Last updated: 30th July 2020
Introduction
Remember that class guides are a rough explanation of the class, designed to give you an idea of the class and what you should be aiming for. You should really adapt the guide and follow your own instincts to match your play-style! I also highly recommend looking at as many different sources as possible and gathering as much information as you can about your class before deciding what is best for you and how you play. The class discords are a great place to start, most have their own guides and resources as well as plenty of skilled players willing to help with questions.
The Sorceress class was one of the ‘original’ 4 classes in Black Desert. She is a dark magic user with a mixture of mid-range to melee skills. The Sorceress class uses an Amulet as their primary weapon and Talisman as their secondary weapon. At level 56, Sorceress unlocks their awakening weapon which is a Scythe. The Sorceress class uses mostly melee range spins and slashes with her Scythe, as well as some ranged abilities and massive AoEs.
Sorceress is top tier in 1v1 and 1vx situations because of her many iframe abilities and ability to kite and engage only when it favours her. You may find them difficult to play and even harder to master because of their low defense. Getting caught or messing up your skills in PvP can result in a very quick and painful death. They aren’t as strong in node wars and sieges, so you will want to kite and try to pick out solo targets. Sorceress is highly effective in flank/flex groups in nodewars and that is their main role in larger PVP.
Check out the video below to see some examples of character creation and combat.
Source: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCcO-TjLkDNzvYrlPkOHgnfA/videos
PROS
- Great in 1v1 and 1vx situations
- Hybrid mid-range class
- AoE skills
- Decent sustain
- High mobility
- Lots of iframes
CONS
- Low defense
- Weaker in group PvP/Seiges
- Hard to play
- No grab skill
Succession
Sorceress Succession can be unlocked after level 56 after speaking to the Black Spirit and completing the Succession quest under the suggestions tab. This will give you a totally seperate skill tree that enhances your main hand skills and only has a few awakening skills. Your awakening weapon still effects your succession damage but is not as much of a priority. You can get away with using a Green/Blue grade TRI Ultimate weapon without losing too much damage. This is because only 30% of your Awakening AP is applied to the damage of Succession skills, as well as the additional item stats, such as Human/Species Damage and Accuracy.
Succession is considered better in general for PVE at end game. Like with most classes, succession pulls higher trash loot in end game spots but until then Awakening will perform better. For 1v1 and 1vx, awakening is better while Succession is better for larger scale PVP. Both options are completely viable though and it isn’t too skill point heavy that a new player can’t begin with succession straight away.
In each section of the guide you can find additional information about succession skills.
Skills
Pre-Awakening skill build – Level 55 (521 skill points): https://bdocodex.com/us/skillbuilder/112014
If you’ve just reached level 50 or you’re still leveling, use this build to put you in the right direction of what skills you should be using.
Make sure you reset your skills at level 56 though because you will need skill points for your awakening skills and will only really need the support skills from pre-awakening.
Post-Awakening skill build – Level 56 (607 skill points): https://bdocodex.com/us/skillbuilder/81396
Low-tier skill build – Level 60 (981 skill points): https://bdocodex.com/us/skillbuilder/81400
Mid-tier skill build – Level 60 (1508 skill points): https://bdocodex.com/us/skillbuilder/81353
End-Game skill build – Level 60 (1752 skill points): https://bdocodex.com/us/skillbuilder/103615
Always prioritize Awakening skills before leveling your Absolute Skills.
Succession skill build – Level 56 (800 skill points): https://bdocodex.com/us/skillbuilder/103612
Succession High-Tier skill build – Level 60 (1231 skill points): https://bdocodex.com/us/skillbuilder/103614
Succession End-Game skill build – Level 60 (1887 skill points): https://bdocodex.com/us/skillbuilder/103486
- Keys in square brackets [] mean that you tap the key. For example, [Q] means you tap Q once.
- Keys in round brackets () mean that you hold the key. For example, (HOLD Q) means you hold Q until the next step. (PERMAHOLD Q) means you hold Q throughout the combo.
- Keys separated by a “+” symbol should be used at the same time. For example, [Q] + [LMB] means you tap Q and LMB at the same time.
- Keys separated by a “>” symbol show the order you should follow out the steps. For example, [Q] + [LMB] > [F] means you tap Q and LMB at the same time, then tap F
- [LMB] refers to left-clicking with your mouse, [RMB] refers to right-clicking with your mouse.
Skill descriptions are still in development and you should either skip this section or take it with a grain of salt.GENERAL
Shards of Darkness
[Q]
Each time you use a skill to hit a target, you will generate Shards of Darkness. These will be stored and can be used in a variety of ways. You can see how many Shards you have collected just above your health bar at the bottom of your screen. Pressing [Q] will consume all of your Shards to restore mana and buff your damage. Shards of Darkness has 3 gradess. Each grade will store an additional 10 fragments. At max grade your damage buff will be +30 AP.

Spirit Absorption
Passive
Spirit Absorption I will passively generate 1 shard every 10 seconds. Spirit Absorption II will create 1 extra fragment for every skill you use that hits.
Shield of Darkness
[SHIFT] + [Q]
Shield of Darkness will give you a +13 DP buff at max grade. It has a 5 minute duration and a 4 minute 30 seconds cooldown so this skill has a 100% uptime.
Bloody Contract
(HOLD SHIFT) + (HOLD SPACE)
This skill consumes your mana to convert it into health. If you’re having a bit of trouble with this skill, I would advise putting this skill on your skill bar to avoid jumping by accident.
Dark Armor
Passive
This skill is is a passive which will give you extra DP.
Dark Maneuver
Passive
This skill is is a passive which will give you extra Evasion.
DODGES
Evasion
(HOLD SHIFT) + [A] OR [S] OR [D]
This skill is your roll dodge. You can roll to the sides or backwards.
Night Crow
(HOLD SHIFT) + [A] OR [S] OR [D]
This skill replaces the Evasion skill if you have enough stamina to cast it. I does cost more stamina and will teleport you in a direction. You can also teleport forward by double tapping [W]

Crow Food
Passive
This skill allows you to teleport when you don’t have enough stamina but will consume one Shard instead.
Rushing Crow
[W] + [RMB]
Rushing Crow is a forward dash/charge at a target. It will hit the target and put a magic debuff on them. It’s a great skill to open with.
KICKS
Low Kick/Shadow Kick
[F]
Low kick is one of your two kicks. It can be used whilst sprinting to perform a flying kick and is used in many secret skill combos.
High Kick
[F] > [F]
High Kick can be used after Low Kick/Shadow Kick by pressing [F] again. At maximum grade the skill is named “Scattering Shadow” and will deal higher magic damage, as well as giving you high magic accuracy.
DAMAGE
Dark Spirit
[LMB]
Dark Spirit is your melee auto attack. The skill will attack 4 times if you hold it, before resetting the animation. On the third attack you hit extra damage. This skill will restore mana on hit. Higher grades will increase the amount of mana you restore, along with accuracy and damage. This skill can be cast while sprint to cast the Sharp Nails skill.

Flow of Darkness
[LMB] + [A] OR [D]
This skill allows you to strafe left or right whilst using Dark Spirit. It does use your stamina but will give you an evasion buff once used.
Sinister Energy
[RMB]
Sinister Energy is your ranged auto attack. It will restore mana when you hit a target and at higher grades will deal more damage, restore more mana and hit more targets.

Sinister Shadow
[HOLD RMB] + [A] OR [D]
This skill allows you to strafe left or right while using Sinister Energy. It does use your stamina but will give you an evasion buff once used.

Absolute Darkness
[HOLD S] + [RMB]
This skill will empower your auto attacks to do more damage and generate extra Shards. It will also reduce the targets magic defense.

Black Wave
[HOLD S] + [HOLD LMB + [HOLD RMB]
Black Wave knocks back enemies and deals lots of damage. It does have a 10 second cooldown that can’t be ignored. But at max grade you can cast it 5 times and hit a maximum of 7 targets. It’s an important skill to rank up.
Shard Explosion
Skill Bar
Shard Explosion extends from the skill “Shards of Darkness” and will consume all of your collected Shards to do lots of damage in an area in from of you. It will restore mana and has a critical chance of 100% and accuracy of 100%. The skill does have a long cooldown and can only be used on your skill bar.
Darkness Released
[F] + [W] OR [S]
Darkness Released can be used in two different ways. Using [W] will knock down enemies whilst using [S] will knock back enemies. Higher ranks will increase the rangem damage and knockback distance.
Midnight Stinger
[LMB]
Midnight Stinger will flinch targets and deal a lot of damage as well as giving you a critical chance buff. The buff doesn’t stack with Sinister Shadow but at max rank will give you a 40% critical chance buff and the ultimate can be used in a quick combo with lots of other skills.

Eruption of Guilt
Passive
This skill will consume a percentage of your max mana to deal more damage and give you a 40% critical chance buff for 10 seconds.
Claws of Darkness
(HOLD S) + (HOLD LMB)
This skill will consume your mana to deal lots of damage and knock back enemies. At max grade it will also slow enemies.

Dark Flame
[S] + [LMB] + [RMB]
You can also use (HOLD S) + (HOLD LMB) + (HOLD RMB) to continuously attack. This skill is an air jump which will knock down enemies and deal more damage. At higher grade it will hit more times and the ultimate will add a burn effect and combos together to deal high damage.
Signs of Agony
[S] + [E]
Signs of Agony is a projectile stun which will deal damage over time. At higher grade the travel time will be increased and damage over time will also be increased. This skill scales with your maximum health and can be used whilst on cooldown but will not stun.
Crow Flare
[E]
This skill will inflict a casting speed debuff on the target. The ultimate can be used in combos.

Beak Kick
[E] > [F] OR [RMB]
This skill will combo out of Crow Flare to deal more damage and knockdown enemies. At max rank it will also inflict an evasion debuff to targets.
Mark of the Shadow
(HOLD SHIFT) + (HOLD LMB)
This skill is similar to the chain lightning ability that Wizard and Witch has. You can channel the skill until you mana runs out. It drains the health of it’s targets and at higher ranks will restore your health. The two top ranks will also slow targets. This skill is great for pulling mobs.
Shadow Eruption
(HOLD SHFIT) + (HOLD F)
shadow Eruption will deal damage to enemies in front of you with a high knockdown. If you have the ultimate of Shadow Eruption you can hold [LMB] after the skill to deal another hit and higher damage.
Sinister Omen
Skill Bar
Sinsiter Omen will inflict a debuff dealing damage over time to targets hit. Shortly after it will detonate and deal additional damage, as well as reducing the enemies movement and attack speed by 30% for 10 seconds.
Dream of Doom
[SHIFT] + [E] > [LMB]
This is your 100% Black Spirt Rage skill. You can begin casting it by pressing [SHIFT] and [E] at the same time. It does take a while to cast but will make your character float in the air. You can move whilst floating using [W], [A], [S] and [D] then when you are ready to fire press [LMB]. This is one of your main damage skills and will also knock down up to 10 targets. At level 50 you should unlock the ultimate (Imminent Doom) which will remove the cast time of the skill completely.
Bloody Calamity
Skill Bar
This skill is your 200% Black Spirit Rage skill. You can instantly cast it if you use Night Crow beforehand in the following combo: [SHIFT] + [A] OR [D] OR [S] > [SPACE]. The skill will hit all enemies around your character and inflict a bleed and accuracy debuff. The skills cooldown is 40 seconds but you should be using it every time it’s up.
Abyssal Flame
(HOLD LMB) + (HOLD RMB)
This skill is completely optional. I would only really recommend getting this skill after you have your main build. It does combo with quite a lot of other skills and has no cooldown. You can charge the skill to deal more damage but you don’t need to full charge to cast it. It will return health for each target hit and deal a lot of damage.
Skill Combos
The following skill combos are very basic combos/cancels and some additional tips/tricks for your class. I recommend using video guides to learn more complex skill combos, because it is much easier to see exactly what you should be doing, rather than reading it and trying to wrap your head around it all. There are some recommended skill combo videos in the Useful Links section and the end of the guide!
- Keys in square brackets [] mean that you tap the key. For example, [Q] means you tap Q once.
- Keys in round brackets () mean that you hold the key. For example, (HOLD Q) means you hold Q until the next step. (PERMAHOLD Q) means you hold Q throughout the combo.
- Keys separated by a “+” symbol should be used at the same time. For example, [Q] + [LMB] means you tap Q and LMB at the same time.
- Keys separated by a “>” symbol show the order you should follow out the steps. For example, [Q] + [LMB] > [F] means you tap Q and LMB at the same time, then tap F
- [LMB] refers to left-clicking with your mouse, [RMB] refers to right-clicking with your mouse.
Skill combos are still in development and you should either skip this section or take it with a grain of salt.
Required skills: Rushing Crow, Night Crow, Midnight Stinger
[SHIFT] + [LMB] > [W] + [RMB] > [W] > [W] > [SHIFT] + [LMB]
This combo is great for gap closing. It uses Midnight Stinger, into Rushing Crow then Night Crow. By this time Midnight Stinger is off it’s short cooldown and you can use it again.
Required skills: Night Crow, Abyssal Flame
(HOLD SHIFT) + [S] > (HOLD LMB) + (HOLD RMB)
This combo will instantly cast Abyssal Flame with a full charge. Allowing you to lifesteal without having to stand in one place. You can then use Abyssal Flame again shortly afterwards.
Required skills: Flow of Darkness, Shadow Eruption
[LMB] + [A] OR [D] > (HOLD SHIFT) + (HOLD F)
This combo will instantly cast Shadow Eruption after the strafe.
Required skills: Low Kick, High Kick, Shadow Eruption
[F] > (HOLD SHIFT) + (HOLD F)
This combo will instantly cast Shadow Eruption after the High Kick. The duration of the combo does make it faster and allows you to get extra damage on the target from the kick.
Required skills: Signs of Agony, Mark of Shadow
[E] + [S] > (HOLD SHIFT) + (HOLD RMB)
This combo will ignore the cast time of Mark of Shadow. Signs of Agony will stun the enemies then you can instantly cast Mark of Shadow to slow enemies as well.
Required skills: Signs of Agony, Abyssal Flame
[E] + [S] > (HOLD LMB) + (HOLD RMB)
This combo allows you to instantly cast Abyssal Flame.
Locked Skills
These are the skills I recommend locking to help prevent messing up combos during PVP:
Evasion, Bloody Contract, Abyssal Flame, Soul Harvest, Scattering Shadow*





To lock a skill, press the lock icon on the top of each skill icon in the skill window (K).
Most players choose to lock Scattering Shadow and then use the skill from their hotbar as a down smash.
It’s also advised to lock all BSR skills (except Grim Reaper’s Judgement) if you are a new player.
Absolute Skills
Below are the recommended Absolute Skills you should take in order of priority:
Absolute: Dream of Doom– Requires level 59 (48 Skill Points)
Absolute: Dark Flame – Requires level 59 (38 Skill Points)
Absolute: Bloody Calamity – Requires level 60 (50 Skill Points)
Absolute: Shadow Eruption – Requires level 57 (40 Skill Points)
Absolute: Rushing Crow – Requires level 57 (12 Skill Points)
Absolute: Scattering Shadow – Requires level 58 (14 Skill Points)
Absolute: Signs of Agony – Requires level 56 (32 Skill Points)
All other absolute skills are either not worth the points or completely down to preference.
Rabam Skills
Level 56
Shadow Ignition – Requires [Bloody Calamity] and [Shadow Erruption IV] (Preferred Choice)
Crow Nightmare – Requires [Bloody Calamity] and [Rushing Crow II]
Shadow Ignition is simply the better choice out of the two due to the high damage and low cooldown, combined with the fact the skill has air smash. It can often be used imediately after an iframe to catch players out or in a combo after skills with a float CC.
Level 57
Engulfing Shadow – Requires [Crow Flare III] and [Midnight Stinger II]
Abyssal Blow – Requires [Crow Flare III] and [Abyssal Flame III]
Both of the Rabam skills have different advantages and I would personally try out both and see which fits your playstyle better. Engulfing Shadow is usually the preferred choice because it is a gap closer with super armor and also has good damage. Abyssal Blow is a mid-range skill with a front guard. The skill also heals you for a decent amount.
Skill Add-ons
Below are some examples of viable skill add-ons you can take. I recommend experimenting with your add-ons and figuring out what is best for you, because it really depends on your personal preference and how you play your class. If you’re simply not sure what to take then you can blindly follow the examples below and they will still be effective.
You can also check our Skill Add-on guide for a complete list of all Sorc Skill Add-ons.
PVX Skill Add-ons [Awakening]

[Level 50] Bloody Calamity
Casting Speed +10% for 5 sec. for selfInstantly Recovers 30 HP per hit
[Level 52] Shadow Eruption
Attack against monsters +25 for 8 sec. for selfCasting Speed +10% for 5 sec. for self
[Level 54] Absolute DarknessCritical Hit Rate +30% for 9 sec. for selfCasting Speed +7% for 5 sec. for self
[Level 56] Violation
All Accuracy +4% for 12 sec. for selfCasting Speed +7% for 5 sec. for self
[Level 58] Turn-back Slash
Casting Speed +7% for 5 sec. for selfInflicts 50 Bleeding Damage per 3 sec. for 15 sec. for target
[Level 60] Grim Reaper’s Judgment
PVP Attack +15 for 5 sec. for selfCasting Speed +10% for 5 sec. for self
PVX Skill Add-ons [Succession]

[Level 50] Crow Flare
All Defense +10 for 10 sec. for selfAll Evasion +3% for 10 sec. for self

[Level 52] Bloody Calamity
Casting Speed +10% for 5 sec. for selfInstantly Recovers 30 HP per hit

[Level 54] Shadow EruptionAttack against monsters +25 for 8 sec. for selfCasting Speed +10% for 5 sec. for self

[Level 56] Dream of Doom
PVP Attack +10 for 5 sec. for selfInstantly Recovers 30 MP/WP/SP per hit
[Level 58] Abyssal Flame
Critical Hit Rate +10% for 9 sec. for selfInflicts 60 Burn Damage per 3 sec. for 9 sec. for target

[Level 60] Absolute Darkness
All Accuracy +4% for 12 sec. for selfCritical Hit Rate +30% for 9 sec. for self
Weapons/Armor
The best weapons in the game are currently dropped from World Bosses.
For more information on this click here to view our World Bosses guide.
Primary Weapons:
Rosar Amulet
The Rosar Amulet is what you should be aiming for to level your character. You should enhance it to at least +7 for leveling and then PRI or higher as soon as possible if you don’t have Liverto/Kzarka. Aim to buy a +15 Rosar Amulet if you can to save your enhancing resources. Ideally you will want to buy or make it ultimate (yellow) to close the AP difference as well. Make sure you also make use of the gem slots to get your Attack Speed and Critical Hit up to 5.
Another alternative is the Styd Amulet for leveling if you are having trouble obtaining a Rosar Amulet. This weapon can be bought from a Blacksmith and will give you 18 – 22 AP as well as a lot of accuracy.
Liverto Amulet
Liverto is the fourth strongest mainhand and much easier to obtain and enhance than Kzarka. I personally would not invest in a Liverto because it will just slow your progression. Go to a kzarka as early as possible. If you do already have liverto and have already invested into it, you will want to upgrade it to PRI or higher as soon as possible. I would recommend getting it to TRI at most and then you really want to switch to Kzarka. The liverto has slightly more AP than Rosar, but it also has a Critical Hit Rate +3 item effect.
Kzarka Amulet
Kzarka is the main weapon you will be using. It has the same AP as Liverto but more accuracy and an Attack Speed +3 item effect.
Offin Tett’s Radiant Amulet
Offin Tett weapons are usually not worth investing in because of the loss in accuracy. It can help you push to the next AP bracket but at higher AP brackets the extra AP you get is smaller and you’ll be losing hit chance % at the same time on both your preawakening and your awakening. So really you’re actually losing damage overall since you won’t be hitting the enemy as much (unless they are full DR). Offin Tett can be good when you reach certain AP brackets and if your class doesn’t depend on accuracy as much as others, but if you’re unsure whether you should be using this weapon or not, it’s much safer to just use Kzarka.
Blackstar Amulet
Blackstar is considered the current best in slot mainhand weapon with higher base AP than Kzarka. It must be crafted using items in Star’s End and then following a questline. The weapon is also harder to enhance so most players only switch to Blackstar once they already have TET Kzaraka and very high AP with no easier upgrades. It has a Damage to All Species +10 and Attack Speed +3 item effect, as well as other bonuses when enhanced. The weapon cannot be enhanced with Caphras stones though. Blackstar is considered best for PVE at endgame but eventually a PEN Kzarka will outscale.
Offhand Weapons:
Jubre Talisman
The Jubre Talisman is currently considered the best offhand to go with if you are a beginner. It is a good selection, for PVE until you can afford a Kutum. You should enhance it to at least +7 for leveling and then PRI or higher as soon as possible. Aim to buy a +15 if you can to save your enhancing resources. Ideally you will want to buy or make it ultimate (yellow) as well.
Rhik Talisman
Rhik Talisman is the best defensive build offhand if you want to go for more of a DP build. I wouldn’t recommend investing in the Rhik Talisman until you have high AP already (261+ Nouver at minimum).
Kutum Talisman
This offhand gives a mixture of AP and DP with added monster damage and accuracy. The Kutum weapons also have a 10% ignore resistance. The higher AP makes this weapon a best in slot for PVE and is also good for PVP in late game. When you are 261 (using Nouver) it is actually better to use Nouver in PVE as well because of the bonus AP given in the AP brackets. Once you reach over 261 AP (with Kutum) it is better to switch back to Kutum for PVE. More information about AP and DP brackers can be found here
It also has 2 crystal slots. The Kutum dagger can also be modified using an Inverted Hearth of Garmoth to give extra stats (Max HP +150, Max Stamina +100, Special Attack Evasion Rate +10%).
Nouver Talisman
Nouver is currently considered the best in slot choice for PVP until you reach very high AP brackets. You should aim to have TRI gear before switching to this offhand. The offhand gives pure AP and an all resistance +10% item effect and can be modified using an Inverted Hearth of Garmoth to give extra stats (Max HP +150, Max Stamina +100, Special Attack Evasion Rate +10%).
When you are 261 (using Nouver) it is actually better to use Nouver in PVE as well because of the bonus AP given in the AP brackets. Once you reach over 261 AP (with Kutum) it is better to switch back to Kutum for PVE. More information about AP and DP brackers can be found here
Awakening Weapons:
Scythe of Seduction
This is a green grade weapon which is sold by some Blacksmith/Arms dealers. You will also receive a +10 Scythe of Seduction when you complete your awakening quests. This weapon has lower AP than the other options but it is still viable for PvE due to it’s Damage Against Every Species +5 item effect. It’s also much cheaper to enhance and repair max durability than the other options so if you don’t have a lot of money or participate in a lot of PvP, then this weapon is a good alternative until you get Dandelion.
Spell of Seduction Scythe
This Scythe is a blue grade weapon which is given to you when you complete the awakening quests. The only ways to obtain this weapon is through the quest or night vendor. This makes is hard to obtain and it can be more expensive to repair. The scythe is good for PvP and has higher AP than the Scythe of Seduction. It also has a Damage Against Human +7 item effect which is good for PVP.
Dragon Slayer Scythe
Dragon Slayer weapons are very comparable to the Dandelion weapons with their stats. They have slightly less AP but are much cheaper to repair and much less hassle. However, the Dragon Slayer weapons cannot be placed on the marketplace and must be crafted by the player themselves.
Dandelion Scythe
Dandelion weapons are the BiS awakening weapons. It has much higher AP but it is only obtainable from a Dandelion Weapon Box (Karanda world boss loot) or from the night vendor.
Armor:
The best armor in the game is currently dropped from Bosses. You will want to aim to get the boots and gloves first.
Griffon’s Helmet (helmet) – dropped from Griffons in Kamaslyvia.
Dim Tree Spirit’s Armor (chest) – dropped from Dim Tree Spirit.
Bheg’s Gloves (gloves) – dropped from Bheg.
Urugon’s Shoes (shoes) – dropped from Urugon (Gaifinrasia Raid Captain Scroll).
Giath’s Helmet (helmet) alternative choice – dropped from Giath.
Muskan’s Shoes (shoes) alternative choice– dropped from Monastery Leader.
The best in slot armor for an AP Sorceress is Griffon’s Helmet, Dim Tree Spirit’s Armor, Bheg’s Gloves and Urugon’s Shoes.
The full set will give you Maximum MP/WP/SP +100, Maximum HP +200, Max Stamina +200, Attack Speed +1, Casting Speed +1, Movement Speed +1 and All Resistances 5%. You will also get higher Accuracy, Evasion and Damage Reduction from these pieces.
In the mean time you should be using one of the following armor sets:
A popular armor choice is to go full 


Grunil set because it increases your maximum HP and will give you 2 socket slots on each piece, along with extra AP +7 set bonus. Another advantage of using this set is that it is viable on any class, allowing you to swap to another class easily.
Full Heve set is also a very popular choice and what I would recommend to a new player because it has an easier transition to boss gear. As soon as you get one boss item with Grunil, you lose the set bonuses which Grunil weaker.
Another alternative is to use is the Akum set. It has comparable stats to boss armor and also a very useful set effect that gives Damage Reduction and Hidden AP. If you are unable to get boss armor, then the Akum set is a good cheap alternative that will be good for both PVP and PV. Investing in this set may slow you down in your progression towards softcap, but is much cheaper once you factor in repairing and enhancing.
Accessories
There are a lot of choices available when it comes to accessories and it really depends on what you can get your hands on.
Earrings:
If available I recommend using the Asula’s Crimon Eye Earrings (Asula Set) if you are new to the game, this gives you 7 AP and also has very good set bonuses. Otherwise use Bares earrings for 2 AP and switch to Witch’s Earring as soon as possible for the 5 AP.
You want to aim for DUO/TRI Witch’s Earrings (9 AP/11 AP) before swapping to a DUO Tungrad Earrings (11 AP) because of the huge difference in cost. Tungrad Earrings are one of the best earrings you can get. The other alternative is Black Distortion Earrings which give the highest amount of AP (21 AP at PEN), but reduce your DP as well.
The Capotia Earring is also worth mentioning. It is available at level 62+ only but is a very good earring because of it’s high AP. It makes a perfect backup for enhancing and is essentially a free TRI Tungrad Earring.
Base | DUO | TRI / TRI / TRI / DUO | TET / TRI / TET | TRI / TET |
---|
7 AP | 9 AP | 10 / 11 / 8 /11 AP | 10 / 13 / 13 AP | 15 / 15 AP |
 |  |     |    |   |
| Item Name | Base Stats | Enhance Increase |
 | Bares Earring | 2 AP | 1 AP |
 | Jarette’s Earring (Jarette Set) | 4 AP 4-Piece Set Bonus: Attack +5 6-Piece Set Bonus: Attack +10
Accuracy 2 Hidden Evasion 1
| Cannot be Enhanced |
 | Asula’s Crimon Eye Earring (Asula Set) | 7 AP Health 25 3-Piece Set Bonus: Health +300 5-Piece Set Bonus: Acurracy +20 | Cannot be Enhanced |
 | Blue Coral Earring | 4 AP Max MP/WP/SP +25 Accuracy 2
| 2 AP Accuracy 2
|
 | Red Coral Earring | 2 AP Accuracy 14 Max Stamina +50 | 2 AP Accuracy +4 |
 | Witch’s Earring | 5 AP Accuracy 2
| 2 AP Accuracy 2
|
 | Blue Whale Molar Earring | 5 AP Max HP +100 Accuracy 2
| 2 AP Accuracy 2
|
 | Fugitive Khalik’s Earring | 5 AP Max Stamina +50 Max MP/WP/SP +50 Accuracy 2
| 2 AP Max Stamina +20 Max MP/WP/SP +20 Accuracy 2
|
 | Tungrade Earring | 7 AP Black Spirit Rage +10% Accuracy 2
| 2 AP Accuracy 2
|
 | Capotia Earring | 13 AP Accuracy 8 | Accuracy 1 (alternating) DP 1 (alternating) |
 | Black Distortion Earring | 6 AP Accuracy 6 0 DP | 3 AP Accuracy 2 – 1 DP |
Rings:
If available I recommend using the Asula’s Crimon Eye Ring (Asula Set) if you are new to the game, this gives you 7 AP and 2 DP as well as damage reduction and strong set bonuses. Otherwise use Bares rings for 2 AP and switch to Mark of Shadow as soon as possible for the 5 AP.
Sahazad’s Ring of Monarch is also available through the Valencia part I and II quests. It can’t be enhanced but it is a good alternative until you can get Ring of Crescent Guardian or Mark of Shadow to PRI/DUO.
The current best in slot, is a Tungrad Ring.
The Capotia Ring is also worth mentioning. It is available at level 61+ only but is a very good ring because of it’s high AP. It makes a perfect backup for enhancing and is essentially a free TRI Ring of Crescent Guardian.
Base | PRI | PRI / DUO | DUO / TRI | TRI | TET / TET |
---|
5 AP | 7 AP | 8 / 9 AP | 11 / 11 AP | 14 AP | 17 / 18 AP |
 |  |   |   |  |   |
| Item Name | Base stats | Enhance Increase |
 | Bares Ring | 2 AP | 1 AP |
 | Jarette’s Ring (Jarette Set) | 4 AP 4-Piece Set Bonus: Attack +5 6-Piece Set Bonus: Attack +10
Accuracy 2 Hidden Evasion 1
| Cannot be Enhanced |
 | Asula’s Crimson Eye Ring (Asula Set) | 7 AP 2 DP Damage Reduction +2 3-Piece Set Bonus: Health +300 5-Piece Set Bonus: Acurracy +20 | Cannot be Enhanced |
 | Blue Coral Ring | 5 AP Max MP/WP/SP +25 Accuracy 2 | 1 AP Max MP/WP/SP +5 Accuracy 2
|
 | Mark of Shadow | 5 AP Accuracy 2
| 2 AP Accuracy 2
|
 | Sahazad’s Ring of Monarch | 7 AP Max HP +25 | Cannot be Enhanced |

 | Ring of Crescent Guardian OR Eye of the Ruins Ring | 5 AP Accuracy 2
| 3 AP Accuracy 2
|
 | Capotia Ring | 14 AP Accuracy 8 | Accuracy 1 (alternating) AP 1 (alternating) |
 | Tungrad Ring | 6 AP Accuracy 2 | 3 AP Accuracy 2 |
Necklace:
If available I recommend using the Asula’s Crimon Eye Necklace (Asula Set) if you are new to the game, this gives you 11 AP and 3 DP as well as damage reduction and an amazing set bonus. Otherwise use Bares Necklace for 4 AP and enhance this to DUO/TRI for 8 AP/10 AP. Enhancing a Bares Necklace is much cheaper than using an un-enhanced BiS necklace. You then want to swap to a DUO Serap’s or PRI Ogre/Tungrad.
The Manos Necklaces are also an alternative for PvP, if you don’t have a DUO Seraps already, due to their item effects. I personally wouldn’t bother with them though because you will want as much AP as possible.
Base | PRI | DUO / PRI | TRI / DUO | TRI / TRI | TET |
---|
11 AP | 12 AP | 16 / 15 AP | 20 / 20 AP | 25 / 25 AP | 30 AP |
 |  |   |   |   |  |
| Item Name | Base Stats | Enhance Increase |
 | Bares Necklace | 4 AP | 2 AP |
 | Jarette’s Necklace (Jarette Set) | 7 AP Accuracy 2 Hidden Evasion 1
4-Piece Set Bonus: Attack +5 6-Piece Set Bonus: Attack +10 | Cannot be Enhanced |
 | Asula’s Crimson Eye Necklace (Asula Set) | 11 AP 3 DP Damage Reduction +3 3-Piece Set Bonus: Health +300 5-Piece Set Bonus: Acurracy +20 | Cannot be Enhanced |
 | Ancient Guardian Seal (Ancient Weapon Core Set) | 6 AP 3 DP Set Effect: Accuracy +20 Accuracy 4 Damage Reduction 3 | 2 AP 1 DP Accuracy 4 Damage Reduction 1 |
 | Manos Necklace – Topaz | 6 AP Knockdown/ Bound Resistance +30% Accuracy 4
| 3 AP Knockdown/ Bound Resistance +2% Accuracy 4
|
 | Manos Necklace – Ruby | 6 AP Grapple Resistance +30% Accuracy 4
| 3 AP Grapple Resistance +2% Accuracy 4
|
 | Manos Necklace – Emerald | 6 AP Stun/Stiffness/ Freezing Resistance +30% Accuracy 4
| 3 AP Stun/Stiffness/ Freezing Resistance +2% Accuracy 4
|
 | Manos Necklace – Diamond | 6 AP
Resistance to all status anomalies +10% Accuracy 4
| 3 AP
Resistance to all status anomalies +1% Accuracy 4
|
 | Manos Necklace – Sapphire | 6 AP Knockback/ Floating Resistance +30% Accuracy 4
| 3 AP Knockback/ Floating Resistance +2% Accuracy 4
|
 | Sicil’s Necklace | 7 AP 3 DP Evasion 3 Hidden Evasion 6 | 3 AP 2 DP Evasion 2 Hidden Evasion 4 |
 | Serap’s Necklace | 8 AP Max HP +50 Accuracy 4
| 4 AP Accuracy 4
|

 | Ogre Ring OR Latenn’s Power Stone | 10 AP Accuracy 4
| 5 AP Accuracy 4
|
 | Tungrad Necklace | 10 AP Black Spirit Rage +20% Accuracy 4
| 5 AP
Accuracy 4 |
Belt:
If available I recommend using the Asula’s Crimon Eye Belt (Asula Set) if you are new to the game, this gives you 6 AP and has amazing set bonuses. Otherwise use Bares Belt for 2 AP and swap to Tree Spirit Belt as soon as possible for more AP and high accuracy.
You want to aim for a PRI/DUO Tree Spirit Belt before swapping to DUO Basilisk’s because it is much cheaper and easier to get hold of. Basilisk’s Belt and Valtarra are very good belts but Tungrade is currently the best in slot.
Base | DUO | TRI / PRI | DUO | TRI / TRI | TET |
---|
6 AP | 7 AP | 9 / 8 AP | 11 AP | 14 / 14 AP | 17 AP |
 |  |   |  |   |  |
| Item Name | Base Stats | Enhance Increase |
 | Bares Belt | 2 AP Weight Limit +40 | 1 AP |
 | Jarette’s Belt (Jarette Set) | 4 AP
Accuracy 2 Hidden Evasion 1 4-Piece Set Bonus: Attack +5 6-Piece Set Bonus: Attack +10 | Cannot be Enhanced |
 | Asula’s Crimson Eye Belt | 6 AP Weight Limit +100 LT
3-Piece Set Bonus: Health +300 5-Piece Set Bonus: Acurracy +20 | Cannot be Enhanced |
 | Ancient Weapon Core (Ancient Guardian Seal Set) | 4 AP 4 DP Weight Limit +60 LT Damage Reduction 4 Accuracy 2 Set Effect: Accuracy +20 | 1 AP 1 DP Weight Limit +10 LT Damage Reduction 1 Accuracy 2
|
 | Tree Spirit Belt | 5 AP Accuracy +6 Weight Limit +80 LT | 2 AP Accuracy +10 |
 | Basilisk’s Belt | 5 AP Weight Limit +80 LT Accuracy 2
| 3 AP
Accuracy 2
|
 | Valtarra Eclipsed Belt | 5 AP Health 0 Weight Limit 80LT Accuracy 2 | 3 AP
Health 25 Accuracy 2
|
 | Tungrad Belt | 6 AP Black Spirit’s Rage 20% Weight Limit 80LT Accuracy 2 | 3 AP
Accuracy 2
|
Sockets (Crystals)
These are an
example of the best sockets for your class. There are different crystal you can go for depending on your gear setup. These crystals cost a significant amount of silver.
Black Magic Crystal – Precision x2
(weapon)
Accuracy +8, Ignore All Resistance 10%
Corrupted Magic Crystal x2
(sub-weapon)
Critical Hit Damge +10%, All AP +2, All Damage Reduction -2, 2 set: Critical Hit Damage +2%
HAN Magic Crystal – Hoom x2
(helmet)
Hoom 4 set – 8 Accuracy, 7% Resistance, 420 HP, 10 Damage Reduction, 8 Evasion
BON Magic Crystal – Cobelinus x2
(chest)
Max HP +150, Weight Limit +20 LT, All Damage Reduction +3
JIN Black Magic Crystal – Viper x2
(gloves)
Attack Speed +1, Casting Speed +1, Accuracy 20
HAN Magic Crystal – Hoom x2
(shoes)
Hoom 4 set – 8 Accuracy, 7% Resistance, 420 HP, 10 Damage Reduction, 8 Evasion
These are an example of some cheaper crystals for your class if you don’t have as much to spend and want to go cheap crystals that will aid you while grinding.
Magic Crystal of Infinity – Power x2
(weapon)
All AP +2
Magic Crystal of Infinity – Critical x2
(sub-weapon)
Critical Hit Damage +10%
Magic Crystal of Infinity – Memory x2
(helmet)
Casting Speed +2
Magical Crystal of Infity – Evasion x2
(chest)
Special Attack Evasion Rate +10%
Magic Crystal of Infinity – Valor x2
(gloves)
Critical Hit +2
Magic Crystal of Infinity – Swiftness x2
(shoes)
Movement Speed +2
Example Gear Builds
I highly recommend using BDOPLANNER.COM to help you plan your build and track your progression.
The build you choose completely depends on your playstyle and what role you want to play in PVP. Below are some example builds to help you decide what is best for you.
Leveling build: link
Here is what to aim for when leveling and before you get your boss gear. You should focus on enhancing your weapons first and then your armor. Try to also ultimate all your pieces as soon as possible, especially your armor because it will give quite a big DP boost.
Click image below to enlarge

Low-Tier build: link
Here is a mid-tier build to use if you are looking to improve your gear before you get boss gear. You may want to use Red Coral Earrings or Witch’s Earrings instead but they can be quite expensive compared to the rest of the gear.
Click image below to enlarge

Mid-tier build: link
Here is a mid-tier build to use once you have boss gear. You want to aim to get TRI as soon as possible and then work on your accessories. You want to try to make sure you have a minimum of 300 accuracy when using Nouver. You can also use a TET heve and TRI Muskan’s shoes instead but Griffon’s and Urugon’s shoes are currently considered best in slot in the gear meta.
Click image below to enlarge

Softcap build: link
Here is what to aim for if you are going for. It takes a long time to get to this stage, and there are lots of small improvements and other accessories you will use along the way, but this is ideally your softcap build for PVP.
For PVE, you want to be using a Kutum with Corrupted Magic Crystals. Once you reach 261 AP with Nouver, you will want to stop using Kutum for PVE however, until you reach 265 AP with Kutum. After many tests, it is confirmed that Nouver performs better than Kutum in these brackets. More information about AP and DP brackers can be found here
You may also want to consider starting to put Caphras stones into your gear for bonus stats to help you get to the next AP bracket. Begin by getting level 4 in your main hand for the extra 4 AP. Then you will want to move on to putting level 2 into each armor piece before getting them all up to level 4 as well.
Click image below to enlarge

End-game build [FULL AP]: link
Here is what to eventually aim for. It takes a long time to get to this stage, and there are lots of small improvements and other accessories you will use along the way, but this is ideally your end game build for PVP. Make sure to put Caphras stones into your equipment for extra stats. You can also swap out both of the Black Magic Crystal – Precision for Crystal of Elkarr (best in slot) instead but these are very costly and harder to obtain.
For PVE, you want to be using a Kutum with Corrupted Magic Crystals. Once you reach 261 AP with Nouver, you will want to stop using Kutum for PVE however, until you reach 265 AP with Kutum. After many tests, it is confirmed that Nouver performs better than Kutum in these brackets. More information about AP and DP brackers can be found here
For PVP, it really depends. If you are only doing tier 1 node wars for example, then it is better to stick with Kutum because the node is AP capped anyway and the extra DP can push you to a higher DP bracket.
Click image below to enlarge

End-game build [EVASION HYBRID]: link
Here is what to eventually aim for if you are going for an Evasion hybrid build. It takes a long time to get to this stage, and this particular build uses items which are not included in the other builds, such as Rhik Talisman, Heve Helmet and Muskan’s Shoes. I would not recommend starting with this build, and only trying it out yourself when your other gear is at a high enhance (at least softcap).
Click image below to enlarge

Consumables
When grinding, I recommend using the Simple Cron Meal. It offers various bonuses and is also the only food which will give you an skill points experience buff. If the cron meal isn’t available, you can use EXP Elixirs and Milk Tea, then other food of your choice such as Margoria Seafood and Serendia Special. It really depends on your preference.
For your food rotation in node wars/siege, I would recommend using Knight Combat Rations, Kamaslyvia Special, Valencia Special and then King of Jungle Hamburger in that order. This requires a 2 hour preperation. If you are late or lazy, you can use Exquisite Cron Meal. I would also recommend using the Giant’s Draught or party elixirs.
The recipes for these are:
ICON |
RESULT |
INGREDIENTS |
USE |
 |
Knight Combat Rations |
Dark Pudding x1, Ham Sandwich x1, Fruit Wine x1, Meat Croquette x1 |
All Attack +5, Damage against human race +5, All Damage Reduction +5 for 120 minutes |
 |
Special Kamasylvia Meal |
Rainbow Button Mushroom Sandwich x1, Coconut Pasta x1, Fig Pie x1 , Fruit Wine x2, Rainbow Button Mushroom Cheese Melt x1 |
Max HP +150, Max Stamina 200, Back Attack Damage +5% for 110 minutes |
 |
Special Valencia Meal |
Teff Sandwich x1, King of Jungle Hamburger x1, Couscous x1, Fig Pie x2, Date Palm Wine x2 |
Nullifying all Resistances +4%, Resistance against all Debuffs +4%, All Evasion +10, Decrease of damages from Monsters -6% for 110 minutes |
 |
King of Jungle Hamburger |
Teff Bread x4, Pickled Vegetables x2, Lion Meat x4, Nutmeg x3 |
Ignores All Resistance +3%, Critical Hit Damage +5% for 110 minutes |
In addition, you may want to use Perfume of Courage (buff lost on death) and Tough Whale Tendon Elixirs. Usually these are not required for node wars.
Other buffs you may want to collect can be found here: [link]
Useful Links
Change Log
- 28/10/2015 – posted the first version of the guide
- 14/06/2020 – complete rework of the guide
- 15/06/2020 – fixed minor spelling errors and added extra details to weapons/armor section
- 30/07/2020 – updated skill builds for the new UI update, added link to skill add-on list.
Check these out before you go!