The newest addition to the battle royale genre is Naraka Bladepoint, but this isn't your average Fortnite copying shooter. Instead, Naraka Bladepoint takes inspiration from the fighting game genre and class-based multiplayer titles like Overwatch. Sixty players are dropped onto a map and must defeat each other using mostly melee attacks and fast-paced parkour moves. The title's ability to pull from many different influences makes for a game quite unlike any other.
While players haven't gotten a large amount of time with the game and there will likely be more playable characters revealed before release, there are several clear favorites when it came to characters during the game's open betas. Each of these characters has its own special abilities, but some of them are already being shown to have some clear advantages in combat at the moment. This guide shows players the best characters in Naraka Bladepoint and how to play as them.
Naraka Bladepoint - Best Characters and How to Play As Them
Currently, there are seven characters for players to choose from in Naraka Bladepoint that have been able to be played at this time. An eighth has already been confirmed and it stands to reason that there will be others added at a later date. This means that as time goes on new characters will be added in, current characters will be buffed or nerfed, and the overall meta of Naraka Bladepoint will change to keep up with these changes. These characters may not always be the best to play as, but as of right now they are some of the best that Naraka Bladpoint has to offer.
It is also important to note that, unlike many multiplayer titles that were poorly balanced at launch, there are no bad choices in Naraka Bladepoint. The player could pick from any of the characters that are available at this time and have no issue whatsoever performing well against their opponents. A few of them could use some tweaks or alterations, but all of the characters are viable options no matter the scenario. It should also be remembered that different talents can make characters much more useful depending on the situation. Due to the special abilities though, there are a few characters that do have some solid advantages in combat that aren't present with the others. Players who are struggling to win games or who want to gain an edge over more competitive foes will want to check out these three characters as soon as they can.
Matari
It is basically impossible to ignore that Matari is probably the best character in Naraka Bladepoint at this time, especially when playing in solo mode. The major reason that she is such a useful character is because of her high amount of maneuverability and ability to move around unseen when her ultimate ability is being used. The ultimate ability, Unseen Wings, allows Matari to turn invisible for a time and sneak up on her foes to take them out with a weapon they can see what is happening. She also gains increased damage and the ability to avoid grapples when this ultimate is active. Matari also has the ability to teleport using her secondary special ability, which has a wide array of uses in and out of combat.
Those who want to play as Matari can use here in several different ways. The most obvious method is to use her a stealth fighter to bring down enemies from behind and lure teammates apart from each other to pick them off one by one. They can then use the teleport to run away before others can swoop in for a kill. Matari can also be used more aggressively as her invisibility powers make her hard to keep track of in one on one combat, and the teleport function can be used to hop around the immediate area and be more unpredictable in a fight.
Kurumi
If playing as part of a team it will pay off if one of the members selects Kurumi who is perfectly suited to team based gameplay. Kurumi doesn't have much in the way of offensive maneuvers, but her ability to act in a support role for her teammates makes her an invaluable asset no matter what the circumstance is. Her special skill will link Kurumi to a teammate of her choosing that will heal that player over time, but when doing so Kurumi will be unable to attack any enemies. However this does allow Kurumi to teleport to her team member when she wishes. Kurumi's ultimate ability also allows her to put down a massive circle that will remove any negative status effects that fellow teammates have picked up.
Those who want to help support their team rather than rushing into battle should definitely choose to play as Kurumi. Her healing ability is perfect for keeping a more powerful character alive in combat, but many players may not realize that Kurumi can also be well utilized for crowd control as well. If players use Kurumi's linked teleport ability they will actually push back any enemy players who are nearby when she arrived where her teammate is. This is perfect for helping a partner who is feeling overwhelmed by encroaching enemies and maybe clear the way for a quick escape.
Viper Ning
Viper Ning is a perfect all-around character that is capable of many powerful abilities. The standard special skill, Yushan Enigma, is a lot of fun to use and extremely powerful against other enemies. When triggered Viper Ning will launch a blast attack at her opponents that will cause a small amount of damage to them, and also push them backward. On top of this though the ability will also prevent those hit by it from using special or ultimate abilities for a short amount of time. The ultimate ability, however, Twilight Crimson, is capable of setting up enemies for a lot of punishment. By activating these skills Viper Ning will need to focus for five seconds and then she will stun all the enemies that are visible and stun them for five seconds. During that time those players will be unable to do anything, but the tradeoff is that Viper Ning herself is vulnerable during her five seconds of focus.
Players can use Viper Ning as both a team and solo character equally as well. Since her abilities are centered around disabling and stunning her opponents, this means that Viper Ning can always have the upper hand if being used properly. Those who decide to play with a team can make terrific use of Twilight Crimson particularly. All they have to do is ask their team to guard them while they focus in the middle of a fight. Doing so will disable their opponents and from there it can make taking out the opposition a fairly simple affair. Even if playing solo though the player can always just sneak up on a fight that is taking place and activate the skill while others are busy. This can disable the whole group and allow them to swoop in and dispatch the group while everyone is stunned.
Naraka Bladepoint can be played on PC.