The long-anticipated 1.0 release of Last Epoch is coming in very short order, on February 21, and one of the update’s most important additions are the Warlock and Rogue Falconer class masteries. In a pre-launch blog, the developer explained what makes these build options such a big deal.
On Steam, developer Eleventh Hour Games detailed the upcoming Warlock and Falconer, adding to Last Epoch’s whopping 13 unique class masteries. These are, more specifically, not character classes as such, but sub-masteries belonging to specific classes. And while they technically slot into existing combat paradigms in a broad sense, they also open up interesting niches, such as the Falconer’s pet-focused ambusher approach.
Last Epoch gets in-depth on Warlock Mastery
Last Epoch‘s take on Warlock is that they’re a curse-focused spellcasting manipulator. The Warlock is built on top of the Acolyte character class, and it focuses on weakening enemies to buff themselves. Warlocks will need to combine curses with buffs and debuffs to capitalize on massive damage synergies for optimum combat performance, and Eleventh Hour points out that the Warlock’s abilities can be used at both long and short-range, with a few important escape skills should things go from bad to worse.
The Warlock’s Chthonic Fissure, for example, will tear the ground open to summon vengeful spirits to do their bidding: a skill that will neatly synergize with the Unique Spine of Malatros sword. Otherwise, Warlock players will be juggling five disparate curses (Anguish, Penance, Decrepify, Acid Skin, and Torment) to make themselves a nuisance to their foes.
Overall, it seems that the Warlock will be a spellcasting alternative to the Sorcerer. Whereas the latter focuses more on dishing out direct elemental damage, the former’s curses will require a slightly more indirect approach.
Last Epoch – Falconer Mastery
In some ways, the Falconer Rogue is a minion master character, albeit one that only really has a single creature under their command. The Falconer’s pet falcon is, however, not a regular combatant. In gameplay terms, the falcon is more like a finely tuned weapon: wholly invulnerable and extremely flexible.
Obviously, the pet falcon is the focal point of the Falconer, and players will be able to build their winged beast in a variety of different directions, as the bird will synergize with melee, ranged, and throwing weapons, which will help bridge the gap with the Rogue’s other Bladedancer and Marksman masteries. What’s really important here is that the Falcon also scales with the player’s core stats, which means it’s never going to be left behind, investment-wise, and should make for a formidable option no matter the situation.
Particularly notable are the Dive Bomb, Net, and Explosive Trap skills, each of them fairly self-explanatory. “The falcon is far more than a minion,” says Eleventh Hour Games, and it’s definitely going to be interesting to play as single-summon summoner character, for once.
