Picking the right Highguard warden is the most important decision you will make before heading into the wild maps of this new 3v3 raid shooter.
Wildlight Entertainment has delivered a game that feels like a tactical blend of hero shooters and base defense, and if you are not playing the right character for your role, your base is going to crumble faster than a cheap ice wall.
What is the current meta in Highguard?
The current Highguard meta revolves around a mix of high mobility for looting and heavy area denial for the final raid phase.
In a game where you have to balance gathering Vesper, defending your own generators, and eventually breaching an enemy stronghold, versatility is king.
Most top-tier teams are currently running a composition that includes one high-damage Assault character, one dedicated Support for shields, and a flex pick that usually leans toward Destruction or Recon depending on the map layout.
At the top of the food chain, we see Wardens like Scarlet and Atticus. Scarlet is a nightmare for defenders because she can simply walk through walls, while Atticus provides the kind of consistent, high-impact damage that wins team fights during the Shieldbreaker phase.
Who are the S-Tier Wardens you should pick?
Scarlet, Atticus, and Redmane are currently considered the strongest characters in the game for both solo players and coordinated squads.
These three dominate because they have kits that directly interact with the game's unique mechanics, specifically wall destruction and stealth.
- Scarlet (Assault): She is the queen of the flank. Her Shifting Sands passive allows her to move through specific destructible walls, meaning no base is truly safe from her. Her Sandstorm tactical provides invisibility, making her the perfect choice for players who like to get in, get a kill, and get out.
- Atticus (Assault): He is the most well-rounded damage dealer. With his Shockspear, he can stun enemies and interrupt their abilities, which is crucial when an opponent is trying to plant the Shieldbreaker. His Powerstorm ultimate is a massive aerial bombardment that can clear an entire objective.
- Redmane (Destruction): If you enjoy breaking things, Redmane is your guy. He is built specifically to destroy the environment. His Pounce ability lets him smash through walls, and his Beast's Roar ultimate can level an enemy's defensive structures in seconds.
These characters are popular because they dictate the pace of the match.
When you have a Redmane on your team, the enemy cannot just hide behind a reinforced wall and wait for you. You force them to fight on your terms.
Why is Kai the best choice for defensive players?
Kai is the ultimate anchor because his entire kit is designed to make an enemy's life miserable during a raid.
While other Wardens focus on how to get into a base, Kai focuses on making sure nobody ever gets in. His Ice Wall tactical can block off entire hallways, and more importantly, his Frozen Repair passive allows him to fix walls that the enemy has already broken.
Playing Kai requires a lot of patience and awareness. You need to know which walls are the most vulnerable and prioritize repairing those during the mid-game looting phase.
When the final raid starts, his Frost Giant ultimate turns him into a massive tank that can soak up incredible amounts of damage while blocking the entrance to the Anchor Stone.
Is Mara a mandatory pick for every team?
Mara is currently the only dedicated Support warden in the game, which makes her almost essential for high-level play. In a 3v3 environment, losing one player early in a fight usually means you lose the objective.
Mara prevents this by providing Soul Armor, an overshield that gives her teammates a significantly higher health pool during skirmishes.
Her most interesting mechanic is her Sacrifice passive. By harvesting the "souls" of fallen enemies, she can reduce the cooldown of her abilities.
This rewards an aggressive support playstyle. Instead of sitting in the back, Mara needs to be near the action to keep her shields flowing.
Her ultimate, Immortal Coil, acts as a mobile spawn point, which is a literal game-changer during a long raid where walking back from the main base would take too much time.
How do you choose between Condor and Una?
Choosing between Condor and Una comes down to whether you value information or AI assistance. Condor is the premier Recon Warden, using her bird to scan for enemies through walls.
This is vital on maps like Smuggler's Den or King's Lair, where verticality and hidden tunnels make it easy to get flanked.
Una, on the other hand, is a more "set it and forget it" character. She summons spirits that lob concussion grenades at enemies.
She is great for players who want to add an extra layer of defense to their base without having to stay there the entire time.
However, in the current meta, Condor's ability to provide vision is generally considered more valuable than Una's summons, especially at higher ranks where knowing the enemy's location is the difference between a successful defense and a total wipe.
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What are the best team compositions for Episode 1?
The most successful team compositions right now focus on a "Hammer and Anvil" strategy. You want one character to hold the line and one to break the enemy.
- The Balanced Squad: Atticus (Assault), Kai (Defensive), and Mara (Support). This is the safest bet for most players. You have high damage, great survivability, and the best defense in the game.
- The Aggressive Raid Team: Scarlet (Assault), Redmane (Destruction), and Mara (Support). This comp is designed to end matches quickly by bypassing defenses and destroying the Anchor Stone before the enemy can react.
- The Intel Setup: Slade (Assault), Condor (Recon), and Kai (Defensive). This works best on larger maps where finding the enemy team before they find you is the priority.
If you are just starting out, I recommend sticking with the Balanced Squad until you learn the map layouts and the timing of the Shieldbreaker spawns.
Summary of the Tier List
| Tier | Wardens | Why? |
| S | Scarlet, Atticus, Redmane | Dominate the meta through destruction and stealth. |
| A | Kai, Mara, Condor | Essential roles that provide defense, healing, and intel. |
| B | Slade, Una | Strong in the right hands, but more situational or harder to execute. |
How do map variations impact your Warden choice?
The map layout is often the deciding factor between a win and a loss, as certain Wardens perform drastically better in tight corridors versus open extraction zones.
On a map like King’s Lair, where verticality is the primary challenge, high-mobility Wardens like Scarlet or even Slade gain a massive advantage because they can bypass the traditional choke points that Kai or Una usually guard.
If you are playing on Smuggler’s Den, the environment is much more claustrophobic. This is where Redmane becomes an absolute monster. Because the rooms are smaller, his Beast’s Roar ultimate covers a larger percentage of the available space, making it impossible for the enemy to retreat.
When choosing your character, always check the map preview during the loading screen. If there are a lot of reinforced walls near the Anchor Stone, your team needs a breaker like Redmane or Scarlet.
If the map is open with long sightlines, a Recon Warden like Condor becomes mandatory to avoid being picked off by snipers before you even reach the loot zones.
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What are the hardest counters in the current season?
The current balance of Highguard relies on a rock-paper-scissors mechanic where specific abilities can completely nullify others.
Scarlet might be S-Tier, but she has a very hard time against Kai. Since Kai can repair walls faster than most characters can break them, a well-timed Frozen Repair can trap Scarlet inside a room she just tried to exit, essentially cutting off her escape route and leaving her vulnerable to a counter-attack.
- Atticus vs. Mara: Atticus is the perfect counter to Mara’s Soul Armor. His Shockspear deals bonus damage to shields, meaning he can strip away the protection Mara provides her team in a single hit.
- Condor vs. Scarlet: Scarlet relies on her Sandstorm for invisibility, but Condor’s bird can see through stealth. If you are tired of being flanked by an invisible Scarlet, picking Condor is the most effective way to keep her in check.
- Redmane vs. Kai: While Kai is great at fixing walls, Redmane destroys them so quickly that Kai often can't keep up. In a direct confrontation at a breach point, Redmane’s Pounce will usually win the war of attrition.
Understanding these matchups is what separates casual players from the pros. If you see the enemy team lock in a Mara and a Kai, your best bet is to pick Atticus to shred those shields and Redmane to bypass the repairs.
Is the progression system fair for unlocking new Wardens?
Unlocking the full roster in Highguard requires a significant investment of Vesper shards, which are earned through successful extractions. While you start with a decent rotation of characters, the more specialized Wardens like Redmane or Mara require you to consistently perform well in the raid phase.
The current economy rewards players who take risks, as extracting with a high-value Anchor Stone provides a massive boost to your shard count.
If you are a free-to-play player, the best strategy is to focus on one Warden per role (one Assault, one Defense, one Support) to ensure you can always fill a gap in your team. Spreading your resources too thin across the entire roster will result in having a bunch of under-leveled characters without their best passive upgrades.
Most veteran players recommend unlocking Mara first because a good Support is always in demand, making it easier to find high-skill squads to play with.
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