Five beginners tips for Highguard to help you be a better Warden

Highguard hasn’t been out long, and plenty of players have already been sharing their impressions on the PVP free-to-play raid shooter. Available on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series S/X, and PC since January 26, you play as ‘Wardens’, gunslingers who require players to capture and protect a Shieldbreaker, an item that kicks off its raid mechanic.

Despite its mixed reception, we’ve found Highguard to be a fun game in its initial release, with plenty of depth and lots of great matches. With it being cross-platform, it’s very easy to play with friends who own another console or a PC. If you’re wondering where to start, we’ve laid out five ways to get into Highguard.

The Escapist recaps

• Highguard is an online PVP raid shooter, developed by Wildlight Entertainment, available on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series S/X, and PC.
• Players can fight, raid, and ride across a sprawling map as Wardens, gunslingers who are fighting for the game’s continent.
• Since its January 26 release, Highguard has had varying reviews, with some praising the gameplay but others criticising its depth.
• Wildlight Entertainment has already promised a huge update that will allegedly quash plenty of bugs and new content, like mounts, maps, and more, called Episode 2.

Highguard beginners tips

Start with Redmane

If you’re starting Highguard for the first time, a great starting point is using Redmane, one of the eight wardens. Known for his strength, Redmane’s role primarily relies on Destruction, meaning you can smash your way through the map, dealing plenty of damage to structures and anyone that gets in your way.

It also means that you can get to grips with the game and how you work with others in the 3V3 matches. When Redmane’s Ultimate is used, walls and other objects can be obliterated, ramping up the fun straight away.

After Redmane, try out the other wardens

Of course, a great way to get to grips with Highguard after choosing Redmane is playing as the rest of the eight wardens. From the support-based Mara to Condor and her Recon-based abilities, there’s plenty to choose from, which can give you a better idea as to how you want to play the 3V3 shooter.

There’s also the aspect of choosing the right weapons with the wardens. There are 10 to choose from, such as Assault Rifles, Shotguns, SMGs, and melee weapons, all with their respective names in Highguard. They all give beginners a good idea as to what suits them best, so ensure to give all of them a try as much as you can.

Try experimenting with multiple weapons and their unique rarity types, to find something that slots into your playstyle. We’d recommend grabbing one weapon for close-range, and something for mid-to-long range, since raids can get chaotic in close quarters but maps have long sightlines, too.

Pick your base carefully

Highguard will recommend a base for your team at the start of a match, but depending on your team, you may have a strategic  preference.

Your base will be yours to defend if the enemy gets too close with the Shieldbreaker, so try to pick something that has choke points that work to your advantage. For example, if you have Kai, you can use his ice wall and ability to repair broken walls, letting you work to funnel foes into a killing field.

Gather Vesper instead of fighting

Granted, avoiding combat in the first few matches goes against what Highguard is about. However, collecting vesper, the game’s currency, can help improve your team’s weapon access, armor strength, and more.

Vesper can be found in chests across the four maps, as well as simply lying around. They can be earned by defeating enemies, too, but we recommend this as a last resort. By following this method, you’ll understand how to save and spend Vesper to improve your weapons and armour, which could turn the tide for you and your team in a match.

Timing your hammer hits on Vesper crystals can give your next swing a boost, letting you break them more quickly. You’ll also be able to spend your Vesper at merchants around the map, so don’t worry if you’re too far from base to upgrade.

Decide on your crucial Raid Tool

There are three Raid Tools in Highguard, which are special weapons that can be used for a limited time. This includes a Rocket Launcher, a Sledgehammer, and a Zipline Gun. Every player has different tastes, but when starting out, we recommend the Rocket Launcher.

Not only can it wreck walls, but it can dish out splash damage to enemies caught near the blast, too.

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