Mistfall Hunter - Withered Knight Guide

The Withered Knight is a Mistfall Hunter class that specializes in dealing heavy melee damage and rushing down enemies in the process. The class has 2 different weapon sets. The Greatsword and the Shield and Polearm.

The class is very strong in 1v1 situations and making an enemy unable to get away from you, making this class especially good in solo runs.

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The ability category is split into 2 sections because the Withered Knight has 2 different weapons, each with different abilities.

Greatsword

Breakthrough Charge

A mobile skill that makes you charge your sword forward and afterwards allows you to do a follow-up attack that dashes and sweeps enemies in a leftward arc or rightward arc.

Parry

Makes you assume a defensive stance to parry frontal attacks, negate their damage, and regenerate energy for each parry. Lasts up to 5 seconds or 5 attacks. After a successful parry, you get a branching path of 2 attacks. The major attack sweeps enemies in front of you, while the minor attack is a dash attack closing distance. Both apply the Wither status effect to enemies.

Radiant Retribution

Rapidly do 3 attacks in quick succession, simple but effective. The final attack also has super armour, so you cannot be interrupted.

Thorn Guide

Shoot thorns forward with your left hand, the first target hit will be pulled towards you. If they are currently in a special state like super armour or blocking, you will dash along the thorns towards them instead.

Opportunistic Thrust

After dodging, use to dash a short distance forward while swinging your sword immediately.

Pursuit

After performing any heavy swing, use to slash 2 times in quick succession.

Sprinting Slash

After dodging, depending on whether it's forward or backward, you can perform a specific attack. If forward, you leap forward while spinning to swing your weapon. If backwards, you counterattack while moving backwards. Both these attacks can execute enemies afflicted by Wither.

Withering Mark

Swing your weapon to apply Wither to any enemy hit.

Shield and Polearm

Breaker Shield Bash

Strike the back of your shield to deal damage in an area in front of you and immediately apply Wither to any enemy. While attacking, you also count as blocking, reducing all damage.

Javelin Thrust

Hurl your Polearm forward, applying Wither to any enemy hit. Upon impact, you also rapidly leap to the target and pull out the Polearm, dealing damage.

Sacred Bulwark

You infuse your shield, erecting a massive barrier in front of you during which you cannot move or turn.
The barrier completely blocks any attacks from the front and prevents enemies from passing through. This skill can be recast to deal damage to anybody in front and knock them back. The barrier breaks after being impacted enough times.

Intervene

Dash forward either a set distance or towards an ally if targeted. Once you reach your destination, you release a shockwave, knocking back enemies and shielding any nearby allies. You also briefly gain super armour during the dash.

Rainbow Piercer

Charge forward with a raised shield followed by a Polearm thrust. You can hold the ability to prolong the charge, but reducing turning speed significantly. While running, you also have the blocking property.

Spear Barrage

Rapidly thrust your Polearm forward, followed by a powerful thrust that knocks down the enemy.

What skills to take when

Specifically for Solo, I would always use the Greatsword skill set with a priority on:

• Thorn Guide, it's your best engage tool.
• Withering Mark, Wither is your bread and butter to execute targets fast.
• Sprinting Slash, to execute any enemy with the Wither debuff on them.
• Breakthrough Charge, since it gives you great mobility with good damage.

For Trios, I would swap to the Polearm and Shield with a priority on defensive skills like:

• Sacred Bullwark. It's the best defensive skill in the game.
• Intervene, which gives your team a lot of safety.
• Breaker Shield Bash, since it still allows you to deal damage and apply Wither while staying on the defence.

Talents

There are a ton of options when it comes to how to build the Withered Knight. So instead of going in depth on everything, I'm gonna mark some talents for a Tank Setup and an Attack-based setup

Attack Talents

Reprieve

It makes the detonation of the Wither execute delayed but gives it increased damage.

Collective Punishment

Makes the Wither explosion apply Wither again to all affected enemies.

Dominance

The sweep attack from Breakthrough Charge additionally grants brief Super Armour.

Cataclysm

The sweep attack from Breakthrough Charge additionally can execute enemies afflicted with Wither.

Instant Wither

Withering Mark can immediately execute enemies afflicted with Wither. If the target isn't afflicted with Wither yet, Wither will be applied first.

Righteous Greed

A successful execute briefly increases your physical damage.

Greatsword Specialization

When wielding a Greatsword, you can socket an additional skill while taking one away from the Polearm and Shield loadout.

Grappling Hook

Thorn Guide Can now interact with the environment, pulling you towards it, giving you greater mobility.

Tank Tallents

Off-balance

Attacks from Breaker Shield Bash apply a slowing effect.

Focus

Narrows the attack width of Breaker Shield Bash but greatly increases the range, additionally applying an effect that reduces the enemy's dodge distance.

Polearm and Shield Specialization

When wielding a Greatsword, you can socket an additional skill while taking one away from the Polearm and Shield loadout.

Defensive Shift

DuringSacred Bulwark, you can slowly move and turn.

Unbreakable

The durability of Sacred Bulwark's barrier is dramatically increased, allowing it to withstand attacks with higher impact.

Guardian

The radius for Intervene to apply a shield is increased.

Swift Vanguard

Intervene also grants a movement speed boost to the allies in the radius.

Gear Affix Recommendations

• Aegis: Increases defenses.
• Bulwark: Increases block damage reduction rate and block energy cost.
• Brotherhood: While alive, grants increased defenses to both you and your allies.
• Distant Ward: If the distance between you and the attacker is X meters, temporarily gives you increased defenses.
• Powerful: Increases your physical damage
• Physical Damage Reduction: Increases your physical damage reduction.
• Reduced Block Stamina Cost: Reduces block stamina cost.
• Strife: Increases melee weapon damage.
• Tenacious: Increases your maximum health.

Prepare for what playstyle to play before you enter the game.

A lot of what makes each playstyle good is the skills you use and the talents you have equipped. Affixes add a lot to both playstyles but are generally pretty universal for this class.

If you enter a trio aiming to play as a tank with offensive talents and skills, you will notice.

Play very aggressively in solo

The Withered Knight is one of the best melee classes when it comes to rushing down an enemy. This comes partly from the mobility built into his attacks, but also the Thorn Guide skill that gives you a huge gap closer. Use this to pressure enemies constantly and not make use of the advantage ranged players can have.

Specifically for tank play to protect, not to kill

The tank spec of the Withered Knight is by far the best tank in this game, offering a lot of peel as well to your team. You should fully utilize this by playing to protect them.

Keep track of enemies who have Withered

Withered is the best burst tool in your arsenal, so if you know an enemy has it on them, you can execute them with it.