Forge Newbie’s Guide

Forge Newbie’s Guide by zenatsu

Preface

This is not a “getting started guide” or any of that sort. In fact, the in-game tutorial and comp stomps are perfect for getting used to the controls (or getting used to your changes of). This guide will assume you have basic understanding of the game. Additionally, this is not a “How to be pro” guide either. This guide is to help newer players understand the basics of each class and some of their perks and playstyles.

Okay, lets get something straight here. I am by no means an expert, I myself am still learning new things on this game. Over time this guide will be revised based on feedback and personal experience. So lets get started!

For the noobs

So you’ve gone through the tutorial, and maybe a game or two. You’ve come to realize this game is not only fun, but has a bunch of tricks players can do. The fact you’re even on the forums, and reading this guide, puts you above many new players who just download the game, play a few matches, realize they suck, quit and never come back.

So how can you get better? Lets start with the first thing you do: Picking a class. Each class has its own unique play style that benefits your team composition in some way. I advise you take the “class tutorial” and read each of the abilities. Or don’t, you can read the jist of them here.

Classes

Important note: All left mouse button attacks give back energy when you land the hits

Assassin

The Assassin is as the name implies, an assassin. your overall role is to gank the unsuspecting, and to ensure the weaks demise. This class has a lot of single-target capabilities that can double as an escape act should you find yourself in trouble, or in an unwinnable situation

Before I go into the tricks, lets talk about how the assassin dose damage.

One of the main source of damage comes from a debuff called Puncture. This debuff causes a small amount of damage over time, and can be stacked up to 5 times. Once you have a reasonable stack (3 should be your minimum), you then use an ability called Pantera’s kiss. Pantera’s kiss doesn’t do damage directly, rather its a 5 second timer then does damage. The more Puncture debuffs you have on the target, the more damage the kiss deals.

Puncture is a stable in the assassins arsenal. The more Puncture stacks are on your target, the more damage you can deal to your target. Even stealth utilizes Puncture. Its important, so keep the stacks rolling.

Now for the more fun part of the Assassin. The dirty tricks they get to do.

This class is not a class you want to brawl with insted your targets are typically lone-wolfs, ranged, shamans, and if you haft to team fight, pick the weakest link, and kill them.

The first skill that you may use is the Stealth skill. This skill, obviously, obscures the player from sight. This is particularly good in sneaking past the front lines and hitting the ranged classes from behind. Again, the more punctures your target has, stealth will grant bonus damage.

If your target is in a higher place, or you just need to close the distance fast, Shadow Leap is the skill you will probably get very familiar with. This skill literally teleports you behind your target.

The last important skill you will utilize the most, is Disorienting Strike. This skill immobilizes the target, which can allow you to focus on getting puncture stacks, or just get as many free hits as you can. This is good control for locking town a target before they get dangerous, or keeping them from slipping away.

After this, the last 2 spells are mainly crowd controls, they are useful situational, and can cause a lot of stress for your opponents.

Shadow Shift is pretty much a “Thunder Dome”. What I mean by that is, the assassin brings your target to the “shadow realm”. Only you and the target are in this realm where you duke it out (or run away) for 15 seconds. After that you’re returned to the real world where your target may or may not still be alive.

Smoke Cloud is a skill that drops a black cloud where the assassin is. Any opponents caught in this cloud are blinded. The only drawback is that they can run out of the smoke pretty quickly. It’s also good for braking line of sight of pursuing opponents, which can give you time to stealth and slip away.

Pathfinder

The pathfinder is one of the 3 ranged classes and has a few desirable skills that can be used in zoning opponents. The pathfinder is the crowd control of the ranged, But don’t think they can’t deal their own share in damage. As a pathfinder your main focus, is the focus. If your team is trying to aggress the healer, or that pesky pyro, the pathfinder is there to ensure they won’t go anywhere, while also covering his own assets.

First and foremost, Poisoned Arrow is the main ability you’ll apply to your targets. As this does some good damage over time. It also dose increased damage depending on whether or not the target is moving, making it another way of adding nice pressure to classes that have to keep moving. After that you’ll mostly be spamming your Bow Shot to keep whittling them down.

If you’re engaging targets in groups, Volley will let you hit your target, as well as any enemy allies around the target (about 5-6 meters around). But that’s just damage. The real fun is in the tricks.

The Pathfinder has an ability called Camouflage. While using this skill, your are pretty much in stealth so long as you don’t move. If you use this ability again however, you can replace your position with your target, be it ally or enemy. This can be advantageous by saving a fellow teammate who’s in danger, or by bringing an opponent closer to your allies to be ravaged.

If that wasn’t enough, the Pathfinder is able to immobilize targets with Pin Foot, keeping them where they are for a few seconds. Time it right with Blinding Arrow, a skill that blinds your target for a few seconds, and you can have opponents dazed and confused for quite a long time. But be careful, assassins are able to see outlines while blinded.

The pathfinder is also given two traps. Caltrops is a trap that when triggered, slows all opponents within its small radius. Along with Explosive Trap which knocks opponent down when they set off the trap. Though don’t take the term “trap” literally, these are more for up close engagements when you need to gain the distance between your opponent, or you just need to further immobilize them. If you’re crafty enough, you could even lead them into pre-placed traps.

Pyromancer

The pyromancer is one of 3 ranges classes and mainly focuses on dealing constant damage over time. While the pyromancer may not deal burst damage, they make it up by applying constant Damage over Time spells (DoT). So unlike the Pathfinder, who can be more “in your face” even if hes ranged, the Pyromancer benefits more by being high and dry. The higher you are up, the better of a position you are in against the opposing team, as all your abilities can be casted from across the map.

While you’re trying to figure good perches to roost from, always apply a healthy dose of Engulf on as many enemies as you can. Engulf is a DoT spell that burns enemies for about 5 seconds, so keeping a constant supply is a pretty good thing. Also, if you apply any DoT to an assassin, you can lock them out of stealth, since taking damage will reveal them.

Curse of Flame is the other DoT spell that does significantly more damage, the only quirk is that it does less damage if more allies are around the afflicted target. You can combo this up really well with an assassin who uses shadow shift, as then the afflicted target takes full damage from the curse.

Another fun spell, is Molten Armor. If you find yourself getting swarmed, popping this spell will damage any opponent who hits you. Unfortunately, the spell does not give you any armor, but it can give your enemies more unnecessary damage (on their part).

Additionally, the Pyromancer has a few spells to keep himself safe should be be aggressed. Molten Bola or “bullet” as I’ve heard it called, knocks an opponent away and immobilizes them for a short period. If this spell is aimed and timed right, you can send opponents flying across the map and well out of the fight.

If that isn’t enough, Flame Burst is your rocket boots of glory. Not only does it send you flying into the air, but it also knocks back any opponents who are right up on you. Remember when I said its smart for be up high and dry? This spell can achieve heights that can get you on top of some pretty tall pillars.

For our last two spells, they are more for zoning opponents, then doing any significant damage. Wall of Flame creates a… well, wall of flame. For anyone who stands or passes through it, it will deal a fair bit of damage. If you can place it right, you can split up teams or push them into corners pretty effectively. Or if you need defense, a flame wall can taunt a team from coming at you, as your allies don’t get hurt if they stand in it.

Finally, we have Fire Storm this is a AoE spell that rains fire down a small area on the target and tracks them, anyone who is inside the storm (even if the little balls don’t hit you) will take damage. A very good spell to use if you have opponents trapped in a corner, or in tight corridor spaces.

Shaman

This is by far the most important class in the game. In public play, not a lot of people pick this class up, but if your team has one, and a good one, you can clear house pretty well. Shamans need to stick with the team, and ensure they are getting their heals. Personally, I tend to focus an ally until they are 50% or above. But the basic principle of a shaman, is to ensure your team stays alive. But don’t forget about your own well being.

Like the assassin, Shamans have a buff that benefits the team if you can keep up high stacks. The buff is called Spiritual Fervor and it gives allies additional bonus damage (4% per tick) as well as boosts the shaman’s healing on that target.

The spell which is used most is your basic LMB ability Spiritual Balance which damages targets, or heals allies over time (as well as restoring energy). Otherwise you will be using Heal which directly heals an ally for 100 points, or 200 with max(5) Fervor.

Blessed Beacon is a healing ability that heals all allies around the shaman, this however does not heal the shaman directly. Instead, the shaman uses Seed of Healing which initially heals the shaman, and applies a healing over time.

To help the shaman survive, he has the ability Spiritual Burden, which frees the shaman of all immobilization and slowing effects, slows all opponents around him, as well as increasing his jump height.

Shamans are also able to siphon energy from afflicted targets with Spiritual Drain. So long as the target is close to the shaman and within his line of sight, the target will transfer energy to the shaman.

Lastly, the shaman boasts a Dome of Protection. All allies, including the shaman, within the dome do not take damage, it is instead applied to the dome itself. The more damage the dome takes, the faster it will break. Good for emergency healing, or overall protecting your team from getting overwhelmed.

Warden

Wardens are the powerhouse of all the classes, not in terms of damage, but in terms of taking damage. Wardens are great at mitigating damage as well as giving allies protection buffs. An aggressive warden can be a scary one, as they can handle more damage than any other classes. But they are not invincible, if you overextend (this applies to any class) you can find yourself without support.

Wardens are initializers, by that I mean they start the fights for their team and get the game rolling. After the fight has started, the warden either keeps up aggression, or begins to support his allies by utilizing his buffs. Wardens can also play defensively by working to peel off undesirables.

The first thing you do as a warden, is stack as much Vengeance as you can. Vengeance increases the damage done by the warden, and any enemies around when the ability is used, also gives back energy.

As an initializer, you need to close the gap and get into the fight as soon as possible. To accomplish that, the warden has Charging Leap. This ability flings the warden to the target, knocks them down, and slows them. If you charge a friend, then they are freed from a pin or stun.

Wardens are also able to stun opponents with Shockwave. Any enemies caught in the wave are stunned and take a bit of damage. Using this after a charge can give satisfactory results.

To be a warden, is to be with the team. The warden has 2 abilities that buff allies around the warden. Raise Morale increases the speed and damage of all nearby allies. Protect Allies increases health and protection of all nearby allies. So if you have a warden on your team, its best to stick by him.

Shield Storm is an entertaining skill that makes the warden become a spinning train of death, damaging and knocking enemies back in a 360 degree of the warden.

Lastly, Stand Ground is an effective spell that locks the warden down. The warden takes significantly less damage, and any opponent who strikes the warden will have their skill locked out for a duration.

Ravager

Ravager is a barbaric class, wielding blade and chain with great success. This melee-to-short-range class is known for running face first into danger, but of course not without a few tricks up his sleeve.

The first big mechanic of the ravager is his weapon swap. His blade though precious is only short range, it does allow him to block enemy attacks. When switching to his chain however, his range is slightly increased but stops him from blocking incoming attacks.Changing to chain as the weapon of choice also slightly changes damage and the maximal amount of targets of certain spells.

Smashing and slashing, Ravager is best. Thus making good use of his first spell Mangle. With it, he tears apart enemies dealing extra damage depending on how much health the enemy is missing, dealing massive damage on low health players making it the best way to finish people off.

Though Ravagers fury is know by all classes, his lack of ranged damage is seen as its biggest weakness. Thus the Ravager developed advanced techniques using his devastating chain.

He called them… Hook and Grapple. Hook swings towards the enemy allowing him to pull the target into Ravager’s grasp, while the target is stunned by the sudden surprise. Whereas Grapplelatches on to the enemy and pulls the ravager towards the target allowing him to get into battle quickly.

Practicing his aim is important, as getting in and out fights quickly is important. Remember, Hook your target to you or Grapple your way to the target.Once the Ravager has gotten himself in a fight, it is his goal to keep the enemy close. Using his Shock spell, he deals some damage but also stuns the enemy.

Even when the fight gets hot, Ravager needs to keep his wits calm. Using Break Out he can knock back the enemy and get out of range.
This is a good combination with his Chain Slam skill which allows him to swing his chain in a medium radius around himself, dealing damage depending on how far away the enemy was when he got hit with it. Though enemies outside of the radius will be safe, so careful usage is suggested.

Wall Jumping

Wall jumping is a pretty important skill to develop. Not only does wall jumping get you to higher places, but it can also be used to gain momentum and propel yourself forward, with less energy consumption (I.E not sprinting)

I’m sure you’ve done a wall jump before, if you’ve done the tutorial, but to perfect the wall jump, one must become one with the–

yea, yea, bullshit. Anyways, when you’re going for a wall jump, its easy to fuck it up actually.

This is the pre-plan. You have a corridor where you can jump up the wall. Super Mario style. Or you can speed yourself up and get to the end of the corridor without sprinting (and thus wasting energy)

As the tutorial tells you, jump against a wall to perform a wall jump. You don’t necessarily need to hold A or D to perform the wall jump (but you do need to press it to get towards the wall) so long as you are next to the wall, you’ll perform the jump.

If you’re looking for speed, rather than height, hold W as you press off the wall and the jump will propel you forwards (you still gain a bit of height)

Once you kick off the wall, You need to shift your weight, or technically, move your character towards the opposite wall, and get ready to jump again. Once you hit the wall a second time, just repeat the process shifting your character in a rhythmic pattern, and you’ll be soaring. It does take a bit of pratice to get used to it, and even more so when you are jumping off of non flat surfaces, like pillars or statues.

Once you’ve got the hang of wall jumping, try using it in matches, and hopefully you’ll be able to retreat from opponents faster, or close the distance. You might even find good places to jump up onto and get that height advantage.

Blocking

Blocking is by far the most under used skill for new players. Either they forget about it, or they simply just do not know it exists.

Blocking is important, because you can block stuns. Yes, you can block stuns. Also, when you or your opponents blocks a skill, it still triggers the cooldown as if the spell hit. Essentially wasting the skill.

In this image, I have successfully blocked the shaman’s attack. In the red square, the game gives feedback that I have indeed blocked the ability. The yellow boxes (one next to the red, and one below) represent how much of my energy has been used up by blocking (a silver grey color that takes up my energy).

You cannot block indefinitely, if that silver block takes up all my energy, I cannot block anymore, and worse yet, I cannot perform any of my skills because of this fact. Blocking, effectively uses your energy.

So, You haft to read your opponents, and watch for any signs that may indicate your opponents is going to throw something at you, that you would want to block. It takes getting used to, to even remember you have to block, but once you get the hang of it, and you start to realize how good blocking is. You’ll end up using it too much. Which is another problem in itself.