TERA is around the corner, and with it, everyone’s first (or second, in the case of closed beta players) foray into the realms of Arborea. But this MMO is unlike any other you’ve ever experienced, so we’re equipping you with some tips and tricks to ensure that your trip to this magical realm is a fruitful one.

10. The minimum PC specs are a lie.

While your average day in TERA might involve grinding and questing like any other game, the Closed Beta Test (CBT) has a couple thousand models in the area of a studio apartment in some zones. This is greatly amplified if you’re trying PvP.  So if you value your frame rate, make sure your computer can handle this and then some!

9. Pick the right class for the job.

Some things aren’t readily what they seem&mdash.Warriors are not the primary tank in TERA, for instance, contrary to about every other damn MMO ever released.  Spearmen (Lancers) are not the primary DPS, contrary to every other MMO.  Make sure you’re picking a class whose role you are comfortable with.

8. Map your mouse!

Note that unlike other MMOs, your primary skills will by default be set to your mouse buttons. Combat is much more frantic in TERA. Make sure you’re comfortable with your skills and how they're mapped to your controls, especially those used on the fly. Taking the time to create a workable setup early on will save you lots of headaches down the road.

7. Tab targeting is a thing of the past.

Aim is everything in TERA, and keeping your target between your sights is how you'll roll.  Rather than mashing your cooldowns in a correct order to maximize your DPS, you need to ensure your targets (often moving) aren’t evading you. So practice good aim early on and hone your skills. Targets are going to get harder to hit as you advance in levels.

6. Less training, more gathering.

You can begin collecting trade materials from the start in TERA.  You don’t have to wait until level 10, a capital, or any of that crap. Take advantage of the opportunity to collect materials and receive buffs right away, and get a good head start on your income with the spoils if you don’t plan on using them yourself.

5.  A rested experience is actually very important!

I’m not talking about double xp from resting at an inn or being logged off; I’m talking about actual fatigue. Being well rested in TERA bestows bonuses, and being fatigued cripples your overall durability and stamina. Campfires, the means by which you rest while you're out in the field, are very important—don’t leave home without one! They're available from vendors, and you'll learn about them through a brief tutorial quest on the newbie Isle of Dawn.

4. Chain your skills however you like.

Ever get tired of mashing your abilities in a straight line down your keyboard...and then mashing some more while you hold CTRL/ALT down? You can make any skill trigger a follow up skill in TERA. This makes spell combos and follow-up skills infinitely easier to pull off, and will save your hands much needed time and effort. Just go to the Skills page and set it up!

Make sure you enjoy the colorful characters you meet along the way!

3. You don’t need 5 players to do group content.

Quests in TERA are not built around having a full group in order to kill any boss. Two or three skilled players can tackle anything in PvE. Only special superboss encounters will require a full team to defeat, so don’t be afraid to make a friend in order to speed through the early group content!

2. The gear of other classes is still useful!

Everyone in TERA has the innate ability to disenchant, to put things in WoW-terms. For those of you who have been living under a MMO-rock all these years, you can destroy gear and collect raw materials from them for use in creating gear you can use, or perhaps sell for more than the old materials were worth.

1. Be reactive in combat

Things can go to hell very quickly in TERA. Additional enemies, skills not chaining properly, the list could go on forever.  While there’s a laundry list of things you can do to make your life easier as this tip list points out, sometimes the enemy won’t be knocked down by a skill, and then you don’t want to immediately chain to your big knocked down hit.  TERA is not a game of mashing your attacks, a rarity in this world, so savor it!


To read the latest guides, news, and features you can visit our TERA: Rising Game Page.

Last Updated: Mar 13, 2016

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