Torchlight Infinite Currency

Once Torchlight Infinite SS13 begins, choosing a build that offers high efficiency and fast leveling becomes the top priority. During the early progression phase, players need a build that can carry them to around Time Mark 7 as quickly as possible.

At this stage, the primary considerations are how rapidly the build comes online, how heavily it depends on gear, and how effectively it clears maps. Endgame strength is not the deciding factor, though it certainly counts as a welcome bonus if your build also performs well later on. Below is the tier ranking for season start builds in SS13 Afterlight.

Tier S

Selena 2: Dance of the Deep

Selena 2 comes with a brand-new exclusive talent tree, and if we rank by novelty, she absolutely belongs in Tier S. Moreover, whenever the game introduces fresh content, the new character traditionally receives significant support, with the development team ensuring sufficient power levels.

Combined with her custom talent tree, Selena 2 offers many distinct playstyle variants. At the same time, the game is undergoing a massive overhaul of Terra system.

As a result, whether you plan to build her as a hit-based character or a damage-over-time specialist, you will find a suitable Terra configuration. In short, there are numerous directions to explore her potential, and she is expected to be exceptionally powerful.

Yuga 2: Spacetime Elapse

Yuga 2's Mind Control variant excels during the early leveling phase. Although the talent tree has removed the channel stacks for Mind Control, SS13 introduces a support skill, Channeled Depths, that directly provides two additional maximum channel stacks.

This does occupy a valuable support slot in the later game, but it represents a huge power boost early on. Furthermore, the new Terra system may also suit him very well.

Rayhan 2: Seething Silhouette

Rayhan 2 has received notable buffs as well. Seething Spirit no longer suffers from a 30% attack speed penalty; instead, it gains a substantial damage bonus equal to 30% of your character's damage output, and the attack speed malus has been removed. This greatly improves his damage potential.

In SS12, Rayhan 2 was already a popular starting choice for many players, with some speed-focused players reaching Time Mark 7 within three hours. With these enhancements, his pace may become even faster.

Iris 1: Growing Breeze

Thanks to adjustments to summoner-related mechanics and the addition of new bond skills, Iris 1 has received major defensive improvements without sacrificing offensive capability.

She may not be the fastest character in the game, but she can comfortably carry you into T8 maps, allowing you to accumulate Torchlight Infinite Flame Elementium for other builds or continue progressing all the way to Profound and beyond.

Erika 1: Wind Stalker

Erika 1 is a relatively fragile character, yet she remains one of the swiftest in the game. Her late-game scaling is also solid, so you do not need to switch to another build after reaching the endgame.

That said, she is not for everyone; if your mechanical execution is less than stellar, you will find yourself dying frequently during the early stages.

Tier A

Bing 1: Blast Nova

Since the game has removed most easy ways for characters to obtain extra projectiles, the development team has essentially redefined Bing 1's core identity, making him revolve almost entirely around attack-based projectile skills.

After the rework, when he uses projectile attack skills, he throws multiple bombs at once. In addition, he gains extra projectiles, a host of bonuses, and excellent quality-of-life improvements that let him fully leverage this mechanic.

In SS12, Bing 1 was only moderately strong, but based on the announced changes, this adjustment should work greatly in his favor, and he is predicted to be very formidable.

Thea 3: Blasphemer

Although Thea 3's Erosion damage and her signature item, Ruinous Star, have been nerfed, which may limit her late-game potential, she remains a top-tier starter during the early and mid phases by relying on Haunting Abomination or Mind Control setups.

Gemma 2: Frostbitten Heart

Gemma 2's Frost Terra variant has been weakened because the removal of the maximum entanglement stack cap has reduced the effectiveness of her entanglement build. Nevertheless, she still has other alternatives.

With Terra system rework, pairing her with that system or new frost spells could become her strongest playstyle. She remains a powerful option.

In the early stages, freeze effects help you easily navigate the pre-gear phase, providing reliable defensive control and making progression very smooth.

Sage: Licorice Note

Sage has received some nerfs, including reduced movement speed and fewer projectiles, while her previous 100% damage recoup has been changed to redirect damage to her summons.

This means you lose that nearly infinite sustained recovery, but you can now shift a large portion of incoming damage to your minions through new pathways.

She still retains solid defensive capabilities. The main drawback is slightly lower early damage, yet you can rely on your summons, so the leveling process remains quite comfortable.

Tier B

Rosa 1: High Court Chariot

Rosa 1 has seen few changes and remains a reliable, time-tested build. During the early game, certain niche tactics allow Rosa 1 to lure mobs into chain explosions that quickly eliminate bosses, enabling rapid progression into Deep Space.

However, this is a specific playstyle that demands good mechanical understanding and execution, and it is not consistently reliable.

Gemma 1: Icefire Fusion

Gemma 1 requires multiple interlocking components - skills, gear, and talents - to reach full effectiveness. Since these items are difficult to assemble during the early leveling phase, progressing with her will be more challenging.

Tier C

Rosa 2: Unsullied Blade

Rosa 2 finds herself in a less favorable position. Her mana-stacking setup has become considerably harder to put together, because the relevant gear now drops mainly in Deep Space, especially the mana-stacking gloves. Without those gloves, her damage drops significantly.

These gloves were already very costly in the previous season, and with their drop rate further reduced, they are now even rarer and harder to obtain. She is not suited for league starting, but if you manage to gather all the required equipment, she might be one of the strongest endgame characters.

That concludes the tier ranking for character starters in Torchlight: Infinite SS13 Afterlight. A starter build does not necessarily have to be overwhelmingly powerful; its primary goal is to get you into the endgame quickly and allow you to farm resources efficiently, preparing gear and materials for your second character.

Although the official launch of Torchlight Infinite SS13 is still a few days away, the recent livestream and released patch notes provide a comprehensive overview of Season 13.

To ensure you are fully prepared for Afterlight season, we present a complete preview based on all known information, covering the seasonal mechanic, the new trait for the hero Selena, and more.

New seasonal mechanic

As with previous seasons, the seasonal mechanic for Torchlight Infinite SS13 shares the season's title: Afterlight. In short, it requires you to follow a coffin, much like the funeral procession shown in the teaser.

During the procession, you will encounter challenges marked by indicators showing one of three states: red, yellow, or green. You must maintain your pace to keep the indicator within the green zone.

If the color shifts to yellow, it means the procession is spawning too many monsters and your clearing speed is insufficient. If it turns red, the situation has spiraled out of control; you risk imminent death, or the procession may vanish entirely.

Additionally, special events may trigger during the procession, seemingly depending on the character inside the coffin, and there is even a chance to trigger Season 12 Lunaria gameplay mechanics.

Whether you complete the escort or the additional events, you will earn various rewards, including Torchlight Infinite Flame Elementium. Combining these activities, provided your clearing speed is high enough, should yield even greater rewards.

To make the most of this new seasonal mechanic, you should prioritize builds with excellent map-clearing efficiency for Torchlight Infinite SS13.

It is also worth noting that the new seasonal mechanic introduces a special type of item known as Nether King's Divinity Slates. These come in various unique shapes and can be rolled to obtain highly distinctive and powerful affixes.

Judging by the list of available special affixes, the potential power ceiling is extremely high, depending entirely on the specific affixes you roll. This will revolutionize the existing Divinity Slate system, offering a wider range of options for build crafting.

While full details regarding these new Divinity Slates remain scarce, likely to be revealed gradually after the official Season 13 launch, new seasons typically bring generous rewards.

New Hero Trait

Season 13 introduces a second Hero Trait for Selena: Dance of the Deep. Unlike her first trait, Dance of the Deep does not lock Selena into a fixed position while casting; instead, it allows certain skills to move across the battlefield along with her.

More importantly, this trait utilizes a brand-new branching Hero Trait system, offering a wider range of character setup options rather than limiting you to a single path.

Naturally, the addition of a new Hero Trait brings with it new skills, gear, and Pact Spirits; if you plan to play Dance of the Deep Selena in Season 13, you will need to understand and master these elements.

Optimizations to Lunaria mechanic

Although the launch of Afterlight season marks the end of SS12, Lunaria gameplay introduced in that season has not only been retained but also optimized to further enrich your overall experience in the new season.

To engage with this mechanic, you must first use harp devices found on maps to awaken, and subsequently defeat, dormant monsters.

In SS13, all farmable harps have been standardized to Legendary quality, thereby lowering the barrier to entry for Lunaria mechanic.

Furthermore, Torchlight: Infinite has integrated Lunaria mechanic into Void Chart, allowing you to configure the system to target and farm specific, superior affixes more precisely.

Other adjustments

Starting in Season 13, you will no longer be able to apply Dream-related affixes to your gear, as they have been removed. While the dream content itself remains in the game, the core rewards are no longer obtainable.

Adjustments have also been made to affix configurations on Priceless gear. Gear featuring Sweet Dream type affixes will now be significantly more powerful.

Hero Trait buffs and nerfs

While you might be inclined to try out new Hero Traits like Dance of the Deep Selena in the new season, existing traits have also received buffs, and choosing them could offer you a distinct advantage.

Therefore, familiarizing yourself with these Hero Trait adjustments is essential for preparing for SS13.

Notably, Rehan 2 has received a massive buff. Previously, Fury Onslaught reduced attack speed and provided only a 48% self-damage bonus; now, it grants a 78% self-damage bonus and no longer penalizes attack speed.

However, note that these values only apply at Level 5; while the stat scaling curve from Level 1 remains unknown, this is clearly a damage buff.

Thea Incarnation of the Gods has also received some improvements. Possessing a Blessing now expands Divine Realm's range, stacking up to six times. Additionally, Divine Realm now prioritizes triggering on nearby enemies, and the damage bonus has been slightly increased.

In contrast, Scent Weaver Sage trait, introduced last season, has been comprehensively nerfed. While the impact on component effects is relatively minor, the nerf to Pungent Stimulant Salt is significant, particularly because this skill dictates how elixir skills interact with empower skills.

Erica 3 has also been nerfed. Curiously, however, this trait has never seen high usage rates, making the nerf seem rather unnecessary.

That covers the key information you need to know about Torchlight: Infinite SS13 Afterlight. The season launches in three days; if you're interested, be sure to pick a hero trait that suits your playstyle and embark on your new adventure!