The Swordsman is the only Hero available during your first run through the Halls of Torment, so you'll need to familiarize yourself with this all-around duelist if you hope to unlock new stages and expand your cast of Characters. As the default Hero, the Swordsman is a jack-of-all-trades and a master of none. While they may not be as flashy as some of the Characters you'll soon unlock, the Swordsman deals a respectable amount of damage and has a sizeable base health.

But to survive the horde, you'll need to pair the Swordsman with Equipment, Blessings, Traits, and Abilities that synergize well with their base attributes. In this guide, we'll outline the best builds for the Swordsman and provide some tips and tricks to help you outlast the Halls of Torment.

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Echoing Band

Seal of Rebirth

Wind Crown - 1% attack speed for 5s for each killed enemy (up to +50% attack speed).

The Wind Crown is far and away the best Headgear in Halls of Torment, and it'll undoubtedly become a staple in your favorite build. With the added Attack Speed, you'll dish out damage at a faster pace, enabling you to Level Up quicker. Though none of the other headpieces guarantee as much value, the Fighter's Headband can be a worthy replacement if you've yet to unlock the Wind Crown. Because the Swordsman is a close-range brawler prone to taking damage, the health regeneration granted by the Fighter's Headband when you kill an elite enemy can provide some much-needed security as the horde closes in.

Blood-Soaked Shirt - Killing an enemy has a 3% chance to give you 1 health point.

Though a 3% chance at health regeneration sounds less than exciting, remember that you'll be slaying tens of thousands of monsters in each run. Because the benefits of the Blood-Soaked Shirt are reliant on kills, target large groups of vulnerable enemies (such as skeletons) if you ever find yourself low on health. The Hunter's Garb is another Garment that pairs well with the Swordsman, but only if you've prepared a sentry build that promotes standing still. Pair the Hunter's Garb with defensive Equipment and an enhanced Attack Speed for the best results.

Spike Boots - When hit, drop 10 spikes to the ground that deal 100 damage and stun the enemy on contact. Takes 4 seconds to recharge. Can't be blocked.

Because the Swordsman is an all-around Character, the best Footwear is a bit of a toss-up with each Item providing value in different ways. Still, as mentioned above, the Swordsman thrives in close quarters which makes them prone to taking damage, especially when the horde becomes an indistinguishable mass. When you're hit, the unblockable damage provided by the Spike Boots will punish any targets that have come too close. Alternatively, the Runner Shoes are a great starter option that increases your movement speed, while the Electrostatic Treads release shock waves that stun enemies within the Item's limited radius.

Hunting Gloves - +30% Additional Strike/Projectile.

The Hunting Gloves are an easy way to increase your DPS without having to spend Gold on Blessings. Pair the Hunting Gloves with Attack Speed Traits such as Quick Hands to increase the frequency of the additional strikes. If you've yet to purchase the Hunting Gloves, the Quickhand Gloves are a great starter option that also improves your DPS by increasing your Attack Speed by 20%.

Collar of Confidence - +5% damage for each enemy in your pickup range. The maximum is 50%.

Every Character in Halls of Torment starts with a base pickup range of 3 meters but this value can be increased through Equipment, Blessings, and Traits. By improving your pickup range, you'll increase your damage while enhancing your Level Up speed. The Collar of Confidence provides a win-win only rivaled by the Jade Amulet which improves XP Gain by 50%. The Jade Amulet is an essential piece of Equipment if you hope to become a Master Swordsman and reach Level 100.

Echoing Band - Damaging an enemy with physical attacks has a 20% chance to deal 40% of the damage as splash damage.

Like the Shield Maiden, the Swordsman's strikes are classified as a "physical attack" which enables the Echoing Band to inflict a significant amount of splash damage once every five attacks. The added splash damage combined with the Swordsman 100 base Piercing can help thin even the toughest of hordes.

Seal of Rebirth - When you die, the seal breaks and revives you with 50% of your max health.

Though Items like the Wooden Ring and Thunder Ring are undoubtedly powerful, it's difficult to argue against the Seal of Rebirth which grants you a second life. The Seal of Rebirth is especially valuable in the hands of newcomers that may be struggling to complete their first stage.

As the starter Character, the Swordsman has a well-rounded kit that has few weaknesses and possesses respectable Damage, Max Health, and Piercing Attributes. Area/Projectile Size and Attack Range will help increase the size of the Swordsman's cone-shaped attack, while Attack Speed and Damage are straight-up buffs to the Hero's DPS.

To get the most out of the Swordman's base stats, invest in the Blessings listed above, and remember that any Gold spent on Blessings can be refunded in full at your campsite.

Unlike some Characters, every one of the Swordsman's Attributes can be increased through Blessings, Traits, or Equipment.

Because bosses tend to attack in quick succession, you should consider at least making a minor investment in your Movement Speed.

Like the rest of the Halls of Torment cast, the Swordsman benefits from an XP Gain bonus that is directly linked to the number of Quests you've completed. Thus, the more Quests you complete, the faster you Level up.

Several Items such as the Fighter's Headband and the Blood-Soaked Shirt can only be unlocked by completing the Item's corresponding Swordsman-exclusive Quest.