Start your Arrakis adventure right.
In Dune: Awakening, you can choose from four distinct starting classes, with each boasting unique abilities suited for different gameplay experiences. Although the progression system is quite flexible, your starting class is liable for paving the way for the first 10 to 20 hours of your sand-infested adventure in Arrakis.
As such, it’s essential to choose a class that suits your playstyle and is fun to play early on. In this guide, we explain the best starting class in Dune: Awakening.
All Dune: Awakening classes
Before we go into the best starting class in Dune: Awakening, here’s a breakdown of each class:
- Swordmaster: Melee class specialized in using blades and long swords.
- Mentat: Long-ranged stealth class favoring recon and tactical combat.
- Bene Gesserit: Unique, hybrid class focused on manipulating enemy behavior with force power.
- Trooper: Tank class specialized in using heavy weapons and defending allies.
- Planetologist (not available at the start): Survival class focused on gathering resources.
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What is the best starting class in Dune: Awakening?
Swordmaster and Trooper are the best starting classes in Dune: Awakening as they are relatively straightforward to play and master. Unlike Mentat and Bene Gesserit, they don't demand a methodical approach to every enemy encounter. If you're used to playing shooter games, these should be your go-to choice as they would allow you to shoot first and think later.
Furthermore, both Swordmaster and Trooper are high DPS classes that work well in solo play. Like other massively multiplayer online games (MMOGs), navigating the first few hours of Dune: Awakening could be tricky without proper gear and equipment, especially with a long-ranged class like Mentat. Likewise, Bene Gesserit could be tough to get into if you are not used to manipulating environments, managing stats, keeping an eye out for buffs and debuffs, and so on.
Trooper also has the most fun starting ability of all classes. Shigawire Cable allows you to grapple or pull enemies toward you. It’s perfect for taking out distant enemies and could lead to some hilarious moments when executed right.
On the other hand, Swordmaster’s starting ability, Deflection, allows you to parry enemy attacks, which is immensely useful for surviving early-game encounters.
It’s worth adding that you can unlock skills from other classes, so you won't be locked out from trying Bene Gesserit’s Force ability or from performing stealth shenanigans with Mentat’s long-ranged maneuvers. It's just a matter of timing.
For more on Dune: Awakening, including details on how to get early access to the game, stick around on esports.gg.
