Mastering the Bloody Barbarian: Unstoppable Builds in Soulstone Survivors

Soulstone Survivors offers a thrilling action roguelite experience where players can swiftly elevate their characters from humble beginnings to powerhouse figures. Imagine a game where your character surges from level 1 to 99 in the blink of an eye, indulging every power fantasy imaginable, whether that’s controlling the elements as a Wizard, wielding divine might as a Paladin, or causing mayhem as a bomb-tossing Engineer.

After years of fine-tuning and feedback from the PC gaming community, the game is finally launching on Xbox Series X|S on June 17, 2025. If you’re eager to dive in early, there’s a demo already live on the console. We’ve also compiled some strategies to help you craft unique builds and maximize the fun.

The unique charm of Soulstone Survivors lies in its flexibility. You can customize your character to face the Void’s perils and adjust your strategy until you nail the perfect combination. The game encourages you to push the limits: surpass a 100% crit chance and watch your attacks execute multi-crits. And with multicast features, as this stat climbs beyond 100%, you’re unleashing multiple instances of skills like Chain Lightning in a single move. This innovation shatters the usual cap found in similar games, letting you savor the sensation of boundless power.

While it’s straightforward to jump in with standard character setups, the game truly shines through deeper exploration of its interconnected systems, allowing for groundbreaking builds. The community never ceases to amaze, frequently sharing unexpected strategies in Discord that even surprise the developers.

### Buffs Can Turn the Tide

Buffs provide significant boosts for your character, giving you an edge in battles. A prime example is the “Prowess” buff, where each stack adds 1% extra damage. While concentrating on a single buff can be effective, better results often come from blending several different buffs. Power-ups exist that trigger more buffs when another is applied. For instance, “Devastating Strikes” might offer a chance to gain an Aptitude stack (enhancing critical damage) for each Prowess stack obtained.

### Don’t Underestimate Negative Effects

On the flip side, negative effects weaken your enemies significantly, potentially amplifying your damage to them manifold. Consider the “Poison” effect which causes damage over time and spreads when an enemy is defeated. Or “Fragility,” where each stack boosts the damage the enemy receives. A versatile approach using multiple negative effects typically outperforms focusing solely on one.

### Skill Types Matter

It’s crucial to consider the types of skills you use—be they Fire, Electric, or any other. A concentrated build can benefit greatly from power-ups that increase damage for a specific skill type. Alternatively, a mixed approach can allow different skill types to chain together, with power-ups enabling you to cast fire after an electric skill. It all boils down to your preferred play style.

### Experiment and Discover

The game’s depth goes beyond what meets the eye. With skill trees, Runes — artifacts equipped before each run that carry unique effects — weapons crafted as you progress, and ascension skills granting temporary power ups, there are many elements influencing your build’s effectiveness.

### A Closer Look at the Bloody Barbarian Build

You’re introduced to the Bloody Barbarian build using the game’s first character in the demo. The Barbarian excels in melee combat with skills like Swing, Thrust, and Slam, ripe for creating powerful buff synergies. Begin with the Barbarian’s Barbaric Cleavers to take advantage of its “Whirlwind” with a substantial damage area and buffs like “Bulwark” and “Finesse.”

Success with this build involves seeking out Swing skills for enhanced “Finesse” while tapping into Earth skills for expanded attack areas. Don’t miss adding “Scent of Blood,” a Barbarian-specific skill that boosts your attack speed with “Finesse” stacks.

As your skill set grows, you’ll notice your multicast jumps, making skills deploy across broader areas with swiftness. Ultimately, “Scent of Blood” escalates your attack pace, turning your attacks into a barrage. Imagine spinning like a whirlwind, demolishing foes, and utilizing skills such as “Subdue” to exploit your “Finesse” for massive damage.

The demo just scratches the surface of Soulstone Survivors’ possibilities. Other builds, like Thor’s Barbarian with Lightning skills or the devastating Dirty Barbarian with Slam and Earth skills, await. Or try the Pyromancer, casting fiery doom upon enemies.

Jump into the Soulstone Survivors demo on Xbox Series X|S to ignite your creativity and explore myriad build possibilities and fantasies this game offers.