Best builds for beginners

One weapon per weapon tree, with PvE and PvP in mind, each with the gear most players use on it.

1
Holy Staff
Ranged
- Q
- W
- E
- P
Win rate56.8%
Fights: 59,370
- PvE: in 17 top Armory builds
- Strong control
- Healing and recovery
- Active defenses
What most players use
- Royal Cowl
  Head · 53.1%
- Cleric Robe
  Armor · 52.9%
- Mistwalker Shoes
  Shoes · 33.4%
- Lymhurst Cape
  Cape · 41.6%
- Mistcaller
  Off-hand · 63.7%
- Resistance Potion
  Potion · 65.2%
- Omelette
  Food · 71.8%
See full build See most used Holy Staff
2
Nature Staff
Ranged
- Q
- W
- E
- P
Win rate65.0%
Fights: 17,596
- PvE: in 2 top Armory builds
- Strong control
- Healing and recovery
- Active defenses
What most players use
- Assassin Hood
  Head · 50%
- Royal Armor
  Armor · 29.4%
- Mercenary Shoes
  Shoes · 40.2%
- Lymhurst Cape
  Cape · 46.8%
- Blueflame Torch
  Off-hand · 50.1%
- Gigantify Potion
  Potion · 73.6%
- Omelette
  Food · 33.2%
See full build See most used Nature Staff
3
Claws
Melee
- Q
- W
- E
- P
Win rate60.4%
Fights: 10,194
- PvE: in 2 top Armory builds
- Strong control
- Active defenses
- Invisibility
What most players use
- Fiend Cowl
  Head · 50.9%
- Assassin Jacket
  Armor · 70.6%
- Hunter Shoes
  Shoes · 36.6%
- Demon Cape
  Cape · 60.4%
- Poison Potion
  Potion · 65.3%
- Stew
  Food · 80.2%
See full build See most used Claws
4
Claymore
Melee
- Q
- W
- E
- P
Win rate58.8%
Fights: 20,744
- PvE: in 1 top Armory builds
- Strong control
- Mobility
- Active defenses
What most players use
- Stalker Hood
  Head · 38%
- Mage Robe
  Armor · 20.8%
- Assassin Shoes
  Shoes · 45%
- Thetford Cape
  Cape · 41.1%
- Gigantify Potion
  Potion · 36.6%
- Stew
  Food · 65.3%
See full build See most used Claymore
5
Heavy Crossbow
Ranged
- Q
- W
- E
- P
Win rate57.1%
Fights: 12,915
- Strong control
- Active defenses
- Effect removal
What most players use
- Guardian Helmet
  Head · 30.5%
- Cleric Robe
  Armor · 42.5%
- Mercenary Shoes
  Shoes · 17.5%
- Caerleon Cape
  Cape · 24.9%
- Gigantify Potion
  Potion · 53.4%
- Stew
  Food · 65.6%
See full build See most used Heavy Crossbow
6
Frost Staff
Ranged
- Q
- W
- E
- P
Win rate55.8%
Fights: 17,169
- PvE: in 1 top Armory builds
- Strong control
- Slows
- Mobility
What most players use
- Cowl of Purity
  Head · 29.5%
- Assassin Jacket
  Armor · 52.9%
- Hunter Shoes
  Shoes · 42.9%
- Smuggler Cape
  Cape · 23.8%
- Leering Cane
  Off-hand · 63.3%
- Poison Potion
  Potion · 37.3%
- Stew
  Food · 26.2%
See full build See most used Frost Staff
7
Bow
Ranged
- Q
- W
- E
- P
Win rate55.5%
Fights: 16,992
- PvE: in 1 top Armory builds
- Mobility
- Healing and recovery
- Active defenses
What most players use
- Helmet of Valor
  Head · 26.9%
- Cleric Robe
  Armor · 26.7%
- Shoes of Tenacity
  Shoes · 15.9%
- Thetford Cape
  Cape · 50.4%
- Resistance Potion
  Potion · 46.8%
- Stew
  Food · 69.3%
See full build See most used Bow
8
Infernal Staff
Ranged
- Q
- W
- E
- P
Win rate55.1%
Fights: 8,164
- Strong control
- Active defenses
- Immunities
What most players use
- Hunter Hood
  Head · 19.3%
- Cleric Robe
  Armor · 35.5%
- Royal Sandals
  Shoes · 18%
- Morgana Cape
  Cape · 20.5%
- Gigantify Potion
  Potion · 44.6%
- Stew
  Food · 57%
See full build See most used Infernal Staff
9
Demonic Staff
Ranged
- Q
- W
- E
- P
Win rate53.7%
Fights: 4,879
- Strong control
- Active defenses
- Invisibility
What most players use
- Guardian Helmet
  Head · 16.1%
- Mage Robe
  Armor · 21.5%
- Mercenary Shoes
  Shoes · 17.7%
- Thetford Cape
  Cape · 39.3%
- Gigantify Potion
  Potion · 23.2%
- Stew
  Food · 38.2%
See full build See most used Demonic Staff
10
Battle Bracers
Melee
- Q
- W
- E
- P
Win rate50.0%
Fights: 22,773
- Strong control
- Mobility
- Active defenses
What most players use
- Assassin Hood
  Head · 17.1%
- Assassin Jacket
  Armor · 47%
- Assassin Shoes
  Shoes · 22.1%
- Smuggler Cape
  Cape · 27.7%
- Gigantify Potion
  Potion · 50.4%
- Stew
  Food · 61.4%
See full build See most used Battle Bracers
11
Spear
Melee
- Q
- W
- E
- P
Win rate49.4%
Fights: 8,835
- PvE: in 1 top Armory builds
- Strong control
- Slows
- Mobility
What most players use
- Hunter Hood
  Head · 16.5%
- Assassin Jacket
  Armor · 44.6%
- Soldier Boots
  Shoes · 20.7%
- Smuggler Cape
  Cape · 40.3%
- Torch
  Off-hand · 74.9%
- Healing Potion
  Potion · 48.8%
- Stew
  Food · 25.6%
See full build See most used Spear
12
Quarterstaff
Melee
- Q
- W
- E
- P
Win rate46.8%
Fights: 15,804
- PvE: in 4 top Armory builds
- Strong control
- Mobility
- Healing and recovery
What most players use
- Hunter Hood
  Head · 26.6%
- Mercenary Jacket
  Armor · 58.4%
- Assassin Shoes
  Shoes · 22.6%
- Cape
  Cape · 20.3%
- Poison Potion
  Potion · 31.9%
- Stew
  Food · 47.5%
See full build See most used Quarterstaff
13
Battleaxe
Melee
- Q
- W
- E
- P
Win rate39.3%
Fights: 40,637
- PvE: in 8 top Armory builds
- Strong control
- Mobility
- Healing and recovery
What most players use
- Guardian Helmet
  Head · 24.2%
- Mercenary Jacket
  Armor · 69.3%
- Soldier Boots
  Shoes · 28.6%
- Cape
  Cape · 28%
- Torch
  Off-hand · 54.7%
- Gigantify Potion
  Potion · 34.4%
- Stew
  Food · 43.2%
See full build See most used Battleaxe
14
Great Hammer
Melee
- Q
- W
- E
- P
Win rate44.8%
Fights: 5,047
- Strong control
- Slows
- Mobility
What most players use
- Hood of Tenacity
  Head · 9.7%
- Guardian Armor
  Armor · 21.2%
- Hunter Shoes
  Shoes · 12.2%
- Smuggler Cape
  Cape · 45%
- Hellfire Potion
  Potion · 28.2%
- Avalonian Sandwich
  Food · 20.6%
See full build See most used Great Hammer
15
Mace
Melee
- Q
- W
- E
- P
Win rate43.4%
Fights: 21,396
- PvE: in 1 top Armory builds
- Strong control
- Slows
- Mobility
What most players use
- Royal Helmet
  Head · 21.4%
- Graveguard Armor
  Armor · 30.1%
- Hunter Shoes
  Shoes · 65.2%
- Bridgewatch Cape
  Cape · 28.1%
- Leering Cane
  Off-hand · 64.8%
- Gigantify Potion
  Potion · 34%
- Common Rudd
  Food · 25.1%
See full build See most used Mace
16
Arcane Staff
Ranged
- Q
- W
- E
- P
Win rate42.2%
Fights: 4,393
- Strong control
- Healing and recovery
- Active defenses
What most players use
- Hunter Hood
  Head · 33.1%
- Mercenary Jacket
  Armor · 26.4%
- Soldier Boots
  Shoes · 16.8%
- Thetford Cape
  Cape · 42.7%
- Muisak
  Off-hand · 23.3%
- Gigantify Potion
  Potion · 56.4%
- Stew
  Food · 36.4%
See full build See most used Arcane Staff

How we choose

We start from weapons that are simple to play, one per weapon tree. “Simple to play” is our own judgement, not something the data measures. We only use base weapons (no artifacts) so the gear is affordable: when a tree's usual weapon is an artifact, or another base weapon in the same tree clearly does better in our fights, we use that one. We sort by the evidence in favour: win rate close to or above what is expected in PvP (50% is expected for the gear level) and presence in the game's top PvE Armory builds; ties are broken by win rate. A weapon can sit low and still suit you: win rate measures PvP, not difficulty.

We use a sample of kills and battles between players, collected several times a day. Each kill is worth one win, split among the builds that took part according to each one's damage and healing (so healers count too), and one loss for the build that died. The average across all builds is therefore 50%. Rankings use a smoothed win rate: builds with few fights are pulled towards 50% so they do not top the list by luck. We correct for gear level: players with better gear win more fights whatever the weapon. So each weapon, build and piece is compared with the others that had gear of the same level, and the win rate shown tells how much it wins above or below what is expected for that level (50% = as expected). We never use or store player or guild names, and kills are discarded once counted.

Best builds for beginners

Holy Staff

Nature Staff

Claws

Claymore

Heavy Crossbow

Frost Staff

Bow

Infernal Staff

Demonic Staff

Battle Bracers

Spear

Quarterstaff

Battleaxe

Great Hammer

Mace

Arcane Staff

How we choose

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