - slows their movement * Crumble - protect against projectiles (archers, stonethrowers etc.) For activate Untouchable Force use your Combat Arts Gear. With tons points in Stamina,mastered Concentration, SW Focus there will be only minimal buffs regeneration penalty. Problem can be Mastery of Concentration, but if you invest your points wisely, Concentration can be your sixth mastered skill abou character level 115-120 (or earlier, of course, depends on your playstyle). 13. Party This is only a little funny trying in Niob difficulty - playing not alone, but with useful pets. There is a quest in Blessed Rock Manor named The Tame Bear - and this bear is Urzi, my first new companion. He has some interesting abilities: * almost 100% chance to hit * small chance to knocback and stun * there is not display of his damage and you dont received experience, when he kills an opponent (but loot is dropping) * immortality But his real power is to distract enemies attention from your character and create a more tactics battle situation for you. There can be some discuss option about game cheat or exploit (because of immortality), but as I say, just trying. There is one another bear from quest Tutorial Relics - Playing with Bears (see SacredWiki), which is now my companion too, but he is still a little bearbaby without fightning or distraction abilities (nevermind, he is cute:-). I read somewhere on this forum, that he will grow up at the beginning of second chapter, but he didn´t. Any ideas? 14. Campaign progress Character level 123, finished Silver, Gold, Platinum and Niob difficulties. ** ** 15. Gameplay Videos See some gameplay videos for better representation of this build. ** **** **** **** Both and were easy hunt **** "No chance" and **** Fight with ** 16. Useful links About game mechanics * Survival Bonus * Item quality levels * Enhanced Perception 17. Say hello Thank you for reading this post, I hope it might be inspirational and sorry for that english. Thanks Ascaron for this game, I deeply hope there will be good expansion. vaclaf - From original post, thanks gogo.