Outriders classes: Our best class recommendations and all Outriders class skills listed

Outriders classes and the 'choose your path' choice in brief

In Outriders, you begin with a tutorial-based prologue showing humans arriving on the planet Enoch to begin colonisation efforts, which quickly goes terribly wrong. It's here that you also become Altered and acquire new superhuman abilities.

It's only after the prologue is over, however, that you personally decide what powers you have actually gained, and this is divided into four different classes.

Each has their own unique playstyle, made of different unlockable class skills and a class tree with additional passive skills. The four classes available in Outriders are:

• Technomancer: Long range, support, uses gadgets
• Pyromancer: Medium range, conjurer, uses fire
• Trickster: Close range, hit and run, manipulates spacetime
• Devastator: Close range, tank, allows you to stand your ground

Outriders class choice explained: Can you change classes in Outriders?

It's important to note that once you've made your choice your character will remain this class for the entire game - so if you're not happy, you'll have to create another character.

Fortunately, you're able to create multiple characters on your account (six in total). If you do change your mind, you have the option to skip the prologue so you can get straight into the action.

Additionally, there is a stash where items can be shared between classes, offering a degree of progress to be shared between them.

Outriders - Classes and Powers

Regardless of class, you'll still have access to the same variety of weapons, from sniper rifles to submachine guns to shotguns. Though some classes will boost these weapons in different ways (the Technomancer can see long-range weapon damage increase by 15%, for example) each one has plenty of freedom to customise their skills that support your playstyle.

For instance, class skills can offer buffs, deal class-specific damage or inflict status effects on enemies. Although you can unlock a total of eight skills, you can only equip up to three at any time (activated by pressing the left or right shoulder buttons, or both at the same time) which can be customised in the Skills tab in the menu.

You'll also earn class points that can be spent on your class tree, which will develop your class with passive skills.

Class trees are split into three branches made up of small and large nodes, granting bonuses to your character's attributes or greater percentage-based bonuses affecting other skills respectively. While each branch is unique for each class, they're essentially grouped into weapon damage, survival, or Anomaly power.

With so many nodes to upgrade, it's actually not possible to fill out all the trees by the time you reach your character's max level, so you are encouraged to tailor the class tree to your playstyle.

The good news is that you are able to reset your class tree and redistribute class points at any point and at no additional cost.

Outriders best class recommendations for solo play and co-op explained

While there is no such thing as a best class - and each class has been designed so that it's possible to complete the game solo - there are definite advantages one has over the other, though it's also partly down to your playstyle and experience.

Also, be aware that co-op is limited to just three players, so it's not possible to have a fully balanced team of all four classes.

Here's our best class recommendations based on your playstyle and preferences:

• For solo: We believe that Trickster is the best character for solo playing as they have some of the most fun agile skills for getting in close range and really honing in on the game's brand of aggressive combat, as well as interrupting and slowing down enemies to make a quick getaway. Not only do kills heal you, but you're also granted a portion of shield. Solo play feels best when you're able to get in close, which is why the Devastator class is also a great choice.
• For co-op: Each class can greatly contribute in a team. The Trickster's time bubble can shield team mates by slowing down enemies and bullets, while the Devastator acts as a tank to aggro enemies. But the Pyromancer and Technomancer both feel best to have in co-op, where the former can mark enemies making them more susceptible to damage while the latter was made for support, being the only class that can heal other team members. Their long range buffs will also appeal to players who prefer to hang back carefully aiming their sights.

The Technomancer may not be as appealing for solo play, but if you intend to play co-op, it's really worth having a character available. We'd recommend always having a Technomancer in a team while the other two balance out with different classes.

In other words, you'd ideally want your three-person teams to consist of a Technomancer, Pyromancer and Devastator, or Technomancer, Trickster and Devastator.

If you're still not sure what to go with, read on for a more detailed breakdown of each class and their skills.

Technomancer skills and playstyle in Outriders explained

The Technomancer is a support class that excels in long-range who can heal teammates as well as themselves. Using the powers of the Anomaly, they're able to use items to interrupt and inflict damage on enemies while picking off enemies from afar.

Outriders: The Technomancer [PEGI]

Class traits that come with Technomancer include increased long-range weapon damage by 15%, increased skill leech by 15% and increased weapon leech by 15%. Their innate leeching abilities allow them to heal from just damaging enemies, which also heals teammates.

The Technomancer class skills that can be unlocked are:

• Scrapnel: Throw a proximity device. The explosion deals damage and interrupts the skills of enemies caught within the blast radius (unlocked at Level 1)
• Cryo Turret: Place an automated turret that deals damage and inflicts Freeze onto enemies. The turret's health depletes slowly over time and when it takes damage (unlocked at Level 3)
• Pain Launcher: Place a missile launcher and bomb the area in front of you. Each missile deals damage per hit and interrupts enemy skills (unlocked at Level 4)
• Blighted Rounds: Fill your current weapon's magazine with decay-infused bullets that inflict Toxic onto enemies. Enemies within a small radius of the main target also receive Toxic and 50% of the damage. The skill lasts until you reload or switch weapons (unlocked at Level 6)
• Tool Of Destruction: Conjure a Rocket Launcher that can interrupt enemies or a Minigun that deals damage per shot. The skill will remain active until all ammo is depleted or until you switch weapons (unlocked at Level 9)
• Fixing Wave: Release your energy to restore 33% of Health to all players and 50% of Health to your turrets regardless of distance (unlocked at Level 13)
• Cold Snap: Drop a gadget to inflict Freeze onto all enemies within a large radius around you (unlocked at Level 17) Blighted Turret: Place an automated turret that deals damage and inflicts Toxic onto enemies. The turret's health depletes slowly over time and when it takes damage (unlocked at Level 22)

As the Technomancer is a support class, they're not the most ideal class for solo players especially if you can't use your skills to heal teammates, while their emphasis on long range feels counter to the aggressive combat encouraged in the game.

Nonetheless, their skills make can really complement their firepower, whether it's freezing enemies into place or weakening them with Toxic. Once you unlock Fixing Wave, it's going to be an essential skill to have equipped when you need to burst out an emergency heal for the whole team.

Then, consider having at least one skill that can inflict status effects like Cryo Turret while being able to interrupt enemies with Pain Launcher.

Pyromancer skills and playstyle in Outriders explained

The Pyromancer is a mid-range class that uses fire to deal damage and inflict status effects, healing themselves while their enemies burn to a crisp.

Outriders: The Pyromancer [PEGI]

Class traits include additional 10% Anomaly power while marking enemies with skills will damage them for 15 seconds. Killing a marked target heals the Pyromancer by 24% of their maximum health.

The Pyromancer class skills that can be unlocked are:

• Heatwave: Type: Summon a fiery wave that deals damage and inflicts Burn to all enemies in its path (unlocked at Level 1)
• Feed the Flames: Pull an enemy toward you, dealing damage, draining Health, and inflicting Ash (unlocked at Level 3)
• Thermal Bomb: Select an enemy to Burn, interrupt and deal damage to. If killed while still afflicted by the skill, the enemy will explode, dealing damage in a large radius (unlocked at Level 4)
• Overheat: Deals a little damage to all enemies in a large radius and interrupts their skills. Enemies afflicted with Burn receive additional damage and the Burn will be consumed (unlocked at Level 6)
• Volcanic Rounds: Fill your current weapon's magazine with Anomaly-infused bullets that will inflict Burn within a small radius and pierce targets, damaging enemies behind them. The skill lasts until you reload or switch weapons (unlocked at Level 9)
• Ash Blast: Create an Anomaly blast to inflict Ash on all enemies in a large radius around you (unlocked at Level 13)
• F.A.S.E.R Beam: Fire an energy beam that deals damage that benefits from 125% of Status Power, inflicting Burn and causing Interrupt (unlocked at Level 17)
• Eruption: Create a volcanic eruption beneath the selected enemy, dealing damage to them, and all enemies within a small radius around the target (unlocked at Level 22)

Pyromancer is sort of like the caster of the group, given the extra Anomaly power, although it does involve having to line up your abilities while juggling the rest of the battlefield.

They're also not the most ideal class to solo so consider having them work their magic in co-op when you can get support from a Technomancer or a Devastator to aggro your enemies.

Trickster skills and playstyle in Outriders explained

The closest to an assassin class that excels in close range while being agile, the Trickster can require more skill to use but is ultimately one of the most fun, using hit-and-run tactics to deliver killing blows up close before slowing your enemies down while you escape.

Outriders: The Trickster [PEGI]

Class traits include an additional 5% maximum health, an active shield that mitigates damage by 5% while every close-range kill heals 20% of your maximum health and grants 12% shield.

The Trickster class skills that can be unlocked are:

• Temporal Blade: Paralyze and slice enemies in front of you, dealing damage and inflicting Slow and Interrupt to all targets (unlocked at Level 1)
• Slow Trap: Create a spacetime Anomaly that inflicts Slow onto enemies and projectiles for 10 seconds (unlocked at Level 3)
• Hunt the Prey: Select an enemy and teleport behind them and receive a shield bonus (unlocked at Level 4)
• Twisted Rounds: Fill your weapon's magazine with Anomaly-infused bullets that deal significantly more damage to enemies. The skill lasts until you reload or switch weapons (unlocked at Level 6)
• Cyclone Slice: Create a whirlwind of Anomaly blades that deal damage and interrupt onto enemies within a small radius of you with every hit. The skill lasts for 5 seconds (Unlocked at Level 9)
• Borrowed Time: Receive a shield and mark your location for 28 seconds. Triggering the skill again will bend spacetime and teleport you back to the marked spot (unlocked Level 13)
• Venator's Knife: Throw a temporal knife at an enemy. The blade will ricochet between a maximum of 5 enemies within a small radius, dealing damage and marking them. All marked targets will be inflicted with Slow and for 10 seconds the first damage dealt by you will be doubled (unlocked at Level 17)
• Time Rift: Create a shockwave that suspends enemies in the air leaving them unable to fight for 3.5 seconds and inflicts Weakness (unlocked at Level 22)

Slow Trap is an essential skill for slowing down enemies for you and your teammates to pick off, or otherwise slow down incoming bullets while you move to another vantage point.

Hunt the Prey is also great for just warping straight behind enemy lines to take out an enemy from behind although swapping it out for Borrowed Time might be better later on if you prefer having an escape route in advance when things get hairy.

However, with the Trickster's shield and ability to heal from close-range kills, the risk of throwing yourself into the thick of the action can be hugely rewarding when you get enough kills to recover any health lost.

Devastator skills and playstyle in Outriders explained

The tank of the game, the Devastator takes point, covering for teammates as it absorbs incoming fire and perfect for anyone just looking to get stuck in up close and personal for maximum damage.

Outriders: The Devastator

Class traits include an additional 15% maximum health and increased armour by 30% while every close-range kill heals them by 24% of their maximum health - all the more reason to get in close and go to town.

The Devastator class skills that can be unlocked are:

• Earthquake: Release a shockwave to deal damage and Interrupt all enemies in front of you (unlocked at Level 1)
• Golem: Fortify yourself against 65% of incoming damage for 8 seconds (unlocked at Level 3)
• Gravity Leap: Leap into the air and strike your targets from above, dealing damage and interrupting enemies within a small radius of the area you land in (unlocked at Level 4)
• Reflect Bullets: Create a barrier that captures all enemy projectiles and accumulates damage. After 10 seconds of triggering the skill, the accumulated damage is reflected back to enemies in front of you. The barrier also protects against melee attacks by reflecting some damage back (unlocked at Level 6)
• Impale: Select a target to interrupt their skills, inflict Bleed, and deal damage. If the damage is lethal, the enemy will be impaled, creating a zone that grants a powerful bonus to armour and health regeneration to all allies in range for 9 seconds (unlocked at Level 9)
• Tremor: Create a series of explosions around you, each dealing damage and draining Health from enemies within a medium radius around you (unlocked at Level 13)
• Boulderdash: Charge forward to interrupt all enemies in your path and deal damage. At the end of the charge, you will smash the ground and deal damage to all enemies in a small radius around you (unlocked at Level 17)
• Endless Mass: Encase a target in stone, inflicting Bleed and pulling enemies within a small radius towards the initial target. The stone will then explode, dealing damage to all enemies within a small radius around the target (unlocked at Level 22)

The Devastator will already have ample health and armour to withstand enemy damage but skills like Golem and Reflect Bullets will make them feel even more unstoppable.

That might make them slower if you're trying to rush the enemy, but that's where Gravity Leap comes in handy for leaping into the air then picking a target to strike from above.

Use the class tree to tailor their skills to be as aggressive and defensive as you prefer, but if there's a group of enemies in your way, they should be able to charge right in without a problem.