Every legend has to begin somewhere, and for the heroes in Tribes of Midgard, it starts with the class selection. Each role plays a special part in defending the Seed of Yggdrasil from the Jötunn and the monsters climbing their way out of Helheim. In an effort to create further depth in this Viking sandbox, developer Norsfell has intertwined their classes with the classic RPG archetypes and the Norse gods of legend while still managing to create some unique roles for players. In Tribes of Midgard, a strong tribe will know how to benefit from each class and use that diversity to reach their own goals.
On top of each class having unique abilities and playstyles, the player will have the added benefit of being able to apply Runes that change their abilities and give buffs to different skills. In this way, the player is getting to change the class to their specificities. It's Norsfell's hope that the player will try out each class until they land on the one that most fits their playstyle, and then they will enhance that class with Runes that take advantage of that even further. That being said, the player won't immediately be able to access all the classes at once and will have to do increasingly heroic feats to prove themselves worthy.
The Warrior
As one of the first two unlocked classes, the Warrior is a great survivalist that specializes in unrelenting melee and overpowering spells that can be used over and over again. This role's first unlockable Blessing allows for the player to attack twice every other melee attack, doing double the damage with that hit. Unlike some warrior classes in typical RPGs, the Warrior in Tribes of Midgard is specially trained in magic as well, with an extra mana slot to allow for the added spell uses. It also makes a great class for working alone, as the player is able to self-revive when they reach that Blessing.
The Norse god of war and Warrior's mentor, Týr, is destined to be eaten by Garmr during Ragnarok, giving this class in Tribes of Midgard that much more stake in preventing that time from coming. Like Týr, the player will have to use their agility and positional advantage to take down their enemies.
The Ranger
As the bow master class, the Ranger is equipped for a barrage of ranged attacks before backing away with their advanced speed and firing again. They also possess the unique Blessing that allows them to get a wider view of the surrounding area thanks to their understanding of the ravens. The Ranger's training in ranged attacks has provided them with abilities to get the most use out of each arrow, with some being salvageable after firing and others piercing multiple enemies in a single shot.
As adepts of Ullr, the god of sport and archery, they are trained to shoot true and move swiftly through the land of Midgard. If the player can live up to the legend of this lesser-known deity, then they will become a feared being among the Jötunn themselves.
The Sentinel
Every team needs a tank to soak up the damage, and in Tribes of Midgard, that's where the Sentinel comes in. These heroes are trained with a shield and prioritize defending their allies while also getting in a few measured attacks of their own with the Shield Ring. As experts in shield combat, the Sentinel can parry incoming attacks for an opportunity to stun the enemy and, paired with another Blessing, allows for the enemy to take more damage while they're in that state.
The goddess Syn guards the door of Sessrumnir, so it makes sense that her adepts would be sent to defend the Seed against the incoming giants and Helheim monsters.
The Seer
If there's one thing the Seer understands, it's the nature and balance of the world around them. As a healer and spellcaster, this role is trained to root enemies in place while they heal themselves and their teammates around them using the seedling from Yggdrasil. As a strong support character, the Seer can revive their teammates without being interrupted by incoming enemy attacks. This role is so in tune with nature, that at a certain point they no longer have to worry about the high and low temperatures of the world, opening them up to whole new freedom of exploration that would take the classes much longer to reach.
Being trained under the goddess Idunn, the Seer is uniquely suited to provide rejuvenation to their tribe. Idunn provides the fruit that keeps the Norse gods young and healthy, and so her pupils know the value of nature's healing properties.
The Berserker
The Berserkers are the embodiment of a raging bear, creating explosive havoc on the battlefield and destroying all those that step to them. In the middle of battle, once the Berserker's Wrath meter has been filled, they can activate an ability that creates an explosion that deals massive damage to the enemies around them. As truly dominating warriors, they also have the ability to strike fear into their enemies, causing the monsters to be stunned and quickly become prey for the tribe.
Thrudr is the daughter of Thor and Sif and has inspired many chieftains, so it follows that those who trained under her would lead the charge into battle in Midgard.
The Hunter
The Hunter is a trickster class, prioritizing deception and cunning. This class has the ability to create a totem that allows them to reappear at that location when they die, and this gives the opportunity to explore much further because the player knows that when they die they'll spawn back at that totem. This role also lets the player create a decoy that draws enemies in and creates the perfect opportunity to lay a trap, especially with the other classes to help.
As the adepts of the half Jötunn/half goddess Skadi, these players have a knack for letting their darker ways get the better of them. It was Skadi who placed the venomous snake to drip over Loki's head for all eternity, after all.
The Guardian
As the other tank class, the Guardian is no stranger to taking damage if it means that the pressure is taken off their friends, the harbinger of justice that they are. They have the ability to taunt and draw in the enemy, building up the Guardian's Pain gauge. When the tank player has blocked enough damage, they can release an icy blast that damages an area of enemies.
That sense of justice comes from the training under the god Forseti, who represents a sense of justice as the god whose name means literally that. Some say that he has the ability to settle all arguments before him, and so does the Guardian, albeit with very different methods.
The Warden
Every building needs a foundation and every tribe will need a Warden to truly thrive in Midgard. As the logistician for any group they're in, the Warden has unique abilities in that they are able to use fewer materials to craft with and they have an ability to teleport to the village and back. The Warden is extra prepared for each journey with an extra slot for a Rune that isn't available to other players. This gives them a unique opportunity in that they can teleport back to the village, craft a few potions at less cost, and then teleport back and deliver them to the other fighters. Having this class as a part of the tribe will raise the session to new heights, literally, with the ability to create special ramps and ground.
Hermodr is a god that is used to long journeys, having undertaken one to attempt to rescue his brother Baldur from Hel. It follows that those trained under him would also be able to take those long journeys in the hopes of saving, or just benefiting, their allies.
When Norsfell was creating these classes, it initially started out with four but quickly felt like that wasn't enough to properly give players the freedom of playstyle that they sought. Players now have hundreds of combinations between the classes, Blessings, and Runes available in the first season alone. While Norsfell is happy with the collection of classes they have so far, Tribes of Midgard will be a live-service game and will bring more content for the months and years to come. No one can be sure what kind of surprises Norsfell and Tribes of Midgard have in store.
Tribes of Midgard will be available July 27, 2021, for PC, PlayStation 4, and PlayStation 5.