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Contents 1 Summary 2 Choosing your skills 2.1 Mortal 2.1.1 Combat Skills 2.1.2 Miscellaneous Skills 2.2 Pariah 2.2.1 Blood Claws: For Behemoths Only? 2.3 Void Walker 2.3.1 Magical Attacks 2.3.2 Miscellaneous and Combat Skills 2.3.3 Invisibility or Stepping? 2.3.3.1 The Invisibility Tree 2.3.3.2 The Stepping Tree 3 Serving a faction... or not.

[edit] Summary

The Void Walker is a very interesting, very fun class. Deciding how you want to play it (and therefore which skills to buy) does not require as much forethought as the Divine Champion, the angelic combat caster, but Pariah and Void Walker skill trees can become expensive and you would be wise to spend your character points conservatively. Ideally, you will have known that you wanted to be a Void Walker since you were a mortal.

As with any character in the Nexus, life is a series of trade-offs. Nobody can do everything, or even do some basic things as adequately as others, so before you read further you should have an idea of what you intend to do once you become a Void Walker.

[edit] Choosing your skills

The Void Walker is a “combat caster” class. It is a hybrid fighter and magician, excelling at neither discipline. Damage isn't everything, though, and Void Walkers have their own specializations: they are excellent scroungers, scouts, and equally skilled at succeeding alone without the support of a faction as they are helping a faction wage war.

First, you need a way to deliver pain. Whatever weapons you choose, know that you won't have the same damage-dealing abilities as a Seraph, or Infernal Behemoth, or Nexus Champion, but you will do well enough to get by. The combat weaknesses of the Void Walker are balanced in fantastic abilities elsewhere.

Spend wisely; you will treasure every last CP later in life. As always, remember to have a maximum of 40 CP stockpiled upon reaching level 10, and 70 CP at level 20.

[edit] Mortal

Squishy.

[edit] Combat Skills

• Hand to Hand Combat – Demons specialize in busting chops, as you well know: Pariahs are famous for their claws, and Defilers and their exits have powerful abilities that rely on the accuracy provided by this skill tree. If you're planning on using ranged or melee weapons, you can safely skip this one. The chance to hit with the Ghost Tendrils of E'Moch-Nahr depends on these skills.
  • Boxing – Skip it. If you're buying the Hand to Hand Combat skills and intend to become a Pariah, it's a safe bet that you'll be wearing Blood Claws soon, and won't have much need for the damage boost provided by Boxing. People who recommend the Boxing skill for Pariahs sometimes put forth the argument that Advocates are immune to Unholy damage, and so one must be prepared to kill them by way of sheer bludgeoning force. I would counter by saying that 20CP is too high a price, especially for a class that could spend it on much more interesting skills, and might just as soon pass over an Advocate for a softer target, anyway.

• Melee Combat – Swords! (And other dangerous things.) If you happen to find a nice one, you'll be glad you have these skills. Swords aren't as accurate as a ranged weapon, but their upkeep is less demanding. And, if you're lucky, you might find a rare magical weapon or have one enchanted for you. Since you'll probably have an easier time staying alive later in life, you'll keep those enchantments intact longer. Melee combat means you'll still have to work against your target's Dodge and H2H defenses, though. And Void Walkers (and demons in general) aren't nearly as good with melee weapons as other classes, most notably Myrmidons and Paladins and their exits.

• Ranged Combat – Do you want to do lots of damage while bypassing some of your target's defenses? Then you want to learn about rifles, shotguns, bows, pistols, thrown objects, and the rest. There are some nice magical weapons out there, too, and you may want to go looking for one. Ranged weapons offer you the highest possible accuracy, but they must be maintained and fed ammunition. As a Void Walker, you may find that collecting ammunition for your weapon and staying alive long enough to use it is easier for you than for many of the less evasive classes. Your chance to hit with Whisper of the Thousand Teeth depends on the Thrown Weapons tree.

• Hide – It might help keep you alive a few times as a Pariah.
  • Advanced Hide – Now we're talking! This and its parent skill cost a total 30CP. With a pristine ranged weapon, you might not mind the loss of accuracy for the +8 damage. If you rely on your claws, you may want this skill for the extra damage against targets that don't have Enhanced Senses, but keep in mind you'll probably want to compensate for the lost accuracy somehow. If you need to fit under a CP cap, you could buy much worse than these skills.

• Dodge – Do as the character creation screen suggests. Save purchasing this one for later, if ever. Though many other demons will want the added protection, you may not find it an acceptable expense if you don't also have the defense bonuses provided by the Hand to Hand Combat tree. And, once you become a Void Walker, you're going to be difficult enough to track down as it is.

[edit] Miscellaneous Skills

• Engineering – You know how to repair doors, and gain 10 experience points from doing so. It's simpler to tear them down, of course. An XP to AP ratio of 1:1, here, so it's not the best way of leveling up - but if you want to earn some badges, this is one way to do it. Not the easiest way, but it may provide adequate XP early in Tier 3, when it seems everyone but you is getting stronger.
  • Structural Engineering – You know how to set up barricades! This isn't very useful to you as a mortal, but once you're a Void Walker – whether the invisible or teleporting kind – you may find causing mischief an enjoyable alternative to killing. I'm sure you can think of some creative uses for barricades.

• Planar Protection – Lots of other classes can live without this. As a demon and an expert in going places you shouldn't, you might want to take it. I always do. It only costs 10CP, and Paradise is too tempting to leave undisturbed.

• Repair Item – Use these skills to keep your equipment in good working order. The CP you might have otherwise spent on Blood Claws and its upgrades can be used here. If you don't plan on using weapons, you probably want to skip it.

• Search – Contender for best skill in the game. A must for everyone.

• Sense Magic – Highly recommended! Even if you don't use weapons, or armor, or portals, or drink potions, you probably want to know whether that shiny thing you're about to throw away is worth anything, right?

• Sense Morality – Demons don't usually discriminate when dispensing violence, but this is a prerequisite for Psychometry.
  • Psychometry - This skill provides a greater awareness of infusions. You may want to buy this if you're going to be using Unholy Stain, though you might rely on your factionmates for infusion information, instead.

• Strength – You may want to buy this if you use bows, or if you carry very many things to and from a stronghold.
  • Stamina – An Infernal Behemoth might buy this, but it's not worth much to you. Void Walkers don't have an innate armor and crumple easily when caught unaware.

• Swim – This skill is made obsolete by The Stepping of the Corner, and you won't have much use for it anyway.

[edit] Pariah

Pariahs are dangerous little guys. Nobody likes them.

[edit] Blood Claws: For Behemoths Only?

• Blood Claws – The defining skill of the Pariah. If you've bought Hand to Hand Combat and its children, buying this skill is an obvious choice. Many Void Walkers don't find much use for Blood Claws, preferring instead the more powerful ranged weapons like rifles or bows. Personally, I find Blood Claws to be great fun, and though I'm fairly safe most of the time I'd still rather not be searching for ammo or lugging it around or maintaining any sort of weapon. Claws do average damage at best, even when paired with Weaken and Advanced Hide. If you can live with that: great! Remember that not every class can succeed like another, and that the Void Walker has other ways of dealing damage.
  • Blood Taste – This will help you survive an enemy's damage aura, or let you regain your strength if you've just barely survived the night. If you have no weapons but your claws you may want to make the most of them with this skill, but it isn't absolutely necessary. Note that this skill may interfere with Tlacolotl's "Blooded Fury" cult gift.
  • Corrode Claw – Terribly useful for helping your faction tear down wards protecting enemy strongholds and flags, this skill also grants every Blood Claws hit an additional 8% chance of degrading foe armor and a double damage bonus versus doors and barricades.

• Explosive Murder – A moderately powerful AoE attack. Very fun while you're a Pariah, but obsolete after you're able to disappear from combat for the same MP cost using Master Invisibility. Be aware that buying this skill places an auto-destruct button in your Combat Actions pane. Death by Explosive Murder does not cause a loss of Favor.

• Hellfire – The Stygian's charged attack, analogous to Lesser Smite and Focused Attack, this skill increases damage and changes the weapon's damage type to Unholy. Widely considered not worth the price when used with Blood Claws, especially considering the other demands on a Void Walker's MP. To a Pariah whose magic points are untaxed, however, this skill helps a great deal against Paladins and other beings protected by an innate armor. You probably want this if you're using ranged weapons.

• Lesser Regeneration – If you don't have Blood Taste, you may want to use this to restore your health in an emergency.

• Weaken – Strongly recommended for those with the Hand to Hand Combat skills to land it, this touch attack reduces a target's chance to hit and damage soak, even into negative numbers. Perfect for going against active characters or those with an innate armor that isn't affected by Corrode Claw.

[edit] Void Walker

You have arrived! (But you still can't take a punch.)

[edit] Magical Attacks

• The Breath of the Dead Child – An Area of Effect attack that delivers massive amounts of Death damage (at Lv30: maximum of 45 damage per target, up to 450 total) to everyone nearby except factionmates and creatures with Death immunity (Liches and their pets, Revenants, people affected by a potion of Death immunity, et cetera). Costs 8 AP and 15 MP to cast.

• Ghost Tendrils of E'Moch-Nahr – A touch attack that delivers 11 Electrical damage for 4 MP. Depends on the Hand to Hand Combat tree.

• Whisper of the Thousand Teeth – A ranged attack that delivers 15 Unholy damage for 5 MP. Depends on the Thrown Weapons tree. This skill does not benefit from Eye of the Assassin.

[edit] Miscellaneous and Combat Skills

• Cast Spell – Being able to learn or cast spells is useful to anyone, but it's more useful to others than to you. As a Void Walker, you don't have a lot of CP to spare, and even less free MP. You may find Dispel Greater Ward, Reveal, or some of the buffing spells useful, especially Tiger Claw if you're using Advanced Hide to improve your damage, but only you can decide whether you're willing to give up one or more of the following fabulous skills for the privilege.

• Enhanced Senses – Extremely useful, and very often recommended as one of the first things a Void Walker should pick up. It's not absolutely necessary, but when combined with The Stepping of the Corner you become a very dangerous creature indeed. If you're the least bit interested in killing things, buy this skill with confidence!

• Eye of the Assassin - An additional 10% chance to hit with thrown weapons. This skill does not apply to Whisper of the Thousand Teeth, but it can make tomahawks and throwing knives (both of which can be enchanted) even deadlier.

• The Stepping of the Assassin – An underrated skill. If you rely on your claws, or especially if you use a powerful melee weapon, this skill may prove invaluable against Seraphs, Infernal Behemoths, Liches, or any other creature that hides behind a damage aura.

• Unholy Stain - With this skill you're able to remove 3 points of infusion from a location for 1 AP and 1 MP. This can't be used to claim an area for your faction, but, as stronghold wards rely on infusions for their strength, damaging a stronghold tile with this skill will cause a longer-lasting impact than simply tearing the ward down. This also forces defenders with the Infuse skill to spend three times as many AP and MP repairing damage than it took to cause with this skill.

[edit] Invisibility or Stepping?

There are two sets of skills that can outline the ways one might play a Void Walker: the Invisibility tree, and the Stepping tree. Both trees have the same effect: they make a Void Walker more difficult to catch, but their methods are very different. Counting only the core skills of the Stepping tree (only those necessary to buy The Stepping of the Stone), both trees cost a total of 180 CP. Since most people can't purchase both, and might not want to, anyway, it is necessary to choose. Nearly all Void Walkers will purchase The Stepping of the Corner, and many who choose to pursue Master Invisibility will also desire The Stepping of the World Gate to minimize the strain on their MP while increasing their mobility across the planes.

[edit] The Invisibility Tree

• Invisibility – The first step on the path to disappearing completely. An inexpensive skill, but very draining.
  • Greater Invisibility – More useful than its predecessor, you can now disappear for a while. Good for post-raid AP regeneration, assuming you somehow still have the MP to use it.
    • Master Invisibility – With this skill, you are able to remain invisible indefinitely. This is ideal for someone who would prefer to live outside of a stronghold, most likely without a faction and following some self-serving goal. The greatest drawback of this skill is that your MP is almost completely allocated to remaining invisible. Without MP for Weaken, or Hellfire, or your magical attacks, combat becomes much less of a priority, but you'll probably have something else to spend your AP on. Using this skill, one could loiter near resources used by others (including “Stone Steppers”) while remaining unseen by all. This is perfect for badge grinders or Void Walkers in search of particular things (the Lore of Haldon, magical weapons, accessories, ingredients, et cetera). Note: This is not a license to act carelessly. Hiding places should avoid the paths of Lightspeaker or Wyrm Master pets, Revenants affected by the Animus of the Bat, or wherever a patrolling spellcaster is likely to cast Reveal.

[edit] The Stepping Tree

• The Stepping of the Corner – This may be the defining skill of the Void Walker, if only because it's so widely adopted. It allows entrance to any locked room, movement between building interiors and through barricades. Only magical wards can impede the Void Walker who has this skill.
  • Ether Stepping – Reduces movement costs to 0.5 AP on any tile. If you've stacked, say, 100 AP worth of Tiger Claw on yourself, Ether Stepping also halves the spell's decay due to movement. This skill, combined with its parent and Enhanced Senses, greatly decreases time spent searching for your next victim. A bargain at 60 CP.
  • The Stepping of the World Gate – Teleportation to a random location on any plane! And, more importantly to a Void Walker with Master Invisibility, the MP cost for travel via portals has been reduced to 0.
    • The Stepping of the Stone - This skill can take you wherever you've left a stepping stone for 1 AP and 15 MP. This is perfect for someone who rests inside the safety of a stronghold and can set aside 30 MP per round trip. Much more useful than Invisibility when it comes to acquiring rare goods from distant places in a timely manner, or whenever low on AP in an unsafe area. These stepping stones can also be used as secluded hiding spots when necessary; with Advanced Hide and an Amulet of Hiding, any sufficiently isolated spot could be nearly as effective as Master Invisibility. And, if you set a Stone down at your stronghold door, returning home becomes a piece of cake.
  • Void Stepping – While moving through Void tiles, movement costs are reduced to 0 AP. You won't regain AP while in the void, however. Very useful for in Purgatorio and Nifleheim.

[edit] Serving a faction... or not.

Factions provide enchanters, potion makers, organization and camaraderie, a chance to contribute to a cause, and legions of fans swooning over your nightmarish visage. They'll love you even more if you use The Stepping of the Stone to gather goodies from far away for them. Or you could help on raids by scouting ahead with your Enhanced Senses and ability to penetrate locked buildings, finding mortals for bloodthirsty Infernal Behemoths. Breaking down wards with Corrode Claw and using your infamous AoE attack also earns the adoration of the masses. (Unless you're stopped cold by a horde of zombies.)

You think you can hack it alone? You're probably right! With the right skills, Void Walkers are great solo characters. If you're lucky, you may find it relatively easy to max out your Survivor Bonus with Master Invisibility, giving you the opportunity to work towards your withered little heart's desire, but remember to keep a prudent distance between yourself and the high traffic areas.