This article is based on and expanded from content by renowned gaming creator MaleOreo's YouTube video, aiming to provide players with a practical gameplay guide.
With the release of Dune: Awakening DLC 2, many players have begun exploring new missions and gameplay styles. Based on MaleOreo's hands-on testing, this guide presents an efficient hybrid melee build that excels in both PvE and PvP scenarios. It delivers powerful close-quarters combos while allowing swift transitions to ranged attacks when needed. Additionally, we'll showcase an aesthetically striking guild base and share tips on efficiently earning Dune: Awakening Solari and rare Items through economy and gear progression.
Core Build Philosophy
This build focuses on hybrid melee combat while retaining ranged options for adaptability across various combat situations:
• Key Skills: Foil and Deflection. Foil not only deals damage but also reduces enemy damage output by 50% for 10 seconds. Deflection is exceptionally strong for defense and counterattacks, making it ideal for PvP.
• Support Passives: Combine Thrive on Danger and Disciplined Reading to enhance stamina regeneration and survivability. Max out stamina-related passives to maintain high offensive pressure during frequent blocks and counters.
• Damage Amplification: Use the Swordmaster's Present Strike to execute double-damage slow blade attacks while under spice-induced effects, significantly boosting burst potential.
Skill Tree and Passive Selection
⚔️ Swordmaster
• Actives: Foil, Deflection
• Passives: Present Strike, melee damage bonuses
• Note: This tree concentrates the build's core burst and defensive capabilities.
🏃 Bene Gesserit
Selection: Bio Sprint Lv3 provides mobility, synergizing with Swordmaster skills for rapid engagement and disengagement.
⚡ Planetologist
Routing and Overcharge at least Lv1 (recommend Lv3 for optimal sustainability).
🔫 Mentat
Minor investments in weapon damage passives, though less impactful, serve as supplementary additions.
💥 Trooper
• Alternative Loadout: Suspenser Blast and Energy Capsule enable instant switching to a ranged playstyle.
• Passives: Scatter Gun, Death From Above, etc., add flexibility for PvE and vehicle combat.
• The advantage of this setup is its versatility: minimal skill adjustments allow shifting from melee to ranged output, enhancing adaptability in group instances and competitive modes.
Gear and Weapon Loadout
☠️ Primary Weapons:
• Rapier: Inflicts poison, ideal for sustained damage.
• Replica Pulse Sword: Restores stamina on parry, perfect for counter-focused playstyles.
• Other Options: Pulse Knife or Shortblade for highly agile approaches.
🎯 Secondary Weapons:
• Scatter Gun (e.g., Perforator): Excellent for crowd control.
• Cope Pistol: Specializes in unshielded targets with a high single-target burst.
• Triple Shot Rifle: Provides ranged support and mid-range suppression.
• Disruptor Pistol (e.g., Regis): Shield-breaking tool, often used to initiate engagements.
🛡️ Armor and Accessories:
• Circuit Gauntlets: Reduce energy consumption, improving shield and suspenser efficiency.
• Idaho's Charge: Lowers suspenser usage, enabling sustained mobility with kinetic skills.
• Other Slots: Tier6 Pin Cushion or standard light armor for survivability and sustainability.
This gear combination aims to achieve: melee burst + ranged coverage + high stamina cycling, suited for DLC 2's more challenging PvE environments.
DLC 2 PvE Experience and Combat Changes
In new DLC 2 missions, enemy NPCs exhibit enhanced AI:
• They actively counter player abilities, reducing stagger and knockback durations.
• Increased Poise resistance demands more precise skill timing.
Thus, the hybrid melee build's versatility becomes crucial: switching to ranged attacks ensures consistent damage when melee engagement is unsustainable.
Base Showcase and Design Inspiration
•The article concludes with a showcase of a guild-designed base:
• Palace-like exterior with towers and shield generators, emphasizing aesthetics.
• Interior balances defense and functionality, optimized for storing large quantities of Items and resources.
Such a "form-meets-function" base facilitates guild gatherings and enhances trading and resource management. In Dune: Awakening, bases often serve as economic hubs where guild members collectively exchange Solari and share key Dune: Awakening Items, establishing a stable economic cycle.
Economy and Solari Acquisition Tips
With increased resource demands in DLC 2, here are some recommendations:
🔄 Gear Recycling: Repair and sell equipment for Solari to purchase higher-tier Items.
🔄 Instance Rewards: Use the hybrid build to clear instances efficiently, obtaining rare Items for auction.
🔄 Guild Sharing: Centralize management and distribution within the base to minimize waste.
🔄 Third-Party Support: For players seeking accelerated progression, platforms like MmoGah offer secure access to Solari and Items, saving time on grinding.
Conclusion
DLC 2 introduces greater challenges to Dune: Awakening, and the hybrid melee build offers a flexible solution:
• Melee burst + ranged adaptability for PvE and PvP.
• Effortless switching between gear and skills to maximize efficiency.
• Accelerated progression through smart use of Solari and Items.
Whether exploring solo or with a guild, mastering these strategies and resource cycles will ensure rapid advancement across the sands of Arrakis.
