1. Blue Chamber Collective
The Blue Chamber Collective is the first faction you encounter in Outward. Headquartered in Berg, this group is a force to be reckoned with in terms of political power. Despite being formed by many small clans, they all share a core value - the importance of family. This faction is perfect for a first playthrough, as it gives you a nuanced look at the world, making your next runs even more enjoyable.
Blue Chamber Collective Strengths
- Easiest questline to complete.
- Blood of Giants perk (+40 hp).
- Awards a great set for tankier character builds (Crimson Plate Set).
- Allows you to learn Blood Infuse, one of the strongest skills in the game.
- Fantastic introduction to the world’s politics and lore.
- Located in a very central location on the map.
- Awards you the Cierzo Town Key, which unlocks great loot.
- Fairly versatile for characters of different builds due to the faction trainers covering most combat styles.
Blue Chamber Collective Weaknesses
- Forces you to support the practice of blood prices, making the Blue Chamber Collective one of the least trustworthy factions.
- The Crimson Plate Set is very heavy.
- Visually underwhelming item rewards, compared to other factions.
Choose the Blue Chamber Collective if…
- You’re on your first playthrough.
Being so combat-versatile and welcoming in terms of lore, the Blue Chamber Collective makes for a great first faction to join in Outward. You’ll find the quests relatively easier and the story more digestible and useful to understand the conflicts that drive the world.
- Survivability is your priority.
The skills you learn and the items you acquire tend to complement tanks. However, since Outward can be an unforgiving game, even mages and other damage-focused specs can greatly benefit from extra defensive stats.
2. The Heroic Kingdom of Levant
Located in the desert city of Levant, the Heroic Kingdom is one of the youngest factions, previously a part of the Blue Chamber Collective. They’ve dedicated themselves to standing against the harsh traditions and obligations of the Collective and eventually building their own utopia where individualism is a priority.
Heroic Kingdom Strengths
- Alchemical Experiment perk (+15% damage). One of the strongest perks in the game.
- Best damage-focused gear (Zagis’ Set provides a 31% damage increase).
- Perfect for non-magic builds.
Heroic Kingdom Weaknesses
- Most of the questline transpires within the Abrassar Desert (who doesn’t hate the heat in Outward?)
- Almost impossible to run tankier builds, due to the high temperature and damage-oriented rewards.
- Few total rewards for completing the faction quests.
Choose the Heroic Kingdom if…
- Min-maxing for damage is your thing.
No other faction places such a strong focus on dealing raw, physical damage. Not only do you get a set of armor that provides a bonus to damage, but TWO passive perks that will take your character to the next level. Just don’t forget that hitting hard means dying hard if you’re not careful.
- You’re not a spellcaster.
The emphasis on damage is only relevant for weapons, however. If you’re planning a run with very little or no mana, the Heroic Kingdom of Levant should be one of the options to consider.
- You’re up for a challenge.
Never underestimate the desert. Having to carry multiple armor sets and countless potions to regulate your temperature is only a small part of the chaos in Abrassar. It’s not that the quests are much more difficult - it’s the environment they’re set in. Prep or die!
3. The Holy Mission of Elatt
Monsoon’s native faction, The Holy Mission, is arguably the most intriguing in terms of story. I mean, hey, you take orders from a literal GOD. But despite the presence of holy themes of faith, Outward handles it gracefully, making this faction’s questline exceptionally engaging and fun.
Holy Mission of Elatt Strengths
- Huge variety of passive perks, ranging from damage to resistance.
- Exalted perk, which deserves its own mention (extremely overpowered perk).
- Candle Plate Set (great defensive stats, even better looking).
- Gives a great perspective to the story, teaching you about the scourge and developing themes of faith in an unexpectedly unique way.
- The Radiant Wolf Sword is a great endgame weapon.
- Most members of this faction are mages, making this a great faction for spell-focused builds.
Holy Mission of Elatt Weaknesses
- Takes place on multiple maps, forcing you to do a lot of running around.
- Dying with the Exalted perk will kill your character permanently (yikes).
- Variety is the name of their game. The Holy Mission doesn’t excel in any particular build, making their rewards unfit for min-maxing.
Choose the Holy Mission of Elatt if…
- You’re looking for tanky perks and gear.
The Candle Plate Set is no joke in terms of stats. Topping it off with the many perks you can choose from, the Holy Mission is an even better option for tanks than the Blue Chamber.
- Storytelling is something you appreciate.
Even though the other faction narratives might be more compelling, the Holy Mission is worth experiencing for its stand-out themes of faith, sainthood, and religion. You’ll find that these topics are approached in a very warm and inviting way.
- You value high-stakes and decision-making.
The wide array of perks to choose from makes your decisions matter. At a certain point, you’ll have to make decisions that might cost you the ultimate price…
- Epic-looking gear is a priority.
Remember walking out of your home in Cierzo and admiring Oliele’s sword or envying the armored priests in the temple in Monsoon? By following the Mission’s principles, you can acquire such immense bragging rights yourself.
- You have a tough time managing weather defenses.
Temperature management can be difficult, even for seasoned players. The Acceptance perk will allow you to focus on other aspects of the game which are difficult enough.
4. Sorobor Academy
Added with the Soroboreans DLC, this faction focuses on knowledge as a resource, utilizing it to change the world - for good or bad. The main narrative focuses on a seemingly noble goal, slowly unveiling its layers throughout the questline. Don’t be afraid to get this DLC; it adds a ton of extra content that maintains continuity with the core game, adding even more depth to the world.
Sorobor Academy Strengths
- One of the best rewards in Outward - the Logistics Expert perk (+10% Cooldown Reduction, +5 Movement Speed, +5 Pouch Capacity).
- Great choice of traits that can save you money.
- Rewards powerful ranged weapons (Tsar Chakram or Tsar Bow).
- By far the most interesting faction questline.
- Allows you to imbue your weapon with Ethereal damage (Infuse Mana perk). Ethereal damage is the most powerful damage sources in Outward.
Sorobor Academy Weaknesses
- Relatively difficult to complete.
- The corruption in the Antique Plateau is very annoying to deal with.
- The least amount of rewards of any Outward faction.
Choose the Sorobor Academy if…
- You’re deeply interested in the lore of Outward.
Throughout your time in the Academy, you’ll have to work with some of the enemies you’ve previously encountered. You’ll also learn more about the Immaculates - the fascinating creatures we previously knew very little about.
- You’re looking for a challenge.
