Last Epoch Season 5 Starter: Dreamslash vs Tide Elemental vs Radiant Lance

Season 5, Rage of the Frostborn, added a new skill to three masteries, and each one makes a different kind of starter. If you are deciding which to level first, here is how they compare. These builds were still settling in October 2026, so treat this as a decision guide and not a final ranking.

At a glance

Dreamslash Bladedancer: the fast starter

Dreamslash unlocks early, at 10 points, and has built-in mobility. That suits Rage of Morditas, the seasonal mechanic that rewards kill speed. Guides point to the Collapsing Shadows passive for shadow synergy, with Nightmare Steel and Apocalyptic Vision as options. Bladedancer is also S tier in our mastery tier list.

Pick it if you want to be moving and killing quickly and do not want to depend on specific uniques. The downside is that your mastery is a permanent choice, so only commit if you like this style. See the Dreamslash build.

Tide Elemental Shaman: the safe starter

Summon Tide Elemental gives you a permanent minion that soaks damage and keeps killing on its own, including during Morditas encounters. It works with little gear. The trade-off is a slow unlock: you need 30 Shaman passive points, so it is not available on day one, and its throughput is lower than Dreamslash. Shaman sits in B tier in the list we used.

Pick it if you want a forgiving first league character. See the Tide Elemental build.

Radiant Lance Paladin: the high ceiling

Radiant Lance is a channeled holy beam fired from your shield, and it gains 1 percent more damage for every 1 percent of uncapped Block Chance. That makes it strong when the right gear lines up. The Golden Reliquary variant lets you deal damage while repositioning, while the Cloudless Sky budget variant avoids the shield requirement and scales with maximum mana at lower damage. Paladin is A tier, and mistakes are easier to recover from.

Pick it if you enjoy planning gear around a stat. See the Radiant Lance build.

Which should you pick?

• Fastest and least gear-dependent: Dreamslash Bladedancer.
• Safest and most hands-off: Tide Elemental Shaman.
• Best ceiling if you can gear for it: Radiant Lance Paladin.

Not sure how Morditas works? Read the Rage of Morditas guide, then the Season 5 overview.