Vortex Bleed Minotaur Brawler

Open this build in the planner

The planner opens Horned Vanguard 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.

A player's build tier list puts a "Minotaur Vortex Brawler" in tier A, based on another player's build named for 100 percent crit chance. A bleed and crit Minotaur Brawler guide in the build guides channel uses Vortex, Gorehorn and Whirl of Gore, and several video guides show the same core. Those trees were shared as pictures and planner links, so this guide follows the idea and is not a copy of one tree.

• Build and balance messages that name Vortex: 21
• Messages that name Whirl of Gore: 20
• Messages that name the Gorehorn set: 324

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.

• Vortex hits every enemy in its path, so one cast puts Bleeding on a whole pack.
• Bleeding is the switch for most of the tree: Blood in the Water, the crit nodes against Bleeding enemies, and Whirl of Gore.
• Whirl of Gore gets stronger with more Bleeding stacks nearby, and the Bleeding cap nodes raise how many stacks each enemy can hold.
• Players report close to full crit chance against Bleeding targets once tree and gear come together.

The nodes that make it work

The first line under each node is the game text.

• VortexPress to cast. Spin toward your target, dealing Strike Damage and applying Bleeding to all enemies in your path.Vortex is the build's Bleeding source and its way to move through a fight.
• Repeating VortexVortex may be cast again within a short window. The damage of the second cast is reduced by 50%.Two spins per cast means two passes of Bleeding. This upgrade keeps the dash, so you can still use it to move.
• Blood in the WaterOn hitting an enemy with 10 or more Bleeding stacks, gain +15% Crit Chance for 5 seconds.Once a target holds enough Bleeding, this gives a large crit chance boost. A high Bleeding cap keeps it up.
• Child of the BloodhornIncrease the maximum Bleeding you can apply by 3. Increase your Critical Chance against Bleeding enemies by 8%A bigger Bleeding cap and crit chance against Bleeding enemies in one node.
• Whirl of GoreWhen hitting a Bleeding enemy, there is a chance to trigger a spinning AOE attack that deals Strike Damage. The chance increases for each Bleeding stack on nearby enemiesThe more Bleeding on nearby enemies, the more often it spins.
• Xwin's MightIncrease your damage vs. Bleeding enemies by 12%. Increase the maximum Rage you can hold by 2.More damage against Bleeding enemies, which is every target in this build.

• VortexFrom the skill tree · cooldown 8 sThe main spell. Cast it on every pack, twice with the upgrade. Its base cooldown is 8 seconds before the tree cuts it.
• Tendon SliceFrom Spellbook Tendon Slice · cooldown 4 sA spellbook that slices and applies Bleeding, with a short cooldown of 4 seconds. Use it to stack Bleeding on a boss between Vortex casts.
• Quick JabFrom the skill tree · cooldown 4 sA cheap hit with a short Physical Damage buff. Press it right before a spin.
• Cornu ChargeFrom the skill tree · cooldown 12 sYour gap closer and your escape from area attacks.
• Frenzied SlashesFrom Spellbook Frenzied Slashes · cooldown 6 sThe fifth button, from a spellbook you craft after the Goblin King. It bleeds every enemy around you, which fills stacks on a boss's adds and on packs Vortex missed.

Slot 1Vortex

Slot 2Tendon Slice

Slot 3Frenzied Slashes

Slot 4Quick Jab

Slot 5Cornu Charge

Dash keyDash

Defensive keyRetaliation

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

Silver Cat · casts Silver Ward every 30 seconds

The Silver Cat gives you a Magic Barrier when you take damage, with a long cooldown of 30 seconds. You cannot block while you spin, so this barrier covers the hit you could not avoid. Vortex and your spells already stack Bleeding, so a Bleeding pet adds less here. The guide thread picks a War Cat for Rage instead, but nothing in this tree spends Rage.

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 main heal. Drink it when a spin goes wrong, before the next big hit.
• Lesser Stamina PotionA revitalizing tonic scented with mint and wild herbs.Vortex, blocks and dashes all cost Stamina. On long bosses this keeps you spinning.
• Poison CureAn herbal tonic designed to purge harmful toxins from the body. Trusted by seasoned explorers.Treant fights put Poison on melee players. Cure it and keep attacking.
• Hunter's StewA warm, nourishing stew slow-cooked with care. Often shared at village hearths after long days of labor.Eat before a boss for more max health and Stamina for a long time. Only one food buff can be active.

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 7 12 points

   Go straight up the Minotaur tree to Vortex. It is the spell the whole build runs on, so nothing else comes first. The health and Strike Damage nodes on the way help while you fight with basic attacks, Quick Jab and Cornu Charge.

   The nodes of this step

   Health Boost, Health Boost, Strike Damage Increase, Strike Damage Increase, Minotaur Blood, Attack Speed Increase, Attack Speed Increase, Attack Speed Increase, Bovine Fervour, Max Bleeding Increase, Max Bleeding Increase, Vortex

2. Level 11 7 points

   Buy the three Vortex damage buffs, then Repeating Vortex and the three cooldown buffs. Repeating Vortex keeps the dash, and the cooldown buffs let you spin more often, so Bleeding goes on faster.

   The nodes of this step

   Vortex Damage Increase I, Vortex Damage Increase II, Vortex Damage Increase III, Repeating Vortex, Vortex Cooldown Reduction I, Vortex Cooldown Reduction II, Vortex Cooldown Reduction III

3. Level 16 10 points

   Fill the Bleeding branch: a higher cap, a longer duration, and Blood in the Water at the end. Blood in the Water needs many stacks on one target, and the cap nodes are what make that possible.

   The nodes of this step

   Max Bleeding Increase, Max Bleeding Increase, Max Bleeding Increase, Max Bleeding Increase, Max Bleeding Increase, Bleeding Duration Increase, Bleeding Duration Increase, Bleeding Duration Increase, Bleeding Duration Increase, Blood in the Water

4. Level 18 4 points

   Walk into the ring through Child of the Bloodhorn and take Whirl of Gore. By now you stack enough Bleeding for it to fire often, so this is where the extra damage starts.

   The nodes of this step

   Max Bleeding Increase, Max Bleeding Increase, Child of the Bloodhorn, Whirl of Gore

5. Level 23 11 points

   Take the crit nodes against Bleeding enemies up to Xwin's Might, the crit chance behind it, and the damage against Bleeding enemies below it. Every target you fight is Bleeding, so these act like plain crit and damage.

   The nodes of this step

   Critical Chance vs. Bleeding, Critical Chance vs. Bleeding, Critical Chance vs. Bleeding, Critical Chance vs. Bleeding, Xwin's Might, Critical Strike Chance Increase, Critical Strike Chance Increase, Increased Damage vs. Bleeding, Increased Damage vs. Bleeding, Increased Damage vs. Bleeding, Increased Damage vs. Bleeding

6. Level 25 and 12 boss points 16 points

   Finish with Critical Damage against Bleeding enemies around the ring to Blood Borne, then attack speed and Strike Damage. Crits are common by now, so Critical Damage is the better buy than more cap.

   The nodes of this step

   Sight of the Bloodbull, Critical Damage vs. Bleeding, Critical Damage vs. Bleeding, Critical Damage vs. Bleeding, Critical Damage vs. Bleeding, Blood Borne, Critical Strike Chance Increase, Critical Strike Chance Increase, Bleeding Duration Increase, Attack Speed Increase, Attack Speed Increase, Attack Speed Increase, Unbroken Advance, Strike Damage Increase, Strike Damage Increase, Physical Damage Increase

Agility gets just enough for Tendon Slice. Strength gets most points: 1 Physical Power per point, the most of any attribute. A few points in Physique add 10 health each, because this build stands in melee on bosses.

Points are trained cheapest first: each one goes to the attribute whose next point costs the least XP at that moment. The whole plan costs 122588 XP. The same points in the order the guide started from cost 126088 XP.

Stat priorities

• Strength is the main attribute: 1 Physical Power per point, twice what Agility or Adventure give.
• Agility only up to what Tendon Slice needs. Past that, a point of Strength gives more damage than a point of Agility (0.5 Physical Power).
• On gear, crit chance first. Every character starts at 0.02 crit chance, and Blood in the Water plus the crit nodes against Bleeding enemies only close part of the gap.
• Then Critical Damage (8 per stat) and Strike Damage (6 per stat), since almost all your damage is Strike.
• Physique for survival: 10 health per point on top of a base of 150.

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.

The rune and rings take Strike Damage, because Vortex, Whirl of Gore and your axe all deal Strike Damage. One ring adds Max Bleeding and Bleeding Duration, the only slot where the pool allows both. Bleed Damage rolls high per stat (12), so it is an extra wherever it fits. Spell Haste (3 per stat) on a bracer brings Vortex back sooner. Amulets and badges chase crit: 3 crit chance or 8 Critical Damage per stat. Physical Piercing helps against the late bosses, which have 30 Physical defence.

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 Strike Damage
  Extra stats: 8.2% Physical Damage, 6.2 Physical Piercing, 10.3% Attack Damage, 9.8 Strike Piercing, 22.3% Bleeding Damage, 5.3 Attack Speed
• Under-coat · Gorehorn · Mythical · 3 stars · +11 (forge level 12)
  Main stat: 22 HP
  Extra stats: 12.4 Armor, 12.4 Resistance, 12.4 Strike Armor, 11.8 Blunt Armor, 14.9 Stamina, 7 Movement Speed
• Belt · Gorehorn · Mythical · 3 stars · +11 (forge level 12)
  Main stat: 22 HP
  Extra stats: 12.4 Armor, 12.4 Resistance, 12.4 Strike Armor, 11.8 Blunt Armor, 14.9 Stamina, 14.1 Stamina Regen
• 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: 16.5 Strike Damage
  Extra stats: 8.2% Physical Damage, 6.2 Physical Piercing, 2.1 Max Bleeding, 2 Bleeding Duration, 5.6 Attack Speed, 8.8 Strike Piercing
• Ring 2 · Rumbler · Mythical · 3 stars · +11 (forge level 12)
  Main stat: 16.5 Strike Damage
  Extra stats: 8.2% Physical Damage, 6.2 Physical Piercing, 10.3% Attack Damage, 9.8 Strike Piercing, 5.6 Attack Speed, 21.1% Bleeding Damage
• Amulet 1 · Pitfighter · Mythical · 3 stars · +11 (forge level 12)
  Main stat: 8.3% Critical Rate
  Extra stats: 16.5% Critical Multiplier, 6.2 Attack Speed, 8.2% Physical Damage, 5.9 Spell Haste, 22.3% Bleeding Damage, 14.1 HP
• Amulet 2 · Pitfighter · Mythical · 3 stars · +11 (forge level 12)
  Main stat: 22% Critical Multiplier
  Extra stats: 6.2% Critical Rate, 6.2 Attack Speed, 8.2% Physical Damage, 5.9 Spell Haste, 22.3% Bleeding Damage, 14.1 HP
• Badge 1 · Rumbler · Mythical · 3 stars · +11 (forge level 12)
  Main stat: 22% Critical Multiplier
  Extra stats: 6.2% Critical Rate, 8.2% Physical Damage, 12.4 Strike Damage, 5.9 Attack Speed, 22.3% Bleeding Damage, 14.1 HP
• Badge 2 · Pitfighter · Mythical · 3 stars · +11 (forge level 12)
  Main stat: 22% Critical Multiplier
  Extra stats: 6.2% Critical Rate, 8.2% Physical Damage, 6.2 Attack Speed, 23.5% Bleeding Damage, 14.9 HP, 10.6 Armor
• Bracer 1 · Rumbler · Mythical · 3 stars · +11 (forge level 12)
  Main stat: 8.3 Spell Haste
  Extra stats: 6.2 Attack Speed, 8.2% Physical Damage, 12.4 Strike Damage, 9.8% Attack Damage, 22.3% Bleeding Damage, 14.1 HP
• Bracer 2 · Rumbler · Mythical · 3 stars · +11 (forge level 12)
  Main stat: 8.3 Attack Speed
  Extra stats: 6.2 Spell Haste, 8.2% Physical Damage, 12.4 Strike Damage, 9.8% Attack Damage, 22.3% Bleeding Damage, 14.1 HP

While levelling

• Levels one to ten: wear anything with Physical Damage, Strike Damage or health. Pitfighter and Rumbler pieces come early from goblins and Goblin Cave chests.
• When the wolves of the Wildwood are on your route, collect Gorehorn from Wildwood Wolf and Wildwood Aetherfang Wolf. Three pieces already give attack speed and Physical Damage.
• Swap goblin gear for Rumbler from Goblin Basher and treants as better rolls drop. Rotting and corrupted treants roll higher star counts than goblins.
• Target: Gorehorn 5 in the rune, undercoat, belt, charm and one ring, Rumbler 4 in the other ring, one badge and both bracers, and Pitfighter 3 in the amulets and the other badge.

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

• Gorehorn 5 pieces

  The set players name most for bleed and crit. At 3 pieces it adds Physical Damage and attack speed. At 5 pieces it adds crit chance and makes Bleeding enemies take more Physical Damage from you. Our drop tables list Gorehorn only as rune, undercoat, belt, charm and ring pieces, so 5 pieces is the target.

  • 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

• Rumbler 4 pieces

  Movement Speed at 3 pieces and Physical Damage at 4. It drops from Goblin Basher and treants, and it has bracer and badge pieces, which Gorehorn lacks. A player in the guide thread points to a Rumbler variant of this build.

  • 3 pieces: +5% Movement Speed
  • 4 pieces: +8% Physical Damage

  Where it drops: Goblin Basher: 33.33% per kill; Rotting Treant: 25% per kill.

  Where to farm it · Every source in the drop finder

• Pitfighter 3 pieces

  The last three slots. At 2 pieces it adds max health and Physical Damage, and at 3 it adds Armor. Its amulets and badge can carry crit stats as the main stat.

  • 2 pieces: +3% HP, +5% Physical Damage
  • 3 pieces: +10 Armor

  Where it drops: Dryad Beastwarden: 33.33% per kill; Dryad Beastwarden Corrupted Beast Key: 33.33% 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.