56 replies to this topic

[Wavebend]

Here's a small guide with some tips that can be useful for the virtuoso. I'm underpromoted, so this guide may or may not apply to many veteran players.

 

This is the build I use nowadays to solo perilous.

My stats: 13 constitution, 38 cunning, 73 willpower

 

Demo: (with stats + equips proof)

(2x speed edit here : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vEn_mxbbcMk)

 

 

Level progression:

 

Since LKM isn't useful at low levels, being in melee ranged / using PC makes you quite vulnerable, unless you're overpromoted.

For that reason, CB + kiting/cover + barrier is your best bet.

 

Starting at level 2:

1. Strength of Spirits (left tree)
2. Opening Set (right tree)
3. Aggressive Arpeggio
4. Combat Clarity
5. CB
6. CB (upgrade)
7. Encore!
8. Power of the Dead
9. Conductive Current
10. Fortifying Arpeggio (left tree)
11. Feel The Crowd
12. Long Solo
13. Knight-Protector
14. LKM
15. Power Chord
16. Infernal Music
17. There is no darkness (left tree)
18. Winter Music
19. Power Chord (upgrade)

General tips:

 

Generating mana quickly:

• Shift-cancel your auto-attacks
• Stay close to at least 1 team-mate to benefit from the mana regeneration passive "Feel The Crowd"
• Stay close to non-hostile mobs to benefit from Combat Clarity

Being offensive:

• Cool Beats asap when mobs are far away, Power chords when enemies get within 2m for full 400% damage.
• Dispel Barriers with Power Chord. Stacking dispel only works by waiting ~1s between each cast

Being defensive:

• Use LKM (physical dmg) / barrier (elemental dmg)
• If you anticipate that you can't maintain barrier because you're running out of mana, cast a Little Knight Music (LKM)
• If you already have LKM and are out of mana, swap queue to ice-ice-ice for 30% dmg resistance with Winter Music
• If you need to run away for whatever reason, cast barrier, because flanking damage hurts.

Soloing tips:

 

1. Templars (easiest)

• Keep LKM active
• Cool Beats
• If you feel like you can, Power Chord (again, <2m for full damage)
• When dealing with Shadows: Power Chord
• When dealing with Behemoths: Cool Beats

2. Venatori (a bit harder)

• Keep LKM active
• Cool Beats for mostly everything 
• Venatori mages have elec resist, Spellbinders have ice resist (immunity + barrier)
• When these guys have barriers, you need to dispel them. Cast some barrier, run in and cast PC twice with a ~1s pause (pause needed for stacking effect), then either Cool Beats, run away and repeat OR finish them with PC if you can.

3. Demons (hardest)

• Keep barrier active when necessary
• When you run into Terrors, use Cool Beats, but most importantly, keep LKM active (physical slashing damage after teleport attack) and barrier yourself before their teleport attack. At this point, I also like to set my queue to ice-ice-ice for reduced damage because they will continually stagger you, Rage Demons will have a good chance to kill you, etc., until you manage to set off more Cool Beats. Repeat until they're dead.
• When dealing against Rage Demons, Cool Beats, obviously.
• When dealing against Despair Demons; if I'm far away, I like to just cast Hot Licks until they're dead. If they manage to get closer before I get them down, I personally just run in, dispel their barriers and get as far as I can with the Speed song. Trying to deal with them at close range may work, but I don't have a good experience from it.
• When dealing with Pride Demons/Fear Demons: Cool Beats, generate mana from nearby enemies (not Pride demons) for barrier with basic attack. Pride Demons will stagger you to death, so keep a distance from them. Kiting works best.

Playing the songs tips :

• I always queue CB with ice-fire-fire.
• With proper queuing, Cool Beats and LKM are always two notes away. (e.g. Initial queue is ice-fire-fire. Transition to LKM by playing ice twice (fire-ice-ice). Transition back to CB by playing fire twice (ice-fire-fire). repeat.)
• Transitioning to PC is one note away (ice-fire-fire -> fire-fire-elec)

Targeting enemies tips (M+KB only):

• Targeting an enemy (two methods):
• - Right click on the enemy you want to target
• - Aim your camera so the enemy is in the center of your screen, then press TAB
• To untarget, right-click on the ground (or press ESC, but less effective)

Equipment tips:

• Find a way to get at least 15% HoK (from staff or rings)
• Amulet: Superb constitution or cunning. (Ranged dmg reduction is arguably more useful than constitution if you stay in the open) If demons -> constitution.
• Rings: either HoK or attack rings

If you have any questions on the build or why I omitted some abilities, feel free to ask. I didn't want to write everything down (i hate walls of text), so questions are definitely welcomed.

[DrakeHasNoFlow]

Is little knight music necessary on queue? I asked one of the top guys on xbox one leaderboards and he says he hardly uses little knight music if ever, basically he just abuses cool beats and power chord. Witnessed it done personally myself.....

[Wavebend]

Is little knight music necessary on queue? I asked one of the top guys on xbox one leaderboards and he says he hardly uses little knight music if ever, basically he just abuses cool beats and power chord. Witnessed it done personally myself.....

 

Heh. Read the title

 

This is what works for me for soloing perilous with 13 constitution and 30ish cunning.

[Kalas Magnus]

how do you deal with tower shield enemies?

 

edit:also.dis much attention is gonna get him nerfed.

[DrakeHasNoFlow]

how do you deal with tower shield enemies?
 
edit:also.dis much attention is gonna get him nerfed.

QQ

[Kalas Magnus]

QQ

dont take away muh op character. not again. : (

[DrakeHasNoFlow]

dont take away muh op character. not again. : (

Cool beats will be limp tunes

QQ

[Kalas Magnus]

Cool beats will be limp tunes

QQ

as long as they buff mark of the rift ill be ok

[SpaceV3gan]

Nice build, epic title. 10/10 would bang.

[Courtnehh]

Good guide. I am a scrub, that is all.

[Catastrophy]

Zither!

 

(seriously, I love this guy!)

[BadgerladDK]

Really nice guide, at this rate I may have to actually try Zither! out... Unlocked him on release, looked at him a bit and thought he was weird as hell.

[Hellsteeth30]

Already invented this.

[Drasca]

No killer set? That helps mana regeneration way better than opening set via encores.

[ParthianShotX]

Cool beats will be limp tunes

QQ

Or Mage Muzak

[Wavebend]

how do you deal with tower shield enemies?

 

edit:also.dis much attention is gonna get him nerfed.

 

1. Bait the charge, run away when they charge, and set off Cool Beats as they swing their swords

2. Get on a box/fence to target their heads

3. Get on either of these platforms and target their heads/feet for easy wave 1 solo

 

 

No killer set? That helps mana regeneration way better than opening set via encores.

 

Killer set is good, but I don't see what offensive ability I would replace it with. The +20/30% from Inferno music on PC and HL is quite useful, and conductive current is 30-50% extra damage every few seconds. Also, I typically only play 2-3 unique songs before I need to basic attack, so the damage bonus isn't significant. What would you do instead?

[Drasca]

1. Bait the charge, run away when they charge, and set off Cool Beats as they swing their swords

2. Get on a box/fence to target their heads

3. Get on either of these platforms and target their heads/feet for easy wave 1 solo

 

Killer set is good, but I don't see what offensive ability I would replace it with. The +20/30% from Inferno music on PC and HL is quite useful, and conductive current is 30-50% extra damage every few seconds. What would you do instead?

 

Considering you can kite and AI exploit so easily, I'd drop all those defensive points. SoS, LKM, KP, etc and stick them into offense.

[Wavebend]

Considering you can kite and AI exploit so easily, I'd drop all those defensive points. SoS, LKM, KP, etc and stick them into offense.

 

In the context of building a kit for the underpromoted scrub, there's no way I'd ever drop Strength of Spirits, LKM or Knight Protector. If those are really your suggestions, then I'd suggest you stop replying in this thread. How do you ever see underpromoted scrubs solo wave 5 without LKM?

[Drasca]

In the context of building a kit for the underpromoted scrub, there's no way I'd ever drop Strength of Spirits, LKM or Knight Protector. If those are really your suggestions, then I'd suggest you stop replying in this thread. How do you ever see underpromoted scrubs solo wave 5 without LKM?

 

You could also drop opening set for killer set. A welcome trade-off considering you get encores, and don't want to be slowing down basic attacking much.

 

There is no darkness and the other passive are also not really necessary if you're going to use barrier.

Really though, all you need to do is fast beats and kite them across the map. The AI is not capable of handling ultra long range battle against a faster than walking speed target.

[Wavebend]

You could also drop opening set for killer set. A welcome trade-off considering you get encores, and don't want to be slowing down basic attacking much.

 

There is no darkness and the other passive are also not really necessary if you're going to use barrier.

Really though, all you need to do is fast beats and kite them across the map. The AI is not capable of handling ultra long range battle against a faster than walking speed target.

 

Bolded part is wrong. I've tried this tactic several times (at least 4+) and it never worked. I've even tried to kite around pillars (even a single one), but the dragon will destroy them and make you extremely vulnerable. The flying red lyrium chunks are like rockets and will hit you no matter how far you are. Staying in the open in wave 5 is just stupid, and the only viable spot is near the font room, where they all group up and allow you to use CB extensively. For proof, watch Snakebite's templar run in your thread. He stays in the open and nearly dies twice, even with all his promotions. He doesn't even use LKM most of the time because he doesn't need it.

 

There is no darkness + and winter music are just (imo) essential. My survivability increases by a ton when I get those two in the build. It's basically +10-30% to your barrier/health and is active 95% of the time.

 

Opening set is essential. It's your only way of generating mana if you don't kill quickly enough.

[Drasca]

Bolded part is wrong. I've tried this tactic several times (at least 4+) and it never worked. I've even tried to kite around pillars (even a single one), but the dragon will destroy them and make you extremely vulnerable. The flying red lyrium chunks are like rockets and will hit you no matter how far you are. Staying in the open in wave 5 is just stupid, and the only viable spot is near the font room, where they all group up and allow you to use CB extensively.

 

Cover blocks projectiles. There is at the minimum guaranteed cover from the permanent trebuchets. This works even works against all dragon spit except lightning.

 

Alternatively high angular velocity can dodge horror spikes. It is an advanced tactic requiring very specific evasive pattern and timing in a J pattern (though made easier by fast beats). If you want me to demonstrate, I will on video, just ask and be patient (or something you wouldn't do but other BSNers might, whine and complain, and I won't need bother)

 

 

Opening set is essential. It's your only way of generating mana if you don't kill quickly enough.

 

Time definitely regenerates mana, and running away into cover (and off bridges) buys time-- let alone the other AI abusing spots you can use. Killer set also all but guarantees 'killing quickly enough', as opposed to not having killer set and being almost completely dependent on songs to kill.

[Wavebend]

Cover blocks projectiles. There is at the minimum guaranteed cover from the permanent trebuchets. This works even works against all dragon spit except lightning.

 

Alternatively high angular velocity can dodge horror spikes. It is an advanced tactic requiring very specific evasive pattern and timing in a J pattern (though made easier by fast beats). If you want me to demonstrate, I will on video, just ask and be patient (or something you wouldn't do but other BSNers might, whine and complain, and I won't need bother)

 

 

Time definitely regenerates mana, and running away into cover (and off bridges) buys time-- let alone the other AI abusing spots you can use. Killer set also all but guarantees 'killing quickly enough', as opposed to not having killer set and being almost completely dependent on songs to kill.

 

Pls demo

 

Say you're on wave 5 near the font room (trebuchets is a very poor spot, it's wide open on both sides). There's pretty much nowhere you can run for cover. Time spent running is time that could be spent building more armor via FA and/or simply generating the same amount of mana with Opening Set as the amount you'd have regen'd via running, and also dealing a lot more than Killing Set ever would in that short period of time.

 

Again, the damage bonus from Killing Set is not significant. If you play two songs, your next basic attack deals 170% damage. Then what? Play 2 more songs? By shift-canceling you can basic attack at least three times vs. the time spent buffering songs with Killing Set

 

I'm just not convinced with Killing set. I don't think i'll ever be.

 

edit: You can avoid the lyrium chunks from the Templar Knights by running fast, but definitely not from the Templar Horrors. I'm 99.9% sure about this.

[Drasca]

Pls demo

Again, the damage bonus from Killing Set is not significant. If you play two songs, your next basic attack deals 170% damage.

 

Will do, you'll have it tomorrow. Note, I already declared it is a high skill high-risk manuever, so no complaining that it doesn't work all the time, but it can definitely work and you wouldn't want to throw away any chances at survival either. Better than being guaranteed hit.

 

Two songs, and my damage goes from 300 to 1200 or more (double vs element vulnerable, obviously). Somehow this also translates to up to 6k with Lyrium and MO potions. Killer set really depends on what gear you have, but it really does interact in ways that multiply with everything.

 

So Killer set can seriously finish off enemies, triggering encore, repeating the cycle of destruction. I've done a lot of virtuoso videos where killer set triggers encore lately. Need I pick one to show you?

 

 

Say you're on wave 5 near the font room (trebuchets is a very poor spot, it's wide open on both sides). There's pretty much nowhere you can run for cover.

 

Trebs only poor cover if you're not fighting the dragon. If you're fighting non-storm dragon, it is the best cover. If you're fighting regular mooks, feel free to use either destructable cover or font room. Non FC you can kite forever in circles on the old maps. You don't *have to* do FC map, and you also aren't compelled to do perilous either.

 

If you can't kill enemies in a time efficient manner, you still have kiting and range. The area is a BIG map, and you can dodge or use cover as necessary.

 

Most horrors will be the type that are transformed from Red Knights and won't move much (and sometimes won't even aggro) unless you go near them. The few that aren't will often transform into melee mode and you can kite those. Both are still weak to cold. Arrows are easier to lead the wrong direction and dodge.  You should have enough HoK (or armor/barrier) to mitigate chip damage.

 

Opening set slows you down. Speed is life, and it is always better to completely outrange the enemy.

 

Oh. Also. They will not engage attacking you, and will chase you instead (if they chase at all, see Red Knight transformed Horrors), if you're outside their basic attack range (including archers / horrors / RTC / DC).

 

Console players have a disadvantage here, but KB&M players can simply target enemies with right mouse click beyond the enemy attack range and engage with CB from across the map and beyond the engagement range while kiting far far far away.

[Wavebend]

Will do, you'll have it tomorrow. Note, I already declared it is a high skill high-risk manuever, so no complaining that it doesn't work all the time, but it can definitely work and you wouldn't want to throw away any chances at survival either. Better than being guaranteed hit.

 

Two songs, and my damage goes from 300 to 1200 or more (double vs element vulnerable, obviously). Somehow this also translates to up to 6k with Lyrium and MO potions. Killer set really depends on what gear you have, but it really does interact in ways that multiply with everything.

 

So Killer set can seriously finish off enemies, triggering encore, repeating the cycle of destruction. I've done a lot of virtuoso videos where killer set triggers encore lately. Need I pick one to show you?

 

 

Trebs only poor cover if you're not fighting the dragon. If you're fighting non-storm dragon, it is the best cover. If you're fighting regular mooks, feel free to use either destructable cover or font room. Non FC you can kite forever in circles on the old maps. You don't *have to* do FC map, and you also aren't compelled to do perilous either.

 

If you can't kill enemies in a time efficient manner, you still have kiting and range. The area is a BIG map, and you can dodge or use cover as necessary.

 

Most horrors will be the type that are transformed from Red Knights and won't move much (and sometimes won't even aggro) unless you go near them. The few that aren't will often transform into melee mode and you can kite those. Both are still weak to cold. Arrows are easier to lead the wrong direction and dodge.  You should have enough HoK (or armor/barrier) to mitigate chip damage.

 

Opening set slows you down. Speed is life, and it is always better to completely outrange the enemy.

 

Oh. Also. They will not engage attacking you, and will chase you instead (if they chase at all, see Red Knight transformed Horrors), if you're outside their basic attack range (including archers / horrors / RTC / DC).

 

Console players have a disadvantage here, but KB&M players can simply target enemies with right mouse click beyond the enemy attack range and engage with CB from across the map and beyond the engagement range while kiting far far far away.

 

Now that I think about it, the reason why Killer Set always seem to deal more damage than it should is probably because it isn't +35% damage, but rather a 1.35 multiplier, which would be a much stronger effect.

 

Say I play 4 unique songs, I'd get 35% * 4 + 100% = 240% if we consider it as adding 35% 4 times. As a multiplier, I'd get 135% ^ 4 = 332%, which is far more than 240%.

 

I'll have to test this someday.

[Snakebite]

Staying in the open in wave 5 is just stupid, and the only viable spot is near the font room, where they all group up and allow you to use CB extensively. For proof, watch Snakebite's templar run in your thread. He stays in the open and nearly dies twice, even with all his promotions. He doesn't even use LKM most of the time because he doesn't need it.

 

There is no darkness + and winter music are just (imo) essential. My survivability increases by a ton when I get those two in the build. It's basically +10-30% to your barrier/health and is active 95% of the time.

 

 

Yep, don't do that.  Oh, the things we do just to shave off a few seconds.

 

I rarely spec into LKM, but that's just because I inherently have high damage resistance and can solely rely on out DPSing the opposition.  LKM is invaluable at lower promotions.  Coupling LKM with Fortifying Arpeggio when you have a nice encore streak going lets you take hits for what seems like forever.

 

 

Alternatively high angular velocity can dodge horror spikes. It is an advanced tactic requiring very specific evasive pattern and timing in a J pattern (though made easier by fast beats). If you want me to demonstrate, I will on video, just ask and be patient (or something you wouldn't do but other BSNers might, whine and complain, and I won't need bother)

 

 

I am looking forward to this demonstration.  I have always hated Horror triple-threat homing missiles. From how you describe it, it sounds like you need to focus a large portion of your attention just on a single Horror.  It doesn't even sound possible against multiple Horrors.  I will just stick to cover.