Anthem: Which Javelin Should You Play?

Ah, yes: that classic moment in games when you have to make that first important decision for your character, affecting how you’re going to play the game from there. Decisions can be stressful if you’re not sure which way to go — we’ve all had that existential crisis choosing between two flavors of ice cream (what, you haven’t? No, you have, everyone has. Me having a personal crisis over ice cream is normal, okay?).

In Bioware’s Anthem, the first important choice you have to make is which Javelin you will choose to play as. Don’t worry — you’ll be able to suit up and play as all the Javelins by the time you reach the end of the game. But once you choose your first one, you’re going to be locked into it for a fair bit of time as you progress, so you’ll want to make the choice that’s right for you from the start. While all the Javelins can be customized to a degree, there are some key differences to them that you’ll want to know before gearing up. Let’s take a look at the four Javelin classes that you will choose from in GameTruth’s Anthem Javelin class guide.

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The Ranger

A wide range of powers — Don’t know where to jump in? The Ranger might be for you. Featuring abilities that have something for everyone, this class lets you try various types of play styles that are found in other Javelins, making it Anthem‘s jack-of-all-trades choice. It is among the suits with the highest agility, coming in second only behind the Interceptor (which we’ll get to next). It also has considerable strength in offensive and defensive areas. Its diverse play style comes from its special abilities, including double-jumping, healing capabilities, and mid-air barrel rolls, making it a slippery and dynamic class. The Ranger is perhaps the best Javelin for players new to the game and want to get a taste of what all the classes have to offer without having to commit each of them.

Ranger Abilities:

Ultimate Ability: Micro-Missiles

Assault your enemies with a wave of several lock-on homing missiles that will pursue and damage their targets.

Melee Ability: Shock Mace

Get up close and personal and shock your enemies with the Ranger’s signature electric baton.

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The Interceptor

Catch me if you can — The Interceptor Javelin zooms around the battlefield, striking enemies within melee range, then dashing away in true hit-and-run style, specializing in speed and offense. This Javelin’s equippable abilities include three different Systems: the Strike System (inflicting high-level damage), the Assault System (for a more standard attack), and the Support System (which provides a bit of additional help to allies). Its special abilities include chain dashing, barrel rolls, and taking acrobatics a step higher — literally — than the Ranger, the Interceptor has an amazing triple jump! With those as just a few of the abilities in the Interceptor’s tool kit, this is the fastest Javelin around and it packs a punch. You’ll not want to get caught as the Interceptor, but it’s definitely the most slippery class and can leave your enemies in a daze.

Interceptor Abilities:

Assault System: Venom Bomb

A corrosive attack causing enemies to be hit with a burst of toxic acid, resulting in immense damage.

Support System: Targeting Beacon

Help your allies out by making their attacks cause extra damage to an enemy that you select.

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The Storm

Yer a wizard, Stormy — Conjuring energy from the Anthem itself, the Storm uses this power through its signature Seal techniques. If you’re a fan of the classic elemental mage class found in other games and wanting that type of gameplay experience, Anthem‘s answer for you is the Storm. This Javelin has a large focus on energy-based offense, the tradeoff being that it can take less hits in battle. The Storm’s special abilities offer a variety of wizardry, some of which including: a kinesis shield for fending off physical attacks, teleportation powers allowing it to warp around the battlefield, and hovers for the longest duration of time out of any class, truly making it the unofficial “mage Javelin” of the bunch. The Seals are the Storm’s trademark equipment, and include: Blast Seals that inflict explosive damage, Focus Seals for targeting enemies (similar to the Interceptor’s Targeting Beacon), and Support Seals for aiding their allies. This class demands the experience of a more advanced player to play effectively, but will reward players who want to invest in its arcane mechanics.

Storm Abilities:

Ultimate Ability: Elemental Storm

Harnessing the raw energy from the Anthem, the Storm unleashes nature’s wrath as devastating elemental energy falls down upon enemies.

Focus Seal: Frost Shards

Ice over your enemies with an assault of frozen shards, inducing a freezing effect on whatever they strike.

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4. The Colossus

Heavy metal — closing out the list is the Colossus. The heaviest armor, the slowest agility, and the highest damage — this is the juggernaut of Anthem‘s classes, and the only Javelin in the game that can wield heavy weapons, making it a brutal physical force on the battlefield. It has access to equipping up to two slots of assault gear and one slot for support. The Colossus has a bunch of wild offensive abilities, including a flamethrowers, assault mortars, lightning coils, and more. This Javelin also has a double-jump (despite its heaviness), ground damage to enemies upon landing, and an aerial and ground shield. Break through enemy lines, crush those who stand in your way, tear through all things with relentless fury. This is the path of the Colossus, and for players who want to get in there and swing with a might worthy of the Anthem itself.

Colossus Abilities

Heavy Assault Gear: Flame Thrower

Blaze the battlefield with a scorching stream of fire, burning your enemies to the bone.

Ordinance Launcher: High-Explosive Mortar

A highly explosive projectile missile that does significant damage to any opponents that are inside its blast radius. Heavy damage from a projectile missile, exploding onto any enemies within its blast range.

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Anthem has a wide variety of gameplay in its four classes for you to choose from. Which Javelin will you try? Think about what you enjoy when playing a game, or what you maybe want to experiment with, and use the information in this guide to help you suit up and load out.