Revision - class builds - Windrose Wiki

Windrose has no formal class system. Build identity in the launch game emerges from talent-tree commitment plus weapon class plus armor set choice. Three build frameworks have stabilized as the practical templates community guides reference repeatedly: the Fencer (Agility or Precision driven), the Crusher (Strength driven), and the Marksman (Precision driven). Each is anchored by a specific talent tree (Talent System) and rewards committed gear and stat investment. This page covers the practical setup for each framework as it stands in the Early Access launch build.

Build Comparison at a Glance

Windrose character creation screen with appearance options

Build	Primary Stat	Damage Profile	Sature Loop	Anchor Weapon
Fencer (Rapier)	Precision	Sustained DPS with Bleed stacks	Pistol opener for Vulnerability, Rapier for stack, swap to second Rapier or Pistol	Rapier of a Thousand Cuts
Fencer (Saber)	Agility	AoE clears and burst	Wide-arc Saber swings, Blunderbuss for boss windows	Cutlass or Arboris Saber
Crusher	Strength	Heavy single-hit damage with stagger	Plague Halberd stacks Plague Echoes; consume for sustain heal	Plague Halberd
Marksman	Precision	Burst ranged DPS	Sniper's Focus charge, Bulletstorm window, Pistol off-hand	Reliable Musket

Fencer (Rapier and Pistol)

The most-cleared launch build. Combines Precision scaling with the Bleed-stacking Rapier loop. Survives Cursed Swamps content with a 2+2 armor split because the build's damage prevents most fights from reaching late phases.

Slot	Recommended
Stat priority	Precision 25, Vitality 10, Endurance 10, Mastery 5
Main weapon	Rapier of a Thousand Cuts (mid-game), Rapier of Devastation (late-game)
Off-hand weapon	Drake's Double-Barreled Pistol or Reliable Pistol
Armor	2x Conquistador Set + 2x Pikeman Set early; transition to 4x Flibustier's Attire late-game
Key talents	Marathon Runner 3/3, Just a Flesh Wound 3/3, Stout Frame 3/3, Too Angry to Die 1/3, You Will Answer for This 2/3
Food buffs	Swamp Pie (+20 Precision), Coffee (Endurance)
Elixir	Infused Elixir of Cruelty

Crusher (Plague Halberd)

The high-damage stagger build. Trades attack speed for raw hit output. The Plague Halberd Plague Echoes mechanic provides a built-in heal that lets the build sit deeper inside enemy ranges than other Strength options.

Slot	Recommended
Stat priority	Strength 20, Vitality 15, Endurance 10
Main weapon	Plague Halberd
Off-hand weapon	Plague Pistol or Drake's Double-Barreled Pistol
Armor	4x Pikeman Set for the +15% two-handed damage 4-piece bonus on top of +160 HP
Key talents	Marathon Runner 2/3, Stitches and Rum 1/3, Bonecrusher 3/3, Outnumbered 2/3, Massive 1/3
Food buffs	Meaty Croc Kebab (+20 Strength), Coffee (Endurance)
Elixir	Infused Elixir of Firm Hand

Marksman (Reliable Musket)

The burst-from-range build. Demands more positioning skill than the other two but rewards it with the highest single-shot damage in the launch game. Less stamina-dependent than the melee builds, which lets the stat split skew further into Precision.

Slot	Recommended
Stat priority	Precision 35, Vitality 10, Endurance 0 to 5
Main weapon	Reliable Musket
Off-hand weapon	Reliable Pistol or Plague Pistol
Ammunition	Bullet Arborum or Iron Bullet
Armor	4x Marksman Set for +15% ranged damage on top of -30% sprint stamina
Key talents	Bull's Eye 3/3, Quick Hand 3/3, Bulletstorm 3/3, Sniper's Focus 2/3, Firearm Training 1/3
Food buffs	Swamp Pie (+20 Precision) plus Banana Muffin (+10 Precision) stacked
Elixir	Infused Elixir of Concentration for +30% Critical Damage

Hybrid Builds and Variants

Three hybrid variants are common enough to be worth naming. The first is the Saber-Blunderbuss Boarding build, which mixes Agility-scaled Sabers for melee with the Dragon's Breath Blunderbuss for grouped enemies and pirate camps. The second is the Crusher-with-Soul-Eater hybrid, which uses Strength-leaning stats for stagger but slots the Soul Eater greatsword into the off-hand for emergency self-heal during boss windows. The third is the Tank Marksman, which trades raw Precision for higher Vitality and uses 2x Conquistador plus 2x Marksman armor; the result deals less damage per shot but holds aggro in co-op encounters where ranged characters typically die first.

When to Respec

Respec is free and unlimited in Windrose, so the practical rhythm for these builds is to lock in the early-game version (Endurance and Vitality first, damage stat second) for the Coastal Jungle and early Foothills, then respec into the mature build before the Israel Hands fight, and again before the High Priestess if the build calls for a different talent split. Forcing one allocation across the entire campa typically leaves the early game stamina-starved and the late game underpowered. See Respec for the in-game flow.

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