Berserker class overview by Zam

Zam sits down with executive producer Brian Knox and story consultant and class expert Scott James and talk about the Berserker class.  Enjoy

http://www.zam.com/story.html?story=22473&storypage=1

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MisterBones: When I was looking at the website, I saw the four different melee classes, and I would like to know what you felt made the Berserker class stand out from those other classes.



Scott James Magner: Well, I'll tell you flat out, I don't think the Berserker is the best of the classes. I think that it's the most fun for me to play.



MisterBones: Ah, ok.



Scott: Right. All the classes have their own advantages, and I've played every single class and every single character combination there is in the game so far, over the last five or six months.



And I really just keep coming back to the Berserker. It was the first one I found; I liked the concept of the big axe, but also, it really epitomizes the way our combat works in TERA.



It's a class that has to keep moving all the time, but it also has to be very mindful of where the attacks are going to land, because you're not swinging a giant sword like the Slayer is, you're swinging a three-foot blade that's five to eight feet away from you. And where that blade goes is where your damage goes, so you want to make sure there's a monster on the other end of it when you finish your attack.



MisterBones: So you're saying that the only damaging area on the axe is the blade?



Scott: It is. It just moves really fast. A lot of the Berserker's attack patterns move that blade as fast as it can around the Berserker, and a lot of times you'll be moving just so that there will be a monster at the end of it. But I've stood right on top of a monster and not been able to hit him, but hit the guy behind him.



It's really interesting, especially when you're fighting a much larger monster, because you have to get a lot closer than a lot of other character have to, to really do your maximum damage. But you're doing the most damage of any character class in the game.



MisterBones: I see.



Scott: Yeah, that monster may have a longer attack range than you. So hit your attack, move, hit your attack again. Your attacks take a little bit longer, so you've got to make sure you're positioned right. If you're in a group, you work really well with somebody who's doing a lot of damage over here on the side, while you're getting a really big attack in over here.



Brian Knox: It kind of goes back to collision, right? You know, some games have done collision, some games haven't and for the most part it's never been a factor in the game as it is in TERA. This collision has different areas of the weapon doing different damage and the way you're positioned with your enemy, you know, you can't just run through the enemy and turn around and swipe him. You would have to actually physically run around the enemy.



It adds a layer of strategy to it and, also, just more realism in terms of the action that's involved. Where you swing is where you hit. And, you know, that goes so far as the blade of the axe verses the hilt of the axe.



MisterBones: Wow, so an enemy could be too close to you and you wouldn't be able to hit him because you'd be hitting him with the hilt of the axe.



Brian: Exactly.



Scott: And it's not just the Berserker too, some of the spell casting classes have that same problem. Or that same "challenge," because we don't have problems around here.



MisterBones: (Laughs) That's good. You know, actually, I was going to ask you about the challenge of playing the Berserker class as opposed to playing the other melee classes, or playing the ranged classes. Is it easier to play as a melee class than a ranged class?



Scott: I wouldn't say that it is. I'd say that there are different challenges for both. I've taken Archers all the way through the game, I've taken Warriors all the way through the game and I've taken Berserkers through the game.



I don't know if you were paying attention to our Facebook pictures that Evan was posting, but he was posting the leaderboard of us playing here in the office. And my Berserker character was the one gaining all the levels. And then I stopped gaining levels, because I came up against monsters that I couldn't fight on my own. Or I couldn't fight them fast, on my own. It just took a while to get through those things.



With an Archer, those monsters were really easy. Because I was always moving, I was always on the periphery of that monster's attack range and my damage over time was more than his ability to catch me.



Brian: There are just so many more factors than just looking at a monster and seeing its level. You know, what are their attacks, what are they doing, what is their size compared to your size? You're going to really have to explore the world and find the monsters that are right for the type of hunting that you're going to be doing. I mean, sure, monsters may be more difficult for parties but at the same time there just may be things that are better suited for your class and your play style.



And not everyone is going to play this class the same way too. There's a lot of differentiation in play styles. One Warrior is very different than another Warrior, just based off of the human action of it all.



MisterBones: And you said in the beginning that the Berserker may not be the best class, but it's the most fun to play. Something about always having to move around. Why is that?



Scott: It's the most fun class to play, for me. Because it's about positioning and it shows off my skill as a player.



Brian: It's a very patient class, though, too right? [When we talk about] moving around [we mean] you have to position yourself. I don't think of moving around like you're all dodgy-twisty. It's more like you got to be in the right spot when you swing that axe or you're going to get a lot of dirt on that axe.



MisterBones: Ah, I see, but the axe does the most damage.



Scott: It is the most damaging weapon in the game.



Check back this weekend for part two of ZAM's exclusive look at TERA's Berserker Class!

Go to the link provided above for the screens