Seraphim Tank Build

[RappingSlapper 0]

Hello, this is my first post in the forums here at darkmatters.

I just picked this game about a week ago and have been playing it when I can. I got my Dryad to 28, but had to dump her because I made so many learning mistakes.

Anyways, I currently have a level 37 Seraphim who uses NO combat arms for attacks, and basically relies on Battle Stance and Warding Energy for her buffs.

 

Here are my skills:

 

 

Armor Lore 30

 

Shield Lore 36

 

Spell Resistance 3

 

Exalted Warrior Lore 9

 

Revered Technology Lore 9

 

Sword Weapons 5

 

Concentration 1

 

Tactics Lore 32

 

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I'm not sure if those are the points I have spent EXACTLY, I'm doing this from memory.

Anyways, here are my questions:

 

I am running the 2 buffs like I said, and I was considering taking WARDING ENERGY LORE as my next skill, and then topping it off with either toughness or constitution. Of the two latter skills, which one is more effective over all at surving? IE, how much extra hit points are you REALLY getting, versus how much armor/reduction I'd be getting with toughness? If anyone is an expert on skills, that'd be helpful.

 

ALSO- my last question is this- should I be pouring more points into my revered tech lore, I've heard that it will increase the mitigation of my warding energy buff. Is this true? I only have 9 points into my 2 CA lores, because I only thought I'd need the 3 mod's for each and then I'd be set.

 

I've also noticed that my BUFFS are at there maximum, and are being penalized because I have memorized too many runes. I know, typically, this is something you'd want to avoid since it SEVERELY lengthens the regens of adjacent combat arts, but since I am using none, I found it appropriate. Basically, SHOULD I BE UPGRADING MY EXALTED/REVERED LORES IF ALL I'M USING ARE THE 2 BUFFS, AND IF SO, WILL THIS INCREASE THE LEVEL OF WHICH MY BUFFS CAN BE? All it shows in my details currently is that by upgrading the CA lores once, they'd stay at 17 maximum leveled buffs. Is this true for all increments of skills?

 

 

 

 

Lastly, I have to ask a really daring question.

My whole build so far has been built with an intention to survive, and to be able to handle swarms of creatures and still take the heat. I'm currently using 1 handed swords with a good shield. I toss out 424-524 regular attack damage with a 106% attack speed.

 

I ask this: SAY I were to memorize just 1 rune in 3 exalting warrior lore attacks (such as hammer, summersault, etc.) and then include the other runes in my armor (in order to avoid stacking even more regen times atop my buff's penalties. Next, in replacement of one of my remaining two skills, I choose combat discipline, which allows me to string together 3 combat arts into a combo, AND it increases my damage.

 

With my current regen penalty from Battle Stance being +94%, and the regen subtractions from taking combat discipline, does anyone beleive that I can be getting more bang for my buck? Even with sluggish regen, I think that I might be able to dish out more damage if I'm stringing in 3 CA combos in between my normal hits. AND, my unique mount can always change to a -33% regen of exalted warrior.

 

So, if anyone could help me, it'd be really great.

My main concerns are in dealing out the most damage, because I don't want to waste my time with adding .3 to my buffs per rune, when I could be using the full benefits of rune by using it on fresh, new Combat Arts

 

Let me know what you guys think of this, and if you'de recommend or not.

 

Thanks,

Your's kindly....

 

 

Hayden

[Chareos Rantras 0]

Not the answer to ALL your questions but a few for quick reply:

 

1) You'll need Revered Tech FOCUS to decreasing CA level's penalties for reading to many runes of your RT Combat Arts. (same goes for Exalted Warrior)

 

2) Constitution could be neglected if you go Warding Energy Lore with Divine Protection (had a bug that you could keep it up with several layers almost perma) dont know if you can do this now after 2.40.

 

 

Hope this helps out, personally I would take Revered Tech Focus & Warding Energy Lore & see how far I can get (maxing Focus & Offensive skills)

 

cheers!

Chareos Rantras

[MantisPR 1]

Here are a few things I learned that can probably help you out.

 

It’s ok to eat/learn at least 1 rune in each combat art. It does not hurt at all. So get all 15 of them. Keep them at 1 rune so you can use them more often.

 

Combo up the combat arts with regeneration times close to each other. Because you have learned so many buff runes, the regen time for the combo and other combat arts will be long. That’s ok, regular weapon attack is still your main source of damage, but you will now have more options when taking on bosses and when facing a group of monsters.

 

Put more points into Exalted Warrior Lore and Revered Technology Lore to at least cancel out the penalty for eating lots of buff runes. Keep a good balance between the Skills and the Runes. The points here will not go to waste since it will also increase your damage output when you do use your combat arts/combos. They may have a long regen time, but they will hurt. Plus of course increase your max level for your buffs!

 

You have a defensive theme going on here, stick with it, and pick your last 2 skills with that in mind. If you need a bit more offense just put some more points into your sword skill and tactics skill. I would increase sword skill up a lot more, at least 75 to get the bonus since your regular weapon attack is your primary damage. This will give you accurate fast attacks.

 

Hope this help.

-MantisPR

[the1youh8 0]

wow, no CA at all. so basically u hold you're thumb on the normal attack button until every monster eventually dies...

 

I have a dual wield seraphim, basically a tank, but I use weapon-based CA at least, and find her quite boring to play at times.

 

good luck

[RappingSlapper 0]

Thanks for all the information, guys. Yes, I currently just memorized Divine... whatever the shield CA is. It helps A LOT for bosses. I'm not sure how the glitch you were speaking of works... in regards to having it regen faster than it depletes. Anyways, I will definatly learn all the Combat Arts so that I can at least mess around with combat discipline and dish out a strong attack in between my main attack. I currently just got BONESLICER, and now with my 127% fast attack and 524-709 damage per swing every .6ish seconds, she's quite strong. 2 hits almost everything, and 4-5 hits uniques.

 

Okay, so I will up the LORES.

 

And the reason my sword is so low is because I just learned it at 35... or whatever level you get your 8th skill at.

 

I think I'll choose warding energy lore, and combat disicpline as my 9th and 10th skills.

 

Thanks a lot guys, you've helped immensely; great, great forum!

[Jacina 0]

Thanks for all the information, guys. Yes, I currently just memorized Divine... whatever the shield CA is. It helps A LOT for bosses. I'm not sure how the glitch you were speaking of works... in regards to having it regen faster than it depletes. Anyways, I will definatly learn all the Combat Arts so that I can at least mess around with combat discipline and dish out a strong attack in between my main attack. I currently just got BONESLICER, and now with my 127% fast attack and 524-709 damage per swing every .6ish seconds, she's quite strong. 2 hits almost everything, and 4-5 hits uniques.

 

Okay, so I will up the LORES.

 

And the reason my sword is so low is because I just learned it at 35... or whatever level you get your 8th skill at.

 

I think I'll choose warding energy lore, and combat disicpline as my 9th and 10th skills.

 

Thanks a lot guys, you've helped immensely; great, great forum!

 

Warding Energy lore will make the shields skills that much better.

 

Constitution is generally considered one of the best defensive skills (with mastery you regen your HP's at an insane rate, IN COMBAT)

 

Combat discipline will give you more damage but you'll have to use Combat Arts for it to count

[Knuckles 904]

Moved to Seraphim sub-forum

[claudius 104]

My advice is to stop eating runes on buffs and try to use combat arts.......OR don't use combat arts and just ignore recharges and max out the buffs...

 

Next time you can raise your buffs high with gear. Build a suit that raises the buff level and then cast the buff. It will stay high level even when you remove the gear, but since you got the level with gear you only get 1/2 the recharge penalty.

 

I only ate 5 Battlestance runes but I have it raised to level 42 with gear. That is only 25% penalty to recharge..

 

I don't think the pelting strikes is essential but with the mods on it it is pretty good. More damage just from the CA. Auto target. I modded for 20% chance of double hit and 10% chance of critical which is quite nice..

[thinkingofaname 0]

I find that people are missing one very very important mod for managing CA regen on melee. The mod is -xx sec regen on hit. Basically say a mod with -1.0 sec regen on hit, it will actually take off one whole second of ALL your combat arts regen as soon as you hit something. So even say you have a pelting strike with 9 second regen, it will actually recharge itself at the end assuming you did not miss. So far, I have not seen any diminish returns, well you don't need that many really. Just put on a couple in your armor and even CAs with 10+ second recharge will be up in no time.

 

At level 50ish you should be able to find -0.5sec ones, level 100 -1.0sec ones. If you got good bargain, you can find double modded ones (I have a -2.2 sec pet hit ring at level 90s)

Edited June 15, 2009 by thinkingofaname

[jrok 0]

If you plan on using the SE holy **** button IE Divine protection on console make sure you rebuff because it strips your buffs off of you (at least it did very reciently if it hasnt been patched yet) This could be on purpose or it could be a glitch, they might be trying to keep people from useing it as a multi layer sheild as well as having buffs on. but then again they might not be