Even though Highguard has only been out for just over a week, the negative comments keep flowing. However, there has been a cult following loving the game—myself included. Whether you like the game or not, CGMagazine has created a comprehensive guide to outline each Warden, with some of the lore and backstory that Wildlight Entertainment provided— along with some tips and tricks not to suck when you load into your first match. This guide includes the latest mode: 5v5 Raids. A great plan goes a long way before the raiding begins.
Wardens are classified into five groups:Â
- Assault – These Wardens have abilities that are aggressive, often making them best used by players who enjoy being on the frontlines.
- Defensive – These Wardens use protective abilities, making them great for holding locations or keeping their base safe.
- Destructive – These Wardens have powerful destructive potential, destroying structures and creating new pathways for their team.
- Recon – These Wardens make use of abilities that help their team track enemies and ensure they’re well-prepared for any onslaughts.
- Support – These Wardens are great at keeping their team alive and helping them maneuver around the map more quickly.
Highguard Wardens
Atticus
Backstory: Atticus descends from an ancient bloodline of lightning wielders going back over a thousand years. Rigorously trained in the arts of war from a very young age, Atticus became a battlefield prodigy and a famous war hero. But when Highguard suddenly returned, his ailing father, then on his deathbed, presented him with a strange heirloom key capable of opening a secret place on the continent.
He charged Atticus to seek out this place to prepare to combat an ancient evil that would soon return. Whether real or merely the fevered ramblings of a dying man, Atticus swore to safeguard the artifact and discover its true purpose. Now he journeys to Highguard as a Warden to fulfill the oath he made to his father and prepare to protect humanity from what’s coming—before it’s too late.
Playstyle: Atticus is an Assault Warden who wields lightning to control the battlefield and dish out plenty of damage.
Abilities:
- Tactical (Shockspear) (Q) – Throw a charged spear that shocks nearby enemies. Continuous damage charges his passive.
- Passive (Supercharged Axe) – Charged axe releases an electrical explosion that damages nearby resource nodes.
- Ultimate (Powerstorm) (4) – Rise into the air and rain lightning spears that do heavy damage to players and structures.
Condor
Backstory: Whether something’s lost—or trying not to be found—there’s no person better suited to track it down than Condor. Her vast knowledge, keen senses, and insatiable thirst for adventure make her one of the most sought-after treasure hunters in Headwall.
Highguard’s anomalous return has brought with it countless mysteries just waiting to be uncovered, and there’s no one more equipped with the skills or the passion to crack the code than Condor. The lost land of legend has returned—and she’s going to explore all of it.
Playstyle: Condor is a Recon Warden who excels at tracking enemies.
Abilities:
- Tactical (Eyes in the Sky) (Q) – Send out her bird, which scans to detect enemies that move.
- Passive (Hunter’s Instinct) – Condor’s bird warns her when enemies are nearby.
- Ultimate (Soaring Guardian) (4) – Launch 3 smoke clouds that reveal enemies within its wake.
Kai
Backstory: Raised in a monastery of the frozen Wetlands mountains, Kai is a unique ice wielder who controls and embraces the power of a Frost Beast demon that lives inside him. As the young man focuses his abilities on protecting others and defensive strategies, his ice demon, Rime, unleashes frigid, destructive havoc on anything in his path.
For as long as they can remember, the souls of both Kai and Rime had been forged as one. When the lost land of Highguard returned, so did a glimpse of their past and the hope of answers as to what brought these two together – whether it be the magic of dark or light is yet to be determined.
Playstyle: Kai is a Defensive Warden who uses the power of ice to hold back enemies by any means necessary.
Abilities:
- Tactical (Ice Wall) (Q) – Create an ice wall.
- Passive (Frozen Repair) – Restore broken walls with ice.
- Ultimate (Frost Giant) (4) – Transform into Kai’s inner ice demon, Rime.
Mara
Backstory: Witch. Demon. Darkfiend. The mysterious conjurer Mara has been called many things, and the legends surrounding her are legion. But in one detail, all the stories agree: she possesses power over life and death itself. Now with Highguard’s return, Mara has mysteriously volunteered to become a Warden for The Iron Vigil.
Her ultimate designs in the Lost Land remain a mystery, as do the origins of the strange shadow magic she wields. But behind her eternal beauty and imposing facade lies a deep reservoir of emotion, wisdom, and loneliness, though few will ever get close enough—or live long enough—to see it.
Playstyle: Mara is a Support Warden who helps her team with overshields and spawn point advantages.
Abilities:
- Tactical (Soul Armour) (Q) – Grants allies an overshield that absorbs damage.
- Passive (Sacrifice) – Sacrifice downed enemy players to charge your tactical.
- Ultimate (Immortal Core) (4) – Create a spawn point for your team.
Redmane
Backstory: Redmane hails from the High Steppes, a great plain teeming with wildlife and unbroken sky. He possesses a special connection with animals, capable of absorbing various animals’ aspects into his own physiology. He is a master of beasts, a patchwork of dozens of animal predators.
His savagery, strength, and primal instincts make him one of the most sought-after Wardens in Highguard. But what brought him to the lost land was not adventure nor coin. After uncovering a web of conspiracy and lies, this barbaric enforcer has set off to the lost land to clear the name of his departed partner and challenge those who try to stop him.
Playstyle: Redmane is a Destruction Warden who uses his brute strength to break structures and deal damage.
Abilities:
- Tactical (Pounce) (Q) – Smash through breakable walls. Hold to charge a powerful leap.
- Passive (Enraged) – Gains a movement and reload speed buff after killing enemies.
- Ultimate (Beast’s Roar) (4) – Roar to destroy walls and other breakable objects in front of you. It also damages enemies.
Scarlet
Backstory: Once a princess from the desert kingdom of Essence, Scarlet left her throne behind to become a warden for The Iron Vigil. She wields the Shifting Sands from the ancient homeland of her people to enhance her agility, stealth, and aim. Known far and wide for her admirable fight for those who can’t fight for themselves, Scarlet became a Warden of the people.
She takes only the jobs or missions that serve to protect those in need. In short, she is loved, praised, and celebrated, which made her choice to leave the Realm and embark to Highguard in search of her lost mentor a heartbreaking, but necessary one.
Playstyle: Scarlet is an Assault Warden who uses stealth and rapid-fire attacks to take on her enemies.
Abilities:
- Tactical (Sandstorm) (Q) – Enter stealth mode, making yourself hidden to enemies that are far away.
- Passive (Shifting Sands) – Shift a destructible wall into sand, temporarily making it passable.
- Ultimate (Whirling Blades) (4) – Throw up to 6 deadly daggers. Killing a player with a dagger resets your cooldown.
Slade
Backstory: Slade’s life on the streets taught him how to make a living any way he could. Fiery powers and a strong right hook have made him an infamous demolition man, a decorated street fighter, and a friend of crime lords and pirate captains the world over. And now, in between unsanctioned bouts and smuggling runs, he’s joined up as a warden to make some extra coin.
Playstyle: Slade is an Assault Warden who uses fire to deal damage to enemies.
Abilities:
- Tactical (Heatwave) (Q) – Sends out a cascading wave of molten fire.
- Passive (Firebomb) – Explodes and spreads magma to an area.
- Ultimate (Firestorm) (4) – Rains down fire upon the targeted area.
Una
Backstory: A powerful spirit binder of the Wildwood, Una possesses a special connection to life, death, memory, and the spirit world. She has defied the laws of her people, leaving the boundaries of her dying forest home—so that she may find a way to save it.
Una has traded her true face for one of permanent exile. Her service as a warden allows her to freely explore Highguard, where she searches for an old magic to save her homeland, even though she herself can never return to see it healed.
Playstyle: Una is a Defensive Warden who summons spirits to deal damage and disrupt the enemy team.
Abilities:
- Tactical (Forest Wisps) (Q) – Summon mischievous spirits who lob concussion grenades at enemies.
- Passive (Helping Hand) – Spirits appear to give Una loot.
- Ultimate (Tree Walker) (4) – Summon a large forest spirit that throws smaller explosive spirits at enemies.
The main thing with Highugard’s Wardens is to try them all and see which ones fit your play style. What is easy to grasp for one person may not be as simple for another. Personally, Atticus and Slade have a small difficulty ceiling for someone who loves setting up or chasing down kills at first. The other Wardens require a bit more movement or mechanical prowess to finesse. Ultimately, read up on each Warden’s Passive abilities because they can be useful for either attacking, defending, or utility purposes.Â
Highguard Gameloop
After deciding on a Warden to play, understanding Highguard’s basic gameplay loop is the next important task. This is probably the simplest explanation of the gameplay in a nutshell:
- Pre-Phase 1: You can change your starting weapon loadout and reinforce walls and specific entryways of your team’s base
- Phase 1: Two minutes of looting like in a Battle Royale game
- Phase 2: One to three minutes of Capture the Flag, trying to run the Shieldbreaker (the sword thing that randomly spawns below where the storm in the sky appears) to the enemy base
- Phase 3: A few minutes of defending or attacking by planting a bomb
- Repeat all 3 phases if necessary until the enemy base is destroyed
Highguard Tips & Tricks
One of the first tips to know, which was shared with me from the devs as well, is that you do not need to use all five of the reinforcements you are given at the start of the match. They can also be used situationally if you get raided later. Also, sometimes breaking your base’s walls is a good thing to make a faster path to sites from your team’s spawn spots; this can also be done situationally in your first few matches when you are learning the base layouts.
Highguard just introduced an experimental 5v5 mode, following criticism that the game missed the mark with the smaller 3v3 format. While the game does borrow from a lot of shooters and styles, the likes of Halo, Apex Legends, and more, its raiding aspect is its core. Whether it is 3v3 or 5v5, the raiding phase is just as important as the looting phase. In the looting phase, gauge whether the other team is being more aggressive for the Shieldbreaker or if they are focusing on looting as well.
Remember: a good plan goes a long way. The key things to look for are the current level (or sometimes higher) armour, helmet, saddle, and weapons. In the first round raid, all lootable equipment is either grey or blue. In the next round of raiding (if both sides’ bases are still standing), lootable purple equipment will be available, and lastly, gold/orange equipment (if the raiding reaches a third round).
Knowing when to take a fight is important, but this can come naturally to those who have played FPS and MOBA games. If you have experience taking on 1v1 fights, go for it. But always try to make it a numbers advantage by fighting with at least one person as a backup to guarantee winning the matchups. Like most Battle Royale tactics, holding an area with higher terrain is always smart, especially if you are a crack shot with a sniper. Take advantage of using the Ranger, which has little to no drop compared to other games like Call of Duty: Warzone or Apex Legends.
While raiding the other team, breaking down walls and keeping certain walls up are all beneficial. Breaking walls in paths to either of the three bomb sites is beneficial when teammates respawn at the Siege Tower. Keeping walls where the enemy base respawns can benefit your team attacking because they either have to open doors or wrap around buildings to get to the bomb sites.
At the end of the day, it will take some trial-and-error to see what works for you in Highguard. Being adaptable to different situations is key, and understanding your Warden’s versatility will give you a leg up against opponents. Get out there and put these tips into practice!
