Physical Blitz & Cadence Battlemage

Soldier's core melee combo attack and the build's main source of Physical/Internal Trauma damage. Bind the Assassin's Blade devotion's Assassin's Mark proc here (100% chance on crit, shredding the target's Physical/Pierce resistance).

A charge skill used both to close the gap and for general mobility. Watch out for reflect-damage enemies — the Internal Trauma bounces straight back. Bind the Dire Bear devotion's Maul proc here (20% chance on attack, cutting the target's armor).

An AoE debuff and one of the build's few sources of flat physical resistance reduction, also forming a core defensive pillar. Bind the Vire, the Stone Matron devotion's Fist of Vire proc here (20% chance on being hit, requires an Attack Skill; retaliates with Physical/Internal Trauma damage, a damage-output debuff on the target, and a petrify effect).

An Arcanist utility skill that strips enemy buffs (including reflect) and applies a 33% reduced elemental damage debuff to the area. Essential for dealing with reflect-damage enemies and bosses.

An Arcanist defensive skill. Use it as a panic button in dangerous situations.

A defensive skill that improves shield proficiency. Level with points in Oleron's Rage for more damage, then respec here late-game to prioritize survivability (the author notes Oleron's Rage is a valid alternative if you'd rather keep the damage).

One of several support passives unlocked along the Soldier mastery bar. Pour remaining points here alongside Veterancy, Decorated Soldier, and Squad Tactics to round out resistances and physical damage.

An Arcanist defensive toggle that absorbs a percentage of incoming damage. Its Conversion modifier adds crowd-control resistance and energy absorption on top.

• ▸Start as Soldier with a 2H melee weapon. Put the first point into Forcewave and 2 into the mastery bar, then 1 each into Tremor and Blitz once unlocked. Keep alternating Forcewave/mastery bar until Rending Force unlocks.
• ▸Put 1 point into Fighting Spirit, then invest in Rending Force and Forcewave, including 1-2 points in Forcewave's Internal Trauma modifier (this modifier is a leveling-only pick — you'll respec out of Forcewave entirely when switching to Blitz/Cadence, as described below). Also 1 point in Menhir's Will. On devotions, complete Assassin's Blade and start Tortoise. Activate early shrines aggressively. After defeating Warden Krieg, keep his shield, the Warden's Fortress — it's a mandatory MI for this build.
• ▸Start investing in the Arcanist mastery bar: 1 point in Iskandra's Elemental Exchange, then max Maiven's Sphere of Protection. On devotions, complete Tortoise, complete Eel, and start Dire Bear.
• ▸Once you reach Pine Barrens and pick up the mandatory MI Bloodbriar's Thorn, respec Forcewave and its nodes into Blitz and Blindside, then put remaining points into Cadence, Fighting Form, and Deadly Momentum. Once you drop a Fleshwarped Casque from aetherial soldiers around Homestead (also purchasable at the Port Valbury dungeon shop), put 1 point in War Cry and 1 in Break Morale. On devotions, complete Dire Bear and Wraith, then start Lizard. Watch out for reflect enemies — Internal Trauma bounces straight back (fix this endgame with 2x Titan Plating components).
• ▸After defeating the Loghorrean, buy Bargoll's Root (look for an attack speed % affix) at Vinelton's shop in Ancient Grove, Ugdenbog. Don't ally with Barrowholm — staying unallied keeps the Forlorn Cellar entrance open, where you can get one of the mandatory MIs (the tradeoff is losing the chance to fight Ravager of Flesh, which requires allying with them). Max Decorated Soldier, put 1 point in Field Command, and start maxing Squad Tactics. Finish the Soldier mastery bar and max Oleron's Rage (a damage-focused pick while leveling). On devotions, complete Lizard and Sailor's Guide, then start Light of Empyrion.
• ▸Enter Elite around level 52-53. Keep upgrading gear and capping resistances while maxing Oleron's Rage, and complete Light of Empyrion and Vire on devotions. Don't miss any shrines.
• ▸Max Squad Tactics and start investing in Overload and Inner Focus. Upgrade your weapon and shield, and buy faction reputation boosters to speed things up. By now you should be able to craft the endgame relic, Juggernaut.
• ▸Enter Ultimate around level 78-79. Invest in War Cry, Break Morale, and Deadly Momentum while continuing to upgrade gear, cap resistances, and grind faction reputation.
• ▸At level 90, buy Malmouth Vanguard Cuirass and Malmouth Vanguard Pauldrons. Use Elite Legion Greaves and Elite Harvest Grips as stand-ins until you have the Stoneplate Greaves and Plagueguard Grips blueprints.

• ▸At level 94, chase Dreeg-Sect Legguards (look for a Physical damage affix) from the Guardian of Dreeg near Devil's Crossing. Farm Warden Krieg for a shield with a physical resistance affix (durable, keeper's, immovable, impassable, etc).
• ▸Reset-buy the belt and weapon at Vinelton's shop, and the helm at the Port Valbury dungeon shop. Buy rings from the Coven faction shop.
• ▸Late-game, respec from Oleron's Rage to Menhir's Bulwark to prioritize survivability (Oleron's Rage remains a valid damage-focused alternative).
• ▸Swapping the rings for 1 Mythical Black Matriarch + 1 Mythical Combustion Band, the amulet for a Shambler's Heart, and the relic for a Deathstalker increases damage output, but the author prioritized survivability instead and didn't use this setup.

• ▸Close the gap with Blitz and keep swinging Cadence. Against reflect enemies, strip their buff with Nullification or just avoid Blitz and keep your distance.
• ▸War Cry taunts while applying flat physical RR, cutting incoming damage.
• ▸Use Mirror of Ereoctes as a panic button in dangerous moments — don't be shy about potions either.
• ▸The gear plan is entirely target-farmable, faction-bought, or crafted, letting you farm up to SR65 safely and quickly.

With few dedicated RR tools, the defense stacks Light of Empyrion, Fist of Vire, and War Cry on top of raw armor/resistance investment instead. Aim for capped resistances, and always shore up reflect damage resistance with 2x Titan Plating components.

Dedicated RR is scarce (just War Cry's flat RR and the Assassin's Blade crit proc), so single-target DPS lags behind dedicated physical classes like Witchblade, Warlord, or Death Knight. Reflect-damage enemies are a real hazard since Blitz's Internal Trauma bounces straight back if you're unprepared. The forum guide is from v1.2.0.3 and hasn't been re-verified against the current v1.2.1.6.

Farm Warden Krieg around Wightmire for the Warden's Fortress shield (and later resistance-affix shield upgrades), Pine Barrens for Bloodbriar's Thorn, aetherial soldiers around Homestead for Fleshwarped Casque, Vinelton in Ugdenbog for Bargoll's Root and reset-buys of the belt/weapon, and the Guardian of Dreeg near Devil's Crossing for Dreeg-Sect Legguards.