It’s finally time –Towerborne arrives on Xbox Series X|S, Windows PC, Xbox Cloud and with Game Pass today! To celebrate the looter-brawler’s entrance into Xbox Game Preview, we’ve compiled some tips and tricks to get you started on your Ace adventure.

Experiment!

While Towerborne is easy for anyone to pick up and play, there is a satisfying depth to its combat systems – and combinations of skills and attacks you’ll only uncover by experimenting with each of the four classes. While each class has a “theme” defined by the weapon type, there’s versatility in how you can play with them. Even if you think you’ll prefer a certain loadout, it’s worth giving them all a go, and with Towerborne’s frictionless class-swapping and re-spec options, changing your mind (and your build) is an absolute breeze.

Build for Success

The new Class Mastery Update (which we covered in-depth last week) gives even more versatility to each class in Towerborne. There’s now countless more ways to play with each weapon, with the addition of new skill trees that let you hone a specific playstyle. Sentinel can be a fast and offensive frontline attacker, but it can also be sturdy and defensive. Some builds can focus heavily on dealing raw damage, while others can lean more towards a support build, lifting your teammates. Here’s a few examples across each of the available classes:

Bleed Build: The Sentinel class comes with several skills that deal or enhance bleed, which deals slow damage to enemies you’ve hit over time. The ‘Bloodlust’ skill lets you deal 10% more damage against bleeding enemies, and the ‘Sanguine Burst’ skill enables your heavy combo to consume all bleed stacks, triggering an explosion that deals massive damage.

Sear Build: The Pyroclast is all about inflicting burndamage, but there’s a few ways to build upon that. The skill ‘Persistent Pyre’ will increase the duration of your Sear damage, and when your Sear skill is active, you’ll be able to pull off moves like ‘Ember Cyclone’, a stylish airborne attack, and ‘Ember Spike’, which delivers a long-range tremor that explodes on the closest enemy.

Powderkeg Build: The Rockbreaker already packs a punch, but you can amplify its impact even more now. Stacking “Quick Charge” skills to make your Powderkeg Punch charge faster, which is always great. The skill “Cracking Skulls” gives you a fully charged Powderkeg Punch if you break an enemy’s Break Bar. Couple that with “Cracking Knuckles” and you’re able to gain a full charge by Block Breaking an enemy. You can even do the weapon mechanic in the air now or transform it into a lunging attack with the “Bare Knuckles Blast” skill. If you’re a fan of big punches, then this is a great way to build your Rockbreaker.  

Projectile Frenzy Build: This is a super fun Shadowstriker that revolves around the power of projectiles. The “Shooting Stars” skill unlocks a handful of kunai, and the “Shadow Feint Ammo” skills increase your ammo count so that you can use your Weapon Mechanic more often, allowing you to launch projectiles all over the place. The “Shadowsting” Skill is what really sets this build apart though – this modifies your Weapon Mechanic in a way where you no longer teleport, but it costs half the weapon meter to use and deals poison. If you’re the type of player who likes to alternate between mid to long range combat, this is the skill set for you.

Support Build: Healers are the underrated heroes of any party, but in Towerborne, any of the four available classes can spec out into a support character. There are skills that can upgrade how much health your healing flasks give back, increase how many you carry, and even an ability that lets other players benefit from your healing if they’re nearby. Anyone can pick up these skills providing they’re a high enough level, and the ability to swap and change skills at the click of a button means no one is indefinitely locked into that support role (unless you want to be, of course!).

Take Your Time, Memorize The Moves

Gobos are not stealthy or subtle creatures, but some of the nastier ones do pack quite a punch. In more difficult fights, there’s no shame in holding back for just a moment to work out how your enemy is going to attack, and what you can do to combat it. Lots of Gobo moves come with signals that indicate what they’re about to do, whether it’s a long-range projectile, a swift claw hit or a sluggish tail thwack. Keeping an eye on the battlefield and recognising their patterns means you’ll be able to dodge and weave, find windows to attack, and most importantly, avoid taking damage so you can save your Mender’s (healing) Flasks for more unpredictable battles later in the mission.

Taste of Their Own Medicine

It’s not just your weapons that can deal damage to gobos and goons – you can take advantage of their gear too. As an example, some gobos carry bombs to throw at you, and a swift enough hit will knock them off course, causing them to drop the projectile at their own feet. The gobos also won’t move to avoid the damage, instead opting to cover their eyes and pray, so it’s a great way to finish a few off, or buy some time while you’re cleaning up the field. Some levels will also include environmental hazards, like thorns or exploding barrels. Baiting a gobo into hitting a barrel will not end well for them, and that’s another way to deal big damage if your weapon is preoccupied with other targets. It’s also just extremely satisfying, every single time.

Umbra Abilities

Not only are Umbra cute little companions, they also come loaded with different powerful abilities that’ll assist your Ace in battle. Your first Umbra, Iska, offers a long-range projectile to complement the close-range combat that most classes start with. As you progress, you’ll uncover opportunities to earn new Umbra. Pox, for example, unlocks new aerial combos, while Picus can ignite the environment around them in a ring of fire. Each one is super unique, and their abilities can either enhance your playstyle, or add a refreshing contrasting perk to your skillset.

We can’t wait to see you in the Belfry and hope these tips will aid you well on your first adventures throughout the world of Towerborne. Play Towerborne now on Xbox Series X|S, Windows PC in the Xbox App, Xbox Cloud, via Game Pass, and on Steam.

Towerborne (Game Preview)

Xbox Game Studios

☆☆☆☆☆ 31

★★★★★

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Towerborne is a new kind of Looter Brawler, combining side-scrolling combat with action RPG loot progression and endless customization.* You are an Ace, born anew from the spirit realm with special skills, grit, and determination. Unite with other Aces** and fight as one to defend the Belfry, humanity’s last refuge, from the dark forces outside its walls. Can you become the Ace humanity needs to survive? Explore, fight, and grow stronger – together Explore Together – With an evolving world map and ongoing updates, your adventure continues with new enemies, regions, rewards, and story. Venture solo or with up to three other Aces** and recruit Umbra allies with unique abilities to join your fight. Return to the Belfry to reforge gear and continue your journey. Fight Your Way – Jump into satisfying, pick-up-and-play brawler combat that's easy to learn but challenging to master. Towerborne delivers fast-paced, thrilling battles with deep, evolving strategy. Every fight is a chance to sharpen your skills and face tougher challenges. Endless Customization* – Customize your Ace's appearance, gear, and weapons. Set your preferred danger level in the Wilds, wield powerful weapons with special moves, and mix gear and Umbra companions to create a playstyle that's uniquely yours. This game is a work in progress. Some content and features may change over time before full release of the game. Please purchase only if you are comfortable with the game in its current state. Full details on the latest status of the game, and how you can give feedback and report issues can be found at https://www.Towerborne.com/. * This game includes optional in-game purchases of virtual currency that can be used to acquire virtual in-game items. **Online console multiplayer requires Xbox Game Pass Ultimate or Game Pass Core (subscriptions sold separately).