Sample Builds by Archetype

Build 1: Attack-Speed Carry

Composition: Frontline Tank, Ranged DPS carry, Buffer, flex Debuffer or second Bruiser.

Intent: Stack attack-speed and crit relics on Ranged DPS. Buffer provides attack aura or crit amplification. Tank buys time for carry to scale tick damage.

Specializations: Ranged DPS capstone into multishot or attack-chain branch. Tank Tier 1 survivability only unless thorns relics appear. Buffer capstone into party attack aura.

Relic priority: attack speed, flat attack, crit chance, crit damage. Avoid ability-power relics on carry.

Lovers optional: pair carry with Buffer for shared attack percent if bond tags align.

Weakness: struggles against armor-heavy waves without Debuffer flex; add armor shred or pivot flex slot.

Build 2: Ability Cooldown Engine

Composition: Frontline Tank or Bruiser, Caster carry, Buffer or second Caster, Debuffer flex.

Intent: Reduce ability cooldowns and amplify ability power until Caster abilities outpace attack-based DPS.

Specializations: Caster capstone into ability echo or multi-cast branch. Buffer spec into ability haste aura if available.

Relic priority: cooldown reduction, ability power, on-ability-trigger effects. Concentrate on Caster — do not split ability relics.

Lovers optional: Caster plus Buffer bond with ability tag sharing.

Weakness: weak early waves before cooldown stack accumulates; prioritize Tank survivability relics first two shops.

Build 3: Thorns Fortress

Composition: Frontline Tank reflect carry, Support Healer, Debuffer, Ranged DPS or Caster secondary.

Intent: Stack armor and reflect damage so Tank becomes primary damage while Healer converts overheal or damage mitigation into team value.

Specializations: Tank capstone into reflect or damage-on-hit-taken branch. Healer spec into overheal conversion if available.

Relic priority: armor, thorns, damage reflect, shield on hit taken. Secondary damage relics on back row for cleanup.

Lovers optional: Tank plus Healer bond with shared defensive stat conversion.

Weakness: slow kill speed on timeout-gated content; add Debuffer or secondary DPS flex early.

Build 4: Endless DoT Scaler

Composition: Debuffer carry, Summoner or Caster, Support Healer or Buffer, Frontline Tank.

Intent: Stack poison, bleed, or burn debuffs across long fights; multiply stacks with specs that spread or detonate debuffs.

Specializations: Debuffer capstone into stack amplification or spread branch. Summoner capstone into minion debuff application if using Summoner slot.

Relic priority: debuff duration, debuff damage, on-debuff-apply triggers. Fight-length scaling over burst.

Lovers optional: Debuffer plus Summoner for minion-applied debuff chains.

Weakness: poor short-fight performance in early demo waves; acceptable trade for endless pushes.

Build 5: Economy Spike Late Game

Composition: Utility economy hero, Frontline Tank, Ranged DPS or Caster, Buffer or flex.

Intent: Accumulate gold and shop advantages early, spike power with premium relic purchases mid-run rather than combat scaling first.

Specializations: Utility capstone into shop discount or bonus offer branch. Combat heroes take generic scaling specs until relic spike arrives.

Relic priority: economy tags early — gold per wave, shop discount, free reroll. Transition to offensive stack on carry after wave ten shop spike.

Lovers optional: Utility plus carry for gold-to-stat conversion bonds if available.

Weakness: vulnerable early combat if economy relics do not appear; draft Bruiser flex or strong default Tank mandatory.

Adapting Sample Builds to Your Run

No run matches a template exactly. Use builds as checklists: required roles, spec capstone direction, relic tag priority, known weakness flex slot.

When relic offers diverge — defensive flood on attack-speed build — pivot per Pivot Mid-Run rather than forcing template obedience.

Evaluate adapted build tier using Tier List situational framework. Pair Lovers using Lovers Synergy when bonds match template tags.

New players should start with Build 1 or Build 3 — forgiving survivability margins. See Best Starter Heroes for draft-friendly archetypes.