The First Berserker: Khazan is Neople's souls-like, released on 27 March 2025 and set in the same Arad universe as Dungeon Fighter Online. Khazan is a decorated general of the Pell Los Empire who is framed for treason, crippled, and left to die in the snow until a spirit called the Blade Phantom keeps him alive. The campaign runs 16 main missions across four regions, from the Charnak Mountain Range through the Pell Los Plateau and the Heart of Pell Los to Vitalon, capital of the empire, with 24 bonus missions hanging off the same mission map. There are no character classes. You choose between Greatsword, Dual Wield and Spear, and you can respec every skill point at a Blade Nexus for free, as many times as you like.
Picking the right build determines how your experience plays out. These builds are ranked by overall effectiveness, factoring in damage, survivability, gear requirements, and how well they scale into endgame. New to the game? Start with our beginner's guide first.
Quick Rankings
| Role | Tier | Playstyle | Core Gear |
|---|---|---|---|
| Greatsword | A | Balanced | Best available |
| Dual Wield | A | Balanced | Best available |
| Spear | A | Balanced | Best available |
| Brink Guard counter build | A | Balanced | Best available |
| Spirit skill build | A | Balanced | Best available |
For detailed meta rankings, see our The First Berserker: Khazan tier list.
A-Tier: Greatsword
Greatsword is a top-performing option in The First Berserker: Khazan.
Core Setup
| Slot | Choice | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Primary Weapon | Greatsword | Slowest swing speed, highest stamina damage per hit, and the only weapon whose charged heavy reliably staggers ordinary enemies. |
| Core Gear | Best available for your level | Maximizes build potential |
| Stat Priority | Balanced offensive and defensive stats | Optimal scaling |
| Key Mechanic | Brink Guard and Reflect | Holding guard blocks at a heavy stamina cost. |
How to Play Greatsword
Greatsword focuses on a balanced approach to content.
Why this role works: Greatsword does the damage and Brink Guard and Reflect keeps it running, which is why this sits at the top of the list. See our weapons guide for detailed weapons breakdowns.
Pros:
- Highest overall performance
- Straightforward gearing path
- Works in all content types
Cons:
- Popular pick, resources may be contested
- Needs specific gear to reach full potential
A-Tier: Dual Wield
Dual Wield is a strong option in The First Berserker: Khazan.
Core Setup
| Slot | Choice | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Primary Weapon | Dual Wield blades | The fastest of the three, with attack strings that keep the spirit gauge topped up. |
| Core Gear | Best available for your level | Maximizes build potential |
| Stat Priority | Balanced offensive and defensive stats | Optimal scaling |
| Key Mechanic | Stamina and stance breaking | Khazan and every enemy carry a stamina bar alongside health. |
How to Play Dual Wield
Dual Wield focuses on a balanced approach to content.
Why this role works: Pair Dual Wield blades with Stamina and stance breaking and the build stops depending on a good start, so it holds up across most content. See our weapons guide for detailed weapons breakdowns.
Pros:
- Most versatile option
- Straightforward gearing path
- Works in all content types
Cons:
- Lower peak damage than S-tier
- Needs specific gear to reach full potential
A-Tier: Spear
Spear is a strong option in The First Berserker: Khazan.
Core Setup
| Slot | Choice | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Primary Weapon | Spear | Longest reach and the lowest risk per exchange, scaling off Proficiency with Willpower secondary. |
| Core Gear | Best available for your level | Maximizes build potential |
| Stat Priority | Balanced offensive and defensive stats | Optimal scaling |
| Key Mechanic | Spirit gauge skills | Skills do not cost stamina. |
How to Play Spear
Spear focuses on a balanced approach to content.
Why this role works: Spirit gauge skills covers the gap Spear leaves open, so the build stays usable even when a fight goes badly. See our weapons guide for detailed weapons breakdowns.
Pros:
- Best survivability
- Straightforward gearing path
- Works in all content types
Cons:
- Slower clear speeds
- Needs specific gear to reach full potential
A-Tier: Brink Guard counter build
Brink Guard counter build is a specialized option in The First Berserker: Khazan.
Core Setup
| Slot | Choice | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Primary Weapon | Spirit gauge skills | Skills spend gauge charges rather than stamina, so they are free damage in the middle of a stamina-starved exchange. |
| Core Gear | Best available for your level | Maximizes build potential |
| Stat Priority | Balanced offensive and defensive stats | Optimal scaling |
| Key Mechanic | Lacrima and the Blade Nexus | Lacrima drops from enemies and behaves like souls in FromSoftware games. |
How to Play Brink Guard counter build
Brink Guard counter build focuses on a balanced approach to content.
Why this role works: This one leans on Lacrima and the Blade Nexus rather than raw numbers, and Spirit gauge skills is what makes that trade pay off. See our weapons guide for detailed weapons breakdowns.
Pros:
- Strong in group/team content
- Straightforward gearing path
- Excels in its niche
Cons:
- Weaker solo performance
- Requires deep game knowledge
A-Tier: Spirit skill build
Spirit skill build is a specialized option in The First Berserker: Khazan.
Core Setup
| Slot | Choice | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Primary Weapon | Qazumaka crafted gear sets | The blacksmith Qazumaka builds full armour sets once you bring him the matching Scroll, which drops from elite enemies and bosses or sits in mission side rooms. |
| Core Gear | Best available for your level | Maximizes build potential |
| Stat Priority | Balanced offensive and defensive stats | Optimal scaling |
| Key Mechanic | Three weapon skill trees | The skill menu holds four tabs: Greatsword, Dual Wield, Spear and Common. |
How to Play Spirit skill build
Spirit skill build focuses on a balanced approach to content.
Why this role works: Qazumaka crafted gear sets and Three weapon skill trees pull in the same direction here, which separates this from the safer picks above. See our weapons guide for detailed weapons breakdowns.
Pros:
- Unique, rewarding playstyle
- Straightforward gearing path
- Excels in its niche
Cons:
- High skill floor, punishing when misplayed
- Requires deep game knowledge
Build Progression Path
- Start with Dual Wield: the most forgiving option for learning the game
- Transition to Greatsword once you understand core mechanics and have access to Greatsword
- Keep a Spear setup for content that keeps killing you
- Try Spirit skill build for a fresh experience once you've mastered the basics
Follow our walkthrough for the optimal progression path through each area.
Gearing Tips
- Invest in your primary weapon first, since it gives the biggest power spike. See our weapons guide for rankings.
- Bonus missions are not optional content. There are 24 of them across the four regions and they are the intended source of Lacrima and blacksmith Scrolls, so a player who runs only the 16 main missions arrives at the Heart of Pell Los badly under-geared.
- Brink Guard is timed to the moment of impact, not the wind-up. Watch the weapon rather than the character, and count the rhythm of a combo on your first attempt instead of trying to react to every hit.
- Don't spread upgrade resources across multiple builds until endgame
More The First Berserker: Khazan Guides
- The First Berserker: Khazan The First Berserker: Khazan Overview
- The First Berserker: Khazan Tier List
- The First Berserker: Khazan Walkthrough
- The First Berserker: Khazan Beginner's Guide
- The First Berserker: Khazan Tips & Tricks
- The First Berserker: Khazan Weapons Guide
- The First Berserker: Khazan Combat Guide
- The First Berserker: Khazan Boss Guide
- The First Berserker: Khazan Maps & Locations
- The First Berserker: Khazan Crafting Guide
- The First Berserker: Khazan Classes & Characters
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