Sacred 2 - Kobold Slayer - EE Challenge Mode - Melee Shadow Warrior

[BorgonVile 35]

So you want to play a melee shadow warrior in Enhanced Edition's Challenge Mode. From lvl 1? Then here is the "guide" for you.

I have managed to drag a melee shadow warrior to lvl 75. This is where the build starts to work. Pretty late, yes. I'll explain the how's, the what's and the what not's.

 

Disclaimer! Boundless repetition and kobold induced insanity ahead - do not try this at home (no, seriously, me trying it was enough pain for all of us).

 

First off, you will not melee for a long time. Most things can 2-shot you. You want to stay away. Bow in hand and a healing potion at ready. The idea is that to offset challenge mode's insane damage (done to player) with summons until you're comfortable enough to join them in the fray. That's gonna be anywhere between levels 35 and 75.

 

Character creation details: Shadow Warrior, dark path, expert mode, hardcore, god: ker.

Skills: Hafted Weapons, Tactics Lore, Astral Lord Lore, Concentration, Armor Lore, Toughness, Constitution, Combat Reflexes, Spell Resistance, Blacksmith.

You get Tactics and Astral up to 9 asap.

Then you get Armor Lore, Toughness and Constitution to about 40-50 (max 49 if you didn't get any skilpoints from quests).

Then you keep rising Concentration, Armor Lore, and Constitution so that they end at 75 when your level hits 75 too.

Then you will want to finish Toughness Mastery and get more Tactics Lore for extra modifiers.

Then whatever goes.

 

In a more concise way (subject to change), the build looks like this.

1. Hafted Weapons       200 [1]
2. Tactics Lore         75  [9]
3. Astral Lore          75  [9]
4. Concentration        75  [75]
5. Armor Lore           75  [75]
6. Toughness            75  [+]
7. Constitution         200 [75]
8. Combat Reflexes      75  [1]
9. Spell Resistance     75  [1]
0. Blacksmith           1   [1]
                            [at 75]

B Nether Allegiance     - accomplice, tower, elite
B Labyrintine Warlord   - aggressive, buffer, armament
B Reflective Emanation  - backlash, antimagic, idol
D Demonic Blow          - wounding, frality, trauma
D Frenzied Rampage      - intent, double, double
C Killing Spree         - control, burst, sway
C Rousing Command       - war, impulse, leader
# Spectral Hand         - clout, intent, double
# Rallied souls         - dark, demand, contagion
# Belligerent vault     - nothing
[mods by 75] Nether, Labyrintine, Reflective

 

B are buffs, D - combo 1, C - combo 2

 

How to play this? By farming kobolds until you get the mastery and all 3 buffs. You want to raise Nether Allegiance and Labyrintine Warlord as needed (probably a few points over HCALWP), keep other skills at 1 until you get a good source of RpH.

 

Here how mine looks at lvl 75. Got lucky with a good body armour.