Master the Art of Combat in Mandragora: Whispers of the Witch Tree

Mandragora: Whispers of the Witch Tree is an epic dark fantasy action-RPG coming to Xbox Series X|S today. It features brutal Soulslike combat, a sprawling, interconnected world, and a sinister story campaign coming in at over 40 hours.

To survive in this world, your approach to combat is everything – and thankfully you have a lot of options at your disposal. Your combat strategy in Mandragora: Whispers of the Witch Tree can be shaped by everything from the Class you choose, to the type of damage you inflict, the Status Effects that ensue, and your approach to Talent Tree progression and crafting.

Battles can be brutal, Inquisitor. It would serve you well to brush up on the various systems at play before you descend into the darkness of Faelduum. Are you ready?

Class Is Now In Session

There are six classes to master in Mandragora: Whispers of the Witch Tree. Starting your journey, you’ll choose from the Vanguard, Flameweaver, Spellbinder, Nightshade, Wyldwarden, and Vindicator. Each comes with its own pros and cons, while your choice of weapon, special abilities, and active skills can also influence your playstyle. Let’s take a closer look at each of them:

• The Vanguard is a melee specialist and the perfect choice for those who want to wield mighty swords to face the unspeakable horrors of the night.
• If you rely more on cunning and wiles, the Spellbinder is the Class for you. Wield power over pure chaotic energies to vanquish your enemies.
• Fancy taking on the power of the elements? Become a Flameweaver, renowned for their mastery over fire and their skill in wielding one-handed weapons.
• If dark and mysterious is more your bag, choose the Nightshade Class, and become a stealthy assassin, specializing in swift eliminations with poison and dual-wield daggers.
• You can also choose the Wyldwarden Class, the ideal choice for those who feel a unique bond to natural forces and want to wield them to defeat their foes.
• Finally, the Vindicator Class is a perfect pick for those who wish to command celestial energies to deliver swift judgment upon their enemies.

Status Symbols

Your Weapons, Active Skills, and Talents can deal different types of damage that may also inflict corresponding Status Effects.

Physical damage is the meat and potatoes of a melee build like the Vanguard. A surgical strike can inflict the Bleed Status on foes, making them more susceptible to damage. If you’ve laced your blade, Poison Status will ruthlessly drain an enemy’s health over time.

This world is also brimming with elemental forces, and there are six types of Magic at play. Astral saps the power of light to attack enemies, and you can inflict the Lightbrand Status to take enemies’ strength to fuel your fury. Chaos can cause enemies to sustain the Weakness Status, slowing them down and leaving them open to more pain. Predictably, Fire can inflict the Burn Status to damage foes over time.

And it’s not all about damage. Tap into the raw power of nature to deal Wyld damage and lock enemies in place with the Root Status. If you want to send shivers down monsters’ spines, use Frost to inflict the Chill Status, freezing them solid for a short while. Certain enemies might even attack with Void magic, a power drawn from the parallel realm of Entropy.

Climb the Talent Trees

The Talent Tree is your roadmap to power. While gear like swords and armor offer an immediate boon to strength, the Talent Tree gives you long-term, customizable power through carefully chosen abilities. Earn Talent Points by leveling up or visiting Offering Shrines. Each Class in Mandragora has its own unique Tree—will you master them all?

Starting Nodes unlock a core ability for each class, like the Vanguard’s ability to wield Tower Shields. Focus on aggressive builds to get powerful Bleed effects, develop new defensive strategies with your shield, or find ways to restore your Health and Adrenaline with every enemy you dispatch.

If you want to push your build even further, you can combine Talents from different Classes. For example, blend the Vanguard’s raw strength with the Flameweaver’s speed to yield a hybrid build that shreds enemies with Bleed and lightning-fast strikes.

Crafty Caravans

Your journey is dangerous, but you don’t have to face it alone. Skilled Artisans who travel with your Caravan can craft powerful gear, consumables, and enchantments to aid you in battle. There are seven Artisan Vendors throughout Faelduum, each a master of their craft. Whether it’s weapons, armor, potions, or runes, everything you need to survive can be forged, brewed, or prepared at your Caravan.

Some Artisans may cultivate their own resources, such as rare herbs that you can use to make potions and weapon oils. You might even be lucky enough to enjoy a stat-boosting meal with the Cook. And for all the lore fans out there, be sure to visit the brave Explorer to piece together map fragments and read detailed Bestiary entries on the creatures you’ve slain.

Crafting with Artisans will level them up and help you unlock stronger gear. Always check out your Artisans’ wares before setting out on a quest!

Gear Up, Inquisitor

Your Inquisitor is yours to develop and customize as you see fit. Power them up with Talents, Active Skills, and Gear. And speaking of Gear, there are over 350 items to find, earn, and craft in Mandragora: Whispers of the Witch Tree.

Equip Weapons, Armor, Rings, and Consumables, and switch between two Weapon sets to find your ideal loadout. Whether you wield a Greatsword or Dual Daggers, your approach can shape your playstyle and journey through Faelduum.

Your Armor is a crucial piece of the puzzle, too. It not only reduces incoming physical damage, but can grant additional attribute bonuses to health, defense, resistance, and more. Every piece also has a unique Weight and Poise, with more Poise making it harder to stagger you in combat, and Weight contributing to your overall carry capacity.

Whether you craft it, loot it from enemies, or find it lying around on your travels, keep an eye out for new Gear to fuel your quest. You can also enchant and enhance your weapons and armor with one of your Artisans—Rhys the Occultist.

This just scratches the surface of how deep combat can be tailored to your whims – start your journey with Mandragora: Whispers of the Witch Tree or play the demo and prepare to face the horrors of Entropy!

Mandragora: Whispers of the Witch Tree

Knights Peak

☆☆☆☆☆
88

★★★★★

$39.99

Slay your way in Mandragora: Whispers of the Witch Tree, a dark fantasy action RPG. Battle monsters across an expansive story featuring 40+ hours of gameplay, craft powerful upgrades for your weapons and gear, and explore the secrets of this vast, ruined world.

DEFY YOUR FATE
You are an Inquisitor. As evil seeps into Faelduum through tears in reality, defy your purpose and embark on a path that leads to this world’s unraveling fate. From the towering majesty of Crimson City, through festering darkness, and into the horrors of Entropy… what will you become at journey’s end?

MASTER SOULSLIKE COMBAT
Choose from six unique Classes and wield blades and magic to master your craft in brutal battles. Dodge, parry, and strike with perfect timing to hunt vicious creatures and nightmarish bosses.

SUCCUMB TO A DARK FANTASY WORLD
Fall into a sinister, branching tale written by Brian Mitsoda and hauntingly soundtracked by Christos Antoniou (Septicflesh) and the FILMharmonic Orchestra Prague. 75 unique locations await your discovery across this vast, interconnected world.

SLAY YOUR WAY
Create your Inquisitor and develop them through six Talent Trees. Hundreds of skill and combat upgrades are available, and you can also craft powerful weapons and gear to define your playstyle, die less, and deal death faster.

New to action RPG or Soulslike games? Tune the difficulty to your skill level in the settings. For Soulslike experts, more challenges await in New Game Plus!