
If you’re diving into Wildlight Entertainment’s new PvP raid shooter Highguard, understanding each Warden and their unique abilities is crucial to dominating the battlefield. I’ve spent hours analyzing every character in this fast-paced 3v3 shooter, and I’m here to break down everything you need to know about all eight Wardens currently available in the game.
Highguard features eight distinct Wardens spread across five different class types, each bringing their own magical abilities and strategic advantages to your team. Whether you’re looking to master aggressive assault tactics, provide crucial defensive support, or gather intel on enemy positions, there’s a Warden that fits your playstyle perfectly.
Before diving into individual abilities, let me give you a quick overview of what makes Wardens special in Highguard. These arcane gunslingers are mysteriously immune to the fatal effects of magical exposure in the mythical continent of Highguard, making them the only ones capable of exploring its mysteries and battling for territorial control.
| Assault | Aggressive frontline combat | Players who love offensive pressure |
| Defensive | Protecting locations and bases | Players who prefer holding positions |
| Destructive | Breaking structures and creating pathways | Strategic map manipulation |
| Recon | Tracking enemies and gathering intel | Information warfare and scouting |
| Support | Team healing and utility | Keeping allies alive and mobile |
Now, let’s dive deep into each Warden, their backstory, and exactly how their abilities work in combat. I’ll explain not just what each ability does, but how to use them effectively.

Atticus is one of the most powerful assault Wardens in Highguard. This lightning-wielding warrior descends from an ancient bloodline and was trained from childhood to become a renowned war hero. His dying father gave him a mysterious key, tasking him with finding a hidden place tied to an ancient evil.
Atticus’s Abilities:
| Tactical | Shockspear | Throw a charged spear that shocks nearby enemies. Continuous damage charges his passive. | Use this to control choke points and damage multiple enemies clustered together |
| Passive | Supercharged Axe (Charged Axe) | Charged axe releases an electrical explosion that damages nearby resource nodes | Perfect for quickly gathering Vesper crystals from resource nodes |
| Ultimate | Powerstorm (Supercell) | Rise into the air and rain lightning spears that do heavy damage to players and structures | Save this for crucial raid moments when you need to destroy enemy base structures |
Atticus excels at controlling the battlefield with area-of-effect damage. I’ve found he’s particularly effective during the raid phase when you need to damage multiple structures quickly. His ability to charge his passive through continuous damage means aggressive players will get the most out of him.

Scarlet is a former princess from the desert kingdom of Essence who left her throne to serve as a Warden for The Iron Vigil. Now she takes on missions to protect people in need while searching for her lost mentor. Her wind and sand manipulation make her one of the sneakiest characters in the game.
Scarlet Abilities:
| Tactical | Sandstorm | Enter stealth mode, making yourself hidden to enemies that are far away | Perfect for flanking maneuvers and getting behind enemy lines |
| Passive | Shifting Sands | Shift a destructible wall into sand, temporarily making it passable | Creates unexpected entry points during raids |
| Ultimate | Whirling Blades | Throw up to 6 deadly daggers. Killing a player with a dagger resets your cooldown | Chain kills for devastating team wipes |
I absolutely love playing Scarlet when I need to infiltrate enemy bases. Her Sandstorm ability lets you approach from unexpected angles, and the wall-phasing passive creates routes your enemies won’t expect. The ultimate can be absolutely devastating if you land your shots – getting that reset on kills means you can eliminate an entire team if you’re accurate enough.

Slade learned to survive on the streets by any means necessary. His fiery powers and combat skills earned him connections with crime lords and pirate captains. Now he’s in Highguard as a Warden purely for the coin, bringing his devastating fire-based abilities to whoever pays.
Slade Abilities:
| Tactical | Heatwave | Sends out a cascading wave of molten fire | Zone control and area denial |
| Passive 1 | Firebomb | Explodes and spreads magma to an area | Damage over time on enemies |
| Passive 2 | Hot Streak | Gains reduced cooldowns and increased firepower when on a kill streak | Snowballs momentum in your favor |
| Ultimate | Firestorm | Rains down fire upon the targeted area | Massive area damage for base destruction |
Slade is unique because he’s the only Warden at launch with two passive abilities. His Hot Streak passive makes him incredibly dangerous once he gets rolling – reduced cooldowns mean more Heatwaves and faster ultimate charging. I recommend playing aggressively with Slade to activate Hot Streak as quickly as possible.

Redmane is one of the most feared Wardens in Highguard, and for good reason. He draws power from animals and absorbs their traits into his own body, giving him bestial strength. He’s on a mission to clear his departed partner’s name, and he’ll smash through anything that gets in his way.
Redmane Abilities:
| Tactical | Pounce | Smash through breakable walls. Hold to charge a powerful leap | Essential for creating new pathways and mobility |
| Passive | Enraged (Speed Boost) | Gains a movement and reload speed buff after killing enemies | Momentum-based aggressive playstyle |
| Ultimate | Beast’s Roar | Roar to destroy walls and other breakable objects in front of you. Also damages enemies | Perfect for opening up enemy bases during raids |
Redmane is my go-to choice when I want to play the destructive role. His Pounce ability gives you incredible mobility while also letting you create entirely new routes through the map. The Beast’s Roar ultimate is devastating during raids – you can destroy multiple walls at once, creating chaos in the enemy base.

Kai is a monk from the frozen Wetlands mountains who shares his power with a Frost Beast demon named Rime. Raised to focus on defense while managing his inner demon, Kai seeks answers in Highguard about why his and Rime’s souls were forged together.
Kai Abilities:
| Tactical | Ice Wall | Create an ice wall | Block enemy advances and create cover |
| Passive | Frozen Repair | Restore broken walls in your base with ice | Essential for base defense |
| Ultimate | Frost Giant | Transform into Kai’s inner ice demon, Rime | Massive defensive presence and damage |
Kai is the defensive backbone of any good team composition. I can’t stress enough how valuable his Frozen Repair passive is – being able to quickly restore walls during an enemy raid can completely shut down their assault. The Ice Wall tactical gives you instant cover anywhere, which is perfect for protecting teammates or blocking enemy sightlines.

Una has a deep connection to life, death, memory, and the spirit world. She left her dying forest home in search of a way to save it, despite being in permanent exile. Her spirit-summoning abilities make her a unique defensive Warden.
Una Abilities:
| Tactical | Forest Wisps | Summon mischievous spirits who lob concussion grenades at enemies | Area control and enemy disruption |
| Passive | Helping Hand | Spirits appear to give Una loot | Resource advantage throughout the match |
| Ultimate | Tree Walker | Summon a large forest spirit that throws smaller explosive spirits at enemies | Massive area damage and zoning |
Una’s Helping Hand passive is incredibly underrated. The extra loot you get throughout the match gives you a significant economic advantage, letting you buy better gear from Trader Flynn earlier than enemies. Her Forest Wisps provide excellent area denial, and the Tree Walker ultimate can completely lock down sections of the map.

Condor is one of the most sought-after treasure hunters in Headwall, and she wants to explore Highguard to uncover its secrets. She uses her extrasensory abilities and winged guardian to track down foes and valuable treasures alike.
Condor Abilities:
| Tactical | Eyes in the Sky | Send out her bird, which scans to detect enemies that move | Essential for tracking enemy positions |
| Passive | Hunter’s Instinct | Condor’s bird warns her when enemies are nearby | Early warning system for your team |
| Ultimate | Soaring Guardian | Launch 3 smoke clouds that reveal enemies within its wake | Team-wide vision advantage |
As the only Recon Warden currently in Highguard, Condor is absolutely essential for competitive play. Information wins games, and her Eyes in the Sky tactical gives your team crucial intel on enemy movements. I always communicate what I see with my team – knowing where enemies are gathering makes all the difference.

Mara is a mysterious figure who volunteered to become a Warden for The Iron Vigil. She uses shadow magic to absorb and repurpose souls, wielding power over life and death to shield and support her allies. Her true intentions and the origins of her magic remain unknown.
Mara Abilities:
| Tactical | Soul Armor | Grants allies an overshield that absorbs damage | Critical for team survival |
| Passive | Sacrifice | Sacrifice downed enemy players to charge your tactical | Convert kills into tactical charges |
| Ultimate | Immortal Core (Immortal Coil) | Create a spawn point for your team | Strategic respawn positioning |
Mara is the only dedicated Support Warden in Highguard right now, which makes her incredibly valuable. Her Soul Armor can save teammates in clutch situations, and the Immortal Core ultimate is game-changing during raids – setting up a forward spawn point lets your team maintain pressure on the enemy base even after deaths.
Here’s the current breakdown of Wardens by class:
As you can see, the game currently has the most variety in the Assault class, while Recon, Destructive, and Support each only have one representative. Wildlight has confirmed they’ll be adding new Wardens every two months throughout the rest of 2026, so expect this roster to expand significantly.
Based on my experience, here are some of the most effective 3-Warden team compositions:
This composition gives you everything you need: offensive power, defensive capability, and support utility.
Perfect for teams that want to apply constant pressure and raid quickly.
Ideal for strategic play where knowing enemy positions gives you the advantage.
After playing extensively with all eight Wardens, here are my key tips for getting the most out of each character:
Tactical abilities in Highguard have relatively short cooldowns (usually 15-30 seconds) and are your bread-and-butter tools for moment-to-moment gameplay. Here’s what you need to know:
Passive abilities are always active or trigger automatically under certain conditions:
Ultimates are your most powerful tools with long cooldown timers (usually 60-90 seconds):
As an assault player, your job is to create pressure and secure kills. Here’s how I approach each:
Atticus: Focus on positioning where you can hit multiple enemies with Shockspear. Save Powerstorm for when you have clear shots at enemy structures or grouped enemies.
Scarlet: Use Sandstorm to flank, then surprise enemies with close-range combat. Your Shifting Sands passive lets you escape through walls if things go south.
Slade: Play aggressively early to activate Hot Streak. Once you get a kill or two, your reduced cooldowns let you spam Heatwave for incredible map control.
Defensive Wardens need to balance protecting their own base with supporting offensive pushes:
Kai: During the supply phase, focus on reinforcing your base walls. During raids, position Ice Walls to protect your Shieldbreaker carrier or block enemy sightlines.
Una: Summon Forest Wisps at choke points to slow enemy advances. The extra loot from Helping Hand should be used to buy defensive items from Flynn’s shop.
Redmane is all about creating chaos and new opportunities:
Information is power in Highguard:
Support doesn’t mean passive – you’re keeping your team in the fight:
I’ve seen players make these mistakes countless times:
Wildlight Entertainment has committed to adding new content every two months through 2026. Here’s what we know:
Based on the current class distribution, I expect we’ll see:
Highguard currently features 8 Wardens at launch: Atticus, Scarlet, Slade, Redmane, Kai, Una, Condor, and Mara. Wildlight plans to add a new Warden every two months throughout 2026, with 6 additional Wardens scheduled for the rest of the year.
The best Wardens in Highguard depend on your playstyle and team composition. For aggressive players, Atticus and Scarlet are top-tier assault choices. For defensive play, Kai is essential. For team support, Mara is currently the only option. Condor is invaluable for information gathering. The key is balancing your team with different roles.
Yes, all Wardens can use any weapon and armor they find or purchase from Trader Flynn. Your Warden choice determines your abilities (tactical, passive, and ultimate), but weapons are freely interchangeable. This means you can customize your loadout to complement your Warden’s abilities.
No, all Wardens in Highguard have the same base health pool. The difference between Wardens lies entirely in their abilities, not in stats like health, speed, or damage. This means skill and ability usage matter more than raw stats.
All 8 Wardens are available to all players from the start. There’s no unlocking or grinding required – you can play any Warden immediately when you start the game. This ensures competitive fairness and lets you experiment to find your preferred playstyle.
I recommend starting with Assault Wardens like Atticus or Slade for beginners. They have straightforward damage-focused abilities that are easy to understand and use effectively. Once you’re comfortable with the game’s mechanics, branch out to defensive, support, or recon roles.
No, you select your Warden before the match begins and cannot change during the game. Choose your Warden based on your team composition and your preferred role. This is why communication with teammates before the match is important.
Ultimate abilities typically take 60-90 seconds to fully charge through normal gameplay. You can charge faster by dealing damage, getting kills, mining Vesper, and playing objectives. Each Warden has slightly different charge rates based on their role.
While Wildlight hasn’t specifically confirmed, the current roster only has one Support Warden (Mara), which suggests more support characters are likely coming in future updates. The developers have stated they’re adding 6 new Wardens through the rest of 2026, so expect more class variety.
Highguard’s eight launch Wardens offer incredible variety despite the relatively small roster. From Atticus’s lightning strikes to Mara’s life-saving shields, each character brings unique strategic value to your team. The key to success isn’t just mastering one Warden – it’s understanding how all eight work together and complement each other.
My biggest piece of advice? Don’t get too attached to one Warden. Learn at least one character from each class type so you can adapt to your team’s needs. A well-balanced team with players who understand their roles will always beat three assault mains playing selfishly.
With new Wardens coming every two months, the meta will constantly evolve. Stay flexible, communicate with your team, and most importantly, have fun experimenting with different combinations. Highguard is all about creative team play and adapting to your opponents’ strategies.
Now get out there and start mastering these Wardens. Whether you prefer the aggressive assault of Scarlet’s sand daggers, the defensive mastery of Kai’s ice walls, or the intel-gathering power of Condor’s bird companion, there’s a Warden perfectly suited to your playstyle. See you in Highguard.