The Core Requirements for the Silentheart Oath
To embark on the path of the Silent Heart, a player must fulfill several key requirements. These prerequisites are not tied to a specific order, meaning you can achieve them at your own pace before triggering the final steps of the oath ritual. Focusing on your build and character development first is often recommended to ensure you're well-equipped for the journey ahead.
The Critical 'Attunement-less' Status
First and foremost, your character must be entirely 'attunement-less'. This is a non-negotiable condition for taking the Silentheart Oath. This means you must have no points invested in any attunement stat (Flamecharm, Frostdraw, Thundercall, etc.). Picking even a single mantra will immediately disqualify you from obtaining the oath. This makes Silentheart a powerful but restrictive choice that forces a pure physical combat playstyle, trading magical powers for raw, martial prowess and unique weapon skills.
The Mandatory Attribute Investments
Beyond your lack of attunement, your character needs to meet specific attribute point thresholds. These stats reflect the martial nature of the oath and are crucial for meeting the Dreadstar's expectations. The required attribute points are:
- A sum of 75 points in Weapon stats (Light, Medium, or Heavy). You can distribute these points in any combination, such as 75 in Heavy Weapon, or a mix like 25 points in Light, Medium, and Heavy weapons, as long as the total equals 75.
- 25 points in Strength.
- 25 points in either Charisma OR Agility.
Meeting these stat requirements ensures your character has the physical foundation necessary to wield the Silentheart's power effectively. Planning your build around these numbers is the most efficient way to prepare for the oath.
The Gripping Experience and Dreadstar Encounter
One of the most unique and interactive requirements for Silentheart involves a specific player interaction. You must be gripped (killed) by another player who uses an attunement. This cannot be just any death, as certain situations like Chime of Conflict or being gripped in Layer 2 by a Light Hook do not count. This often requires setting up a situation with another player or a calculated risk in PvP encounters.
After meeting the above requirements and experiencing this special death, you need to find the Dreadstar on the Beloved Zofia, a ghost ship. You must interact with a ghost NPC on the ship first, which will then summon the Dreadstar. If you are the first on the server to interact with the ghost, the Dreadstar will appear. If not, you must fight and survive a ghost encounter to be able to speak with the Dreadstar. The Dreadstar is the final gateway to acquiring the Silentheart Oath.
Silentheart Progression: A Path of Sacrifices
Once the oath is taken, the journey doesn't end. Progression in the Silentheart Oath involves a series of consequential actions that further shape your character's abilities. This involves hunting down powerful trainers, each of whom will give you specific talents upon defeat.
The Attunement Trainer Hunt
The Dreadstar's challenge for a Silentheart is to kill several Attunement Trainers who "misuse" the Words of the Song. This is where your new, attuned-hating heart earns its power. Killing these trainers is necessary to unlock the full set of Silentheart talents. The recommended kill order, based on location convenience, is Nell, Friid, Amashi, Funke, Adar, and Nostor.
Faction Reputation and Consequences
Be warned: killing these trainers will negatively impact your reputation with specific factions. For example, eliminating Nell and Friid will decrease your reputation with Etrea, while killing Funke will anger the Summer Company. It is wise to keep note of these reputation losses and either accept the consequences or prepare to pay off your reputation to avoid ambushes.
Silentheart vs. Other Physical Playstyles
Silentheart is not the only path for physically-oriented fighters, but it is one of the most unique due to its restrictions and rewards. Here is a comparison with other common playstyles.
| Feature | Silentheart | Attunement-based Physical Build | Physical-focused Contractor Oath |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mantra Usage | Voided; can convert to talents at Shrine of Division. | Full access to mantras based on attunement. | Access to specific Contractor abilities alongside physical attacks. |
| Weapon Flexibility | Can change weapons during battle and use unique movesets tied to weapon type. | Tied to one weapon style unless multiple skills are invested. | Can focus on weapon styles, but abilities are Oath-specific. |
| Special Abilities | Gains unique abilities like Mayhem and Silent Cascade tied to weapon types. | Uses powerful, flashy mantras for utility or damage. | Uses specialized Contractor skills like Shadow Eclipse or other perks. |
| Obtainment | Specific stat reqs, death by attunement user, Dreadstar encounter. | Simply invest points into an attunement and use mantras. | Requires specific actions, such as obtaining Knowledge from the Soothsayer. |
| Progression | Kill attunement trainers and accept faction consequences. | Leveling up and investing in mantra skills. | Completing Contractor contracts and other objectives. |
A Step-by-Step Guide to Obtaining Silentheart
- Ensure Attunement-lessness: Before you start, make sure you have not put any points into any attunement stat and do not have any mantras.
- Invest in Stats: Allocate points to reach at least 75 in Weapon stats, 25 in Strength, and 25 in either Charisma or Agility.
- Find an Attuned Player: Locate another player who has an attunement. This can be a friend or a stranger in PvP.
- Get Gripped: Let the attuned player grip you. This is a critical step, as dying normally will not work.
- Visit the Beloved Zofia: Travel to the ghost ship, the Beloved Zofia. The location is fixed, but the ghost encounter event is server-dependent.
- Find a Ghost NPC: Locate and interact with one of the ghost NPCs on the ship. If you're the first, the Dreadstar will appear.
- Slay a Ghost: If you are not the first, you will have to defeat a ghost to get the Dreadstar to spawn.
- Talk to the Dreadstar: Speak with the Dreadstar. They will offer you the Silentheart Oath, cementing your path.
Choosing Your Silentheart Build: A Strategy
Once you have the Oath, you can fully commit to your build. Your weapon mastery can be focused on one type, or split to take advantage of different weapon types' Silentheart abilities. A Wyrmtooth build, for instance, can utilize both medium and heavy abilities, offering great versatility. It's recommended to choose a weapon focus that suits your playstyle—Light for speed, Medium for balance, or Heavy for raw power.
Conclusion: The Path of the Silent Heart
Obtaining Silentheart in Deepwoken is a deliberate process requiring careful planning, specific stat investments, and a bold step into the game's more dangerous elements. By forgoing mantras and embracing a purely physical path, you gain unique, weapon-specific abilities that can turn the tide of battle. The requirements—from being attunement-less and meeting attribute thresholds to undergoing the specific death and Dreadstar encounter—culminate in a powerful and rewarding oath for any player willing to commit to the path of pure combat mastery. The faction reputation hit and trainer hunt are simply the final tests of your resolve, offering an additional layer of challenge and narrative to your character's journey.
For more detailed information on Silentheart, its talents, and trainers, you can visit the dedicated Deepwoken Wiki page on Fandom.
