Anthem Beginner's Guide: Tips & Tricks To Know Before Playing

Anthem can be daunting to new players. It's a game that rewards people for adapting to the style that BioWare intended, and squad-based combat is a priority in virtually every design element present within the world of Anthem. Even those familiar with Destiny, the closest point of comparison for Anthem, will find the game's focus on both a horizontal and vertical axes during combat and exploration takes some getting used to.

Beyond that, however, there's a lot about Anthem that isn't explained during the game's introductory moments. Players diving into the new Javelin classes, their roles, and the game's mixture of story and freeplay content will inevitably encounter some misadventure along the way. There's a lot to digest, but those who are interested in performing well in Anthem can employ a wide range of tips and tricks to get an edge.

Related: Anthem: The First Few Hours

Learning how to maximize efficiency during questing and group play, the best character abilities, gearing, and more are all crucial in having an enjoyable time with Anthem. That might seem like a lot of information to process, but those looking to succeed early on don't need to worry - this guide from Screen Rant will make the transition virtually painless, and players will be piloting a geared out Javelin into Anthem's end-game in no time.

This Page: Anthem Gameplay Tips
Page 2: Which Anthem Javelins To Use

Anthem Gameplay Tips & Tricks

The bulk of what players will be doing in Anthem is combat. Learning the ins and outs of combat is essential to performing well in a team setting, and even more important for solo players, who will have to play pretty close to flawlessly if they want to maintain their lone wolf attitude. Anthem is a fair game at its core, though, and those who put the time in to learn how its gameplay systems work will be rewarded with a more robust experience.

Work Together - If you're playing in a group, you're already advantaged. Anthem is explicitly designed to support and encourage teamwork. Early on, players won't have access to the wide swath of abilities that make them a dangerous solo presence, so unity is especially important at early levels. Team composition isn't as important as targeting down the same enemy, making sure to position each other away from danger, and having a cohesive gameplan.
Don't Solo Queue Early - Again, Anthem is about teams. The early game can be extremely punishing for someone tackling it on their own, as it doesn't appear that Anthem scales in difficulty with each team member added. That's nice for four-person teams, but it means that solo queues are long, grindy, and frustrating. Don't put your early missions on Private, and embrace the matchmaking Anthem offers. You'll be put with players looking to finish the same mission even if there's a massive level discrepancy.
Use Your Jetpack (Yes, Even That Specific Time You Thought You Shouldn't) - The vertical axis of Anthem's gameplay is when it's at its most fun and effective. Enemies will typically clog the ground, and there's a lot of trouble waiting for those who stand in one place for too long. Take to the skies, and don't be afraid to hover above the battlefield while taking pot shots at enemies!
Ability Cooldowns Are Quick, So Abuse Them Often - Sometimes, games will force players to micromanage their more powerful abilities, punishing them for using them too early with lengthy cooldowns that can be crippling. Anthem is not one of those games. Gear abilities cooldown very quickly, so get in the habit of monitoring when they're ready to be used again. Each class has a rhythm, and gear abilities do way more damage than regular guns, so use them early and often. You can't take them with you when you die!
Trash Mobs Are There For A Reason - During intense early fights, players will have the option of trying to focus down elite or better enemies - they're basically the bosses of the instance they're in, with more HP and better damage output. Ignoring the trash mobs might seem like a good idea, but they're actually there for the player's benefit. They'll frequently drop ammo and health recovery buffs, which can be crucial in final skirmishes. If you're running low on health, instead of running for cover and letting shields recharge, there's also the option of trying to burst down some weaker enemies for a quick heal to get you back into the fight faster.

Ultimates Are Game Breakers (And Life Savers) - Managing a Javelin's ultimate is a little trickier, but don't forget to employ those abilities when they're up and the team is in a tight spot. Ultimates are designed to work in both group fights or to burst a boss down. Popping an Ultimate also heals a player to full once they come out of it, so in a pinch, an Ultimate can be the difference between life and death during a fight when healing isn't immediately available.
Visit The Forge After Every Mission - Anthem is pretty generous with the way its loot works. After every mission, players will typically find themselves inundated with new loot. While there usually aren't any drastic upgrades, there's usually at least one per mission, and they all add up. Make a habit of visiting the Forge, looking through your equipment, and disassembling what you don't need for spare parts.
Don't Be Afraid To Craft Gear Every New Level - Anthem's crafting materials are also abundant, at least in their common and uncommon forms. Luckily, that's all players need to remain geared for each new challenge, since crafting recipes scale to level and will allow players to choose the weapon they want.
Use Your Favorite Weapon - Using the gun players find the most exciting will gradually unlock better recipes for said gun through achievements. For instance, using a Vengeance shotgun and killing a bunch of Elites with it will eventually unlock its uncommon or rare recipe, which will in turn boast better stats. For those unwilling to dive too deeply into Anthem's very demanding and grindy end-game, this system should work.
When You Get To Tombs of the Legionnaires, Do It Solo - Trust us on this one. Achievements aren't shared by members of a party, and until it is, don't try to to tackle these sub-missions with extra party members. It's a book-keeping nightmare.

Page 2 of 2: Which Anthem Javelins To Use

Which Anthem Javelin To Use

Anthem has a total of four Javelins, and they play very differently. The game does an adequate job of explaining what to expect from each, but it also leaves a lot to be desired. Here, we'll outline how each of these classes behaves and how they thrive. Hopefully, players will have a much stronger idea of which they want to choose when they hit Level 2, as the game locks them in from that point on and they're stuck with that Javelin until Level 8, which is hours away.

Ranger - The Ranger is perfect for players who want a balanced approach to Anthem. It's probably the absolute best beginner character, with decent survivability and strong damage output. The Ranger is also the most versatile, which means it can fluctuate between short- and long-ranged combat with ease. The Ranger is good in both single and multiplayer excursions, and probably has the second easiest learning curve in the game, next to the Colossus. Recommended for new players or those who have a lot of friends they want to team with, since the Ranger can improve any composition by varying its play slightly.
Colossus - The Colossus is the tank of Anthem. Although it looks like it has absurdly high shield and health ratings, though, the Colossus only has health at all times. To access its shield reserves, players need to manually pull out a physical shield for the Javelin, which restricts its ability to deal damage, although it does unlock shield charges and bashes that throw enemies off balance. The Colossus is great for those who feel like flying around or long-range skills might be too complicated at first, and it's also an amazing addition to every multiplayer composition, since it has access to a taunt ability that can funnel aggro towards it while protecting squishier characters. The Colossus thrives in both single and multiplayer play, and is probably the best solo class in the game, since it mixes the best survivability in Anthem with some punishing, high-damage abilities.

Storm - The Storm is the ranged damage dealer of Anthem. The Storm is also what we believe to be the hardest class to play, or at least the one with the steepest learning curve. The Storm wants to hover around the battlefield and cast area of effect damage whenever possible, setting up combos for teammates to eviscerate enemies with. Unfortunately, Storm players don't have a ton of health to work with, although their shields are effective. Storms in Anthem need to be very aware of the environment at all times and exploit enemy formations to maximize their potential, making them a tricky class. Storms are also tough in single player since they'll need to tank damage more often, so a Storm is better served as one of the primary damage dealers in a squad. Not recommended for newer players, but a great Javelin to pick up at the Level 16 mark, when players will be interested in diversifying their loadout.
Interceptor - The Interceptor is the melee damage dealer of Anthem. The Interceptor is also the squishiest, which is an awkward combination. It makes up for its weak health and shield pools with top of the class movement speeds and dodge potential, alongside some of the coolest melee animations in all of Anthem. Interceptors need to watch their positioning, carefully dodging heavier enemies while maximizing the amount of damage they're dealing with quick melee strikes accompanied by frequent gear usage. Interceptors are actually fine for solo play, although there will be a number of challenging situations that arise from that. In multiplayer, the Interceptor compliments Colossi beautifully, exploiting the distractions provided for, quite frankly, some of the best damage numbers available to players. The Interceptor is moderately hard to use and not recommended for new players, although its learning curve is less egregious than the Storm. Another great pick up at level 16, but an argument could be made for level 8 depending on how comfortable a player feels with Anthem as a whole.