So... you want to be a Dragon?
This is an incredibly powerful and survivable Reaver build for all difficulties. (I play at Nightmare)
#Priority Skills#
These are the base skills that create the Dragon. Aside from Challenge, these will be the only active skills that you use.
Reaver Tree
Ring of Pain - If you have more than 50% stamina then this skill should be active! This has an activation cost of ~20 stamina in addition to the 10 stamina per sec. The range is slightly larger than the visual effect.
Fervor - Great passive that works best when enemies are tightly grouped.
Scenting Blood - The speed boost is great, the crit chance is solid, and you can leave the enemy triggering this passive alive to keep your buffs going. Remember, however, the range is only 10 meters!
Devour - Very high stamina cost so only use without Charging Bull first in emergency! Be careful as using this too often without Ring of Pain active will lead to you running out of health to attack with.
Dragon Rage - Spend health to deal damage! Deal more damage with Ring of Pain! Deal even more damage with Ravage!
Ravage - Because Dragon Rage is the only way to fight!
Vanguard Tree
Challenge - We take this because it is in the way. Don't taunt bad guys, you aren't the tank.
Charging Bull - Low cost, low cooldown, sprint/disable/escape. Many enemies can be charged thru which will trigger extra guard generation!
Gore & Trample - Allows us to use our next skill for free after using Charging Bull. Remember the buff only lasts 6 seconds!
#Gear Notes#
*Use a two handed weapon with the Highest Damage per Hit. Disregard the DPS. DPS is irrelevant as you will never use your standard attack.
*Focus on Strength and Crit Chance.
*Items with 'On Hit: Gain X Guard' are great for this build.
*Defensively I tend to lean toward Ranged Defense.
*I do not think Heal Bonus gear applies toward Devour... this requires further testing.
#Playstyle#
Allow your tank to initiate fights.
Use Charging Bull to knock down and charge thru as many enemies as you can.
Position yourself behind your target and activate Ring of Pain.
Use Dragon Rage until Charging Bull is available.
Use Charging Bull but try to stay inside your Ring of Pain.
Use Devour and return to using Dragon Rage until Charging Bull is available.
*Avoid initiating on strong targets if your tank does not have aggro.
*A quick use of Charging Bull just for the Gore & Trample buff is OK!
*Your guard is to protect you from incidental damage (AoE, Cleave, etc.) as your health will almost always be dangerously low! Avoid direct damage!
*Try to use Ring of Pain + Devour before combat ends to set up your next fight!
#Your Next Points#
The Dragon is flexible and these next points are all based on your preference. I prefer the passives from the Two Handed Weapon Tree. However, Battlemaster offers four passives unlocked by a single active skill. I rarely (almost never) bother to use the active skills listed below as using stamina or Gore & Trample on anything but Ring of Pain and Devour will decrease your damage output over time as well as your survivability.
Skills marked with ** are much more valuable during early game before you unlock the Reaver tree.
Reaver Tree
Blood Frenzy - More damage!
Consume - The occasional increase to crit chance is underpowered when compared to other passives, but this skill isn't worthless.
Two Handed Weapon Tree
**Block & Slash - A good ability, but I don't often find myself needing it.
Flow of Battle - Brings Charging Bull and Devour off cooldown faster!
**Pommel Strike - See Block & Slash.
Guard-Smasher - Because taking down a Pride Demon's guard in one critical Dragon Rage makes me 
.
**Mighty Blow - See Block & Slash.
Shield-Breaker - Less armor means bigger red numbers!
Battlemaster Tree
**Grappling Chain - When upgraded this skill can be used in melee to knock down some enemies that are immune to the pull, but vulnerable to knockdown. I find this skill underpowered without the upgrade.
Crippling Blows - Weaken your enemies!
Coup de Grace - You will be knocking a lot of enemies down, take advantage!
Horn of Valor - More damage... for everyone!
That's the Spirit - Even more damage... for everyone!
Hamstring - A decent passive, but primarily taken for access to Deep Reserves.
Deep Reserves - Fills your stamina from empty to 50% in ~8 secs... which happens to be the cooldown timer of Charging Bull. Isn't that nifty? More valuable at higher difficulties as the fights will last longer. I've grown very fond of this passive.
Vanguard Tree
Trust the Steel - Good because you should have an active guard as often as possible. More valuable at higher difficulties.
It'll Cost You - Very low priority skill as you should be avoiding damage as much as possible. However, this isn't worthless.
#Skills to Avoid#
Many of these skills are underpowered or made useless by other skills we take.
Reaver Tree
Torrent of Pain - Most of what this skill does is made irrelevant by other skills we take.
Terrifying Fury - The enemies that I want to run away are immune to this.
Two Handed Weapon Tree
Whirlwind - This skill feels very underpowered to me. I don't even like it for early game. In addition, the animation is akward.
Clear a Path - As we don't use our standard attacks this skill gains us nothing. It might be valuable early game, if you didn't have to take Whirlwind to get it.
Earthshaking Strike - See Whirlwind.
Vanguard Tree
War Cry - Don't taunt bad guys, you aren't the tank.
Untouchable Defense - This would be better if you didn't have to take War Cry to get it.
Throw the Guantlet - The bonus stamina regeneration doesn't work while Ring of Pain is active. Also, don't taunt bad guys, you aren't the tank.
Cutting Words - If you want this have your tank pick it up. The damage bonus isn't worth the aggro and there are better skills to increase your damage.
Unbowed - The guard generated by this ability (even upgraded) doesn't come close to what you can generate from effective use of Charging Bull. In addition, Charging Bull can be used ~ 4 times between the CD for this ability.
Bodyguard - You aren't the tank.
#Final Word#
I hope you enjoy this build. I will continue to update this thread as I test and gain feedback from the community!
Retour en haut
