There are plenty of reasons that the Soulslike continues to be one of the most popular subgenres of action RPGs, but it’s safe to say that the games resonate most strongly with players thanks to their place as combat-forward experiences. Neople’sThe First Berserker: Khazanhas quite a bit going for it in terms of its place as a new and well-received Soulslike, but the star of the game is arguably its great combat, which limits players to just a few weapon types but greatly expands the utility of each as a trade-off. One of the better systems that helps support this, and one that future Soulslikes should take note of, isKhazan’s weapon-specific skill trees.
Despite there only being three weapon types inThe First Berserker: Khazan, players have a lot of agency and flexibility in how these weapons are utilized thanks to their weapon-specific skill trees. MostSoulslikesgive players the ability to progress and grow their character by leveling up and allocating stat points that correspond to specific gear scaling, but not many offer players a customizable skill tree as a secondary means of progression.The First Berserker: Khazanprovides both, and the options that both the universal skill trees and the weapon-specific skill trees contain have the power to transform both combat and build craft.
The First Berzerker: Khazan’s Weapon Skill Trees Give a Glimpse Into Character Progression
Going into a character build in a Soulslike without at least some knowledge of where the build will end up can be a daunting proposition, especially when limited stat points and careful allocation are essential elements of the subgenre’scharacter progression. One of the best aspects ofThe First Berserker: Khazan’s skill trees is that they provide players a glimpse into how they may or may not want to build out Khazan without needing to worry about mistakes with stat point allocation or the need to respec. Especially when it comes to the weapon-specific skill trees,The First Berserker: Khazantakes a lot of the guesswork out of putting together a viable build.
It’s a small but noticeable quality-of-life feature that deserves to become an inclusion in the subgenre moving forward, swapping the “trial and error” approach of putting together a character build with something more measured and precise that players can work toward. Even though players might not typically favor larger, heavier weapons in aSoulslike, taking a look atThe First Berserker: Khazan’s Greatsword skill tree shows that some interesting abilities are unlocked through progression that might make it an ideal choice, which players would never have known had the skill tree not laid it bare for them.
Combat Options in The First Berserker: Khazan Benefit From the Weapon Skill Trees
Knowing where a particular build might end up after several hours of progression is great, but it would all be for nothing if the build itself isn’t viable in combat. Thankfully, the three weapon-specific skill trees aligned with each ofThe First Berserker: Khazan’s weapon typeseach amount to very different playstyles that each have their own pros, cons, and utility. The Greatsword features options for swift charges and knockback, the Spear is all about applying bonus damage through Khazan’s afterimage, and the Dual-Wield is a balanced option that focuses on whittling down single targets through increased damage on consecutive hits.
Each of these weapons generally fits into the prescribed progression paths of similar armaments in the Soulslike subgenre, but tying special abilities to a universal skill tree that applies to every weapon of a particular type, rather than the weapon-specific bonuses of armaments in theDark Soulstrilogy, encourages players to regularly upgrade their gear — something whichKhazanprovides for with its more frequent loot drops. Finding the right weapon for a particular playstyle and investing in its skill tree only serves to makeKhazan’s already compelling gameplay loop that much more enticing.
