How to play Berserker? For Honor Berserker Guide
This chapter contains detailed description of the Berserker. You will find here information about his strengths and weaknesses, full moveset and combat tips.
Last update: 17 February 2017
Berserker is the essence of Viking warriors. This character class is focused on overwhelming the enemy with great number of attacks without giving him a chance to rest until he drops to the ground. This warrior is equipped with a pair of one-handed axes and he focuses on short distance combat, without letting the enemy to move for one step.
Class description - good and bad sides
Berserker is an assassin class. His fighting style is almost entirely focused on offense at the cost of defense. Infinite Chain ability is of key importance for this class - it enables the Berserker to overwhelm the opponent with a storm of attacks. By combining light and strong attacks you can create infinite combinations of attacks, without letting the enemy rest. The only condition is to start the combination with one attack type and keep constantly changing the slash type (light -> strong -> light -> strong etc.) after each hit.
Infinite Chain is well paired with another ability of this class - Uninterruptible Chain. After hitting the enemy with the fourth attack during a single combo, your character will start glowing with white light. From that point your attacks from the infinite series will be impossible to stop - they can be parried or avoided, but that would be all. Blocking them will enable the opponent to avoid receiving damage, but it won't stop the combination and you will still be able to keep on attacking. What's more, receiving damage in the middle of the combination won't stop it as well.
Strong attacks, especially the attack from behind the head, are worth attention as well. The attack from behind the head, which can be performed separately as a single hit or which can be the finisher of a series of attacks, deals MASSIVE damage (in most cases it takes half of the health bar), but it is very slow and easy to parry. Luckily, Berserker can cancel this attack (Feint) and start another series of infinite slashes.
The greatest disadvantage of Berserker is his short reach - he must stick very close to the enemy in order to attack him. Because of that, enemies that are effective on long distance (like Nobushi and Kensai) are a nightmare for this class. Berserker won't be effective against enemies with shields as well - Conqueror will easily stop your series of attacks and Warlord will parry the attacks and perform a counterattack.
Modifiers, abilities, and class attacks
As it was mentioned, this class is 100% focused on offense. It storms the enemy with attacks, without giving him a chance to rest. If needed, Berserker can perform a feint and start his series of attacks anew.
Class modifiers
Berserker class has the following modifiers:
- Renown - allows the player to gather more renown for 1 on 1 duels, killing enemy heroes and killing streaks.
- Defense: Reflex - defense of a character in any stance remains active only for a few seconds.
- Deflect - enables the player to deflect an attack by dashing towards the opponent attack just before the attack hits. Guard Break is performed automatically after a successful deflection.
- Infinite Uninterruptible Chain Attack - after performing four or more attacks during a single series, your attacks become unstoppable. Additionally, the attacks will cost less stamina.
- Infinite Chain Finisher - a strong attack from behind the head (high stance) performed during a combination will always finish the infinite chain. It also deals additional damage.
- Cancel Attacks - enables the Berserker to cancel his light attacks (a type of feint) with a dash in order to start a completely new attack type.
Feats
Berserker has access to 12 feats divided into 4 tiers (3 per each). You can use only 4 of them simultaneously - one per each tier. Below you can find a table with all feats described.
Tier | Contents |
1 | Stun Trap - ability to set a trap which stuns the enemies. Available since start. Bounty Hunter - a passive ability. Regenerates health points and stamina after killing enemy character. Requires level 5. Rush - activate it in order to temporarily increase movement speed. Requires level 7. |
2 | Doom Banner - nearby enemies have reduced defense and damage they deal. Available since start. Revenge Attacks - a passive ability. Attacks charge Revenge bar. Requires level 9. Bear Trap - a trap which deals damage and stops enemies. Requires level 11. |
3 | Sharpen Blade - all attacks deal small damage across a time period. Available since start. Fury - slightly increases movement speed and provides great boost to attack and defense. Requires level 13. Throwing Axe - allows the player to throw an axe at the enemy and deal medium damage. Requires level 15. |
4 | Berserker - greatly increases speed, defense and damage dealt. Available since start. Fear Itself - the enemies that are nearby have reduced resistance and defense. Requires level 17. Fire Flask - enables the player to throw a grenade that burns the area and enemies near the drop point. Requires level 19. |
Special attacks
Berserker has access to very limited number of special attacks. However, since he can combine then into chains, it is enough to play him effectively and to have fun as him. The below table contains information about all special attacks available for this character.
Name | How to perform | Description |
Dance of the Paired Blades | Strong attack, light attack or light attack, strong attack This combination of attacks can be continued endlessly as long as you switch between the attack types - one light attack, one strong attack etc. | The base and the key chain of attacks of this class. It can be started with a light or a strong attack and each next attack must be different than the preceding one. The attacks can be performed infinitely, as long as your character has stamina. The combination ends when you perform a strong attack from behind the head. |
Bear Mauler | Strong attack, strong attack, strong attack. | The second attack combination of this class. This one deals great damage. Hitting the opponent with all three attacks is basically impossible, but in such case you would be able to take away more than half of enemy health bar. Some classes, like Peacekeeper or Nobushi, can be "zeroed" (reduction of their whole health bar) with a full chain of these attacks. |
Slipping Lunge | Performing a strong attack during sprint. Attack unavailable in Lock Mode. | An attack that can be used only outside the Lock mode. It enables the player to perform a strong slash which is perfect for starting the battle. |
Head Slicer | Forward dash and light attack. | An attack that enables the Berserker to jump towards the target and perform a quick attack. Perfect for reducing the distance from the opponent and then starting an infinite chain of attacks. |
Spin Chop | Side dash (to the left or to the right) and light attack. | Enables the Berserker to jump to the side and perform a very fast attack. Perfect for countering attacks that are unblockable or for avoiding the assault of enemies with shields (Conqueror, Warlord). |
Head Crusher | Forward dash and strong attack | Attack which enables Berserker to jump towards the target and perform a very effective strong attack. This attack takes great number of health points and it is very fast - you can frequently surprise your opponent with it. |
Zone Attack | Pressing light attack and strong attack buttons simultaneously | A strong attack that enables the player to hit all enemies around his character. During the attack the character is performing four slashes - the first and fourth one are possible to block and the second and third one are guaranteed to hit if the first one hits the target. |
Tips
A few tips that will help you when playing as this character:
- Remember that blindly throwing yourself at the enemy and trying to overwhelm him with a storm of attacks is the worst thing you can do. You must play aggressively, that's what this class is all about, but it doesn't mean you mustn't use your head.
- Use the special ability of your class, Infinite Uninterruptible Chain Attack. After performing four or more attacks in a single chain of attacks, your attacks will become impossible to stop. The enemies will be only able to parry or avoid your attacks - blocking will stop them from taking damage, but it won't stop your assault. Additionally, the attacks will also cost less stamina, enabling you to continue the chain for as long as you want.
- Use the ability to cancel a strong attack and start a new series. Harass the enemy with an infinite chain, start the animation of a strong attack which you will use to finish the chain, cancel it during the animation and perform further attacks, this time from a different side. Most of the enemies won't expect that and they will simply try to parry the strong attack, becoming vulnerable to other hits.
- Remember that Berserker, as almost all assassin classes, has a specific block. After taking any stance, the block will be active in it only for a few seconds - it is signaled with a changing color of the stance indicator. After that time the character will no longer automatically block attacks. To change that, you must switch the stance and then optionally return to the previous one.
- Remember that you can deflect enemy attack. By dashing towards the enemy attack just before being hit, you can deflect his attack. A Guard Break is performed automatically after the deflection. It is a typical defense-offense ability of assassins which compensates for the lack of their defense capabilities.
- Use the abilities related to forward and backward dashes. The former will enable you to perform a very quick light attack or slower strong attack that deals massive damage. Backward dashes will enable you to avoid enemy attack and perform a fast attack which can be then transformed into a series of attacks.
- Don't even try focusing on defense. The best defense for Berserker class is to focus on offensive most efficiently. Keep moving, charge on the enemies and don't let them catch their breath. However, remember to avoid rushing at enemy like an animal - a single combination of attacks is able to eliminate you from the game.
- Constantly control the state of your stamina. Berserker has large amount of stamina and his attacks don't deplete much of it, but an unwise playstyle will sooner or later deplete it, making the battle much easier for the opponent. When the stamina starts to deplete (it reaches more or less 1/4 of the bar), stop attacking for a few seconds and regenerate it.