It’s one thing to fight a dragon in intense scenes from action RPGs and another thing entirely to have them accompany players in combat. The best of both worlds meet in Century: Age of Ashes, where players take on the role of dragonriders as they ride a dragon to victory in heated aerial combat.
Aside from being able to customize their personal dragon, players of Century: Age of Ashes also choose a particular Class, deciding their approach in combat. Players and their dragons to the skies can focus on defensive measures, tracking enemies, stealthy maneuvers, and even rushing against opponents. However, for newcomers to the game, just which Class works the best for them?
4 Phantom: Stealth Is Wealth
Proclaimed as inheritors of the original dragoneers, the Phantom rides their sleek dragons and dominates the skies through sheer cunning. Relying on their mobility and stealth, the Phantom can swoop in unannounced and secure the kill, only to return to the shadows before enemies could even get close to the Phantom’s position. Players interested in donning the mantle of the Phantom would want to look into the following:
- The Phantom is comparably a DPS, with a focus on ganking, similar to the Assassin of For Honor. They rely on stealth and ambushing the foes to catch them off-guard and eliminate them extremely fast.
- Thanks to their kit, the Phantom has limited-time invisibility that enables them to jump the gun on the enemy team. They may even prepare traps that opponents can activate, effectively damaging them for getting closer.
Hidden Through The Nightsnagger
Reputable for their lithe and sleek builds, the Nightsnagger serves as the ever-mysterious and ever-agile companions of the Phantom. Befitting the Phantom’s reliance on stealth is the Nightsnagger’s extensive wingspan and flight capabilities, reaching further heights and speeds compared to their brethren, albeit at the cost of durability, which players of cooperative games like For Honor also need to pay attention to.
- Guard Shatterer (Passive): This Passive deals 35-percent more damage to Shields, essentially incentivizing an aggressive combat approach.
- Mystic Shroud (Power): When activated, this ability shrouds the Phantom in a mist. Under this Power, the Phantom disables all locked-on fireballs as well as the ability of others to lock onto the Phantom beyond a particular range. This ability also prepares a stronger Fireball that removes invisibility when cast.
- Mortal Shroud (Rage): When activated, this fully restores the Health and Stamina of the Phantom. Not only that but both the Phantom and its dragon become immune and cannot be targeted for the duration.
- Mine (Ability 1): This ability allows the Phantom to fire a projectile that sticks to the terrain. It then creates a cloud that masks its presence. When opponents approach this cloud, the mine detonates and damages all enemies within its radius.
- Blast (Ability 2): This projectile can be detonated in mid-air to cause light damage to all enemies caught in the radius. Not only that, but this also pushes them back. Hitting a wall when pushed back will deal additional damage. Phantoms can also use this to clear Smoke Trails nearby.
3 Windguard: Safety From Behind
Trained to accompany dragons in their mission to protect their homeland, the Windguard remains at the forefront of the Skeld army. Compared to other warriors, the Windguards focus on protecting their comrades at all costs, even sacrificing offense in the process. Players who choose to be Windguards are the expected healer of teams, and here are things expected of them throughout the process:
- The Windguard is primarily a Support type, dedicated to protecting herself and her teammates before ever engaging in combat, similar to the Vanguard of For Honor. Their healing capabilities allow them to ensure the survival of the rest of the team in crucial situations.
- Thanks to her toolkit, the Windguard is best utilized as a provider of shields to provide defense for the team or a trail that blinds opponents and deters their assault.
Protection Through The Ironwing
Joining the Windguard in their quest is the Ironwing, known for their gentler and more agile nature among the dragons in the game’s world. Boasting a bulky build with a prominence of small scales, the Ironwing focuses more on defense and protection than other dragonfolk. This complements well with the Windguard’s training on healing and safety, with the bodies of Ironwings capable of dealing with the stress of having to take on damage or get to the side of their comrades extremely quickly. Players who use the Windguard need to pay attention to the team’s safety, or it may cost them the match, similar to titles like Ghost of Tsushima.
- Skeldian Resolve (Passive): This Passive will reduce the duration of debuffs and effects of shockwave Blasts that target the Windguard.
- Salvation Surge (Power): When activated, Salvation Surge will have the Windguard dash towards a target ally. The dragon even automatically adjusts the route towards the target to make the process easier but gets interrupted when breaking the line of sight or with a collision.
- Exaltation Surge (Rage): When triggered, this ability restores the Health and Stamina of the Windguard. Not only that, but the target ally will become Berserk for the duration and enhances their Fireballs. This also grants both the Windguard and their ally some Shields.
- Smoke Trail (Ability 1): When the Windguard activates Smoke Trail, she and her dragon leave behind poisonous smoke that becomes cover. This essentially breaks the line of sight between dragons in the poison cover. Enemies inside will take light to medium damage.
- Blast (Ability 2): This multi-purpose skill will release an arching projectile that explodes with a concussive blast after detonation. Opponents hit will be pushed back and will take damage when hitting a wall. The ability may also clear Smoke Trails in its immediate radius.
2 Stormraiser: Lightning Is The Cleanser
Serving as both the guardians and spiritual guides of the Valkurian Range, the Stormraisers have been endowed with the strength of entire mountains and lightning itself to preserve their traditions. Capable of summoning the power of the skies itself, Stormraisers and their dragons wreak havoc against threats to their homeland without as much as a blink. Players who plan on using Stormraisers are expected to take on a more aggressive, multi-targeted role. Here are some things expected of them:
- The Stormraiser acts as an environmental DPS, focusing primarily on simultaneously dealing damage to various foes, much like the Hybrid of For Honor. This ensures they do as much damage as possible without worrying about precision.
- With the Stormraiser’s toolkit, they can release multiple attacks that connect to other nearby enemies. This puts enemies who love grouping together at a disadvantage, as the Stormraiser gets a boost in offensive capabilities with this approach.
Stability Through The Stonesnout
Trusted companions of the Stormrasier, the Stonesnout are extremely bulky and burly, with bodies fitting the cold climates of the mountains. Despite their rather slow nature, the Stonesnout compensates for their keen durability. They make the perfect partners of the Stormraiser, who need their dragon partner’s defensive capabilities to complement their approach in offense.
- Valkurian Protection (Passive): This allows the Stormraiser to raise a protective shield that destroys projectiles targeting them through lightning strikes.
- Chain Lightning (Power): When activated, the Stormraiser throws their axe towards an opponent. If hit, the axe releases lightning bolts that also hit other enemies within a particular range.
- Lightning Storm (Rage): When triggered, the Stormraiser will unleash lightning around him that hits all enemies that try to approach them. This is a great deterrent for enemies who want to get up close and personal, similar to certain moves in other games like Ghost of Tsushima.
- Blinding Wave (Ability): After charging for a short while, the Stormraiser releases a lightning blast towards the direction they are facing. Not only does this damage enemies, but it also blind those hit.
- Frost Bolts (Ability 2): When used, the Stormraiser releases three slow-moving projectiles, each guided towards a target. If they hit an enemy, each projectile causes high Shield damage. Not only that, but getting hit by another Frost Bolt projectile will cause a more severe slowing effect and damage.
1 Marauder: Balance Is King
Unbound to any kingdom, the Marauders have made it their specialization to hunt down any prey presented to them. Thanks to the vicious nature of their mounts and their training, the Marauder can track and engage their prey in a relentless hunt that will inevitably end in their demise. Players interested in using the Marauder in combat are expected to be extremely aggressive, breaking through enemy lines using their abilities. Here’s what players should do as the Marauder:
- The Marauder serves as an aggressive Tank, more than capable of breaking down the opponent’s defenses through sheer force of will, similar to the Heavy Class of For Honor. Their tracking capabilities allow them to eliminate the enemy’s strongest asset to secure victory.
- When used properly, the Marauder’s toolkit can allow them to chase down enemy foes and break through their own attacks.
Hunting Through The Bloodchaser
Serving as the ever-reliable mount of the Marauder, the Bloodchaser is a vicious predator even amongst dragons. Its body is designed to boast its brute strength, multiple spikes, and extremely sharp claws - perfect for pinning down enemies they catch. These qualities complement well with their pilots, as Marauders have been trained to use the natural predatory instincts of their dragons to hunt down their prey extremely efficiently.
- Relentless Predator (Passive): Whenever the Marauder eliminates or assists in an elimination, they get a full recharge of both their Ability and Power. This incentivizes the Marauder’s relentless pursuit to keep refreshing their kit.
- Hunter’s Mark (Power): The signature ability of the Marauder, Hunter’s Mark will fire a projectile with added tracking abilities to a target. This cannot be removed by any means except for terrain interruption. Foes hit by the Hunter’s Mark will leave their trail, but the Marauder can’t lock on to anyone else but the target. They also get unlimited Fireballs with an increased rate of fire but less damage.
- Hunter’s Fury (Rage): When activated, this fully restores the Health and Stamina of the Marauder. Its duration is extended for every elimination, including NPCs. Also, Hunter’s Fury triggers Hunter’s Mark to all enemies.
- Frost Bolts (Ability 1): This fires three guided projectiles in succession, wherein each hit causes massive Shield damage. Also, Frost Bolts will drastically slow down the target and their flight speed and turn radius. Each successive hit will also increase the severity of these debuffs.
- Gust (Ability 2): This defensive skill will remove all Fireballs with the Marauder as the target. Each Fireball destroyed will regenerate Stamina for the Marauder. This lifesteal ability is similar to what other Classes have in Ghost of Tsushima Legends.
Century: Age of Ashes is available on the PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.