Torchlight: Infinite SS11 Vorax Season - Best Starter Builds
Torchlight: Infinite’s SS11 Vorax Season is finally here, and with it comes a massive slate of fresh mechanics, hero reworks, and new archetypes that dramatically change early- and late-game progression. Season 11 introduces some standout league starters with high mapping speed, powerful bossing potential, and smooth transitions into endgame specializations.
This article breaks down the top recommended starter builds for the Vorax Season—based on gameplay previews, early theorycrafting, and last season’s proven endgame setups. Several of these builds already have updated written guides that players can reference via community resources, while others are based on upcoming archetypes with enormous potential.
If you’re preparing your day-one character, looking for a smooth path from the campaign into Profound, or trying to choose a hero capable of both speed farming and bossing, the following builds represent the best early-season options for SS11.
1. Erica 3 (New Hero Trait) – The Flicker-Strike Inspired Speed Demon
Personal confidence rating: 80% committed.
Erica 3 is one of the most anticipated new hero traits of the Vorax Season, and she plays like Torchlight’s version of Flicker Strike from Path of Exile—rapid teleports from enemy to enemy in an extremely high-tempo melee style. If you’re a fan of ultra-aggressive mapping, screen-warps, and nonstop motion, Erica 3 may be the strongest new starter of SS11.
Why Erica 3 Is a Top Starter
• Exceptional mapping speed.
• Pairs perfectly with Overw / Overwe content, making her a great farmer.
• Multiple viable skill options:
• Berserking Blade
• Crescent Slash + new combo skills
• Icy Blade, Frost Spike
• Thunder Spike
• Any slash or scratch style
• Built for a hyper-mobile melee playstyle.
Although one of the new combo skills (Gale) does not work with her ability, Squall does—and looks extremely promising.
What Flicker Gameplay Looks Like
The preview shows a fast, teleport-heavy melee rhythm that some players may find disorienting. To address this, Torchlight: Infinite is adding a new camera mode specifically to reduce motion sickness. If you have concerns about that, consider making Erica 3 your second character of the season.
Endgame Outlook
Erica 3 is expected to:
• Excel in mapping all seasons.
• Boss is better than many people think, especially with tankier setups.
• Offer one of the smoothest farming experiences of SS11.
If you want fast progression, fast clears, and melee momentum, Erica 3 is arguably the top new-season choice.
2. Gemma 2 – Frostbitten Heart and the New Frostbite Meta
Gemma 2 is the face of the massively reworked ailment system, including sweeping changes to frostbite, freezing, and ailment multipliers. With frostbite now providing 1% additional cold damage per stack, Gemma 2 skyrockets in power because she can exceed normal frostbite caps and scale the mechanic far beyond other heroes.
Why Gemma 2 Is Considered Top 3
• Best synergy in the game with the frostbite overhaul.
• Extremely flexible damage types:
• Cold
• Physical → Cold conversion
• Lightning → Cold conversion
• Three out of five archetypes comfortably support a cold conversion route.
• Both Gemma 2 and Frostbite multipliers look “absolutely crazy” in the current patch notes.
Skill and Archetype Options
One of the most promising mechanics this season is Tangle, the new support that functions similarly to “brands” from PoE. Tangle:
• Cannot be used with Spellburst.
• Auto-triggers on enemies it latches onto.
• Can be scaled by the number of tangles placed and applied.
• Creates an entirely new spell playstyle.
If Tangle turns out to be weaker than expected? No problem—Gemma 2 can still:
• Play any Spellburst cold spell.
• Play any cold attack.
• Play any physical/lightning spell converted to cold.
This is the broadest build flexibility of any hero this season.
Endgame Outlook
Gemma 2 is widely regarded as:
• A guaranteed top-tier pick.
• Possibly the most popular pick.
• Overpowered early, mid, and late game due to frostbite scaling.
Pick your favorite skill—physical, lightning, or cold—and you are almost guaranteed a good SS11 start.
3. Bing 1 – Hammer of Ash (Demolisher)
Bing 1 remains one of the smoothest, most comfortable melee-mapping starters in the entire game. Hammer of Ash delivers explosive AoE, simple gameplay, and a straightforward fire-into-Ruinous-Star progression for the endgame.
Why Bing 1 Is a Great Starter
• Extremely comfortable demolisher playstyle.
• Excellent T8→Profound transition (one of the best in the game).
• Simple, relaxing loop:
• Leap Slam → Drop Bomb → Leap → Repeat
• Written guides already updated for SS11.
The One Caveat
All demolisher builds—including Bing 1 and Rosa 1—experience a slightly harder-than-average T7 → T8 transition. Once past that wall, everything becomes incredibly smooth.
Endgame Path
• Start as Fire Hammer of Ash.
• Transition into Ruinous Star with Deterioration.
• Later swap into a Speed Phantom setup for ultra-fast mapping.
One of the easiest SS11 starters, especially for new or free-to-play accounts.
4. Bing 2 – Spellburst Master (Split Firebolt, Ice Lances, Chain Lightning, etc.)
Bing 2 is the most flexible spellburst-based starter in Torchlight: Infinite. He was one of the most-played heroes last season and remains in an excellent position for SS11 despite some nerfs.
Why Bing 2 Is Top Tier
• Broadest spell options for any Spellburst character.
• Amazing T7→T8 progression.
• Tons of viable skill choices:
• Split Firebolt (fan favorite)
• Ice Lances
• Fire Burst
• Moon Strike
• Thunderbolt Overload
• Sparkle
• Chromatic Shot (lower performance, but playable)
• Chain Lightning did get a 25% nerf, but late-game remains strong.
Nerf Overview
• Bing 2’s hero trait nerfs were minimal.
• Play Safe nerf looks scary, but math shows it is minor.
Economy Advantage
Because many players may focus on the new Tangle mechanics, Bing 2 Spellburst gear might be cheaper than usual during the SS11 launch. If you want spell flexibility and strong mapping from campaign to Profound, Bing 2 remains one of the best seasonal starters.
5. Erica 1 – The Consistent League Start Queen
Erica 1 has been a consistently strong league starter for years. She boasts:
• Great bossing at Showdown 20.
• Outstanding documentation and theorycrafting.
• Smooth progression from campaign through T8.
Why She’s Still Top Tier
• Multistrike mechanics are extremely strong.
• T7→T8 is one of the smoothest transitions in the game.
• Amazing mapping speed once you survive the early squish.
• Huge variety of attack-based builds:
• Thunder Slash
• Thunder Spike
• Corrosive Throw
• Crescent Slash
• Any multistrike-compatible melee attack
Reliable, fast, and proven—ideal for players who want a known quantity.
6. Selena – The Frostbite Howling Gale Specialist
Selena received excellent indirect buffs thanks to the frostbite overhaul. Her main skill, Howling Gale, was untouched—meaning her power only increases with the new ailment system.
Why Selena Jumps into Power This Season
• Frostbite now provides enormous early damage:
• 100 stacks = 100% additional cold damage
• Up to 150% with Profit core talent
• Profit tree is extremely stacked (crit, cold damage, multipliers).
• Smoother T7→T8 progression than previous seasons.
• No nerfs to her trait or main skills.
Skill Focus
Realistically:
• 95% of Selena builds will play Howling Gale.
• Off-meta options exist, but Howling Gale is her strongest and smoothest option.
Endgame Outlook
Expect Selena to be:
• A stable SS11 starter.
• Much stronger early game than in previous seasons.
• A top cold-scaling character outside Gemma herself.
Final Thoughts
The SS11 season introduces huge opportunities for creative builds—especially with the new Tangle mechanic and the frostbite rework. Accumulate ample resources such as Torchlight Infinite Flame Elementium and Torchlight Infinite Currency to shine in the new season. Regardless of which hero you choose, the season is shaping up to deliver some of the smoothest early- and midgame experiences Torchlight: Infinite has seen in a long time.
MMOexp Torchlight Infinite Team