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- Decision Time
- Class Recommendations
- Choosing a Main Class
- Understanding Class Dynamics
- Class Synergy and Raid Dynamics
- Taisu’s Current Meta Position
- Mana Mechanics and Class Accessibility
- Gem Considerations for New Players
- Gear Configuration for Advanced Play
- Top Damage Classes and Recommendations
- Igniter’s Return to Meta Discussions
- Decision Time
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But anyways, guys, this one’s important. We have to choose wisely, whether you’re new, like I said, or a veteran, this one counts. The thing is, you guys have blessed me with this crazy roster, and I was fortunate enough to try a lot of different classes, a lot of different specs. And, of course, this is going to be very biased, personal experience.
Decision Time
So, I just want to say the big disclaimer: the classes that I’ve played, the classes that I have fought against, the classes that I’ve talked to in my static or my chat or seeing.
Class Recommendations
The first class, in no particular order, that I want to recommend is Blade. Okay, so I’m going to be, once again, talking about—I have to factor in everything. Let’s get this right; let me get it off my chest. I have to consider the new players, the returnees, the veterans, and those wanting to main swap as a veteran, or create a second main, known as an ALT, for veterans.
Let me dive into some of the criteria I’m considering, as well as what contributes to the fun of playing a class: the cost of accessories, gems, the character’s rotation system—whether it’s a priority system or a cycle system, the synergy, EHP (effective hit points or tankiness), and the character’s mobility. Is the class focused on multi-hits, delivering one big hit, or is it a blend of both? These factors play a significant role in the decision-making process.
Moreover, aesthetic elements like sound effects, the design of clothes, skins, and animations are also crucial. These aspects greatly enhance the gaming experience, making the choice of class about more than just the gameplay mechanics.
Choosing a Main Class
I think about what matters when picking a main class. Currently, my main is Blade. She stands out due to her power and synergy. Her rotation includes fast, multi-hit attacks and a significant hit from Surge. Both Surge Blade and Remaining Energy are quite meta. Despite seeming overpowered, Blade is surprisingly accessible. You can achieve decent performance with minimal investment, notably with just a single damage gem for Surge.
Blade’s ease of entry and the depth of mastery make her a compelling choice. Mastering her requires practice and repetition in raids, but the learning curve is rewarding. Blade excels without heavy investment yet also shines with deeper commitment. This balance of accessibility and depth underscores her appeal.
Diving into Other Classes
Moving onto Breaker, this class is often compared to Scrapper due to its recent introduction and gender-neutral designation. However, their gameplay diverges significantly. Breaker introduces a unique combat style, focusing on head attacks, somewhat reminiscent of a modernized Destroyer. This distinction in gameplay style showcases the diversity and richness of class options available, inviting players to explore and find their niche within the game’s expansive universe.
Understanding Class Dynamics
Is it called in English? It’s like the Brawler or something—Brawler King. That is like, ah, it’s not really like Esoteric War Dancer, but it is a non-positional, non-positional nuker. Build gauge and spend the gauge with two main skills. In terms of being alt or newbie friendly, it has the tools to be pretty newbie-friendly. It is not that expensive because, like I said, most of the damage, like Aura, comes from the character’s identity.
Obviously, you want to get more damage gems, but the priority of the damage gems, you can focus on one, and for the Brawler, you can focus on two while you work on the two to three more additional damage gems. So, it has an easy entry and it has one of the specs that is pretty chill, easy to play but highly rewarding currently.
Asura and Blade Comparison
And Asura presents a bit more of a challenge. Like the dynamics observed with Surge Blades, dedicating time to hone your skills with Asura can be highly rewarding, thanks to its high skill ceiling. Asura specializes in head attack positional melee DPS, contrasting with Blade, which focuses on back attacks. This distinction is why I often compare Blade with Scrapper and Breaker, as I frequently encounter inquiries about whether to opt for Blade or Breaker. Both are currently considered meta, delivering considerable damage output in their unique ways.
Indeed, in specific battles, Breaker might outperform due to its particular strengths, just as Blade shines in others. However, a significant factor setting them apart is their synergy effect in a team setting. Breaker offers a 6% synergy, which, while beneficial, pales in comparison to the more potent synergy provided by Blade. This makes Blade exceptionally valuable, capable of sustaining its relevance over time through its synergy, unless significant changes are made to diminish this aspect. Consequently, Blade holds an edge over Breaker, underscoring its lasting appeal and effectiveness in various combat scenarios.
Choosing Between Blade and Breaker
And if you like female characters and you want to be pretty strong, Blade obviously. If you want to play a male character that’s new, modern, fun—well, a lot of the people that have played Breaker, especially Sura, are saying that it is pretty damn fun. So, if you want to play the new flashy toy, a male character, Breaker is going to be it. But we don’t know what’s going to happen down the line, indicating a degree of uncertainty about future game developments and class balances, making the choice between Blade and Breaker intriguing for players seeking different gameplay experiences and character aesthetics.
Class Synergy and Raid Dynamics
The road with Breaker in terms of his power is such that we have to group him with the 6% synergy category. We’ve got the sorcs, Scrapper, zerker, Slayer—did I already mention Slayer? There are a lot of classes that offer the 6% synergy, and they’re essentially competing with each other for spots in raids, unless you’re joining raids where synergy isn’t a primary concern. For Scrapper, the play style is completely different. Taisu, for example, focuses on back attacks, similar to taju, providing consistent DPS, very reliable, and shock, which is essentially consistent burst.
Focus on Taisu’s Performance
After the rework, Taisu is now performing at the top among the swiftness, entropy, back attack classes. Previously, Predator was the queen of progression for swiftness entropy back attack classes. However, the balance patch a month and a half after Theon’s release shifted the dynamics. Taisu has emerged as one of the most competitive classes, thanks to its highly effective identity, providing extra burst during critical windows. Taisu is also noted for its tankiness and mobility, including a double space bar feature that is advantageous for progression.
Class Selection for New Players and Veterans
When choosing a class, consider the broader picture, including entry into high-level content like Theine, Echa, and beyond. It’s unlikely new players or even veterans on alts will have a Breaker or Scrapper ready for Theine hard level progression by April. Thus, when selecting a class, the immediate utility for progression should be weighed. For veterans, progression might be faster due to transcendence and better-geared companions, but new players need to consider their path carefully, taking into account the time and effort required for effective participation in high-level raids.
Taisu’s Current Meta Position
Taisu is very strong right now in the current meta. Her rotation is very simple, easy to play but yields high damage. She offers consistent damage, good mobility, and is tanky. She may not be as flashy as Breaker but is very safe to play. A lot of people are happy with her performance and find her really reliable, especially in harder content. The double space bar feature is particularly praised for its utility in challenging scenarios.
Reaper’s Viability and Versatility
The next class I recommend, though perhaps not as strong in terms of damage ceiling as Taisu’s Scrapper, is not too far behind, is Reaper, particularly Hunger Reaper. I believe Hunger Reaper, along with Taisu’s Scrapper, stands out among the best classes for progressing through hard content. Reaper is a very safe choice, greatly improved by her rework. She is incredibly fun to play, with Hunger being particularly easy to learn. Reaper offers a variety of versatile builds, making her adaptable and enjoyable.
Reaper’s Unique Mechanics
One of the things that really stand out about Reaper is her ability to swap certain skill slots because her counter skill is integrated into her identity. This is a significant advantage, allowing her to counter from various positions, enhancing her effectiveness in a wide range of content, including Theine, Echa, and Voldus. The inclusion of her counter in her identity also opens up space for adding EHP or mobility skills, thereby increasing her DPS potential. Reaper’s mobility and EHP have recently been buffed, adding to her survivability and making her an even more formidable choice for players.
Mana Mechanics and Class Accessibility
I forgot to mention this: no Mana for Breaker, Scrapper, Reaper. Mana is such a deal breaker for a lot of new players. Eating Mana food is so much of a hassle, worrying about Mana, and then worrying about your support bringing the Mana tripod. It just detracts from the fun. Because of these aspects, I highly recommend Hunger Reaper. It is such a good alternative, such a good class if you want to main her as a beginner. She is incredibly fluid, earning my stamp of approval.
Comparing Slayer to Other Classes
Sadly, I will not put Slayer in the top ranks this time. Four months ago, yes, Slayer had a great model and significant appeal. But, among the swiftness, back attack classes, Slayer has been overshadowed in terms of comfort and fun by the reworks of Scrapper and Reaper. The Predator class engraving, particularly, is not very newbie-friendly and can feel like a shackle, inducing stress.
Punisher, another option for Slayer, is not something I recommend lightly. It requires a full commitment to gearing up with high-level cooldowns to really maximize the class’s potential. While Punisher performs well in Echa and Volis, the Predator build feels safer but less flexible due to the high gear dependency and the need to switch builds for optimal performance. This places Slayer below Scrapper and Reaper for most players, unless the Slayer’s aesthetic appeal is a major draw for you.
Moreover, Slayer has been somewhat outpaced not just in terms of damage numbers but also in playstyle flexibility, particularly since she hasn’t received any significant reworks since her introduction. This contrasts sharply with classes like Blade, Scrapper, and Reaper, which have seen updates that made them more fluid and less restricted by gameplay limitations.
Non-Positional Classes: So-Eater
Let’s move on to non-positional classes, specifically So-Eater. Both of her class builds or class Engravings are performing amazingly right now. This highlights the versatility and strength available in non-positional gameplay, offering players a breadth of options that are not only effective but also enjoyable and less restrictive in terms of tactical positioning.
Gem Considerations for New Players
As a new player, receiving free level seven gems might seem sufficient, but as you progress into harder content, the requirement escalates to level nine and ten gems. Damage gems, especially level ten, cost significantly more than cooldown gems. Therefore, if you’re playing a class that relies on three to four damage gems, it’s more manageable in the long run.
The distribution of damage across skills means you’ll want to evenly upgrade your damage gems, contrasting with the investment needed for a class relying on six to seven damage gems. This makes classes with fewer required high-level gems more appealing for maining or as a second favorite.
Class Recommendations: So-Eater and Wardancer
So-Eater is a class I highly recommend. With her, three to four level ten damage gems are generally sufficient, making her less stressful in terms of gem management. She remains very powerful, popular, and relatively new. After recent buffs to her EHP, So-Eater enjoys positive public perception, akin to the universally admired figure in social circles.
Following So-Eater, Wardancer is another class worth considering, especially after her rework alongside Reaper and Scrapper. The rework significantly improved her range and utility, moving her towards a non-positional playstyle. Despite still benefiting from back attacks, she’s categorized as non-positional, performing exceptionally well in current game content.
Gear Configuration for Advanced Play
If you dislike the combination of two-piece Nightmare and four-piece Dominion due to the complexities of conviction and judgment snapshotting for your Dominion buff, alternatives include going six-piece Nightmare or exploring Esoteric playstyles. Recently, I’ve moved away from Esoteric, despite its appeal and the reduced need for numerous damage gems.
The animation rework for Wardancer, alongside improvements to her range and damage cycle, has been positively received. In this game, the emphasis is on mobility and efficiency in skill deployment, especially in challenging content. Wardancer excels in mobility, tankiness, and synergy, making her a favored choice in high-speed, critical-focused groups.
Wardancer’s Utility and Feedback
Wardancer’s contributions, especially with Wind Whisper, elevate her value in Pit Master parties, offering critical buffs alongside attack and movement speed enhancements. Her dynamic and visually appealing skills make her preferred in groups that prioritize synergy for maximizing performance. Despite some criticisms regarding the range of her counter, recent adjustments have addressed major concerns. Her space bar ability, known for its short animation, reduces vulnerability during combat, highlighting her as a well-rounded, highly mobile class with effective synergy in group settings.
Top Damage Classes and Recommendations
At the top of the tier and the food chain for damage currently, the next class I want to recommend is Aeromancer. Aeromancer has two notable builds: Wind Fury and Drizzler, with Wind Fury being more popular in Korea. She is performing quite well in endgame scenarios, both in the mana and Eka, considered very fun and offering great synergy. The only downside is her character design, which might not appeal to everyone’s tastes. However, Lerk’s roster includes a variety of classes catering to different player preferences, highlighting the diverse options available to players.
Aeromancer: Casual and New Player Friendly
On the other end of the spectrum, we have classes that are easier for casuals to get into, and Aeromancer stands out in this category. She is very new-player-friendly, embodying chill vibes for those who don’t aim to be the main hero but still want to perform well. Aeromancer allows players to enjoy the game without the pressure of mastering a complex class, making it the perfect choice for those looking for good synergy and a fun experience without sweating too hard.
Igniter’s Recent Rework
Lastly, while Igniter may not have been the most comfortable or fluid class in terms of mobility or super armor tenacity, the recent rework has significantly enhanced her gauge generation and spending. The rework has made her performance quite impressive, making her gauge management and burst cycle both satisfying and effective. Despite the common jest about mages being called giraffes for their designs, Igniter’s skill animations remain top-notch. The recent changes have made her an interesting class to explore further, with potential for high damage output and engaging gameplay.
Igniter’s Return to Meta Discussions
I’m getting a little tempted, but we’ll have to see. For sure, Igniter is back on the table for meta talks; if not leading the way, especially in fights requiring less mobility from bosses, with large hitboxes or minimal movement. This could be crucial for the next boss, Behemoth, but in Echa and Fe Mine, Igniter shines as long as you master her playstyle. Once proficient, farming with Igniter becomes highly enjoyable. Despite underestimations of her recent rework by some, claiming it’s weak, she is performing excellently in the current meta.
The Importance of Supports: Gun Lancer and Others
Wrapping up, I cannot overemphasize the importance of support roles, including Gun Lancer. Having a Gun Lancer in your group significantly impacts your gameplay, offering crucial support with cleansing and taunting abilities, plus notable synergy. They also deliver respectable damage in areas like Echa and Fe Mine. For the three main supports—Artist, Bard, and Paladin—they are indispensable for Lost AR and facilitate group entry for new players struggling as DPS amidst a sea of Blades and Breakers. Choosing a support role can be a strategic move, not only for easier group access but also for saving on the expenses associated with DPS roles.
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