Build:Universal Battlemage

Universal Battlemage is a Character Build in Outward, created by TheOathseeker.

Summary

Universal Battlemage
This build perfectly combines a flexible array of spells with everything you need to thrive in melee combat. Able to adapt to any element and situation, this build will allow you to counter any enemy.
Breakthroughs			Required Faction
			Any
Equipment
Weapon	Off-Hand	Head	Body	Boots	Backpack
Any	Any	Any	Any	Any	Any

Quickslots
1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8

General Build Details

While this guide is meant to show you all the possible ways you can transform this build into different elemental warriors, there are ofcourse going to be key elements that are the same no matter your build. This is the general idea of the build:

• Make flexible use the fact that Elemental Discharge can be adapted to any damage type
• Use Boons improved by Shamanic Resonance to increase your elemental damage
• Use a combination of heavy armor sets, Master of Motion, Shamanic Resonance and blocks to survive
• Weave together standard/special attacks, weapon skill and spells to deal elemental damage
• Use Imbues to increase your melee damage and shoot with Elemental Discharge
• Use Weapons, Trinkets or spells to apply the appropriate elemental Hex
• Use matching elemental weapons to increase your damage potential
• Wear armor that matches your element to buff your damage output
• Use the universal skills from different trees to give every element a unique flavor

Elements

This build allows us to make a battlemage fitting any elemental type. And here's the basics of every single one of them. Keep in mind that below you will find some very potent combinations that have been thoroughly thought through. But they are by no means the only, or even the best combinations. Feel free to experiment and try to fit your favorite armor set or weapon into the build. This character is all about flexibility.

Fire

The Fire Battlemage has a large array of spells at his disposal. Most of which cost very little mana, allowing a good mix of spells and melee.

• Use Sigil of Fire and it's combinations for low mana cost spells
• Use Immolate to increase your fire damage
• Become fire immune to take no damage from your own spells
• Hack the enemy to bits while they burn to a crisp

Mid Game Fire Gear
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End Game Fire Gear
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Antique Plate Sallet enchanted with Economy gives a total of -20% mana cost and -10% stemina cost.

Fire quickslot options
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Lightning

The Lightning battlemage combines the Sigil of Wind with unique gear to create a noble paladin.

• A sword of pure lightning
• Elemental Vulnerability through your shield and Doom Hex through spell
• Increased lightning damage through boon, Light Mender's Backpack and Spirit of Monsoon or Elatt's Sanctity enchantments
• Strong lightning explosions inside the Sigil of Wind

Mid/Late Game Lightning Gear
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Silver Armor enchanted with Spirit of Monsoon gives +25% lightning damage.
Black Plate Boots enchanted with Guidance of Wind gives +14% movement speed.

End Game Lightning Gear
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White Priest Mitre and Candle Plate Set can be enchanted with Elatt's Sanctity for extra lightning damage.
Boots can always be enchanted with Flux to give extra lightning damage.

Lightning Quickslot Options
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Decay

The Decay battlemage has little in the way of dedicated decay spells, and instead relies heavily on enhancing it's melee capabilities.

• Can get rediculously large increases to decay damage through gear
• There is a wide variety of strong decay weapons
• Many enemies are weak to decay damage
• The damage over time effects associated with decay, allow you to be more defensive and outlast enemies

Late Game Decay Gear
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Decay Quickslot Options
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Ice

The Ice battlemage doesn't have that many pure ice spells at it's disposal without the Philosopher tree. But with what we do have, we can make a fearsome icy warrior!

• Some of the most powerful items in the game are ice based
• Use Chakram to make up for the lack of ice skills
• Apply Chill Hex and Elemental Vulnerability and do enormous melee damage
• Use a combination of Slow Down and Impact to control the mobility of your enemies
• Preferably pick the Infuse Frost skill over Infuse Fire. Because fire ingredients are much more easily crafted and there are more fire spells already.

Mid Game Ice Gear
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Enchant Virgin Set with Inner Cool

End Game Ice Gear
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Ice Quickslot Options
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Ethereal

The Ethereal battlemage has few counters, as ethereal resistance is very rare indeed. Allowing you to wreak hevock everywhere with ease.

• If you decide to do the Sorobor Academy questline you can get Infuse Mana
• Early game you can use the basic rune skills to conjure a purely ethereal Runic Blade and Runic Trap if you feel like kiting
• Late game you can use Dreamer Halberd, which does increadible (impact) damage at high attackspeed

Mid Game Ethereal Gear
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Antique Plate Sallet enchanted with Economy gives a total of -20% mana cost and -10% stemina cost.
Runic Armor enchanted with Chaos and Creativity gives +10% movement speed.
Black Plate Boots enchanted with Guidance of Wind gives +14% movement speed.

Late Game Ethereal Gear
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Green Copal Armor Enchanted with Spirit of Berg gives +25% ethereal damage and +10% impact damage.

Ethereal Quickslot Options
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Playstyle

Obiously the playstyle depends heavily on the element you are using, the armor, weapon and trinket you are using. But there are a few general concepts to keep in mind when playing any version of this build:

• Start the fight by luring the enemy towards you with Elemental Discharge and any other ranged spells you might have
• Apply any debuffs on the enemy as soon as possible. At least your element's hex, and possibly Elemental Vulnerability
• Once the enemy is on you, start fighting them in melee. Be sure to play carefully and block and dodge as much as you can.
• If the fight lasts long enough to bring your stemina low, try weaving in some spells while you create some distance. To allow your stamina to regenerate.
• Always keep balancing your mana and stamina use. You should never have expaned one of your resources entirely, while the other is full.

See Also

• Character Builds