If you’re jumping into Warborne: Above Ashes and wondering how to get started, you’re in the right place. Whether you’re choosing your first Drifter, gearing up for faction wars, or planning the perfect PvP build, we’ve put together everything you need to hit the ground running.
Here are the 9 top-tier PvP builds grouped by their primary stat: INT, AGI, and STR.
Top 3 Beginner Intelligence PvP Builds
Kyra
Strengths: Ranged AoE freeze and slow. Excellent at objective denial and crowd control.
Drifter Skills
- Active: Frozen Maelstrom – After a brief charge-up, unleashes a Frozen Maelstrom forward, dealing 200% Magic Damage to enemies in the area, applying 40% Slow and reducing Attack Speed by 40% for 6 seconds. The punch also deals an additional 300% Magic Damage to enemies directly in front and applies Frozen for 3 seconds.
- Passive: Shattered Ice – Gains 25% Damage Resistance if damage is taken within 5m, lasting 6 seconds. When taking damage during this time, sends forth freezing air in all directions, dealing 80% Magic Damage to targets within range, reducing Attack Speed by 30% and Movement Speed by 30% for 4 seconds. (Minimum interval between activations: 1s. Cooldown: 20s.)
Weapon: Iceshard Comet
- Skill 1: Chilling Ray – Fires a frost ray that slows enemies by 30% and deals magic damage.
- Skill 2: Frozen Shards – Launches ice shards in a cone, dealing AoE damage and applying Chill.
- Skill 3: Frost Nova – Places a Frost Nova at the target location, lasting 15s. When triggered by an enemy, deals [Damage Rate: 250%] Magic Damage and reduces Movement Speed by 35% and 15% reduced healing for 4 seconds. Gains 1 charge every 10s, up to 3 charges.
- Passive: Deep Freeze – Enemies affected by Chill take +15% damage from all frost attacks.
Combo Rotation
- Open with Frozen Maelstrom or Pulse Detonation to apply Chill.
- Follow with Frozen Shards + Chilling Ray to keep enemies slowed.
- Trigger Frost Nova for AoE freeze burst.
- Use Frozen Conduit + Titanic Growth defensively during pressure windows.
Tips & Strategy
- Use Frozen Maelstrom early to force enemy movement and create zoning.
- Position around objectives to control space with AoE freeze and Chill stacks.
- Save Frost Nova (Skill 3) for maximum group impact during clumps.
Veska
Strengths: Anti-healer mage with silence, debuffs and utility zone control. Ideal for disrupting supports and denying sustain.
Drifter Skills
- Active: Raven’s Gaze – Applies Serpent’s Whisper to the caster or an allied target, preventing movement and skill usage for 4s and granting immunity to damage and control. Deals [Damage Rate: 58%] Magic Damage to nearby enemies every 0.5s and applies [Creeping Stone]. [Creeping Stone]: Lasts 1s, stacking up to 4 times. Target is Petrified and has their Armor reduced by 25% for 2 at max stacks (cannot gain [Creeping Stone] for 6). Can be used while skills are disabled. Serpent’s Whisper cannot be dispelled.
- Passive: Dispel Matrix – Retains 1 HP upon taking lethal damage, transforming into a spirit serpent, cleansing all negative effects (control, DoT, and debuffs), gaining immunity to control, debuffs, and damage for 2 seconds, +100% Movement Speed, and healing 5% HP every 0.5s. (Cooldown: 120s.)
Weapon: Tendril’s Grasp
- Skill 1: Void Spike – Long-range magic projectile, applies mana burn.
- Skill 2: Soul Rupture – AoE magic drain, silences targets.
- Skill 3: Entangling Growth – Fires Root Worms that bounce up to 9 times, dealing damage, stunning, and reducing damage dealt.
- Passive: Entropic Core – Grants mana regeneration and increased spell damage on silence.
- Helmet (Plate): Repulsion – Knockback all enemies in a 4m radius and apply resistance debuff.
- Chest (Plate): Vulnerability – Disable stealth and reduce resist in a zone.
- Boots (Cloth): Decay – Applies healing reduction and DoT in a radius around the caster.
Combo Rotation
- Open with Raven’s Gaze and Repulsion to silence and displace enemy backline.
- Drop Entangling Growth to pressure grouped enemies.
- Follow with Soul Rupture and Void Spike for additional disruption.
- Use Dispel Matrix to remove buffs or barriers.
Tips & Strategy
- Focus on healers or shielders during pushes or retreats.
- Layer silence + resistance debuffs before team engages.
- Decay + Vulnerability combo is deadly in clustered fights.
Solenne
Strengths: Pure group healing with strong healing-over-time auras. Excellent for coordinated pushes, Veinhold control, and objective fights.
Drifter Skills
- Active: Bond of Light – Links to 8 targets within 10m around the caster, channeling for 4 seconds. Restores [Healing Rate: 40%] HP to the caster and linked allies every 0.5s, while dealing [Damage Rate: 70%] Magic Damage to linked enemies. Cannot be interrupted while channeling.
- Passive: Light’s Echo – Other allies within 12m receive +20% healing.
Recommended Gear & Skills
Weapon: Harmony’s Staff
- Skill 1: Soothing Mist – Basic attack replaced by healing mist. Heals allies in a small AoE every hit.
- Skill 2: Vitality Seed – Applies a healing-over-time effect to 5 allies and grants movement speed boost.
- Skill 3: Rain of Serenity – Creates a rain zone healing all allies inside over time and granting bonus resistances.
- Passive: Natural Armor – Gains 1 stack every 5 seconds, each granting 8% Damage Resistance. One stack lost when taking damage.
- Helmet (Cloth): Swift Aid – Heals grant shields based on Healing Rate.
- Chest (Cloth): Barrier – Grants shield + regenerates MP while active.
- Boots (Cloth): Vitality – Increases Movement Speed and heals HP over time.
Combo Rotation
- Activate Bond of Light during initiation or early clumps.
- Preload Vitality Seed before engages for passive HoT effect.
- Drop Rain of Serenity in clumped fights for AoE healing and sustain.
- Maintain healing uptime with Soothing Mist and trigger Swift Aid shields.
- Use Barrier and Vitality during pressure windows to reposition safely.
Tips & Strategy
- Stay midline behind tanks for best impact.
- Synchronize Rain of Serenity with team dives or heavy group fights.
- Use Soothing Mist as constant healing upkeep during brawls.
Top 3 Beginner Agility PvP Builds
Vryssia
Strengths: Stealth-based assassin with high burst and sustain. Excels at isolating squishies and applying bleed pressure.
Drifter Skills
- Active: Shadow Dive – Enters Stealth, gaining [Spectral Shield] and the ability [Phantom Bind], lasting 9s. Spectral Shield: Grants [Target-based Max HP 25%] shield effect; if the Spectral Shield fades out, the Phantom Bind effect ends prematurely. Phantom Bind: Summon phantoms that track enemies in range, dealing [Damage Rate: 183%] Magic Damage and replenishing [Target-based Max HP 5%] Spectral Shield. Doesn’t break Phantom Clone Stealth .. Using any skill other than Phantom Bind, or dealing direct healing or damage, reveals you for 2s before re-entering Stealth. Recovers 6% HP every 2s while in Stealth.
- Passive: Phantom – Enters Stealth when standing still unhurt and not using skills for a short duration. Damage, skills, or movement breaks Stealth. Warning when enemies are 7-14m away. Stealth breaks after 3s within 7m. Recovers 6% HP every 2s while in Stealth
Weapon: Hemoblades
- Skill 1: Bleeding Thrust – Executes a stabbing attack that causes [Bleed] and deals [Damage Rate: 150%] Physical Damage. Has high crit scaling.
- Skill 2: Smoke Grenade – Throws a smoke bomb that blinds enemies and grants stealth for 3s. Also applies slow and reduces enemy accuracy.
- Skill 3: Rend and Reap – Leaps to the target and strikes, dealing [Damage Rate: 160%] Physical Damage and applying 2 stacks of [Bleed]. Recovers [Healing Rate: 60%] HP. Gains 1 charge every 15s, up to 2 charges.
- Passive: Bleed – Each Bleed stack increases damage over time. Stacks up to 5 times.
- Helmet (Leather): Rage – +20% Crit Rate, +35% Attack Speed on hit for 9s.
- Chest (Leather): Stun – AoE Physical Damage and 1.5s stun.
- Boots (Leather): Titanic Growth – +60% Max HP, Movement Speed, and CC immunity for 6s.
Combo Rotation
- Start with Shadow Dive to enter stealth and prepare a crit.
- Engage with Bleeding Thrust for instant Bleed stacks and damage.
- Throw Smoke Grenade to blind and slow enemies in area.
- Finish with Rend and Reap for burst and sustain from Bleeds.
- Trigger Hemorrhage from max Bleeds for execution.
Tips & Strategy
- Use terrain and stealth to ambush targets.
- Prioritize backliners or healers with full combo.
- Cycle stealth cooldown to control the map.
Stormblade
Strengths: Agile duelist with high mobility and AoE pressure. Ideal for Rift control and mid-range trades.
Drifter Skills
- Active: Tempest Edge – Launches a flurry of slashes at the target and nearby enemies, each dealing [Damage Rate: 120%] Physical Damage. Damage reduces to 50% after the first hit on the same target. Flurry for 4s with Unstoppable and damage immunity. Can Critical Hit. Higher Attack Speed increases attack count.
- Passive: Storm Step – On Critical Hit, deals 70% Physical Damage to nearby enemies and reduces their Armor by 15% for 4 seconds. (Cooldown: 1.3s.)
Weapon: Storm Cleaver
- Skill 1: Sword Energy – Unleashes sword energy forward, dealing [Damage Rate: 140%] Physical Damage. Increases Movement Speed if it hits.
- Skill 2: Crippling Strike – Leaps to a target, dealing [Damage Rate: 200%] Physical Damage and 50% Slow. Grants a large shield on hit.
- Skill 3: Tempest Slash – Spins toward the target location, dealing [Damage Rate: 75%] (players) / 150% (mobs) damage per hit. Generates a tornado with high Sword Momentum stacks.
- Passive: Aura and Blade – Builds Momentum that increases Damage, Speed, and Resistance. Max 6 stacks.
- Helmet (Leather): Break Free – Removes CC and grants immunity for 2.5s.
- Chest (Leather): Snarl – Reduces enemy damage and applies AoE slow.
- Boots (Leather): Sidestep – Quick dash and movement boost.
Combo Rotation
- Engage with Crippling Strike to leap and apply Slow + Shield.
- Follow with Sword Energy for frontal AoE and movement speed boost.
- Activate Tempest Edge to buff stats and position aggressively.
- Use Tempest Slash when you have enough Sword Momentum stacks for tornado.
- Maintain Aura and Blade stacks by weaving in Basic Attacks.
Tips & Strategy
- Control tempo with dashes and burst resets.
- Disengage after pressure to re-engage mid cooldowns.
- Use AoE zone denial to delay pushes or split enemy team.
Sanguor
Strengths: Lifesteal-focused bruiser. Ideal for close-range brawls and sustain trades.
Drifter Skills
- Active: Hemophage – Activates Crimson Vortex for 6 seconds. The vortex deals 75% Physical Damage to up to 5 enemies every second, while healing the caster for 60% of damage dealt. Damage increases up to 150% as HP drops.
- Passive: Bloodpact – Gains +4% Damage Resistance and +6% Attack Speed for every 10% HP lost.
Weapon: Bloodfury Blades
- Skill 1: Bleeding Thrust – Executes a stabbing attack that causes [Bleed] and deals [Damage Rate: 150%] Physical Damage. Has high crit scaling.
- Skill 2: Whirling Blades – Spinning AoE attack. Deals [Damage Rate: 120%] Physical Damage every 0.5s for 3s, applies Bleed, and increases Lifesteal during effect.
- Skill 3: Crimson Frenzy – Removes Crowd Control, deals AoE damage based on Max HP, and heals on Bleed. Grants Movement Speed.
- Passive: Bleed – Boosts damage over time. Applies to all Bleed-based attacks.
- Helmet (Cloth): Venom – Applies Poison DoT and reduces healing by 30%.
- Chest (Cloth): Converge – Pulls enemies inward and stuns briefly.
- Boots (Leather): Lunge – Dash + knockback, usable for engage or disengage.
Combo Rotation
- Activate Hemophage to begin lifesteal state.
- Engage with Bleeding Thrust to apply Bleeds and close distance.
- Cast Whirling Blades for AoE damage and stacking Bleeds.
- Finish with Crimson Frenzy to trigger Hemorrhage and burst + heal.
- Use Lunge to reposition or chase survivors.
Tips & Strategy
- Stay on targets and trade around lifesteal uptime.
- Use Bloodpact timing to chain offensive pressure.
- Venom + Converge combo can pressure backlines or deny space.
Top 3 Beginner Strength PvP Builds
Varnax
Strengths: Heavy bruiser with hard engage and anti-healing burst. Strong in 3v3+ initiations.
Drifter Skills
- Active: Magma Slam – Leaps to the target location, gaining immunity to control during the leap. Deals Physical Damage (Damage Rate: 350%) and knocks enemies up for 1.5 seconds.
- Passive: Seismic Impact – When inflicting Immobilize or Hard Control (Stun, Fear, Freeze, Knockup, Petrify), drops a meteor after 1 second, dealing Physical Damage (Damage Rate: 150%) and 30% Slow for 3 seconds. (Cooldown: 5s.)
Weapon: Hellcore Cleaver
- Skill 1: Sword Slash – Can cast every 6s. Charges toward an enemy target to deal [Damage Rate: 180%] Physical Damage.
- Skill 2: Heart of Steel – Removes all CC effects, gain 1 stack of Sword Momentum, +25% Damage Resistance, +80% Attack Speed for 3 basics (8s).
- Skill 3: Overload Slash – Dash-based Anti-Heal burst, AoE explosion at full stacks.
- Passive: Aura and Blade – Each Sword Momentum stack increases Attack Speed, Damage, and Resistances.
- Helmet (Plate): Iron Wall – When below 45% HP, increases Damage Resistance by 45% for 6 seconds. Cooldown: 60s.
- Chest (Plate): Shield – Applies a shield to all nearby allies equal to 577% of caster’s max HP. Duration: 6s.
- Boots (Plate): Guardian – Leap to target location, grant AoE shield on landing. Grants CC immunity during leap.
Combo Rotation
- Engage with Guardian boots to leap into enemy clumps.
- Cast Magma Slam for initial AoE damage and Unstoppable frame.
- Follow with Sword Slash and Heart of Steel to gain Sword Momentum.
- Finish with Overload Slash at full stacks for burst + Anti-Heal + AoE explosion.
- Use Seismic Impact when enemies are hard-CC’d to trigger knockdown + burn.
Tips & Strategy
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- Engage proactively and start trades with Magma Slam or boots leap.
- Keep stacking Sword Momentum via auto attacks and Heart of Steel.
- Overload Slash can disrupt grouped enemies and healers – time it carefully.
- Rotate Shield and Iron Wall to survive burst focus.
Draknor
Strengths: Control-focused tank with zone denial and AoE lockdown tools.
Drifter Skills
- Active: Shackled Grip – Channels for 4 seconds, gaining control immunity and 30% increased Movement Speed. On hit, deals 215% Physical Damage, creating a chain link with up to 5 targets. Chains break at range limit. When the channeling ends, pulls all chained targets, dealing 215% Physical Damage and Stunning them for 1.5 seconds.
- Passive: Imprisonment – When inflicting Forced Movement (Pull, Knockback) on enemies, creates a circular prison lasting 4 seconds. Enemies touching the prison take 100% Magic Damage and are Immobilized until the prison ends. (Cooldown: 20s.)
Weapon: Gravity Hammer
- Skill 1: Earthquake Smash – Armor shred and knock-up AoE.
- Skill 2: Crippling Strike – Slows and debuffs enemies’ damage output.
- Skill 3: Pulverizing Slam – Charged AoE burst, scales with charge.
- Passive: Juggernaut – Gain damage resistance after skills hit, stackable.
- Helmet (Plate): Life Flash – When taking damage at below 30% HP, immediately restores [Healing Rate: 50%] HP every second for 5 seconds. Cannot be triggered again for 60 seconds.
- Chest (Plate): Stun – Deals AoE Physical Damage and stuns enemies for 1 second.
- Boots (Plate): Vengeance – When HP drops, increases Movement Speed and Attack Speed for 8 seconds.
Combo Rotation
- Open with Shackled Grip to pull enemies and follow up with Earthquake Smash.
- Cast Crippling Strike to weaken and slow their damage dealers.
- Activate Imprisonment to control space and prevent escape.
- Finish with Pulverizing Slam when enemies are grouped and weakened.
Tips & Strategy
- Use Life Flash to recover during extended fights.
- Apply Juggernaut stacks early for passive tankiness.
- Strong zoning tool for Rift objectives and doorways.
Aegis
Strengths: Shield-focused frontline tank. Provides defensive buffs, CC immunity, and protects Warband clumps in Rift and Veinhold fights.
Drifter Skills
- Active: Shield of Conviction – Grants Shield of Conviction to up to 5 allies, absorbing 30% of Max HP and converting 30% of damage dealt into additional shield value. Lasts 6 seconds.
- Passive: Defiant Resolve – Gains immunity to crowd control and +20% Damage Resistance while shielded. (Cooldown: 20s.)
Recommended Gear & Skills
Weapon: Titan’s Spineblade
- Skill 1: Sword Slash – Dash attack that deals 180% Physical Damage and applies 40% Slow for 2s.
- Skill 2: Heart of Steel – Cleanses all CC, grants 25% Damage Resistance, and boosts Attack Speed massively for 3 attacks.
- Skill 3: Titan’s Stride – Grants immunity to Forced Movement and scales Max HP + Attack Range based on Sword Momentum stacks.
- Passive: Aura and Blade – Generates Momentum stacks to boost Damage, Resistances, and Attack Speed.
- Helmet (Plate): Iron Wall – When HP falls below 45%, gain +45% Damage Resist for 6 seconds.
- Chest (Plate): Shield – Applies a massive AoE shield to nearby allies scaling with Max HP.
- Boots (Plate): Guardian – Leap to location and grant AoE shield on landing.
Combo Rotation
- Activate Shield of Conviction when anticipating enemy bursts or engages.
- Engage fights using Guardian leap to grant AoE shields to your team.
- Use Sword Slash and Heart of Steel to pressure and tank frontlines.
- Trigger Titan’s Stride mid-fight for Forced Movement immunity and extra tankiness.
Tips & Strategy
- Position yourself between enemies and squishies during pushes.
- Stack Momentum slowly for optimal Titan’s Stride bonus timings.
- Reactively trigger Guardian + Shield to absorb enemy ultimates and zone crashes.
Final Thoughts
Each of these PvP builds is carefully optimized for Warborne’s unique combat mechanics, stat scaling, and Total War Test pacing. Whether you’re locking down zones with frost control, slicing through squads with stealth burst, or holding the line with pure resilience — there’s a top-tier option tailored to your style.
Use these builds as a foundation and refine them as you gain more gear and uncover your favorite Drifter synergies. The battlefield evolves, and so should your strategy.
Which stat will you master — Intelligence, Agility, or Strength?
Jump into the Total War Test, pick your faction, build your Warband, and prove your loadout in the chaos of war.