The Thaumaturge Attack Upgrades Tier List

As you level up in The Thaumaturge, you’ll gain access to various upgrades you can add to your attack skills. If you’re looking for the right combos, read on for my Thaumaturge attack upgrade tier list.

Best Attack Upgrades Tier List - The Thaumaturge

Getting the right combination of upgrade and attack can be crucial to winning the tougher battles in The Thaumaturge. This is made easier by the fact you can swap and change them at will without penalty. However, there are certain upgrades you should always be with, others that are underpowered, and those that are highly situational.

The Thaumaturge Rank 1 Attack Upgrades

There are eight Rank 1 attack upgrades available in The Thaumaturge, all of which are available to pick up without having to have a salutor of the same dimension. 

8. Powerful Mind (Word Dimension): Makes you lose Focus instead of Health at a 4:1 ratio. This sounds pretty good, but in reality, you should never need to use it. Health is fully restored after every battle and if you’re including this on a skill just in case, you’re losing out on something that could win you the fight. 

 7. Lucky Chance (Mind Dimension): Unless you want to go big on randomness, I’d always take Fortune over Lucky Chance. Fortune only has a 10 percent lower chance of success and completely negates an attack, rather than slowing it as Lucky Chance does. However, against a powerful enemy, the lasting effect of Lucky Chance may win out.

 6. Gamble (Heart Dimension): As with Lucky Chance above, this will only appeal to those wanting to double down on luck. A 60 percent chance of doing double damage is nice but is unlikely to have much of an effect unless you gamble on it with enemies still in high health.  

 5. Relaxation (Mind Dimension): A solid situational upgrade that restores 3 Focus. It’s unlikely to be of use in most battles, especially against weaker opposition you can usually blow away using more direct upgrades. But for the long haul and against salutors it can be useful.

 4. Brutality (Deed Dimension): As long as you plan this one well, Brutality can be devastating. It increases the damage of the next salutor attack by 50 percent, guaranteed, which is always going to be a welcome boost and can be game-changing.  

 3. Perfect Efficiency (Heart Dimension): This is very powerful against an enemy with high Health if followed up with the Veles attack, Lucky Turn. The upgrade makes every attack on the enemy deal maximum damage, while Lucky Turn has a wildly variable damage output (15-75). Not anymore!

2. Thief of Thought (Deed Dimension): While arguably a little situational, Thief of Thought pairs so well with other skills and salutor Bukavac that it’s an always-included upgrade for me. If an enemy has the Suffering DOT, this upgrade reduces Focus by an extra point on them. This can often open up Strong Attack opportunities, so shouldn’t be overlooked.   

1. Fortune (Word Dimension): This is an awesome upgrade, especially on a fast attack, as it gives you a 50 percent chance to cancel the enemy’s next attack. Combined with the Venemous Smile of Veles once you get that salutor, you’ll be unlucky if you take much damage at all. I’ll always have this on one of my fast attacks.  

Related: The Thaumaturge combat difficulty level guide - Gameplay differences

The Thaumaturge Rank 2 Attack Upgrades

These upgrades only become available once you have unlocked the relevant salutor, so I’ve broken them down by dimension.

• Heat: A solid set of no-nonsense damage-dealing bonuses.
• Deed: A great set, or excellent if you like to DOT with Suffering.
• Word: Largely forgettable, except for Weak Mind.
• Mind: All good, if a little situational at times.

Heat Dimension upgrades

4. Third Principle: This increases the speed of your salutor’s next attack by one round. I can see how this might be effective but it feels too fiddly to bother with.

3. Exposure: This increases the damage taken by the target by 50 percent. I find this quite situational but it can be effective on a fast attack and against multiple enemies. 

2. Accumulation: Increases the damage of the attack by 75 percent. Nothing flashy here but can be devastating.  

1. Adrenaline Rush: Increases inflicted damage by 50 percent, which is a solid upgrade - especially as it lasts five rounds. 

Deed Dimension upgrades

4. Debilitating Wound: This is OK if you like to DOT enemies and it also adds the Suffering state to them. However, there are plenty of ways to do that elsewhere. 

3. Bloody Rejuvenation: This is excellent if you’re spreading the Suffering DOT around, as it heals you for 4 Health for each enemy that is Suffering. However, it always feels hard to get the most out of it.  

2. Sabotage: Interrupts an enemy's next action as long as they’re Suffering. If you’re going for a Suffering strategy, this is another must-have.

1. Placement: This does 16 bonus damage two rounds later. That’s a lot of damage, can take down many weaker enemies when you add in the hit from the initial attack, and placed on a fast attack can cause havoc.  

Related: How to get all Salutors in The Thaumaturge

Word Dimension upgrades

4. Accidental Damage: This gives you a 50 percent chance to lower the target’s Focus by 2. This is far too situational for me, even if you add it to a focus-reducing attack. If that target is already down to 1 Focus, for example, it has a zero chance of being useful.

3. Nervous Doubling: If you go with a Powerful Mind strategy, where you lose Focus instead of Health from attacks, this can be a great combo. Outside of that, it is generally too situational to be a contender.  

2. Speed: While speeding up your next attack by one round seems strong, I’d rather get a stronger effect from the ability I’m currently using. However, if you’re going for a medium or slow attack strategy, this is a must-have upgrade.

1. Weak Mind: This upgrade reduces the enemy’s Focus by 1 each round for three rounds and can be stacked once. This is a great way to wear down a tough opponent while dealing with their colleagues, before going back to them for a Strong Attack.  

Mind Dimension upgrades

4. Ice: Slowing the enemy’s action sounds good, especially as it is guaranteed. However, I prefer to take the risk of stopping it completely or dealing extra damage through a more aggressive upgrade. 

3. Icy Armor: Lowering damage taken by 4 from every attack in a round sounds nice. However, there are clear diminishing returns through the battle and it also requires more timing than it warrants for the effectiveness gained.

2. Damage Catalyst: This doubles the damage an enemy takes while they’re in the Suffering state. Brilliant for Suffering builds, but limited appeal otherwise.  

1. Weakening: I’ll take this over Icy Armor every time. It halves the damage received from one enemy for 7 rounds, leaving you free to concentrate on others. Against a strong enemy, it pairs well with Weak Mind (above). 

If you’re looking for more content on The Thaumaturge, check out Should you trust Rasputin in The Thaumaturge right here at Pro Game Guides!