Stat Distribution Guide: Redux Edition | By ForeverMaster | Version:Beta 1.2 |
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of this guide is complete. |
Note: This is only a guide; ultimately, the decision on how to skill your characters is completely up to you and how you want to play the game. This simply provides a rough blueprint for the main builds. Some of this information applies to Dungeon Defenders: Awakened too.
Every hero class in Dungeon Defenders has their own set of base stats: for the hero themselves, their unique abilities and their defenses. But when discussing hero stats in practice, the conversation almost-always turns to the ten visible numbers with a green + sign in front. They each correspond to:
Hero Health, Hero Damage, Hero Speed, Hero Casting Rate,
Defense Health, Defense Base Damage, Defense Area of Effect and Defense Attack Rate.
These ten stats are the variables that determine the increase or multiplier applied to the specific hero, ability or defense attribute(s) associated with them.
Stat Scaling and Breakdown[]
Most hero-, ability- and defense-specific attributes scale with the corresponding stat X through a logarithmic style function. The derivative, or rate of change, starts high and diminishes exponentially (but never reaches 0) as X approaches positive infinity. For instance: the attack damage increase of a tower coming from 6,000 to 6,100 Defense Base Damage is less than the jump from 100 to 200. The limit is technically infinity, but some attributes have a hard cap. An Ensnare Aura cannot slow enemies down to nothing below 0.15x speed, for example.
How well a particular attribute scales at high values of X is based on the second derivative of the original function. An individual stat scales better the closer its function is to a straight, linear line up when graphed and the steeper its average slope is.
General Stat-by-Stat Breakdown[]
Hero Health or Vitality determines the amount of health or hit points (HP) added to the hero's max. Its graph is practically a straight line, but its slope and thus HP gained per increment to this stat varies from class-to-class. Heroes with a high base HP, such as the Squire, usually have great health scaling too. Likewise, squishy, low health heroes generally have poor health scaling. In simplest terms, the Squire's Super Legendary Knight "costume" has the highest health in the game, while the Adept is at rock bottom.
Though the Summoner's base HP is not the lowest, he actually has the worst health scaling of all heroes.
Hero Damage or Attack multiplies the attack damage from any weapons or offensive pets your hero uses. The Monk has the best melee and pet damage scaling of all classes from this stat, but his weapon's ranged attacks scale poorly in comparison.
Hero Speed or Agility increases the hero's movement speed. This stat caps at 100; anything at or above 100 in this stat will essentially double your movement speed. The fastest character in the game is the Jester, followed by the Adept.
Some weapons and pets (ex: Mischief Maker and Treadmill on a Treadmill) further increase the holder's movement speed. Pets that increase speed are best suited for tower builders.
Hero Casting Rate speeds up the hero actions: Heal Self, Summon Defenses and Repair Defense, and Upgrade Defense. It also applies to the abilities Mana Bomb, Purity Bomb, Fire Bomb and Blade Vortex. Heroes cannot move or use weapons while casting and will be interrupted if they take any damage. For Summoners, this stat does not reduce the amount of time required to summon minions. The Jester is the overall fastest caster in the game by a longshot, while Summoner is the slowest.
Ability 1 and Ability 2 refer to the left and right slots respectively for the hero's two unique abilities. Ability scaling varies wildly.
Defense Health, or simply Fortify, determines the health or hit point (HP) capacity of the hero's defenses. It also makes Gas, Inferno and Darkness Trap charges last longer.
Defense Base Damage, or simply Power, determines the attack damage or potency of defenses.
Defense Area of Effect, or simply Range, extends the distance ranged towers can target enemies and the radius of traps and auras. It also increases the max number of enemies Lightning Towers can attack at once. For Series EV, this stat elongates the stun time of Shock Beams and increases the range boost Tower Buff Beams give to boosted defenses. SAM Units gain longer range as with other more traditional towers.
Defense Attack Rate, or simply Def. Rate, controls the frequency damage-dealing towers attack enemies. It also shortens the reset time of all traps between detonations. Lightning Towers stay active for longer periods and deal more damage per tick. They always zap foes in their chain three times/second. Minions benefit from this stat by varying degrees: archers the most and ogres and spider queens the least.
Nightmare and Costume Modifiers[]
The Nightmare difficulty level alters the final stats for various hero and defense statistics. These changes apply to Redux's Ascension too.
Some hero costumes also change the hero's health and base movement speed and may increase their damage output too.
Heroes on NM[]
Stat | NM Modifier |
---|---|
Health (Squire, Countess, Jester and Barbarian) | ~5.28x |
Health (Other Heroes) | 7.75x |
Damage (Weapons and Abilities) | ~0.16x |
Pet Damage | >1.0x |
Casting Rate | >1.0x |
Resistances | 0.55x |
Weapon and Pet Projectile Speed | 0.1x |
Self-Heal Mana Cost | 0.5x |
Towers[]
Defense Type | NM Modifiers | ||
---|---|---|---|
Health | Damage / Potency | Range | |
Apprentice Towers | 1.625x | 1.625x | None |
Squire Towers | |||
Traps | 0.75x | 1.35x | |
Auras | 0.85x | 0.75x
1.125x (Electric) ~4x (Healing) |
0.7x |
Jester Towers | 1.625x | 1.625x | None |
Minions | 1.625x | 3.25x | |
Beams | 1.625x | 1.625x |
Tower Notes and Exceptions[]
- Gas and Darkness Trap charges are 25% shorter.
- Enrage Aura's chance to enrage is unchanged.
- Tower Buff Beam stat multipliers are unchanged.
Hero Costumes[]
Hero | Costume(s) | Stat Modifiers | ||
---|---|---|---|---|
Health | Damage | Speed | ||
Apprentice | Jim Darkmagic | ~1.23 | 1.0 | ~0.83 |
Legendary Mage | ~1.85 | 1.0 | 0.775 | |
Super Legendary Mage,
SL Crystalline Mage |
~2.31 | 1.20 | ~0.74 | |
Squire | Tycho, | ~0.89 | 1.0 | ~1.44 |
Legendary Knight | ~1.34 | 1.0 | ~0.78 | |
Super Legendary Knight,
SL Crystalline Knight |
~1.68 | 1.20 | ~0.75 | |
Huntress | Legendary Huntress | ~1.73 | 1.0 | ~0.77 |
Super Legendary Huntress,
SL Crystalline Huntress |
~2.13 | 1.20 | ~0.72 | |
Ranger | Tuxedo | ~1.364 | >1.0 | ~0.69 |
Monk | Cardboard Tube Samurai | 1.20 | 1.0 | ~0.85 |
Legendary Monk | 1.55 | 1.0 | ~0.77 | |
Super Legendary Monk,
SL Crystalline Monk |
1.925 | 1.20 | ~0.71 | |
Crystalline Ninja | 0.75 | 1.15 | 1.10 | |
Series EV | Bounty Hunter, | 1.25 | 1.0 | ~0.76 |
EV 1.5 | ~1.786 | 1.0 | ~0.70 | |
EV 1.75 | ~2.21 | >1.0 | ~0.63 | |
Summoner | Demoness | 0.875 | 1.0 | ~1.18 |
Barbarian | Amazon Warrior | ~0.89 | 1.0 | ~1.18 |
Santa Imposter | 1.25 | 1.05 | ~0.74 | |
Tavernkeep Imposter, | ~1.43 | 1.15 | ~0.58 |
Hero Archetypes[]
Builder[]
A builder is a hero dedicated to summoning powerful defenses. Naturally, their defense stats are top priority, with either Health, Damage or Range being the primary one. Defenses deal more damage if their builder is present, but there are usually better and safer hero options to increase the effectiveness of defenses.
DPS[]
On the flipside, DPS, or offensive heroes, are built to fight. Hero Damage is their main stat, but they also need high damage resistances and a good amount of health to survive, especially on Nightmare and Ascension Hardcore/Ruthless.
Hybrid[]
Hybrids, specifically the all-around subtypes, are within the most common archetype among new players. Having roughly equal building and combat capabilities makes the hero easy to use and level up early on, before switching to a specialized role.
Support[]
Heroes that fall under support are usually active in combat, but do not focus on direct damage. A Tower Boost Monk w/ Genie pet is one of the most useful examples.
Stat Priority Reference and Keynotes[]
- Always have at least 100 Hero Speed if affordable.
- Avoid 0 Casting Rate on all heroes and 0 Minion Movement Speed for minion Summoners.
- Ideally avoid any zeros in your Barbarian's ability and stance stats that are relevant to you. Outside of Redux, Ability 1 and Def. Range (Lightning Stance) are generally unnecessary.
*In the table below, the "essential" or "must-have" hero builds for the entirety of game progression will have a yellow ⭐next to its name.
- Hero roles needed for early Nightmare and beyond will have a purple 🔯 next to them.
- Lastly, recommended, but not necessary heroes for the early-game or DPS throughout progression will be marked with a ✔️.
Class | Roles | Stat Priority | "Best" Costume |
---|---|---|---|
⭐Tower Builder⭐ | Def. Damage > Rate > Range > Health > Casting Rate. | Any non-adult costume. | |
Wall Builder | Def. Health > Range (In Redux) > Casting Rate | ||
DPS | Hero Damage > Health > Ability 1 (Apprentice, in Redux) > Ability 2 > Casting Rate | Apprentice: Super Legendary | |
Bomber | Ability 2 > Hero Health > Damage or Casting Rate | Apprentice: Situational | |
Damage Towers | Def. Damage > Def. Rate > Range > Health > Casting Rate | Squire: Any non-adult costume. | |
✔️Wall Builder | Def. Health > Damage > Def. Rate > Range > Casting Rate | ||
✔️DPS (Squire) | Hero Damage > Health > Ability 1 and 2 > Casting Rate | Squire: Super Legendary | |
Commander
(Countess) |
Ability 1 > Hero Health > Damage > Casting Rate | Any | |
🔯General Trapper | Def. Damage > Range > Health > Def. Rate > Casting Rate | Huntress: Any non-adult costume.
Ranger: Outlander | |
Status Trapper | Range > Health > Def. Rate > Damage > Casting Rate | ||
✔️DPS | Hero Damage > Health > Ability 2 > Ability 1 > Casting Rate | Huntress: Super Legendary
Ranger: Tuxedo or Outlander | |
⭐General Auras | Def. Damage and Range > Health > Def. Rate > Casting Rate | Monk: Any non-adult costume; Crystalline Ninja (Redux Only) | |
Status Auras | Def. Range > Damage > Health | ||
⭐DPS (Monk) | Hero Damage > Health > Ability 2 > Casting Rate | Monk: Super Legendary or Crystalline Ninja (Redux Only) | |
🔯 Tower Booster | Ability 1 > Hero Health > Damage* > Ability 2 (Monk) | Monk: Situational | |
✔️🔯Damage Beams | Def. Damage > Rate > Health > Range | Default | |
🔯Walls | Def. Health > Damage > Rate > Range | ||
🔯DPS | Hero Damage > Ability 2 > Health | EV 1.75 | |
🔯Wall Minions | Def. Health > Damage > Range > Rate > Ability 1 | Demoness | |
Damage Minions | Def. Damage > Health > Range > Rate > Ability 1 | Demoness | |
🔯Pet Support | Hero Health > Ability 2 > Casting Rate | Default | |
DPS | Hero Damage > Health > Ability 2 > Casting Rate | Default | |
Barbarian | DPS | Hero Damage > Hero Health > Ability 2 > Ability 1 (in Redux) > Def. Stats | Tavernkeep or Pirate Imposter |
Totem Caller (Builder, Redux Only) | Hero Damage > Range > Def. Damage > Def. Health > Casting Rate | Amazon Warrior | |
Jester | 🔯DPS | Hero Damage > Health > Ability 2 > Casting Rate | Any |
🔯Upgrader* | Casting Rate > Hero Damage* > Health > Ability 2 > Ability 1 | ||
🔯Tower Mover** | Ability 1 > Hero Health | ||
🔯Wheeler** | Ability 2 > Hero Health | ||
Tower Builder | Def. Damage > Rate > Range > Health > Casting Rate > Ability 1 |
*Make sure your Hero Damage and weapon's base damage is high enough to maximize the amount of mana your Genie pet collects.
**It is possible to combine the Jester's Tower Mover and/or Wheeler roles into the DPS and Upgrader builds with little-to-no sacrifices.
Credits[]
Original Creator - Jetah