Full Guide to the Combat Profession in Brighter Shores

Combat is the first mechanic and Profession introduced to you in the game. By defending the first goblins from taking over the town, you begin to gain XP in the Combat Profession.

Combat in the current state of the game is similar to Runescape, where you attack your target and take turns based on attack-speeds. Increasing your Combat level grants you +10HP per level, more damage, access to better equipment, and stronger enemies to fight with larger rewards.

Combat is a Global skill, and as such is carried with you across all episodes and content.

Due to this, unlike other Professions where the EXP curve out significantly at level 200 and cap at 500, it curves out at level 800 and caps at 2000 with the cap increasing by an additional 500 every released Episode.

Combat involves choosing your target and using the First Attack interface to pick an appropriate weapon and initiating combat. During combat you can switch weapons, such as from ranged to melee, drink health potions as well as elemental strength potions.

If the combat is going poorly, you can cast the Immunity spell underneath the healthbar. You will stop attacking for 6 seconds, and if successful, leave combat with a full heal and be able to run away or try again.

In spite of this mechanic, there is no death penalty currently in the game other than the worst punishment of all – XP Waste (time loss).

Enemies in Brighter Shores have an attack element, a weakness element, and an immune element.

• Attack Element – Damage type dealt to the player, reduced by armor.
• Weakness Element – Damage dealt by the player of this element will have a damage bonus.
• Immunity Element – Damage dealt by the player of this element will always result in 0 damage.

At level 15 you unlock the ability to use ranged equipment. In Brighter Shores, ranged weapons have a tile limit of 5 as well as an ammo limit. "Safespotting" can't be done except for rare instances. Enemies will navigate around the environment to get to you, and even if they get stuck you have an ammo limit anyway.

Ranged weapons allow you to attack up to 3-4 times (depending on rarity) before a melee enemy can retaliate, significantly tipping the odds in your favor. When you run out of ammo, the game will automatically switch to the best weapon you have equipped. In some situations you may prefer one weapon over another. In this case we recommend simply unequipping the undesired weapon.

As you partake in combat, you will find Weapons and Armor. They can be banked using the Quartermaster Bank in Hopeport, or using the Quartermaster spell accessible by talking to the man himself.

You can also sell your equipment to the Quartermaster for silver, increasing in value up to level 950 where it reaches a hard-cap of about 22 per item. This value multiplies again based on rarity.

Equipment in Brighter Shores comes in four rarities, all with different values and strengths. Higher rarity increases the effective level of the item on top of its base level.

Rarity	Level Mod	Value
Common	+0	1x
Uncommon	+15	4.5x
Rare	+30	18.5x
Epic	+45	55x

Higher rarity combat drops will happen more frequently at lower levels, but as you start levelling up and reaching certain milestones, rare and epic items will become harder to get. Weapons can also be crafted using the relevant faction's weaponcrafting skill. Armor can be crafted with Armorer, which is still locked behind Episode 5.

At Bladrick's Armory in Crenopolis (Episode 4) there is a list of random items you can purchase outright at your level range. Only offering two uncommons and a selection of commons means you can't rely on him for upgrades, but will be a great way to get up to date gear in a pinch.

In Brighter Shores it is extremely important to keep your gear up to date as you level up. If your gear falls behind the mob you are fighting next, you will absolutely feel the difference.

Weapons have the following characteristics:

• Weapon Strength – This number represents the strength of a weapon. Higher is better DPS. Attack speed is included in this value.
• Weapon Element – The elemental damage type and chance for the damage to be elemental. This chance is higher if it's your faction's favoured element.
• Weapon Style – Melee or Ranged combat style. Ranged will have limited ammo shown, replenished each fight.
• 1 Handed / 2 Handed – 1 Handed allows for a shield and increased defensives. 2 Handed will have an increased strength bonus, but you will take increased damage and may need to use healing to compensate.
• Sell Value – Value when sold to the Quartermaster or Bladrick. Increased by level and significantly by rarity as above.
• Faction – The faction this weapon can be equipped by. 3 rares of 3 different factions can be combined to make an epic using the infusion system.
• Level – The level required to equip the weapon
• Rarity – The rarity of the weapon indicated by colour and stars. 4* is the max.

Weapons have a hidden attack-speed value as well:

• Fast – 1.5s
• Medium – 1.875s
• Slow – 2.25s

The average DPS of a weapon between fast and slow categories that are of the same level and is the same, however the variance is wider for slower weapons.

In effect, this means that:

• Faster weapons are more consistent for killing while semi-AFK or not paying attention.
• Slower weapons are better for fighting harder enemies and bossing, especially when combined with movement.

Faster weapons are better in ranged slots so you can get as much free damage as possible before the enemy reaches you.

Weapons can also be crafted for each faction in the Mines of Mantuban.

Armor increases the defensive 'Armor' value on your equipment screen, and decreases damage taken by individual elements. Every piece has resistances, slightly randomised within a range based upon level and rarity.

Each armor piece has a different contribution to your overall armor stat. They are:

• Torso – 30%
• Helmet – 15%
• Legs – 15%
• Gloves– 10%
• Boots– 10%
• Shield– 20%

Note: Shields only apply when using a 1-handed weapon. The UI will still show the full armor value, however.

Faction armors get different cosmetic styles as you get to higher levels. Visit the factions page to see the armor styles. These different looks have no gameplay effect.

By using the Auto-Equip button in the Quartermaster menu, you can automatically equip the armor with the best defenses for each type of resistance.

In the Mines of Mantuban (Episode 3), after you complete The Lost and Found quest you unlock the ability to infuse equipment at the Infusionist, combining three rare items into one epic item. The resulting level will be an average of the three provided items.

Each Rare item must share the same type and be of the three different factions.

Item types that can be infused together are as follows:

• Weapons
• Armors
• Shields

You can use weaponcrafting to make weapons above your level and increase the level of the resulting epic.

Potions can be used alongside combat to increase your experience gain and defeat harder enemies faster. Some can only be used during combat and some only outside of combat. A list of combat potions is as follows:

• Health Potions – Used in combat to heal damage, ranging from 15 to 45%. They take time to drink, so don't drink when too close to death.
• EXP Potions – Used outside of combat only. You can use the appropriate episode's EXP potion to gain additional combat EXP if you're in that episode.
• Elemental Damage Potion – Used in combat only. Lasting for one entire fight, is a boost of +40 to +80 damage to the matching element. The boost only applies when the element hits, making it more important for matching factions.
• Fear Potion – Used outside of combat. Prevents aggressive red enemies from attacking you while you perform other activities.
• Wealth Potion (Passive Only) – Increases the amount of silver earned from passive combat activities by a percentage. One potion lasts one hour, and they are used automatically after the first.

Further information on Alchemy and potions can be found at:

There are currently no amulets in the game to fill the amulet slot.

The simplest and most direct way to level combat is by fighting enemies around your level. In the Combat menu on the Professions screen you will see a list that automatically updates with the most current enemies to fight. This will progress through different episodes and even reset back to previously completed episodes as part of the striping system.

EXP rates for combat increase mostly through killing speed. To maintain an effective killing speed, make sure you're using up to date weapons and armor. 2-handed weapons are ideal, but only if you're consistently not dying through enough DPS or healing potions. The strongest weapon for you to use will be your on-faction element two-handed weapon with elemental strength bonus. If you're levelling more casually, highest weapon strength that does not have an immune element is enough.

Every time you level up, the EXP from mobs slightly lowers. Additionally if you fight enemies too far below your current level, you will receive up to a -25% easy battle penalty. However, fighting enemies that are too difficult will have you spend more time drinking potions, and with slower fights. This is worse than the EXP penalty.

The sweet-spot is to kill three enemies per 2-minute EXP potion window, or one enemy every 40 seconds. With elemental advantage and elemental potions, you can get an additional +1 kill at 4 enemies per EXP potion window even if the enemy is giving a weak penalty. You should stay here until you can do 3-enemy kills per EXP potion on the next enemy without penalty, consistently.

Occasionally you will come across an enemy immune to your faction's preferred damage type. It is often best to continue fighting the same enemy and skip this mob, other than defeating one to get the album experience. If there is two immunes in a row, you could move up after over-levelling a small amount to continue getting upgraded gear drops, but you can also consider passiving combat to pass this immunity wall.

Den Raids are a detective training method unlocked in Crenopolis that additionally gives combat experience. This activity gives less combat experience than traditional training as the enemies within the raids will be stuck at a certain level, and you will quickly out-level them. However, this is the most AFK-able activity for combat experience in the game.

Enemies in the den raid will attack you one at a time without your input, letting you fight for 2-3 minutes per raid. At the end of the raid you will also recieve a chunk of detective experience, letting you train three skills at once (Combat, Detective, and Knowledge Points)

Combat passives work similarly to other passive activities in the game. Passive monsters will yield experience and a material for another profession, or simply coins.

Passive monsters require a minimum weapon strength before you can fight them. Higher weapon strengths have no effect on EXP, and are simply a requirement. The minimum weapon strength required is:

CombatLevel + 20

If you're ever in need of a weapon to fight a passive mob quickly before logging off, check Bladrick's Armory.

Unlike other passives which become 4x as effective at level 200, for combat this happens at level 800, so keep this in mind when choosing which professions to passively train.

Leveling combat will unlock the ability to complete the main story as well as various side-quests which have boss fights.

Enemies will drop either a piece of equipment to sell, coins, or various Alchemist ingredients. If the enemy type drops alchemy ingredients, they will never drop silver.

The value of the equipment and coin drops will increase up until level 950, where it caps at about 4 /HR if you sell everything.

The Combat profession cape is rewarded at level 50, 100, 200 and 500 much like other professions. Beyond level 500 you unlock further upgrades every 125 levels.

Each 125 levels one segment of the cape will update to the next cape until it's complete.

Each faction has their own unique combat cape with their faction's signature weaponry on it.