Athena

Passive: Thorns + low-HP scaling; defense turns into offense
Unlock: Level Thorns Tome to 9
Default Weapon: Aegis

Build Card

• Passive: Thorns + low-HP scaling; defense turns into offense
• Unlock: Level Thorns Tome to 9
• Default Weapon: Aegis
• Role: Defensive controller / Retaliation
• Recommended Weapons: Aegis (core guard + thorns synergy), Aura (safe AoE), Axe (boss single-target)
• Tomes (order): Thorns → Armor/Shield → Cooldown → Area
• Beginner Preset: Thorns → Armor → Cooldown → Regen; Aegis + Aura
• High-Curse Preset: Armor/Shield → Thorns → Cooldown → Area; kite & stack thorns

Core Mechanics & Gameplan

Build defenses first, then convert proximity into damage via thorns and Aegis uptime. Early game is survival.

Weapons & Upgrade Path

• Aegis — lets you farm safely while stacking thorns
• Aura — maintains control without full commit
• Axe — dedicated boss finisher

Tome Priority & Why

• Thorns — signature scaling into midgame
• Armor/Shield — survive weak opening
• Cooldown — more guard frames/retaliation ticks
• Area — more coverage around you

Step-by-step Route

Phase 1 (0–4 min) — Stabilize clear/survivability; grab your core Tome #1 and at least one crowd tool.
Phase 2 (4–8 min) — Finish main weapon upgrades; lock in Tomes #2–#3; start boss DPS plan.
Phase 3 (8+ min / Boss) — Cover weaknesses (shield/armor/evasion), add burst or DoT as needed; align cooldown windows for boss.

Mistakes to Avoid

• Greeding damage before wave-clear/safety is online.
• Ignoring shrine tempo and pot routes.
• Overcapping one stat (e.g., Crit or Move Speed) at the expense of Quantity/Cooldown.

Presets (Details)

Beginner — Route shrines/pots, minimize early risk; pick defensive tomes first.

High-Curse — Anchor on Armor/Shield; don’t chase DPS until you’re immortal-ish.

Notes

Athena snowballs late—don’t force early fights.