The Ultimate Spear Build Guide in The First Berserker: Khazan

The Spear in Nexon’s The First Berserker: Khazan focuses on chaining combos and draining the enemy’s stamina meter to stagger them. You can then follow up with brutal attacks. That basically sums up how to use the Spear in The First Berserker Khazan. But using the Spear and keeping track of your Stamina gauge can become a bit tedious. Which is why you need to dedicate a Spear Build in the First Berseker: Khazan.

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The First Berserker: Khazan – Best Spear Build Guide

To get the most out of your Spear Build in the First Berserker: Khazan, you need to understand how to use skill points to upgrade stats, which skills you need to equip, different stances to switch between, tips to manage Stamina and which armor sets work best.

Understanding Weapon Scaling in The First Berserker Khazan: Proficiency, Willpower, and Strength Stats for Spear Build

The spear scales primarily with proficiency and willpower, although strength can also contribute to your overall damage. Proficiency is especially valuable, as it not only boosts damage by 3 points per point invested but also increases max health, improves stamina damage by 0.3%, and reduces dodge stamina cost by 0.4%. Willpower, on the other hand, offers a more moderate 2 damage per point while doubling the health boost compared to proficiency. This section delves into the importance of these stats and explains why endurance and vitality are key to maintaining long combo chains and surviving in intense battles.

• Proficiency: Adds 3 damage per point, provides 5 extra max health, increases stamina damage by 0.3%, and reduces your dodge stamina cost by 0.4%. This is crucial since much of the spear’s gameplay revolves around breaking enemy stamina.
  
• Willpower: Offers 2 damage per point and doubles the health increase compared to proficiency. It also boosts stamina recovery and reduces guard stamina damage by 0.7%. However, since spear users rarely guard, proficiency is generally more valuable.
  
• Endurance and Vitality: These stats are extremely beneficial. Endurance is especially important as it helps you juggle enemies and bosses, improves stamina recovery, and adds extra stamina. Therefore, early in the game, focus on endurance to sustain your combo chains.

Essential Skills for the Spear Build in The First Berserker Khazan

Mastering your active and passive skills is crucial to maximizing the spear’s potential. In this section, I break down the key skills you need to excel. You’ll learn how Shadow Strike provides both offensive and defensive capabilities, how Phantom Heat Wave offers an alternative defensive strategy with offensive buffs, and why Eagle Wind is essential for keeping your combos fluid. I also cover the importance of maintaining Moonlight Stance for increased damage output and improved stamina management, along with additional combo-enhancing skills like Full Moon, Vital Strike, and Zero Point.

Active Skills

Each active skill plays a unique role in your combat strategy. Shadow Strike allows you to nullify incoming attacks and reposition quickly, while Phantom Heat Wave auto-Brink guards and buffs your Moonlight and Full Moon attacks. Eagle Wind is indispensable for expending Spirit to maintain your offensive momentum, especially when you’re low on stamina. These skills work together to create a balanced approach to both offense and defense, ensuring you remain adaptable in various combat situations.

1. Shadow Strike
   

• Attacks twice rapidly for one Spirit.
  
• The Shadow Strike Relic upgrade nullifies an attack in front of you, deals damage, and positions you behind the target. This defensive capability is great for turning the tide when an enemy is pressing you.
  

2. Phantom Heat Wave
   

• An alternative to Shadow Strike.
  
• Auto-Brink guards for a short period, with an upgrade for back-to-back usage. It provides both defensive benefits and an offensive buff to your Moonlight and Full Moon attacks.
  

3. Eagle Wind

• Expends up to three Spirit to attack three times in a row.
  
• Useful for maintaining combo chains, especially when your stamina is low, to ensure you can still execute your brutal attacks.

Passive and Combo Skills

Passive skills and combo extensions, such as Moonlight Stance, Full Moon, Vital Strike, Zero Point, and Assault/Shadow Reversal, are essential for chaining attacks and managing stamina efficiently. Moonlight Stance not only grants an afterimage that increases damage but also synergizes with other skills for extended combo potential. Upgrades like Moonlight Stance Vitality, Persistence, and Step enhance your mobility and stamina recovery, allowing you to maintain relentless pressure on your opponents.

Moonlight Stance

• Always keep Moonlight Stance active as it creates an afterimage with each attack. This increases your damage against bosses and improves stamina damage.
  
• Using swift attacks (e.g., pressing XXX or Square, Square, Square) will activate this buff, which lasts 15 seconds.
  
• Upgrades such as Moonlight Stance Vitality, Moonlight Stance Persistence, and Moonlight Step are essential. They improve stamina recovery, extend the buff duration after Brink Dodge or Brink Guard, and allow back-to-back dodges in Moonlight Stance.
  

Full Moon

• Changes your charge attack into a devastating move that deals significant stamina damage and often staggers elite enemies and bosses.
  
• Upgrading with Crimon Strike and Moonlight Stance Wrath further increases its effectiveness, especially when you have extended Moonlight Stance duration.
  

Vital Strike

• A running attack that plunges your spear into the ground.
  
• Ideal for interrupting enemies, especially when facing a single target. Upgrades improve damage when hitting enemy weak points.
  

Zero Point

• Activates after a potent blow or vital strike by pressing Square (or X on Xbox), delivering three rapid hits.
  
• Completing your Swift attack chain with another press refreshes Moonlight Stance, allowing you to maintain your combo rhythm.
  

Assault and Shadow Reversal

• Shadow Reversal: Follows up a swift attack (Triangle, Triangle) to put you behind an enemy. While this can be useful, I prefer not to use it during boss fights, as positioning for brutal attacks is often better from the front.
  
• Assault: Lets you kick into an enemy, causing significant stamina damage. Upgrading Assault to include a backflip puts you in a safer position and helps you continue your combo chain. The Assault Descent upgrade is particularly powerful against exhausted enemies.

Spear Build Playstyle Strategies and Tips

Using the spear effectively is all about timing, positioning, and stamina management. In this section, I detail the playstyle strategies that set the spear apart from other weapons. By focusing on breaking enemy stamina through rapid, successive attacks and maintaining optimal positioning with Moonlight Stance, you can control the flow of battle. I explain how to execute fundamental combos, mix in defensive maneuvers, and when to use skills like Full Moon to keep your momentum going even against formidable foes.

Combo Execution

Your basic spear combo starts with a series of swift attacks to build up damage, followed by a precise use of Assault to reposition and maintain your attack chain. I provide step-by-step insights into how to link swift attacks, Vital Strike, and Zero Point together to ensure you remain in Moonlight Stance and continue juggles against your target. These combo sequences are essential for maximizing damage output and exploiting enemy weaknesses.

• Start with three swift attacks (with or without a dodge) to build up your combo chain.
  
• Follow up with Assault twice, which propels you backward, allowing you to reposition and continue your attack chain.
  
• Alternatively, use Vital Strike with a sprinting attack, then chain into Zero Point to quickly re-enter Moonlight Stance.

Managing Stamina

Stamina is the lifeblood of the spear build. Effective stamina management means knowing when to conserve and when to expend your energy to maintain combo chains. I discuss strategies for monitoring your stamina bar, mixing in defensive moves when necessary, and timing powerful moves like Full Moon for maximum effect. This section emphasizes the importance of stamina recovery upgrades and gear choices that allow you to keep up the relentless pace required by the spear’s playstyle.

• The spear’s focus is on exhausting enemy stamina to set up brutal attacks. Maintain Moonlight Stance to maximize your afterimage damage.
  
• Mix in Full Moon when you have sufficient stamina. Avoid using it when your stamina is depleted, as it might break your combo momentum.

Recommended Armor Sets for Spear Users

Choosing the right armor set is vital to complement your spear build. In this section, I review several early-game armor sets that offer unique benefits, from boosting endurance and stamina recovery to increasing attack damage. Whether you’re looking for the balanced stats of the Frozen Mountain set or the high stamina recovery of the Soul Eater set, I provide insights on how each set enhances your spear performance. This information will help you select gear that aligns with your playstyle and maximizes your overall efficiency in battle.

Frozen Mountain Set

The Frozen Mountain set is a fantastic early-game option that offers a three-piece bonus granting 10 extra endurance. This increase in endurance not only boosts stamina recovery but also raises your maximum stamina, enabling you to maintain longer attack chains. I recommend prioritizing this set early on to gain the extra stamina needed for continuous combat.

Soul Eater Set

The Soul Eater set provides significant stamina benefits, with a two-piece bonus offering an extra 100 stamina and a four-piece bonus that increases stamina recovery by 15%. This set works exceptionally well when combined with other gear, such as three pieces from Frozen Mountain, to create a synergy that maximizes your stamina pool and recovery rate during prolonged battles.

Fallen Lord Set

Farmed from Viper, the Fallen Lord set is tailored for increasing charged attack damage and offers a unique bonus that boosts stamina recovery by 25% for 10 seconds after a Brink Dodge. This set also enhances full moon damage, making it an attractive option for players who rely on those powerful attacks, though it’s less optimal if you plan on using spiral thrust frequently.

Executioner Set

The Executioner set is designed to enhance stamina damage and provides health replenishment when performing brutal attacks. At five pieces, it further increases brutal attack damage, making it a strong choice for players looking to deliver high-damage combos. Even equipping just two pieces of this set can significantly bolster your performance in combat.

Butcher Set

Although primarily a dual-wield set, the Butcher set’s two-piece bonus increases swift attack damage, and its four-piece bonus boosts overall attack damage. This is especially useful given the frequency of swift attacks in the spear build. It offers a unique way to enhance your damage output without compromising the spear’s core playstyle.

Deep Shadow Set

The Deep Shadow set increases frontal stamina damage by 15% and boosts frontal assault damage by 10%. With three pieces, it offers guard penetration and enhances Assault damage. While the full six-piece set further boosts Afterimage Thrust, it can reduce agility and stamina recovery, so it’s best used with caution depending on your build preferences.

Phantom: Keshta The Unyielding

Keshta: The Unyielding is a phenomenal Phantom to invest points into. Investing points into this Phantom significantly improves stamina recovery. It’s particularly effective for replenishing stamina after long combo chains, restoring 15% stamina when an enemy is exhausted. This Phantom is essential for maintaining the relentless assault required by the spear and ensuring you can keep up the pressure throughout a fight.