We interview the experts and get never-before-seen screens of TERA's most terrifying class: The Berserker

Welcome to part two of our exclusive interview and never-before-seen screenshots of TERA's most terrifying class: The Berserker. In part two, Executive Producer of En Masse Entertainment, Brian Knox, and Berserker expert, Scott James Magner, tell us of the tremendous skill needed to play this damaging, tank-like class.

MisterBones: I'm trying to see the differences between the Berserker class and the Slayer Class. Because when I read the website it seemed like they were both very offensive. But which class is better for a player who just wants to play aggressively?

Scott James Magner: A Berserker and a Slayer (laughs).

Brian Knox: (laughs) If you're going to go typical archetypes for MMOs that you're used to, a Slayer is a lot more DPS and the Berserker is a lot more the tank-type class. While [the Berserker does] a lot of damage in that one hit, you also have a lot of protective skills too. You'll use that hilt to block the blows that are coming at you. So it's more the typical tank role, but it does a lot of that single damage as well.

The Slayer does a little bit more dancing because it has the entire blade to work with, where as the Berserker does a lot more thinking and positioning themselves, and making sure the rest of the group is positioned in a way to do damage as well. You want to get the enemy into certain positions right, because it's collision, so you don't want that enemy to get past you and get to the Sorcerer or get to the Archers that are behind you because it will tear them up really fast.

Scott: You want to be a target as a Berserker, but you also want to be targeting. And that's not a word we use a lot for this game. We talk about action and the way we play, but you are a destination for damage, just as you are an output of damage going the other direction.

MisterBones: What can you tell me about some of the special abilities that the Berserker has, like the "weapon block" and the "bash" ability?

Scott: Two of my favorites actually. The weapon block is a great skill for drawing damage to yourself and stopping it. You plant the weapon in front of you and, if damage is coming from the front of you, it just gets stopped, or a certain percentage of it gets stopped. And those attacks are hitting you and mainly dissipating while, on the side, your friends are pounding the heck out of that monster.

Now, you're not attacking during that period so you want to make sure you're wearing the right armor and you've got the right gems slotted in there to really soak up that damage. But as soon as you take your finger off the button your axe is ready to go and you can develop another attack.

The "bash" skill is one I particularly like because it knocks an opponent down, and once your opponent is down, the Berserker really can hammer him. The couple of overhand skills that put you up in the air and hit them… there is a skill called "smash" with a passive skill that goes along with it called "smash intensified" and it's an attack that jumps you up in the air toward a downed foe and does a lot more damage to them when they've been knocked down. Three or four of the Berserker's attacks will knock an opponent down and that helps not only you, but the rest of your party.

Brian: Yeah, keeping it contained and on the ground is a huge benefit because a lot of the classes have those abilities that do extra damage when an opponent is knocked down. The Slayer has an effect where they can stab [a monster] right through the heart with their sword when they're on the ground and it will do like five times the amount of damage. So it's really important for people to use their moves, coordinate within themselves and the party to keep the monster off their feet.

The Berserker's Weapon Block Ability in action.