Titan Quest Atlantis "Warden: God of Sparta" Guide
(Spear + Shield Melee and Reflection Build)
"one Spartan was worth several men of any other state"
Warden (HUNTING + DEFENSE) is a class that perfectly matches the theme of Titan Quest. An ancient Spartan hoplite warrior, master of spear and shield, who can triumph any battlefield.
This is one of the best classes for beginners since these masteries will naturally create a very good offensive and defensive warrior. Let's see how good is this mastery combo.
Offensive
HUNTING is the best mastery for spear wielders. It can boost your piercing damage up to 289% (from Art of the Hunt and Call of the Hunt) and give you a very high attack speed, up to 73% (from Wood Lore and Call of the Hunt). You can get 650 OA (offensive ability) and 10% OA from Finesse, a synergy to Call of the Hunt. With such high OA, your melee attacks will not miss any target and critically hit to almost every mob. HUNTING also provides you with some active spear skills.
DEFENSE is by far (and only) the best mastery for shield attacks. There are 3 shield attack proc skills that will allow your toon to automatically utilize the shield to inflict damage, so you can attack with both the spear and the shield. Defensive Reaction (synergy from Adrenaline) will boost your physical damage up to 90% (spears deal partially physical damage)
You'll have a very fast-moving toon. Trail Brazing (synergy from Art of the Hunt) will boost your movement speed up to 35% while Adrenaline and Rally (from DEFENSE) will give your another (up to) 37% total speed! That will boost your movement speed, attack speed and casting speed. Your character will be a fearsome warrior!
Defensive
Your DA (defensive ability) will be unmatched. DEFENSE and HUNTING already provide you up to 588 DA from Wood Lore and Battle Awareness, so you wont have any problems when dealing with melee mobs, as high DA allows you to avoid critical hits and often dodge attacks completely.
A HUNTING character is extremely good at evading projectiles with 35% CTAP (chance to avoid projectiles) from Find Cover, a synergy from Art of the Hunt aura. A DEFENSE toon excels at using the shield to block damage, with 48% shield block chance and -80% shield recovery time from Quick Recovery and Focus (a synergy from Battle Awareness). 35% of all projectiles can't hit you and you can use your shield to block the rest with a high success rate.
You can manage your resistances very easily since HUNTING and DEFENSE will already provide you up to 100% poison resistance (from Herbal Remedy) and up to 65% elemental resistance (from Rally tree).
Herbal Remedy and Adrenaline boost the HP regeneration rate which makes the Warden less vulnerable to DoT damage (damage over time).
"These 2 masteries combined are divine! They will grant you one of the finest melee characters, a fast and fearsome hero, great at both killing and tanking. Moreover, you can become a god-like warrior if you utilize your damage reflected alongside your close combat attacks."
Why reflection Warden?
Warden is indeed one of the best classes for reflection build. It can easily rival Templar (DEFENCE + DREAM) and Paladin (DEFENCE + STROM).
There are 3 aspects which make a good reflection build, let us compare those 3 classes.
Tanking Ability: IMO Warden is the winner due to their highest DA, projectile evasion rate and resistances (65% elemental and 100% poison).
Damage Reflect Skill: Besides DEFENSEs Rally, HUNTING offers no reflection, while DREAM and STORM offer Trance of Empathy and Energy Shield respectively.
Resistance Reduction Ability: Templar has Trance of Wrath but you can activate only one trance and usually we'd choose Trance of Empathy for a reflection build. Paladin has Squall that can lower mobs resistances by a percent. Warden has Study Prey, the skill that can instantly lower mob's physical, piercing, bleeding, and elemental resistances by a flat amount (it's considered better than percent-based reduction). It's by far the best among this group.
"When thinking about reflection builds we realize that a toon must have good resistances and tanking ability because you reflect damage upon being hit. Enemies also have good resistances, so even if you stack a lot of damage reflected skills and gear, your damage output might still be too low. Resistance reduction is the key to reflection builds, that's why IMO Study Prey alone wins Warden this round."
Reflection builds require farming for specific items. There is an Icescale armor set that you can farm from Fjord Ichthians in Kaupangr [the area you travel to after Scandia]. This armor will give you a 15% chance of 500% damage reflected, which means that equipping 4 of them (Torso, Head, Hand and Leg) will stack a ton of damage reflected that when triggered will instantly kill targets.
"When a skilful hoplite warrior is combined with a powerful damage reflector, the Warden becomes the God of Sparta."
Let's see how to start this build by looking at the stat distribution.
STAT DISTRIBUTION
This is a STR-DEX based melee character. Warden had been notorious for lacking OA pre-Atlantis DLC. This problem can now be fixed with the new skill Finesse mentioned above. However, this buff has very long cooldown, so if you don't have more than -65% recharge, your OA can drop badly when this buff is gone. I'd like to recommend you to invest more points in DEX than STR for this toon. Armor Handling skill from DEFENSE mastery can lower STR requirement for armor and shields by 30%, so you can invest in STR just to match the gear requirements and spend more points in DEX to boost your base OA/DA.
STR: You'll need around 460 STR to equip Legendary Icescale Armor (647-30% = 453) and endgame gear. Investing in STR will increase your physical damage (a spear deals 75% physical and 25% piercing damage).
DEX: Its vital here, as it increases your piercing and bleeding damage as well as OA/DA. You'll need around 400-500 DEX to equip a good spear. 600+ DEX is an ideal amount
OA: You'll gain around 600 OA from DEX. This amount is actually not good enough, since your melee attacks are going to miss the targets, but when combined with Call of the Hunt, your OA can reach 1250 (600 from your DEX + 650 from Finesse) which ensures you critical hits to most of the enemies. The choice here is between gearing up with -65% recharge or 200-300+ OA gear.
DA: You already have 600 DA from your DEX and 588 DA from DEFENSE and HUNTING skills. Combined, thats 1188 DA which is quite good. Find more +DA gear to reach 1500-1700+ to reach an ideal amount.
HP: around 5500-6000 is enough for tanking
Energy: Study Prey, Rally, shield and spear attack skills all require some energy, so you can invest some points in it if need be.
INT: not necessary.
GEAR
"Icescale armor will play an important part in the build. Apart from damage reflected ability, each of them will grant you around 12% CTAP (chance to avoid projectiles). Wearing 4 of them, combined with Art of the Hunt aura, will give you have the highest amount of 80% CTAP! Archers and ranged mobs will be no problem at all.
%recharge items are the key to getting many important buffs. You should have at least -45% recharge for permanent Rally (80% damage reflected and 65% elemental resistance) so you'll have damage reflected ability active at all times. -65% recharge will grant you permanent Call of the Hunt (40% attack speed, 174% piercing/bleeding damage and 650 OA) that will significantly boost your damage.
"If you can manage to get -80% recharge you'll be nearly immortal since you can spam Perfect Block (a skill that gives 100% all damage absorption for 1 sec.) in every 1.3 sec!! that means there is only 0.3 second during which the baddies can hit you. And in that split second you still have high chance to block, dodge, and to avoid the projectiles. Basically, you'd rarely get hurt by anything. And please remember, you also have a deathly damage reflection + a huge resistance reduction. What'll happen when mobs and bosses try to kill you? They can't even scratch your HP and kill themselves soon enough."
You can build your Warden as a pure melee or pure reflector. Mine is 40% melee and 60% reflector. Your goal is to have:
Good resistances and decent DA.
+4 to all skill or more (if possible).
-45% recharge or more.
A good Icescale armor set. You can farm it until you get a good one, otherwise just simple pierce/poison resistance will do.
A good amount of DPS and attack speed.
WEAPON
MY CHOICE
Antediluvian Trident (Fiery of Reckless Power): socketed with Anubis relic (attack speed bonus) I use this spear for fanciness ^_^ The look of it matches perfectly with the Icescale armor set. The damage is not bad since it comes along with flat piercing damage, but you can choose from other great spears listed below.
ALT CHOICES
Black Steel Spike: A popular MI and one of the strongest spears. Farm a good one and socket it with Anubis relic for ADCtH (attack damage convert to health) or +physical damage relic/charm.
Khthonion Spike: A good MI spear which, in legendary, comes along with 110 OA to fix your low OA problem.
Achilles' Spear: An all-round nice spear with 150 OA, 35% attack speed, 30% piercing and physical damage.
Peleus' Ashen Spear: Both a defensive and an offensive spear with 40% pierce resistance, a good amount of 15% OA and some +flat and +percent damage.
Singing Avenger: One of the best defensive spears with 20% DA[!], 10% chance to dodge attacks and avoid projectiles. This spear also has a 25% chance of 300 physical retaliation and +1 to DEFENSE. It's definitely a great choice.
SHIELD
MY CHOICE
Cyclopean Ragnarok Shield of Focus: Boosts physical damage and STR with -19% recharge. You can shop such "of Focus" shields from vendors. The best prefix is +physical damage/STR or one with resistances you want (will appear as a yellow item). I socketed the shield with Rigid Carapace for pierce resistance.
There are some good relics/charms for shields, Shade of Hector (180 DA and 9% CTAP with pierce/vitality resistance bonus), Archimedes Mirror (stack more damage reflected), Coral Fragment (5% physical resistance and bleeding retaliation) or Atlantean Artifice (40% health reduction and lighting retaliation.
ALT CHOICES
Athena's Mirrored Shield: 44% damage reflected, 50% pierce resistance and 80 DA
The Glory of Belenus: 25% chance of 100% damage reflected with some resistances and the highest block ability. +2 to all skills is huge too!
Wall of the Damned: 10% chance of 300% damage reflected with 15% total damage is a fair choice.
Equally good shields, Zeno's Third Paradox with 20% CTAP and dodge, Soldiers Unyielding Will and good old Aionios can become your best friends.
TORSO ARMOR
MY CHOICE
Harness of Valholl (Juggernaut's 20% physical damage, 8%elemental and 35% stun resistances): Another equipment slot that I chose just for fashion reasons ^_^. Why wouldnt I equip Icescale chest armor? I love to vary my gear as much as possible and I never wear the same torso armor for each character (my Spellbinder already uses Icescale armor here: https://titanquestfans.net/index.php?topic=986.0 ). However, Harness of Vaholl comes along with quite high bleeding resistance which is useful too.
I socketed it with Golden Fleece relic for -30% energy cost and -8% recharge (to reach the highest -80% recharge and to use Study Prey, Shield Charge and Spear Dance without energy issues). You can socket any resistance relic/charm that you want or socket an offensive relic like Stew of Eldhrimnir for 12 flat energy regen, 12% STR and 25% physical damage bonus.
ALT CHOICES
Verdant Plate: -10% recharge and -10% energy cost with high poison and lighting resistance. +1 to DEFENSE.
Alexander's Cuirass: Some amount of OA/DA, resistances, 13% CTAP and +2 to all skill.
Poseidon's Cuirass: Great resistances and +1 to HUNTING
Ismene's Cuirass: A good choice to boost both your pierce resistance [80%] and damage [40%]
You can choose a good MI or popular armors like Mantle of Sa'jun, Layered Corselet, Plate of Toutatis or Philips Unity (currently doesnt drop)
HEAD/HAND/LEG ARMOR
MY CHOICE
I equipped 3 pieces of Icescale set (Veterans head, Mountaineer's hand and pierce resistance leg) to stack damage reflected and reach the 80% CTAP cap. I socketed charms/relics to manage my resistances and +skills. Albino Spider web is quite fancy and useful here due to elemental resistances from Study Prey. You can sacrifice one gear slot to boost your damage and manage your resistances or get more recharge. However, equipping at least 2 Icescale pieces is recommended.
ALT CHOICES
Tracker's Hood: for -40% recharge and 100% piercing damage.
Huo Qubing's Helm: -20% recharge and -40% energy cost will let you spam Study Prey and other skills without any energy problems. The helm also provides some resistances.
Stonebinders Cuffs: always a solid choice if you need +3 to all skills.
Gauntlets of the Necrolord: High poison, vitality, and bleeding resistances, +1 to all skills, these gauntlets also provide you 4% ADCtH, some attack speed and chance to dodge.
The Celtic Hounds: 15% physical resistance with some pierce and bleeding as well, that come along with +2 to DEFENSE.
Trollwrestler Greaves: High pierce and bleeding resistances, 20% STR with fast movement speed.
Barbarian's Spiked Greaves: Good choice for boosting your OA and DA (100), high pierce and poison resistances with 10% STR
Athenas Battle Greaves, Discs of Mani or Hervor's Fine Steel are always a great choice for damage, speed, DA and resistances.
JEWELRY
MY CHOICE
Ring1 - Apollo's Will: A popular ring for bow and spear users, 100% pierce damage and good fire/pierce/poison resistances.
Ring2 - Band of Souls: Apart from high vitality resistance, the ring also has a 30% chance of 130 life leech and energy leech retaliation. Doesnt seem so effective but it's good enough and when combined with your tanking ability, CTAP, and Block, most of the mobs in the game can't even scratch your HP bar. This ring is also one of my choices because it provides me with life and energy leech resistances. Your ability to withstand damage depends a lot on your auras. If you lose your energy and auras, your tanking ability will drop badly, so I recommend to have some protection for your energy too.
Amulet Brisingamen (Transcendent upgrade 10% of multiple resistances): One of the best amulets because of its -25% recharge and +2 to all skills. This jewel also grants you 10% physical and some elemental resistances.
ALT CHOICES
Adroit Loop: Another popular warrior ring which you could use for some resistances, a boost to damage, DA and OA.
Grace of the Alfar: This ring is a great choice to boost your CTAP and dodge rate by 10%, It's high DEX increases your piercing/bleeding damage and OA/DA
Hale Ring of Supremacy or of the Tinkerer typical melee guy ring with boosts to OA/DA. Can be socketed with Golem Heart charm (25% Attack speed bonus), which boosts your melee combat ability and gives a bit of reflection. Alternatively, socket a resistance-based charm/relic like Demons Blood, Atlas' Endurance, Dionysus' Wineskin.
Ran's Favor: Another great choice for-30% recharge and high poison, cold, and lightning resistances.
Popular amulets like Torc of the Ancestor and Pendent of Immortal Rage are always useful.
ARTIFACT
MY CHOICE
Talisman of the Jade Emperor: Huge elemental resistance increase, -25% recharge, as well as 15% STR make it remain one of the best choices for any type of character.
ALT CHOICES
Lyre of Apollo: A good choice to add up CTAP and chance to dodge(10%). It'll boost your STR and INT by 15% and add a powerful energy drain effect to your attack.
Star of Ishtar: One of the best artifacts to strengthen your melee combat, thanks to 20% STR/DEX with 15% physical and 25% elemental resistances.
Arcane Mirror: Stack 15% chance of 100% damage reflected. The Artifact can also trigger a 300% damage reflect shield for 12 sec (with a long cooldown).
