Is Torchlight Infinite Merely a Path of Exile Clone Or Has It Evolved into the Ultimate Casual ARPG?

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• Torchlight Infinite SS13 Budget God: Wind Stalker Erika Full-Screen Lightning Slash | Clear T8 with Blue Gear

  Players, have you ever experienced the thrill of clearing the screen before you even see the enemies in Torchlight Infinite SS13, without relying on god-tier equipment? Then this Wind Stalker Erika build is designed for that ultimate feel. It allows you to enjoy absolute control while moving at high speed through a fluid, rhythmic attack pattern.

  Even with average gear, you can feel the dominance of Wind Stalker Erika in its late game.

  Core Skills

  The essence of this Wind Stalker Erika build lies in the strategic use of two skills at different stages.

  In the early stages, we can use Thunder Spike because it not only provides 360-degree omnidirectional coverage but also ignores walls, allowing us to clear complex maps without aiming.

  In the later stages, Thunder Slash has a higher damage ceiling, making it easier to reach that damage ceiling. However, its base area of ​​effect is relatively small. Players must wait for area-of-effect buffs like Ghost Slaughter and Eternity, as well as Fervor affix on rings, before switching to this skill; otherwise, it will significantly weaken Wind Stalker Erika experience.

  Therefore, the correct rhythm for skill usage is to use Thunder Spike for rapid advancement in the early game, and then switch to Thunder Slash once the necessary components are available in the late game.

  In Torchlight Infinite, judging when to switch is quite simple: once your Prism and Talent provide sufficient area-of-effect bonuses, you can experiment with skill replacements.

  

  Equipment Configuration

  When configuring equipment for this Wind Stalker Erika build, we need to follow three color rules:

  • Green for the helmet and necklace.
  • Purple for gloves and chest armor.
  • Yellow for rings, boots, and belt.

  Components of the same color can be freely combined to activate bonuses.

  Therefore, our upgrades to Wind Stalker Erika's gear primarily rely on color efficiency rather than depending on any god-tier item.

  In the early game, prioritize stacking dexterity, flat damage, attack speed, and base resistances on Wind Stalker Erika gear; there's no need to strive for perfection. In the mid-game, focus on defense for the chest armor, damage for the gloves, and use the helmet and necklace for balancing stats.

  Later on, we can consider using different equipment to define the final variant of Wind Stalker Erika, such as Silent Avowal, Demon's Touch, Royal Cycle, and Thunder Manipulator, which can even allow you to switch the character to a physical damage build.

  The biggest advantage of this color scheme system is that it ensures every piece of gear you own has a purpose. As long as the colors are compatible, you can gradually upgrade by adjusting affixes, without having to grind for a single rare drop in Torchlight Infinite SS13.

  Support Skill Combination

  In this Wind Stalker Erika build, we've moved away from the traditional dual Shadow Dash setup. Instead, we use one Shadow Dash for precise dodging and one Bull's Rage for continuous momentum, combining to maintain high-speed map movement.

  After the campaign ends, Motionless allows for stationary, automatic damage output. During boss fights, players only need to focus on positioning; damage is continuous, making the controls significantly easier.

  In particular, the speed boost from Bull's Rage drastically reduces the downtime during Wind Stalker Erika's map movement in Torchlight Infinite.

  Talent Tree

  Early on Wind Stalker Erika, the talent tree should prioritize attack speed, dexterity, and damage consistency. 

  However, in the later stages, the critical strike multiplier becomes more important for Wind Stalker Erika, even taking priority over general attack or lightning damage increases, because it amplifies all your damage sources.

  The defensive talent tree only needs to provide minor damage reduction and healing, which, combined with high-speed map clearing, is sufficient to handle critical hits.

  Hero Traits

  Hero Traits are straightforward: prioritize Dexterity, Life or Shield, and Attack Speed ​​for Wind Stalker Erika.

  Secondary stats can include Lightning Critical Strike Damage and Attack Critical Strike Damage, with Lightning Critical Strike Damage generally being superior because of its higher cap.

  It's worth noting that Dexterity affix in Hero Memories offers exceptionally high returns. Each point of Dexterity affects both damage and speed in your build, so it should be considered the highest priority stat at any stage of Wind Stalker Erika's development.

  Prism System

  Prisms are a massive damage amplifier in this Wind Stalker Erika build; a powerful set of Prisms often provides more benefit than multiple gear upgrades.

  However, while the ideal combination of offensive Ethereal Prisms is very strong, you can decide whether to use it based on market prices. Even an imperfect set is enough to significantly boost Wind Stalker Erika's power, so there's no need to worry excessively about it.

  Players can often achieve noticeable improvements to their builds by consuming only a small amount of Torchlight Infinite Flame Elementium. Therefore, compared to the more randomized gear crafting, Prisms offer a more predictable and direct benefit to Wind Stalker Erika.

  Kismet System

  Kismet system is the core damage engine of Wind Stalker Erika. Therefore, we must prioritize stacking Dexterity Destiny (nine micro and four medium) early on, and then add defense as needed.

  Typically, players can invest their limited Torchlight Infinite resources into Prisms and Hero Memories first. Once these two are established, they can use the remaining resources to optimize Kismet, making Wind Stalker Erika build path more rational.

  Are you ready to dominate the offensive rhythm in Torchlight Infinite SS13 and unleash Wind Stalker Erika combo for high-speed screen clearing?

• The Ultimate Zero-Button Build! Torchlight Infinite SS13 Selena 2 Auto-Bomber Starter Guide

  If you're still undecided about which hero to choose for your Torchlight Infinite SS13 Afterlight playthrough, my suggestion is to play Selena 2 directly. She's one of the smoothest heroes to play through the early game - no complicated operation required, she's an auto-bomber who can clear the screen while just walking around.

  Next, I'll provide a comprehensive guide to this SS13 Selena 2 starter build for automated attacks.

  Selena 2's Core Mechanism: Dance of the Deep

  A Brand New Tree-Based Hero Trait System

  

  Selena 2's biggest feature is her brand new tree-based hero trait system, instead of the fixed linear talents of traditional heroes. This means you can freely choose trait nodes according to your build direction, customizing your own gameplay.

  Selena 2's trait is called Dance of the Deep, and its effect is very direct: all Core Terra Skills will be cast centered on the player and follow the player's movement. Additionally, Terra Skills gain a 20% increase in range and an additional damage bonus.

  Two Main Branches of Trait Tree

  Selena 2's trait tree has two main branches. The left branch focuses on sustained damage, while the right branch focuses on burst spell damage with a higher damage ceiling. However, for early game progression, the left branch is more suitable because DoT builds offer natural comfort. They don't require stacking crit chance or considering hit chance, have lower gear requirements, and can easily utilize the blur mechanic for survivability.

  Key Node: Silencing Severance

  This is the core node for automation in Selena 2. When you select this node, your primary skill will automatically gain Activation Medium: Terra buff. This means that your core ground skill will automatically be cast whenever there is an enemy within 25 meters.

  Combined with Dance of the Deep, which makes ground skills follow you, your build is fully automated from the moment you select this node. You don't need to monitor skill cooldowns or position yourself to cast skills; you only need to move to an area with enemies.

  Early Game Skill Path

  Levels 1-35: Howling Gale 

  Before unlocking traits, Howling Gale is recommended. It's an area-of-effect elemental spell, highly efficient at clearing mobs, and doesn't rely heavily on gear. At this stage, simply pick up gear with spell damage, elemental damage, increased mana, and mana regeneration attributes. Prioritize talents that increase damage and mana regeneration to ensure sustainability.

  Levels 35-45: Switch to Nether Grasp

  Once you reach level 35 and unlock the first tier trait, Dance of the Deep, immediately switch your main skill to Nether Grasp.

  TLI SS13 added several active Terra skills, including Bramble Field, Tidal Spring, Falling Star, Thunderstorm Zone, and Nether Grasp.

  However, during the early game, Nether Grasp is the preferred choice for DoT path. Its mechanics are: dealing continuous erosion damage to enemies within range every second, and knocking enemies back to the skill's center every 0.5 seconds; it can also instantly kill enemies with less than 10% health. In other words, you only need to activate Nether Grasp, and enemies will be pulled to the center, continuously losing health, and instantly executed when their health is low.

  Level 45: Silencing Severance

  At level 45, you gain a second trait point, prioritizing Silencing Severance. Combined with Nether Grasp, you no longer need to press any attack keys; they will automatically and continuously control and damage surrounding enemies. This is the most crucial turning point in the entire early game.

  Late Game Transition

  Time Mark 7

  When you approach Time Mark 7 in Torchlight Infinite, you need to consider switching your gear to a pure Energy Shield build.

  Because Psychic talent tree has a powerful node that resets your Energy Shield charge with each Reap. Combined with the high-frequency damage from Nether Grasp, you can maintain a near-permanent 20% Energy Shield regeneration per second.

  Therefore, once you reach Time Mark 7, several items should be your priority:

  • Time of Vow: Restores 10% of missing health and provides an energy shield per second, making it a core item in ES build.
  • Chain Behind the Curtain: Automatically builds blur mechanics while moving, converting those levels into a powerful Affliction bonus.
  • Eternal Sea Fog: Increases movement speed based on blur effect levels.
  • Folklore of Locking Fingers: Increases defensive stats and allows blur effects to apply to your DoT.

  Blur itself has a chance to dodge damage. These items will add even more powerful effects to your Blur mechanics - the higher your blur stacks, the stronger these bonuses become, improving both damage output and survivability.

  Time Mark 8

  Upon reaching Time Mark 8, if you want to further maximize your build's potential, consider allocating some talent points to The Cycle I Resist node. This node converts critical strike chance into a percentage of Core Terra Skill's duration, which is the duration of Nether Grasp.

  Therefore, after TM8, you should focus on maximizing your critical strike chance. The common method is to use Flame Elementium to reroll the corresponding affixes onto your gear. However, this process is random. If needed, you can buy Torchlight Infinite Flame Elementium from IGGM.com, and getting the critical strike chance attribute will only be a matter of time.

  In short, Selena 2's auto-bombing build allows you to completely free your hands from level 45 onwards, enjoying the smoothest map clearing experience with minimal gear costs. If you're tired of tedious operations, why not follow this guide and start dancing in the deep sea? Your TLI SS13 progression will be surprisingly easy.

• Torchlight Infinite SS13 Afterlight Endgame Issues | Weak Season Rewards and Unbalanced Progression

  Torchlight Infinite SS13 Afterlight has launched, and while the new hero traits and skill reworks are quite substantial, this season does not measure up to the previous one in terms of overall appeal.

  A great many players have reported that before reaching TM7, the game drops very little of any real value. Until a character has grown sufficiently, the gameplay experience can fairly be described as torturous.

  

  Season Mechanics

  The core of Torchlight Infinite SS13 Afterlight revolves around escorting coffins, but ironically, some players have tested and found that investing resources into this mechanic actually yields 25% less Flame Elementium per hour than simply skipping it. In other words, taking time to engage with the seasonal content proves less efficient than running ordinary maps.

  The boss that players labor to escort often drops only 4 FE, a reward that renders the whole process utterly meaningless. Even on later high-difficulty maps such as T8, the season mechanic is frequently regarded as a burden rather than a benefit.

  This is very likely a serious bug; as the flagship feature of each season, such a payoff is clearly abnormal, and there may be other underlying issues.

  Beyond Afterlight mechanic itself, other activities have been nerfed to the point where their rewards are unstable and far from satisfactory.

  In order to highlight the new content, some older player-favorite features such as Dream Talking have been removed. Moreover, because the new mechanic ties into slate-related systems, the upper limit of Cube Talent Constellation was cut in half, which has further hampered players' ability to earn meaningful returns in the early game.

  Many complain that the development team has imposed unwarranted nerfs on a wide range of existing builds, simply to force adoption of the new hero and systems, with several once-dominant builds from previous seasons being weakened in succession.

  Economy System

  The season mechanic has not only affected direct drops but has also had a profound impact on the entire in-game economy.

  Players commonly observe that ordinary maps barely drop any valuable equipment or currency, making it impossible to strengthen characters through the loop of farming maps and upgrading gear.

  Some key legendary items have been adjusted so that they only drop on maps of tier 8 or above. This change makes it much harder for players in the early progression phase to obtain core equipment, further exacerbating the growth gap.

  For those using free-to-play characters, this season will prove exceptionally harsh. Even players with top-tier pets are finding progress difficult, so one can imagine how much harder the situation is for those who have not made any monetary investment.

  The general feedback indicates that the early progression difficulty in SS13 has increased notably, and the growth curve has become extremely uneven. The overall drop rate has been broadly reduced, and this is one of the root causes behind the harshness of the early game.

  Because baseline drops have decreased, the acquisition speed of gear and currency needed to build characters has slowed dramatically, resulting in a significantly prolonged early progression phase.

  Beyond the core drop experience, there are also issues such as poor optimization on mobile devices, overheating, and frequent bugs.

  

  Why Is SS13 Afterlight So Poor?

  Slow Pacing

  It is evident that the development team has deliberately slowed down the game's progression. This is most likely because they are aware that Path of Exile 3.29 is approaching, and they want to avoid players finishing all content within three days and then leaving.

  However, this design philosophy overlooks a central truth: the players of Torchlight Infinite, much like those of Path of Exile, derive their enjoyment from the dopamine rush of loot drops. Protracting the journey to the endgame in such a manner only serves to exhaust players unnecessarily.

  Monotonous Gameplay

  Looking back at previous seasons, especially Lunaria season, players could readily obtain enough Flame Elementium to continuously upgrade their characters. In Season 13, however, even the most basic daily map outputs are hardly guaranteed.

  Ironically, this design has achieved a strange kind of balance: whether you are a free player or a whale player with fully maxed legendary Pactspirits, the actual returns are virtually indistinguishable, because everyone is equally starved of resources.

  Once PoE 3.29 launches, a large number of players are very likely to switch over. Normally, when other games in the same genre - such as Path of Exile, Grim Dawn, or Hero Siege - overlap with Torchlight's season, the player count initially drops, and then some players return after about a week.

  Yet given the current state of SS13, that rebound may never materialize. The only way to salvage it would be to roll back the nerfs to drops from various activities.

  Using nerfs as a blunt instrument to coerce players into trying new mechanics is hardly a sophisticated tactic. Since Torchlight Infinite offers so many systems, the developers should give players more choices and let them decide which activities they prefer.

  Overall, Torchlight Infinite SS13 Afterlight is a season with many ideas but poor execution. It makes active attempts at innovating in gameplay and systems, but the severe balance issues and the regression in core experience have greatly undermined players' overall reception.

  If you are a player who craves novelty and powerful builds, the new hero and some strong archetypes might offer brief moments of exhilaration. However, if you have higher expectations for game balance, optimization, and a fair environment, then the numerous problems of SS13 are likely to leave you disappointed.

  ---

  If you are already tired of the drop rate issues this season but still want to complete your character, you can buy Torchlight Infinite Flame Elementium from IGGM. Trading directly with FE is definitely much faster than waiting for items to drop.

• Torchlight Infinite SS13 High-Yield Options for Swapping Dream Pets: How to Avoid Wasting Your Past Pactspirits?

  Since the launch of Torchlight Infinite Season 13, have you utilized pets to assist with your early-season farming and leveling? After all, depending on specific mechanics or builds, pets can sometimes provide unexpected advantages.

  With that in mind, if you don't plan to engage heavily with Dream mechanic this season, be sure to refund or swap out your Dream Pactspirits for different seasonal or core pets. This maximizes your returns while preventing your previous investments from going to waste.

  So, which Pactspirits should you swap your existing Dream pets for to gain the greatest combat advantage in Afterlight season? We offer some suggestions below.

  

  Farming value of mechanics in SS13

  Most Torchlight Infinite pets come with high-yield bonuses linked to specific seasonal mechanics. To maximize your SS13 returns using Dream pet conversion feature, you first need to identify which mechanics are worth exploiting this season.

  To begin with, the new Afterlight mechanic and Lunatic mechanic carried over from the previous season, remain key gameplay elements. Beyond these, Black Sail is another mechanic you should prioritize in Season 13.

  Stages with Black Sail affix offer extremely high returns early in the season, though their value gradually declines as the season progresses. In contrast, the value of Black Sail invitations, used to challenge bosses, tends to rise as the season moves forward.

  It is also worth noting that Black Sail loot pool in Afterlight Season now includes an item called Tide of the Styx, which is ideal for Life Stacker builds.

  Another consistently important mechanic is Cube. Slates, Wedges, and Starlights farmed through this mechanic are crucial for game progression.

  While their value may gradually decrease as the season advances, they are indispensable during the initial progression phase. Additionally, high-value loot can still drop in the mid-to-late season, though the odds are akin to gambling.

  Notably, Afterlight mechanic is closely linked to Slate system, which may keep Slates highly valuable to farm throughout the season. Therefore, farming Cube in SS13 is an effective way to accumulate more Torchlight Infinite Flame Elementium.

  Starfish Chanter - Black Sail

  As a legendary Pactspirit for Black Sail mech, Starfish Chanter is highly reliable even at C1, at least during the early stages of Season 13. C6 version offers roughly 30% greater effectiveness.

  At the start of the new season, you can generate solid returns by farming threads and memory scraps. Additionally, C1 Starfish Chanter excels at farming invitations.

  In contrast, C6 Starfish Chanter is better suited for farming memory-related items, such as specific Hero Memories, thanks to the significant boost it provides to drop quantities.

  Rainbowpaint - Frozen Canvas

  You will probably need this Pactspirit at C6 to make it truly effective; at that level, it helps you acquire more Snow Paper, a crucial resource for Frozen Canvas mechanic. You can sell these for extra Flame Elementium or use them to delve deeper into Canvas gameplay.

  However, be aware that farming Canvas mechanic places significant pressure on survivability, with dangerous debuffs scattered across the ground. If you haven't played this mode much before, it is best to research it thoroughly to avoid common pitfalls.

  Jestress - Arcana

  This Pactspirit reliably boosts the rewards from Arcana mechanic, specifically by increasing the drop rate of Destiny Chests, which helps you acquire Flame Elementium faster.

  For Jestress, however, we still recommend C6 version, as Arcana mechanic relies heavily on Compasses.

  While Jestress helps you secure abundant loot while mitigating some survival risks, it is still advisable to craft a tanky build when engaging with Arcana mechanic, just to be safe.

  Note that this is an out-of-map mechanic; if you plan to switch to it in Torchlight Infinite Season 13, make sure you actually enjoy this style of gameplay.

  

  Moonshadow Guide - Sandlord

  Moonshadow Guide offers solid returns on laborers right from the start, and C6 version is exceptional, as it significantly increases the chance of doubling your loot.

  Honestly, this is useful at any stage, especially when farming belt-crafting materials and raw resources. Belt-crafting materials are essential for creating endgame gear, and the resulting belts are incredibly helpful for early-game progression.

  In the early stages of Torchlight Infinite Season 13, you can frequently send small shipments to the islands, while in the late game, you should send large shipments to Utopia. Additionally, gliders can generate a substantial income of Flame Elementium and detectors.

  Note that belt crafting appears to have level thresholds: Level 90 yields belts of item levels 82-85, whereas Level 95+ yields item level 86 belts. Therefore, it is best to avoid dedicated farming for this until you reach these levels.

  Furthermore, this playstyle is not well-suited for ZHP builds; monsters may drop in and begin channeling attacks against you while you are unable to retaliate, which will almost certainly result in your death.

  Prof. SOURCE - Carjack

  This combination of Pactspirit and endgame mechanic is only worth pursuing at C6 level. Carjack affix is essential for crafting endgame weapons, and this farming strategy can yield excellent gear or Flame Elementium.

  With Prof. SOURCE, you gain an 18-22% chance to recode and duplicate rewards obtained from Carjack or Tower Co. Central Vaults.

  If you have fully invested in the relevant talent tree nodes, farming Carjack at Tier 8 difficulty yields great results. Even without using any compasses, you can achieve an income of approximately 1,000 FE per hour.

  However, if possible, it is best to pair Carjack mechanic with an Orange Compass. If you unlock Profound affix early and use an Orange Compass to farm Priceless tier gear, the final returns can be massive.

  These are the recommended Pactspirit options for Torchlight Infinite Season 13. You can convert Dream Pactspirits you don't intend to use into new ones, or simply try them all out to see which suits your Season 13 playstyle best!

• Torchlight Infinite SS13 Afterlight Early-Farming Strategies Tier List | Best Seasonal Mechanics Ranked by Profitability

  Torchlight Infinite SS13 Afterlight has begun, and with it comes yet another farming option. As the core mechanic of this season, Afterlight naturally ranks among the most efficient for loot acquisition, but we should not overlook the other seasonal systems either.

  Many mechanics remain highly competitive during the early phase of the season, though their returns tend to taper off later. If you have already entered the endgame and are looking for direction in your farming routine, the following ranking of seasonal mechanics by profitability should serve as a useful reference.

  

  Tier S

  Afterlight

  Afterlight mechanic essentially revolves around escort missions. Your charge moves at a fairly brisk pace, and along the way, waves of enemies continuously assault your protected target.

  The more foes you eliminate, the faster the cart advances. Hence, as long as you can keep the area around the cart clear of monsters, it will maintain a high travel speed.

  Loot drops intermittently during the journey, and you may also head straight to the endpoint and wait for the final reward distribution. Various random events will trigger throughout the process to boost your gains.

  This mechanic favours builds that deal high damage and possess wide aoe capabilities; insufficient clear speed will cause a noticeable drop in efficiency.

  Lunaria

  Lunaria has also been incorporated into the core game, and the official team has accelerated and simplified its systems to make it more accessible for crafting.

  Legendary Lunar Strings will now drop from the very beginning, and each is guaranteed to carry at least one orange affix. You can directly trade for Lunar Strings you need, and any extras can be sold to other players.

  Lunaria also features its own independent talent tree, allowing you to focus on enhancing the drop rates of Memories tied to specific heroes.

  Since Lunaria essentially functions as a mechanic that increases monster density within maps, it is very likely to become one of the most popular farming choices in SS13 once again.

  Cube

  Cube is an exceptionally strong early-season strategy. Once you enter a map, you will encounter various Desire Incarnations, and killing them drops Desire Crystals. At the end of the map, you can spend these crystals at Cube to draw rewards.

  If you feel lucky, you may also opt for Greed mode, which offers a 50/50 gamble: either your reward doubles or you lose everything.

  The effectiveness of Cube strategies heavily relies on Pactspirits; only high-level, Cube-exclusive Pactspirits can keep this mechanic competitive into the mid-to-late game. That said, it remains perfectly viable without them during the early stages.

  Blacksail

  Blacksail is a very fast-paced mechanic that demands almost no investment in map costs or talent points, so it is often paired with other content. Due to its brisk rhythm, it is most frequently combined with Nightmare.

  Its primary rewards revolve around Hero Memory-related resources, such as Memory Threads and hero Memories themselves. The ceiling for returns is not exceptionally high, but the income is quite stable. It performs remarkably well during the first week of each season, though its profitability gradually declines after one or two weeks.

  Once your build slightly outscales the bosses, the mechanic becomes smooth and enjoyable, offering a low-intensity, relaxing experience. Blacksail Pactspirits are certainly beneficial, but they are by no means essential for turning a profit.

  Sandlord

  Sandlord is highly profitable in the early season because its main reward is Sandalwood Incense. Early on, individual incense items can sell for hundreds or even thousands of Torchlight Infinite Flame Elementium, generating significant income.

  Sandlord will not deliver top-tier endgame returns, yet it carries virtually no upfront cost, and the vast majority of its rewards are easily obtainable. Even without the exclusive drop-related Pactspirit, your earnings remain largely unaffected, so you can attach this strategy to almost any mapping routine.

  Mistville

  Mistville is a highly distinctive mechanic with a touch of rogue-like elements. Each run essentially plays out like a board game, where you must progress and complete small stage objectives to move forward.

  You possess a Sanity meter that depletes each turn, and throughout the run you will acquire various items that influence your Sanity and the direction of your turns. The drop pet for this mechanic is not especially critical; going without it does not significantly reduce your returns.

  Rewards include Activation Mediums, which enable skill automation. These are extremely valuable early in the season, and certain pieces with good rolls maintain high worth throughout the entire season.

  Tier A

  Frozen Canvas

  Frozen Canvas primarily rewards alternative support gems for skills, and you need to roll favourable support gems to realise a profit.

  However, if you run this strategy frequently enough, it is nearly impossible not to turn a profit, because the investment cost is minimal and the margin is extremely high. What it truly demands is your time.

  Outlaw

  Outlaw spawns a massive number of monsters, and these monsters come with substantial bonuses to rarity and quantity.

  Thanks to the sheer volume of foes, its loot output is astonishing. It can easily fill your entire screen with Flame Elementium, exclusive drops, and even extremely rare Memories.

  Outlaw mechanic requires a fairly high clear speed to operate efficiently, and pets also play a critical role in endgame performance. If you can access Time Arcade relatively early in the season, it also serves as a decent early-season strategy.

  Vorax

  Vorax resembles Outlaw in terms of rewards: you use cards to customise the number of monsters and the bonuses they grant. The combination of cards determines your payout, so this mechanic has a bit of complexity, but the returns are absolutely impressive.

  The exclusive legendary Pactspirit for Vorax is important for ensuring consistent profitability. Yet even without it, you can still generate good income, because items related to Vorax crafting are likely to remain in constant demand among high-end players.

  Tier B

  Arcana

  Arcana requires you to collect cards, each of which triggers a specific event within the map. After gathering eight cards, you enter an arcane mini-game and ultimately fight a battle for rewards.

  Arcana is not an easy mechanic to pick up; you need to study its workings carefully. If your build falls short, it can be quite dangerous, and the mechanic is also fairly dependent on Pactspirits.

  Overwhelm

  Overwhelm, in simple terms, tasks you with killing as many monsters as possible within a timed map. After completing one layer, you have the chance to proceed to the next layer for more rewards, stacking up to four layers.

  Overwhelm offers not only exclusive rewards like Ethereal Prism but also a large quantity of high-value currency, such as Torchlight Infinite Flame Elementium and Memories.

  This strategy exhibits considerable volatility, especially when you underinvest. At the same time, it relies heavily on Key of Overrealm; you almost must have it to make the strategy significantly effective, making it a late-game endeavour.

  Dark Surge

  Dark Surge is completely unviable until you pour in a very high level of investment; it is by no means a free-to-play-friendly strategy. Nevertheless, if you are interested in it and do not mind the cost of acquiring the relevant pets, its output can be substantial.

  Dark Surge is not a good early-season choice; it leans more toward the mid-to-late game and is typically run in Profane Time or Deep Space.

  Tier C

  Aeterna

  Aeterna plays similarly to Delve mechanic from Path of Exile, with rewards growing richer as you go deeper.

  This is a very challenging mechanic; profits remain modest before you reach the profound depths, which in turn demand a fairly high-end build. That said, Pactspirits for this strategy are not mandatory - even a level-1 pet can bring a considerable boost to your earnings.

  Clockwork Ballet

  Clockwork Ballet is the premier source of compasses. If you are willing to invest, it can be considered a top-tier strategy, but you will need substantial DPS.

  Furthermore, you require two different legendary drop-related Pactspirits to make this mechanic a particularly powerful mapping strategy, so it is not very newcomer-friendly.

  Nightmare

  Nightmare used to be an excellent early-farming choice, offering a wide variety of rewards. However, in Season 13, Dream Talking drops have been removed, so it no longer holds that advantage.

  The above concludes the profitability ranking for each mechanic in Torchlight Infinite SS13 Afterlight during the early league phase. Mechanics ranked lower do not necessarily yield poor returns; rather, they may simply require greater investment to shine.

• Torchlight Infinite SS13 Charge Calling Moto Build Guide: From Start to T8 Maps with Reworked Machine Lord Helmet

  Machine Lord is getting a rework in Torchlight Infinite SS13 Afterlight - changing from elemental damage to massive amounts of additional summon damage, with the benefits increasing dramatically with the number of damage barrels. As a representative of Self-Destruct Protocol summoning build, can Charge Calling Moto fully capitalize on this change in SS13?

  The answer is definitely yes, and we'll walk you through the entire progression from early game to endgame, helping you better utilize the buffs and play Charge Calling Moto effectively in the new season.

  Core Mechanism Changes

  The core change to Charge Calling Moto build in SS13 comes from the mechanics of Machine Lord helmet.

  Previously, this helmet converted physical damage into Fire, Cold, and Lightning elemental damage, while increasing the maximum number of Synthetic Troops (from two to three). In the new season, it's changed to directly provide a large amount of additional Minion damage.

  It's worth noting that regardless of whether the helmet has Corroded affix, its base stat is fixed at 1, and Corroded version only provides an additional 10% bonus to Minion damage.

  Therefore, if you're focused on significantly increasing Charge Calling Moto's damage output, prioritize Machine Lord helmet with Double Corroded affix.

  

  Additionally, players should understand Torchlight Infinite's damage mechanics, as a key principle applies: the more damage sources you have, the higher the multiplicative benefit.

  For example, suppose your character now has four different sources of damage in Torchlight Infinite, each providing you with 100% bonus damage. The final damage you receive is the result of their multiplicative summation, which will be far greater than the 400% bonus damage from a single source.

  Therefore, when choosing gear and talents, prioritize multiple types of damage-boosting affixes, such as extra damage from Minions under specific conditions, extra Fire damage, or extra Cold damage. These different dimensions of damage amplification multiply, significantly improving Charge Calling Moto's overall damage output.

  Early Game Phase

  First, we need to know that you need to switch to Grim Phantoms playstyle as early as possible during Torchlight Infinite SS13 progression phase.

  The most obvious benefit of Grim Phantoms for you is that it eliminates your tedious operations and makes things smoother, because it has an automatic summoning mechanism, and the active skill Summon Grim Phantom is also very efficient at clearing maps.

  In terms of skill synergy, to enhance Grim Phantoms' survivability and area-of-effect damage, we need to utilize Mechanical Modification, Manual Army, Increased Area, and Servant Life.

  Furthermore, Swiftness Dew is a key skill for increasing Charge Calling Moto's map traversal speed; prioritize equipping and using it to accelerate SS13 early game progression.

  If you encounter a boss fight, you can make a small adjustment to the skill configuration above: use Machine Army and Vulnerability, and pair them with the two passive skills Fearless and Swiftness to ensure Charge Calling Moto's output and mobility.

  Throughout the story, simply picking up usable equipment dropped on the ground is enough to easily complete the game.

  Key survival equipment includes Born in Fire ring and Interlocking Soul Hammer, which are not only inexpensive but also provide Charge Calling Moto with sufficient protection.

  Mid-Game Transition

  By the mid-game of SS13, our goal is to gradually replace Charge Calling Moto's gear with Tier 2 quality. The priority for each piece of gear is as follows:

  • Helmet: Prioritize Minion Damage, Energy Shield, or Life (if going for a Life build), and the necessary Resistance.
  • Chestplate: Also prioritize Energy Shield or Life, combined with Minion Attack and Cast Speed, directly affecting the trigger frequency of your Minion Self-Destruct Protocol.
  • Gloves: Vow's Grasp is extremely cost-effective in the early season, providing 120 points each of Strength and Intelligence.
  • Belt: Cry of Divinity can be used initially, later upgrading to a belt with +1 Minion skill level.
  • Shoes: Focus on movement speed, Energy Shield or Life, and Minion damage.
  • Rings: Focus on Minion damage, maximum Energy Shield or Life, and Resistance.

  Advanced Stage

  When your damage in Torchlight Infinite SS13 reaches around 90 million, you should have a full set of Tier 2 gear and begin gradually introducing some Tier 1 affixes.

  At this stage, you can consider replacing your previous Machine Army with Rising Edge and try to get Precise Skills to further improve the output efficiency of Charge Calling Moto.

  The core skill Self-Destruct Protocol tag contains multiple keywords such as Melee, Physical, and Attack. Therefore, we need to pay special attention to Hero Memories and Divinity Slate, which can provide benefits to these tags.

  High-Tier Gear

  Once your Charge Calling Moto damage reaches around 4 billion, you can efficiently farm Tier 8 maps in Torchlight Infinite SS13.

  At this stage of the game, Machine Lord is a key piece of equipment that you absolutely must obtain. Don't worry about its affixes; just try to get it directly, because it will still have a powerful damage-boosting effect on your character in the new season.

  Resonance of the Stars is a core item with extremely high cost-effectiveness in the early game. It replicates the effects of all peripheral minor nodes, including affixes like Command, Max Life, and Energy Shield, but not Minion Skill Level.

  This means you can obtain a significant amount of extra attributes at a relatively low cost, achievable in the early stages of SS13 with approximately 100 Torchlight Infinite Flame Elementium, much cheaper than unlocking multiple high-tier Divinity Slates.

  Because Torchlight Infinite SS13 Afterlight introduces a completely new Skill Tree and several mechanic adjustments, remember to adjust the configurations in this guide flexibly. Hopefully, this complete roadmap for Charge Calling Moto, from beginner to advanced, will help you get off to a smooth start in SS13!