Black Desert Mobile – What is the best character class for Black Desert Mobile and what is a Family Name?

Starting out with any MMO or RPG can be a fairly stressful experience, largely because you're often forced to pick between several cool-sounding class types. Pearl Abyss' recently released Black Desert Mobile is no exception, with it boasting five distinct classes – all with their very own pros, cons, and fighting styles.

The game's extensive character customisation can also become quite the ordeal, as you tweak every element of your avatar and ultimately decide upon your unique Family Name.

Well, it's the name that displays above your hero's head for all of your fellow adventurers to see and admire. It's entirely unique to you, and it'll remain the same across every server within the same region. It's therefore important that you choose carefully and avoid any daft typos. Your Family Name can only be changed using a purchasable Family Name Change Coupon, but do yourself a favour and get it right the first time to avoid the hassle.

The Warrior is a great all-rounder, boasting decent melee damage with his longsword and shield combo. His defence is especially high, and he'll have no trouble charging headfirst into groups of enemies. Using his hefty shield, the Warrior can also immobilise smaller foes with one swift strike, before repositioning himself to a more advantageous position on the battlefield.

The Ranger is very fast on her feet, allowing her to rapidly traverse the battlefield. With a deadly longbow and dagger combo, she's great at long-range encounters and even surprisingly decent up close – especially when throwing powerful kicks. That said, you should definitely stick to using the longbow for the most part, as the Ranger can be downed fairly easily.

The Witch is a master of powerful elemental magic, easily freezing her targets or setting them ablaze. Her staff is her main weapon, though she can also use her dagger if need be. Her damage output is – when given enough time to prep her attacks – the highest of any class. Much like the Ranger, though, the Witch struggles when forced into short-range encounters.

The Giant is an absolute powerhouse, able to cause huge amounts of damage using his dual axes. He excels when taking on large groups of smaller enemies, with his wide attacks devasting pretty much anyone unlucky enough to get in his way. His sub-weapon is a handy ornamental knot.

The Valkyrie is, for me, a slightly more interesting version of the Warrior. She comes with most of his defensive capabilities thanks to her mastery of the same longsword and shield combo, though her holy power allows her to provide buffs and helpful recovery spells. You may then think she's suited to being a support character, but the fact is that she can still deal some very impressive damage if played well.

That's a tricky question as they each clearly excel in their own specific areas. That said, you'll likely have an easier time going for an all-rounder like the melee-focused Warrior or Valkyrie if you're completely new to Black Desert's combat system. The Giant is great if you just want to power through encounters with fodder enemies, while the Witch is a little more challenging to play, even if she offers the biggest rewards by way of her incredible damage output.

The game is balanced to the point where you're not going to find one class that straight-up crushes the others. Performing well in combat demands a mix of skill and decent stats, and balancing issues won't really arise (if they ever do) until you start taking part in the 3v3 PvP mode.

Black Desert Mobile is available now for pre-download, with its global launch set for tomorrow, December 11th, for iOS and Android. All you can do right now is customise your character, pick your Family Name, and select your class. You can find more info for Black Desert Mobile over on Pearl Abyss' official site.