With the launch of For Honor this week, Xbox One players can finally get their hands on its novel melee combat system and explore its tactical complexities. While a lot of you might have taken it for a spin during the free Open Beta this past weekend, the full game brings more heroes, more modes, and more customization options to the multiplayer realm, and introduces an epic Story Mode that you can play solo or online with a co-op partner.

Across the three factions of For Honor – Knights, Vikings, and Samurai – there are 12 heroes representing different hero types. Think of these hero types as a shortcut to understanding your role on the battlefield and knowing what to expect from your enemies. The better you know them, the better you’ll fare against them in combat.

Assassin: Venturing outside the Vanguards brings you into the realm of specialists, and the Assassins focus on speed and damage. They are very agile fighters, so instead of blocking and counterattacking, Assassins thrive when dodging enemy blows and following up with quick, light strikes. As a trade-off for hitting hard and fast, Assassins don’t have a lot of health to work with and need to be fairly close to their opponent to deal damage. You’ll want to get in, land your hits, and get out before the cavalry arrives when you’re playing as the Samurai Orochi, the Viking Berserker, or the Knight Peacekeeper.

Vanguard: The most balanced type of Heroes, Vanguards can dish out damage as well as take it. Even though their strong block should help you avoid taking hits in the first place, it’s nice to know you can take one on the chin and still stay in the fight. The Vanguards’ durability and good balance of speed, range, and power make them a great starting point, whether you’re swinging the Viking Raider’s long axe, the Knight Warden’s longsword, or the Samurai Kensei’s deadly nodachi.

Heavy: If you’re struggling to stay alive as a lightweight Assassin or want to stand a better chance when you’re outnumbered, then a Heavy hero may be for you. With the biggest health pool and devastating heavy attacks, Heavies can afford to trade blows in one-on-one fights. Their slower speed and larger stature means they tend to attract a crowd, but they have the stamina to block a rain of blows and turn the tide by activating the Revenge meter. The big shields wielded by the Knight Conqueror and the Viking Warlord can block blows from all directions, while the Samurai Shugoki boasts the single biggest health pool of any character.

Hybrid: The Hybrids take characteristics from two of the aforementioned hero types and combine them into a new approach. Open beta players got a chance to wield the naginata as the Samurai Nobushi, who draws from the Vanguards and Assassins to pose an agile threat to her enemies. All Hybrids wield polearms, allowing them to strike from longer distance and harry their foes. The Knight Lawbringer wears a formidable suit of armor, combining Heavy and Vanguard to hit hard with effective counterattacks. The Viking Valkyrie, armed with a spear and shield, excels at keeping heroes off-balance with her versatile moveset.

Each hero takes a unique approach to making their presence felt in For Honor, and it will take time for you to learn the subtleties of each one’s moveset and attributes. When first trying out a new hero, it’s best to stick to the fundamentals of blocking and attacking and only pick one or two combos to work on each match. Watch the basic and advanced tutorial videos for tips on what makes that hero special, be it the Peacekeeper and Nobushi’s ability to inflict bleeding wounds that deal damage over time, or the Orochi’s ability to parry a strike by dodging. Cut your teeth in duels against AI enemies before taking on other players, and you’ll be ready to do your faction proud.

For Honor is available now to download from the Xbox Store, or for purchase on the official For Honor website. Buy it today, pledge your allegiance to the Vikings, Knights, or Samurai, and we’ll see you on the battlefield.