Lost Ark Best Shadowhunter Build [PvE & PvP]

Shadowhunters are a part of the Assassin Class. They are an Advanced Class of characters who wield the Shadowblade. This blade allows them to obliterate enemies in mere seconds. These characters are adept at close-range as well as long-range combat.

Here’s a brief overview of the sub-class:

Shadowhunter Abilities

In the case of Shadowhunters, its unique feature is the Shadowburst Identity. This skill allows your Shadowhunter to transform into a demon. To activate the Shadowburst Identity, you need to attack your enemies until the Identity meter fills up.

When the Identity meter gets full, you can activate the Demon Form. Once you will transform into a Demon, you will get access to new spells like Blood Massacre, and Destruction. These spells deal a crazy amount of damage and apply a knockdown effect on the enemies.

Once the identity meter runs out, you will revert to your Human Form. Additionally, your Identity meter will go on a cooldown and you will have to wait 30 seconds before you can fill it up again. While you’re at it, consider reading the Lost Ark Gunslinger Build and Lost Ark Sharpshooter Build guides.

Shadowhunter Leveling Guide

Leveling up a Shadowhunter in Lost Ark involves prioritizing different spells depending on your build. Here’s a guide:

Best Normal Spells:

1. Demonic Slash (Level 10): Use Spin Kick, Numbing Effect, and Excellent Mobility Tripods for initiation and dealing with groups of enemies.

   

2. Cruel Cutter (Level 12): Ideal for the Perfect Suppression Build. Equip Electric Attack, Bleed Effect, and Encroachment Release Tripods for damage over time and crit rate boost.

   

3. Thrust Impact (Level 16): Charge your weapon for a powerful burst of damage. Consider Stun Effect, Wide Explosion, and Encroaching Power Tripods for better damage and stunning effect.

   

4. Demolition (Level 24): Rush forward with swift slash attacks. Opt for Weak Point Detection, Charge Slash, and Quick Attack Tripods for improved damage and knockdown effect.

   

5. Spinning Weapon (Level 32): Launch spinning weapons for Damage over Time. Prioritize Quick Prep, Instant Disposal, and Piercing Edge Tripods for cooldown reduction and damage boost.

   

Best Shadowhunter Intrude Skills:

1. Demonic Clone (Level 10): Summons a damaging devil. Equip Vital Point Hit, Chain Attack, and Enhanced Release Encroachment Tripods for increased crit rate and stagger effect.

   

2. Rising Claw (Level 10): Propel forward and knock enemies into the air. Consider Naively Honest, Critical Blow, and Grasp of Death Tripods for paralysis immunity and damage boost.

   

3. Demon Vision (Level 14): Channel a damaging beam. Focus on Concentrated Release, Encroaching Power, and Overflowing Power Tripods for damage and Shadowburst meter fill-up.

   

4. Demon’s Grip (Level 20): Grab and pull enemies. Use Quick Prep, Encroaching Power, and Giant Grasp Tripods for lower cooldown and more Shadowburst energy.

   

5. Howl (Level 40): Emit a demonic cry and apply fear. Opt for Quick Prep, Encroaching Power, and Mighty Roar Tripods to reduce cooldown and enhance damage.

   

6. Decimate (Level 50): Slash multiple enemies with powerful demonic arms. Select Quick Prep, Weak Point Detection, and Cruel Hands Tripods for better cooldown and damage.

   

Engravings and Stats

Based on the Engravings you unlock and decide to use, you have a choice between two different Shadowhunter Builds. Both of these builds are extremely unique in terms of the spells that are available and the abilities that can be used. You will have to master different playing styles for these builds to get the most out of them

Demonic Impulse Shadowhunter Build

The Demonic Impulse Build puts a lot of focus on the Demon Form. In this Build, the Composure Debuff on the Shadowburst Meter is removed. This means that you don’t have to wait 30 seconds before you can start recharging the meter again.

Demonic Impulse Shadowhunter Leveling

• Prioritize high-damage spells: Howl, Demonic Clone, Thrust Impact, and Decimate.
• Max out these spells for maximum damage output.
• Allocate Skill Points to Demonic Slash, Demon’s Grip, Rising Claw, and Demon Vision, with at least 4 Levels in each for Tripod access.

Stats

• Emphasize Specialization to extend the Shadowburst Meter duration for longer Demon Form use.
• Specialization also boosts Demon Skills for increased damage.
• Focus on the Crit stat to improve Crit rate and increase overall ability damage.

Perfect Suppression Shadowhunter Build

Perfect Suppression is the opposite of Demonic Impulse. In this build, you remain human, never using Demonic Mode or Intrude Spells. Your damage primarily relies on Normal spells, requiring different Tripod choices that don’t fill the Shadowburst Meter.

Perfect Suppression Leveling

• Max out Normal Spells: Howl, Thrust Impact, Cruel Cutter, and Decimate.
• These spells have high damage and don’t rely on Demon Form.
• Level up Demonic Slash, Rising Claw, Demolition, and Sharpened Cut for Tripod access.

Stats

• Prioritize Crit for increased damage output.
• Invest in Swiftness for higher Critical Damage chance and improved movement and attack speed in Human Form.

Demon-Form Skills

Moving right along with our Shadowhunter PvE Build, the next set of skills that we will look into is the skills that can be used by the Shadowhunter when they have fully converted to their Demon Form, which makes the skills all the more potent in the damage output. 

Ruining Rush

• Charge forward, dealing 327 damage.
• Follow with a final claw attack for additional damage.
• Short 6-second cooldown.

Death Claw

• Swift claw attack dealing 625 damage.
• Launch enemies into the air with a finishing blow for 624 damage.
• Quick 4-second cooldown.

Gore Bleeding

• Ferocious claw attacks: 1694 initial damage and 726 damage on the follow-up attack.
• High stagger rating for continuous attacks.
• Short 6-second cooldown.

Destruction

• Concentrate demonic energy and release it, dealing 1955 damage.
• Medium to high stagger rating.
• Short 8-second cooldown.

Leaping Blow

• Propel into the air and descend upon opponents with a shockwave.
• Deals 1976 + 1064 damage.
• Medium to high stagger rating.
• 18-second cooldown.

For experienced Lost Ark players seeking experimentation, the Wardancer Build is a great choice.

Blood Massacre

• Gather blood energy and unleash an explosion, dealing 4011 damage.
• Extremely high stagger rating.
• 20-second cooldown.

Engravings

Moving right along with the Shadowhunter PvE Build, another thing that players will need to highly consider is Engravings which can be extremely useful as they are basically stronger versions of basic skills.

Adrenaline

Starting with the first engraving, Adrenaline enables bursts and ultimates, boosting attack power for quicker enemy destruction.

• Level 1: 0.3% attack power buff for 6 seconds.
• Level 2: 0.6% attack power buff and 10% crit rate increase.
• Level 3 (Max): 1% attack power buff and 15% crit rate increase.

Hit Master

• Level 1: 16% damage buff for certain attack types (Back Attacks, Frontal Attacks, Awakening Skills).
• Level 2: Further damage buff.
• Level 3: Maximum damage buff.
• Supports the player in tough battles, making their damage more potent.

Keen Blunt Weapon

• Level 1: Enhances crit damage by 10%.
• Level 2: Increases crit damage by 25%.
• Level 3: Provides a 50% crit damage buff but comes with a 20% damage reduction chance.
• Boosts crit damage and increases the chance of critical hits for deadlier damage.

Grudge

• Level 1: Grants a 4% damage boost against bosses and elite enemies.
• Level 2: Increases the damage boost to 10%.
• Level 3 (Max): Provides a 20% damage boost against bosses.
• Enhances overall damage dealt with bosses and elite enemies.

For stats, focus on enhancing Stats and Specialization to empower your Shadowhunter further, which grants the player further buffs that can make them even more potent as a Shadowhunter.

If you found this guide useful, you can also read about the Lost Ark Sorceress Builds. Let us know what you thought about this guide in the comments below!

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