1. Tip: Because of the longer cooldown of both Gun Bot and Sledgebot, it is best to alternately summon them so that you always have a powerful companion available. Charge Domination (1 Skill Points): The passive skill can help you fill up charge quickly to power up Forcefield or Tremor.
2. Like hot chocolate and marshmallows, our Embermage guide is best-used in conjunction with our Torchlight 2 Class Guide, which will be updated with new builds as we hatch them. A note on respecs.
3. Torchlight 2 Elite Prismatic Bolt Embermage Guide (Wand + Shield) by Imada. TABLE OF CONTENT: 1 – SKILLS 2 – SKILLS CHOICE 3 – LEVELING 4 – ROTATION 5 – HOTKEYS 6 – STATS 7 – ITEM BUILD 8 – SPELLS 9 – PET SPELLS 10 – PET FOOD 11 – TIP 12 – BEST-IN-SLOT ITENS 13 – BEST SOCKETS. 1 – SKILLS: FIRE Immolation Aura 15.

A list a list a LIST!!! Torchlight 2 is good fun. Torchlight hardcore is crazy tense awesome fun. We’ve played hardcore since the release (and many of us in the beta back in May got on the Hardcore train) and lordy we have learned some harsh lessons and want to impart them to YOU dear reader (and Matt and Steve who are waiting for the Mac version). By Hardcore, I mean hardcore Elite– so the most damage to your character, the most hit points on monsters and whatever nastiness Runic wanted to throw deep inside the Elite hole. We started with a blind run (well, those of us not in the beta) so we haven’t seen most of the game and every piece of content has had to be EARNED with hardcore deaths (sometimes piles of them). Only one of us has gotten beyond level 20 (sensless) and they died shortly after while heading back and farming ACT 1 (!?). Here’s stuff to help you get to level 20. It’s not easy but with these tips and some conservative play, you may yet survive.

Like hot chocolate and marshmallows, our Embermage guide is best-used in conjunction with our Torchlight 2 Class Guide, which will be updated with new builds as we hatch them. A note on respecs By default, Torchlight 2 only allows you to respec your last three skill points (at a steep cost). Torchlight 2 is a classic of the dungeon-crawling genre on PC, but it gets better. There are tons of community-made mods for the game which enhance the experience greatly. Here are the 10 best.

1. Choose your class carefully for Hardcore. The Berserker has the most exposure to damage and the most risk/reward when he goes berserk, so we’ve found that that class takes the dirt nap more than the others. The Engineer heal bot helps a lot– but a lot LESS than you think early levels. The Embermage and Wastlander are ranged characters, so they get to sit back and shoot stuff from a somewhat safe distance.
2. Defense > Offense – There’s quite a bit of importance in not dying in hardcore because, well, that’s it. So Defense is a core focus. Vitality should be the number one stat increased. While this is tough to do when you know your damage deal out isn’t very high, it’s much better to have armor and health than to take down those Ratlings a second or two faster. While a good offense usually trumps a good defense, you can worry about doing tons of damage later.
3. Make sure your elemental armor is up to par. You can likely ignore elemental damage at lower difficulties, but, at Elite, if you have a weak area, say fire, you will get burned to the ground. Make sure you are using your elemental ember specks in your armor sockets whenever you find them. Once the gem orcs unlock, upgrade your gems when you find the larger types. It makes a huge difference.
4. Remember to RUN AWAY. There are points where your character (or group of characters) cannot possibly survive a fight. For example, I woke up the lightning boss in Skull Hollow and ran directly into the “Chest Trap Valley.” I thought he was far enough away to lose aggro from Mr. Lightning and popped the chest. As the swarm of skellingtons rose out of the ground, I saw him up on the ridge ready to fire lightning down. And he did. Good bye level 5 Wastelander!
5. Use your rare specks. As soon as I pick up a rare speck, I drop it in a socket. Don’t save these, use them! You will find FAR better gems later in the game.
6. Shared Stash is your friend. About the only way to “advance” when your hardcore character dies is to make sure choice (and low level) items are in the Shared Stash for your next character. Make sure you fill your stash when going up against bosses or phase beast challenges. This is called “Making your Piece.”
7. Play as a group! TL2 is fun alone but Hardcore is simply meant to be played as a group. The group dynamic, from being able to have a bunch of heal bots around to going crazy with Embermages increasing elemental damage or freezing enemies so they can be pummeled, just makes the path to level 20 easier. Sometimes due to your lack of elemental armor, you have to sit back in some fights. While in a group, you will still get experience in the same area. This makes it harder on the other characters (with the increases in damage and enemy hitpoints) but can help in a pinch.
8. Phase Beast Challenges are deadly. Be very careful when entering the portal from a murdalized Phase beast–these are no joke.
9. Basic monsters to watch out for: Pirate Ghosts with Pistols, Skellington Archers, Chest Ghosts (their first attack is a doozy), Infernal Skellingtons (fast runners with fire damage)
10. Bosses to Watch for: One Eyed Willy will punch your ticket – I’ve seen many characters bite it in the One Eye Willy quest because they go in overconfident. There is a potential Teleporting Boss Stormbeornennnenen in the beast highlands that is brutal if you don’t have a lot of armor, but the worst is the Wraith Boss in the Bone Dungeon (Modox) that summons ghost bats. He slows you down and then you get swarmed by the bats and put inside the ground right quick. Soloing this guy at low levels is near impossible with a close combat character and even as a group, it’s a tough fight early on. Last but not least, prepare for death the first time you fight General Grell if you are lower than level 17-18.

So that’s the 10. Once you hit the Winter area things get a lot more difficult, especially with elemental damage (obviously ICE armor should be your first priority). Get it up to at least 80 if possible as a ranged character– over 100 for a melee type is really going to make it easier not to be hurt so bad you can’t live.

Looking for tips after level 20? Here you go!

Torchlight 2 Engineer Summoner Build Guide by Bokuden

Hey guys,
Ever since the game came out, I’ve been looking for a way to be a summoner but also not be squishy or be one shotted like the alchemist from TL1 used to be…Then i came along the forums and saw a post regarding full vitality (cnt find the original sorry) and wanted to test it out on ELITE mode…Low and behold im lvl 81 going through New game plus like its normal mode..Ive died about 15 times usually due to my arrogance…traps that one shot u (elite mode they will)..and using the cacklespit potion coz i was stuck on a rooftop of a building and i just beat vyrax tower and i wanted to pick up my loot ..Anywayz I would def recommend this build and will start myself a HC character when i get the chance..Les get started:

Pros:
-50% block all the time..no need for spells etc
-lots of hp
-very very durable
-Unexpectedly hits very hard!!!!

Cons:
-Kinda hard to level in the beginning – i always played this character on elite mode and did not cheat n go to internet to play it on a lesser difficulty lol
-sometimes your summons might get stuck in ledges – but just run far enough and theyll respawn near u or run to u

Stat Allocation
-ALL POINTS ON VITALITY – NOTHING ELSE WHY? – because all your skills will be based on player level as well as gear that adds minion damage or health
-Its good to note that block chance caps at 50% so if anyone wants to do a variance of the build and go to dex or focus or watever its up to you
-I was thinking bout putting some on dex to also get dodge but i was already too high a lvl and i did not want to mess up the build

Skills – So since our main atk will be Spider mines (lvl 14)- i used flame hammer as my main atk until then..i did however recover the point before i added points to other skills..then added it as the last point so i can once again recover later on
-Ember hammer –> 1 point – breaks shields 100% – very useful especially since you can take hits, so just run in break shields and let the mines and minions do the rest
-however – i found that at higher lvls i didnt even bother doing this because 1- monsters hit alot harder, 2- the mines and your minions (especially sledgebot) will break it
so feel free to use any 1 handed weapon with good minion enchantments!!
-Storm Burst –> 1 point or your preference – I actually did not get this skill until about lvl 70 and found that if i had this skill early on..i would not have died more than half the times..very useful except against some elites and bosses and make sure you watch out where ur bursting to because you might get stuck

-*Healbot –> 15 points – this is by far the best skill the eng has over all the other characters..just keep putting points into this whenever u can!!!!
-*Spider mines –> 15 points – get this to 5 points early on..and keep it there until ur high enough to get rank 10 due to high mana cost (i think at lvl 46 you can get rank 10)
-This is by far the most underrated skill we have!!!!!!…these scale with ur lvl..and at each lvl gives it a 5% chance increase to spawn a supermine (stuns), and this actually puts a dot on the enemy as well as shock so that ur
next hits, hit alot harder
-Also you can throw these anywhere lol…u dont have to target anything just keep throwing it..and the aoe is awesome..(example – owned the big slime guys on phase portal in new game plus)
-*Gunbot –> 15 points – although its not great the dps is good enough..usually in the earlier lvls wenever i make this guy come out i tank the elite or boss so that he kinda stays still
-*Sledgebot –> 15 points – wow this robot is awesome!!! this guy hits hard (thas what she said)..since in earlier lvls the cd is long and he duration is short..i summon sledgebot and gunbot on intervals..when one goes away summon the other
and vice versa..up to u how u want to play it
-*Bulwark –> 15 points – what more can i say this is great for tanking..up to you how u want to put points into this i usually put points into it whenever i had leftover points

-*Immobilization copter –> 15 points – very underrated as well..this is great against mages..well actually everyone especially at higher lvls because you can kite forever
-*Aegis of fate –> 15 points – This is a must have!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!…I dont care what people say about forcefield let me tell you why!!!!!!!!!
1- aegis is set off by chance when you get hit..which you will be because ur a tank..also the damage absorbed is calculated by your armor value which you will have high amount due to full stat on Vit
2- Forcefield will only absorb alot of damage if you have charges –> the skills we are using does not generate charge..so you have none = forcefield useless
-***At this point i have around 17 unused skill points and am not sure what skill to use it…I am thinking about tremor but still not sure – let me knw what you guys think

Best Builds Lol

Spells
-Blood Zombie – I love this because it scales with players lvl..my pet has one and i have one also
-Animal handling – increased pet dps and armor
-Armor expertise – increased physical armor
-and right now im using barter to get more gold lol — your choice on what you want..theres a spell for increased block chance if you choose to not put all vitality

Pet spells – these are my choice summons but its completely up to you what you want to do
-Blood Zombie
-Summon Skeleton
-Nether imp
-Silence -this is nice against mages especially with nether imp

Torchlight 2 Best Builds Build

*This is the most fun spec for me atleast..since im not dying alot and im killing shit fast ass hell…not like a prismatic bolt mage..but def fast..dont underestimate this build..early on you will need alot of mana pots..but at higher lvls it cuts through elite mode like its casual
*Remember you have to resummon at the start of every map
*Try it out especially if you want a Summoner!!!!!!

Best Solo Build Torchlight 2

Thanks guys let me know if you have any questions
ty,
Bokuden