Summary
Attack builds are the superior choice for league starters in Torchlight: Infinite Season 13, especially for players without high-investment pets. Spell builds are heavily pet-reliant, requiring the C6 Preserver of Eternity to feel smooth. Attack builds can use Spiral Strike for movement, making them significantly faster and more cost-efficient. The best starter options are Rosa 2, Rehan 2, and Erica 1, with Spectral Slash being the most recommended setup. To gear up faster, Buy Torchlight: Infinite Flame Elementium and get the essential equipment you need.
Why Attack Builds Over Spell Builds
Pet Reliance on Spells
Spell builds are heavily pet-reliant without the C6 Preserver of Eternity. Without this pet, they feel very slow due to limited movement speed. The Preserver of Eternity at C5 provides over 50% movement speed, but most players will not have access to this.
Movement Speed Advantage
Attack builds can use Spiral Strike for movement. With decent attack speed and a little movement speed scaling, Spiral Strike feels much better than simply running around. Attack builds are quicker and more efficient for farming.
Cost Efficiency
Attack builds are generally more cost-efficient to get into Profound difficulty. The gear requirements are significantly lower, making them ideal for day one progression.
Best Starter Heroes
Rosa 2
Rosa 2 benefits from the spell damage to attack damage conversion in her hero trait. She requires a specific pet setup using Dream Weaver and Kitty Express for optimal damage. However, she remains a strong option for players with the right pets.
Rehan 2
Rehan 2 offers the same playstyle as Rosa 2 with Spectral Slash. The key advantage is the backpack quality of life, which is a significant benefit for farming efficiency.
Erica 1
Erica 1 typically uses Thunder Spike, but Thunder Slash received buffs this season and may become viable. Early Time Mark 8 mapping feels rough due to low shadow count and poor coverage. Erica 1 is strong but requires more investment.
Spectral Slash: The Best Starter Skill
Cost-Efficient Setup
Spectral Slash requires very little investment. The only expensive item needed is the Heart of Enmity. The rest of the gear consists of crafted T1 items, which are achievable on day one.
Key Items:
Heart of Enmity: ~700-1,600 FE
Body's Girdle: ~15 FE
Rest: crafted T1 gear
Cold Conversion and Freeze
Spectral Slash uses cold conversion, allowing you to freeze enemies. Freeze is one of the most powerful defensive and damage multipliers in the game. When you are squishy, freezing the screen and killing mobs before they unfreeze is a reliable survival strategy.
Skill Damage
Spectral Slash is a very strong skill in the current season. It easily deals over 5 billion damage with proper gear, making it viable for Time Mark 7 through Time Mark 8 and into early Profound.
Thunder Spike vs Spectral Slash
Thunder Spike Issues
Thunder Spike feels bad during early Time Mark 8 mapping for several reasons:
Low number of shadows
Lightning damage does not freeze
Poor coverage
Requires expensive Priceless gear for plus shadows
Erica 1 Gear Requirements
Erica 1 requires significantly more investment to reach Profound difficulty.
Required Uniques:
Broken Sun Ring: ~800-1,500 FE
Thunder Manipulator: ~900+ FE
Dawn Break: ~600-950 FE
Ralakesh's Journey: ~500-800 FE
Total: ~3,000-4,000 FE in legendaries
Spectral Slash Gear Requirements
Spectral Slash requires only:
Heart of Enmity: ~1,300 FE
Body's Girdle: ~15 FE
Crafted rares: cheap
Total: ~1,315 FE in legendaries
Progression by Difficulty
Time Mark 7
All three builds perform well at Time Mark 7. Spectral Slash and Thunder Spike both clear Time Mark 7 easily with budget gear.
Time Mark 8
Spectral Slash remains strong at Time Mark 8 with minimal investment. Erica 1 requires more gear but is still viable with budget setups.
Profound Difficulty
Spectral Slash requires significantly less investment to reach Profound. Erica 1 requires expensive uniques, making it harder to farm early.
Pet Considerations
Attack Builds
Attack builds do not require specific pets. You can get by with basic legendary battle pets. Defense pets like Pale Knight can help with early tankiness.
Rosa 2
Rosa 2 has a very specific pet requirement using Dream Weaver and Kitty Express. Top Rosa 2 players use both at level six for insane damage multipliers.
Rehan 2
Rehan 2 works well without specific pets, making it a great choice for F2P players.
Recommended Starter Choice
Spectral Slash Rehan 2
Spectral Slash on Rehan 2 is the best starter for most players. It requires the least investment, works without specific pets, and provides excellent clear and single-target damage.
Advantages
Low legendary gear cost
No specific pet requirement
Cold conversion for freeze defense
Backpack quality of life
Fast early progression
Why Not Erica 1
Erica 1 requires significantly more legendary investment. Competing for high-demand items on day one is rough due to low supply and high competition.
Final Thoughts
Spectral Slash on Rehan 2 or Rosa 2 is the best starter choice for Season 13. It is cost-efficient, pet-flexible, and provides excellent clear speed with freeze defense. Erica 1 is still strong but requires much more investment to reach the same progression level. For most players, Spectral Slash is the superior choice. With Torchlight: Infinite Flame Elementium, you can secure the upgrades needed for smooth endgame progression.
