Tera gets new Brawler class in December update

Tera fans are going to have a happy holiday.

The free-to-play massively multiplayer online role-playing game is getting a new class in an upcoming update, titled Knockout, which comes out for North American servers this December. The new class, Brawler, is a tank-type character (meaning they can soak up damage from enemies and bosses) that focuses on combos and parries. Over 20 million users have registered for Tera globally.

Above: Time for punching.

Image Credit: En Masse Entertainment,

The update also adds two new dungeons, the pirate-themed Kalivan’s Dreadnaught, and the haunted Forsaken Island. Players can also earn new end-game armor: the tier 8 Dreadnaught set and the tier 9 Starfall set. All of this content will be free to all players.

Patrick Sun, Tera’s producer, explained to us how the Brawler class works differently from other MMO tanks.

“Traditional MMO tanks tend to grab aggro with taunts and keep mobs focused on them using skills that hold attention but don’t usually deal much damage,” Sun told GamesBeat. “Tanks also tend to stand in one place for long periods of time, soaking up damage while cycling through a series of skills to maintain aggro. It’s a hard job, but it’s not really all that much fun.”

Above: Falcon punch?

Image Credit: En Masse Entertainment,

The Brawler, Sun told us, keeps an enemy’s attention by attacking them directly and juggling them with abilities, almost like you would in a fighting game. Tera in general works different from most MMOs because positioning and aiming is more important. In games like World of Warcraft, you simply select your target and, assuming you’re in range, your attacks hit them automatically. Tera requires players to aim each hit. Enemies also work with the same rules, so you can dodge their attacks.

Tera prides itself on being a fun, yet accessible, MMO.”In Tera, we have done some things over the past few years to decrease the barrier to entry,” Sun told GamesBeat. “Specifically, we have reduced the grind required to get to the meatier portions of the game. Tera is a lot of fun to play with all of the cool skills players get and the challenges of BAMs (big-ass monsters), events, world bosses, and group dungeons. We want players to get to those meaty parts quickly, so they can enjoy the heart of the game.”

Above: You know a punch hurts when it creates an energy sphere.

Image Credit: En Masse Entertainment,

Tera originally came out in South Korea in 2011, with a U.S. release following in 2012. While it originally launched with a subscription plan similar to games like World of Warcraft and Final Fantasy XIV: A Realm Reborn, Tera went free-to-play in 2013, only charging players for cosmetic items. The game became available via Steam this May.

You can watch video of the Brawler in action below.