Bleed Elf Shadow

Open this build in the planner

The planner opens Night's Whisper with the tree and the attributes of this guide. Its Damage tab gives a damage per second estimate for your own gear and target.

Level 25 gives 48 points; the last 12 come from first boss kills.

Elf Shadow is the race and class pair players name most, and Shadow Convergence is the Elf Shadow spell they bring up most in the build channels. Five community builds on our builds page use it, and several Elf Shadow video guides pair it with Rending Vanish and Harvesting Convergence. The trees in the Discord posts were mostly shared as pictures, so this is the wiki's own starter tree built on the same core, not a copy of one player's tree.

• Discord messages that pair the Elf race with the Shadow class, build and balance channels: 97
• Messages in the build and balance channels that name Shadow Convergence: 28
• Messages in the build and balance channels that talk about bleed: 395

Counted on our copy of the official Dimraeth Discord, bot messages left out. A count shows how much players talk about a build, not how strong it is.

• Every spell in the build feeds the same stack. Vanishing Strike, Shadow Daggers and Tendon Slice apply Bleeding, and Shadow Convergence spends it for bonus damage per stack.
• Shadow Clones copy Vanishing Strike, Shadow Daggers and Shadow Convergence. More clones and longer clones mean more hits at no extra cost.
• Harvesting Convergence turns one big single target hit into pack damage, so the build also clears groups.
• The build stays on the Shadow half of the tree, so the points go into Bleeding, crit and Attack Speed instead of long paths.

The nodes that make it work

The first line under each node is the game text.

• Rending VanishVanishing Strike applies 2 Bleeding to enemies hit. If Vanishing Strike hits an enemy from behind, it applies 5 Bleeding instead.Your main Bleeding source. Always land the recast from behind.
• Flickering VanishVanishing Strike's recast teleports you behind the nearest enemy near your target location and strikes them.The recast teleports you behind the nearest enemy, so the hit from behind is easy to land.
• Relentless ConvergenceShadow Convergence can store up to 2 charges. Each charge creates only 1 Shadow Clone instead of 2, and Shadow Clone strikes deal 15% less damage.Two charges of the big hit. A community build reports running two charges.
• Harvesting ConvergenceIf the player's Shadow Convergence strike consumes at least 8 Bleeding from an enemy, that enemy becomes Ruptured for 3 seconds. When Ruptured expires, it bursts, dealing Thrust Damage to nearby enemies equal to 25% of the player's Shadow Convergence damage dealt to the Ruptured target. Each Shadow Clone that hits the Ruptured target with Shadow Convergence increases the Rupture burst damage by 10%, up to 40%.With enough Bleeding the target Ruptures and the burst hits the enemies around it.
• Many-Cut PhantomExiting Stealth grants Many-Cut Phantom for 5 seconds. While Many-Cut Phantom is active, your Final Attack against an enemy with at least 10 Bleeding consumes 10 Bleeding from the target, creates a Shadow Clone near that enemy for 8 seconds, then sends nearby Shadow Clones, including the one created, to strike that enemy. This effect has a 12-second cooldown.Leaving stealth arms it. A Final Attack on a target with a high Bleeding stack spends that Bleeding, adds a clone and sends all nearby clones in. The node text gives the minimum stack.
• Crimson ReaperIncrease your damage vs. Bleeding enemies by 12% and the maximum Bleeding you can apply by 2.More damage against Bleeding targets and a higher Bleeding cap, which the Rupture needs.
• Whispering BladesIncrease the duration of your Bleeding by 2 seconds. Increase your Critical Damage against Bleeding enemies by 18%Longer Bleeding and more Critical Damage against Bleeding targets.

• Vanishing StrikeFrom the skill tree · cooldown 6 sStealth, then recast from behind to stack Bleeding. It also leaves a Shadow Clone that copies your Shadow spells.
• Shadow ConvergenceFrom the skill tree · cooldown 30 sThe main hit. Use it when the target has a full Bleeding stack. It has a base cooldown of 30 seconds before Relentless Convergence.
• Tendon SliceFrom Spellbook Tendon Slice · cooldown 4 sA cheap spellbook that adds Bleeding between the big casts. The start attributes of this pair already meet its needs.
• Shadow DaggersFrom the skill tree · cooldown 6 sRanged Bleeding when you cannot get behind the target. Nearby clones throw with you.
• Backstep StrikeFrom the skill tree · cooldown 3 sThe Elf start spell. Hit and jump back out of danger.

Slot 1Vanishing Strike

Slot 2Tendon Slice

Slot 3Shadow Daggers

Slot 4Shadow Convergence

Slot 5Backstep Strike

Dash keyDash

Defensive keyVanish

The spell bar has five slots, then the dash and the defensive spell of your race on their own keys (the game HUD: Spell1 to Spell5, DashSpell, DefensiveSpell).

Pet

Carrion Parrot · casts Carrion Sweep every 8 seconds

Carrion Sweep watches for Bleeding enemies and adds one Bleeding stack to the target and two to a nearby enemy. That feeds Shadow Convergence and spreads Bleeding to the pack for Harvesting Convergence. Moon Cat is the other choice if you run out of Stamina: it restores Concentration, which this build barely uses, so the parrot is better.

A pet can reach level 8 while you are level 25: one pet level per 3 of yours, and never above 20.

Item bar

The item bar has 4 slots.

• Lesser Health PotionA healing draft brewed with enchanted water and herbs.Your only real heal. This pair has little Health.
• Lesser Stamina PotionA revitalizing tonic scented with mint and wild herbs.Dashes, blocks, Vanishing Strike and Shadow Convergence all cost Stamina. Drink it when a boss fight runs long.
• Copper Throwing KnifeA finely balanced copper throwing knife that passes through enemies. Favored for its precision and weight in combat.Applies Bleeding from range and passes through enemies. Use it to start a stack before you close in.
• Hunter's StewA warm, nourishing stew slow-cooked with care. Often shared at village hearths after long days of labor.Eat before a boss: more max Health and Stamina for a long time.

Each level gives 2 skill points, and the first kill of some bosses gives one more. The level shown is the first level with enough points for the step, before any boss point.

1. Level 10 17 points

   Go straight down the Shadow side to the Vanishing Strike upgrades. Flickering Vanish puts you behind the target on the recast, and Rending Vanish with its three increases makes that hit from behind stack a lot of Bleeding. This is your main damage while you level.

   The nodes of this step

   Stamina Boost, Thrust Damage Increase, Thrust Damage Increase, Thrust Damage Increase, Shadow Initiate, Dazing Ambush, Vanishing Strike Backstab Damage Increase I, Vanishing Strike Backstab Damage Increase II, Vanishing Strike Backstab Damage Increase III, Flickering Vanish, Vanishing Strike Stealth Duration Increase I, Vanishing Strike Stealth Duration Increase II, Vanishing Strike Stealth Duration Increase III, Rending Vanish, Rending Vanish Increase I, Rending Vanish Increase II, Rending Vanish Increase III

2. Level 15 11 points

   Take the Attack Speed row to Quickened Shadow, then the Bleeding duration row. It opens Shadow Daggers on the way and ends at Whispering Blades and the keystone Many-Cut Phantom.

   The nodes of this step

   Attack Speed Increase, Attack Speed Increase, Attack Speed Increase, Quickened Shadow, Bleeding Duration Increase, Bleeding Duration Increase, Shadow Daggers, Bleeding Duration Increase, Bleeding Duration Increase, Whispering Blades, Many-Cut Phantom

3. Level 21 11 points

   Take the damage against Bleeding row to Crimson Reaper, then unlock Shadow Convergence. Its first upgrade is Relentless Convergence, so you hold two charges.

   The nodes of this step

   Increased Damage vs. Bleeding, Increased Damage vs. Bleeding, Increased Damage vs. Bleeding, Increased Damage vs. Bleeding, Crimson Reaper, Critical Damage vs. Echoed, Critical Damage vs. Echoed, Shadow Convergence, Shadow Convergence Damage Increase I, Shadow Convergence Damage Increase III, Relentless Convergence

4. Level 24 7 points

   Take the three cooldown nodes to Harvesting Convergence, then its three increases so the strike consumes more Bleeding and Ruptures the target more often.

   The nodes of this step

   Shadow Convergence Cooldown Decrease I, Shadow Convergence Cooldown Decrease II, Shadow Convergence Cooldown Decrease III, Harvesting Convergence, Harvesting Convergence Increase I, Harvesting Convergence Increase II, Harvesting Convergence Increase III

5. Level 25 and 12 boss points 14 points

   Spend the rest on crit and speed: Critical Chance and Critical Damage near Shadow Initiate, Critical Damage against Bleeding under Crimson Reaper, one more Shadow Clone, and Thousand Cuts next to the keystone.

   The nodes of this step

   Critical Strike Chance Increase, Critical Strike Chance Increase, Critical Strike Chance Increase, Attack Speed Increase, Attack Speed Increase, Critical Damage Increase, Critical Damage Increase, Critical Damage Increase, Critical Damage vs. Bleeding, Critical Damage vs. Bleeding, Critical Damage vs. Bleeding, Critical Damage vs. Bleeding, Max Shadow Clone Count, Thousand Cuts

Agility gets the most points. It gives Physical Power and Attack Speed, and on this pair it also gives extra Stamina for dodges. Strength gives the most Physical Power per point, so it gets most of the rest. Physique gives 10 Health per point, and it gets a few points because this pair starts with very little Health.

Points are trained cheapest first: each one goes to the attribute whose next point costs the least XP at that moment. Trained this way, the points leave XP to spare before level 25, so 1 more point goes to Physique. That makes 55 points for 125321 XP. The order the guide started from bought 54 points for 124496 XP.

Stat priorities

• Agility first. Each point gives 0.5 Physical Power and 0.5 Attack Speed, and on this pair extra Stamina from the start passive. It is also the cheapest attribute for this pair.
• Strength second. It gives 1 Physical Power per point, the most of any attribute, but costs more than Agility.
• Physique last. Each point gives 10 Health on top of a base of 150.
• On gear: Bleed Damage and Critical Damage first, then Thrust Damage and Attack Speed. The tree already gives a lot of crit: Critical Strike Chance Increase gives 4 Critical Chance and 18 Critical Damage comes from one node alone.
• Max Bleeding matters because Harvesting Convergence needs a big stack. Crimson Reaper adds 2 and Thousand Cuts adds 3.

The planner link trains them in this order up to level 25. A point costs base x (1 + (points above your start - 1) / 3) ^ 1.1 + 100 x your level in XP, so the order changes the total.

Every slot, as a target: Mythical, 3 stars, forge level 12. That is the best piece a player can own in this version of the game. The planner link carries this gear, so the planner shows its totals and damage.

Damage slots take Thrust Damage, Bleed Damage, crit and Attack Speed, because every hit of this build is Thrust Damage or Bleeding. Bleed Damage has the highest base value of these stats (12 per roll at base, against 6 for Thrust Damage and 8 for Critical Damage), so the rings and one badge take it as the main stat. The undercoat, belt and charm can only roll defence or Stamina as main stats, so they take Health and Stamina: this pair starts with little Health, and dodges and blocks cost Stamina.

The stat values follow the game's forge rule for each piece's stars and forge level. The planner uses the same rule.

• Rune · Gorehorn · Mythical · 3 stars · +11 (forge level 12)
  Main stat: 16.5 Thrust Damage
  Extra stats: 8.2% Physical Damage, 10.3 Thrust Piercing, 6.2 Attack Speed, 23.5% Bleeding Damage, 9.3% Attack Damage, 14.1 HP
• Under-coat · Gorehorn · Mythical · 3 stars · +11 (forge level 12)
  Main stat: 22 HP
  Extra stats: 16.5 Stamina, 16.5 Stamina Regen, 12.4 Armor, 11.8 Thrust Armor, 11.2 Strike Armor, 7 Movement Speed
• Belt · Gorehorn · Mythical · 3 stars · +11 (forge level 12)
  Main stat: 22 HP
  Extra stats: 12.4 Armor, 16.5 Stamina, 16.5 Stamina Regen, 11.8 Strike Armor, 11.2 Thrust Armor, 10.6 Resistance
• Charm · Gorehorn · Mythical · 3 stars · +11 (forge level 12)
  Main stat: 22 Stamina
  Extra stats: 16.5 Stamina Regen, 16.5 HP, 12.4 Armor, 11.8 Resistance, 5.6 Spell Haste, 10.6 Strike Armor
• Ring 1 · Gorehorn · Mythical · 3 stars · +11 (forge level 12)
  Main stat: 33.1% Bleeding Damage
  Extra stats: 12.4 Thrust Damage, 8.2% Physical Damage, 6.2 Attack Speed, 2 Max Bleeding, 1.9 Bleeding Duration, 8.8 Thrust Piercing
• Ring 2 · Moonthorn · Mythical · 3 stars · +11 (forge level 12)
  Main stat: 8.3 Attack Speed
  Extra stats: 12.4 Thrust Damage, 8.2% Physical Damage, 24.7% Bleeding Damage, 9.8% Attack Damage, 9.3 Thrust Piercing, 14.1 HP
• Badge 1 · Moonthorn · Mythical · 3 stars · +11 (forge level 12)
  Main stat: 22% Critical Multiplier
  Extra stats: 6.2% Critical Rate, 12.4 Thrust Damage, 8.2% Physical Damage, 5.9 Attack Speed, 22.3% Bleeding Damage, 8.8% Attack Damage
• Badge 2 · Moonthorn · Mythical · 3 stars · +11 (forge level 12)
  Main stat: 33.1% Bleeding Damage
  Extra stats: 16.5% Critical Multiplier, 6.2% Critical Rate, 12.4 Thrust Damage, 7.8% Physical Damage, 5.6 Attack Speed, 14.1 HP
• Bracer 1 · Moonthorn · Mythical · 3 stars · +11 (forge level 12)
  Main stat: 8.3 Attack Speed
  Extra stats: 12.4 Thrust Damage, 8.2% Physical Damage, 24.7% Bleeding Damage, 9.8% Attack Damage, 14.9 HP, 14.1 Stamina
• Amulet 1 · Lionspear · Mythical · 3 stars · +11 (forge level 12)
  Main stat: 8.3% Critical Rate
  Extra stats: 16.5% Critical Multiplier, 6.2 Attack Speed, 12.4 Thrust Damage, 7.8% Physical Damage, 22.3% Bleeding Damage, 8.8% Attack Damage
• Amulet 2 · Lionspear · Mythical · 3 stars · +11 (forge level 12)
  Main stat: 22% Critical Multiplier
  Extra stats: 6.2% Critical Rate, 6.2 Attack Speed, 12.4 Thrust Damage, 7.8% Physical Damage, 22.3% Bleeding Damage, 8.8% Attack Damage
• Bracer 2 · Lionspear · Mythical · 3 stars · +11 (forge level 12)
  Main stat: 8.3 Attack Speed
  Extra stats: 12.4 Thrust Damage, 8.2% Physical Damage, 24.7% Bleeding Damage, 9.8% Attack Damage, 14.9 HP, 14.1 Stamina

While levelling

• Levels one to ten: wear anything you find. Moonthorn and Graveveil pieces drop from the goblins of the Goblin Cave, such as Goblin Flaskrat and Goblin Ripper. They are one star pieces, but Moonthorn already gives Thrust Damage at two pieces.
• From about level five, Wildwood Wolf packs drop Gorehorn rune, undercoat, ring and belt pieces. Pick up any Gorehorn piece and aim for three, then five.
• From about level ten, Wildwood Aetherfang Wolf drops Gorehorn and Lionspear, and the chests in the later part of the Wildwood roll Lionspear up to Mythical. Swap your first Moonthorn pieces for two or three star pieces as they come.
• After the Goblin King, the goblin bounties at higher deed tiers give Moonthorn with three stars and a Mythical chance. Finish with Gorehorn five, Moonthorn four and Lionspear three.

A character wears 12 runes. The bonuses listed are the ones these piece counts switch on.

• Gorehorn 5 pieces

  The bleed set. At five pieces, Bleeding enemies take more Physical Damage from you, and you get Critical Chance. In our files it only drops for the rune, undercoat, belt, charm and ring slots, so it fills those.

  • 3 pieces: +6% Physical Damage, +4 Attack Speed
  • 5 pieces: +6% Critical Rate, Bloodfrenzy: Bleeding enemies take +12% increased Physical Damage from you

  Where it drops: Wildwood Wolf: 5% per kill; Wildwood Aetherfang Wolf: 3% per kill.

  Where to farm it · Every source in the drop finder

• Moonthorn 4 pieces

  Thrust Damage and Movement Speed at two pieces. At four, every dash gives more Thrust Damage for a few seconds, plus Attack Speed. You dash all the time on this build, so the bonus is nearly always up.

  • 2 pieces: +8 Thrust Damage, +4% Movement Speed
  • 4 pieces: +5 Attack Speed, Quickleaf: after dashing, gain +12% Thrust Damage for 4 seconds. 3s cooldown

  Where it drops: Goblin Flaskrat: 1.67% per kill; Goblin Ripper: 1.67% per kill.

  Where to farm it · Every source in the drop finder

• Lionspear 3 pieces

  Thrust Damage and Critical Chance at three pieces. A player's Shadow Convergence build runs this set at six pieces; here it covers the amulets and one bracer.

  • 3 pieces: +10 Thrust Damage, +4% Critical Rate

  Where it drops: Wildwood Aetherfang Wolf: 3% per kill.

  Where to farm it · Every source in the drop finder

Everything the tree and the target gear add, stat by stat. Tree nodes give a flat amount or a percent; gear counts each piece at its target stars and forge level, plus the set bonuses the piece counts switch on.

Conditional stats (against Bleeding, Burning or Stunned targets) only count against those targets. Spell upgrades and keystones are not stats and are listed under the key nodes.