Depending on your starting class, you must choose Defense (Landed Knight), Domination (Hedge Knight), or Frenzy (Magnar) for your initial stance. At Level 7, you earn a secondary stance. You can choose Landed Knight’s secondary stance from Elite Knight, Domination, or Frenzy. Hedge Knight has access to Elite Knight, Defense, or Dexterity. Magnar can choose from Berserker, Domination, or Intensity.
Defense (Landed Knight Starting Stance)
Three-quarters of the skill tree concentrates on building up defense. The other quarter works in some attacks, generally focusing on disrupting your opponents’ actions. If you want to be the one who takes a pounding from the enemy, pick up this stance.
Domination (Hedge Knight Starting Stance)
Focused on a two-handed weapon, Domination loads up on abilities that inflict great damage with stunning and knockdown effects to complement the increased damage. There’s some defense here, but mostly in the form of “kill before they kill you.” If you want to wield the biggest weapons on the battlefield, Domination is a good place to start.
Frenzy (Magnar Starting Stance)
The Frenzy stance also focuses on offense, but it’s the two-handed variety and relies more on speed and precision than massive blows. Many abilities deal extra damage and trigger an effect (Bleeding, increased Attack Speed, stunning, etc.), but you have to set up a lot of combos, which takes valuable time in combat, or you risk going berserk and losing control of your character.
Berserker (Mastery)
Your incredible will and pain tolerance allows you to perform remarkable feats in combat. As you increase in proficiency, expect to improve combat damage, attack speed, and critical hit chance. You can also pick up a bonus to luck and energy.
Dexterity (Secondary Stance)
Your projectiles are deadly attacks at range. Because you would rather your enemies stay at a distance, you have various Immobilization and stun effects to make sure foes don’t close on you. If you like slinging arrows and causing carnage from the perimeter, the Dexterity stance is definitely for you.
Elite Knight (Mastery)
The ultimate training for a knight prepares your body for the difficult trials of combat. You can gain bonuses to health, energy, and endurance, or you can opt for a better health recovery and health replenishment per kill at the highest level. If you use a shield, you gain several improvements, or you can study how to punish foes with Bleeding.
Elite Warrior (Mastery)
The ultimate training for a warrior develops many of your other abilities. You can improve your damage resistance, strength, and energy. You can add extra effects to abilities such as Earthquaker (adds damage on top of stun) or Massacre (knocks down opponents instead). You can even choose to ignore the effects of Hemlock, Blindeye, and Manticore’s venom.
Intensity (Secondary Stance)
Your smooth and swift maneuvers set you up to counterattack with precision or capitalize on effects like knockdown and Bleeding. If you like to adjust on the fly and react to what the enemy throws at you, Intensity offers a lot for you.