Analyzing the character stats to find the optimal values for each one aka “soft caps”.
Intro
TL;DR
Pick Motivity or Technique and max it out ASAP, while sometimes dropping a few levels into Vitality, Vigor, or Capacity as needed. (Haven’t tested Advance weapon scaling yet tho)
Methodology:
I created a character of each “class,” took each one up to the 1st boss and then used Cheat Engine to give me a million Ergo so I could examine what happens to each stat as you put as many points into each one as possible. I did this by hand entering all the changing values into a spreadsheet which you can access HERE.
It looks like you are only able to put 10 levels into any stat regardless of class which means your starting stats are not just the minimum they could ever be but also define their maximum (as starting+10) maybe further into the game you’ll be able to raise this hard cap but it doesn’t really matter for this initial analysis.
Physical / Fire / Electric / Acid DEF is mostly just tied to character level so putting a level in ANYTHING will see some gains. (tho Vigor appears to give half the benefit)
Vitality
HP gains start decreasing right after 10 with a harder decrease after 12 and it is just diminishing returns from there on.
Guard is linear until 13 with only a minor dip at 14 and then just diminishing returns after 15.
Recommendation: Everyone should take Vitality to 10, but probably not worth going further than 15.
Vigor
Stamina gains are only ever decreasing so even from 6, the more levels you put in? The less benefit you get out.
Still, Stamina is a very useful thing to have so it might be worth it just to put a full 10 levels in regardless… and a class which already started low will see more benefit from those 10 levels than other classes would which could make the slow hitting “Path of Strength” best for Vigor investments.
Eg putting 10 levels into Vigor as Path of Strength would result in 50 extra Stamina, doing the same as Path of Balance would return 43 extra Stamina, and as Path of Dexterity would only return 32 extra Stamina.
Recommendation: If you don’t want to put a full 10 levels into Vigor, then some good stopping points are: 8, 11, 15, 21
Capacity
Legion and Weight gains are almost perfectly linear for all values tested with a minor dip in Legion gains at 20 and improved minor Weight gains at 10, 14, and 19 (but literally just an extra 0.1 at those levels)
Recommendation: Take only as much as you need to not be Heavy; which is based on your equipment.
Motivity & Technique
Both stats have identical progression; it is only which weapons favor which which will determine how you invest your levels. Eg C/C weapon? Both will contribute equally. B/D weapon? Invest in the one which has the B scaling.
Physical ATK gains are a little weird at the start, but they all INCREASE in value the more levels you put in so – pick one and put ALL 10 levels in based on which weapon you use… probably ASAP too
This means you will get the best results from whatever class can reach the highest possible value(s) with the stat(s) governing your main weapon.
Motivity = Path of Strength
Technique = Path of Dexterity
BOTH = Path of Balance
The more levels spent on either stat BEFORE 12, the more levels that class is wasting.
Eg the Path of Balance would “waste” 4 levels getting both Motivity & Technique up to 12
Path of Dexterity wastes 0 levels getting Technique to 12 but would waste 6 levels trying to bring Motivity up to 12
Path of Strength is the same as Path of Dexterity, but just reversed for stats
Advance
Legion gains are again mostly linear just with rounding errors which makes the following levels see an extra point of benefit: 8, 10, 12, 15, 17
Resistance gains start seeing diminishing returns as soon as lvl 8
I haven’t been able to test Weapon ATK scaling with this stat yet.
Starting Class Stats
Path of Balance
9 Vitality
7 Vigor
8 Capacity
9 Motivity
9 Technique
7 Advance
Path of Dexterity
8 Vitality
12 Vigor
7 Capacity
5 Motivity
11 Technique
6 Advance
Path of Strength
11 Vitality
5 Vigor
11 Capacity
11 Motivity
5 Technique
6 Advance
Conclusion
Path of Strength is VERY well optimized if you want slow but heavy hitting
Path of Balance is well optimized if you will be investing in BOTH Motivity & Technique
Path of Dexterity is NOT as well optimized but speed *is* very effective
Path of Balance would probably be the most powerful at the end game but require more grinding to really make it shine. Path of Dexterity is probably the easiest to start out with or for a casual player.
