Torchlight Infinite Youga guide: every trait and which to pick

Spacetime Witness Youga is the time mage of Torchlight Infinite, and he is the hero getting the most attention going into SS14 Tartarus. His second trait, Spacetime Elapse, is the best budget boss killer in the game, and Tartarus adds a third, The Ultimate One. Here is how all three work.

Youga's traits

Youga 1: Spacetime Illusion

Spacetime Illusion summons a shadow that uses your main skill every 1.5 seconds, and its casts count as yours. It only works with spells, not channeled or summon skills. The tree raises how often the shadow casts, and the level 75 nodes can stop your own casting entirely in exchange for an extra illusion.

Youga 2: Spacetime Elapse

Damage over time or clicking the trait casts Twisted Spacetime, a zone that records part of your damage over time. When you move it, enemies inside get Turbulence and the recorded damage is split among them. The nodes build on recorded damage, duration and taking less damage while the zone is active. It kills bosses very efficiently on little gear.

Youga 3: The Ultimate One

New in SS14. Your main tangle-able spells are supported by a Clockwork Core, and cooldown recovery and skill duration bonuses also raise the Core's damage. At level 45 you choose between Spacetime Dictator (recalled projectiles), Spacetime Conqueror (cooldown recovery) and Spacetime Overlord (skill duration). The database entry is based on beta data, so expect numbers to move.

Trait mechanics are summarised from the Torchlight Infinite database. Numbers change between seasons, so check the database or the in-game hero screen for current values.

Which Youga trait to pick

Youga 2 is the safe choice. It was an S tier starter in SS13 and is the budget boss killer of the roster. The Ultimate One is the big unknown of SS14: worth trying if you enjoy theorycrafting, but wait for the first week of player results if you want a sure thing. Youga 1 sits in C tier as a starter, behind his other traits.

The rankings come from our Torchlight Infinite tier list, which is based on how traits finished SS13 Afterlight. Our classes guide compares Youga with every other hero.

Tips for playing Youga

• Spacetime Elapse rewards stacking damage over time sources. Put the zone on the boss and keep it there.
• Move the zone deliberately. Turbulence is what turns recorded damage into kills on packs.
• For The Ultimate One, cooldown recovery and skill duration are worth more than usual, because the Core scales with both.

For how traits fit together with skills, talents and gear, see the builds guide.

Youga for farming

Youga 2 farms boss heavy content well and is slower on wide maps than Selena 2 or Erika 1. If boss kills are your farm, as they are for MUSA's boss rush loop, he is a strong pick. MUSA's Torchlight Infinite bot reads your equipped skills from the game, so it fights with whatever Youga build you have set up. Automation breaks the game's rules, and our bot safety guide explains the risk.

Common questions

What is Youga's new trait in SS14?

The Ultimate One. It adds a Clockwork Core that supports your main spells, with three paths at level 45: Spacetime Dictator, Spacetime Conqueror and Spacetime Overlord.

Is Spacetime Witness a new hero?

No. Spacetime Witness is Youga's title. The SS14 addition is his third trait, The Ultimate One.

Which Youga trait is best?

Youga 2, Spacetime Elapse, has the best track record. The Ultimate One has no player data yet.