Ultimate Vindictus Guide by Seitsutae

Introduction
What is up everyone, this is Seitsutae (NEXON Forums)! Some of you may know me as Yathos (Lann), Kaori (Fiona) or Jordh (Evie). Anyways, this guide is not designed as a "Walk-Through" that will guide you through the storyline of the game since the objective is clearly stated in the quest log and there are numerous guides already available to you. This guide is designed to help you learn the game of Vindictus and provide FAQs that would help you throughout your Vindictus Career.

What Hero Fits You?
What I see from a lot of players, especially beginners, is that when it comes to character selection, players pick a character based on his/her looks or what weapons he/she wields; then players try to force their own play-style onto that specific character. Sometimes that works out, but most of the time, I see frustrated players that don't understand what is going wrong. So let's start by choosing your role, then your character. Here are some generic roles that you may recognize:

1.Damage Dealer (DD): Monsters that lust for blood, their job is dish out as much damage as possible by Burst or Damage Per Second.
 * Characteristic: #1 Source of damage in a party.

Burst: These are attacks/skills that deal heavy damage in a short amount of time. Damage Per Second (DPS): These are attacks/skills that deal damage on a consistent basis.
 * Characteristics: Cool Down/Slow Attacks.
 * Characteristics: Fast Attacks.

2.Tank: They are literally tanks, able to destroy enemies while laughing at their pitiful damage. 3.Support: These are an all in one utility character that do all of the intangibles.
 * Characteristics: Absorb Aggression (Aggro) of enemies to free party members for attack.
 * Characteristics: Fragile, but a key part in a successful party.

My Comments: There is flexibility in the game, but these roles pretty much determine your play-style and ultimately which character fits you. "Character Roles" is definitely very delicate to talk about, as hard as it is for me to say this, each Hero in Vindictus does indeed have their role in the game; from being a DD to a Support, or even being a mixtures of different roles. I think the reason why categorizing Heroes in different "Role" bothers players, is because it indirectly limits the potential of their Hero. For example, saying a Hero has a support role can be interpreted as that Hero can't deal serious damage, which is completely false. Instead of highlighting the negativity of "Roles", think of them as How is my Hero unique from other Heroes? & How I can take advantage this to ultimately reach my goal. Enough about roles, here are the Heroes currently available in Vindictus:


 * Lann: A male warrior who is able to wield Dual Swords and Dual Spears.
 * Fiona: A female warrior who is able to bear a shield while fighting with a Long Sword or a Long Hammer.
 * Evie: A female mage who is able to cast magic and support her team from afar with a Staff, or fight in close quarters with a Scythe.
 * Karok: A male giant who is able to smash his opponents with Battle Pillars or Cestuses. He is the only character who is able to perform smashes unarmed. Karok can perform parries without shields. On top of that, he has many different grab-smash moves, and he is the only character who can grab bosses.
 * Kai: A male human who fights from close range or afar with a shortbow mode and long bow mode.

My Comments: If you ever played a MMORPG before, you would probably guess that a hero who can dual wield would be a DD, a hero who has a shield would be a Tank and a mage hero would be support. Well you are partly right, as you can see, in Vindictus each hero has an option to pick between two weapons. Not only does the weapons have different properties (Damage, Attack Speed), each weapon also comes with it's own skill set thus your weapon of choice can drastically alter the playstyle and role of your hero.

Are you still unsure about which weapon fits you? Don't worry, DevCat was nice enough to allow players to max out skills for both weapons, so you won't be missing out on anything gameplay wise, life wise I'm not so sure. But I would suggest that it will be best to stick to one weapon to start. Hopefully by now you have picked your character and your weapon to start off your Vindictus journey. The only thing you're missing is your In Game Name (IGN), if you haven't found one you might as well quit, because I can't help you.

Lann: The Nimble Swordsman
Key Notables

Role: Primary Attacker

Dodge Skill: Nimble Dash/Gliding Fury (GF )

Stat Priority: Strength/Will/Agility/Intelligence

Skill Priority: Slip Dash Proficiency, Combat Respiration, Smash Mastery, Critical Hit, Glide Fury/Lightning Fury, Strength Mastery, Thousand Needles, Double Crescent, Will Mastery, Agility Mastery

Hero Summary

To a Sword Lann, the battlefield is simply a floor where he can dance on. Having the ability to constantly dodge attacks while staying on the offensive is definitely a useful skill to have, especially as the bosses increase in difficulty. .17seconds (A Slip Dash Proficiency) may not seem like a lot of time on paper, but on the battlefield, it's an eternity. Mastering your timing is the key to your success.

Fighting Tips


 * Mr. Invincible: Learning to time your Slip Dash is the key to every battle, mastering is the difference from getting utterly dominated to winning without a scratch.
 * DC not Disconnect Dual Crescent maybe weak for a smash, but the high KD ratio and ability to link with Slip Dash makes it the most useful in your arsenal.
 * Gliding Finish: Finish off all your attacks with Gliding Fury. Not only does it have a good chance to KD the boss, the invincibility frames are also very handy in sticky situations.
 * Five & Done: I don't have to tell you that you don't actually stab enemies a thousand times with Thousand Needles. Five is all it takes to maximize your damage.

Personal Comments & Overall Thoughts

At a glance, one may have thought Spear Lann completely outclass Sword Lann, I mean having arguably flashier skills and better DPS Skills, what's the point in wielding Dual Swords? Sorry to say Spear fans, the "Complete Dominance" is all but a mirage. Although Sword Lann lacks the flashiness or a 'stun-protection' of his counterpart, Sword Lann does indeed have a niche over every other heroes. Thanks to Slip Dash, Sword Lann can always be on the offensive instead having to distance himself and look for an opening. To Sword Lann, every second is an opening for him to strike, thus allowing him to constantly dish out damage. That in my mind makes him truly the "Pure DPS Hero"

Lann: The Shining Blur
Key Notables

Role: Primary Attacker

Dodge Skill: Roll/Gliding Fury (GF)/3690 Hurricane (3690)

Stat Priority: Strength/Agility/Will/Intelligence

Skill Priority: Fury Infusion, Combat Respiration, Smash Mastery, Critical Hit, Glide Fury/Lightning Fury, Strength Mastery, Will Mastery, Agility Mastery

Hero Summary

Til this day, I still question myself, "How the heck do you slash someone with a Spear?" Anyways, back on topic. With the fastest attack speed and the highest Critical Hit Ratio in the game, it is no wonder why Spear Lann is considered the "King of DPS". But for a king he sure takes a lot of crap from his subjects. Although his survivability skills are questionable, they are indeed underrated. Spear Lann is definitely easy to play but difficult to master. Are you going to be just a spinning meat shield or the Tier one DPS machine?

Fighting Tips


 * Keep Your Distance: Having separation between you and the boss when using 3690 makes it a lot easier to maneuver around. Take advantage of your spear's range.
 * Gliding Finish: Finish off all your attacks with Gliding Fury when possible. Not only does it have a good chance to KD the boss, the invincibility frames are also very handy in sticky situations.
 * Too Much Spinning Leads to Dizziness: Unless you want to fit into the generic Spear stereotype, don't expect to dominate with just 3690.
 * Holy Lance: Fury Infusion is what transforms you into complete monster, always have this activated.

Personal Comments & Overall Thoughts

Fiona: The Holy Protector
Key Notables

Role: Tank/Burst Damage

Dodge Skill: Roll/Block

Stat Priority: Strength/Will/Agility/Intelligence

Skill Priority: Guard, Heavy Stander, Shield Mastery, Counterattack, Smash Mastery, Campfire,  Large Shield Mastery, Critical Hit, Blossom Blow, Amarath Kick, Ivy Sweep, Battle Respiration, Will Mastery, Agility Mastery

Hero Summary

With the ability to block any incoming attack along with having the highest Knock-Down Ratio in the game, Sword Fiona definitely fits into the role of "Tank" very nicely. Fighting Tips

Personal Comments & Overall Thoughts
 * Heavy Stander Cancel: After finishing a 4 combo (Amarath Kick), drop down to a heavy stander, and let go of all the keys to drop out of the heavy stander. Not only does this prevent you from getting hit during your vunerable stage (animation of bringing leg back) after the smash, it also stops the animation which allows you to start a new combo immediately instead of having to wait for the animation to finish.
 * Better to be safe than sorry: Do not be afraid to guard earlier than the attack, it's always better to be safe than sorry. With time, you will be able to guard with perfect timing.
 * Anticipation: If an attack that might land near you is coming, its always best to guard it. Some attacks have a larger range than the animations themselves.

I don't know why, but I love Sword Fiona's playstyle the most out of all the heroes available thus far. I wouldn't say she requires the most skill or that her Game-Play is as 'technical' as some may claim; but I will say, if I had to chose a hero to solo any Boss in the game, Sword Fiona is my girl.

Fiona: The Doom Bringer
Key Notables

Role: Tank/Burst Damage

Dodge Skill: Roll/Block

Stat Priority: Strength/Will/Agility/Intelligence

Skill Priority: Guard, Heavy Stander, Shield Mastery, Counterattack, Smash Mastery, Campfire, Large Shield Mastery, Critical Hit, Stigma Hammer, Butterfly Swing, Battle Respiration, Will Mastery, Agility Mastery

Hero Summary

A tank like her sword-based sister. Generally the same gameplay and stratagies as Sword Fiona, but with different advantages to each weapon. Sword Fiona does swifter attacks, while Hammer Fiona does slower, but stronger attacks. Sword Fiona's attacks are mainly concentrated on one enemy, while Hammer Fiona's attacks are more of an AOE attack.

Fighting Tips

Personal Comments & Overall Thoughts
 * Heavy Stander Cancel: After finishing a 4 combo (Amarath Kick), drop down to a heavy stander, and let go of all the keys to drop out of the heavy stander. Not only does this prevent you from getting hit during your vunerable stage (animation of bringing leg back) after the smash, it also stops the animation which allows you to start a new combo immediately instead of having to wait for the animation to finish.
 * Better to be safe than sorry: Do not be afraid to guard earlier than the attack, its always better to be safe than sorry. With time, you will be able to guard with perfect timing.
 * Anticipation: If an attack that might land near you is coming, its always best to guard it. Some attacks have a larger range than the animations themselves.

Evie: The Devious Witch
Key Notables

Role: Overall Support

Dodge Skill: Magic Shield/Skip

Stat Priority: Intelligence/Agility/Will/Strength

Skill Priority: Magic Mastery, Firebolt, Restoration, Golem Mastery, Magic Critical, Magic Arrow, Intelligence Mastery, Agility Mastery

Hero Summary

I definitely think Staff Evie is the most underrated hero in the game. She may not obliterate enemies like a Lann or absorb hits like a Fiona, but she is great at what she does, which is supporting a team. The role of "Support" was never as popular as "DD" or "Tank", yet it is as vital if not more vital to the team. Staff Evie is definitely vital to the success a party, especially as missions become more challenging.

Fighting Tips


 * Where is My Shield: NEVER rely on your mana shield. Trying to tank a hit for Firebolt is a no-no!
 * Team Player: Since you are able to see the full battle from a distance, you must know when to Heal, use Secondaries or whatever it may be to insure the success of the party.
 * Know where to Hop: Skipping is definitely the worst dodge move in the game, but it isn't as bad as some may have thought. Knowing each attack's Area of Effect (AOE), whether it's Linear or Splash will increase the efficiency of your skip. (IE: Side Step for Linear Attacks and Backward/Diagonal for Splash Attacks)
 * Freeze!: Mana Amber, added with the revamp, will get you out of harm's way in a hurry. Don't let it end too early, though, or you're in for a world of hurt.
 * Shadow of the Golem : Although Golems may sometimes be a hindrance to your melee teammates, it ultimately allows you team to get of "Free" attacks. It is up to them to adept adequately.

Personal Comments & Overall Thoughts

I want to be on the record for saying, Staff Evie gets my vote for MVP. She makes life so much easier for her teammates. Having said that, Staff Evie is no miracle worker. Just because she is in your party, doesn't mean you could just 'slack off' (i.e. Don't try to tank hits that are easily avoidable). Don't become reckless just because a Staff Evie is in your party and assume that she will bail you out. Having skilled players along with a Staff Evie can make the most difficult of Bosses seem like a piece of cake.

Evie: The Death Scythe
Key Notables

Role: Secondary Attacker, Offensive Support

Dodge Skill: Magic Shield/Skip and Blink

Stat Priority: Intelligence/Agility/Will/Strength

Skill Priority: Magic Mastery, Magic Critical, Intelligence Mastery, Blink, Death Label/Bloody Thread, Smash Mastery, Insane Reaper, Agility Mastery, Critical Hit

Hero Summary

If she was only Maka, she would completely dominate with her Death Scythe by her side. This is the world of Vindictus, however, where the crushing Scythe is hindered by its slow attack speed. But fear not Scythe fans, Scythes' sheer raw damage is still enough to make Lann nervous for his supremacy as Top DD. On the defensive end, even with the protection of the magic shield, Evie is still as fragile as hatchling. Not planning wisely will not only disrupt you offensive prowess but could ultimately lead to your demise.

Fighting Tips


 * Where is My Shield: NEVER rely on your shield, I repeat NEVER rely on your shield.
 * Greed is a Sin: Trying to tank a hit to finish an attack (Smash, Extended Smash) is NEVER a good idea.
 * Stamina Awareness: Always be aware of your stamina. With Blink having a massive (33 at rA) stamina cost, always spare enough for Blink.
 * Don't Forget to Skip: With the access to Blink, you would think skipping is useless. That statement can't be further away from the truth. There are two main benefits to skipping into Blink.
 * 1) Stamina Regeneration: Like Staff, Evie still regenerates stamina while skipping. Do I need to say more?
 * 2) Change of Direction: Instead of just move in one direction like a Rook, Skip>Blink allows you you to move diagonally like a Queen.
 * Hell Quake (LLR) is Your Friend: This isn't the strongest or the fastest smash available to Evie, but in my opinion the Best. Try it out yourself and you'll see why.
 * I Need Those Buffs!: Whether it's Spirit Bind or Death Label, always have something to do at the snap of a finger.
 * Air Slashing: To compensate for Scythes' slow attack speed, initiating combos before impact is a must.

Personal Comments & Overall Thoughts

Not only is a girl wielding a Scythe really very BA, she is also given flashy moves that will put a smile on your face. There is no doubt that Scythe is a very unique weapon. Not only does it allow Evie to be effective in close range with stronger physical attacks, it also retains strong magic attacks in the form of Extended Smashes like her Staff counterpart. Using both physical/magical spectrum to boost her overall damage, Scythe Evie is definitely the "Offensive" Variation of Evie.

Karok: The Sturdy Pillar
Key Notables

Role: Boss Smasher, Grappler

Dodge Skill: Roll/Clash

Stat Priority: Strength/Will/Agility/Intelligence

Skill Priority: (Subject to change) Strength Mastery, Grapple Mastery, Pillar Mastery, Stamina Mastery, Pillar Toss, Unarmed Combat, Clash, Combat Mastery, Critical Hit, Pillar Charge

Hero Summary Karok is a giant wall of meat. He's bigger than every other character in just about every way. Most of his armors don't even fully cover him. As such, you need to be a bit more aware of the enemies and make certain they don't surround you. Karok is also slower than most of the other characters, even when running, but he has more health to make up for it. He is also able to literally grab every creature in the game in some way or another. For trash mobs like spiders, wisps, diggers and vampires, this means insta-kill when successful; with bosses, this means either punching them when they're down or holding them for a while before someone gets hit and then hurting them.

Fighting Tips


 * I'll Tear You Apart: Use his grappling skills to deal out massive damage. When he's ripping wisps apart or tearing out hemdrills, he seem to be immune to other damage. Plus, it gets rid of one mob.
 * Stop Right There!: Watch for the grab icon on the bosses. Be quick to use it, as it keeps the boss from doing damage and can do a massive amount of hurt while they're vulnerable.
 * Gotta Catch My Breath: Even with one of the highest stamina pools, Karok can still burn through it quickly even without running. Don't forget about it, and be ready to recover it when it gets low.
 * Bowl You Over: Since Karok is so huge, he can literally walk over anything in his path. Pillar Charge means that you can damage enemies while running into them while even his dodge move does some damage. Don't be afraid to duck and roll if you need to get out of there.

Karok: The Fist of Power
Key Notables

Role: Boss Smasher, Grappler

Dodge Skill: Weave

Stat Priority: Strength/Will/Agility/Intelligence

Skill Priority: (Subject to change) Strength Mastery, Grapple Mastery, Stamina Mastery, Blast Mastery, Weaving, Weaving Attack, Blast: Terror Force, Blast: Crushing Strike, Blast: Destroyer, Cestus Mastery, Clash, Combat Mastery, Critical Hit, Big Bang Attack

Hero Summary To be honest, Karok doesn't change his role much with the new weapon. He's still a massive mound of muscle, looking to smash open faces and grab foes when he can. His style, though, changes dramatically. Smart Karok players will be able to take full advantage of the cestus's true powers, while the pure smashy types will want to stick with the pillar. Absorb Damage all but disappears, as the attack window is now the glove on Karok's right hand instead of a massive pillar; however, the entire damage gets soaked into the cestus instead of damaging Karok and restoring slowly. It will be more common to soak up the damage Karok's blast damage gets a good AoE and finishes off most mob enemies. Be careful if you want to kill a certain type of enemy a certain way for either titles or BP, as it's easy to misjudge how much damage that sucker is packing on your arm. Mastering the timing on your Weave, the length and duration, will be important as the bosses hit harder and many times. The buffs from Karok's blasts are nice, but should be seen as a temporary bonus than something you want to keep up all the time.

Fighting Tips


 * Business as Usual: Karok's role doesn't change that much. Keep smashing and grabbing as you did back you had the pillar, but be more aware as the attacks come in.
 * Float Like a Butterfly: Weave, weave, weave... Weave is your friend to avoid damage. If you get hit by an attack as you do so, even better as you charge up the blasts. Don't save it too long, though, or it goes away. Also, don't go looking to get hit; that's suicidal.
 * Boom Goes My Fist: Use the blast attacks frequently at the end of attacks. Whether there are many or just a few enemies, they will all take massive damage and most mobs will be dead. Blasting unleashes boosts if you have a charge, so you can't lose, but it has to hit a live fomor to work.
 * Big Bang Attack is a good Firebolt substitute, but most of the time, it just locks you in place while you charge it up. Use sparingly, if ever.

Personal Comments & Overall Thoughts Rognik's thoughts: Those who enjoy Clash and want to use it a lot should max out stamina as soon as they can. After the initial grab, Karok's stamina starts to slip away. For lower level bosses, this gives you plenty of time to hold them while everyone else smashes like crazy; on the higher level bosses, this means you want to be attacking quickly or you'll lose this round. Having Stamina Endurance is also good, so that it can be fully restored at the start of each crash.

~Kai~
Key Notables

Role: DPS

Dodge Skill: Dodge roll, Dodge Grapple

Stat Priority:place holder

Skill Priority:Combat Mastery, Critical Mastery, Dodge Grapple, Eagle Eye Assault, Magnum, Battle Respiration, Headshot

Bossing Mastermind: Tips for Successful Bossing
Instead of a Strategic guide to tackle each boss I'm going to try and teach you some subtle tips to improve your skills in the game and help you to make your own strategy that fits your playstyle. (If you're an experienced player, you probably wannna just skim over or skip this)

I want a piece of that!
I like the fact that break-offs are a part of the game; it's one of the features of the game that make it unique. A lot of players have difficulty aiming, either due to a lack of practice or lag. Getting breakoffs are a lot easier than it sometimes appears. The key is not just improving your aim, but finding the right opportunity.

Gnoll Chieftain:
 * Requirement: 1.5 bars and lower to trigger Fatigue Sequence.
 * Comment: Lure Gnoll Chieftain into an attack or when he is fatigued and use Object/Firebolt/Spear.

Kobold Chief: Giant Polar Bear:
 * Requirement: None
 * Comment: Lure Kobold Chief into his attack combo and use Object/Firebolt/Spear as he gets up.
 * Requirement: 2.5 bars and lower to trigger Roar Sequence.
 * Comment: Line yourself with Giant Polar Bear's right left as he roars and keep your distance.

The Knight: Blood Prince: Goliath: Gnoll King:
 * Requirement: None
 * Comment: Object/Firebolt/Spear The Knight as he charges up for Firebolt
 * Requirement: None
 * Comment: Object/Firebolt/Spear Blood Prince as he charges up for Firebolt
 * Requirement: None
 * Comment:
 * Requirement: None
 * Comment:

The Game of Execution
In spite of knowing a boss's attack patterns, people often carelessly get hit (or killed). A fight isn't just knowledge, but actually doing something with that knowledge. Learning how the boss behaves is just a piece of being able to maximize damage output while minimizing damage taken. Being lazy not only wastes time and money, but it also prevents growth as a player. Going into the fight with the thought that "Evie can just heal me" or "I'll just get feathered when I die" means the fight is over before it began.

Find Their Dominance
It's easy to recognize the attack patterns of bosses, but there is more than just dodging at the right moment or timing your block to combat. Noticing subtle things will make your combat a lot smoother, especially when the bosses become tougher. If you haven't already noticed, the bosses in each boat are similar. There are often a few types of bosses with a few outliers. Perilous Ruins has melee (Shadow Fang, Embermain, etc) and ranged (Foul Snowpaw, Jagged Tooth), with Gnoll Chieftain as the different boss. Hoarfrost Hollow has a similar setup, with the melee (Cunning Etunoch, etc) and ranged (Big Brother Ebeloch, etc) bosses. It has more outliers, as both Robust Echeloch and Sturdy Emuloch have very distinct attack patterns. Ainle is a bit different, but still roughly follows the theme. Information Chief Kalis shows up all the time, as does Servant of Hell. Other than that, there are the melee lancers (The Red Bearer, The Reaper, etc), the casters (The Blood Drinker, etc) and the hybrids (The Knight, The Blood Prince).

The most dreaded boss in Ainle is (The) Reaper, in spite of the fact that The Red Bearer—a rather similar boss—proves no challenge at all. His only addition is the ranged smash and a quicker attack. His quick successive attacks can be brutal, but they are easily avoided. For a Fiona, for instance, instinct would be to counterattack both strikes, which is not really feasible. It's better to simply block the first and counter the second. For a Lann, it's as easy as not dodging backwards: his two attack combo moves him far forwards, easily clearing the distance. As for the smash, it seems like it should be easy to avoid; it's a charging skill with a fairing long charge. However, some players literally run into his smash. The lance is on (The) Reaper's Right arm, so the game design restricts him to only attacking across his body, like every normal right handed person/vampire would do. Running to his blind spot (his left/ player's right) will guarantee a miss and make his opening that much more obvious. Noticing and making use of these details makes combat far easier.

Have You Mastered All Your Titles?
Title Categories A Title List, linked due to size.
 * Main/Sub Story
 * Battle Quests
 * Conditional Kills
 * Armor Set
 * Items
 * Miscellaneous

Tips to Improve Game-Play
Don't Be Shy to Press F12: I don't think I need to say more.

Teamwork: This is one of the most important concepts in any team oriented activity. Teams are built because the members of the team share a common goal. Instead of worrying how can I help myself find ways to help out the team, whether it's through healing teammates or completing bonuses within a mission. More times than not, you'll find yourself benefiting from helping your team.

Learn to be Independent: Although this is a very team oriented game, it's a bad habit to rely on your teammates for everything. Each member of the team have to carry their own weight. Don't just assume that if Evie is in your party, you don't have to use your potions. A rule of thumb is "NEVER rely on others for your own survivability", your team is there only as a safety net.

Update Log
Vindictus: Episode 3 ~ November 13, 2010
 * Karok Info: Episode 9 ~ Februrary 25, 2012 by Rognik