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Scholar Ascension

Scholar Expert

Ascension

Meiler

Scholar player and Black Desert Twitch streamer (AtomMeiler); wrote the Scholar PvE guide for the BDOlog Discord

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Install Guide

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Scholar

Scholar Ascension

Tankiness 8/10
Comfort Medium/High
AoE Medium

PvE Combo Guide

Standard Loopable Combo

Starter combo for standing on a pack and applying the AoE debuff. Finish with the fillers below (or a rebuff), then start again.

Standing for AoE Debuff

  1. W + E
    Hammer in the Knee
  2. Hold E
    Flow: Golden Blockade
  3. E
    Hammer Punch
  4. Hold E
    Flow: Golden Trajectory
  5. Shift + LMB
    Hammer Smash
  6. RMB
    Hammer Strike1 hit, no flow
  7. S + RMB
    Gravity Field2 hits, no flow
  8. S + F
    Hammer Throw
  9. Hold S + F
    Flow: Golden Skyfall
  10. Shift + F
    Hammerfall

Then filler / rebuff

Filler (in order)

  1. Shift + C
    Hammer Spin
  2. S + E
    Potential Energy
  3. S + RMB
    Gravity Field
  4. Hold S + RMB
    Flow: Golden Wave
  5. Shift + RMB
    Infinite Power
  6. Shift + Z
    Flow: Golden Barrier
  7. RMB
    Hammer Strike
  8. Hold RMB
    Flow: Golden Pillar

Fillers are listed in order of highest damage.

PvE Combo Guide

DPS Priority List

General idea for max DPS in PvE: prebuffs, then debuffs, then priority abilities, then fillers. Fillers can be prebuffs as well; it all depends on cooldowns.

1) Priority Abilities

  1. Shift + F
    HammerfallHighest DPS. Always priority, fastcast it
  2. Shift + LMB
    Hammer SmashHighest DPS. Always priority, fastcast it

2) Filler Priority

  1. Shift + C
    Hammer Spin
  2. S + E
    Potential Energy
  3. S + RMB
    Gravity Field
  4. Hold S + RMB
    Flow: Golden Wave
  5. Shift + RMB
    Infinite Power
  6. Shift + Z
    Flow: Golden Barrier
  7. RMB
    Hammer Strike
  8. Hold RMB
    Flow: Golden Pillar

Fillers are listed in order of highest damage.

PvE Combo Guide

Pack to Pack

Starter combos for arriving at a new pack. For movement between packs, see Class Mobility. The matching add-ons are under PvE Pack to Pack in Class Addons.

No Prebuffs

  1. W + F
    One Small Step
  2. F
    Drop Kick
  3. Hold F
    Flow: Golden Vines
  4. W + E
    Hammer in the Knee
  5. Hold E
    Flow: Golden Blockade
  6. E
    Hammer Punch
  7. Hold E
    Flow: Golden Trajectory
  8. Shift + LMB
    Hammer Smash
  9. RMB
    Hammer Strike1 hit, no flow
  10. S + RMB
    Gravity Field2 hits, no flow
  11. S + F
    Hammer Throw
  12. Hold S + F
    Flow: Golden Skyfall
  13. Shift + F
    Hammerfall

Then filler / rebuff

Filler (in order)

  1. Shift + C
    Hammer Spin
  2. S + E
    Potential Energy
  3. S + RMB
    Gravity Field
  4. Hold S + RMB
    Flow: Golden Wave
  5. Shift + RMB
    Infinite Power
  6. Shift + Z
    Flow: Golden Barrier
  7. RMB
    Hammer Strike
  8. Hold RMB
    Flow: Golden Pillar

Fillers are listed in order of highest damage.

With Prebuffs

  1. W + F
    One Small Step
  2. F
    Drop Kick
  3. Hold F
    Flow: Golden Vines
  4. Shift + F
    Hammerfall
  5. Shift + C
    Hammer Spin
  6. W + E
    Hammer in the Knee
  7. Hold E
    Flow: Golden Blockade
  8. E
    Hammer Punch
  9. Hold E
    Flow: Golden Trajectory
  10. Shift + LMB
    Hammer Smash

Then filler / rebuff

Filler (in order)

  1. Shift + C
    Hammer Spin
  2. S + E
    Potential Energy
  3. S + RMB
    Gravity Field
  4. Hold S + RMB
    Flow: Golden Wave
  5. Shift + RMB
    Infinite Power
  6. Shift + Z
    Flow: Golden Barrier
  7. RMB
    Hammer Strike
  8. Hold RMB
    Flow: Golden Pillar

Fillers are listed in order of highest damage.

Movement

Class Mobility

Movement Between Packs

  1. Shift + X
    Gravity Rush
  2. W + F
    One Small StepAfter Gravity Rush
  3. W + C
    Hammer Rush
  4. C
    Core FusionAfter Hammer Rush
  5. Shift + Q
    One Giant Leap

Repositioning in Packs

  1. S + F
    Hammer ThrowWith its flow. Move them into earlier or later parts of the starter combos, depending on whether mobs turn
  2. Hold S + F
    Flow: Golden SkyfallFlow of Hammer Throw
  3. Shift + S
    ReversalRequires a 180° camera turn. Lock Flow: Gravity Storm if you use it
  4. Shift + A / D
    Gravity BlinkAlways cancel the animation with Space or C (great muscle memory for PvP)
  5. Q
    Gravity AnchorFollowed by LMB
  6. LMB
    Flow: Gold ContinuumAfter Gravity Anchor. Magnus fastcast, great if you wait or want massive AoE to pull
  7. Space
    Flow: Golden ThunderIf you're in full melee (a little wonky)
  8. Shift + A / S / D
    EvasionEvasion roll. If you don't enjoy the movement available, it works just fine as well

Build Notes

Class Specifics

Skills to Lock

  1. Flow: Gravity StormOnly if you use Shift + S (Reversal) for repositioning

Skill Enhancements

  1. Gravity Rush
    Lv. 56
  2. Flow: Golden Barrier
    Lv. 57
  3. Golden Boon
    Lv. 58

Further Reading

Advanced Information

Skill Add-ons

Class Addons

PvE Tower Spots

Drop Kick I

Jump up and kick your foe with both feet.

Skill Add-on Effect

  • Attack/Casting Speed +10% for 12 sec
  • Critical Hit Damage +5% for 7 sec

Hammer in the Knee I

Knock your foe upward with your knee, increase your weight with your gravity cores, and slam down, incurring a shockwave with its impact.

Skill Add-on Effect

  • Attack/Casting Speed +10% for 12 sec
  • Critical Hit Damage +5% for 7 sec

Flow: Golden Vines I

Make the gold transmuted from the alchemic circle follow along the trajectory of your sledgehammer.

Skill Add-on Effect

  • All Damage Reduction -20 for 10 sec to target
  • Back Attack damage +5% for 7 sec

Hammer Smash I

Preceding Skill: Particle Acceleration. Smash foes with your sledgehammer, activate its fused core to increase its weight to the max, then heavily smash down.

Skill Add-on Effect

  • All Damage Reduction -20 for 10 sec to target
  • Back Attack damage +5% for 7 sec

Hammerfall I

Preceding Skill: Particle Acceleration. Smash down with your sledgehammer, and draw up an alchemic circle with the debris. Transmute upon that circle with your sledgehammer once more, drawing up all objects in the vicinity to complete the transmutation.

Skill Add-on Effect

  • All Damage Reduction +20 for 15 sec
  • Critical Hit Rate +30% for 12 sec

Flow: Golden Skyfall I

Activate your fused core to increase the gravitational force around you, crushing the gold from the alchemic circle to spill forth to the sides.

Skill Add-on Effect

  • Back Attack damage +5% for 7 sec
  • Critical Hit Damage +5% for 7 sec

PvE Pack to Pack

Same as Tower Spots, with One Small Step I in place of Hammerfall I.

Drop Kick I

Jump up and kick your foe with both feet.

Skill Add-on Effect

  • Attack/Casting Speed +10% for 12 sec
  • Critical Hit Damage +5% for 7 sec

Hammer in the Knee I

Knock your foe upward with your knee, increase your weight with your gravity cores, and slam down, incurring a shockwave with its impact.

Skill Add-on Effect

  • Attack/Casting Speed +10% for 12 sec
  • Critical Hit Damage +5% for 7 sec

Flow: Golden Vines I

Make the gold transmuted from the alchemic circle follow along the trajectory of your sledgehammer.

Skill Add-on Effect

  • All Damage Reduction -20 for 10 sec to target
  • Back Attack damage +5% for 7 sec

Hammer Smash I

Preceding Skill: Particle Acceleration. Smash foes with your sledgehammer, activate its fused core to increase its weight to the max, then heavily smash down.

Skill Add-on Effect

  • All Damage Reduction -20 for 10 sec to target
  • Back Attack damage +5% for 7 sec

One Small Step I

Activate your gravity cores to alter your weight, then leap forward and smash down.

Skill Add-on Effect

  • All Damage Reduction +20 for 15 sec
  • Critical Hit Rate +30% for 12 sec

Flow: Golden Skyfall I

Activate your fused core to increase the gravitational force around you, crushing the gold from the alchemic circle to spill forth to the sides.

Skill Add-on Effect

  • Back Attack damage +5% for 7 sec
  • Critical Hit Damage +5% for 7 sec

Change Log

October 22, 2026

 1 change
Official patch notes
  • PvP

    PvP minimum damage when the target's defense exceeds your attack raised from 5% to 7%.All classes

October 8, 2026

 2 changes
Official patch notes
  • All

    Unified the level-based base stats (Max HP, HP Recovery, All AP, All Damage Reduction and All Evasion) for every class. Class-specific stat differences now come from a new passive skill learned automatically at Lv. 50, 55, 60, 65 and 70.All classes

  • All

    Added the common skill Godslayer: Force Palm (Lv. 60+). Its Secret Book is obtained at A Freesword's Hearth in Voidekaia after finishing the Inner Edania main quests.All classes

September 3, 2026

 1 change
Official patch notes
  • All

    Gravity Anchor, Attraction: To stop getting stuck in the Gravity Anchor → Attraction combo: Gravity Anchor ignores Attack/Casting Speed changes (base speed +25%), places Gravity Cores faster, and cores last about 5 sec instead of 7.7.

April 30, 2026

 6 changes
Official patch notes
  • All

    Anti-gravity: Self buff on Critical Hits: Defense Nullifying Damage +40 → +30 for 10 sec.

  • All

    Flow: Gold Continuum, Flow: Golden Thunder: Gold Continuum Super Armor ends with the skill. Golden Thunder needs a higher fall for its bonus damage and area.

  • All

    Hammerfall, Core: Hammerfall: Recover HP per hit 140 → 188; Core effect Bound → Knockdown on attack 1.

  • All

    Attraction: Invincible no longer covers the ending motion.

  • PvP

    PvP damage: Home Run 32.57% → 28.35%, Flow: Gold Continuum 40.39/31.3% → 36.38/27.31% (lowered); Hammer Spin 23.34% → 25.94%, Black Spirit: Hammer Spin 22.43% → 24.45%, Hammerfall 26.13% → 29.13%, Infinite Power 29.41% → 32.12% (raised).

  • All

    Less forward momentum at the start of a fall from a High Spot.

February 26, 2026

 1 change
Official patch notes
  • All

    Flow: Golden Thunder, Flow: Gold Continuum, Flow: Gravity Storm, Reversal: Airborne Invincible → Super Armor (Golden Thunder keeps Invincible while concealed at the start). Reversal Invincible about 0.3 sec shorter.

February 12, 2026

 2 changes
Official patch notes
  • All

    F = ma: Melee AP buff +20 → +15. Skill damage raised about 2% with PvP ratios lowered to match, so PvE damage stays about the same while PvP damage drops with the lower AP.

  • All

    Removed "Extra Damage to Guard Gauge" (including Extra Fixed Damage to Guard Gauge) from all skills.All classes

December 31, 2025

 1 change
Official patch notes
  • All

    Flow: Repulsion: Fixed the falling animation sometimes continuing.

October 30, 2025

 1 change
Official patch notes
  • All

    Fixed cheer actions (e.g. from item pickups) during sledgehammer skills switching you out of combat stance.

September 25, 2025

 1 change
Official patch notes
  • All

    Gravity Anchor: Added Attack Speed +15% for 15 sec.

July 24, 2025

 4 changes
Official patch notes
  • All

    Combat system overhaul: Resistance and Ignore Resistance reworked, AP, DP reduction and Special Attack damage gaps between classes narrowed, and Special Attack damage effects of the same type no longer stack.All classes

  • All

    Infinite Mastery now grants Accuracy +18 and All Accuracy +18 per skill level.All classes

  • All

    Hammer Punch: Melee AP +6/10/16/24 → +6/10/16/20.

  • All

    Skill damage multiplier +1.56% to offset the AP rebalance.

May 15, 2025

 1 change
Official patch notes
  • PvE

    Gravity Blink: Fixed a skill issue.

March 13, 2025

 3 changes
Official patch notes
  • All

    Hammer Punch: Melee AP duration 10 → 15 sec.

  • All

    Hammer in the Knee: Attack Speed duration 10 → 15 sec.

  • All

    Hammer Smash, Infinite Power, Hammer Spin, Hammerfall, Flow: Golden Blockade, Flow: Golden Thorns: Damage adjusted.

February 13, 2025

 2 changes
Official patch notes
  • All

    Emergency Escape: Invincibility now also applies when you reappear; movement speed and Stamina recovery during the skill reduced; SPACE now jumps to higher terrain.All classes

  • PvE

    Combat Assistance can now only be used while total Family Level is 200 or lower; some skills deal less damage or lose effects when spammed during cooldown, while main PvE skills deal more damage.All classes

December 12, 2024

 2 changes
Official patch notes
  • All

    General class improvements.All classes

  • PvE

    Gravity's Grip: Corrected the skill description.

November 14, 2024

 2 changes
Official patch notes
  • All

    Class balance adjusted.All classes

  • All

    Flow: Gold Continuum: Fixed a skill issue.

October 17, 2024

 1 change
Official patch notes
  • All

    Class balance adjusted.All classes

September 26, 2024

 2 changes
Official patch notes
  • All

    Flow: Repulsion, Flow: Golden Pillar: Fixed a skill issue.

  • All

    Hammer Throw: Smoother combos and controls.

August 1, 2024

 1 change
Official patch notes
  • All

    General class improvements.All classes

July 25, 2024

 6 changes
Official patch notes
  • All

    Potential Energy, Gravity Distortion: Damage adjusted.

  • All

    Class balance adjusted.All classes

  • All

    General class improvements.All classes

  • All

    Gravity Blink, Gravity's Grip: Skill behavior improved.

  • All

    Gravity Anchor, Attraction: Smoother combos and controls.

  • PvP

    Hammer Smash, Hammer Spin: Damage adjusted.

July 18, 2024

 2 changes
Official patch notes
  • All

    Class balance adjusted.All classes

  • All

    Fixed a class issue.All classes

July 10, 2024

 1 change
Official patch notes
  • All

    Fixed a class issue.All classes

June 19, 2024

 5 changes
Official patch notes
  • All

    General class improvements.All classes

  • All

    Hammerfall: Skill behavior improved.

  • All

    Gravity Field: Corrected the skill description.

  • All

    Gravity Blink: Fixed a skill issue.

  • PvE

    Gravity Press: Fixed a skill issue.

February 7, 2024

 5 changes
Official patch notes
  • All

    General class improvements.

  • All

    Hammerdown, Flow: Golden Skyfall, Potential Energy, Gravity Blink, Flow: Golden Thunder, Hammer Spin, Core Fusion, One Giant Leap: Skill behavior improved.

  • All

    Black Spirit: One Giant Leap: Skill behavior improved.

  • All

    Gravity Press: Smoother combos and controls.

  • All

    Golden Boon, Flow: Golden Pillar: Corrected the skill description.

January 24, 2024

 1 change
Official patch notes
  • PvE

    Anti-gravity: Corrected the skill description.

January 10, 2024

 6 changes
Official patch notes
  • All

    Gravity Crush, Gravity Rush, Flow: Golden Barrier, Flow: Golden Path, Golden Boon, Gravity Distortion, Black Spirit: Hammer Spin, Black Spirit: One Giant Leap: Corrected the skill description.

  • All

    Black Spirit: Hammer Smash: Corrected the skill description.

  • All

    Gravity's Grip, Gravity Anchor, Hammerfall: Smoother combos and controls.

  • All

    One Giant Leap, Potential Energy, Elvia: Space Distortion: Fixed a skill issue.

  • All

    Hammer Smash: Skill behavior improved.

  • PvE

    Hammer Throw: Corrected the skill description.

January 3, 2024

 4 changes
Official patch notes
  • All

    Core Fusion, Flow: Golden Vines, Flow: Golden Pillar, Hammer Spin, Black Spirit: Potential Energy, Hammerfall, Flow: Golden Thunder: Skill behavior improved.

  • All

    Flow: Repulsion: Smoother combos and controls.

  • All

    Gravity Anchor: Fixed a skill issue.

  • PvE

    Hammer Spin: Fixed a skill issue.

Choose a Class

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Scholar

  • Awakening Weapon TalentSledgehammer
  • Combat StyleMelee

Befitting her past in Alchemy, through particle acceleration and formulas, Ascended Scholar accomplishes any alchemist’s true desire: transmuting gold.
Her attacks freely manipulate speed, mass, and metals of the earth for a momentous force like no other.
Abandoning the laws and rules of matter, Scholar writes her own formula to bring her enemies to their knees.

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