RIFT’s preset soul build addition, also known as Calling Purposes, is fresh out on the PTS and available for player testing. Information about this feature and other additions Trion has in store for new players and old players alike can be found here. This brief guide will cover the various Warrior builds and some of the Warrior-centric features upon starting a new character. For the Cleric version of this guide that features more general information about the feature, check here.
There are four Warrior preset builds, or callings, to choose from. They are available for new players to choose from when creating their character, and are also available for Warriors of any level. There are two DPS builds, and two tanking builds. Upon inspecting the builds further, the UI gives detailed information about the specs, its key abilities, a brief guide on how to play the spec, and some general tips for it.
Upon beginning a new character, players will be able to preview their Warrior in various gear sets. Pictured above is the high level preview, and the selection screen for the different callings. If a player chooses to level their character with a suggested calling, suggestions are made for skill point placement. They can be automatically placed as well. The feature itself is entirely optional, and Trion’s goal here is to assist new players and also encourage veteran players to experiment with new classes, new builds, and new roles.
The Four Warrior Builds
Here are the four specs, each with a screenshot of the information window, a link to the spec in Zam, and my personal comments:
Destroyer:
Description: An offensive Warrior who uses massive two-handed weapons to strike mighty high damage blows against their enemies.
Group Role: Damage
Souls: 44 Champion, 22 Paragon, 0 Riftblade
Comments: This spec seems decent for a player new to the Warrior. It grants more AoE damage abilities than the current popular Champ/Para build, which may be useful for leveling and farming purposes. The damage output should be high enough for most grouping purposes.
Pathfinder:
Description: An offensive Warrior and their Companion who fight together to overwhelm their enemy.
Group Role: Damage
Souls: 38 Beastmaster, 28 Champion, 0 Riftblade
Comments: Trion is attempting to make Beastmaster viable in 1.7 again, and this is their attempt at a build that makes use of the new changes. They’re on the right track with the build, but a few of the point placements kind of leave me boggled. I would personally place more points in Champion, and place them in more useful spots (no points in Titan’s Strength? Really?). Sadly, Beastmaster could still use some work.
Defender:
Description: A defensive Warrior who uses a heavy shield to stand toe to toe with their enemies and defend their allies. Fights will be longer, but survivability is greatly increased.
Group Role: Tank
Souls: 44 Paladin, 22 Warlord, 0 Void Knight
Comments: The build itself is viable, and a decent suggestion for aspiring tanks who are in the process of leveling. The top-tier Paladin talents aren’t all that fantastic in comparison to the other alternatives, but for leveling, they’re not too bad. Some of the points in Paladin seem a little oddly-placed, however, and I would personally move some around. The points in Warlord are solid, and allow a new tank to get a feel for the Warlord utilities.
Dark Thane:
Description: A defensive Warrior who wields the power of the Plane of Death to destroy their enemies while defending their allies. Fights will be longer, but survivability is greatly increased.
Group Role: Tank
Souls: 38 Reaver, 28 Paladin, 0 Void Knight
Comments: I guess this is supposed to be a leveling build, since it concentrates on most of the tank self-healing options. I personally would have rather seen a standard high mitigation build here, using the same three trees. It would seem more logical to present both a Warlord build and a high mitigation build, but we may see more builds added in the future.
Interestingly enough, despite the fact that there are two DPS builds and two tank builds represented, there’s a definite gap of missing Warrior builds here. There’s no high mitigation tank build, and no dual wield DPS build. It would be nice if Trion opened up player suggestions for suggesting builds. This would allow new builds to become available, and would also get the community involved in the project. Overall, this addition seems promising for new RIFT players, and even veterans may find some use from it.
