Champions: Return to Arms

Please note that I encourage anyone to edit this page for the purposes of making it look nicer, more organized, or for adding more information..especially since I'm not very good with this stuff.

Champions: Return to arms is a great game to play with friends, with several races to chose from, a long campaign, and separate story paths, one for good and evil.

The information I'll be posting is strategies for each class and how to use them effectively.

The Iksar Shaman: The Shaman is a perfect balance between a Wizard and a Warrior..wielding strong offensive and defensive magic, as well as being proficient with all weapons, even the capability of holding a shield which Wizards cannot do. Primary focus should be on Intelligence and Strength, with a few points in Stamina every now and then. Dexterity should be last on the list, but don't neglect it too much, otherwise you'll be missing more than you care to. They work best as support, with many spells that poison, stun or sleep, even a spell that heals the Shaman and all that are close enough to him. In a pinch he doesn't make a half bad tank either, being able to wield shields for protection and being able to heal as well.

The Vah Shir berserker: The Berserker is the definition of raw power..absolutely everything he does focuses on doing extreme damage. Not only is he a melee expert, but he has the unique ability to summon bundles of Throwing Axes, which do great damage as well with the bonus of being a range weapon. All of his strength comes at a cost, however.. The Berserker has the lowest defensive rating of all the classes, to the point that he takes damage like a Wizard. If you use this class, you shoud focus on Strength and Dexterity for your primaries, shifting towards one or the other depending on if you like the Throwing Axes or melee better. Stamina should always be your next priority, with Intelligence at the end of the list. His DPS is unmatched, so he should be on the front line, but not without support. The Berserker takes damage too fast and hard for him to survive on his own, so it's recommended to have another class take the aggro for him.

The Barbarian Warrior: The Barbarian is the Tank of Champions, being a perfect balance of defense and attack. They're also the simplest out of all the classes, and arguably the best for soloing. Their unique trait is how their mana works..they can't use potions to restore their mana, and it doesn't recharge on its own..it does, however, recharge when they're in combat, meaning it's beneficial to be in the heat of battle at all times. They have a slew of abilities that do damage or stun, as well as some that protect themselves from damage, or increase their capacity for battle.

The Wood Elf Ranger: The Wood Elf is a balance of melee combat and ranged combat, having many skills that compliment their archery. They also have two functions..they can either be built as a melee class, (Dual wielding is popular for Wood Elves), or as a range class, using archery to take down enemies from afar. They hit several snags of their own, however. One is that some enemies throughout the game are very, very resistant to Archery. An example would be the machine enemies from the Plane of Innovation..arrows just bounce off them 60% of the time, making them a pain. Most enemies can also simply block arrows, which is a lot more noticeable later in the game. You should make their focus either Dexterity or Strength, then Intelligence, with Stamina at the end. You can balance between melee and archery if you wish..however that means that you'll only be average in both classes, meaning in a group you'll have less impact. For the range player though, this class is the best.

The High Elf Cleric: This class is another balance between a Warrior and a Wizard. Their magic isn't as damaging as the Shamans, (Unless the enemy is Undead), but their magic IS a lot more supportive, with more powerful healing abilities. They too have the capacity to fight on the front lines, strong in melee and tough with their defense, slightly moreso than the Shaman. They also get the unique ability to resurrect allies, an invaluable skill. Strength should be the primary, followed by Intelligence..Dexterity and Stamina can be switched at will.

The Erudite Wizard: The Wizard really needs no introduction. If you like smiting the enemy with Ice, Fire, or Electricity then this is your class. The Wizard is very versatile when it comes to attacking from affar..they can electricute their enemies, burn them for massive damage, or freeze them reducing them to a crawling target. They are a bit on the squishy side, however, so keep them off the front lines whenever possible. They have a few protective spells for themselves, but they're not strong enough for direct combat. You should pour as much into intelligence as possible, with a few points in stamina to help with their HP. Dexterity and Strength have little/no use, unless you want to increase your carrying capacity with Strength.

The Dark Elf Shadow Knight: They may be Necromancers, but that doesn't mean they have no skill with the sword. The Dark Elf is a Wizard, Warrior, and Shaman all in one, being able to melee, poison, and even summon the Undead to do their bidding. They're not quite as durable as other warrior based classes, but their spells are completely focused on the dark artes, allowing them to poison, confuse, summon, and control their enemies. They also hold the single most powerful move in the game, Harm Touch, doing unbelievable damage to a single target. You should focus on both Intelligence and Strength as your primary, Stamina and Dexterity should be balanced secondly to the others. The Dark Elf can fill any role needed...well..except for healing.