Sword and Shield / Dagger PvP Build Guide

Use this version of the Small Scale and Arena PvP build if you are not fighting a lot of Longbow users using the Devoted Shield passive since Thunderclouds Bombing will continuously procc it.

Utility Skills

• Ankle Strike prones your target, allowing you to set up your other combos.
  • This skill also goes through Block, making it a good counter for Sword and Shield players.
• Strategic Rush is used to reposition yourself and to push enemies around. If you push an enemy into a wall they become stunned for a set time.
• Chain Hook is used to pull high value targets to you, applying a Bind.
• Camouflage Cloak is a great way to engage enemies unseen and can also be used to break Bind.
• Counter Barrier gives you increased Shield Block Chance and does Reflect damage within a certain range.
• Stalwart Bastion provides massive Damage Reduction, which has good synergy with high defense builds as well as Counter Barrier.
• Shadow Strike is a great engage tool used to lock down high priority targets. It also applies Silence and Bind.
• Take Provoking Roar to Taunt targets, making it so they can only target you. This also prevents them from using skills like Swift Healing as well.

Passive Skills

• Use Wrathful Edge to increase your Critical Damage.
• The remaining skills do not change from the previous tab.

Use this version of the Small Scale and Arena PvP build if you are fighting a bow user to counter the passive Devoted Shield.

Utility Skills

• Camouflage Cloak allows for sneak engages where enemies don't see you coming, and it helps you back out of a fight if needed.
• Chain Hook is used to pull high value targets to you, applying a Bind.
• Provoking Roar inflicts Provoke, preventing enemies from changing targets or using single-target abilities. It's great for peeling allies.
• Counter Barrier is your bread and butter defensive skill, with the ability to reset the Cooldown of Piercing Attack and increase your Shield Block Chance while reflecting damage.
• Stalwart Bastion increases you Move Speed and provides a strong Damage Reduction buff.
• Strategic Rush can be used to charge enemies into walls or terrain, stunning them.
• Use Shadow Strike to engage clumped enemies or help you escape sticky situations.
• Ankle Strike prones your target, allowing you to set up your other combos.

Passive Skills

• Assassin's Instincts boosts Critical Hit Chance permanently.
• Shadow Walker grants an insane boost to Magic and Ranged Evasion with mobility skills like Shadow Strike or Strategic Rush.
• Skillful Evasion adds Magic and Ranged Evasion when surrounded by enemies within 3 metres.
• Resilient Mind is great to restore Mana and Health.
• Impenetrable works similarly to Indomitable Armor, however, it scales based on the number of enemy targets around you.
• Gerad's Patience increases CC Resistance passively, which helps to counter your biggest weakness: vulnerability to Crowd Control.
• Aegis Shield is simply a Stat passive.
  • With Counter Barrier up, you get increased value from this passive.
• Use Wrathful Edge to increase your Critical Damage.

Alternative

• Swap Immortal Pride for Chain Hook to peel for allies and to have another Collision ability that proccs Morale Boost.
• Exchange Morale Boost for Wrathful Edge to increase your damage output when landing a critical attack.
• Swap Gerad's Patience for Assassination Stance if you're not building high Resistances. Alternatively, you can swap it for Morale Boost.

Dungeon Priority

This section was optimized, so you do not have to rely on Co-Op Dungeons to get your gear. Do each Dungeon so you can craft the Ring below.

• Amber Dimensional Band
  • Precious Epic Accessory Selection Chest
    • Requires Recipe: Dimensional Essence: Salvation to craft.
  • You must do each Co-Op Dungeon at least 3 times to acquire enough tokens to craft it.
• Death's Abyss
  • Karnix's Netherblade from Cave of Destruction

Gear Farming Priority

1. Daggers of Undead Severing
   • Craft this item using Death Soul Shard. You craft it at the Weapon Crafter Arless, who roams the path between Nesting Grounds and Vienta Village.
   • Farm Syleus's Abyss 1F-2F for Death Soul Shard.
   • This weapon will be your stat stick as you can easily fully Trait it with minimal cost.
2. Ant's Nest
   • Elusive Hexweaver Hat from Worker Ant
   • Elusive Hexweaver Pants from Acid Ant
3. Temple of Sylaveth
   • Elite Retainer's Belt from Shade Wizard
4. Shadowed Crypt
   • Hermit's Shroud from Dark Enforcer
     • Precious Epic Equipment Chest: Shadow
     • Cloak that Protected a Hero
5. Sanctum of Desire
   • Alacritous Invoker Gloves from Avolos Hydromancer

Gear Sources

1. Lithograph Book
   • Special Resistance Hawk Hood
     • Black Boars in Purelight Hill
     • Crown Blessed by Moonlight
     • Precious Blessing Pouch
2. Cave of Destruction
   • Lequirus's Thorny Edge
   • Beast King's Gilded Bracers
3. Tyrant's Isle
   • Ghost Wolf Alter Ego Armor
4. Sanctum of Desire
   • Phantom Wolf Breeches from Reptilian Butcher and Reptilian Soldier
     • Precious Epic Equipment Selection Chest: Abyss
5. Syleus's Abyss 5F-6F (Precious Epic Equipment Chest: Abyss)
   • Unshakeable Gold Ring from Demonhoof Tracker
   • Abyss Conqueror's Necklace

Both builds are viable, making the choice between them a personal preference. Keep in mind that swapping Karnix's Nether Sword to Nirma's Corrupt Sword causes you to lose a large amount of Max Health in favor of higher Shield Block, so weigh your options carefully.

Weapon Options

• Nirma's Corrupt Sword offers a higher Shield Block Chance.
• Karnix's Nether Sword offers more Max Health.

Gear Sources

• Nirma's Corrupt Sword from Nirma
• Gauntlets of the Field General from Aridus
• Tycan's Bloodlust Belt from Aridus