Waystalker/Strategy

## General

The Waystalker is a versatile career, with the ability to clear hordes and snipe specials easily. The key to killing enemies as a Waystalker is to Skirmish. Skirmishing is when you move around a group of enemies, cutting them down one by one and moving constantly to avoid taking damage. With an impressive dodge count on most of her weapons, Kerillian is able to back-peddle away from groups of enemies and cut them down as they approach, constantly dodging away from their attacks. A skilled elf player can avoid damage entirely by mixing dodging and blocking.

It's not always possible to skirmish around a group or to back-peddle, in these cases you must move forward. A combination of slashing, blocking, and pushing can help you push through a group in tight quarters. Remember, the most important thing in a fight is to prevent any enemies from popping up behind you and stabbing you in the back. If there's a horde in front and one Pinky in the back, take out the Pinky first and kite the horde safely.

These topics are discussed in depth in the Dodge Dancing guide.

## Equipment

### Melee Weapons

There are many weapons to choose from as a Waystalker, and all of them aid Kerillian in her main goal of clearing hordes. Weapons such as the Dual Swords and Wardancer Blade can hit multiple enemies at once and allow the player to cut through groups of enemies quickly, while others weapons, like the Elven Spear and Dual Daggers, are better for skirmishing and dealing more precise blows. There is no ideal weapon as all of her choices can be utilized in different situations, and new players are encouraged to try each weapon themselves and form their own opinion based on their preferences. The layout of a map and the selections of your teammates can influence your decisions, so pay attention to which weapons work well in confined spaces and which are better in the open.

### Ranged Weapons

When selecting your ranged weapon you should ask yourself a few questions.

1. Will you be expected to snipe specials? If your Dwarf has a Crossbow he might be able to handle specials himself, but if nobody else is carrying a weapon suited to this it might be a good idea to bring a Longbow. Remember, the Waystalker's Trueshot Volley allows her to snipe in clutch situations without using her ranged weapon, but the cooldown prevents this from being a substitute for a dedicated special sniper.
2. Will you be expected to clear hordes? If you have a Brightwizard who is built to kill swaths of enemies you can probably rely on your melee weapon to aid her, but if nobody else has the means to easily clear large groups you may want to try the Hagbane Swiftbow. Hagbane bows deal AoE damage over time and can even affect targets who are armoured. Shoot at the feet of an oncoming horde for the greatest effect.
3. Who will be killing Monster? If a Rat Ogre or other Monster spawns, somebody should be focused on killing it quickly. Obviously everybody helps out, but usually one player is equipped for this job. If nobody else is set up for this, the Hagbane Swiftbow can once again be extremely useful to an Elf player. Simply fire your bow rapidly into the enemy and watch the DoT stack up. Remember, if this is your job try to conserve your ammo.

You may have noticed that the ordinary Swiftbow wasn't mentioned here. This is not meant to imply that it isn't a useful item, and any experienced Elf player should try it to see the strengths and weaknesses for themselves. The Swiftbow has the most ammo of any of Kerillian's ranged weapons, and has a rapid rate of fire that allows her to unleash arrows at enemies quickly, though they deal less damage than that of a Longbow and don't penetrate as much. There are situations and trait-combinations that can make a Swiftbow useful, but beginners should stick to the other two bows primarily.

### Necklaces, Trinkets, and Charms

Power is important for Waystalkers, but there are many different Properties that can justify using an item with lower power. Crit chance is always useful, as is attack speed. Cooldown reduction allows a Waystalker to use their Trueshot Volley more often which can be useful. Try to select properties that benefit your playstyle rather than focusing on the Power of an item.

## Talents

Talent choices depend heavily on playstyle and weapon choices. Vaul's Quiver compensates for the Hagbane Swiftbow's low ammo count, for example. As the game is balanced and metas shift, the best Talent choices will change. For now, it is recommended you focus on Critical Hits and Ammo recovery.