Choosing the "best" faction in Outward isn't a straightforward answer, as the ideal choice highly depends on your preferred playstyle, combat focus, and the challenges you wish to undertake. Each of the game's four main factions offers unique benefits, skill trainers, questlines, and a distinct approach to the world of Aurai.
Here's a breakdown to help you determine which faction aligns best with your adventure:
What is the Best Faction to Join in Outward?
There isn't a single "best" faction in Outward; rather, there's a best fit for your individual playstyle. Your choice impacts the abilities you'll gain, the story you'll experience, and the boons you'll receive.
Faction Overview: Finding Your Perfect Fit
1. Heroic Kingdom (Levant)
- Ideal For: Players who prefer physical combat over magic, favoring weapons like swords, axes, and firearms. This faction is a strong choice if you're not particularly interested in spellcasting and enjoy direct, weapon-based engagements.
- Benefits: This faction provides powerful physical boons and skill access, often enhancing speed, stamina, and raw damage output. Joining this group grants access to trainers who can teach advanced combat techniques for warriors and gun-wielders. The kingdom emphasizes military strength and self-reliance.
- Challenges: Getting to Levant, the capital city of the Heroic Kingdom, can be a significant challenge in itself, especially for new players. The journey through the hostile desert region requires preparation and caution. If you're up for a demanding trek and want to push your combat skills, this faction is an excellent choice.
- Unique Aspect: Focuses on reclaiming glory and military power in the face of widespread threats.
2. Holy Mission of Elatt (Berg)
- Ideal For: Players who enjoy divine magic, support roles, healing, and defensive strategies. This faction is perfect for those who envision themselves as a paladin, cleric, or a light-wielding mystic.
- Benefits: Members gain access to powerful mana regeneration, defensive buffs, and abilities that cleanse debuffs. The Holy Mission teaches skills centered around elemental light, healing, and protective enchantments, making you a resilient and supportive force.
- Challenges: Some of the faction's philosophical quests might require a more measured approach, and combat encounters could benefit from a blend of magic and melee if you're not a pure spellcaster.
- Unique Aspect: Dedicated to the worship of Elatt and purifying the land from corruption.
3. Blue Chamber Collective (Cierzo)
- Ideal For: New players, generalists, and those who prioritize convenience, stability, and a balanced gameplay experience. It's often recommended as a good starting faction due to its accessibility.
- Benefits: The Blue Chamber Collective provides practical boons, including a free house in Cierzo (your starting town), which is incredibly useful for storage and resting. Its skill offerings are diverse, often including increased carrying capacity and useful survival skills that benefit any character build. This faction is the easiest to join and complete its questline, offering a smoother early-game experience.
- Challenges: While versatile, its benefits might feel less specialized compared to the other factions. If you're looking for highly focused, niche abilities, you might find its offerings less impactful later in the game.
- Unique Aspect: Centered around community, trade, and practical survival in the face of the world's dangers.
4. The Soroboreans (Harmattan - Requires The Soroboreans DLC)
- Ideal For: Experienced players, advanced magic users, and those who enjoy complex magical mechanics, spellblades, and scholarly pursuits.
- Benefits: This faction offers access to intricate elemental magic, a unique "Discipline" system for powerful spell combos, and enhanced mana efficiency. You can learn advanced enchanting and develop powerful magical builds like Hex Mages or Spellblades, making it ideal for those who want to delve deep into spellcraft.
- Challenges: The questlines and combat encounters in Harmattan and the surrounding area are generally more demanding, requiring a solid understanding of game mechanics and character building. The skills are powerful but often require specific setups and timing.
- Unique Aspect: Dedicated to the pursuit of ancient knowledge, magical experimentation, and understanding the deeper secrets of Aurai.
Faction Comparison Table
To help summarize the choices:
Faction | Primary Focus | Ideal Playstyle | Key Benefits | Considerations |
---|---|---|---|---|
Heroic Kingdom | Physical Combat | Warrior, Ranger, Gunner | Physical damage, speed, stamina boons | Challenging journey to Levant |
Holy Mission of Elatt | Divine Magic, Support | Paladin, Cleric, Healer | Mana regen, defensive buffs, light magic | Less direct combat focus |
Blue Chamber Collective | Generalist, Survival | Any (especially beginners) | Free house, carrying capacity, balanced skills | Less specialized, simpler questline |
The Soroboreans | Advanced Magic, Scholarship | Spellblade, Hex Mage, Pure Caster (DLC required) | Elemental magic, unique spell mechanics, mana efficiency | More complex, higher difficulty, requires DLC |
Ultimately, the "best" faction is the one that best complements your desired playstyle and offers the most engaging experience for you. Consider what kind of adventurer you want to be in Aurai before making your choice.