With the Bless Unleashed PlayStation release coming out now and the PC launch in early 2021, this guide aims to inform the new players coming to the game using the many months of experience from playing on Xbox. The game is vast and has many aspects which require significant investment of time, and for those specialised topics there will be separate guides - in order to keep these brief, this will be one of the Beginner Guides on choosing the right class for you. If you're interested, read on...
Character Selection and Classes
Unlike other MMO's, Bless Unleashed does not want to rely on the typical "Holy Trinity" classes (Tank, Healer, Damage Dealer) and you should, theoretically, be able to run all content as easily as any other class. As such, you should choose a character that fits you and you enjoy playing, rather than trying to choose one to fit a specific role in your group.
In Bless Unleashed, we do not force players to have certain class combinations to enjoy the game. Of course, there will be times where some class combinations are advantageous in some dungeons but there are no “must have” classes that players will have to have in order to play. We’re trying our best to avoid having players unable to enjoy playing our game because they cannot find an adequate “healer” or “tank” class.
The character you choose will greatly influence your experience of the game, so you need to choose one that fits your playstyle. The brief combat tutorial after character creation is a fair measure of a class' style so if you're not entirely sold on your character, now's a good time to switch. Do note that you will not be able to edit your character after creation (other than their outfits/armour). Below is a brief overview of the different classes available with both their PvE and PvP aspects:
Crusader
A melee class focused on close quarter combat, the Crusader is not your conventional "tank" class. While its use of metal armour and class abilities allow it to boast the highest defence, it relies on finishing long combos in order to deal most of its damage. With the current aggro system of the game, which is fairly random and inconsistent, it means bosses won't really be focusing on the Crusader and will often move away from the Crusader before they can finish their combo. This makes the high defence and finishing blow damage only situationally useful in PvE. However, the class is beneficial for team buffs as it can increase the team's attack power by 10-15% or Defence by up to 50%. The defence buff is generally preferred as other classes provide better buffs/debuffs for dealing damage.
In PvP, Crusaders shine best in being able to defend points and, if played well, keep attention off teammates using their charge and stun abilities. As a melee class Crusaders get several moves to daze opponents in order to get several hits off, however these can often be escaped mid combo to avoid the bulk of the damage at the end of their combos. This again makes Crusaders very situational and often overlooked in PvP. While they may not get the most kills in a Battlefield, a good Crusader can defend capture points more easily than others and can lead a team to victory with some of the most assists.
Berserker
The Berserker wields a two-handed battle axe and with it brings some of the highest damage in the game. The class comes with several skill/gear choices to boost survivability and, as it wears metal armour, it makes the best of both your standard tank and DD classes. Using these attributes, the Berserker is a class that should be at the forefront of a fight and needs to maintain a balance between persistent assault and its own survival. Moreover, the Berserker wields some of the best debuffs against bosses, able to bring defence down by up to 56% momentarily (this can be stacked further with other Berserkers). That being said, in order to deal such high damage you will need to be mindful of your positioning and utilise Rage (which, while active, boosts your abilities).
A PvP Berserker has high damage, high defence, and plenty of tools to keep opponents dazed while also being immune, during Rage, to all dazes. However, being a melee class means it lacks in mobility - while it gets charges and leaps to help close the distance, these are very linear and can be evaded when paying attention. A Berserker can easily draw attention to itself and should make use of its abilities to focus high damage/low defence players. Again, while you can play very aggressively you should be careful not to overextend and maintain your survivability.
Ranger
Rangers excel at dealing damage from a distance while supporting the team. The class uses leather armour, which isn't as high in defence as metal, and has low mobility as it only has a few options with which to evade while also having several skills that restrict movement (charged abilities and reloading for example). Due to the high damage and boss' inborn tendency to target lower defence players, Rangers may often experience a lot of focus; combine this with their low mobility and average defence makes it one of the squishiest classes in dungeons. Nonetheless, Rangers are crucial for dungeons as they can increase the damage dealt to bosses by up to 25% with Mark which also heals the players for a % of their damage dealt. For mid to low tier parties, this is seen as crucial for dealing damage so there will always be a space in a party for a Ranger with Mark - unfortunately in this community, this also means some Rangers without Mark may be kicked from lower dungeons.
In PvP Rangers, similarly to Crusaders, are better suited to specific playstyles. By utilising the high damage from their basic attacks, the class' range, and AoE (Area of Effect) knockdown abilities, a good Ranger is the perfect partner to have on the side lines. The knockdown cannot be countered (if it hits) even by a Crusader's shield or a Berserker's Rage, providing the perfect opportunity to take out these classes. Using the kick ability is useful for anyone that comes too close to a Ranger, allowing them to exert some control over spacing. However, similar to their cons in dungeons, Rangers may be targeted and can be taken out relatively quickly.
Mage
Mages are another damage dealing class and are great for burst damage, making them useful at lower tiers for damage checks (at higher tiers everyone, generally, has the DPS required). While Mages wear cloth armour and generally have the lowest defence, they have high mobility to make up for it, allowing them to evade attacks more frequently than all other classes. Mage's unique skill, Amplify, grants them 100% critical hit chance for 6 seconds (11 seconds with full mana crystals) allowing mages to build purely for critical hit damage. This is a double-edged sword however since mages usually build specifically for critical hit damage, so a mis-timed Amplify or one that isn't used as much as possible will result in lower average damage outside of Amplify. Similarly to the Ranger, Mages likewise get a lot of focus so while it's easier to avoid damage with dodges and Blinks, any hit taken will be huge damage (this is easier to avoid with the end game blessing, Blind Executioner, which gives shields on Blink).
In PvP, Mages are the best class, alongside Berserkers, for all round use - especially with Blind Executioner. While they have low defence, their high mobility and high damage with short cooldowns makes the most out of the game's low sensitivity gameplay, allowing the Mage to dodge in and out of a player's view. This makes them hard to hit while allowing them to deal plenty of damage. Amplified Mages can daze even on basic hits, however these are very short and you need to follow up quick in the combo before it wears off. If you are caught in a stun-lock combo from another damage dealer, you will take a lot of damage unless you're geared for PvP Defence, however Mages can self-heal on Blink with the right gear equipped.
Priest
Priests have only a few skills for dealing damage so play more like the trope that Bless wanted to avoid. The damage dealing skills that are available deal very little in comparison, so a Priest's main focus is to provide heals and buffs. The main ability available to a Priest is a wide circle placed on the ground that increases any member's Attack Power by 10% while they remain within. To benefit from this circle you are restricted in movement so it is best used on Berserkers as they will often stick to one good position to deal plenty of damage until the boss moves out of the way. The healing abilities require good spatial awareness and management of your Holy Energy (the equivalent of a Mage's mana) as it regenerates very slowly while the skills use plenty of it. More late game Priests are all desired with the Storm Chaser blessing, much like Ranger with Mark, as it provides the team with shields; these shields can prevent DoT (Damage over Time) effects and can tank 1-2 hits while active, which is quite crucial against, say, a boss that spreads poison everywhere. Unfortunately, currently Storm Chaser is a very grindy blessing to obtain, perhaps the 2nd hardest in my opinion.
A PvP Priest is best for support but they can win solo fights with some skill depending on the enemy. Priests are best used to keep opponents out of the fight with knockdown abilities and inconsistent stuns, however if they manage to get a few hits to get into the Smite combo, this can deal impressive damage while keeping the opponent locked in place until they eventually get knocked down. Priests generally build for Defence which can make them incredibly hard to kill if they manage to heal themselves.
No matter what class you play, you will always have the opportunity to create others down the line as the game allows up to 10 different character slots (first 3 are free). Your first character may not necessarily be your main, but it will have an impact to how you view the game and if you start off by not enjoying the gameplay you will be less likely to play long enough to see the game's charm. Do note that the above descriptions are merely brief introductions to the classes, and there is a lot more to them that I leave to you to get a personal feel for.
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