Introduction to Venomancers
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Introduction
Taking on the characteristics of a variety of small creatures in their appearance, Venomancers are one of two members of the Untamed race. Venomancers are blessed with both physical strength and the ability to control poison magic, making them a truly deadly class. Similar to their Barbarian counterparts, Venomancers can transform into foxes to increase their physical defense. Unique to the class however is the ability to charm and control animals. Though Venomancers are often categorized as a ranged magic class, they also lend themselves well to melee builds. For this reason, Venomancers are perhaps one of the most versatile and self-sufficient classes in the game.
Statistics
Venomancers are born with fairly balanced statistics. They lack neither hitpoints nor mana and are one of the most agile classes. While their physical attack is exceeded by their magic attack, this by no means limits a Venomancer’s ability to deal physical damage. A Venomancer’s physical attack even rivals that of the Blademaster melee class. Alternatively, Venomancers are one of three classes with the highest magic attack in the game.
| Beginning Statistics: Venomancer | ||||||
| Health | Mana | Dodge | Movement Speed | Physical Attack | Magic Attack | Accuracy |
| 60 | 60 | 30 | 5.1m/sec | 4-4 | 6-7 | 35 |
Builds
Due to the unique ability to use both magic and melee attacks there are several builds that Venomancers can have. These builds include the Pure Mage Build, Mage Build, Vitality-Mage Build, Light Armor Build and Heavy Armor Build. For more information on each build please see:
As can be expected, none of the builds listed are without weaknesses. However there are several ways that you can mitigate such weaknesses. The first is my imbuing soulgems into your equipment. Soulgems are stones that can be infused into your armor and weapons to increase various characteristics. There are primarily three soulgems that players commonly imbue into their equipment: Garnet Shards, Sapphire Shards and Citrine Shards.
| Soulgem | Description |
| File:GarnetShard.jpg Garnet |
To a weapon: Increases your physical attack To armor: Increases your physical defense |
| File:SaphireShard.jpg Saphire |
To a weapon: Increases your magic attack To armor: Increases your magic defense |
| File:CitrineShard.jpg Citrine |
To a weapon: Increases your health points To armor: Increases your health points |
Choosing the right soulgems for your armor can help compensate for any weaknesses that your build may have. For suggestions on the soulgems that you should imbue into your armor please consult the following.
| Build | Imbuing | |
| Pure Mage | File:CitrineShard.jpg Citrine |
Necessary to offset the lack of points allocated to Vitality. |
| File:GarnetShard.jpg Garnet |
Optional, can be mixed with Citrine Shards to improve the lack of physical defense. | |
| Mage | File:CitrineShard.jpg Citrine |
Needed for increasing the lack of health points. |
| File:GarnetShard.jpg Garnet |
Optional, can be mixed with Citrine Shards to increase physical defense. | |
| Vitality-Mage | File:CitrineShard.jpg Citrine |
Essential for improving mediocre health points. |
| File:GarnetShard.jpg Garnet |
Optional, can be used to improve low physical defense. | |
| Light Armor | File:CitrineShard.jpg Citrine |
Required to offset poor health points. |
| File:SaphireShard.jpg Garnet |
Optional, can be mixed with Citrine Shards to increase magic defense. | |
| Light Armor | File:CitrineShard.jpg Citrine |
Necessary for enhancing health points. |
| File:SaphireShard.jpg Garnet |
Needed to improve poor magic defense, may consider mixing with Citrine Shards. | |
The grade or level of the soulgems that you imbue depends on your budget. Please note however that the higher the grade, the better the add-ons from the soulgem will be.
A second means that players may consider for improving their build is through refining their equipment. Refining is done at the Elder of any major city and will add additional statistics to your armor and weapons. Refining armor for low Vitality builds, such as the Pure Mage Build, is particularly important as it will add extra health points. Refining weapons for melee damage builds, such as the Heavy Armor Build, is also important as it will improve your damage output. The greater the number of times that you refine a single piece of equipment, the greater the value of the add-ons.
Players can also improve their builds simply by choosing the appropriate accessories (i.e. the proper necklaces and belts). Accessories can come with extra statistics (listed in blue at the bottom of an item’s description) thus choosing the accessories with the right add-ons is also crucial. Suggestions for the accessories that you should be wearing with each build are listed below.
| Build | Recommended Accessories | Useful Add-ons |
| Pure Mage | ● Protection Necklaces ● Protection Belts |
+ Vitality + Phys. Res. |
| Mage | ● Protection Necklaces ● Protection Belts |
+ Vitality + Phys. Res. |
| Vitality-Mage | ● Protection Necklaces ● Protection Belts |
+ Vitality + Phys. Res. |
| Light Armor | ● Protection Necklaces ● Protection Belts |
+ Magic + Mana |
| Heavy Armor | ● Protection Necklaces ● Protection Belts ● Elemental Necklaces |
+ Magic + Mana |
Skills
A Venomancer’s skills are divided into two skill trees. The first skill tree centers on magic attacks. These skills can only be used when you are not in fox form and when you have a magic weapon equipped. The second skill tree focuses primarily on melee attacks. To use these skills you must be in fox form. Your choice of skills will be dependent on your gameplay preferences and more specifically the build that you choose. As an arcane Venomancer you will be primarily relying on the magic attack skill tree however you will also turn to the fox form skill tree to learn several debuffs. As a light or heavy amour Venomancer you may rely more heavily on the fox form skill tree but will also borrow skills from the magic attack skill tree. It is not likely that you will strictly focus on one stream of skills. To play a Venomancer successfully you should be taking advantage of both skill trees. For suggestions on the skills you should have as an arcane Venomancer, please see the guide below.
Arcane Venomancer’s Guide to Skills
Roles
As a Venomancer you take on three major roles; that of a Lurer, Tank, Debuffer and Supporter.
Role of a Lurer… Perhaps the most predominant role of a Venomancer is being the “Lurer”. The act of luring involves pulling a single target from a cluster of monsters in order to handle these monsters one at a time rather than all at once. A Venomancer’s ability to command and control pets gives them the ability to do this. On the most basic level, a successful lure includes selecting a target and sending your pet to attack it. When your pet has landed a single attack, stow it. Failure to stow your pet immediately after the first hit allows all surrounding monsters the opportunity to attack and possibly kill your pet so timing is crucial. When your pet is stowed, only the monster that was attacked will charge forward. During this time you should be re-summoning your pet. This technique is unique to Venomancers and makes them the most proficient class at pulling both mobs and bosses. For more intricate techniques of how to lure in a variety of situations, please see:
Role of a Tank… With the right pet, a Venomancer can also play the role of the “Tank”. Generally speaking, a Venomancer’s pet must be ten to fifteen levels above a boss in order to be able to tank comfortably. The only exception to this rule would be legendary pets. Using a legendary pet, a Venomancer can tank a boss at or above their current level. If you are worried about a boss overwhelming your pet, it may be wise to team up with other Venomancers. Not only can Venomancers heal their own pets, they can also heal the pets of other Venomancers simply by selecting them and starting their heal spell. The greater the number of healers, the better survivability your pet will have. Note: Bosses with extremely severe debuffs such as Eyes of the Krimson Beyond and Cenequus Polearm cannot be tanked by a Venomancer.
Role of a Debuffer… As a Venomancer, you have at your disposal several useful debuff spells. These debuffs include Ironwood Scarab, Amplify Damage and Purge. When used, Ironwood Scarab decreases the physical defense of a target for a short period of time. This amplifies the damage output of your pet as well as that of any physical damage players that you may be squading with. Amplify Damage increases the amount of damage that a target takes for a short period of time. This skill is considered a time-saving spell as it greatly improves the amount of time that it would take to succeed against a boss or monster. Purge removes any positive effects (i.e. buffs) that a target may have. This skill is particularly important when facing monsters that can enhance the damage that they do to your pet or to a tank.
Role of a Supporter In the instances where they are not the tank, Venomancers become an important support class. The ability to pass chi to other players using the skill “Lending Hand” ensures that squad members have the resources they need to use all of their skills. Venomancers are also known to be excellent damage dealers.
Using Your Pet
As a Venomancer, it’s vital that you have a complete understanding of how to use your pet in order to improve your gameplay.
The Basics
Once hatched, all of a Venomancers pets can be found in the Pet Bag. To access your Pet Bag simply use Alt+P. From the Pet Bag you can call or stow your pet and view a pet’s stats. It’s recommended that you drag the icons of your pets into your quick shot panels to improve the ease at which you can summon and unsummon them.
After summoning a pet you will notice that the first skill that appears on the pet panel is outlined in yellow. This will be the skill that your pet automatically uses when in combat. If you wish to change this skill, right click on a different skill. Please note that your pet can only have one skill selected at a time and that only attack and debuff skills will be cast automatically (buff skills must be used manually). If you do not want your pet to do any special skills, right click on the currently selected skill. This will reduce your pet to simply doing base physical attacks. Keep in mind though that the pet panel will not remember your selection of skills so you will need to reset this every time you resummon your pet.
Commands
Adjacent to your pet’s special attacks on the pet panel are three commands: Attack, Follow and Halt.
| Command | Description |
| File:AttackIco.jpg Attack | Command pet to attack. |
| File:FollowIco.jpg Follow | Order pet to follow its host. |
| File:HaltIco.jpg Halt | Order pet to be on standy-by. |
When to use Attack…
You will want to command your pet to attack before you yourself attack. This will ensure that you pet gains and holds the attention of a monster. Should you land an attack before your pet, you will need to tank the monster’s damage instead of your pet (something not recommended for arcane Venomancers). Using the Attack command also allows you to switch targets quickly in the case that you attract the attention of more than one monster at a time. If you do not send your pet to attack the additional monsters whose attention you’ve drawn, you will pull aggression onto yourself (even if you are only healing your pet).
When to use Follow…
First of all, do not use the Follow command to lure a single target from a cluster of monsters. This will cause all of the monsters to charge forward. You may however use the Follow command to lure a single boss or monster if they are alone. The Follow command is also used to make your pet retreat should you choose the wrong target and do not wish to attack it or you want to stop your pet from doing any more damage.
When to use Halt…
Though perhaps less frequently used than the previous two commands, the Halt command finds its uses for complex luring. Additionally, much like the Follow command, it can be used to prevent your pet from doing any additional damage. Please note that the Halt command will still be active for all summoned pets should it not be turned off before a pet is stowed.
Stances
There are three battle stances that a Venomancer’s pets can have: Manual, Auto and Defend. Once set, the stance will be remembered by the pet panel and will be consistent amongst all pets summoned.
| Stance | Description |
| File:ManualIco.jpg Manual | Player must command pet to attack manually. |
| File:AutoIco.jpg Auto | Pet will attack automatically. |
| File:Defend.jpg Defend | Pet will attack aggressing enemies automatically. |
When to use Manual…
Putting your pet on Manual makes them more responsive to commands when in combat than when any other stance. In both Auto and Defend, a pet will attack enemies automatically thus making it difficult to tell your pet to Follow or Halt. The same issue does not occur when a pet is in the Manual stance. It is therefore recommended that this stance be used when luring a monster or boss using the Follow command or when wanting to prevent your pet from doing any additional damage.
When to use Auto…
For the majority of your PVE gameplay as a Venomancer, you will want to have your pet in this stance. This will ensure that your pet attacks anything that you do and that your pet will not return to you until all attacking monsters have been dealt with. As stated previously though, you will have difficulty executing Follow and Halt commands.
When to use Defend…
Though it is not a commonly used stance, Defend can prove to be quite useful in pk-enabled areas. When in Defend, your pet will automatically attack any monsters or players that are attacking you. Your pet will however not automatically attack on the first hit that you land on a previously docile monster. As such, it is not commonly used for PWE gameplay.
Pet Skills
As a Venomancer it is not only important to have the right pets, it is equally important to ensure that your pets have the right skills.
Choosing Pet Skills
A battle pet can be taught up to four skills and while your selection of skills will be a personal preference, these are some of the skills that you should take into consideration.
| Skill | Description | Use | |
| File:BashIcon.jpg | Bash | Launch a fierce strike at the enemy, dealing physical damage. | ● Holding a monster’s aggression ● Dealing high spikes of damage |
| File:FleshReamIcon.jpg | Flesh Ream | Bite an enemy, inflicting physical damage and causing the target to Bleed. | ● Holding a monster’s aggression ● Dealing damage over time |
| File:RoarIcon.jpg | Roar | Roar to attract enemy’s attacks and generate hate. | ● Holding a monster’s aggression |
| File:ToughIcon.jpg | Tough | Reduce all damage received for a short period of time. | ● Tanking large damage |
Note: Skill recommendations are based on pet skill scrolls that can be purchased from Mr. and Mrs. Zoologist (rare pet skills are not listed).
Upgrading Your Pet’s Skills
All pet skills start at level one and can be upgraded up to level five. Your pet must however meet certain level requirements before you can upgrade its skills.
| Skill Level | Pet Level Required |
| Lv 1 | 1 |
| Lv 2 | 20 |
| Lv 3 | 40 |
| Lv 4 | 60 |
| Lv 5 | 80 |
In order to upgrade a skill that your pet already has, you must purchase a Tame Book from Mrs. Zoologist (586, 620) or Mr. Zoologist (586 649).
| File:TameBook.jpg Tame Book |
Description | Cost |
| Upgrades one pet skill by one level. | 200,000 coins |
Once you have a Tame Book in your inventory, summon the pet whose skills you wish to upgrade (land and air pets at Mrs. Zoologist and water pets at Mr. Zoologist). Next, speak with Mr. or Mrs. Zoologist and choose “Learn Pet Skills”. This will list all of the skills that you can upgrade as well as the spirit that it will cost to do so. Simply click on the icon of the desired skill and it will increase its level by one. You can repeat this process again if you have the necessary number of Tame Books in your inventory and your pet has the required level.
Teaching Your Pet New Skills
In order to teach your pet a new spell, you will need a Pet Skill Scroll. Basic Pet Skill Scrolls can be purchased from Mrs. Zoologist and Mr. Zoologist however rare Pet Skill Scrolls can only be obtained from the Temple of the Dragon (an instance that appears once a week) or other players. When you have the desired Pet Skill Scroll in your inventory, talk to Mr. or Mrs. Zoologist and choose “Learn Pet Skills”. Your desired skill should be listed. If your pet already has four skills, you will need to forget one of these four skills in order to learn a new one. To unlearn a pet skill choose “Forget Pet Skill” at Mr. or Mrs. Zoologist. This will display a list with all of your pet’s current skills. Click on your skill of choice to unlearn it. Note: Forgetting a pet skill will not revert it back into a Pet Skill Scroll, instead it will permanently erase the skill from your pet panel so choose carefully.
Playing a Venomancer
As can be expected, each class, possessing their own unique traits, can excel in situations where others cannot. Venomancers are no exception and shine in several circumstances. This is not to say however that there are not situations in which Venomancers can be surpassed by other classes.
| Situation | Rating | Performance |
| FB Dungeons | File:GoodRating.jpg | Having the ability to lure coupled with the ability to tank allows the majority of Venomancers to do extremely well in FB’s. |
| Twilight Temple | File:GoodRating.jpg | With pets not suffering a damage reduction at bosses, Venomancers are valued for their ability to deal damage and tank. Venomancers are also highly sought after for their ability to lure. |
| Cube of Fate | File:GoodRating.jpg | Through the use of their pet, Venomancers can easily solo several of the bosses and monsters found in the Cube. Their several regeneration and protection spells also help them withstand attacks from other players. |
| Territory War | File:GoodRating.jpg | Using the proper strategy, Venomancers can also excel in Territory War. It should however be noted that Light and Heavy Armor Venomancers will have a better survivability rate than arcane Venomancers. |
| Zhenning | File:MediumRating.jpg | While they take on the role of a lurer in zhen parties, their ability to lure in this instance is usually mediocre in comparison to that of a Blademaster or Barbarian. |
| Rebirth | File:PoorRating.jpg | Though Venomancers are valued for their agility and capacity to tank damage, their role in Rebirths are much less defined than for any other class. |
Regardless of what has been said, nothing should prevent you from enjoying all aspects of gameplay. Simply know your weaknesses, build off of your strengths and don’t be afraid to experiment with different techniques!
