As is the case with almost any MMO, Dune: Awakening's classes are a core part of its gameplay. Some lean into raw utility, others into strategy or resource control, but most importantly, each one feels unique enough to push players toward a specific style of play. Truthfully, it's what makes comparing them so interesting, because no two are meant to excel in exactly the same way. That being said, there is one class in Dune: Awakening that might stand above the others for its well-roundedness.
While it can be hard to argue whether any class in Dune: Awakening is objectively the "best" (as much of it comes down to a player's preferred playstyle and skill), each class does have certain strengths and weaknesses that might position it above the rest, so long as it is played correctly. On that note, of the five classes currently available to players in Dune: Awakening, one stands out as potentially the game's most dominant class, simply on account of its blend of speed, damage output, and versatility across PvE, PvP, and solo play. That class is none other than the Swordmaster.
Dune: Awakening's Swordmaster Might Be the Game's Most Dominant Class
Swordmaster's Strengths Across PvE and PvP
What's most interesting about the Swordmaster's reputation as the class to beat is that Dune: Awakening's melee combat has always been one of its biggest criticisms, and that is what the Swordmaster, as its name implies, is all about. Built for aggressive melee combat, the Swordmaster is agile and can deal considerable single-target damage, allowing players to tear through most of the game's PvE content with relative ease. Heavy armor builds then increase the class' survivability, although its stamina-driven combat mechanics still demand player attentiveness. So, for Dune: Awakening solo players, this makes it a standout option, as most encounters can be tackled without a group.
The Swordmaster doesn't just dominate PvE content either, as it is perhaps even more viable in Dune: Awakening's PvP gameplay. The Swordmaster has become famous for being able to wipe out other players in a single spice-buffed attack, which is largely why tier lists consistently place it in S-rank for both PvE and PvP. Mobility-focused tools like Knee Charge and Weirding Step make the Swordmaster difficult to pin down as well, and when combined with its melee proficiency, it can pretty much dictate the pace and outcome of almost any fight. Of course, again, it takes a bit of mastery to get to this point.
How It Compares to Planetologist and Other Classes
None of this is to say that the Swordmaster is perfect by any means, though. Since it is a melee-based class, its reliance on close quarters makes it vulnerable at range, and its stamina-heavy playstyle can punish players who are swinging their weapon around carelessly. Still, when measured against the rest of Dune: Awakening's lineup, few others come close to its balance of solo viability and group utility. The Planetologist, for example, can be great for resource and support options, but it can't rival the Swordmaster in combat. Then there's Dune: Awakening's Mentat, which is highly beginner-friendly but still lacks the offensive edge of the Swordmaster.
In the end, it's the Swordmaster's ability to perform well across multiple fronts — whether it be soloing Dune: Awakening's Deep Desert, tackling duels, or making valuable contributions to group PvP — that makes it virtually unbeatable in the current meta. Of course, since Dune: Awakening is a live-service game, this meta is expected to change regularly over time, especially if and when new classes are added in the future. For now, though, the Swordmaster reigns.
WHERE TO PLAY
- Genre(s)
- Open-World, Survival, MMO
