Raiderz Skill Hidden Abilities

Raiderz Skill Hidden Abilities by Anip

Updated - 1-26-2013

Now... I am trying to find out exactly how many of these "Hidden Abilities" are in Skills when you reach a certain Rank.

BTW, as we all should know by now, RaiderZ NA is using the old KR version, such as we only have 2 Ranks of Uplift, while KR have 3 Ranks, not all skill act the same between NA and KR currently.
Which is why I placed some skills with KR Version.
(placed unconfirmed skills as -require more confirmation-)

Also, this Thread's purpose to to allow players to see exactly what some skills do that's not mentioned or can't be seen until a certain Rank.
And most info comes from the community itself, so as we share, we all learn.

Currently WE only know of:

- - - - - BERSERKER - - - - -
Crush - Rank 3 - Unblockable Effect

Dodge Attack - Rank 2 - Identify Weakness Effect (increase Phy Crit and Mag Crit by 10% for 4 sec)

Dodge Attack - Rank 3 - useable during Block animation
(requires more confirmation)

Furious Dash - Rank 2 - Immobilization Effects & Reduce Damage Taken by 10%.
(checking to see if Immobilization Effect is (remove effect) or (can't be immobilized) during Dash animation)

- - - - - SORCERER - - - - -
Rapid Blast - Rank 3 - Required for Flame Impact Knock Down and Knock Back Effect
(require more confirmation - Rapid Blast 3 + Rapid Blast 3 deal Knock back Effect)

Flame Impact - Rank 3 - Knock down and Knock back Effect
(requires both Rapid Blast 3 & Flame Impact 3 for 100% Effects)
(RB3 + Flame Impact 1 have 15% chance of Knock down Effect)
(RB3 + Flame Impact 2 have 30% chance of Knock down Effect)
(Flame Impact 1 & 2 Knock down may only work on mobs lower level than you)

Flame Impact - Rank 2~3 - Gains 8 unit range per Rank up
(I1H wpn range = 100, 2H wpn range = 175)

Flame Orb - Rank 2~3 - Gains 1 target per Rank up
(IE: at Rank 1 you hit 3 target, at Rank 5 you hit 5 targets)

Ice Thorn - Rank 5 - Target incapable of using Dodge
Ice Barrier - Rank 5 - Target incapable of using Dodge
(requires more confirmation)
(needs testing to see if it requires a prerequisite skill like RB3 + FI^)

- - - - - CLERIC - - - - -
Heal - Rank 2~5 - Gains 1 person healed per Rank up & reduce Cooldown by 1 sec per Rank up
(IE: at Rank 5, it heals a total of 7 people)
(IE: Rank 1 - 5 sec CD, Rank 4 - 2 sec CD, Rank 5 - 1 sec CD)

Orb of Judgement - Rank 2~3 - Gains 1 extra Orb per Rank up
(IE: at Rank 3, you get 3 Orbs instead of just 1)

- - - - - DEFENDER - - - - -
Rush - Rank 2 - useable during Block animation
(requires more confirmation)

Rush - Rank 3 - Stun Effect
(requires more confirmation)


- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

None Written Abilities with just Rank 1 Skills (and most ranks afterwards)

- - - - - BERSERKER - - - - -
Crush - Rank 1 - Knock down Effect

Dodge Attack - Rank 1 - Flinch Effect

Buffalo Charge - Rank 1 - Knock down and Knock back Effect
(If all 3 attacks hit) (2H Mace have a wider range) (cannot be Flinch during animation)

Neutralize - Rank 1 - Flinch Effect

Berserk - Rank 1 - Flinch Effect on targets near you

Nocturne - Rank 1 - Knock down, Knock back, Unblockable and Undodgeable Effect
(cannot be Flinch during animation)

Upward Strike - Rank 1 - Flinch Effect

Bash - Rank 1 - Knock down, knock back, Unblockable and Undodgeable Effect

Armageddon Crush - Rank 1 - Flinch Effect
(Knock down Effect when chain from Dodge Attack)

Grievous Wounds - Rank 1~2 - when crit, deal 2~3% / 2~6% of dmg done every 2 sec, increase chance to deal physical crit on target by 3/5%, reduce target move speed by 10%
(Slow move speed is said to be broken currently)
(unable to really test if crit increases on target, can't see debuff description on target)

Grievous Wounds - Rank 1~2 - KR version - when crit, deal 10/14% of dmg done every 2 sec, increase chance to deal physical crit on target by 3/5%, reduce target move speed by 10%

Vanquish - Rank 1 - Knock down, Knock back, Unblockable and Undodgeable Effect

Tornado - Rank 1 - cannot be Flinch during animation

- - - - - SORCERER - - - - -
Fire Magic Effect - 3.5% Magic Attack increase per stack
(IE: 10.5% with 3 stack)

Ice Magic Effect - 3.5% Reduced Cast Time
(IE: 10.5% with 3 stack, 0.75 becomes 0.67)

Flame Arrow - Rank 1 - Deal 15~25% of Original Damage Done on Target every 2 sec for 4 sec
(IE: 500 dmg done on target deal 75~125 dmg every 2 sec, total Ticks = 3)
(seems it disregards Crit Damage and only counts what the damage would be if it didn't crit)
(requires more confirmation - trying to self test in HH on tiny spiders of same level)

Rapid Blast - Rank 1 - Flinch Effect

Flame Impact - Rank 1 - Flinch Effect

Flame Orb - Rank 1 - Unblockable Effect
(requires Rapid Blast Rank 3)

Flame Orb - Rank 1 - Knock down and Knock back Effect

Pillar of Fire - Rank 1 - Flinch Effect on Initial hit
(Will not Flinch Target if they're knock down - will do opposite effect instead, it makes target recover from knock down faster)

Burning Meteor - Rank 1 - Knock down and Unblockable Effect

Flame Tornado - Rank 1 - gives Dodge Effect on first explosion
(shown on other player's screen during PvP - teleportation effect - but it's actually a server lag issue)

Ice Arrow - Rank 1 - when hit a Sub-Zero affected target, deal additional 195% damage
(for better understanding, Cold Wave will not trigger this effect)

Cold Wave - Rank 1 - give a Cold Wave effect that act the same way as Frostbite Effect
(for better understanding, does not give Sub-Zero Effect)

- - - - - CLERIC - - - - -
Divine Punishment - Rank 1 - Flinch Effect

Hammer of Judgement - Rank 1 - Flinch and Unblockable Effect

Focus Strike - Rank 1 - Flinch Effect

Healing Strike - Rank 1 - Flinch Effect

Circle of Healing - Rank 1 - Increase Healing inside Circle by 15%

Circle of Punishment - Rank 1~5 - every 2 sec for 8 sec
R1 - 26% Magic Attack
R2 - 30% Magic Attack
R3 - 34% Magic Attack
R4 - 38% Magic Attack
R5 - 42% Magic Attack

Circle of Punishment - Rank 1 - Increase ALL Damage inside the Circle by 5%
(Whirlpool of Light when cast inside Circle deal Double Hit Effect)
(not sure if Circle effect stacks - requires more confirmation)

Circle of Punishment - Rank 3 - KR version - reduce Defense of targets by 2.5%
Circle of Punishment - Rank 5 - KR version - reduce Defense of targets by 5%

Uplift - Rank 1~3 - KR version - 5/10/15% on magic attack to restore 10 Stamina, increase all dmg done by 10% for 8 sec
(Circle of Punishment's ALL Damage inside Circle increased while Uplift is active)

Orb of Punishment - Rank 1 - Flinch Effect when hit by physical/ melee attack

Salvation - Rank 1 - Casting Time reduced by 50% during Possession

Storm of Judgement - Rank 1 - deal additional 130% damage and Flinch targets affected by Circle of Punishment

Nimble Healer - Rank 1~2 - Reduce Energy Cost of Heal and Revitalize by 5/10%

- - - - - DEFENDER - - - - -
Rush - Rank 1 - Flinch Effect

Stunning Smash - Rank 1 - Flinch Effect

Stunning Smash - Dodge Effect during animation

Massive Strike - Dodge Effect during animation

Rapid Assault - Rank 1 - Refreshes Counterstrike's Duration

Shield Slam - Rank 1 - Generate Aggro
(requires more confirmation)

Chaotic Strike - Rank 1 - Flinch Effect

Chaotic Strike - Rank 1~3 - Stamina Restore per Target Hit
(IE: 1 Target = 30/40/50 Stamina Restored)
(IE: 2 Targets = 60/80/100 Stamina Restored)
(requires more confirmation)

Cyclone Strike - Rank 1 - Dodge Effect during animation and Flinch Effect

PS: I don't have a Defender ._.


So... what else is there?
Have you guys noticed anything else that wasn't written in the Tooltips?

Quote:

ayaminn Also if it hasn't been mentioned before, skills that say "x every 2 seconds for 8 seconds" really does x 5 times, not 4 because of the initial burst Take revitalize, for example: Heal 44% of your m. attack every 2 seconds for 8 seconds You would think it's 4(0.44x) but it's really 5(0.44x) with x being magic damage because of the initial heal when you first cast it (and then 4 more after that every 2 seconds, for the next 8) anip ... Basically all skill that deal "over time Effect" all have "Initial" effects. So if it says something like deal 3 times in 3 seconds, it actually deals 4 times in 3 second. ... rosenduck ... Here's something most people don't know. Increasing the level of Flame Impact actually increases its range by a few units. Not a lot, just 8 units per level, but still very tangible for the caster. As a reference, 1h sword and mace attacks are considered 100 units, while 2h sword and hammer attacks are 175 units. ... Incidentally, CoP extends 60 units outside of the shiny circle. anip ... Seems like most AoE on ground skills extend farther than the Graphic Image depicts. ... being NONE of the skills says their Range except for some AoE about how large a zone their attacks will hit. (which basically means almost all Skills have a range Hidden Ability...) artule ... edit: It's also worth mentioning that non-target aoe spells can't be blocked even with bastion. ... rosenduck As far as I know, the only non-target AoE spells that you can block are Divine Punishment and Rapid Blasts. Everything else is either unblockable or has a location modifier.

Credits Given to EVERYONE

Grand Wall Node Map

Grand Wall Node Map:

The Grand Wall is one of the most common farming spots of high level Ores at the end of the game, primarily because it's one of the only places. The Grand Walls deposits work in various clusters when I'm farming. Depending on how many people are there I run three different routes. Normally I run Red and Blue, but if it's busy I just run green.

Grand Wall Node Route 1: RED

The first cluster is the entrance of the Grand Wall which yields three next the road. From there generally you will want to head north on the roadside to the east of the Reinforcement camp. Afterwards loop around the north end of the hill and pick up the node right below the Medic's office and head north from there. Once I hit the mountain, I go left and circle back down to the entrance.

(sometimes I go right to pick up the nodes and then go left)

Grand Wall Node Route 2: GREEN

The second route is the faster/easier route, but generally you are waiting a little longer for nodes to spawn. It's simply circling the lake constantly for Nodes. You will normally find this is a good place to farm if you are multitasking.

Grand Wall Node Route 3: BLUE

The third Grand Wall Node Route I use begins with the three at the entrance and moves to the node on the west side of the reinforcement camp. Afterwards I head south and circle the lake before heading back to the initial three nodes. This route is nice because it solves the lake node spawn issue a little bit.

Hope this helps people.

PvP Needs a Revamp

Recently I've been getting into a lot of duals/2v1s in PvP and I've come to the conclusion that PvP really needs a revamp. Each time, the matches went on for about five to ten minutes with nobody dying.

When players are similarly geared/leveled in Raiderz it is virtually impossible to kill anybody remotely competent. I had a Sorcerer who was really good playing against me on my cleric, getting me down to over halfway in health twice, which is rare. I then started to heal more actively and dodging and I was back to full health. He simply ran an dodged my attacks until his health slowly regenerated. It wasn't until I finally got bored that I started to run off to kill mobs. He then started to attack me while I was killing mobs. I killed the mobs, healed, and continued to do what I wanted until he realized it would take forever to kill me and walked away as well.

This is common in Raiderz, and that makes me sad.

I feel that damage needs to be tuned up quite a bit in PvP because with all the avoidance each class has, not tuning it up will result in more anti-fun fights. Raiderz PvP has gotten really stale since the zones themselves are bland and boring, but to couple the fact that you need to either out gear or outnumber your opponent to kill them, it's just dull.

Instead, I recommend that there need to be more snares or damage output to offset the annoyance of getting into long fights where nobody dies. I also believe there need to be some battle grounds if this game is ever going to be taken seriously. World PvP in a small zone is not 'world pvp'.

Overall, I think that PvP in Raiderz needs to re tune their PvP and add a reason to PvP.

Raiderz Party Guide

Raiderz Party Guide

This Raiderz Party guide is meant to help people who are starting out understand their roles as well as what hurts a group in parties. Since Raiderz is different from most other MMOs I've noticed a lot of players really struggling with the concept of ROLES. I've seen Clerics deal damage and only heal themselves and I've seen Defenders let Berserkers tank because they wanted to deal damage. I've also seen Berserkers whine about not being healed while running all over the place avoiding heals. This Raiderz Party guide is meant to help address some of that.

The first thing I will touch on in this Raiderz Party guide is the concept of Roles. Previous MMOs dictated that there is a tank, a healer, and three dps. This hasn't changed. What has changed is what is expected of each of the roles now.

Tanks used to hold aggro while dps bashed the monster mercilessly. This has changed in that defenders can't soak all the hits so they need to kite a bit. Defenders are expected to do heavy CC to the mobs they are tanking and actively block as well as dodge the attacks. Because of this, tanking has more kiting to it, especially if the Defender gets low on health. This can frustrate DPS who just want the mobs/boss to stand still. Understand that sometimes the defender needs to dodge and run. Just run with him.

DPS now plays a much more active role as well. DPS needs to actively dodge and block as much damage as possible. If you are a DPS and don't actively dodge/block, you will die. The way clerics are set up in this game doesn't promote a group that takes huge damage. DPS also should be aware that when they pull aggro it's best to bring the monster back to the group that the Defender is holding if they want the monster off them. This allows the defender to get the mob off of you. If you run around yelling heal, chances are nothing will happen. You are also responsible for CCing when you can to keep the group slowed or knocked down.

Healers have the most frustrating job of all in Raiderz. Primarily because the way their heals function. In Raiderz Clerics have the difficult task of casting AoE heals on their team. If a team is close together and all of them are inside the heal ring, its easy. As soon as one player starts running around, it becomes very hard. Lets say a tank has 80% health, and two berserkers have 60% and 30%. If they stay relatively close, the Clerics heal will bring the Defender up to 90%, the first berserker up to 70% and the last berserker up to 40%. This will happen at the cost of one spell cast. Lets say MR. 30% decides to run out of the group yelling heal. The Cleric will have to heal him at the cost of one cast, then heal the other two at the cost of one cast, costing double the energy and taking twice as long. This means also that by this time the the Defender and 60% zerk, are probably both at their original values or lower since they probably took damage.

That brings me to my next point. DODGING MITIGATES DAMAGE, NOT RUNNING AROUND THE ENTIRE DAMN ROOM. If you are a berserker, stay with the group and take the group heals and when the enemy attacks, dodge. In the same scenario above, if all three players in the fray can dodge to avoid damage and let the Cleric get multiple heals off, they will all be 100% in no time.

One of the best parts about Raiderz is the active element in it, but as a result I think we have players who feel the need to run all over the place to avoid damage when you can avoid it while standing right next to the boss.

The key elements I hope people pull away from this Raiderz Party Guide is that dodging is important for everybody, and if you're going to run around, run around as a group.

Making Gold In Raiderz

Well, obviously the easiest way to make gold is to buy a cash shop item and sell it at the auction house, but this will revolve around people who want to make gold without spending real money. There are really only a few methods that I recommend doing and they vary based on what you're in the mood for.

Option 1: Mining/Mob Farming

This is my least favorite method of making gold. The materials you gather in mining can be sold regularly for decent amounts of silver or gold and the nodes are everywhere if you go to a less populated channel. By doing this in the endgame zones you can farm materials and money from the mobs as well. This method is long and boring and results in very low generation of gold, but it may be necessary if you can't do the other methods for some reason.

Option 2: Dailies

This you should be doing constantly anyway. Run your epics and hellhound dailies for bonus gold. This will generate quite a bit of gold constantly and if you're lucky on drops is the second best method of earning gold.

Option 3: Play the market (requires gold to make gold)

This is always my personal favorite method of generating gold in all MMOs. All you really need to do this is have knowledge of what the most popular items/materials are in game and how much they sell for on average. The easy way to do this is write down a list of 10-20 items that are high demand, like rare materials for certain armor and beycium. Everyday in the morning and the evening search these 10-20 items at the Traders post and write down their prices. Do this for a week.

Chances are you will end up noticing a pattern where certain things sell better different days and a difference between morning or evening prices. You will also know what the average price for one of those items is and be able to identify if a lot are significantly below price.

Now, every day when you check, look for items that are either selling below the median or that will sell for more in the evening. The key with this method is to understand margins. For example, some people look for that 50g item that's selling for 40g. They see 10g, but what they forget is that item doesn't have a lot of buyers and the margin is 20%. Compared to lets say if an item normally sells for 2g but is currently selling for 1g. Investing 40g in this item will result in earning 80g. Even if you listed it at 1.5g you will make more gold.

The real money is in small items since normally people won't even notice that all 300 of some low level item was bought up and re listed for twice the price.

Also, pay attention to weekends in the information you gather. I used to make thousands of gold in Warcraft by buying items on the weekend and selling them on weekdays or vice versa.

These are my tips for making gold in Raiderz. Good luck!

Raiderz Stats

This is a quick look at stats and what they do in Raiderz. In Raiderz stats are the main component of determining the effectiveness of various skills since all of them multiply off of your base stats. Because of that it's important to know what they do.


STR: Strength increases physical damage.
AGI: Agility increases dodge and critical hit for both Magic and Physical Attack
INT: Magic damage and energy pool
VIT: Vitality is your health
CHA: Energy Regen is based on your charisma.
STA: Stamina points

Because of what each stats effect each class has a certain hierarchy of stats depending on what they are trying to accomplish.

Berserker: STR > AGI > STA >= VIT

Strength is most important on a Berserker since he is a damage dealer and all his skills multiply off it. Agility is second most important because it helps with crit which also aids in damage output. Personally, I put stamina and vitality as equals. Realistically you won't actually be trying to gear for either of those but will gain them passively.

Defender: VIT >= STR > AGI >= STA

Defenders are a strange class. Ideally you want to balance vitality and strength because you need to still do damage while soaking it, and generally you should be blocking most of the damage you have incoming. Stamina and agility are about as important as each other because Defender doesn't really need crit chance since he has a skill that will give 100% crit chance to the next skill anyway and has Stamina regen abilities.

Cleric: INT > CHA > AGI

Clerics really should be focusing purely on Int. Realistically it increases the potency of your heals and your mana pool which are the two things you want most. Although Charm will increase your EP regen, you have skills that do that. Agility is only if you're pushing for additional damage but Int still has more effect.


Sorcerer: INT > AGI > VIT

Sorcerers should be purely stacking INT when possible. Although Agility offers some nice crits, your overall damage will increase with INT. I only place vitality as an option since there are a lot of sorcerers that can be one shot. You should try to get just enough vitality that you can survive one shot from a boss, just in case.

Sorcerer PvE Build

This Raiderz Sorcerer build revolves around doing the maximum amount of damage. Positioning and awareness is key when using this build because it doesn't have many of the snares that frost brings to the table since this is almost a pure fire build.

Pros and Cons:

Pros:

Highest Damage Output
Can sustain mana with skills

Cons:

Squishy
Can't kite very well
No escape mechanisms
 
Skill Build:

Tier 1:

1/3 Flame Arrow: You purchase this skill for both a ranged attack and proc your fire magic damage increase skill from range, and sort of because you have to.

1/5 Rapid Blasts: Close range very fast attack that's part of your burst combo. Does solid damage but only one point because we're going for big hits.

1/3 Ice Arrow: Range attack with a slow. One of your only snares and best way to stack your frost magic passive for haste.

1/5 Ice Thorns: AoE damage and slow. Necessary for both escape and chasing enemies as well as stacking frost magic passive for haste.

5/5 Magic Mastery: 10% increase in damage. Enough said.
 
Tier 2:

3/5 Flame Impact: Close range very fast attack that's part of your burst combo. Does great damage and its only not maxed to spend points elsewhere.

3/3 Meditation: You will be spamming spells to maximize damage and you can run out of EP fast. Normally I prefer not to max these skills, but Sorc is a mana hog.

Tier 3:

3/3 Flame Orb: Strong AoE ranged attack. The burst on this spell is powerful, it's a flame arrow on steriods. 

3/3 Intricacy: Increased damage from crits by 15%, this will add up quite a bit over the course of a fight and stacks well with many of your spells. Highly recommended.

Tier 4:

4/5 Pillar of Fire: Very heavy AoE damage and at level four the Cooldown is only 18 seconds. This spell is your powerhouse during AoE pulls and on bosses. It's instant cast as well so it hits fast and hard.

1/3 Magic Crystal: Purely for more EP generation since you will be spammy. 

Tier 5:

1/5 Burning Meteor: Huge AoE damage and knockdown. This skill has less usefulness in PvE than it does in PvP because of the long cooldown.

3/3 Flame Armor: Increased magic damage.

1/2 Elemental Harmony: Increase to casting speed and more importantly movement speed. This skill helps in both damage and survivability, although primarily taken for the damage.

Tier 6:

1/3 Wisdom: Taken for the increased critical again. The additional points don't pay off as well as the first point so only one is necessary.

Tier 7:

1/3 Flame Tornado: Instant cast AoE damage and movement speed increase to self. Good for both damage in PvE and PvP and escape in both. This spell is strong and should be used in conjunction with other AoEs to do a pounding.

2/2 Imbalance: Your spells will cause a stacking debuff on the enemy. Great for increasing damage during boss fights. Will probably be up the entire fight for a 6% overall increase in damage.

What about other trees?
Some people opt to move into the starter skills of other trees. I don't see a reason to with sorcerer since so many heavy damage spells are available to them. There is no reason to look for self heals because honestly, this build requires a player to be aware and actively dodge and at high levels sorcerer's won't survive a hit anyway. 

Why no Frost?
Frost skills are tailored for PvP. Actually, even in my PvP build for Sorcerers I generally only put one point in each frost skill. Fire is so powerful that it can't be ignored, this build takes the high damage and pumps it up a notch. The only way this is possible is by taking the five points or so a player would put into frost and stack them into fire.

Meteor vs Pillar
For PvE purposes Pillar is the way to go. The low Cooldown makes this skill frequently up for group mob pulls. It also is instant cast which makes it great for casting and getting away since you will be required to actively dodge.

Armor:
Cloth is the only set I personally would use. A lot of people opt for leather though. I find that leather lacks the intellect you would want on it and doesn't offer enough survivability for the damage lost. It offers more agility which will increase your critical rate, which is huge for fire, but in the end I still prefer cloth for the pure Int/EP.

Weapon:
Some people go sword and board. I personally prefer staff. The fact is, you should be trying to actively dodge because in the end that shield probably isn't saving you.

Gemming:
Pure intellect. Sorcerer's are casters and are expected to do heavy damage. Only intellect offers the means to do this and if a player opts to aim for EP they're losing damage output.

Overall:
This build is meant to be a glass cannon style build. As a glass cannon it requires players to be on their toes and aware of incoming damage to avoid it. This build has a decent amount of instant casts so players can react and dodge. Take advantage of that. In Raiderz sorcerers aren't allowed to sit back and just cast one low damage spell, they need to blow the enemy up.

Berserker PvP Guide

Berserkers can be looked at as the cookie cutter class of Raiderz. They are very easy to play initially but at high levels players find themselves fumbling with Berserkers. The class is heavily dependent on stamina and timing in order to stay alive, but when played well they can offer massive damage for the group. In PvP they are exceptional dualists since they can keep an enemy knocked down for almost the entire fight if timing is right.

Pros and Cons:

Pros:
Heavy Damage
Knockdowns galore
High HP

Cons:
In melee range
Stamina depletes quickly
Only one heal

Skill Build:

Tier 1:

5/5 Crush: Your main damage dealing ability as well as a powerful knockdown. This skill should be taken immediately and a point put in pretty much every chance until maxed. This is insanely powerful in PvP.

1/3 Dodge Attack: You will very rarely be using this skill, instead taking it as part of your combos and to get to upward strike.

5/5 War Weapon Mastery: 10% increase to damage. Enough Said.

Tier 2:

1/3 Neutralize: Key combo starter and interrupt for players and mobs alike. This skill is necessary but only the first point. In most cases the CD reduction will not save you and it's not a main damage dealing ability.

1/3 Berserk: Triggering the outrage effect on command is important in PvP where you may not have the ability to land consecutive shots. It also leads into your heal. 

Tier 3:

5/5 Nocturne: Instant cast extremely powerful attack. Each level increases its damage by 60% offering one of the best returns on investments. This is a devastating attack.

1/3 Furious Dash: Mandatory skill for PvP chasing and escaping.

3/3 No Mercy: Increased critical damage. Enough said.

Tier 4:

1/3 Upward Strike: Dodge and counter attack with an expose weakness. Nice skill overall but doesn't warrant more than one point. You will primarily be using this to set up Crushing.

3/3 Tranquility: Extremely valuable in PvP. Not only is this your life saver when you need an emergency heal, it also restores stamina so you can escape or keep going.

Tier 5:

1/3 Bash: Taken primarily for the knockback. Although this skill can be a lifesaver it is also one of the most annoying skills a Berserker can use when he knocks a dead enemy to freedom.

2/2 Grievous Wound: Overall great skill. Decreases targets movement speed so you can chase them when they start to run off. Helps with annoying mobs in PvE and PvP. This is a mandatory skill.

Tier 6:

1/5 Crushing: Would put five points here if I could. Although it can only chain after crush or upward strike it is a powerful attack. PvP favors this skill since you normally will jump in and blow up on the enemy. A three second CD means you can go in, Crush, Crushing, Upward Strike, Crushing for mammoth damage.

1/1 Escape: It can save your life in PvE when you get in over your head, as well as PvP. It's a mandatory skill for PvP.

Tier 7:

1/3 Tornado: AoE damage skill that offers four strikes. This skill has close to the output of Nocturne in AoE form. This is one of those skills that I wish we could max out right now.

1/3 Controlled Madness: This skill increases your damage output huge. If another player in the group is targeted, feel free to go Hulk on their asses and smash.

1/2 Blood of the Berserker: When you get hit, you gain power. This is the core principle behind a Berserker, and lets be honest, you're going to be hit a lot.

Why no Armageddon Crush?

Realistically, Berserkers use so much stamina that in most cases you won't even use this skill. It's a lot like buffalo charge in that multiple strikes are nice and all, but you're not going to spend stamina on them with your alternatives.

Why no Buffalo Charge?

Adding another skill isn't necessary. In PvP this skill can cause mammoth amounts of damage, but so can crush. I'm not opposed to buffalo charge if you want to use it since it's not a bad initiator, I just don't like using it since it really doesn't lead into anything. I know a lot of people who like to Crush, Crushing, Buffalo Charge for large damage.

Armor:
Chain. Some players opt to go plate but you're a damage dealer. Chain is the way to go since it offers the most strength which will result in a huge increase to damage.

Weapon:
Great sword. Some people opt for hammer but I don't see a point unless you're hybrid Cleric. Great swords have the highest damage output.

Gemming:
Strength. You're not a tank, you're a damage dealer. Strength is your primary damage dealing stat and should be compounded. A certain argument can be made to use Agility since it will increase crit damage and in PvP crit is awesome, but you have plenty without gemming for it and having higher damage increases your crit damage.

Overall:
Berserkers require great timing and stamina management to be effective. Although they are the cookie cutter class they can be classified as easy to pick up, hard to master because of stamina management. The major mistake most Berserkers make is they blow all their CDs and have no way to avoid damage. In PvP good use of Escape, Furious Dash, Tranquility, Berserk, and Controlled Madness can make or break you. Try to use escape to escape, Furious dash to chase or escape, tranquility to replenish your stamina, berserk and controlled madness to pound your enemies into the ground. 

Raiderz PvP Guide

I find that much of the information for PvP in Raiderz carries over between classes and as such this will be written as a general guide to PvP for Raiderz. In the end PvP comes down to a few very simple aspects.

Tip 1: Only engage if you can catch/surround

You have no idea how many times I've had groups of six people trying to catch me for long periods of time until they finally give up. The reason is they all run out and try to chase me and it's pretty tough not to notice. Not only that but I have a couple escape methods to make it even more difficult to catch me. Instead, players should try to bait a player in, or have the part of the group with heavy CC circle around to my escape route (generally toward the safe zone). This way if I try to run to safety, I'm running through the worst part of the group to run through.

Tip 2: Time your knockdowns/snares

There is nothing more obnoxious than four Berserkers all burning their knockdowns, the enemy getting up, then running away with no way to stop him. Try to arrange it within your group before hand who knock downs first, second, third. This way a player has no way to escape. If a player is going to PvP, they need to take all knockdowns/snares that they can for their class. This means that Defenders should spec into sorcerer to pick up frost skills as should clerics.

Tip 3: In, burst, out

This is one of the toughest things for a lot of people to get their heads around. There is very little reason to stay in the middle of the fray since your best skills will be on CD. Even for Berserkers who do significant damage with normal attacks, staying in the fray makes you a big target that's not moving. Its tough for clerics to keep anybody other than defenders alive in PvP, this means if you're not a defender and you take big damage, it may be a bit before you get healed up. Run in, blow your skills, run out and around, run in, blow your skills.

Tip 4: Take PvP skills

This one seems obvious but every class has skills that are created for PvP. These skills are normal stuns, instant casts, snares, heals, interrupts, etc. For example, if you're a Berserker and you aren't able to berserk/furious dash/tranquility you're going to have a rough time. All classes have skills that are for PvP, take them.

Tip 5: Use your environment

This is the difference in a lot of group battles. There are narrow paths, hills, dead ends. All these things allow you to corner and catch enemies or in some cases for you to escape. Be aware of if an enemy will be in a choke point and take advantage of that. If the enemy has tons of escapes, fighting there is probably a waste of time. Be aware of your environment and how to use it.

That's all the tips for today. Outside of that, there are particulars for each class, but during PvP, you will die if you try to go alone, so try to get with a group.

Raiderz Power Leveling

Raiderz is probably one of the first games where I didn't find it completely necessary to powerlevel. In most other games I found leveling to be a monotonous chore, but in Raiderz leveling is pretty enjoyable. That being said, some players prefer to power level, and with that in mind I'm going to offer a quick guide on it.

Quests: Quests in Raiderz are actually the fastest way to gain experience because completing them offers substantial chunks of XP. Each zone has various quest hubs and they are really well organized. The rule is you should do every quest at a hub before running to the next hub. All hubs in the game follow this format.

Repeatable Quests: Early in the game (Pre-Level 25) Repeatable quests are a huge waste of time. You are actually given enough experience to move through the main story to the next quests as long as you do all of  them at the hub. Once you hit level 25, if you've streamlined the process and purely quested you may find yourself at a strange lull. This normally happens in Riode. Fortunately Riode has several repeatable quests where both the quests and objectives are right next to each other. This can feel like a grind so I suggest Mt. Eda.

The real place you should be questing though if you can get a solid group of five is Mt. Eda normal. The repeatable PvP quests pay very well and if you're worried about too many PvPers switch to a channel without many people and rush objectives as a group. Raiderz makes leveling easy and fun in this zone.

Dungeons: Garden, Catacombs, and St. Flannel are the dungeons you can farm to level. I recommend only running Garden as much as you have to (once). Catacombs is a fantastic payoff in XP but requires you have a good group. The same goes for St. Flannel.

Suggested Route: Power Quest the zones until you hit Riode. Once you hit Riode complete the main story quests there then pump out extra levels in Mt. Eda. With a really good group I would also suggest power farming Flannel for XP.

Quick Tips:
1) Buy a bird as soon as you can. Increased speed equals increased leveling.
2) Do not worry about the Garden item set. Catacombs is right around the same level and running it gives significantly better XP.
3) Catacombs set can last you all the way through Riode if you're capable, so don't worry about farming items for the other sets.
4) Group up with people doing the same quests as you, especially if the quests are to kill a certain number of mobs.
5) If you don't want to group and are having trouble with too many players, switch channels.

Berserker Strength or Agility?

There is a big concern over Strength vs Agility for Berserkers. Gemming for either is viable on certain circumstances but Strength comes out on top.

Gemming for Crit:
When a player gems for crit damage they are gemming for burst. When a player gems for burst they gain additional chances are creating massive damage strikes which is always fun, especially in PvP, but they are also weakening their overall damage in exchange for the ability.

Now, for a lot of players, they dive in, blow their cooldowns, then run away. For this type of play style gemming for agility as a Berserker definitely feels better. The downside is that when you gem for crit, if you don't get the strike, you do very little damage. It's a gamble.

Gemming for Damage:
When a player gems for damage they are gemming for consistency. When a player gems for consistency they get fewer big spikes in damage, but they get fewer low strikes as well. Gemming for damage is less fun because you don't get that lucky three smacks that makes an enemy wonder 'what the hell happened'.

Gemming for Strength as a Berserker requires a player to pepper in a lot of normal strikes to get extra use out of the strength since your normal attacks will be very powerful. The downside is if you're hanging in the fight to do additional damage you can be targeted and take damage.

Why should Berserkers gem for strength?
Consistency. All of your strikes will do more damage and your crits will do more damage. If you go into a fight with a crit build and lay on the opponent and you get a bad run, they will escape with decent health. If you go into a fight with a strength build and have an equally bad run, they are more likely to die. If you get a great run with either build they're going to die.

Both have their advantages but in the end, the crit from using mail and two handed sword brings more than enough crit to the table. You can never have enough pure damage.

Finally, some math.

Base: 100pts damage, 10% crit. 100 strikes. 11000 damage.

STR: 150pts damage, 10% crit. 100 strikes.  16500 damage.

Crit: 100pts damage, 30% crit. 100 strikes. 13000 damage.
Crit 2: 100pts damage, 50% crit. 100 strikes. 15000 damage.
Crit 3: 100pts damage, 70% crit. 100 strikes. 17000 damage.

Defender DPS Build

Some people like to play all the classes with an emphasis on damage, and there's nothing wrong with this. As long as a Defender is able to still accomplish their job there is no reason to worry about them being focused on dealing damage. This build revolves around dealing heavy damage.

Pros and Cons:

Pros:
High Damage
High Mobility
High CC

Cons:
Lower Survivability
Timing based

Skill Build:

Tier 1:

5/5 Strike of Ruin: Heavy damage along with a sure crit on the next strike. This skill is great for getting a combo started.

5/5 Stunning Smash: Although the name makes you think there will be a stun, it's actually an interrupt that allows you to get in there and start your combo. It's also does monstrous damage in your combination with shield slam.

1/3 Rush: A chase and stun maneuver. It also triggers counterattack which is a key element in playing Defenders. Keep in mind it can also be used to dodge.

5/5 One-Handed Weapon Mastery: 10% increase do One-Handed Damage. Enough said.

Tier 2:

3/5 Massive Strike: I would 5/5 this if points allowed. Massive damage with stun.

Tier 3:

3/3 Piercing Strike: Stacking magic and defense reduction. Great for PvE although in PvP very few targets will stay in place long enough to land it consistently. This is a mammoth dps increase not only for you, but for your group.

1/3 Rapid Assault: A stun that does not remove counterattack makes this a nice one for stopping/stunlocking enemies. It's also a stepping stone to Shield Slam  so it's a must take.

1/1 Fortifying Should: You need the stamina generation and honestly you need to get to the roar which is necessary in PvP and bad group pulls in PvE.

Tier 4:

1/3 Chaotic Strike: Damage attack that interrupts and regains your stamina if it lands. It's a nice skill to have in both PvE and PvP.

2/5 Slam: I would 5/5 this if points allowed. Massive damage and stun. Although it's on a long cooldown and more useful in PvP, this skill just does solid damage.

Tier 5:

3/5 Shield Slam: A very powerful skill. I would place more points in this if they were available. It's a very powerful attack with a stun and your main follow up to stunning smash.


1/3 Encouraging shout: You will virtually never use this and are only using it to get to threaten.

Tier 6:

1/1 Evasive Strike: This is your only legitimate escape if you're caught off guard. Highly necessary for this build. Use it often.

Tier 7:

1/3 Threaten: Although it doesn't have a pure effect on your damage, you are lacking survivability, making this a handy oh shit button.

Sorcerer Tier 1:

1/3 Ice Arrow: Good for pulling and chasing enemies. The best part is it can be cast while moving. Very necessary for safer pulls in dungeons.

1/5 Ice Thorns: AoE slow. Primarily used for grouping mobs in PvE and snaring players in PvP. Very necessary since slowing your enemies may save your life.

Why no comeback?

Because in order for you to be useful in PvE and PvP with this build you will need to focus on either avoiding damage entirely or stunning your way out. A slow heal isn't going to save you.

Why go into Sorcerer Tree?

Defenders don't have a ranged pull for PvE so Ice Arrow is helpful in that. They have stuns in PvP but if they can't slow to catch a player those stuns are useless, it also adds an escape mechanism for them.

Armor:
Plate. No arguments. Just plate. You will want to focus on plate with strength on it. If you really want to push heavy dps you could swap into mail, but...just no.

Weapon:
Sword and Board. By far the best option but also using mace and shield is viable.

Gemming:
Strength. In a dps build only strength is acceptable. Your skills have massive increases in damage since it's not expected for defender to push damage. This means you will burst extremely high with strength.

Overall:
The toughest part of this build is you don't just sit there and take the pain, you avoid it and dish it out. This build is designed for you to rush in, lay out ruin, lay out stunning smash and shield slam, then pound out more heavy damage CC until your combo is off cooldown. In a PvE environment you're going to be dodging, blocking, and striking back with huge damage. Keep in mind you will need to try to avoid damage by using evasive strike on CD and slowing the enemies with frost skills. Overall, Raiderz allows for Defender DPS Builds, but with the strength they bring, players need to learn to dodge instead of always block.

Raiderz Factions

Many games have special purposes for Factions so players can often bash their head on a wall figuring out which ones to level and which ones to choose.

The Tiers of Reputation with any faction are Very Hostile, Hostile, Neutral, Friendly, Very Friendly, Trustworthy. Reaching higher tiers normally unlocks different perk. Generally a player achieves Neutral through a quest, achieves Friendly by gaining 5500 reputation points, Very Friendly by gaining 12500 Reputation Points.'

I only noted the levels at which something is unlocked.

Factions and Rewards and Locations:

Oliver's Table - Ingen
Friendly: Unlocks Food Buffs
Very Friendly: Unlocks Oliver's Kitchen

Renasin Follower - Ingen
Very Friendly: Potion Discounts

Rendel Knights - Rengot Village
Currently no perks

Edwards Kitchen - Rietz (Requires player be Very Friendly With Oliver's Table)
Very Friendly: Unlocks New Food Buffs

Makot Clan - Makot Village
Neutral: They stop attacking you. This faction offers no bonuses but is required for story progression.

Fighting Factions:
The Mad Eye and White Yeti tribes are PvP factions. Both offer the same rewards but players will fight against the opposite faction during PvP. This faction can be reset if a player changes their mind but the reputation will be reset.

Mad Eye Tribe - Mt. Eda
Very Friendly: Able to craft rare gear and gain a buff from the chief.

White Yeti Tribe - Mt. Eda
Very Friendly: Able to craft rare gear and gain a buff from the chief.

Red Mad Eye Tribe - Epic Mt. Eda
Trustworthy: Able to craft Lycian Mount

Frosty White Yeti Tribe - Epic Mt. Eda
Trustworthy: Able to craft Lycian Mount

Are the Bans too little too late?

The short answer from me is better late than never. There's a lot of upset people who's accounts are getting banned for exploiting, but honestly I don't see that as the issue. Instead, what I see as the issue is that there are a lot of players upset because they are seeing other players skate through unharmed. On some servers there are entire guilds of exploiters that are going completely unpunished.

What's the big deal?
It sends the message that the developers don't care about the players and are going to play favorites. It sends the message that some people are above the law. Finally, it sends the message that you can cheat to win, and people don't want to cheat to win a game.

Send a CLEAR message!
Only by sending a clear message will you squash the rumors. The message you want to send it cheating won't be tolerated. Instead the message you sent was cheating will be tolerated if you're not caught. The developers are so frightened of what might happen, that they do nothing and watches how it goes, that's the worst mistake a company can make.

Rollbacks and Item Wipes
I understand being afraid of losing a player base, but sometimes it's better to cut off the diseased limb rather than let it rot away the entire body. Right now you have a disease. Players that you want in your community are leaving because they can't compete with cheaters, they want to stay, but they don't want to play in an environment that fosters and rewards cheaters.

The only way to convince players that you mean business, and you won't allow cheating in any form, is to bring down the hammer. These people completely destroyed active servers and every day they are allowed to continue to remain, players leave. But worst of all, every article like this one gamers read, makes them not even want to play Raiderz. The fact that its so new and players like me are willing to lose all their items, it sends a message it's out of control.

Get it together, nut up, and make the tough decision. Nuke the bastards to show them you mean business.

Defender Tank Build

Defenders are the tank class in PvE for Raiderz. Although there are very few players who choose to go full PvE there is still a demand for them and will be higher demands as the game releases future patches. This build is centered around being the best tank you can be.

Pros and Cons:

Pros:
Extremely High Survivability
High Mobility
High CC

Cons:
Low Damage
Long Cooldowns.

Skill Build:

Tier 1:

1/5 Stunning Smash: Although the name makes you think there will be a stun, it's actually an interrupt that allows you to get in there and start your combo. This is necessary for bosses but for the purpose of this build anything over 1 point is unnecessary.

2/3 Rush: A chase and stun maneuver. It also triggers counterattack which is a key element in playing Defenders. Should be used almost every time its off cooldown. Two points used in order to reach tier three.

5/5 One-Handed Weapon Mastery: 10% increase do One-Handed Damage. Although this is a defense build it would be in poor taste to ignore such a good skill.

Tier 2:

1/5 Massive Strike: Massive damage with stun. This skill is going to be one of your heaviest hitting abilities while fighting.

3/3 Comeback: Although the heal appears small it adds up turning you into a regenerating tank while defending.

Tier 3:

3/3 Piercing Strike: Stacking magic and defense reduction. This skill may not generate the most damage out of you, but its debuff will increase your parties damage output significantly. It should be maintained at all times. 

1/3 Rapid Assault: A stun that does not remove counterattack makes this a nice one for stopping/stunlocking enemies. It's also a stepping stone to Shield Slam. There's no reason not to put a point in it.

3/3 Fortifying Shout: Increases groups stamina generation by a lot. This is your go to shout to ensure you always have enough energy to dodge duck dip dive and dodge.

3/3 Defense Mastery: Increases the chance to fully block attacks and increases damage reduction. You will be able to take a beating with this maxed. 

Tier 4:

1/3 Chaotic Strike: Damage attack that interrupts and regains your stamina if it lands. It's important to have to keep your stamina high.

1/5 Slam: Massive damage and stun. Really no reason not to put the points in it.

3/3 Bastion: Damage reduction increased by 20% but mostly taken because it allows you to block unblockable attacks. The three points increase the duration.

Tier 5:

1/5 Shield Slam: A very powerful skill and one of the few ways you have to dish out a beating and stun. 

2/2 Resilience: When blocking successfully it increases stamina regeneration. It also adds stamina regen to Comeback. Between this skill, comeback, fortifying shout, and chaotic strike you should always have stamina. 

Tier 6:

1/1 Evasive Strike: This is your only legitimate escape if you're caught off guard and need to dodge a boss attack. On top of this it forces the counterattack buff. 

1/3 Impact Recovery: Party damage reduction buff. Using this on CD along with other skill turn you into a fortress.

Tier 7:

1/3 Steel Wall: Very large group damage reduction. When used properly it's a lifesaver.

2/2 Retribution: This is going to be one of the key ways you keep up damage and kiting. Each block will offer a significant damage and speed buff.

Why no encouraging or threatening shout?

This build is built around keeping yourself and your part alive. Encouraging shout doesn't help you stay alive and since only one shout can be active you would lose your stamina buff. Although a cleric/sorcerer may like the energy regen, it won't help you or your berserkers so take the one that helps everybody. Threatening should is just more PvP orientated.


Why not more DPS?
This could be a legitimate question especially for PvP. I find that for PvE where bosses and mobs are predictable it's more important to take those extra survival skills. I take each of the stunning skills to keep the crowd controlled and the other skills keep you alive while you do it. Retribution offers a very large damage buff and the constant stamina regeneration makes a lot more of your skills spammable. Although the damage output isn't massive, it's nothing to ignore.

Armor:
Look for plate with high health and defensive stats. Since comeback returns a percentage of your health having high armor, magic resist, and health makes you virtually invincible. 

Weapon:
Sword and Board. By far the best option but also using mace and shield is viable.

Gemming:
Strength. Although an argument could be made for gemming for more defensive stats, your skills will be bringing plenty of defense to the table. Strength is a solid increase to your auto attacks.

Overall:
The toughest part of this build is missing out on some massive burst damage from leveling some of your heavy hits. The other end of the coin is that the more you are able to soak damage the less your party members need to take hits. Also the less your Cleric needs to heal you, the more he can heal that Berserker that doesn't know how to dodge.

Defender PvP/PvE Build

Defenders are the tank class in PvE for Raiderz and the crowd control/initiator of PvP in Raiderz. This makes them a very powerful class in the game. Looking at the Defender skill tree can be one of the most difficult tasks because every skill appears useful. This is different from other classes that blatantly have less useful skills.

Pros and Cons:

Pros:
High Survivability
High Mobility
High CC

Cons:
Medium Damage
Timing based

Skill Build:

Tier 1:

5/5 Strike of Ruin: Heavy damage along with a sure crit on the next strike. This skill is great for getting a combo started.

1/5 Stunning Smash: Although the name makes you think there will be a stun, it's actually an interrupt that allows you to get in there and start your combo.

1/3 Rush: A chase and stun maneuver. It also triggers counterattack which is a key element in playing Defenders.

5/5 One-Handed Weapon Mastery: 10% increase do One-Handed Damage. Enough said.

Tier 2:

4/5 Massive Strike: I would 5/5 this if points allowed. Massive damage with stun.

1/3 Comeback: Small heal. Mostly taken to get at damage reduction skills.

Tier 3:

1/3 Piercing Strike: Stacking magic and defense reduction. Great for PvE although in PvP very few targets will stay in place long enough to land it consistently.

1/3 Rapid Assault: A stun that does not remove counterattack makes this a nice one for stopping/stunlocking enemies. It's also a stepping stone to Shield Slam.

2/3 Defense Mastery: Increases the chance to fully block attacks and increases damage reduction. Great for PvE and if you have fantastic timing in PvP.

Tier 4:

1/3 Chaotic Strike: Damage attack that interrupts and regains your stamina if it lands. It's a nice skill to have in both PvE and PvP.

4/5 Slam: I would 5/5 this if points allowed. Massive damage and stun.

1/3 Bastion: Damage reduction increased by 20% but mostly taken because it allows you to block unblockable attacks.

Tier 5:

1/5 Shield Slam: A very powerful skill. I would place more points in this if they were available. It's a very powerful attack with a stun.

1/2 Resilience: When blocking successfully it increases stamina regeneration. It also adds stamina regen to Comeback. Great skill for PvE but doesn't warrant two points.

Tier 6:

1/3 Cyclone Strike: Decent attack damage but offers a 10% attack speed buff. Worth one point, no more though.

1/1 Evasive Strike: This is your only legitimate escape if you're caught off guard. Necessary.

1/3 Impact Recovery: Party damage reduction buff. Good for both PvE and PvP.

Tier 7:

1/3 Steel Wall: Very large group damage reduction. Great for both PvE and PvP.

Sorcerer Tier 1:

1/3 Ice Arrow: Good for pulling and chasing enemies. The best part is it can be cast while moving.

1/5 Ice Thorns: AoE slow. Primarily used for grouping mobs in PvE and snaring players in PvP.

Why no shouts?

The skills are nice but at this stage in the game they don't really bring a huge benefit to the table. Most classes are able to regulate their stamina and energy effectively. Bringing the extra damage to the table helps more in both PvP and PvE.

Why go into Sorcerer Tree?

Defenders don't have a ranged pull for PvE so Ice Arrow is helpful in that. They have stuns in PvP but if they can't slow to catch a player those stuns are useless, it also adds an escape mechanism for them.

Armor:
Plate. No arguments. Just plate.

Weapon:
Sword and Board. By far the best option but also using mace and shield is viable.

Gemming:
Strength. Some people may argue to gem for survivability but Defenders don't need more, they have plenty. Strength adds to their damage output, helping in PvP and PvE.

Overall:
The toughest part of defenders is that they have so many viable skills. Defenders are a stun heavy class that are made to mitigate boss damage while dishing out some pain. In PvP they are made to bait, dive, and CC. This build sets them up for large amounts of damage and CC while maintaining most of their tankiness for PvE.

Berserker PvE Build

Berserkers can be looked at as the cookie cutter class of Raiderz. They are very easy to play initially but at high levels players find themselves fumbling with Berserkers. The class is heavily dependent on stamina and timing in order to stay alive, but when played well they can offer massive damage for the group.

Pros and Cons:

Pros:
Heavy Damage
High Mobility
High HP

Cons:
In melee range
Stamina depletes quickly

Skill Build:

Tier 1:

5/5 Crush: Your main damage dealing ability as well as a powerful knockdown. This skill should be taken immediately and a point put in pretty much every chance until maxed.

2/3 Dodge Attack: A second point is taken partially because you have to, and partially because at level two it exposes weaknesses in enemies.

5/5 War Weapon Mastery: 10% increase to damage. Enough Said.

Tier 2:

3/3 Neutralize: Key combo starter and interrupt for players and mobs alike. This skill is necessary.

Tier 3:

5/5 Nocturne: Instant cast extremely powerful attack. Each level increases its damage by 60% offering one of the best returns on investments.

3/3 No Mercy: Increased critical damage. Enough said.

Tier 4:

1/3 Upward Strike: Dodge and counter attack with an expose weakness. Nice skill overall but doesn't warrant more than one point.

Tier 5:

1/3 Bash: Taken primarily for the knockback. Although this skill can be a lifesaver it is also one of the most annoying skills a Berserker can use while in a group.

2/5 Armageddon Crush: A double attack that does decent damage.

2/2 Grievous Wound: Overall great skill. Decreases targets movement speed so you can chase them when they start to run off. Helps with annoying mobs in PvE and PvP.

Tier 6:

2/5 Crushing: Would put five points here if I could. Although it can only chain after crush or upward strike it is a powerful attack.

1/1 Escape: It can save your life in PvE when you get in over your head, as well as PvP. It's a necessary skill given that Berserkers don't have a way to heal or any solid escape mechanisms.

Tier 7:

1/3 Tornado: AoE damage skill that offers four strikes. This skill has close to the output of Nocturne in AoE form. This is a great skill.

2/2 Blood of the Berserker: Some people do not agree with putting two points in this skill but personally I love it. You need the increased movement speed, damage, and stamina and since you will be in melee range in all fights you can expect to be using it.

What happened to the berserk tree?

All the skills are more heavily associated with PvP and have little PvE use. This is the primary difference between a Berserker that wishes to push PvE over PvP. While Berserking is one of the key aspects of the class, auto attacks are easy to land on mobs so you should active Berserk without issue.

Why no Buffalo Charge?

I don't like it. It's just not a great skill. You will find that you're running on empty stamina more often than you'd expect as is. Adding another skill isn't necessary.

Armor:
Chain. Some players opt to go plate but you're a damage dealer. Chain is the way to go since it offers the most strength which will result in a huge increase to damage.

Weapon:
Great sword. Some people opt for hammer but I don't see a point unless you're hybrid Cleric. Great swords have the highest damage output.

Gemming:
Strength. You're not a tank, you're a damage dealer. Strength is your primary damage dealing stat and should be compounded.

Overall:
Berserkers require great timing and stamina management to be effective. Although they are the cookie cutter class they can be classified as easy to pick up, hard to master because of stamina management. The major mistake most Berserkers make is they blow all their CDs and have no way to avoid damage. Dead dps does less dps.

Sorcerer PvP/PvE Build

Oddly enough a Sorcerer glass cannon build is what is best for PvP and PvE. Obviously there are several deviations people can make on preference but for the most part PvP and PvE builts follow the same structure. In both instances the goal is maximum damage output and since in Raiderz players can dodge and avoid damage naturally, glass cannon is much more viable.

Pros and Cons:

Pros:
Extremely High Damage Output
Crowd Control
Sought after for PvE and PvP

Cons:
Squishy if caught
Very timing sensitive

Skill Build:

Tier 1:

1/3 Flame Arrow: You purchase this skill for both a ranged attack and proc your fire magic damage increase skill from range, and sort of because you have to.

5/5 Rapid Blasts: Close range very fast attack that's part of your burst combo. Does great damage.

1/3 Ice Arrow: Range attack and necessary to get other skills.

1/5 Ice Thorns: AoE damage and slow. Necessary for both escape and chasing enemies.

5/5 Magic Mastery: 10% increase in damage. Enough said.

Tier 2:

5/5 Flame Impact: Close range very fast attack that's part of your burst combo. Does great damage.

1/3 Meditation: Mostly because you need something to regenerate EP.

Tier 3:

1/3 Flame Orb: Strong AoE ranged attack. Very nice for ranged pokes in PvP and attacking group at range in PvE.

1/3 Cold Wave: Mostly taken for the 30% decrease in movement speed.

1/3 Ice Barrier: AoE damage and CC. This is useful for grouping in PvE and PvP.

Tier 4:

3/5 Pillar of Fire: Very heavy AoE damage. When used with frost CC this skill is devastating in both PvE and PvP.

Tier 5:

3/5 Burning Meteor: Huge AoE damage and knockdown. This skill is great when used with frost CC and Fire Pillar.

3/3 Flame Armor: Increased magic damage.

1/5 Cold Wave: Instant cast AoE damage and movement speed reduction. This skill is necessary for escaping in both PvE and PvP.

1/2 Elemental Harmony: Increase to casting speed and more importantly movement speed. This skill helps in both damage and survivability.

Tier 6:

1/1 Crystallization: Absolutely mandatory for PvE and PvP. This skill not only saves your bacon by making you immune to all damage for two seconds, but anybody in range of you when the time is up gets frozen. This skill can be used as an escape but can also be used to bait offensively.

Tier 7:

1/3 Flame Tornado: Instant cast AoE damage and movement speed increase to self. Good for both damage in PvE and PvP and escape in both.

What about other trees?

Some people opt to move into the starter skills of other trees. I don't see a reason to with sorcerer. The fact is Sorcerers have so many escape mechanisms that I couldn't fathom a situation where if your Sorcerer skills can't get you out, that another classes level 1 skill will. Some people opt to take divine punishment for a quick damage boost an interrupt.

How is this a PvP build?

A lot of people think that to be a PvP build Sorcerers should spec into frost. This simply isn't true because one point in the frost talents give you significant slows and okay damage. All putting additional points does there is take away damage that could burn your enemies to the ground.

Meteor vs Pillar

A lot of people opt to put more points into Pillar of Fire. Personally I like splitting them for the additional damage as a compromise. Although for consistent regular damage Pillar is preferred, I find that most players try to time their CDs to blow up simultaneously. 

Armor:
Cloth is the only set I personally would use. A lot of people opt for leather though. I find that leather lacks the intellect you would want on it and doesn't offer enough survivability for the damage lost.

Weapon:
Some people go sword and board. I personally prefer staff. The fact is, Sorcerer's have a lot of escape mechanisms. More survivability shouldn't be necessary for them as a class.

Gemming:
Pure intellect. Sorcerer's are casters and are expected to do heavy damage. Only intellect offers the means to do this and if a player opts to aim at survivability they will be horribly disappointed.

Overall:
This build is meant to be a glass cannon style build. Fortunately Sorcerers have a plethora of viable damage/CC abilities in the frost tree available to them as well. This means that Sorcerers might be one of the most versatile classes when it comes to PvE and PvP. The skills chosen allow for massive burst on the fire end as well as plenty of escapes on the frost end.

The Best Raiderz Class

Although I'm sure I will take some heat from saying this, there is in fact a best Raiderz class at the current point in the game. Although Raiderz does a pretty good job balancing classes for just entering open beta, there are some obvious discrepancies.

1st Place: The Defender

I'm sure a lot of people thought Sorcerer was going to go here. The truth is the heavy armor, high damage, and insane stuns as well as an inability to be caught make Defender the best class in Raiderz.

In PvP Defenders are able to keep players knocked down or dazed while dishing out high damage. Although defender doesn't have the highest damage output, this is offset by the fact that all other classes wear weaker armor. If a Berserker and defender go toe to toe for example, Berserker will do more damage, but Defender has higher armor, as a result they end up equal in damage taken. The difference is Defenders can heal, block completely with shield, and stun/disable the Berserker to oblivion. This makes them near unstoppable in PvP, at most I see people forcing them to retreat, but virtually never killing them.

Now I'm sure somebody would say at this point, that's just PvP! What about PvE?

While soloing its almost impossible to die as a Defender. Although killing monsters takes slightly (and I mean slightly) longer than Berserkers and Sorcerers, Defenders have pretty much no down time. If they hybrid a point into revitalize in the cleric tree, they have literally no down time. This means that they can progress through quests/mobs faster than clerics with a huge amount more survivability than Sorc/Zerk.

What about endgame?

Endgame dungeons in Raiderz require a Defender to soak the damage and provide group damage reduction. Although they aren't really viable as damage dealers in a group, they are the only class that can really take the pain that some bosses dish out. Although a group can get by without them if all players are fully capable of dodging, Defenders speed up the run.

2nd Place: Sorcerer

In Raiderz Sorcerer deals more damage endgame than any other class. Berserkers are close but because of stamina issues and needing to run out of boss range are second. On top of being extremely powerful damage wise, Sorcerers are extremely difficult to catch because they are ranged making them a pain in PvP.

The only reason Sorcerers aren't first is because they are easier to kill than Defender. Although they get to stand back safely at a range, they can be brought from full to empty in one solid chain from a Berserker. In PvP they can feel very powerful from their ability to take somebody from 80% to zero while never getting close, normally making them peoples view of the most powerful.

What about PvE?

They are powerful in PvE and capable of destroying mobs quickly and efficiently. Unfortunately they suffer from down time since they don't have a solid method of not taking damage or returning to full health rapidly. This means they start to balance in speed to Defenders because they need to take breaks.

What about endgame?

Sorcerers in Raiderz are powerful endgame. Their ability to do huge damage to the bosses without ever needing to get near make them great additions to endgame teams.

3rd Place: Cleric

The Cleric in Raiderz is considered one of the borderline unkillable classes, unfortunately they are also the class that is least likely to kill a player. Although they can slowly beat on an enemy and have an ability to burst, they just don't bring enough killing power to the table when compared to the other three. They don't have the CC Defenders have or the damage output of Sorcerers and Berserkers. What they do have though is the ability to run and heal to full.

In PvP Clerics take the role of support healer and rabbit. Pretty much if you are going toe to toe with anybody, you run. If a Cleric is stunned, they are more than likely dead. This is equalized by them being extremely hard to catch, and the ability to use mail as well as mace and shield. Overall, they end up being one of the borderline unkillable classes along with Defenders because of the ability to go from zero to near full quickly and being insanely hard to catch.

What about PvE?

They require almost zero downtime since they are a healer but killing mobs can take a while. They are a healing class with the ability to do damage, don't be shocked that in PvE they are the turtle, slow and steady.

What about endgame?

They're healers. In Raiderz there will always be a spot for a Cleric in the group, just not normally a dpsing one.


4th Place: Berserker

I don't know what would piss people off more, putting Defender at one, or Berserker at four, but lets be honest, they need to wear plate or fix their stamina costs.

Berserkers can be a devastating force in PvP with the ability to take a group from full health down to near nothing. The knockdowns that Berserkers use are extremely potent, unfortunately they are extremely killable with virtually no escapes. They suffer from the fact that all of their abilities use stamina which is their only way of escaping so after hitting a combo they find themselves unable to dodge their way out of a fight. They do the damage of the Sorcerer, but are much easier to catch.

What about PvE?

Berserkers are solid in PvE. They are able to kill mobs quickly and with their AoE swings they are able to kill multiple enemies quickly. Unfortunately Berserkers often have to take breaks because they take damage from being in melee range and have no effective way to heal. This makes them one of the fastest classes in killing mobs, but also has one of the longest downtimes

What about endgame?

They are sought after endgame as damage dealers. Where Sorcerers can be one shot by a boss, Berserkers are able to to take two to three shots, making them more reliable in some fights.

Conclusion:

In the end the developers of Raiderz did a great job in keeping classes mostly balanced making it mostly up to players skills, but Defenders/Sorcerers undeniably have advantages. This could be solved by reducing the damage of Defenders and upping the squishiness of Sorcerers (or reducing their damage slightly, honestly Berserkers should be top damage since they have more risk in melee range).

Item Duping

Raiderz has a huge issue with duping at the moment and the mods are scurrying to fix it. It has players screaming for server rollbacks because the game is new enough to warrant it, while other players are just asking for player wipes of abusers. Some players are asking for new servers so they can join one where people haven't cheated their way to the top. Either way, the item duping and hacks are a serious issue for the newly released Raiderz.

Server rollback:
Honestly, this is what I favor. Despite leveling a character up to thirty five, I found the process enjoyable. What I don't find enjoyable is players who are already in the highest gear imaginable with zero effort because they cheated. It ruins the game economy and really ruins PvP. If they did do a server rollback I would say that all Zen should be refunded to players to reuse. Although there are players who say they would quit if this happened, I'd wager they are all talk. With the Zen in the account they would stay to spend it. There are a lot of players who would be 'punished' by having their characters unfairly punished, but I doubt they want to play on a server where people run around with hacked items either. When there's an epidemic, sometimes the best course of action, is to burn everything.

This method would also ensure that nobody falls through the cracks.

Player wipes/IP bans of abusers:
This would be an option I would endorse if they can find a way to ensure 100% are punished. The fact is though, that some will slip through the cracks if this method is used. This teaches people that if they cheat, but not too much there are no consequences. If even one of the scumbags ruining the game slip through, it's too many.

In fact, besides the rollbacks, I think this should be in place as well. Anybody that they have discovered to be an abuser, should be IP banned even after the rollback occurs.

New Servers:
This is nice in theory, but expensive. Bandwidth costs money and the company shouldn't have to foot the bill because people have no ethics. It's not their fault that players are all self gratifying scumbags willing to cheat to win.

Also, this method pretty much ensures that those who abused the system still get away unpunished. Although I enjoy the idea of leaving all the cheaters on servers with each other, I prefer the idea of them getting banned permanently.

Overall:
Something needs to be done fast. Fortunately the developers are in a position where Raiderz is so new that even if they did the widely unpopular server wipe, they would be able to recoup everything. I honestly think that doing so would get them noticed in several game magazines and gamers like myself would appreciate that they punished it so harshly. In the end I think a server rollback would net more players than any of the other options for Raiderz.

That's my take anyway.