In one hand a short staff ( tree learned in Angolwen), in the other a Mind psiblade (Tree learned in Zigur). That all my gold went into. 1000 to unlock the both tree, then 1500 to raise them. I finished the game with 5000 gold. The only default of this game so far is the lack of a solid money sink -it need some sort of crafting system-
I like the magic Shadowblade for only one reason: Convenience.[*] To have Zigur you have to unlearn any of your magic tree and get on the main map (then you can learn magic and still access Zigur - keep your option open-). Some class (archmage, ..) or race (undead) still never can have Zigur appears on the main map.[*]
As soon as you reach level 4 you can get the spell Illuminate with a permanent +150% (alway critical when sealthed) + ~80% (max shadowstrike at level 9) damage on it.
That mean any basic foes will die as soon as you see them. So by setting Illuminate on autocast at enemy sight, and Stealth autocast every-time, you basically just strike your auto-explore button every few second.
That the most convenient thing ever: not clicking twice (once to validate the selection, like for any other spell, once to auto explore), or three, or more time for any mobs. Just once (to auto explore). Nothing can beat that. You just have to concentrate on your loot, and on the hardest foes, not your every day troll, skeleton mage, fungus, etc..
No other class can allow so much damage from so far away and so soon in the game. So convenient, once you're used to it, the other class seems boring.
Once you reach level 12 with a Stealth tree at 1/5/1/1 you're perma stealth almost anytime: Illuminate strike at 10 step, so nothing hurt by it at this distance can break your stealth. Channel staff with a 8 range also keep you stealthed.
[*]To raise your stealth level you better of leveling the Unseen action to 3 (1/5/1/3) then Stealth (2/5/1/3) then unseen to the max (2/5/1/5) then Stealth to the max (5/5/1/5)[*]
The first life I lost was again The Shade. It is a shame, cause I learned the hard way to be cautious around the Shade. The last one I lost was again the fallen paladin Aeryn on High peak level 10. It is a shame cause I hoped I made the quest to have it on my side in the last battle. I dont remember how I lost the others in between. It was not with the master, nor in the Prides. May be the horror in the maze, or the early troll mage with reflecting damage.The multi hued wyrm from Vor armory got me for sure.
I could not pass the ambuscade.
I learned to use Heroism infusion as soon I saw mob. Boost on damage, boost on every other spell, boost on life for 10 turn! Nothing is better. I should try a build with 3 different heroism infusion :][*]Once stealthed you can switch your gear to a massive armor and still stay stealthed ( You just cannot stealth again if you break it). May be that the way to survive the Ambuscade: get there with a massive armor and a decent shield, Get an early critical Illuminate, and a few critical channel staff strike then tank in a corner.[*]
[*] The stat boost from Heroism is a easy way to equip stuff, or learn tree you normally dont have the characteristic to do so.[*]
[*]Enter stealth under Heroism infusion and you'll gain a few point in your stealth. You wont lost them when the infusion end. [*]
I kept a few area of effect item spell. Around the end of Dreadfell, Illuminate is not enough to one shoot anything. So it's good to have some long range backup (anything is good with a perma critical strike on it). Lighting from Eelskin is a good early drop. But you'll probably find better soon.[*]You can also change your 0.3 stealth tree amulet, and still keep the stealth bonus from it, but you probably want to keep it for bonus to shadowstrike.[*]
I rushed to the final confrontation. So I was level 43 at the end. I killed the 1st boss (the one without Bone shield) pretty fast, and reached 49 immediately. Then my illuminate killed one of the demon coming out of the portal and I reached 50.
I didnt take the Absorption staff, right after the first kill. It just occur to me to use it later on, else the second boss would have died quicker.[*]getting to the end with room for leveling is great: free Mana, stamina, health restore.[*]
That only at that time I discovered how to use stealth on defense.
When I checked the winners by class in the vault. The earliest Shadowblade we find in the 25 rooster is from 18 week ago. Compares that to earliest oozemancer just 6 days ago.When over a foe, you can see at the bottom if he see you :. As soon as it sayTarget: Looking at *charName in the South eastyou should move around so he loose track. It's very effective. Take a few turn to move around, it really worth it.tarket: Looking at you *CharNAme
In fact, from all the class you can easily unlock in the west, Shadowblade is the one with the least winner. Archer and summoner earliest winner are from 9 week ago. Bulwark and berserker are just 1 or 2 week ago... etc.
That's really a shame, cause Stealth is a Tree, I cannot play without. It's so awesome in offense and defense. And shadowblade allow so many viable build you should try it.