Example Builds

Explore Tyranny example builds like the Agile Bruiser, Close Quarters Support Caster, and Interceptor, detailing stats, talents, gear, and strategy.

Agile Bruiser

Stats: Start with 14 might, 8 quickness, 10 wits, 18 finesse, 10 vitality, 8 resolve. Use extra stat points to increase finesse to 19, then alternate between might and either quickness or vitality. Alternatively, continue to increase finesse.

Talents:

• Leadership (4): Mark Enemy, Bandolier, To Arms!, Arbiter of Knowledge
• Power (10): Focused Strike, Stance: Blitz, Two-Handed Mastery I, Sunder, Two Handed Mastery II, Concentrated Force, Two-Handed Mastery III, Massive Blow I, Massive Blow II, Skull Cracker
• Magic (1): Magical Prodigy
• Extra: Further down the Leadership tree.

Gear: Leather armor, two-handed weapons. Keep two different damage types in weapon slot 1 and 2.

Character Creation Options: Choose a background that aids in melee. Select Greatsword and War Mace to begin with both Cleave and Sunder.

Skills to Focus: Two-handed is primary. Also focus on Lore, Control Illusions, and potentially a touch of Control Life and Emotions.

Magic and Sigils: Spectral Blur and Mirror Image are recommended. Enrage Mind will increase speed. Fill the remaining slot with a healing spell.

Strategy: This build relies on high deflection for defense, aiming for reasonable speed with two-handed weapons. A tank is necessary as you cannot sustain aggro, though you will perform well against slow enemies due to the damage mitigation from deflections. Two-handed weapons provide some reach.

Close Quarters Support Caster

Stats: Start with 8 might, 14 quickness, 16 wits, 12 finesse, 8 vitality, 10 resolve. Use extra stat points to increase Wits and Quickness to 16 and 18 respectively, then increase finesse to 19. Afterward, focus on resolve or might, depending on preference for debuffing or direct damage. You can reduce quickness in favor of more finesse or resolve/might.

Talents:

• Leadership (3): Bandolier, Mark Enemy, Arbiter of Knowledge
• Agility (1): Lightfoot
• Range (1?): Escape (optional)
• Magic (10): Arcane Charge, Magical Prodigy, Energy Shield, Ward Master, Spell Reflection, Expanded Mind I, Imbue the Elements: Fire, Imbue the Elements: Frost, Chaos Blast, Empowered Chaos
• Extra: Imbue the Elements: Shock (Magic), To Arms! (Leadership), Focused Strike (Power). With additional levels, invest in shield and one-handed improvements.

Gear: Cloth armor, spear and shield as primary weapons, fast staff as secondary.

Character Creation Options: Choose a background that boosts Lore (unless role-playing differently). Select Control Vigor twice and Energy Shield as your starting talent.

Skills to Focus: One-handed, Lore, Control Vigor, Control Emotions, Control Life, and an optional damage-focused Control skill. Use trainers to improve your One-handed skill, as you will lag behind melee-focused characters. You may also need to train Control Emotions and your chosen damage spell, as they might unlock later.

Magic and Sigils: Equip buffs, some emotion spells, and a healing spell. Leave a slot open for a powerful damage spell. Prioritize longer duration sigils over faster cooldowns and more potent slow effects over weaker, faster effects to avoid spending all combat buffing and debuffing.

Strategy: This character enhances party effectiveness, weakens enemies (Wave of Despair is effective), provides healing (though not as a primary healer), and can unleash powerful attacks (Empowered Chaos Blast or your strongest damage spell) when needed. You will poke enemies from behind a tank, utilizing your spear's range. Use Thrust opportunistically to finish enemies or disengage. This build requires a tank for survival but strengthens the tank and the entire party. While your melee damage will be modest, acquiring various Imbue the Elements talents will help significantly.

Interceptor

Stats: Start with 8 might, 12 quickness, 10 wits, 16 finesse, 8 vitality, 14 resolve. Use extra stat points to increase finesse to 19, then split between resolve and quickness.

Talents:

• Agility (1?): Lightfoot (optional)
• Magic (5): Magical Prodigy, Expanded Mind I, Arcane Charge, Energy Shield, Expanded Mind II
• Range (10): Hobble, Escape, Piercing Throw, Safe Distance, Thrown Mastery I, Thrown Mastery II, Evasive, Thrown Mastery III, Ricochet, Darken the Sky
• Extra: Invest an additional point in Magic, then focus on Imbue talents.

Gear: Leather armor, thrown weapons with a shield, and a backup staff.

Character Creation Options: Choose Control Atrophy and Javelin (select Hobble).

Skills to Focus: Lore, Throwing Weapons, Control Atrophy, Control Force, and Dodge. Train Dodge when possible.

Magic and Sigils: Equip numerous Atrophy spells and some Force spells. Ensure all have the Sigil of Rooting applied. Afterward, prioritize cooldown reduction.

Strategy: This build focuses on positional crowd-control. It takes time to reach its full potential, but the goal is to use Sigil of Rooting-powered atrophy and force spells to keep enemies rooted and at a safe distance from you and other ranged party members (like Verse as an archer and Eb as a damage caster). This also weakens enemies to effects like weapon poison and disables enemy casters. Enemy archers and throwers will not be heavily impacted, but investing in Dodge mitigates this threat. While perpetual rooting is unlikely, you can maintain control long enough for your ta