Following the Prologue in Outriders, you can choose from one of four classes. Only one class is allowed per character a la Destiny so you’ll want to be sure before making your choice. Leveling in the early going is fairly easy and when playing on a second character, there’s an option to skip the Prologue to save time. Each class has their own unique passives and play-style so it’s not a bad idea to try each of them out for an hour or two.
The classes in question are Devastator, Pyromancer, Trickster and Technomancer. The Devastator is a close range, tanking class – its starting passive is regaining 24 percent of maximum health on each kill in close range. Its melee skill will inflict Bleed on all enemies in a small radius. Along with all this, the Devastator receives 15 percent additional health and 30 percent increased armor to start with.
There’s a mix of damage mitigation, area of effect skills and so on, though keep in mind that it’s currently one of the less DPS-worthy classes available. It has three main Class Trees – Vanquisher, which is focused more on weapon damage; Warden, which caters more to a tanking play-style; and Seismic Shifter which is about Anomaly Power and Seismic skills.
The Devastator’s full list of skills are:
- Earthquake (Seismic, Interrupt) – Unlocked at level 1, unleashes a shockwave against enemies in a straight line.
- Golem (Protection) – Unlocked at level 3, provides 65 percent damage reduction for eight seconds.
- Gravity Leap (Kinetic, Interrupt) – Unlocked at level 4, allows for leaping into the air and dive-bombing on targets. This will damage foes and cause foes in a small area to be interrupted.
- Reflect Bullets (Protection) – Unlocked at level 6, generates a barrier in front of the player that will collect all enemy projectiles (though it also reflects some melee damage back). After pressing the skill’s button again – or once 10 seconds have passed – the projectiles are reflected back on foes, damaging them.
- Impale (Seismic, Interrupt) – Unlocked at level 9, creates a spike from the ground to impale foes. This will interrupt them, dealing damage and inflicting Bleed status. When killing a foe with Impale, it will generate a zone with armor and health regeneration for all allies for nine seconds.
- Tremor (Seismic) – Unlocked at level 13, generates small explosions around the player. Deals damage and drains health from surrounding foes.
- Boulderdash (Kinetic, Interrupt) – Unlocked at level 17. The player charges forward, dealing damage and interrupting enemies along the way before finally smashing the ground. Enemies near the final smash are damaged.
- Endless Mass (Kinetic) – Unlocked at level 22, traps a target in stone and inflicts Bleed while nearby foes are pulled towards it. Eventually, the mass will explode with all enemies in radius of the initial target taking damage.
Next is the Pyromancer, which is all about mid-range combat and inflicting Burn on foes. Its melee skill will inflict Burn on foes in a small area and its skills can mark foes for 15 seconds. Killing a marked enemy will regenerate 24 percent of maximum HP. The Pyromancer also receives 10 percent additional Anomaly Power at the start.
If you’re keen on area-of-effect attacks and playing more of a caster role, then the Pyromancer may be the class for you. Its three main Class Trees are Ashwalker for enhancing weapon damage and Immobilize skills; Firestorm for increased health, armor and Burn duration; and Tempest for Explosive skill specialization and more Anomaly Power. Check out all of its skills below.
- Heatwave (Ignite) – Unlocked at level 1, sends out of a wave of fire in a straight line that inflicts Burn on all foes.
- Feed the Flames (Immobilize) – Unlocked at level 3, allows you to pull an enemy, draining health and causing damage. Ash is also inflicted, which can halt enemies in place.
- Thermal Bomb (Explosive, Interrupt) – Unlocked at level 4, this selects an enemy who, when killed, explodes and deals damage to surrounding foes. The enemy selected suffers from Burn and is interrupted.
- Overheat (Explosive, Interrupt) – Unlocked at level 6, damages all foes in a large radius. When used against enemies suffering from Burn, they’ll receive additional damage with the Burn being consumed.
- Volcanic Rounds (Ignite) – Unlocked at level 9, provides a magazine of bullets that can inflict Burn on foes in a small area (also pierces targets). The skill ends on reloading or switching weapons.
- Ash Blast (Immobilize) – Unlocked at level 13, hit all foes in a large radius with Ash.
- F.A.S.E.R Beam (Ignite, Interrupt) – Unlocked at level 17, fires a burning beam that also has 125 percent Status Power.
- Eruption – Unlocked at level 22, generates a volcanic eruption around a foe. Along with dealing damage, it can also hit surrounding foes in a small area.
The Trickster is all about assassination. Along within quickly teleporting to foes, the class is capable of slowing them with its techniques and melee ability. Killing foes in close range will regenerate 20 percent of max health while also providing 20 percent shield. The shield will deteriorate over time and provide 5 percent damage mitigation. The Trickster also receives five percent additional max HP to start.
Its three main Class Trees are Assassination which increases close range damage and boosts Deception skills; Harbinger which offers more damage resistance and health along with slower shield degradation; and Reaver which focuses on Anomaly Power. Check out all of its skills below.
- Temporal Slice (Damage, Interrupt) – Unlocked at level 1, slices foes in front of you with a blade in a small arc. Along with paralyzing said foes, it also inflicts Slow and deals damage.
- Slow Trap (Deception) – Unlocked at level 3, generates a small sphere that slows enemies and projectiles for 10 seconds.
- Hunt the Prey (Movement) – Unlocked at level 4, teleports you behind a foe. Shield bonus is also provided on use.
- Twisted Rounds (Damage) – Unlocked at level 6, fills the magazine with Anomaly bullets that deal increased damage. Effect ends on reloading or switching to another weapon.
- Cyclone Slice (Damage, Interrupt) – Unlocked at level 9, turns the player into a damaging whirlwind within a small radius for five seconds. Enemies struck are interrupted with each hit.
- Borrowed Time (Movement) – Unlocked at level 13, marks the current location for 28 seconds. Upon using the ability again, the player returns to the marked location. Shield is provided upon activation.
- Venator’s Knife (Deception) – Unlocked at level 17, throw a temporal knife at a foe which ricochets to up to five enemies in a small area. Along with dealing damage, this also slows affected foes for 10 seconds. First attack dealt in this period has its damage doubled.
- Time Rift (Deception, Interrupt) – Unlocked at level 22, generates a shockwave that will suspend foes in mid-air for 3.5 seconds. All foes hit by this suffer Weakness.
Finally, there’s the Technomancer which functions as a support class and jack-of-all-trades. Damage dealt results in instant health restoration while the class can also summon turrets for support, like freezing enemies and so on (with turret health depleting over time). From the outset, the Technomancer benefits from 15 percent increased long range weapon damage, 15 percent increased Skill Leech and 15 percent increased Weapon Leech.
Its main Class Trees are Pestilence, increasing weapon damage, sniper rifle damage and increasing Toxic status duration on foes; Tech Shaman, which increases health, health regen and Frozen status on foes; and Demolisher, which increases Anomaly Power, Toxic and Skill Leech. All of its skills are as follows:
- Scrapnel (Ordinance, Interrupt) – Unlocked at level 1, throws a proximity explosive which deals damage in a radius to all enemies.
- Cryo Turret (Gadget, Turret) – Unlocked at level 3, creates a turret that automatically fires on enemies and freezes them.
- Pain Launcher (Ordinance, Interrupt) – Unlocked at level 4, puts down a missile launcher that bombs an area in front of the player.
- Blight Rounds (Decay) – Unlocked at level 6, this skill provides a magazine of bullets that inflict Toxic status and have slight AoE on impact. All foes indirectly hit are also afflicted with Toxic status along with taking 50 percent of the skill’s damage. Lasts until you reload or switch to another weapon.
- Tool of Destruction (Ordinance, Interrupt) – Unlocked at level 9, generate a rocket launcher or mini-gun. The former can interrupt enemies while the latter offers more bullets. The skill ends when ammo is depleted or you switch to another weapon.
- Fixing Wave (Gadget, Heal) – Unlocked at level 13, unleash an energy wave that restores 33 percent health to all allies and 50 percent health to all turrets.
- Cold Snap (Gadget) – Unlocked at level 17, drops a device that will freeze all foes around you.
- Blighted Turret (Decay) – Unlocked at level 22, throws down a turret that can deal damage and inflict Toxic status on enemies.