Enyo’s Rogue Guide (Mod 19 Update)
Enyo
An in-depth guide to help players build and understand their Rogues throughout the game.
If you’re looking for a guild and/or are new to the game, I run a large and interactive guild on PC called Chronic Legion. All are welcome to join! Click here for more information.
Introduction
Welcome all to my guide for Rogues!
This guide has been updated and running since Module 10.5, which released November 8th, 2016. I’ve given my best attempt to make this guide as easy as possible to read, understand and navigate. I cover every aspect of the Rogue for both veteran, returning and even new players alike.
To know a little bit about me; I’ve been playing Neverwinter since July of 2013. I’m currently a Guild Leader, Alliance Leader, Reddit Moderator, Admin for MmoMinds and also partnered directly with the Neverwinter Team under what’s called the Content Creator Program via my YouTube Channel. Despite common belief, I’m very much a casual player and I enjoy to sit back and have fun in the game, no stress no mess, right?
If you notice any mistakes, or maybe something I forgot to update or even something you disagree with, feel free to inquire and I’ll look into updating it if there’s valid reason to!
If you’d like, don’t hesitate to contact me in-game or via Discord. I’m generally online in the evening (EST), and sometimes in the mornings as well. Depends on my work hours.
- PC In-Game Name – Enyo (@Yopuko)
- Discord – Enyo (#6825)
Choosing Your Race
When it comes to choosing your race, a lot of players have different opinions. Some take it very seriously, and prefer to take whatever race grants the best bonus, regardless of how tiny or large it may be. Others prefer to just select whichever class they feel cosmetically has the best appearance. So honestly, I leave this section up to you.
For those interested in mainly cosmetics, please note that there are many customization options later in the character creation process. Options like hair style, skin color, height, build, etc. – are all available. The races just offer differences in general appearance, such as Sun Elves having pointy ears, and Tieflings have horns.
I’ll list below all the races with the most beneficial bonuses in an easy to read table. Beneath that will be specific modals that you can click on to view the class (and others) more thoroughly.
Race | Cost | Racial Ability 1 | Racial Ability 2 | Ability Scores | External Link |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Metallic Ancestry Dragonborn | Premium | You receive 3% more healing and Max HP. | +1500 Critical Strike. 3% Increased Damage. | Grants +2 To Any Stat | More Info |
Dragonborn | Premium | You receive 3% more healing. | +1500 Critical Strike. 3% Increased Damage. | Grants +2 To Any Stat | More Info |
Half Orc | Free | +5% Critical Severity | 10% Movement Speed Upon Entering Combat. | +2 DEX / +2 CON or STR | More Info |
Tiefling | Free | +5% Damage To Targets Below 50% HP | 10% Chance on Receiving Damage To Reduce Enemy’s Attacks By 2.5%. | +2 CHA / +2 CON or INT | More Info |
Wood Elf | Free | +1500 Critical Strike | 20% Resistance To Effects That Slow Movement | +2 DEX / +2 INT or WIS | More Info |
Human | Free | +250 Combined Rating | N/A | +3 To Any Ability Score | More Info(Outdated) |
Top Choices for DPS Increase
Metallic Ancestry Dragonborn (Premium Race) – View Details
Dragonborn (Premium Race) – View Details
Half Orc (Free) – View Details
Tiefling (Free) – View Details
Wood Elf (Free) – View Details
Human (Free) – View Details
Other Options (Recommended For Cosmetic Use Only)
Sun Elf (Free) View Details
Dwarf (Free) – View Details
Halfling (Free) – View Details
Half Elf (Free) View Details
Drow (Free) – View Details
Moon Elf (Premium Race) View Details
Menzoberranzan Renegade (Premium Race) – View Details
Ability Scores
Ability Scores are a general measurement of a character’s broadest abilities. There are six ability scores total, and they contribute to different statistics on your character depending on the class you play.
You first select your Ability Scores upon character creation, and it’s important to set it correct the first time around, as it costs Premium Currency (Zen) to reset the initial rolls in the future. Typically, most classes only focus on 2 Ability Scores (or “Attributes” as they’re often called), as later on as you progress through the game, you only receive 2 points at a time, each at Level 10, 20, 40, 50, 70 and 80. Here are the 6 Ability Scores:
For a Rogue, there are a few different ways you can set your ability scores. Personally, I recommend;
Distribution Preview
Stat | Lv 10 | Lv 20 | Lv 30 | Lv 40 | Lv 50 | Lv 60 | Lv 70 | Lv 80 |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
STR | +1 | +1 | +1 | +1 | +1 | +1 | +1 | +1 |
CON | +1 | +1 | ||||||
DEX | +1 | +1 | +1 | +1 | +1 | +1 | +1 | +1 |
INT | +1 | +1 | ||||||
WIS | +1 | +1 | ||||||
CHA | +1 | +1 |
You could also consider pairing these stats instead;
– Strength & Contitution – Slightly leaning more towards survivability.
– Strength & Charisma – Focuses on faster cooldowns and grants a small amount of extra stats.
– Contitution & Charisma – This may help you cap for Zariel if you’re struggling to do so.
You could also mix and match any of these suggested Ability Scores to a build more suited to your personal gameplay.
Please note – upon Character Creation, you cannot “roll” your abilities anymore as of Module 16. I recommend trying to get your +2 Points (from your Racial Abilities) into either Strength or Dexterity if possible. Most importantly Strength though.
Stats (Statistics)
Statistics play a massive role in your damage output, and take some careful balancing if you wish to really make the most out of them. One of the main things players should be aware of is Opposing Rolls. Basically, how they work, is that there are certain stats that counteract or ‘negate’ the potency and efficiency of another stats. Enemies and Players alike have these, so likewise, enemies and players can counteract and negate each other.
Stat | Description | Opposed By |
---|---|---|
Accuracy | Decreases your enemies chance to deflect your attacks. | Deflection |
Deflection | Increases the chance that you will ignore a large amount of incoming damage. | Accuracy |
Armor Penetration | Increases the percentage of defenses ignored when attacking an enemy. | Defense |
Defense | Decreases the damage taken. | Armor Penetration |
Critical Chance | Increases the chance that you will land a Critical Hit with an attack or healing spells. | Critical Avoidance |
Critical Avoidance | Decreases the chance that your enemy will land a Critical Hit against you. | Critical Chance |
Combat Advantage | Increases your damage when attacking an enemy from an advantageous position. | Awareness |
Awareness | Decreases your enemy’s damage when being attacked from combat advantage. | Combat Advantage |
Power | Increases your damage and healing. | N/A |
Action Points (AP) | Increases the rate at which you gain action points. | N/A |
Recharge Speed | Increases how quickly your encounter powers recharge. | N/A |
Companion Influence | Increases the stats shared from your companion to you. | N/A |
Critical Severity | Bonus damage dealt or healing done on a critical hit. | N/A |
Movement Speed | Increases how quickly you run. Has no effect on mounted movement speed. | N/A |
Enemy Stats & How They Work
To put it simple, enemies have all the same types of stats that we do as players. This also means that they have the same opportunity to counter the same stats as we do as well, meaning that if our stats are inferior, or are below theirs, our foes can negate us fairly easily.
- Enemies have a base of 18’000 – 40’000 Armor Penetration, Accuracy, Critical Avoidance and Awareness. These are referred to as Low Ratings.
- Enemies have a base of 68’000 – 90’000 on Critical Strike, Combat Advantage, Defense and Deflection. These are referred to as High Ratings.
However, as long as our stats are above the enemy’s Low Ratings, you should see a return or benefit, even if it’s a small amount to begin with. For example, if your Critical Strike is even as low as 17’999, you will not see any return, because the enemy will be fully negating you with their 18’000 Critical Avoidance, but if you have 20’000 Critical Strike, you will see a small return of 2% Critical Chance because your rating is higher than your enemy’s.
Stat Caps & Goals
Armor Penetration
- Caps at a total of 68’000 for Lair of the Mad Mage. This is the recommended cap for new players.
- Caps at a total of 80’000 for Tower of the Mad Mage.
- Caps at a total of 85’000 for Infernal Citadel.
- Caps at a total of 90’000 for Zariel’s Challenge.
- Why is Armor Penetration important?
Accuracy
- Caps at a total of 68’000 for Lair of the Mad Mage. This is the recommended cap for new players.
- Caps at a total of 80’000 for Tower of the Mad Mage.
- Caps at a total of 85’000 for Infernal Citadel.
- Caps at a total of 90’000 for Zariel’s Challenge.
- Why is Accuracy important?
Critical Strike
- Caps at a total of 68’000 for Lair of the Mad Mage. This is the recommended cap for new players.
- Caps at a total of 80’000 for Tower of the Mad Mage.
- Caps at a total of 85’000 for Infernal Citadel.
- Caps at a total of 90’000 for Zariel’s Challenge.
- Why is Critical Strike important?
Combat Advantage
- Caps at a total of 118’000 for Lair of the Mad Mage. This is the recommended cap for new players.
- Caps at a total of 130’000 for Tower of the Mad Mage.
- Caps at a total of 135’000 for Infernal Citadel.
- Caps at a total of 140’000 for Zariel’s Challenge.
- Why is Combat Advantage important?
Power
- You should have a minimum of 180’000 Power (before buffs) when entering any endgame content. However, Power has no cap and can be worked on gradually while capping other stats.
- Why is Power important?
Defense
- Caps at a total of 68’000 for Lair of the Mad Mage. This is the recommended cap for new players.
- Caps at a total of 80’000 for Tower of the Mad Mage.
- Caps at a total of 85’000 for Infernal Citadel.
- Caps at a total of 90’000 for Zariel’s Challenge.
- Why is Defense important?
Hit Points
- Caps at a total of 250’000 for Lair of the Mad Mage. This is the recommended cap for new players.
- Caps at a total of 330’000 for Tower of the Mad Mage.
- Caps at a total of 330’000 for Infernal Citadel.
- Caps at a total of 500’000 for Zariel’s Challenge.
- Why are Hit Points important?
All Stats – Only For Example / Preview
(Not my actual stats, don’t worry)
Powers / Feats
Powers are what you use to either attack / deal damage, or to buff your attacking powers / gameplay. There are different type of powers as well, with different mechanics.
Basic Mechanics / Terminology
Before we get into the heavy details of powers, I should probably explain the main functions and mechanics of how our powers work and are measured in-game. Most of it feels straight forward, but for a new or returning player, it could be confusing.
Term | Function |
---|---|
Radius | Radius refers to the distance in which an Area of Effect Power will extend to. |
Range | Range refers to the distance in which your powers can be used versus an enemy. |
Cast | Cast measures the time it takes for the specified power to actually animate through. |
Cooldown | Cooldown refers to the time required for an Encounter Power to recharge before it can be cast again. |
Magnitude | Magnitude measures the potency of how strong the Power is, or will hit for in comparison to other powers. |
Apply Effect | Apply Effect refers to when power grant a bonus affect. |
Duration | The Duration indicates how long a bonus affect lasts before timing out. |
Stealthed | Stealth makes your character invisible to enemies, also granting Combat Advantage. |
Paragon Paths
I recommend selecting the Assassin Paragon Path. Paragon Paths are groups of powers and feats that can be used to customize your character’s build. If you find Whisperknife to be more to your liking though, then please note this powers set-up is likely not for you then. There is a Whisperknife build you can view here on MmoMinds.
At-Will Powers
At-Will Powers serve as the basic attack for each class. They consist of having no cooldown, but significantly lower damage compared to that of an Encounter or Daily power. You can only slot 2 at a time. I recommend slotting;
Encounter Powers
Encounter Powers serve as the stronger, main attacks for each class. They are generally used in situations that require more than a basic attack, and have cooldowns ranging anywhere from 9 – 20+ seconds. As of Module 16, you cannot (easily) reduce these cooldowns. You can slot up to 3 Encounter Powers at a time. I recommend slotting;
Daily Powers
Daily Power (also known as Dailies) function the same as Encounter powers, however, they need Action Points before they can be activated. Some Dailies may also have a cooldown, though I’m currently unaware of any on the Rogue. You may have 2 Daily Powers slotted at a time.
Overview
Icon | Name | Magnitude | Cast | Cooldown | Power Type | Attack Type |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
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Duelist’s Flurry | 25 | 0.15 Seconds | N/A | At-Will | Single Target |
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Gloaming Cut | 110 | 1.1 Seconds | N/A | At-Will | Single Target |
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Sly Flourish | 30 | 0.26 Seconds | N/A | At-Will | Single Target |
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Lashing Blade | 550 | 1 Second | 11.1 Seconds | Encounter | Single Target |
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Deft Strike | 540 | 0.9 Seconds | 13 Seconds | Encounter | Single Target |
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Assassinate | 650 | 0.95 Seconds | 13.9 Seconds | Encounter | Single Target |
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Blade Flurry | 220 | 0.45 Seconds | 11.1 Seconds | Encounter | Area of Effect |
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Path of the Blade | 330 | 0.8 Seconds | 15.3 Seconds | Encounter | Area of Effect |
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Shocking Execution | 1700 | 1.5 Seconds | 1000 Action Points | Daily | Single Target |
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Bloodbath | 1400 | 0.25 Seconds | 1000 Action Points | Daily | Area of Effect |
Class Features
A Class Feature is a passive ability that grants special bonuses indicated by its tooltip. They are unique in that they do not require player activation. Some Class Features provide buffs to a party, while others provide extra mechanics to a player’s powers. You can slot up 2 Class Features at a time.
Feats
Feats are a character passive bonus that slowly unlocks two options at Level 41, 50, 59, 68 and 77. You may only select 1 of the 2 feats at each level. As of Module 16, there is only 2 rows of feats. The Saboteur, Scoundrel and Executioner feat pathways no longer exist unfortunately.
Overview
Icon | Name | Effect | Trigger | Feat Type |
---|---|---|---|---|
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Tactics | Increases your Action Point Gain by 10% | N/A | Class Feature |
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Oppressive Darkness | When you have Combat Advantage, your powers deal an additional 20 maginitude damage to the target. | Combat Advantage | Class Feature |
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Toxic Blades | Encounter/Daily Attacks Apply A DoT | Encounter/Daily Powers | Paragon Feat |
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Master of Shadows | Stealth Drains / Regenerates 50% Faster | N/A | Paragon Feat |
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Duelist’s Expertise | +0.5% Damage Per Second, 15 Stacks Max. The 16th Stack Grants Master Duelist. Master Duelist grants 15% Damage For 10 Seconds | All Attacks | Paragon Feat |
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Back Alley Tactics | Deal Up To 10% Damage Based On How Few AP You Have. | Low Action Points | Paragon Feat |
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Shadow’s Flurry | Attacks Have A 5% Chance To Spawn Shadowy Figure That Uses The Final Combo Of Duelist’s Flurry | All Attacks | Paragon Feat |
Rotations (Single Target)
I prefer to strike with Deft Strike without stealth. Stealth does not increase it’s potency (magnitude), and is even likely to accidentally target a teammate rather than your enemy, so it’s best to avoid stealth when it comes to Deft Strike.
I like to follow Deft Strike with Assassinate with no stealth. If you use it directly after Deft Strike, you’re behind your enemy, and when you use Assassinate from behind your target, it deals 25% Bonus Damage.
When I do use Stealth, I use it with Lashing Blade. The reason I wait to use Stealth with this, is because Stealth causes this attack to hit with an extra 50% Critical Severity. Additionally, by waiting those extra seconds, your party (and self) has had time to buff up and can make your attack much stronger than your first ones.
When it comes to At-Wills, use them to fill the time when you’re waiting for your Encounters and Dailies to recharge. I prefer to just spam Duelist’s Flurry, but Gloaming Cut hits nice as well. I also like to Stealth, Duelist’s Flurry, then Lashing Blade. It makes for a good, strong combination.
For Daily Powers, use Bloodbath for multiple enemies if you really have to and Shocking Execution for a single target. However, try to save your Daily Powers for bosses only.
After that, it’s kind of just rinse and repeat. Just remember, Stealth on Lashing Blade only and never on Deft Strike or Assassinate.
Of course, pop your Artifacts and Mount Combat Powers just prior to a big flurry of attacks. Most bonuses only last for 10-12 seconds, so try to make the most of those small moments with big buffs.
For solo / questing, I have found Blade Flurry and Path of the Blades to be power house encounters. I like to use Path of the Blades > Stealth > Blade Flurry > Blade Flurry, and if anything is left after that, I just use Assassinate to finish it off. This can also be used for mobs in Dungeons.
When running Zariel, I would switch Deft Strike with Wicked Reminder.
Boons
Boons are a bonus buff granted to your character that generally are earned through Campaign Completions. There are exceptions to this though such as the Stronghold Boons and the PvP Boons. Stronghold Boons will be posted at the very bottom; PvP Boons are irrelevant to the guide.
Our main “Challenge Campaign” Boons are earned through tiers. It does not matter which campaign you start with first, you will still have to earn your way up the tier levels regardless. It does slightly make boons more of a pain to truly max out, however, it makes reaching the Tier 5 Boons more rewarding.
So, here are my main suggestions. Anything listed as “Optional”, please choose based on your own needs, and what stats you may need that I don’t, or vice versa. Boons are designed to further compliment your stats, so the majority will be fairly optional. If you aren’t sure what stats you need, refer back to the “Stats” tab. My personal Boon Set up will also be listed at the bottom of this page.
Master Boons – Choose One
Useful Boons | Icon | Description | Ranks |
---|---|---|---|
Blood Lust | ![]() |
Rank 1: Decreases target’s awareness by 500 per rank for 10 seconds.
Rank 2: Do an additional attack equal to 120% of your weapon damage plus 10% per rank. Rank 3: Increase Action Point Gain by .5% per rank for 10 seconds.
|
3 |
Tier 5 – Choose Two
Useful Boons | Icon | Description | Ranks |
---|---|---|---|
Severe Criticism | ![]() |
Increases Critical Severity by 1% per rank. | 4 |
Call of Power | ![]() |
Increases Action Point Gain by 1% per rank. | 4 |
Quick Turnaround | ![]() |
Increases Recovery Gain by 1% per rank. | 4 |
Tier 4 – Requires 30 Boon Points Spent
Useful Boons | Icon | Description | Ranks | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Captain’s Training | ![]() |
Increases Power by 250 per rank. | 5 | |
Accuracy | ![]() |
Increases Accuracy by 250 per rank. | 5 | |
Necrotic Bulwark | ![]() |
Increases Hit Points by 1000 per rank. | 5 | |
Necrotic Mastery | ![]() |
Increases damage and damage resistance versus undead by 1% per rank. | 5 |
Tier 3 – Requires 20 Boon Points Spent
Useful Boons | Icon | Description | Ranks | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Knight’s Training | ![]() |
Increases Power by 250 per rank. | 5 | |
Combat Advantage | ![]() |
Increases Combat Advantage by 250 per rank. | 5 | |
Dino Bulwark | ![]() |
Increases Hit Points by 1000 per rank. | 5 | |
Dino Power | ![]() |
Increases damage and damage resistance versus Dinosaurs by 1% per rank. | 5 | |
Simple Support | ![]() |
Increases Companion Influence by 2% per rank. | 5 |
Tier 2 – Requires 10 Boon Points Spent
Useful Boons | Icon | Description | Ranks | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Squire’s Training | ![]() |
Increases Power by 250 per rank. | 5 | |
Armor Penetration | ![]() |
Increases Armor Penetration by 250 per rank. | 5 | |
Demonic Bulwark | ![]() |
Increases Hit Points by 1000 per rank. | 5 | |
Demonic Mastery | ![]() |
Increases damage and damage resistance versus Demons by 1% per rank. | 5 | |
Marathon Runner | ![]() |
Increases Movement Speed by 2.5% per rank. | 5 |
Tier 1 – No Requirements
Useful Boons | Icon | Description | Ranks | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Recruit’s Training | ![]() |
Increases Power by 250 per rank. | 5 | |
Critical Strike | ![]() |
Increases Critical Strike by 250 per rank. | 5 | |
Cultist Bulwark | ![]() |
Increases Hit Points by 1000 per rank. | 5 | |
Cultist Power | ![]() |
Increases damage and damage resistance versus Cultists by 1% per rank. | 5 |
Stronghold Boons
Stronghold Boons are determined by the Level of your Guild, the Boon Structures your Guild Leadership have chosen, and the Rank of those Structures. If you want to know the specifics of your personal guild’s boons, I’d suggest speaking with your Guild Leader, as it varies from guild to guild.
You may only choose one Offence, Defense and Utility Boon at a time, but you can switch between them easily without a retraining token.
Need a guild and play on PC? Come join mine, Chronic Legion. Max Level / Boons. We established during Neverwinter Beta in April of 2013, and have never been anything less than active since!
Boons of Interest
- Power Bonus (Offence)
- Armor Penetration Bonus (Offence)
- Deflect Bonus (Defense)
- Hit Points Bonus (Defense)
- Experience Points Bonus (Utility)
- Mount Speed Bonus (Utility)
- Revive Sickness (Utility)
Gear
With the introduction of Module 16 and the new Level Cap, we saw a massive amount of the once familiar gear become outdated. So, this raises a lot of questions about what gear we should be using at endgame. In all honesty, I even have those questions myself still to a degree, but I’m always trying to find the best of the best for not just you guys, but myself too.
In addition, most guides do not cover what gear to use as a stepping stone towards endgame, or how to obtain it. However, I try to always include that, as I (personally) believe it helps a much broader audience than solely endgamers, and even helps promote future endgamers.
Hopefully it does prove to be helpful!
Full Gear Set For Beginners
Upon reaching Level 70, you will unlock a quest you can pick up in Protectors Enclave, on the table behind Sergeant Knox. This quest is called An Important Invitation. It’s very easy and takes less than 5 minutes to complete, and will grant you all of the following gear / enchantments (stats are not listed):
Icon | Name | Slot | Enchantment |
---|---|---|---|
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Undermountain Mask | Head | Azure Enchantment, Rank 8 |
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Undermountain Vest | Armor | Radiant Enchantment, Rank 8 |
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Undermountain Gloves | Arms | Dark Enchantment, Rank 8 |
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Undermountain Dagger | Main Hand | Azure Enchantment, Rank 8 |
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Undermountain Stiletto | Offhand | Dark Enchantment, Rank 8 |
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Undermountain Boots | Feet | Radiant Enchantment, Rank 8 |
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Undermountain Necklace | Neck | Dark Enchantment, Rank 8 |
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Undermountain Ring of Light | Ring | Azure & Dark Enchantment, Rank 8 |
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Undermountain Ring of Dark | Ring | Radiant & Dark Enchantment, Rank 8 |
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Undermountain Sash | Waist | Azure Enchantment, Rank 8 |
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Undermountain Shirt | Shirt | Dark Enchantment, Rank 8 |
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Undermountain Pants | Trousers | Radiant Enchantment, Rank 8 |
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Broken Mirror | Secondary Artifact | N/A |
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Bad Luck Charm | Secondary Artifact | N/A |
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Tarnished Locket | Secondary Artifact | N/A |
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Silver Link of the Companion | Companion Only | No Runestone |
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Harness Loops of the Companion | Companion Only | No Runestone |
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Mountain Tags of the Companion | Companion Only | No Runestone |
Gear for Endgame Stepping Stones
These are some gear farming suggestions to help get you moving towards endgame.
Method | Basic Requirements | How To | Links |
---|---|---|---|
Random Queues | • Level 12+ | Hit (K) to get started. Spend the Seals of the Fallen earned from the Queues at the Seal Trader in Protector’s Enclave. | Infernal Forged Armor |
Master Expeditions | • Levil 80
• Undermountain Completion |
Join other players for “ME” runs. On these runs, you have a chance to drop epic gear from bosses. You may also initiate these yourself upon completing the campaign. | Antiquities of Undermountain |
Zok NPC | Undermountain Completion | Zok is located in the Yawning Portal underneath the stairs. You may trade Runic Etchings for Chests of Lost Adventurers. Runic Etchings are earned from Master Expeditions. | N/A |
Rage of Bel | Bel Intro Quests Complete | By participating in the Rage of Bel, you can earn lots of currency to exchange with Juma for “Juma Bags”. These bags have a high drop chance of Epic 1225 Item Level gear. | How To Run Bel |
Avernus Maps | Path of the Fallen Unlocked | It’s relatively easy to collect and farm Treasure Maps across Avernus. “Legion Guard” weapons additionally have a high drop rate and make excellent mid-game weapons. | Map Guide |
Endgame Gear
Icon | Name | Slot | Why | How To Acquire |
---|---|---|---|---|
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Lion Guard’s Raid Hat | Head | Highest Stats. Best Equip Bonus. | The Infernal Citadel |
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Stealer of the Star’s Hides | Armor | The Equip Bonus makes it best in slot. | Stardock Expeditions |
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Lion Guard’s Raid Gloves | Arms | The Equip Bonus makes it best in slot. | The Infernal Citadel |
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Lionguard Dagger | Main Hand | Highest base damage. Best Weapon Set Bonus. | Tower of the Mad Mage |
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Lionguard Stiletto | Offhand | Highest base damage. Best Weapon Set Bonus. | Tower of the Mad Mage |
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Infernal Forged Gaiters | Feet | The Equip Bonus makes it best in slot. | Seals of the Fallen |
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Engine Master’s Mantle | Neck | Best Artifact Set Bonus available right now. | The Infernal Citadel |
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Bypass Gold Ring | Ring | The Equip Bonus makes it best in slot. x2 Offence Slots. | Tower of the Mad Mage |
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Striking Ring of the Master | Ring | The Equip Bonus makes it best in slot. x2 Offence Slots. | Tower of the Mad Mage |
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Whip of the Erinyes | Waist | Best Artifact Set Bonus available right now. | The Infernal Citadel |
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Ebony Stained Raid Shirt | Shirt | The Equip Bonus makes it best in slot. | Master Expedition |
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Infernal Forged Assault Trousers | Pants | Best Stats. | Seals of the Fallen |
Modifications
Modifications are bonuses that are manually added to your gear. Mostly, they come in the form of Reinforcement Kits. Artifact Weapons however do come with automatic Modifications that can be changed or upgraded with Astral Diamonds and/or Cubes of Augmentations.
Icon | Type | Slot(s) | Top Choice | How To Acquire / Unlock |
---|---|---|---|---|
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Armor Kit | Head, Armor, Arms & Feet | Major Power Armor Kit +1 | Professions / Auction House |
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Jewel | Neck, Waist & Ring | Major Combat Advantage Jewel +1 | Professions / Auction House |
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Modification | Artifact Weapon (Main Hand) | Exhanced Duelist’s Expertise | Cubes of Augmentations |
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Modification (1) | Artifact Weapon (Offhand) | Power | Cubes of Augmentations |
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Modification (2) | Artifact Weapon (Offhand) | Critical Severity | Cubes of Augmentations |
Enchantments
Disclaimer : Please read the Stats tab before investing into any of the Enchantments listed below.
Enchantments are a magic stone you use to grant additional stats and effects to your gear / character. Standard gear and equipment come with either an Offensive, Defensive, Utility, Overload, Armor or Weapon type Enchantment Slot. Basically I’m going to break down here what Enchantments I recommend working for and with.
Enchantments are there to help support your stats and to build them. Make your choices wisely.
Should You Upgrade or Buy Enchantments?
It’s not a bad idea to upgrade your Enchantments yourself; depending on the Enchantment and it’s rank, you can either save money, or waste money. It’s always important to do your research to estimate the actual cost of an upgrade versus buying an already upgraded version of your enchantment.
Tip : I have a Refinement Table for Enchantments already created. You click here to view it.
Beginner Choices & Why
Early on, expect to have some difficulty reaching your Stat Caps. While most of your stats will come from your Companion and your Gear, Enchantments can also be a huge boost to whichever stats you need to max the most. Please choose what helps you the most; not just what I personally choose to use. Don’t be afraid to use double / Triple Stat Enchantments temporarily if it means helping you reach your current stat goals.
Tip : You can easily trade out Enchantments of equal ranks amongst fellow players in Protector’s Enclave.
Endgame Choices & Why
At Endgame, you will want to stack lots and lots of Power. Because of this, you’ll want to dump all your Enchantment slots into Power. This makes it critical to focus only on the Radiant Enchantment at endgame for all slots available.
Offense Enchantments
It’s not hard to reach beginner caps, so I always recommend players to start with the enchantment set up they’ll use for Endgame and upgrade the right ones from the get-go; saves your time, resources and Astral Diamonds in the long-run.
Icon | Enchantment | Recommended Slot | Main Stat | Secondary Stat | Secondary Stat |
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Radiant | Offence | Power | N/A | N/A |
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Tenebrous (x1) | Offence | Tooltip | N/A | N/A |
Defense Enchantments
Defense-stats will help you stay alive. While Defense isn’t nearly as important as Offence, it’s still important to be mindful of what will benefit you most. The main defensive stats you’ll want to build will be Hit Points and / or Defense.
Icon | Enchantment | Recommended Slot | Main Stat | Secondary Stat | Secondary Stat |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
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Radiant | Defense | Hit Points | N/A | N/A |
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Brutal | Defense | N/A | Defense | Hit Points |
Armor Enchantments
Armor Enchantments only pop up on Armor-type gear (chest piece) after Level 60 in some cases, but generally at Level 70. You can only ever have 1 equipped; Barkshield is a must-have as you work towards harder, more challenging content in the game.
Icon | Enchantment | Active Bonus |
---|---|---|
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Barkshield | Every 6 seconds your armor receives a charge of Bolstered Bark up to a maximum of 4 charges. Whenever someone attempts to deal damage to you, one charge of Bolstered Bark is consumed. |
Weapon Enchantments
Weapon Enchantments are the only Enchantment I’d say are very black and white, without much freedom to pick and choose from. Most are very similar, however, I’ve noticed the Bilethorn and Vorpal seem to stand out. Most players currently agree with this statement as well.
Icon | Enchantment | Active Bonus |
---|---|---|
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Vorpal | Your At-Will, Encounter and Daily Powers deal (x)% bonus damage as Arcane Damage, and have their Critical Severity increased by 35%. |
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Bilethorn | Your Powers deal 5% bonus damage as posion. Target enemy takes Magnitude 40 weapon damage as poision damage after 4 seconds. |
Artifacts
Artifacts took a big change during Module 16, however, their primary function really hasn’t changed, which is a good thing. Artifacts exist for 3 main reasons:
- You will need 1 Artifact to complete your Artifact Set Bonus.
- You will need 1 Artifact with a good Artifact Power to boost your damage during combat.
- You will need 2-3 Artifacts with useful stats to compliment your existing statistics.
Likewise to Enchantments, I always encourage players to choose Artifacts that best suit whatever they currently have at their disposal. Basically, whatever best compliments your character’s current level of progression within the game. However, it’s important to not upgrade anything temporary past an Epic (Purple) Quality level, as you lose 60% of whatever Refinement Points you invest into Artifacts.
Below, I’ll list Artifacts of interest, however, I would wait until at least mid-May before upgrading anything past Epic unless I specify otherwise, as many functions are still being fiddled with by the Developers and are subject to change without warning.
Primary Artifacts vs Secondary Artifacts
You may only have one Primary Artifact equipped at a time. Your Primary Artifact is the Artifact you choose to use in Combat. It’s wise to choose an Artifact Power that will benefit and compliment your character’s needs. This should always be the Artifact you prioritize upgrading and investing into first.
Secondary Artifacts are simply artifacts that are either equipped solely for the stats they offer, or to complete an Artifact Set you already have equipped to your character. Other than that, they do not serve any specific function or mechanic.
Upgrading Artifacts – Things You Should Know
Artifacts, likewise to Companions & Mounts, come in different ranks; Uncommon, Rare, Epic, Legendary, and Mythic. They generally start at either Uncommon, Rare or Epic, and must be further upgraded with Refinement Points.
When you invest Refinement Points into an Artifact, do not expect to be able to refund all your Refinement Points back if you choose to switch out an artifact. You will receive an estimate of 30-40% of your Refinement Points back depending on the artifact’s current rank. Some artifacts cannot be Refined, such as Class Sigils.
Please remember that you only need 4 of the Artifacts listed below.
Disclaimer : I did not include the Journals despite them being Best In Slot as they cannot be currently obtained by new players.
Artifacts
Icon | Artifact | Purpose | Why |
---|---|---|---|
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Staff of Flowers | Primary | Provides a big debuff/buff, recommended use before big flurries of heavy attacks. |
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Wyvern-Venom Coated Knives | Primary / Secondary | Provides strong debuff, usually good to use in Zariel. |
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Halaster’s Blased Scepter | Secondary | Offers HP and Power |
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Erratic Drift Ball | Secondary | Offers HP and Power |
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Trobriand’s Ring | Secondary | Offers Power and Defense |
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Book of Vile Darkness | Secondary | Gives Power & Needed for the Artifact Set Bonus. |
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Arcturia’s Music Box | Secondary | Offers Power, ArmPen, CA. Not the best, but not the worst. |
Companions
Companions received a massive re-work back in Module 16. All active bonuses were adjusted or changed and the entire companion window was re-designed. Regardless, there is a lot to cover in this tab, and I hope I do it justice.
Bonding Runestones
Your companion window will allow you to equip up to 3 Bonding Runestones. Bonding Runestones are extremely important to have, because they grant you a large percentage of your companion’s stats. In higher ranks of the Bonding Runestones, they will multiply your companions stats for you, which is a large buff to your character.
Companion Equipment
Your companion may have up to 3 pieces of gear equipped. The gear can be any type – sword, necklace, ring, belt, you name it. The equipment however must specify “Companion Only”, meaning it is impossible to equip it anywhere except your companion.
The top strategy to farming the best Companion Equipment, is through the Expeditions in Undermountain (and Stardock). When completing the various “training” Expeditions, always aim to obtain 9 Magic Runes (3 Per Map, 3 Maps Total). This should grant you Best In Slot Companion Gear.
Additionally, when you complete Stardock (Part 2 of Undermountain), you’ll receive a Yrlakka’s Family Jewelry Box which allows you to choose a Companion Gear Item of your choice!
Runestones
Runestones are basically an equivalent to your character’s enchantments, but are designed specifically and solely for your companion’s gear. So you can only equip Runestones into Companion Only gear. Personally I always recommend players to start off with Empowered Runestones from the beginning, but understandably you may need others to help reach caps early on. Here’s a list of the main Runestones you might consider;
Icon | Name | Offence Stat | Defense Stat |
---|---|---|---|
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Enigmatic Runestone | Combat Advantage | Critical Avoidance |
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Arcane Runestone | Armor Penetration | Deflection |
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Profane Runestone | Critical Strike | Defense |
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Empowered Runestone | Power | Hit Points |
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Recondite Runestone | Accuracy | Awareness |
Augmentation
There are different types of companions, but there is a certain type referred to as an Augment. Augment Companions offer the Augmentation Effect, meaning that they grant you an additional percentage of their stats to your character on top of the Bonding Runestones. They do not attack or deal damage themselves though.
Different Augments give slightly higher stats to 2 stats; so deciding on an Augment can take some thought. Early on, I would look at getting something cheap such as a Black Ice Ioun Stone; but at endgame the main 2 Augments I would suggest are the Bulette or the Quasit.
Companion Powers (Offensive, Defensive, Utility)
Currently in the game, companions offer different active bonuses that become applied to your character. There are different types – Offense, Defence and Utility. Each player has 5 slots total that we can place our companions active bonuses into. Some active bonuses can even be slotted in more than 1 type of slot. In addition, we have a slot for “Companion Enhancements”, which are just smaller buffs available to use with our characters. Our slots go as follows:
- 3 Offensive Slots
- 1 Defensive Slot
- 1 Utility Slot
- 1 Companion Enhancement Slot
- A total of 6 slots available.
Bolster Values
Bolster Values affect the attack and power of your summoned companion based on the quality of same-type companions you have in your companion inventory. (By companion inventory, I mean the “Summon Companion” window, just to clarify). There are 5 types of companions:
- Fighters
- Creatures
- Invokers
- Mystical
- Beast
The higher quality and quantity you have a specific type, will increase your Bolster Value, to a maximum of 15%:
-
Uncommon Quality grants 1.5% Bolster
-
Rare Quality grants 2% Bolster
-
Epic Quality grants 2.5% Bolster
-
Legendary Quality grants 3% Bolster
Companions of Interest
Finally we’re at the part of the guide where I listed the companions of interest for Module 16 based on the bonuses they offer. Several of them offer large amounts of stats, and as I keep saying in this guide; choose what compliments your stats the best. It’s all about finding a balance, and there is no right or wrong way to do that.
Note also, companions bonuses do become more powerful the higher quality they are. So please consider that when a companion is showing “less” of a stat, when compared to another – it’s likely just a difference in the base quality of that companion.
I’ll list the companions I personally use, but please note that when you are starting the game, please consider choosing a companion that will compliment your base stats until you begin to achieve higher than the stat caps.
My End-Game Set Up
Icon | Name | Type | Minimum Rank | Stats | Stats Type |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
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Deepcrow Hatchling | Creature | Epic | Power (Augmentation) | Offence |
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Minstrel | Fighter | Uncommon | Power / Awareness | Defense |
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Ghost | Invoker | Rare | Power / Critical Strike | Offence / Utility |
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Mercenary | Invoker | Common | Power / Combat Advantage | Offence |
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Tamed Velociraptor | Beast | Uncommon | You and any allies with a Tamed Velociraptor gain +1500 Power. Stacks 5 times. For Party use only. | Offence |
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Alpha Compy | Invoker | Epic | +5% Power | Utility |
Mounts
Mounts are purposed to aid us – and mostly aid us by getting us to our destination faster than we would on foot. In Neverwinter, mounts are also designed to aid us through combat either by granting us additional stats, or with an attack / buff power we can summon them to use during live combat. Because of this, selecting a mount to purchase should be a delicate choice based on what it is your need and want for your character.
Additionally, Neverwinter is unique in that it encourages you to become creative with your mount set up. When you gain a mount’s bonus, it’s gained as an independent buff, detached from the host mount itself. This allows you to mix and match bonuses, speeds, powers and visuals to your personal liking without having to sacrifice certain aspects of one mount for the sake of another.
Mount Speed
Mounts have 4 different speed levels, each one can be unlocked / gained by a mount of the corresponding quality, and once unlocked / gained, can then be used with any mount. For example, you could buy an Epic Quality Mount, granting 110% Speed, equip the speed bonus, and choose to ride an Uncommon Quality Mount at 110% Speed instead of 50%.
You may also use the Mount Speed boon from your Guild to increase your Mount Speed anywhere from 3 – 30%.
Quality | Title | Speed % |
---|---|---|
Common Quality
|
Common Tack | 50% |
Uncommon Quality
|
Common Tack | 50% |
Rare Quality
|
Exceptional Tack | 80% |
Epic Quality
|
Speed of the Wind | 110% |
Legendary Quality
|
Legendary Movement | 140% |
Equip Powers
As said in the opening statement, many mounts offer you additional stats. Now, it should be noted, that only Epic & Legendary mounts offer these additional stats, referred to as “Equip Powers”. Not all Equip Powers grant stats, as some act more as a mechanic or a bonus instead of a hard stat. I usually recommend hard stat bonuses though, and like always, I also recommend to select the stat(s) that balance your overall stats the best- typically 10’000 Power bonuses are the best ones to select though..
I recommend checking Rainer’s spreadsheet of the game’s Mounts, and what mount offers what bonus. I also would recommend getting a mount that offers whichever stat you’re struggling with the most to fully cap.
Click here for Rainer’s Spreadsheet.
Combat Powers
Legendary Mounts grant an attack or buff power that can be cast during live combat. These are referred to as Combat Powers, and have a 1 minute cooldown. Right now, there isn’t a lot of selection for best in slot options. There are only 2 I would consider suggesting for any player, new or veteran, and that is;
The Swarm‘s current Combat Power, Bat Swarm, is currently best in slot. However, the mount itself doesn’t grant a very good Equip Power. Tenser’s Floating Disk is a viable option in my opinion. It offers a valuable Equip Power, and it’s Combat Power, Tenser’s Transformation, is still a viable option, even if it is inferior to Bat Swarm. You get your Astral Diamonds worth with this mount.
Insignias
Insignia’s more or less are like applying Runestones to your Companion, or Enchantments to your Gear – just instead it’s applying Insignia’s to your mounts. Mounts, like gear and companions, also come with pre-set slots. Depending on the quality of the Mount, you may or may not have “free for all” slots called Universal Slots. These are the pre-set slots you will see in-game:
- Illuminated
- Barbed
- Enlightened
- Crescent
- Regal
- Universal (Any type can be slotted)
Each Insignia also grants your character a certain amount of a stat that is influenced by the quality level of the insignia:
Insignia Of | Main Stat | Secondary Stat(s) |
---|---|---|
Aggression | Armor Penetration | Critical Strike |
Courage | Defense | Critical Avoidance |
Dominance | Power | Companion Influence |
Evasion | Deflection | Awareness |
Mastery | Accuracy | Control Bonus |
Prosperity | Hit Points | Glory / Gold Gain |
Refuge | Critical Avoidance | Control Resist |
Skill | Critical Strike | Combat Advantage |
Gond | Hit Points | Combat Advantage |
Fortitude | Hit Points | Defense |
Initiative | Critical Strike | Deflection |
Brutality | Power | Armor Penetration |
Upgrading Insignias
Common and Rare insignias are always obtained as is, and can be upgraded or refined to an Epic Insignia. An Epic Insignia can be upgraded to a Legendary Insignia, and is actually currently the only way to obtain a Legendary Insignia aside from buying / trading.
It’s very easy to upgrade, and does not require any Preservation Wards, as it has a 100% Chance of Upgrade. It does however, Insignia Powder, which is obtained from refining Insignias.
Insignia Bonuses
Insignias are unique compared to other magic stones, as they are the only magic stone in the game to grant a “Set Bonus”. If you mix the right set of insignias together (based by type, not by stat), you will receive a bonus to help you through out your adventures. Some are offensive abilities that will boost your damage, others are party buffs that help your teammates collectively, and then there are the few that grant a bonus towards grinding for things like Refinement Points or Astral Diamonds.
At this point in time, the majority of them kind of suck. I’ll still list below some bonuses to consider though, as there are a few decent ones.
Combat
Bonus | Slot 1 | Slot 2 | Slot 3 | Description |
---|---|---|---|---|
Artificers Persuasion | Illuminated | Barbed | Barbed | When you use an Artifact, reduce cooldowns. |
Gladiator’s Guile | Illuminated | Regal | Enlightened | Move faster when your Stamina is high. |
Assassin’s Covenant | Regal | Enlightened | Enlightened | Decreased defensive stats, increased offensive stats. |
Calvary’s Warning | Crescent | Barbed | Enlightened | When you use a Mount Combat Power, receive a buff to all ratings. |
Grinding
Bonus | Slot 1 | Slot 2 | Slot 3 | Description |
---|---|---|---|---|
Wanderer’s Fortune | Illuminated | Crescent | Regal | Defeating an enemy has a chance to drop Refinement Points. |
Traveler’s Treasures | Enlightened | Enlightened | Enlightened | Defeating an enemy has a chance to drop Rough Astral Diamonds. |
Self Heals
Bonus | Slot 1 | Slot 2 | Slot 3 | Description |
---|---|---|---|---|
Survivor’s Gift | Crescent | Crescent | Barbed | Defeating an enemy has a chance to drop Refinement Points. |
Survivor’s Blessing | Enlightened | Enlightened | Crescent | When you deflect, receive a Heal Over Time. |
Barbarian’s Revelry | Crescent | Barbed | N/A | When you Crit, receive a Heal Over Time. |
Knight’s Rebuke | Crescent | Crescent | Regal | Receiving Combat Advantage Damage results in a Heal Over Time. |
Oppressor’s Reprieve | Crescent | Illuminated | Illuminated | Stunned, Knocked or Rooted results in a heal. |
Oppressor’s Reprieve | Crescent | Illuminated | Illuminated | Stunned, Knocked or Rooted results in a heal. |
My Build For Zariel
I know there’s already guides up and around for reaching Zariel Caps but as someone who doesn’t have different 1010 Item Level Companion gear at my disposal, nor any Lionguard Gear, nor a Triceratops, or any of that “deemed necessary” stuff along those lines; a lot of people ask how I managed to reach the caps for Zariel. So here’s some screenshots of everything I’m using down to the dot in order to reach Zariel Caps;
Disclaimer : Obviously there are more efficient ways to cap for Zariel, but this is a somewhat “cost efficient” way to cap.
Gear / Artifacts Preview
Stats Preview (Without Full Buffs)
Ability Scores
Enchantments
Powers
Feats
Boons
Guild Boons
Minimum Required Food Buffs
Belt Slot
Complete Companion Set-Up
Mount Set-Up
Insignias (No, I didn’t focus much on bonuses)
Useful Links
There’s a lot of useful websites, guides and information out there that I would encourage everyone to take advantage of. I know for myself, a lot of these resources really help me with testing, sharing information, sharing ideas, and learning everything about the game. Enjoy!
My YouTube – I upload fun, creative and helpful content frequently so be sure to check that out!
Neverwinter Reddit – Good place to get information and ask questions. Just don’t /r/Whoooooosh
Neverwinter Forums – Really great place to ask questions, make suggestions, find guilds or alliances, leave feedback, and more.
Neverwinter News – Stay in the know-how by regularly checking up on the Neverwinter News.
Neverwinter Wiki – Basically the Neverwinter version of Wikipedia. Everything you need is on there.
Neverwinter Character Transfer – Allows you to transfer copies of your character(s) from the live server to the preview server.
Neverwinter Calculator – Great way to quickly share your feat and power set-ups for your class with others – its simple and easy to use.
Rainer’s M19 Spreadsheet – I reference to this a lot myself.
Advanced Combat Tracker – Good program to help you record and test your damage and buffs.
Chronic Legion – Need a guild? Come check mine out, I’ve been leading it for years now!
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