Players should try out Dauntless if they want to hunt monsters with awesome-looking weapons, sleeker fantasy aesthetics, and much faster gameplay. Unlike other monster-hunting games, there’s just an innate appeal in the flashy fantasy-action visuals the game took, as well as its rather nuanced approach to its multi-weapon, combo-based system.
Fans who are new to Dauntless don’t necessarily have to feel overwhelmed with the multitude of combos and attack options each weapon offers. With the right mindset and playstyle, players can find just the best kind of build to start the game with, especially in the early game.
Valomyr’s Regard (Sword)
Speed and aggression are key in this build, with the goal of the kit to precisely maximize the Sword’s balance of speed and aggression. At its core, this toolkit highlights the ease of access but also the efficiency of the acquisition of the Valomyr’s Regard, courtesy of access to its monsters in the early game of Dauntless.
Through Skarn’s Defiance, players get a nifty shield that not only constantly attacks foes but defers unnecessary attacks from other creatures. With the right Omnicell and Mods, this Sword easily rakes up additional damage numbers even during normal attacks. This is courtesy of its charge-based explosion specials, as well as Perks that incentivize staying in combat through damage escalation. This would allow players to tear through monsters much faster than usual the longer they stay in combat.
Base Kit
Parts:
- Weapon: Valomyr’s Regard
- Omnicell: Iceborne
- Lantern: Skarn’s Defiance
- Head: Gnasher Cap
- Torso: Boreal Resolve
- Arms: Fiery Gauntlets
- Feet: Boreal March
Perks
- Adrenaline: Boosts damage based on Stamina spent
- Aetheric Attunement: Boosts recharge rate of Lantern ability
- Endurance: Boosts max Stamina
- Energized: Boosts weapon meter gain rate.
- Rage: Deal more damage after taking damage.
- Tenacious: Get bonus damage for every 100 current HP
- Tough: Boosts max HP
Inferno’s Razor (Sword)
Players favor the Sword for its rather tempo-based gameplay. After all, the weapon may have quick strikes, but they are always paced enough for players to continue momentum or switch directions whenever necessary. As such, Swords that give them more movement-based attack options may favor them greatly. Where this kit really shines is through Inferno’s Razor, which endows the eighth strike with both boosted and blaze damage. It’s the fast-paced nature of this sword that makes Dauntless quite an engaging free-to-play game.
Not only that, the weapon’s Ardent Cyclone special allows players to become unstaggerable as they spin and deal damage to enemies, giving them the opportunity to outlast mobs. With the defensive benefits of Skarn’s Defiance, players have an ever-reliable source of constant damage as soon as they get close enough to enemies. If equipped with the right Omnicell and Perks, this kit becomes specialized against behemoths and bosses, which is useful in the early game.
Base Kit
Parts:
- Weapon: Inferno’s Razor
- Omnicell: Iceborne
- Lantern: Skarn’s Defiance
- Head: Sight of Stone
- Torso: Boreal Resolve
- Arms: Boreal Might
- Feet: Thunderdeep’s Turbines
Perks
- Aetheric Attunement: Boosts recharge rate of Lantern ability
- Overpower: Boosts damage against staggered behemoths.
- Parasitic: Reduces damage taken and gives it over 10 seconds instead, gains lifesteal for the duration of damage taken
- Pulse: Gain a guaranteed critical strike after certain hits
- Rage: Deal more damage after taking damage.
- Tenacious: Get bonus damage for every 100 current HP
- Tough: Boosts max HP
- Zeal: Boosts the efficiency of Lantern abilities
Inferno’s Fangs (Chain Blades)
Players with a penchant for speed would love the Chain Blades, essentially dual blades in Dauntless that allow players to link combos much easier compared to other weapons. This kit’s key component lies in Inferno’s Fangs, which allow players to push and pull enemies for fierce follow-ups. At the onset, the Fangs already incentivize fighting against larger monsters through its +20% damage against staggered behemoths. Moreover, it boasts a unique effect where 11th hits always deal both boosted and blaze damage.
Moreover, its Tempest Omnicell continuously gives players boosted attack speed, further boosting this build’s already speed-oriented build. With Tempest’s Active that grants additional shock damage based on attack speed boosts acquired, Chain Blade specialists will definitely love raking in combos with Inferno’s Fangs.
Base Kit
Parts:
- Weapon: Inferno’s Fangs
- Omnicell: Tempest
- Lantern: Skarn’s Defiance
- Head: Fiery Helm
- Torso: Skraevwing Jacket
- Arms: Lightning Gloves
- Feet: Gnasher Treads
Perks
- Adrenaline: Boosts damage based on stamina spent
- Catalyst: Boosts the efficiency and duration of Tonics
- Endurance: Boosts max Stamina
- Evasive Fury: Dodging an attack gives +4% attack speed for 20 seconds
- Overpower: Boosts damage against staggered behemoths.
- Tenacious: Get bonus damage for every 100 current HP
- Tough: Boosts max HP
Skarn’s Vengeance (Hammer)
Despite their slow nature, Hammers are one of the most damaging weapons throughout Dauntless, capable of breaking through a monster’s defense with enough momentum. This particular kit highlights the destructive power of Hammers, courtesy of Skarn’s Vengeance. Befitting those who love tanking roles, its special Mighty Landbreaker allows players to create an aether vent that boosts the attack of everyone who steps on it, effectively improving everyone’s combat efficiency. Not only that, the boosted damage of this Dauntless weapon against staggered foes makes this a great Behemoth killing tool.
To counter the Hammer’s slow pacing, Skarn’s Defiance gives necessary shielding through shards that attack nearby foes. In addition, the Bastion Omnicell further incentivizes the tankiness of the kit via health shields. After all, while its passive boosts the chances of refreshing and the overall efficiency of health shields, its active will consume all existing health shields for a fierce energy blast. Naturally, the Perks that fit this particular Dauntless build all focus on maximizing shielding, ensuring players have nifty sustains for prolonged fights.
Base Kit
Parts:
- Weapon: Skarn’s Vengeance
- Omnicell: Bastion
- Lantern: Skarn’s Defiance
- Head: Gnasher Cap
- Torso: Boreal Resolve
- Arms: Fiery Gauntlets
- Feet: Boreal March
Perks
- Aegis: Boosts shields received, and gaining 1,000 shields will have players ignore the next source of damage within the next 15 seconds
- Conduit: Boost attack speed to all Slayers for 10 seconds after using the Lantern’s Hold ability
- Endurance: Boosts max Stamina
- Galvanized: Get increased critical strike chance for every 50 shield gain, and at higher ranks boost overall critical damage
- Knockout King: Boosts stagger damage
- Tenacious: Get bonus damage for every 100 current HP
- Tough: Boosts max HP
Skarn’s Judgment (Axe)
The timing-heavy Axe is probably one of the more complex weapons in Dauntless, but this rewards players patient enough to get to its rhythm. Such is the case with this kit’s highlight, the Shark’s Judgment, particularly for its health shield generation whenever the Lantern is used. And considering how Lantern Skarn’s Defiance is a nifty defensive tool, spamming health shields for sustains is a clear pattern for this particular kit.
Similar to the Skarn’s Vengeance Build, this Judgment build takes advantage of health shield generation for both defense and offense, making this Axe build perfect for tanks. Its Perks also ensure players can benefit from a bit of speed boosts to optimize their attack patterns, with the nifty Molten Perk providing immunity to burning that is useful for early-game monsters.
Base Kit
Parts:
- Weapon: Skarn’s Judgment
- Omnicell: Bastion
- Lantern: Skarn’s Defiance
- Head: Fiery Helm
- Torso: Gnasher Cloak
- Arms: Wulf Claws
- Feet: Boreal March
Perks
- Aegis: Boosts shields received, and gaining 1,000 shields will have players ignore the next source of damage within the next 15 seconds
- Evasive Fury: Dodging an attack gives +4% attack speed for 20 seconds
- Galvanized: Get increased critical strike chance for every 50 shield gain, and at higher ranks boost overall critical damage
- Knockout King: Boosts stagger damage
- Molten: Dealing damage gives Molten Hearts that give boost attack and movement speed plus burning immunity, on 23-second cooldowns
- Tenacious: Get bonus damage for every 100 current HP
Inferno’s Arrow (War Pike)
Perfect for close-to-mid-range incursions, the War Pike is a Dauntless weapon fit for players who love precision strikes without sacrificing mobility. For this particular build, this kit specializes in Inferno’s Arrow, which already enjoys additional damage and blaze damage for its eighth strikes. With its special Concussive Payload, players can unleash a devastating combo finisher that can interrupt some of the strongest behemoths in Dauntless.
Combined with the defensive perks of Skarn’s Defiance and the lifesteal plus damage mitigation of Iceborne, this allows players to stay on the frontlines for longer without worrying much about sustains. Despite its limited Perk list, the prevalence of damage boosts from combat performance - be it taking or dealing damage - incentivizes heavy aggressive plays with this kit.
Base Kit
Parts:
- Weapon: Inferno’s Arrow
- Omnicell: Iceborne
- Lantern: Skarn’s Defiance
- Head: Gnasher Cap
- Torso: Skraevwing Jacket
- Arms: Volcanic Grips
- Feet: Gnasher Treads
Perks
- Adrenaline: Boosts damage based on Stamina spent
- Conduit: Boost attack speed to all Slayers for 10 seconds after using the Lantern’s Hold ability
- Overpower: Boosts damage against staggered behemoths
- Rage: Deal more damage after taking damage
- Tenacious: Get bonus damage for every 100 current HP
- Tough: Boosts max HP
- Zeal: Boosts Lantern ability efficiency
Valomyr’s Instincts (Repeater)
Serving as the first ranged weapon in Dauntless meta, the Repeater is a nifty one-two punch pair of guns that fires single-shot blasts from afar, with the Valomyr’s Instincts specifically enabling early-game players to take advantage of distance while accumulating damage. Its special Salvo Chamber is a heavily-aggressive AOE attack that practically punishes enemies for staying in an area, perfect for ranged-support roles.
Players who find themselves overwhelmed in the melee can rely on the Lantern Pangar’s Shrine which creates a frost pillar in front of players that damages surrounding foes. On top of damage mitigation and lifesteal from Iceborne, Perks that constantly boost damage make this particular kit a safe and accessible kit to grind in the early game.
Base Kit
Parts:
- Weapon: Valomyr’s Regard
- Omnicell: Iceborne
- Lantern: Pangar’s Shrine
- Head: Timeweave Helm
- Torso: Gnasher Cloak
- Arms: Light’s Refuge
- Feet: Boreal March
Perks
- Aetheric Attunement: Boosts recharge rate of Lantern ability.
- Aetherhunter: Additional damage versus aether-charged behemoths
- Assassin’s Frenzy: Gain bonus attack speed whenever players break or assist in the breaking of a behemoth part
- Predator: Deal additional damage after not taking damage for a particular length of time
- Rage: Deal more damage after taking damage
- Tenacious: Get bonus damage for every 100 current HP
- Tough: Boosts max HP
Dauntless was released in 2019 for the Nintendo Switch, PS4, Xbox One, PS5, Android, Xbox Series X and S, and the PC.