The highly anticipated Tomb of the Erased update for Last Epoch is set to unveil the game’s first comprehensive class rework. Insights into the design and balance modifications have begun to surface, particularly concerning the Sentinel, a primarily melee-focused class that also possesses notable ranged capabilities.
Similar to other classes, the Sentinel branches into three Mastery specializations: Forge Guard, Paladin, and Void Knight. The Forge Guard is adept at summoning animated weapons while enhancing armor. The Paladin, true to its name, casts holy magic and executes divine retribution, whereas the Void Knight manipulates temporal mechanics, effectively blending offense with defense.
Transformations Coming to Sentinel in the Tomb of the Erased Update
While the complete roster of changes to the Sentinel class will be revealed just ahead of the revised release date on April 17, developers at Eleventh Hour Games have shared key details regarding their vision for the Sentinel overhaul. Most of this information was gleaned from a recent interview with ARPG content creator, GhazzyTV.
The rework’s central objective is to provide the Sentinel with distinct goals for each Mastery, concentrating on unique elements to avoid a jumbled combination of features. In doing so, the developers aim to streamline skills by eliminating redundant mechanics and providing a clear progression pathway that aligns with player advancement.
A notable example of these modifications is the reimagined Symbols of Hope, formerly known as Sigils of Hope. This skill now allows players to cast instantly while offering benefits such as 100 Ward and enhanced damage reduction. Additionally, several passive nodes within the Skill-specific trees are being revised, with notable changes to nodes like Soliloquy and Faith.
Significant updates will also apply to various Sentinel skills, including Rive, Vengeance, and Volatile Reversal. Rive is introducing a new Void element conversion, while Volatile Reversal is slated for a Fire conversion—pending reveal in upcoming updates. Meanwhile, Vengeance will benefit from both conversions and substantial overall enhancements.
Class mechanics focused on Electrify and Time Rot are being refined, particularly in relation to Paladin and Void Knight builds. New class-specific item bases will showcase improved stats for both Electrify and Time Rot, with the latter exhibiting an exceptionally high triggering frequency.
The Forge Guard class will see considerable numerical adjustments due to the upcoming modification to Volatile Reversal’s resource gain mechanics. While maintaining its identity as a warrior-summoner hybrid, the developers acknowledge the necessity for a deeper exploration of its overall gameplay mechanics moving forward.
Another focal point of the rework is the Volatile Reversal skill, which will undergo substantial changes. Instead of simply reverting players to their previous state, it will function as a targeted melee attack, teleporting players to a location in front of them and then returning them while delivering a powerful slam.
The Devouring Orb, a skill from the Void Knight’s arsenal, is also being revitalized. It will transition to a full AoE skill with damage-over-time effects and an initial burst, retaining its original mechanics while introducing a modified Passive Skill Tree. The duration of the skill has also been extended to approximately 10 seconds.
One of my personal highlights is the revamped Shield Throw skill—evoking a Captain America-inspired playstyle. The new iteration has no cooldown, can ricochet between two targets, and returns to the caster, albeit with a restriction preventing re-casting until the shield returns.
The reworked Throwing Arm node allows the shield to bounce back and forth between the player and enemies, making it an ideal choice for boss encounters. In addition, the Colossus node stacks, providing additional armor and physical penetration benefits based on the number of stacks.
As mentioned previously, the full extent of the Sentinel changes remains partially under wraps until the official patch notes are released. While initially expected shortly before the update’s launch, the delays in the Tomb of the Erased’s rollout may similarly push back the release of the patch notes. We will keep you updated as this situation develops.