hi all,
I started the game with reinhart on normal for my first play through, to get used to the flow of the game an certain attacks of bosses an enemies, an thought I would try my hardcore run with Lucas using katarina as my AI character, I found 2 builds on the internet for Lucas an Katarina for hardcore. I also picked up the perfectionist on this run an I would advise doing all possible side quests to bump your level up a bit more, I was level 29 when I finished.
Order of Ability Unlocks=
1. Graceful Repose
2. Wind Shear (you want this early so you can use proficiency points)
3. Shield Wall (you want to empower this early to give armor buff to party)
4. Unbridled Wrath (once again empower this early, you want to give focus regen to party)
5. Heroic Charge
6. Earthrending Strike
7. Vanguard's Strike
-If you use the shield + sword stance more than the big sword stance, then go ahead and unlock Vanguard's Strike before Earthrending Strike. Your choice.
Proficiencies= (in order for the most part, I max one out before going to the next)
Graceful Repose - Live by the Sword 5/5 - Combat Rage 0/5 (you want the 25% life steal)
Blade Dash - Hemorrhage 0/5 - Lightning Precision 5/5 (+50% extra chance for ability to crit hit)
Wind Shear - Wounding Gale 5/5 - Slowing Shear 0/5 (100% chance to apply bleeding status)
Unbridled Wrath - Unstoppable Wrath 0/5 - Endless Wrath 5/5 (interruption isn't a problem, you want extra focus regen)
Earthrending Strkie - either Tremor or Magnitude 5/5, it is a toss up, your choice (no matter your choice, make sure it is 5/5, either 100% chance to knockdown or extend range +10 meters, when empowered the extra length comes in handy as well the knockdown, once again it is your choice)
Vanguard's Strike - Vanguard's Gale 5/5 - Valorous Renewal 0/5 (the focus regen isn't needed with U.W.)
-Depending on the order you unlocked your abilities you might want to upgrade Vanguard's Strike before Earthrending Strike. It just depends on which stance you use more/prefer/need to level.
-Obviously Shield Pummel, Heroic Charge, and Shield Wall will not be leveled up in this build outside of empowering. Shield Pummel is weak even leveled, empowered version is useful though. Heroic Charge is really useful empowered but the proficiencies can be skipped. Shield Wall's proficiencies are not worth taking over the ones that are used.
Talents= (in order)
Victory Rush - 5/5 (20% chance to regain 10% HP when killing any/every enemy at any time, helpful for hardcore)
Wrathful Might - 5/5 (+20% attack)
Force of Will - 5/5 (50% of will stat gets added to attack)
Rejuvenation - 5/5 (+20% healing)
Death Defying - 5/5 (35% chance to shrug off/ignore attacks when HP is less than 25%, saves your a** in hardcore)
Devastating Criticals - 5/5 (+50% dmg to crit hits)
- Focused Strikes and Focus Rage are obsolete with Unbridled Wrath. Trade Master is useless for hardcore. Cull of the Weak is not useful.
i used this for Lucas.
Order of Ability Unlocks=
1. Charm of Eternal Life
2. Chosen Prey (the exploding enemies upon death under this buff makes it a no brainer)
3. Call of the Hunt (you want the damage boost, empower this asap to give to party)
4. Flintlock Fury
5. Warding Ritual
6. Black Hound Familiar
7, Thorned Rose
Proficiencies= (in order for the most part, I always max one out before going to the next)
Charm of Eternal Life - Soul Thief 0/5 - Zone of Sanctity 5/5 (will mak Kat a tank, 75% armour increase)
Caress of Suffering - Schadenfreude 0/5 - Excruciate 5/5 (a good debuff to help party out, decrease armor + attack)
Chosen Prey - Creeping Dread 5/5 - Life Thief 0/5 (another good debuff to help party, reduces speed + attack)
Call of the Hunt - Perfect Shot 0/5 - Crow's Feast 5/5 (this is a toss up, I liked the healing for hardcore)
Flintlock Fury - Suppressive Fire 1/5 - Rampage 4/5 (maybe put 2 into S.F. don't want 0 or 4+ in S.F. makes the ability weak)
Warding Ritual - Painful Rebuke 5/5 - Chilling Gale 0/5 (another toss up but again this is a hardcore build)
-Oviously the other three wont be upgraded (other than empowermet!). Heartseeking Shot is already powerful enough. Thorned Rose isn't worth the points. And Black Hound Familiar could be upgraded in place of Warding Ritual if you use it more.
Talents= (in order)
Rites of Restoration- 5/5 (+20% healing)
Markswoman- 5/5 (20% chance of rifle shot to ricochet, very useful pretty much two shots in one)
Steady Aim- 5/5 (+20% agility)
Critical Precision- 5/5 (+20% crit hit dmg)
Suprise Attack- 5/5 (dmg enemies in path of dodge roll, very useful in hardcore since dodge rolling is key!)
Spiritual Backlash- 5/5 (20% chance assailant will be pushed back, kat needs her room since she doesn't melee)
-Obviously, once again, Call Your Shots/First Strike/Swift Defense/Thrill of the Hunt- 0/5
and this for Katarina
Using these 2 guides for my characters the game seemed rather easy an the only boss I had trouble on was the one mentioned in the other guide.
All I simply did for this boss fight was roll around in circles activating unbridled wrath and shield wall and spamming blade rush on the first Cyclops then the second then when chakti arrived did the same. My AI partner went down during the second Cyclops and because I ignored most other enemies I just left her down.
Jeyne Kassinder still attacks so never stop moving she calls down a beam from the sky which starts as a big sky blue marker on the floor, her other attack is she shoots 5-6 white fireballs out in an arc, you can kind of tell this attack as it makes a distinctive noise.
all credit for the guides goes to Shellman704 from gamespotuk forums
here is the link to the page there found :-
http://uk.gamespot.com/xbox360/rpg/dungeon-siege-3/show_msgs...if you vote negatively please explain why and I will try an rectify the problem sorry for any bad punctuation an i hope this helps.