Post by Night Ω Wolfe on Oct 29, 2006 17:20:44 GMT -5
This guide is similar in concept to the other threads I posted about the Dark Elf, and the Daemon. I'm a gamer from way back, and I have to say that Ascaron did a good job with the Dwarf. He's definitely not your stereotypical stick in the mud, so to speak. He has some class, and the tattoos are definitely a great touch.
The Dwarven Warrior
First and foremost, the Dwarf is a warrior who excels in combat. His combat moves are comparable to those of the Gladiator, his brother in combat. Although he can employ a wide variety of melee weapons, he is at his best wielding axe weapons such as maces, hammers, and battle axes. His hands are deadly as well, and like the Gladiator he has the ability to crush multiple foes with a single blow. In the Dwarf's case, he must wield a two-handed weapon such as a battle axe in order to cut wide swaths through the ranks of his opponents in battle.
His other skills augment the stature of himself and his allies in combat, granting additional attack and defense power, enhancing the effectiveness of weapons against the armor of enemies, and granting protection against the ravages of poison and fire.
The race of Dwarves have long known the secret of gunpowder. The Dwarf uses gunpowder weapons - such as muskets and pistols - to his advantage by employing them effectively in battle. The secret of their use was guarded fiercely in days long gone by...and now, during the days of last Dwarf, it apparently will perish with him. His technological devices are not limited to his firearms, however...most fearsome is the Dwarven cannon, capable of firing a variety of ordinance to devastating effect. And then, there is the matter of his landmines...
In addition to his role as a warrior, the Dwarf is a master craftsman and shrewd trader. His eyes are keen and rarely miss the glitter of gold. His lore and knowledge is invaluable to his friends and allies, and disastrous to his enemies. He can fashion armor and weapons using secrets unavailable to the finest smiths of Ancaria, and is every bit the equal of the Battle Mage when it comes to trade and bartering. The wise Dwarf will employ these advantages during his quest.
Limitations
No discussion of the Dwarf would be complete without understanding his limitations. Because of his stature, he cannot employ long-handled weapons such as staves and spears. In a similar vein, bows and crossbows are foreign to his race, being made to suit someone of greater height and reach. He cannot use them in combat.
It is best not to bring up the subject of horses around a Dwarf. Doing so might earn the offender a lump on the head. It goes without saying that his legs, while stout and thick as young trees, are simply unable to reach stirrups on saddles, making horseback riding an impossibility for his kind. No matter - a Dwarf on foot is a mountain in motion. He feels more secure in close contact with the earth he so dearly loves, and as you will discover, there is no better place for him to be than firmly planted on the ground. An Entrenched Dwarf can withstand punishment of the worst sort!
Dwarven Lore
The knowledge of the Dwarves is a birthright, a sacred lore known only to the Dwarven race. Though he is the last of his kind in the world, he holds in his hands the sum total of all the craft and knowledge of his ancestors reaching back into antiquity. Here then are the secrets of the Dwarven race revealed, so you will not forget the honor and glory of your ancestors.
Combat Arts
(Concentration Skill and Physical Regeneration statistic affect regeneration times)
Heavy Blow - Comparable to the Hard Hit combat move of other Sacred characters, Heavy Blow can be executed with any weapon, ranged or melee, the Dwarf holds in his hands. It can also be executed with his fists. When using a musket or pistol, he takes careful aim and delivers an often fatal shot, especially at close range.
Wrath - This move is similar to the Multi-hit of other Sacred characters. It is most effective when executed while wielding a two-handed axe weapon, such as a battle axe. The results will be pleasingly grim. With a musket or pistol, the Dwarf fires a number of shots at adjacent enemies.
Assault - This discipline is similar to the Attack combat art of other characters. It can be executed using any weapon, though it is most devastating when the Dwarf is unarmed, or using combat gauntlets. You never knew he could be so fast!
Vehemence - This combat move damages a number of opponents in an area directly in front of the Dwarf. It can only be employed using a two-handed weapon, such as a battle axe. While similar in concept to the Gladiator's devastating Fist of the Gods, the damage is calculated differently. The primary target receives full damage. Other adjacent targets in a wide cone directly in front of the Dwarf receive a lesser amount of damage in a splash-effect. It is important to note that the while lesser in some respects to Fist of the Gods, there is virtually no "wind up time" involved, making this move a very effective crowd-killer since it can be used more swiftly. During the time it takes the Gladiator to charge up his fist to deliver his earth-shaking blow, the Dwarf can smack a crowd multiple times!
Recoil - This two-handed weapon only combat move is entirely unique to the Dwarf. In one respect, it resembles the Combat Kick move of other Sacred characters. However, it goes beyond in what happens next! The effective use of this move in combat requires some savvy maneuvering on the part of the Dwarf. If used properly, the Dwarf can send a man-sized (or smaller) opponent flying into a crowd of enemies, damaging all who are hit by this missile and stunning them in the process! Note that Recoil will not work on Ogre-sized (or larger) opponents. When used in conjunction with Vehemence, Recoil can render a Dwarf's opponents senselessly dead very quickly.
Battle Rage - This combat discipline makes a Berserker out of the Dwarf. His attack speed with all weaponry increases, and the Wounds Increase Damage Dealt (WIDD) modifier is exponentially increased while Battle Rage is active. The more wounds he receives, the more likely he is to dish out additional damage. This combat art is particularly useful as a means to increase attack speed.
War Cry - With War Cry, the Dwarf boosts his attack and defense ratings for the duration of this discipline. In addition, all allies and friendly hirelings in the party enjoy a similar, albeit lesser, boost to these ratings. It is similar in concept to the Gladiator’s Heroic Courage.
Dwarven Technologies
(The Dwarven Lore skill and the Physical Regeneration statistic affect regeneration times, and Weapon Technology skill the speed of execution and to a lesser extent, regeneration time)
Greed - Greed increases the chance for the Dwarf to find special items from dead foes. It also has the effect of lowering his defense rating in combat. Use with caution: the higher the Greed level, the greater the chance to find special items, and the lower your defense will be!
Dwarven Armor - A blessing to himself and his allies, Dwarven Armor boosts resistances to fire and poison damage. This can be cast on any friendly target of the Dwarf's choosing, in addition to himself.
Dwarven Steel - The physical damage resistance of foes is diminished through the use of this Lore. Attack rating is also increased, making the Dwarf more effective at striking his enemies and cutting through their resistance to physical damage, the most common resistance in the game.
Entrench - This very powerful - but short-term - action boosts resistances to all kinds of damage, and adds to the Dwarf's defense rating. However, he is unable to move while Entrench is active. Entrench is a very powerful buff that is useful when being breathed on by a dragon, or when in dire peril surrounded by superior foes. Because the Dwarf can't move while this is active, it is wise to use cannon weapons such as Cannon Blast, Mortar Grenade or Flame Thrower against enemies; or, use a musket or pistol against them. Use your Entrenched time wisely...don't just sit there, keep on smacking 'em!
Cannon Weapons
Cannon Blast - The Dwarf fires a single salvo at an enemy in his line of sight. This blast has a limited range. Within this limited range (approx. 3/5th, or 60% of the screen), the salvo will pass through the initial target, striking others directly behind them. Others struck this way suffer lesser damage. There is a chance that each enemy struck by the blast will become confused, clueless that they have just been smacked. The Cannon Blast may also be fired at an empty patch of ground. Any targets close to the spot so struck will suffer reduced damage, with the same chance of becoming confused. In addition, there is a chance that targets will be struck twice by the blast fragments. In other words: a direct hit that would ordinary inflict 1062 damage to the target may actually strike twice, each hit inflicting 1062 damage! This can also occur to targets indirectly affected by the blast. Damage Type: Physical.
Mortar Grenade - The Dwarf fires an artillery shell from his cannon that ignores obstacles on the screen. This shot may be placed virtually anywhere on a screen. The shell targets a location, rather than an enemy: therefore, the successful Dwarf learns how to "lead" moving targets. Nothing is more frustrating than to fire mortar after mortar, continually missing that group of clueless juicy targets! Learn how to "lead" them - or, if you prefer, anticipate their movements - and your Mortar Grenade will dutifully blow them to smithereens. The Mortar Grenade lands and explodes on the ground, damaging all targets in the radius of effect equally (unlike Cannon Blast). The ability of the Mortar round to ignore obstacles makes this cannon weapon form extremely handy in combat. Damage Types: Physical and Fire.
Flame Thrower - The Dwarf utilizes his cannon as a Flame Thrower, setting all targets within a cone in front of him on fire. Opponents suffer fire damage every second they are immolated. As the Flame Thrower's levels are increased, the duration of this burn increases, as does the damage it inflicts. Although it possesses a limited range, the Flame Thrower is extremely powerful. Damage Type: Fire.
Landmine - When Landmine is activated from the CA bar on the lower right hand corner of your screen, the Dwarf begins to drop a number of mines on the ground behind him as he moves. The number of mines he drops and the damage they inflict are determined by the level of this combat art. When an opponent moves close enough to one of the mines during their "active" period, it explodes, damaging the deserving sucker. At the end of this active period, any unused mines will go off. Damage Types: Physical and Fire.
Never Underestimate a Dwarf
Ancaria's Dwarf possesses a variety skills and abilities which make him a force to be reckoned with. He's every bit the front-line warrior, being able to stand alongside the likes of the Gladiator in combat. The skills available to him are:
(Note: an * indicates a skill available only to the Dwarf)
The skills which affect the regeneration times of his combat arts are Concentration (combat moves), and Dwarven Lore (Dwarven Technologies). Weapon Technology improves the speed at which he executes and finishes Weapon Technology arts, such as Flame Thrower. The statistic which affects the regeneration times of both his combat moves and Weapon Technologies is Physical Regeneration. This simplistic approach makes improving all of the Dwarf's CA regeneration times easier to accomplish, unlike what hybrid warrior/spell casting characters such as the Wood Elf, Seraphim, and Daemon face.
Trading - One Way to Unlimited Power
With Trading available as a first-level starting skill, the Dwarf can begin his quest with a definite advantage. While any number of builds are viable using the Dwarf's skills and abilities, this author has discovered the awesome power of a Dwarven Trader. I will post this character build as an example after this guide is completed.
Forge Lore - Portable Blacksmith!
The Dwarf is the only Sacred character that can craft weapons and armor on his own. At 20th level, the Dwarf may select the Forge Lore skill. Once he begins his career as Ancaria's premier Blacksmith, he has access to Blacksmith arts only he may use. In addition to the two standard attack and defense Blacksmith arts, the Dwarf may use a special Blacksmith art that features a bonus to all resistances, and a bonus to finding special items. A Dwarf with Forge Lore can place CA runes, skeleton skulls, rings, amulets, and Blacksmith arts into weapons and armor with sockets to receive them...any time, any where!
Dwarven Synergies
The Dwarf is a unique character that can serve as both a front-line warrior, and an excellent support buffer. Abilities such as War Cry help boost attack and defense ratings for both himself and his friends. Dwarven Armor increases resistance to fire and poison. Dwarven Steel boosts attack rating, and diminishes the physical resistance of foes. These abilities can work hand-in-hand to make the Dwarf very powerful in combat, and very desirable to have around in cooperative multiplayer games.
War Cry and Dwarven Steel: The Basic Melee Buff
Keeping these two CAs active means the Dwarf hits more often, is harder to hit, and inflicts more physical damage against enemies. Enough said!
Battle Rage, War Cry, and Dwarven Steel: Who Needs Weapon Skills?
Battle Rage increases attack speed; War Cry and Dwarven Steel both boost attack rating. When a character uses a weapon he or she has no skill with, they generally perform much more poorly with that weapon than a character that has that skill. However, the need for any weapon skill can be done away with completely with the use and development of these three combat arts. After all, a weapon skill such as Axe Lore gives a character increased attack rating and attack speed with axe weapons. But...why take Axe Lore when you can use these three CAs to make up the difference? Or Ranged Combat when it comes to muskets and pistols? Hopefully, the possibilities here become obvious. More freedom in skill choices = a happier Dwarf.
The Resistance Boosters and Armor Skill: Why They Rock!
The resistance boosts offered by Dwarven Armor and Entrench are calculated in the following way:
Natural Resist (without armor and items) + Resistance Boost from Dwarven Armor and/or Entrench + Armor Bonuses x Armor skill factors + special bonuses from items = Actual Resistance Amount.
In other words...the Armor skill increases the amount of resistance offered by Dwarven Armor and Entrench! Yes, this is a plug for a Dwarf to take the Armor skill. Doing so will improve the power of those two resistance-buffing CAs. This synergy works to your advantage, and to the advantage of your grateful multiplayer buddies with the Armor skill. Have lots of friends...buff freely.
Dwarven Lore or Weapon Technology...or Both?
For players familiar with the Wood Elf and Seraphim characters, Dwarven Lore and Weapon Technology will make immediate sense to you. Dwarven Lore is to Meditation as Weapon Technology is to Moon Magic or Heavenly Magic. For new players, this means that the Dwarven Lore skill offers the most drastic reduction in Dwarven Technology combat art regeneration times for each level invested in the skill. Weapon Technology, on the other hand, offers a reduction in regeneration time, and an increase in the speed of execution for these CAs. However, the regeneration bonus increments per level of this skill are much smaller than that of the Dwarven Lore skill.
Builds are a matter of preference and playing style. If you are obsessed with the Flame Thrower and plan on using that and other Dwarven Technologies as your primary attack CAs, then taking Weapon Technology might be a good choice. The reduction in execution times, especially as it relates to the Flame Thrower, is something to consider especially in the higher difficulty levels of the game. Taking advantage of the Regeneration Special Move (RSM) bonus on items, armor and weapons can help compensate for not having the bigger regeneration boost of Dwarven Lore.
It all depends on how you plan on spending your available skill choices. By taking the Trading skill and keeping it at your character level or above, purchasing goods from Merchants with RSM bonuses becomes much easier and is definitely a guaranteed thing as your character levels up. That is one way to approach it, and personally is my favorite way to deal with it. Having Trading opens up much more than just items with RSM bonuses...for example, it's possible to have a 40th level Dwarf Trader with a Weapon Lore skill level of 112...and he's only invested a measly 10-12 skill points of his own!
You can also take both Dwarven Lore and Weapon Technology, and come out just fine. Again, it all depends on what you want for your total skills package. That is the key to designing your own build...think about what skills your Dwarf will need.
The Dwarf: The Perfect WIDD Candidate
WIDD - Wounds Increase Damage Dealt - has been researched and tested by other veteran Sacred players. Information regarding their findings and builds can be found elsewhere in the forums. A search will produce the threads where this information can be found. I have no intention of duplicating any of that information here...only to add that WIDD bonuses dominate Dwarven equipment. Some Dwarven CA runes feature a bonus to WIDD when socketed! Battle Rage includes a percentage factor which increases the chance of WIDD damage occurring - it's called Berserk. It doesn't take much to understand that the Dwarf is ideal material for a WIDD build.
Hall of Heroes
Here's some ideas for Dwarven builds that takes advantage of his skills and CAs. I have personally tried all of them except for one: the Greedy Berserker. Despite the fact that I started playing this game a few months after the original release date, I have yet to fool around much with a WIDD-based build for any character. However, I am willing to bet the Greedy Berserker would be a smashing success............
The Dwarven Warrior
First and foremost, the Dwarf is a warrior who excels in combat. His combat moves are comparable to those of the Gladiator, his brother in combat. Although he can employ a wide variety of melee weapons, he is at his best wielding axe weapons such as maces, hammers, and battle axes. His hands are deadly as well, and like the Gladiator he has the ability to crush multiple foes with a single blow. In the Dwarf's case, he must wield a two-handed weapon such as a battle axe in order to cut wide swaths through the ranks of his opponents in battle.
His other skills augment the stature of himself and his allies in combat, granting additional attack and defense power, enhancing the effectiveness of weapons against the armor of enemies, and granting protection against the ravages of poison and fire.
The race of Dwarves have long known the secret of gunpowder. The Dwarf uses gunpowder weapons - such as muskets and pistols - to his advantage by employing them effectively in battle. The secret of their use was guarded fiercely in days long gone by...and now, during the days of last Dwarf, it apparently will perish with him. His technological devices are not limited to his firearms, however...most fearsome is the Dwarven cannon, capable of firing a variety of ordinance to devastating effect. And then, there is the matter of his landmines...
In addition to his role as a warrior, the Dwarf is a master craftsman and shrewd trader. His eyes are keen and rarely miss the glitter of gold. His lore and knowledge is invaluable to his friends and allies, and disastrous to his enemies. He can fashion armor and weapons using secrets unavailable to the finest smiths of Ancaria, and is every bit the equal of the Battle Mage when it comes to trade and bartering. The wise Dwarf will employ these advantages during his quest.
Limitations
No discussion of the Dwarf would be complete without understanding his limitations. Because of his stature, he cannot employ long-handled weapons such as staves and spears. In a similar vein, bows and crossbows are foreign to his race, being made to suit someone of greater height and reach. He cannot use them in combat.
It is best not to bring up the subject of horses around a Dwarf. Doing so might earn the offender a lump on the head. It goes without saying that his legs, while stout and thick as young trees, are simply unable to reach stirrups on saddles, making horseback riding an impossibility for his kind. No matter - a Dwarf on foot is a mountain in motion. He feels more secure in close contact with the earth he so dearly loves, and as you will discover, there is no better place for him to be than firmly planted on the ground. An Entrenched Dwarf can withstand punishment of the worst sort!
Dwarven Lore
The knowledge of the Dwarves is a birthright, a sacred lore known only to the Dwarven race. Though he is the last of his kind in the world, he holds in his hands the sum total of all the craft and knowledge of his ancestors reaching back into antiquity. Here then are the secrets of the Dwarven race revealed, so you will not forget the honor and glory of your ancestors.
Combat Arts
(Concentration Skill and Physical Regeneration statistic affect regeneration times)
Heavy Blow - Comparable to the Hard Hit combat move of other Sacred characters, Heavy Blow can be executed with any weapon, ranged or melee, the Dwarf holds in his hands. It can also be executed with his fists. When using a musket or pistol, he takes careful aim and delivers an often fatal shot, especially at close range.
Wrath - This move is similar to the Multi-hit of other Sacred characters. It is most effective when executed while wielding a two-handed axe weapon, such as a battle axe. The results will be pleasingly grim. With a musket or pistol, the Dwarf fires a number of shots at adjacent enemies.
Assault - This discipline is similar to the Attack combat art of other characters. It can be executed using any weapon, though it is most devastating when the Dwarf is unarmed, or using combat gauntlets. You never knew he could be so fast!
Vehemence - This combat move damages a number of opponents in an area directly in front of the Dwarf. It can only be employed using a two-handed weapon, such as a battle axe. While similar in concept to the Gladiator's devastating Fist of the Gods, the damage is calculated differently. The primary target receives full damage. Other adjacent targets in a wide cone directly in front of the Dwarf receive a lesser amount of damage in a splash-effect. It is important to note that the while lesser in some respects to Fist of the Gods, there is virtually no "wind up time" involved, making this move a very effective crowd-killer since it can be used more swiftly. During the time it takes the Gladiator to charge up his fist to deliver his earth-shaking blow, the Dwarf can smack a crowd multiple times!
Recoil - This two-handed weapon only combat move is entirely unique to the Dwarf. In one respect, it resembles the Combat Kick move of other Sacred characters. However, it goes beyond in what happens next! The effective use of this move in combat requires some savvy maneuvering on the part of the Dwarf. If used properly, the Dwarf can send a man-sized (or smaller) opponent flying into a crowd of enemies, damaging all who are hit by this missile and stunning them in the process! Note that Recoil will not work on Ogre-sized (or larger) opponents. When used in conjunction with Vehemence, Recoil can render a Dwarf's opponents senselessly dead very quickly.
Battle Rage - This combat discipline makes a Berserker out of the Dwarf. His attack speed with all weaponry increases, and the Wounds Increase Damage Dealt (WIDD) modifier is exponentially increased while Battle Rage is active. The more wounds he receives, the more likely he is to dish out additional damage. This combat art is particularly useful as a means to increase attack speed.
War Cry - With War Cry, the Dwarf boosts his attack and defense ratings for the duration of this discipline. In addition, all allies and friendly hirelings in the party enjoy a similar, albeit lesser, boost to these ratings. It is similar in concept to the Gladiator’s Heroic Courage.
Dwarven Technologies
(The Dwarven Lore skill and the Physical Regeneration statistic affect regeneration times, and Weapon Technology skill the speed of execution and to a lesser extent, regeneration time)
Greed - Greed increases the chance for the Dwarf to find special items from dead foes. It also has the effect of lowering his defense rating in combat. Use with caution: the higher the Greed level, the greater the chance to find special items, and the lower your defense will be!
Dwarven Armor - A blessing to himself and his allies, Dwarven Armor boosts resistances to fire and poison damage. This can be cast on any friendly target of the Dwarf's choosing, in addition to himself.
Dwarven Steel - The physical damage resistance of foes is diminished through the use of this Lore. Attack rating is also increased, making the Dwarf more effective at striking his enemies and cutting through their resistance to physical damage, the most common resistance in the game.
Entrench - This very powerful - but short-term - action boosts resistances to all kinds of damage, and adds to the Dwarf's defense rating. However, he is unable to move while Entrench is active. Entrench is a very powerful buff that is useful when being breathed on by a dragon, or when in dire peril surrounded by superior foes. Because the Dwarf can't move while this is active, it is wise to use cannon weapons such as Cannon Blast, Mortar Grenade or Flame Thrower against enemies; or, use a musket or pistol against them. Use your Entrenched time wisely...don't just sit there, keep on smacking 'em!
Cannon Weapons
Cannon Blast - The Dwarf fires a single salvo at an enemy in his line of sight. This blast has a limited range. Within this limited range (approx. 3/5th, or 60% of the screen), the salvo will pass through the initial target, striking others directly behind them. Others struck this way suffer lesser damage. There is a chance that each enemy struck by the blast will become confused, clueless that they have just been smacked. The Cannon Blast may also be fired at an empty patch of ground. Any targets close to the spot so struck will suffer reduced damage, with the same chance of becoming confused. In addition, there is a chance that targets will be struck twice by the blast fragments. In other words: a direct hit that would ordinary inflict 1062 damage to the target may actually strike twice, each hit inflicting 1062 damage! This can also occur to targets indirectly affected by the blast. Damage Type: Physical.
Mortar Grenade - The Dwarf fires an artillery shell from his cannon that ignores obstacles on the screen. This shot may be placed virtually anywhere on a screen. The shell targets a location, rather than an enemy: therefore, the successful Dwarf learns how to "lead" moving targets. Nothing is more frustrating than to fire mortar after mortar, continually missing that group of clueless juicy targets! Learn how to "lead" them - or, if you prefer, anticipate their movements - and your Mortar Grenade will dutifully blow them to smithereens. The Mortar Grenade lands and explodes on the ground, damaging all targets in the radius of effect equally (unlike Cannon Blast). The ability of the Mortar round to ignore obstacles makes this cannon weapon form extremely handy in combat. Damage Types: Physical and Fire.
Flame Thrower - The Dwarf utilizes his cannon as a Flame Thrower, setting all targets within a cone in front of him on fire. Opponents suffer fire damage every second they are immolated. As the Flame Thrower's levels are increased, the duration of this burn increases, as does the damage it inflicts. Although it possesses a limited range, the Flame Thrower is extremely powerful. Damage Type: Fire.
Landmine - When Landmine is activated from the CA bar on the lower right hand corner of your screen, the Dwarf begins to drop a number of mines on the ground behind him as he moves. The number of mines he drops and the damage they inflict are determined by the level of this combat art. When an opponent moves close enough to one of the mines during their "active" period, it explodes, damaging the deserving sucker. At the end of this active period, any unused mines will go off. Damage Types: Physical and Fire.
Never Underestimate a Dwarf
Ancaria's Dwarf possesses a variety skills and abilities which make him a force to be reckoned with. He's every bit the front-line warrior, being able to stand alongside the likes of the Gladiator in combat. The skills available to him are:
(Note: an * indicates a skill available only to the Dwarf)
- Weapon Lore
- Trading
- Constitution
- Dwarven Lore*
- Weapon Technology*
- Forge Lore*
- Concentration
- Parrying
- Agility
- Armor
- Axe Lore
- Sword Lore
- Unarmed Combat
- Ranged Combat
The skills which affect the regeneration times of his combat arts are Concentration (combat moves), and Dwarven Lore (Dwarven Technologies). Weapon Technology improves the speed at which he executes and finishes Weapon Technology arts, such as Flame Thrower. The statistic which affects the regeneration times of both his combat moves and Weapon Technologies is Physical Regeneration. This simplistic approach makes improving all of the Dwarf's CA regeneration times easier to accomplish, unlike what hybrid warrior/spell casting characters such as the Wood Elf, Seraphim, and Daemon face.
Trading - One Way to Unlimited Power
With Trading available as a first-level starting skill, the Dwarf can begin his quest with a definite advantage. While any number of builds are viable using the Dwarf's skills and abilities, this author has discovered the awesome power of a Dwarven Trader. I will post this character build as an example after this guide is completed.
Forge Lore - Portable Blacksmith!
The Dwarf is the only Sacred character that can craft weapons and armor on his own. At 20th level, the Dwarf may select the Forge Lore skill. Once he begins his career as Ancaria's premier Blacksmith, he has access to Blacksmith arts only he may use. In addition to the two standard attack and defense Blacksmith arts, the Dwarf may use a special Blacksmith art that features a bonus to all resistances, and a bonus to finding special items. A Dwarf with Forge Lore can place CA runes, skeleton skulls, rings, amulets, and Blacksmith arts into weapons and armor with sockets to receive them...any time, any where!
Dwarven Synergies
The Dwarf is a unique character that can serve as both a front-line warrior, and an excellent support buffer. Abilities such as War Cry help boost attack and defense ratings for both himself and his friends. Dwarven Armor increases resistance to fire and poison. Dwarven Steel boosts attack rating, and diminishes the physical resistance of foes. These abilities can work hand-in-hand to make the Dwarf very powerful in combat, and very desirable to have around in cooperative multiplayer games.
War Cry and Dwarven Steel: The Basic Melee Buff
Keeping these two CAs active means the Dwarf hits more often, is harder to hit, and inflicts more physical damage against enemies. Enough said!
Battle Rage, War Cry, and Dwarven Steel: Who Needs Weapon Skills?
Battle Rage increases attack speed; War Cry and Dwarven Steel both boost attack rating. When a character uses a weapon he or she has no skill with, they generally perform much more poorly with that weapon than a character that has that skill. However, the need for any weapon skill can be done away with completely with the use and development of these three combat arts. After all, a weapon skill such as Axe Lore gives a character increased attack rating and attack speed with axe weapons. But...why take Axe Lore when you can use these three CAs to make up the difference? Or Ranged Combat when it comes to muskets and pistols? Hopefully, the possibilities here become obvious. More freedom in skill choices = a happier Dwarf.
The Resistance Boosters and Armor Skill: Why They Rock!
The resistance boosts offered by Dwarven Armor and Entrench are calculated in the following way:
Natural Resist (without armor and items) + Resistance Boost from Dwarven Armor and/or Entrench + Armor Bonuses x Armor skill factors + special bonuses from items = Actual Resistance Amount.
In other words...the Armor skill increases the amount of resistance offered by Dwarven Armor and Entrench! Yes, this is a plug for a Dwarf to take the Armor skill. Doing so will improve the power of those two resistance-buffing CAs. This synergy works to your advantage, and to the advantage of your grateful multiplayer buddies with the Armor skill. Have lots of friends...buff freely.
Dwarven Lore or Weapon Technology...or Both?
For players familiar with the Wood Elf and Seraphim characters, Dwarven Lore and Weapon Technology will make immediate sense to you. Dwarven Lore is to Meditation as Weapon Technology is to Moon Magic or Heavenly Magic. For new players, this means that the Dwarven Lore skill offers the most drastic reduction in Dwarven Technology combat art regeneration times for each level invested in the skill. Weapon Technology, on the other hand, offers a reduction in regeneration time, and an increase in the speed of execution for these CAs. However, the regeneration bonus increments per level of this skill are much smaller than that of the Dwarven Lore skill.
Builds are a matter of preference and playing style. If you are obsessed with the Flame Thrower and plan on using that and other Dwarven Technologies as your primary attack CAs, then taking Weapon Technology might be a good choice. The reduction in execution times, especially as it relates to the Flame Thrower, is something to consider especially in the higher difficulty levels of the game. Taking advantage of the Regeneration Special Move (RSM) bonus on items, armor and weapons can help compensate for not having the bigger regeneration boost of Dwarven Lore.
It all depends on how you plan on spending your available skill choices. By taking the Trading skill and keeping it at your character level or above, purchasing goods from Merchants with RSM bonuses becomes much easier and is definitely a guaranteed thing as your character levels up. That is one way to approach it, and personally is my favorite way to deal with it. Having Trading opens up much more than just items with RSM bonuses...for example, it's possible to have a 40th level Dwarf Trader with a Weapon Lore skill level of 112...and he's only invested a measly 10-12 skill points of his own!
You can also take both Dwarven Lore and Weapon Technology, and come out just fine. Again, it all depends on what you want for your total skills package. That is the key to designing your own build...think about what skills your Dwarf will need.
The Dwarf: The Perfect WIDD Candidate
WIDD - Wounds Increase Damage Dealt - has been researched and tested by other veteran Sacred players. Information regarding their findings and builds can be found elsewhere in the forums. A search will produce the threads where this information can be found. I have no intention of duplicating any of that information here...only to add that WIDD bonuses dominate Dwarven equipment. Some Dwarven CA runes feature a bonus to WIDD when socketed! Battle Rage includes a percentage factor which increases the chance of WIDD damage occurring - it's called Berserk. It doesn't take much to understand that the Dwarf is ideal material for a WIDD build.
Hall of Heroes
Here's some ideas for Dwarven builds that takes advantage of his skills and CAs. I have personally tried all of them except for one: the Greedy Berserker. Despite the fact that I started playing this game a few months after the original release date, I have yet to fool around much with a WIDD-based build for any character. However, I am willing to bet the Greedy Berserker would be a smashing success............
