Starting your adventure in Warborne: Above Ashes and unsure which Drifter to pick first? You're not alone. One of the first major decisions you'll make is selecting your starting Drifter, and your choice can shape your early experience with the game. After beginning with a basic core character, you'll quickly be able to select from more powerful options across the three main archetypes: Strength (STR), Agility (AGI), and Intelligence (INT).

Whether you are brand new to Warborne: Above Ashes or coming from similar games and looking to optimize your start, this guide will give you a full breakdown of each free Drifter you can choose from. We'll rank them based on overall strength, beginner friendliness, versatility in PvE and PvP, and how well they fit different playstyles. With the Total War Test underway, making a smart first pick can help you dominate both early leveling and future faction wars.

Here's everything you need to know about the best free Drifters, who to choose, and what kind of players they're suited for.

First Pick: Solenne (INT) - Best Overall Pick for Beginners

Role: AoE Healer and Team Buffer

Solenne stands out as the single most universally useful Drifter when starting Warborne. She fits into any Warband, excels in solo content with self-sustain, and scales well into PvP with her buffs and healing. She is the safest and strongest choice for new players who want to be relevant in any group and survive tough fights without relying too heavily on gear.

Solenne's abilities include Bond of Light, a chain heal that can target up to eight allies, ensuring incredible healing uptime during fights. She also brings Light's Echo, which buffs the healing received and magic damage output of her group. This makes her a key figure in both offense and defense for group content.

Solenne is great for players who prefer supporting their team, lasting longer in fights, and adapting to different scenarios. She is especially powerful in objective-based PvP modes where survival and sustain win battles. For beginners who want an easy start without worrying about dying too quickly, Solenne is the top choice.

Second Pick: Varnax (STR) - Best Frontline Fighter

Role: Frontline Initiator and Bruiser

Varnax is the best pick for players who enjoy aggressive, close-range combat. As a frontline bruiser, he can initiate fights, soak up damage, and disrupt enemy formations. His kit is built around crowd control and area damage, making him ideal for both PvE monster clearing and PvP faction wars.

His signature abilities include Magma Slam, a leaping AoE attack that deals heavy damage and causes crowd control effects, and Seismic Impact, which knocks down enemies in a wide area and applies a burning damage-over-time effect. This makes Varnax a constant threat in mass battles.

Varnax suits players who love to be in the center of the action, control the battlefield, and take advantage of opportunities to dominate in team fights. If you want to lead charges and become an unbreakable wall in both PvP and PvE, Varnax is your go-to Drifter.

Third Pick: Raven (INT) - Best Disruptor

Role: Debuff Mage and Anti-Support Specialist

Raven is a specialist caster who focuses on disabling enemy supports and shutting down stealth-based strategies. He is slightly harder to play than Solenne or Varnax but offers huge value when mastered, especially in group PvP.

His key abilities are Raven's Gaze, an area-of-effect silence that also reveals hidden enemies, and Dispel Matrix, which removes beneficial buffs from enemies and weakens their resistances. This makes Raven extremely dangerous to support-heavy teams and stealth assassins.

Players who like disrupting the enemy's plans, playing a more cerebral game, and targeting high-priority enemies will enjoy Raven. However, he requires better positioning and timing to use effectively, so he is better suited for intermediate players rather than total beginners.

Fourth Pick: Kyra (STR) - Best Zoner and Controller

Role: Frost Control Mage with Tanky Build

Kyra is a unique hybrid Drifter who acts like a caster but plays more like a tanky controller. She lacks burst damage compared to other STR options, but makes up for it with powerful area denial and resistance-shredding skills.

Frozen Maelstrom allows her to create a large freezing zone with a delayed explosion, locking down enemy movement. Shattered Ice shreds resistances and deals moderate AoE damage, setting up combos for her team.

Kyra is best for players who like playing strategically, setting up traps, and controlling the pace of battle. She shines in objective defense scenarios and is particularly strong in structured PvP environments like Veinhold arenas. Kyra could be your ideal pick if you enjoy tactical play and don't mind slower fights.

Fifth Pick: Umbra (AGI) - Best Stealth Assassin

Role: Hit-and-Run Skirmisher

Umbra excels at stealth, mobility, and picking off isolated targets. She is one of the trickiest Drifters to master, but in the right hands, she can dominate smaller skirmishes and control the map through fear.

Her key abilities include Shadowform, which grants stealth when idle and unhurt, and Phase Step, an instant teleport with a damage boost. This allows Umbra to move unpredictably, escape danger, and deliver lethal bursts to unaware enemies.

Umbra is ideal for experienced players who prefer playing solo, ambushing targets, and using the battlefield to their advantage. Beginners may struggle with her fragility and positioning requirements, but skilled players can turn her into a terror on the battlefield.

Sixth Pick: Aegis (STR) - Best Defensive Tank

Role: Pure Tank and Support

Aegis offers massive defensive potential, shielding allies and providing resist buffs to his team. However, he lacks strong offensive options and has limited mobility, making him less flexible than other frontline choices.

His abilities include Shield Wall, a powerful area resistance and block buff, and Sanctified Ground, a healing zone that also grants crowd control resistance to allies inside.

Aegis is perfect for defensive players who prefer holding ground and supporting their teammates with utility rather than damage. He shines in static defenses, like protecting important faction structures or holding choke points. However, he can feel slow and ineffective in mobile fights and fast-paced PvP, so he is not recommended for players who want a more dynamic playstyle.

Seventh Pick: Overdrive (AGI) - Best Speed Duelist

Role: High-Speed Skirmisher

Overdrive is a fast and flashy Drifter built for players who enjoy dueling and high-mobility combat. His kit is designed around chaining skills quickly to overwhelm opponents with speed and pressure.

His key skills include Overclock, which boosts his movement and attack speed after using skills, and Chargebreaker, a gap closer that stuns enemies briefly.

Overdrive rewards quick reactions and aggressive play, but is extremely fragile and vulnerable to mistakes. If you love fast-paced 1v1 combat and are confident in your mechanics, Overdrive can be very rewarding. However, for new players, his high skill ceiling might make him a frustrating first choice.

Eighth Pick: Izzy (STR) - Best Damage-over-Time Bruiser

Role: Attrition Fighter

Izzy brings a unique playstyle to Warborne with her focus on damage-over-time effects and attrition tactics. Instead of winning fights through burst or control, she wears down enemies over time using acid zones and self-healing buffs.

Her key abilities are Acid Blast, which creates damaging ooze zones, and Mutate, a self-buff that boosts her damage and healing effectiveness.

Izzy is great for players who prefer long, grindy fights and are patient enough to let their damage build up. She performs well in PvE and can be very effective in niche PvP scenarios, but she lacks the explosive impact of other Drifters and requires good positioning and timing to shine.

Ninth Pick: Moonveil (INT) - Best Trickster

Role: Illusion Mage

Moonveil is the most creative and deceptive Drifter among the starters. She specializes in creating clones, confusing enemies, and outplaying opponents through misdirection.

Her main abilities are Mirror Dance, which creates multiple clones that deal reduced damage, and Veilstep, a teleport swap with a clone that can disorient enemies.

Moonveil is ideal for players who love mind games, trickery, and high-skill outplays. However, she is extremely difficult to master, and mistakes can be very punishing. Beginners are advised to avoid her unless they are ready for a steep learning curve.

Final Tips for Choosing Your First Drifter

If you want the safest, most versatile start, pick Solenne. She guarantees survivability and team usefulness right from the beginning.

If you want to brawl and enjoy frontline combat, Varnax will be your best friend.

If you prefer disruption and shutting down enemy strategies, Raven will let you control fights and frustrate healers and stealth players.

For players who want to control space and zone enemies, Kyra offers a strong tactical option.

For those who enjoy stealth, assassination, and mobility, Umbra can dominate if played correctly.

Defensive-minded players will enjoy Aegis, while duelists and combo fans may want to try Overdrive.

If you prefer slow but steady attrition damage, Izzy will fit your style.

Creative players who like high-risk, high-reward gameplay should take a chance on Moonveil.

At the end of the day, no choice is truly wrong. Warborne: Above Ashes gives players room to grow, master their chosen Drifters, and find success through playstyle and strategy. Pick the one that matches your instincts, and you'll be ready to carve out your legend in the Total War Test and beyond.

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