Ten Ton Hammer - Taking MMO Gamers to the Next Level!

I spent the majority of my play time last week making preparations to captain my own starship, but my character(s) resembled tribbles more than they did a Vulcan or a wise ass from Iowa. While the AAA space faring title known as Star Trek Online may be getting all the headlines this week, I couldn’t pull myself away from my Gibberlings long enough to give it much of a trial run. And while I am sure that the final frontier that STO players are voyaging off into this week is compelling, I can't see giving up what precious little beta time there is left in Allods Online to give it more than a cursory session. 

Normally I try not to play too much during a beta, but few games have been as fun so far as Allods Online has, and that's why it retains this week’s number one spot. Continuing in the Allods theme, this week’s feature will be the second part of our class preview, featuring the cloth wearing classes of the game.

The top ten list didn't see too much movement this week, but expect DDO to make a push back towards the top next week with update #3 set to go live on February 3rd 

Allods Online Class Preview - Part 2

A couple weeks ago, before we resurrected a recouring free-to-play column, we brought you a the first in a series of class previews for Allods Online where we focused on Melee damage and tanking classes. So without further ado lets take a look at the next segment of Allods archetypes -  ranged DPS.

Ranged DPS, the pure DPS classes at least, are split into two archetypes - The Mage and the Psionicist, while not considered a hybrid class, both have some utility in addition to being able to dish out the pain.

Mage

The Mage archetype is similar in role and play style to many of the more popular of today’s fantasy-based MMOGs--deal maximum damage and stay at maximum range. The Allods mage can pick up some interesting utility abilities via quest which allow them to become invisible, resurrect allies, and teleport their parties out of combat (similar to the Call of the Heroes spell that made EverQuest mages so useful.)

Name	Race	Description
Sorcerer	Arisen	As a race the Arisen are far more skilled in summoning magics than they are in the controlling of elements, however through diligent instruction that natural ability has given the Sorcerer formidable powers. This persistence has paid off in the form of in the intermittent ability to channel their power into an astral blast dealing extra damage to their foes.
Archmage	Elf	The most skilled of the races in the use of magic, the Elves begin their magical training at a very young age.  With magic being a core part of their lives its easy to see why the Elven Mage is the most formidable of the races with the ability to increase their Intelligence by 30% through the use of their special ability.
Magician	Kanian	Magicians of Kanian heritage are viewed with a measure of awe amongst their people. Kanian Mages have to make in tenacity for what they lack in natural magical aptitude. The Kanian mage is rewarded with a racial ability that allows to ignore interruptions when casting periodically.

While all Mage classes will play very similarly, the Elf  tends to get the most benefit from their racial abilty and tends to be the most popular race for the archetype.

Psionicist

One of the most intriguing archetypes in the game, the Psionicists are among most technically demanding classes to play. One part DPS, two parts crowd control and a hundred parts annoying to their opponents, Psionicists use powers of mental control to defeat their opponents.

Name	Race	Description
Mentalist	Xadaganian	Another group shrouded in mystery and feared by their opponents are the Mentalists. Using their formidable power to bend others to their will,  the Mentalist uses a foes own powers against them. The Xadaganian practitioner of the mental arts is able to temporarily become immune to any melee damage.
Occultist	Arisen	One of the most powerful weapons in the Arisen arsenal, the Occultist is another true mind control expert. The Occultist is particularly effective against other mental casters with the ability to clear their mind, freeing it of enemy spells and effects.
Seer	Gibberlings	Religious beliefs have turned the Gibberlings mental powers from a mere dalliance to a true art form. Recognized as the true masters of  mental magic, the Seer can sometimes predict their enemies actions, allowing them to dodge melee attacks with surprising accuracy.

Both "caster" archetypes offer an interesting role to play in Allods Online, for those who enjoy the complexity of keeping their enemies incapacitated or the thrill of nuking them into oblivion.

Stay tuned for the next installment of the series where we will focus on the healer class and the game’s remaining hybrids.