Dual Wield Exalted Warrior/Revered Technology Seraphim
Hello everyone! For those who still play this game nowadays, in the following lines I will share my personal Sacred 2 guide for one of my favorite characters, the Seraphim. As the title say, we will mainly be using combat arts from the Exalted Warrior aspect and a few from the Revered Technology aspect, mainly the energy shield. So, let's begin! 1. Skill build
Level 2 - Tactics Lore (keep this close to your character level) - One of the most important skills for our Seraphim since it increases the damage dealt by weapons and the critical chance as well! (you should put at least 1 point in Tactics Lore per level up or if you want, 2 points every 2 level ups so you can master it at level 75).
Level 3 - Exalted Warrior Focus (at least 75 points for mastery) - Probably our second most important skill after Tactics Lore due to the regeneration and penalty decrease for the Exalted Warrior combat arts. Master it at level 75.
Level 5 - Armor Lore (keep it around half of your character's level) - Great skill due to the regeneration reduction of our combat arts as well as penalty diminish from the equipment. Try to have the penalty limit around 15-20 levels higher than your character level (for example, a level 60 Seraphim should have no penalty for gear level 75-80). This is because we will mainly be using set or unique items that mostly comes with a way higher level than our character, especially if they're dropped from bosses.
Level 8 - Dual Wield (you can keep this at half of your character's level) - Good skill for a bit of attack and attack speed boost. The penalty limit threshold should be the same as Armor Lore's, you should be able to use weapons up to 15-20 levels more than yours without penalties. Level 12 - Revered Technology Focus (at least 75 points for mastery; you can keep it 1/2 of your character's level) - We'll learn the Focus skill first for the regeneration time decrease as well as penalty threshold. Very important skill in our build.
Level 18 - Revered Technology Lore (you can keep this 1/3 of your character's level since we will be using Flaring Nova more for crowd control rather than damage and also the energy shield benefits more from Warding Energy Lore rather than from Revered Technology Lore)
Level 25 - Constitution (keep it around 1/3 of your level until later levels, when it can be 1/2) - More health is always good to have.
Level 35 - Concentration (don't put too many points in this since we are using it mostly for the second buff) - At this point of the game we should be able to have some regeneration reduction equipment (or at least some gear with regeneration reduction from buffs), so the regeneration increase from the second buff shouldn't be a major problem.
Level 50 - Warding Energy Lore (put as many points as you need; you can keep the ratio from Constitution as well, 1/3 of your character's level on Silver difficulty and then at higher difficulties you can keep it 1/2 or even 2/3, if you like a more 'tanky' approach) - Improves your energy shield and indirectly, your health, since it strengthens your survivability in battle.
Level 65 - Toughness (don't spend too much time on this, just keep it 1/3 of your character's level or even 1/4) - Just for a little more resistance against every damage type.
1.1 Skill mastery order (personal preference)
1st mastery - Tactics Lore (for more critical hit chance)
2nd mastery - Exalted Warrior Focus (for further regeneration and penalty decrease for Pelting Strikes, Dashing Alacrity and Battle Stance buff)
3rd mastery - Revered Technology Focus (for further regeneration and penalty decrease for Flaring Nova and Warding Energy buff)
4th mastery - Dual Wield (to grant the chance to inflict double hits with your weapons)
5th mastery - Armor Lore (for further regeneration penalty decrease)
6th mastery - Warding Energy Lore (for even more faster shield regeneration)
7th mastery - Revered Technology Lore (for more Flaring Nova damage; it improves the energy shield as well)
8th mastery - Constitution (to be able to regenerate health while in combat)
9th mastery - Toughness (for further increased resistance against all damage types)
10th mastery - Concentration (only for 3 active buffs at the same time; we kept Concentration at 10th mastery because we don't have a single point in Celestial Magic aspect Lore or Focus skills so we don't have a third fully modified buff to use)
2. Combat arts and buffs
Exalted Warrior Aspect
1. Pelting Strikes - Our main combat art to use. The ideal regeneration time should be around 3 seconds (if you have gear with regeneration per hit bonuses of 1 or 1,5 seconds then you can have a regeneration of even 4,5 seconds). Keep it equal or lower level to the penalty threshold of Exalted Warrior Focus.
2. Dashing Alacrity - Very important combat art due to increased move speed and attack speed bonuses. Use it for long distance runs or before boss fights and watch them shred with Pelting Strikes.
3. Battle Stance (buff) - Our main buff that we'll be using. Provides a decent amount of damage, attack and defense boost.
Revered Technology Aspect
1. Flaring Nova - Very good combat art when facing groups of enemies. Don't keep an eye out on the regeneration because we won't gonna be spamming this like Pelting Strikes. A regeneration of under 7-8 seconds should work.
2. Warding Energy (buff) - Our secondary buff after Battle Stance. Don't take it at early levels since it will increase the regeneration of Pelting Strikes and Flaring Nova too much and we won't gonna be using it against rats and brigands anyway. Level 30 should be enough to start read Warding Energy runes.
*OPTIONAL* - 3. Divine Protection - You can use it during boss fights after your Warding Energy shield got depleted for some more protection. (be careful because it will deactivate your Warding Energy buff when the duration ends; I don't know if this is now patched or not)
Celestial Magic Aspect (Optional)
1. Hallowed Restoration - Just a good healing effect after fights if you want to spare some health potions.
3. Combat arts and buffs modifications
Pelting Strikes Succession - chance for double hits (20%) Focus - require less energy (20%) Precision - increases the chance to land critical hits (9.9% + 0,1% per level of Pelting Strikes)
Dashing Alacrity Bloodlust - further increases attack speed (10% + 0,3% per level of Dashing Alacrity) Delay - increases the duration of Dashing Alacrity (with 50%) Impatience - reduces the cooldown of Dashing Alacrity (with 33,3%)
Battle Stance (buff) Premonition - further increases attack value (12,5% + 2,5% per level of Battle Stance) Drill - reduces the energy cost to maintain Battle Stance (not sure how much to be honest but it's always good to have) Retaliation - small chance to reflect close combat damage (20% chance, increases slightly per level of Battle Stance)
Flaring Nova Impulse - sends out 2 pulses, but reduces strength (around 30% damage reduction) Stun - chance to stun enemies within range (19,8% + 0,2% per level of Flaring Nova) Laggard - slows the targets down (25% + 0,5% per level of Flaring Nova)
Warding Energy Field Force - strengthens the energy field and absorbs more damage until it is exhausted (50% increase from base value) Field Force - improves the energy field and absorbs more damage until it is exhausted (50% increase from base value) Resource - reduces the energy cost to maintain the shield (50% + 0,5% reduction per level of Warding Energy)
Divine Protection Dampen - absorbs more damage (10% + 0,1% per level of Divine Protection) Uplifted Force - improves the energy shield (33,3% increase) Improved Reflection - chance to reflect projectile damage (50% + 1% per level of Divine Protection)
4. Weapons and equipment
4.1 Weapons
by the level 50 mark you should have a different slot for each damage type (Physical, Magical, Fire, Ice and Poison)
I personally use Poison damage weapons for the main slot (upgraded with Poison Fangs) due to Poison secondary effect (damage over type), which is a personal preference of mine - you can use any damage type as a main, it's pure preferential
you can either use swords or hafted weapons, but don't combine them in the same weapon slot (like a dual wielding a sword and an axe)
always keep the weapon with the higher damage on your right hand because it's the first hand we attack with and combat arts like Pelting Strikes or Soul Hammer will deal more damage this way
best modifiers and effects to use on your weapons: +X% damage to the same damage your weapon has, Regeneration per hit (1-1,5 seconds should be more than enough), Lifeleech, Critical hit chance, Double hit chance, +X% Attack, +X to Attack or +X to Exalted Warrior aspect
for greedier players, Experience per kill and Chance to find valuables are good too, but don't imprison yourself just in these or you'll suffer later in the game (tip available for both weapons and equipment)
4.2 Equipment
I personally prefer Niokaste's Blade Dance set due to bonuses to Exalted Warrior aspect
LATE EDIT: I also find Genesis Siderea set amazingly good due to the % Lifeleech bonus (if you can find both pieces of the Tooth and Nail set you'll have another % Lifeleech bonus)
best modifiers and effects you can use on your equipment: +X% or +X Armor, +X% or +X to Defense, Regeneration per hit, Regeneration decrease to Combat Arts or to Exalted Warrior aspect, Lifeleech, +X% shield absorption, Spell resistance or +to all skills
jewelry is pure preferential, I personally use +Damage, +Attack, Lifeleech or Regeneration per hit rings and +Armor, +Attack and Defense, +to all skills or Damage mitigation amulets (you can socket some of these modifiers in your weapons and equipment as well)
4.3 Relics
use each set of relics for every resistance needed (I personally use the main set with mixed relics and the other ones with Poison resistance relics, Fire resistance relics and Ice resistance relics)
unique or set relics (from the Community Patch) are the best ones, so keep every one of these you find until you find better ones
5. Attributes
at early levels (1-25), you should put points into both Strength (for some melee damage and attack boost) and Stamina (for some regeneration decrease until we find proper equipment) in a 50-50 ratio (60-40 or 40-60 ratio can work too)
after level 25 you can occasionally start putting points into Vitality (for more health) and Willpower (for a little bit more Warding Energy shield power)
after level 50, when you will gain 2 attribute points to spend, ONE should always go into Strength and the other one either into Vitality, Willpower or Stamina (into Stamina only if you really need to); if you feel you don't need either Vitality, Willpower or Stamina then you can up both points into Strength
after level 150, when you will gain 3 attribute points to spend, TWO should always go into Strength and the other one either into Vitality or Willpower, based on your personal preference; if you feel you don't need either Vitality or Willpower then you can up all three points into Strength
6. Play style
Expert Touch option is pure preferential (I personally have it ON since I am using a lot of Regeneration per hit modifiers)
control large groups of mobs via Flaring Nova (remember that we send 2 pulses from the modification, so, it's an increased chance to either stun or slow down the annoying enemies)
slay champion type enemies with Pelting Strikes (3 or 4 hits should pretty much wipe them)
use Dashing Alacrity to chase down fleeing enemies, ranged fighters or mages who tend to run away at distance in battles
before entering boss battles, don't forget to switch to the relics set that offer the needed resistance (example, Fire relics against Carnach)
cast Dashing Alacrity before boss battles as well and spam Pelting Strikes until they die (Pelting Strikes will hit faster due to increased attack speed from Dashing Alacrity modification)
after your Warding Energy shield gets depleted during a boss fight (or you get debuffed by certain bosses like The Harpy Queen or The White Griffin) cast Divine Protection shield to protect yourself
best unique mount you can use: Exalted Warrior Sabertooth Tiger (-33,3% regeneration decrease to Exalted Warrior aspect)
collect every dropped items from mobs (even the common ones), you will need lots of gold for constantly upgrading our weapons and gear
7. Pros and cons
Pros
extremely powerful against both single targets and groups
fast and easy boss killing
huge amounts of damage dealt in small periods of time
both offensive and defensive build
extremely tanky type of Seraphim
Cons
some players may find it boring and repetitive
low versatility since it requires a certain play style
very dependent on Battle Stance and Warding Energy buffs
pure melee style can be a bit weak and slow without Dashing Alacrity and Pelting Strikes combat arts
As a final word, I really hope this guide will help you in developing a really strong and fun to play type of Seraphim. Good luck and have fun wiping the lands of Ancaria!