Build:Runic Spellblade

Runic Spellblade is a Character Build in Outward, created by KiyPhi.

Summary

Runic Spellblade
This is a build that focuses on making one of my favorite classes, rune sage, solid enough to last all the way through Caldera. This build is flexible in the damage types it can do and can take and dish damage when needed.
Breakthroughs			Required Faction

Equipment
Weapon	Off-Hand	Head	Body	Boots	Backpack
	Inheritance of the Past	Arcane Unison	Sang Froid	Flux

Quickslots
1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8

Full Build Details

This build takes one of the most flexible classes in the game, mashes it with one of the worst, and adds in Hex Mage to round things off. The goal is to combine elemental discharge, which is normally terrible due to the amount of durability it uses, and use it with weapons that don't have durability and come with a free imbue. You can further add to the flexibility by bringing varnishes as the summoned weapons can have varnishes applied, though I find that pretty much every enemy will take decent damage from lightning or decay. The only exception may be Crimson Avatar which isn't a big deal but you can use ice varnish for him if needed.

I have seen a lot of people talk that Rune Sage falls off pretty hard mid-late game. I think with Hex Mage, this isn't true. You get a 15-30% bonus damage from being tired or very tired which makes both Runic Blade and Runic Great Blade deal similar damage to a non-imbued tsar weapons (I think of it this way as the best way to use tsar is with wind infuse). With Brains, you get another 10. Your impact is that of a wet noodle but I don't find this to be a problem with the damage you deal. You have ways to deal with multiple enemies, a way to heal without potions, and flexibility of the range you can fight at and the damage types you can deal.

For the skills, runes are necessary for rune sage. Elemental Discharge gives you a faster option you can use along side Runic Lightning for ranged attacks. It has a quick cooldown and very spammable with this build. Moment of Truth is good if you go to Caldera or use splitscreen/online. Does a ton of damage but does make you temporarily less tanky. If you choose to go with Brains from the specialist, you can replace this with pommel counter, sweep kick, or mana push. The technique is the same. I've mixed feelings on puncture. It does do decent damage for how fast it is but pain does zero for this build so use at your discretion. Mana Ward for safety. We don't deal much impact so sometimes it is nice to throw it on before using riskier moves like MoT and The Technique

For gear, we have scholar circlet. This is probably one of the best items in the game. The cooldown reduction, mana cost reduction, and mana regen can benefit almost any build. I use it on most of mine. You can also enchant this with Rain if you want to. It doesn't make a big difference either way but I like to spam the technique when I can so I use the extra cooldown. Gold-lich armor and boots. Mostly for mana cost reduction and style. Sang Froid stops burning but you can choose any enchantment for the armor. It makes little difference but not having to worry about one of the most prominent DoTs in Caldera is a nice QoL enchantment. For the boots, flux is the obvious one. More speed and slightly more lightning damage is nice. The light-mender's lexicon is the only real lexicon so we pick that. Of the two enchantments for it, inheritance of the past is the only one that benefits our build and benefit it does. More speed, more mana regen. Backpack is really up to personal preference. If I'm being honest, I actually use Brigand Backpack for the looks.

Important Items


Shimmer Potion
	Free damage and barrier. A great item for anyone that does elemental damage.
Fire Varnish/Ice Varnish
/	Not really the most important but it does allow you to cover other damage types if you feel you have the need. I didn't really use them except for funsies.
Luxury Tent
	Best tent for most builds. Stamina is king and the gear we wear + being tired + food is enough. No need for the further mana cost reduction from mage tent.