Build experimentation is one of the foundations to a compelling RPG. Whether your character is created from scratch or you're taking control of an existing protagonist with their own story, having the tools to shape your place in the world is vital for your sense of agency and roleplay.
ELEX II developer Piranha Bytes knows all about that, and gives you unthinkable freedom in building out its hero Jax. In this wild world where fantasy fuses with sci-fi, you can develop its hero in all kinds of creative ways, though be aware that should you join a faction, you won't be able to learn abilities from other factions. This means you'll need to be discerning in how you allocate your ability points.
To give you some inspo, here are five crazy character builds we came up with in ELEX II.
Shotgun Fire Mage
If you join the Berserker faction, you'll gain access to a whole bunch of fire magic that you wouldn't otherwise get. You'll need to learn Mana as soon as you join the faction, and increase this ability depending on how much you want to rely on fire magic.
Spells like Firestorm and Fireball make this a great long-range build, but bolster this by putting a bunch of points into Ranged Weapons then Powder Master to make you a veritable shotgun surgeon when enemies get into the close-mid-range. And once enemies get into melee range? Well, that's perfect for your shotgun, though you can also use the Fire Fist ability to keep enemies toasty.
Aero Archer
The jetpack is always a joyful gimmick to have in a game, but in ELEX II it's also a vital combat and exploration tool. By default, your jetpack lacks longevity, and you'll probably plummet to your death a good few times before getting to grips with it.
As soon as you can, get your Intelligence up to 25, which will give you access to all the basic upgrades at a jetpack bench. Increase your fuel capacity whenever you can (this doesn't cost Ability Points), and get the Floating ability, which lets you use melee and ranged weapons while airborne.
After that, pile points into Ranged Weapons and Projectile Master to become a plucky aerial archer.
Melee Zealot
The Morkons are the newest faction in Magalan, and boy do they make an impression. These religious fanatics have the biggest selection of faction-specific abilities, with most of them turning you into a melee monster.
Rage makes you deal much more melee damage, which combines well with pumping points into Melee Weapons. Once you've learned the Morkon ability Rite of Pain you can combine different Rites that give you bonuses to stats like stamina, defence, and (even more!) melee damage.
In short, you become something of an animal, and all these melee damage bonuses stack beautifully with Backstab, which already doubles damage when you sneak up on an unsuspecting enemy.
Stormbringer
Ever fantasised about doing that 'Storm from X-Men' thing? You know, when she floats in the air and summons the elements to smite her foes? Well, with a little piece of tech you can do that in ELEX II. Once again, the jetpack is at the core of this build, so get to 25 Intelligence, grab those basic jetpack upgrades (especially Floating), and upgrade your fuel capacity.
Then it's off to the frozen northern territory of the Albs. These techno-mages harness the power of the substance Elex to turn it into devastating spells. Once you've joined them, put two or three points into Elex, which acts as your new mana pool, then learn Ice Fist which unlocks the awesome elemental spells /Chain Lightning and Blizzard.
Now, get that jetpack in the air and rain elemental hell down on your enemies.
Solo Survivalist
As you explore the wilderness in ELEX II, you may come to the realisation that you don't want all those companions, magical abilities and otherworldly technologies. Maybe you just want to keep things old-school as a solo survivalist.
So pile some points into Ranged Weapons and Projectile Master to shore up your skill with a bow, and get Lone Wolf to increase the damage you deal when travelling without a companion. Sixth Sense will help you see enemies around you to get the jump on them; this stacks nicely with Backstab, which lets you hit unaware enemies for double damage. The Good Eater ability, meanwhile, will increase the amount of health regenerated by food, which will incentivise you to hunt more and immerse yourself in that survivalist roleplay.
Have these builds tickled your imagination? Think you can create a character even more wild than those we listed above? ELEX II awaits your arrival, and you can buy it now on PC, PS4/PS5 and Xbox One/Series.
