Best Builds

Windrose's combat is open enough that several distinct build paths can carry a player through the launch-three biomes and into the Cursed Swamps endgame. This page is an overview of the most-discussed builds, their stat priorities, and the weapons and armor that anchor each. The current build (Early Access, version 0.10.0.5.x) is still in active balance churn, so specific tier letters are deliberately not used here. Builds that work today may shift after the next combat-tuning patch; the descriptions below focus on what each build is trying to do rather than where it sits on a strict ranking.

Stat ceilings, talent paths, and gear sources for every build below are documented on their dedicated pages. See Attributes And Stats for the six core stats (Strength, Agility, Precision, Mastery, Vitality, Endurance), Talent System for the talent tree, and Armor Sets for the rare set bonuses each build leans on.

Build Summary

Crit Greatsword

Crit Greatsword leans on big single hits with multipliers stacked behind them. Stat priority is Agility for the Greatsword scaling and Mastery for crit chance (0.5 percent per point). Most players run two-handed Greatsword with no off-hand, which means the build is committed to slow swings and big trades; positioning and dodge timing carry it. The Pikeman Set is the most common armor anchor because the set bonus rewards two-handed weapons. Talent priority typically routes through the heavy-weapon and crit branches; Talent System details the routes.

Strong against single targets that telegraph clearly. Weakest against grouped enemies and enemies that close distance fast, where the slow swing speed becomes a liability. The build is most rewarding on boss fights where dodge-and-counter rhythm matters more than sustained pressure.

Rapier Bleed

Rapier Bleed runs Precision-Mastery to maximize Rapier's per-hit damage and crit chance, then layers a bleed-on-hit talent or affix to apply damage-over-time stacks during normal swings. Most builds run a Pistol off-hand for the distance-closer and the parry pop, which keeps pressure on enemies between rapier strings. Flibustier Set is the conventional armor anchor because it favors light, mobile fighters.

The bleed loop is what makes the build distinct. Once a stack of bleeds is active, the player can disengage and recover stamina while damage continues to tick; against tougher enemies this is what closes the gap that pure rapier output cannot reach. The build wants Mastery for crit and bleed proc chance, plus enough Vitality to survive the windows where the rapier's short reach forces close-range combat.

Saber Agility Crit

Saber sits between Greatsword and Rapier in tempo: faster than Greatsword swings, longer reach than Rapier. The Agility-Mastery focus is the same as Crit Greatsword but the swing speed makes crit chance feel more impactful per second. Flibustier Set and a Pistol or Blunderbuss off-hand are common, although some players run a shield off-hand for tankier engagements. Talent priority routes through the agility-and-crit branches with frequent investment into stamina recovery.

The build's strength is its versatility. It clears trash crowds well thanks to Saber's reach and works against single-target bosses with the same crit-chain rhythm as Greatsword. Weakest against very heavy enemies where the per-hit damage cannot break poise, which is where the firearm off-hand earns its slot.

Ranged Musket

Ranged Musket is the longest-range build in the lineup. Stat priority is Precision for Musket scaling and Mastery for crit (headshots feed into the same crit table). The Marksman Set anchor gives the most-cited bonus for sustained ranged combat. The Overpenetration talent (Marksman, Tier 3) is required for the build to clear lines of grouped enemies; the talent was non-functional from launch through April 17 and only became reliable after Hotfix 0.10.0.2.54.

The build wants to keep fights at range and uses melee only as a panic button. A Saber or Rapier off-hand is common for emergency close-range. Stamina pressure is lower than the melee builds because Musket attacks consume different resources, but reload windows demand cover and positioning. Strongest against single targets and slow-moving grouped enemies; weakest in tight indoor fights and dungeon hallways where range advantage collapses.

Plague Halberd

Plague Halberd is the heaviest-frontline build of the five. Strength scales the Halberd's swing damage and Vitality keeps the player alive through the long swing animations. Conquistador Set is the conventional armor anchor because the ingot-tier defense values trade dodge speed for survivability. The Plague Halberd weapon itself drops in the Cursed Swamps and is the gating piece; until it drops, the build runs a generic Halberd with worse poise damage.

The build's identity is reach. Halberd swings cover wide arcs that hit grouped enemies and break poise on heavy targets that resist faster weapons. The trade is mobility: dodge windows are tighter, and the Plague Halberd's slow swing means missed reads are punished hard. Most players invest enough Endurance to absorb extra swings rather than relying on perfect timing. Particularly strong on the Cursed Swamps boss roster, which is the biome the weapon naturally pairs with.

Choosing A Build

None of the five builds dominates the others across every encounter. Pick based on the content the player is currently grinding: Crit Greatsword and Plague Halberd shine on boss-heavy progression, Saber Agility Crit handles mixed encounters best, Rapier Bleed excels at sustained mid-game grinding, and Ranged Musket is the cleanest pick for Cursed Swamps exploration where range is at a premium. Talents and stats can be reset for free at any Talent System respec point, so experimentation is cheap.

Early Access balance is still moving. Patches across April rebalanced bleed timing, fixed the Overpenetration talent, and adjusted boss scaling for multi-player encounters. Specific damage numbers and tier orderings shift between patches, so this page intentionally avoids locking exact rankings; the strengths and weaknesses described above are stable across the patches that have shipped to date.

See Also

• Attributes And Stats: six core stats and per-point values.

• Talent System: talent tree and respec rules.

• Armor Sets: rare set bonuses behind each build.

• Patch Notes: balance changes affecting builds since launch.