There’s been a lot of hype about Richard Garriott’s upcoming MMO, Tabula Rasa. Its out-of-this-world sci-fi setting - which stands in contrast to the ocean of high fantasy WoW clones on the market - and its untraditional combat scheme - that introduces a mix between first-person shooters and traditional MMO gameplay - piqued our interest when we first scouted out the title.

Each new player will start out as a recruit with basic firearms skills and access to Tabula Rasa’s mysterious Logos powers. But as you level up, you’ll get to explore several career paths as you climb the military chain of command, allowing you to specialize in everything from handiness at hacking through security doors to blowing stuff up with big ass guns. But until recently, information on the most elite tier 4 classes has been sparse.

That’s why we’re excited to bring you the first round of news from behind the curtain of Tabula Rasa’s closed beta with details on its never before seen tier 4 classes and skills. These classes are the most powerful units in the game, and their specialized skills will be what forward-looking players should be studying as they decide what kind of soldier they’d like to build. It should be noted that since these details come from the closed beta, there’s the chance that these classes and skills may be revised or even removed entirely before the final game releases later this year. You can also head here for the latest official information on Tabula Rasa's classes and skills.

Commando Class, Guardian Division: This military tactician concentrates his efforts on close combat and territory control. Once a Guardian digs in, it takes overwhelming force to displace him. Their offensive skills, while especially lethal in melee, are complimented with tactical training in displacing damage so that you are able to secure the frontline against all odds. If you are willing to hold a position even under extreme circumstances and personal sacrifice, you should seek out training as a Guardian.

You will begin as a soldier, and advance to the rank of Commando before being accepted into the Guardian Division.

Abilities:
Shield Wave: This is a Guardian's Signature Ability. You will have the power to protect all allies within a 25m radius by creating a shield which absorbs large amounts of damage.

Reflection: Energy field that reflects damage of a certain type back onto the source. Use on self or ally.

Conversion: When used, this ability increases the amount of damage the Guardian takes from enemies. However, each time the user is attacked, a heal effect is cast on all nearby squad mates.

Vortex: This ability is used to get up close and personal with the Bane. When used, it draws all hostile forces as close as possible to the Guardian. You will inflict minor damage in the process, and definitely generates a fair amount of hate from the enemy.

Staff: Allows the use of Staff weapons. These dual-purpose weapons launch projectiles at enemies in range, or perform deadly melee attacks against nearby opponents. Investing points in Staff Training currently increases damage and eventually grants the ability to deflect incoming attacks.