Pugilist Build Guide Wartales

I picked up my first Pugilist in the Dry Dock Tavern on Per-Bast Island, which you’ll find southwest of Knight Island just south of where you get your first ship in Tiltren. It’s a really strong class, so it’s well worth adding to your roster. 

Best Pugilist Build in Wartales

Pugilists in Wartales rely on Dexterity and not Strength for damage modifiers. They have two stances (attack and defense) which they can switch between once each round for free, altering the effect of many of their abilities. This makes them complex but rewarding to play. You’ll find the best Wartales build for a Pugilist below.

Best Pugilist Skills in Wartales

My Pugilist build turns them into a killing machine that can be even more devastating than the Ranger. It is purpose-built to deal massive damage to the toughest opponents, making it perfect for taking down tanks and other heavily armor opponents.

Best Pugilist Equipment in Wartales

Around level 10, you’ll find nice Bandit’s Katar drops from both bandit and pirate encounters in Grinmeer or at sea. These give a 30+ Dexterity bonus (depending on star quality) as well as Opportunist Bust. In the Attack Stance, this applies Poison, while in the Defense Stance, you get an extra attack for each Defuff on the enemy. Crafter Medium Armor works brilliantly, especially if you perfect the armor so that you can add armor layers. I go for Layer of the Falcon, as it adds both Dexterity and Critical Hit chance. I lean towards a Light Helm for this build, as the Celerity bonus (increased damage for each Debuff the opponent has) is more significant than the defensive bonuses of a medium helm.

Best Pugilist Attributes in Wartales

As a Bruiser Pugilist, you can completely ignore Strength. From most important to least, I rank the other attributes as follows:

How to play Pugilist in Wartales

During battle preparation, put your Pugilist Bruiser close to but behind a tank that you intend to get straight into battle. Make sure no enemy units will be able to get to and engage you. When you move your tanks and heavier units into engage, be sure to leave space for the Pugilist to join without fear of being targeted themselves. Attacking from behind is preferable, but not necessary. Be sure to set a stance before attacking to take advantage of any added damage and effects, and whenever possible end your turn next to an enemy (but not engaged) to take advantage of Valorous Audacity. However, don’t risk getting engaged while there are still heavily armored or high Maximum Health units you can assist on.  For more on Wartales check out How to get a ship in Wartales Pirates of Belerion (map) and How to upgrade your ship in Wartales Pirates of Belerion here at Pro Game Guides!