Anthem players choose from four different Javelins when they first start playing. As players level up in the game, they get access to the others so by the time they reach max pilot level 30 a player can pick from any of the Javelins to take out on a mission. All of the Javelins have a set of unique abilities and playstyles, but what’s the best one?
The Four Javelins
The four Javelins are storm, colossus, interceptor, and ranger. We created a guide for each Javelin so players can optimize their time playing with random squadmates, or friends. Here’s a brief rundown of each.
The colossus is the largest Javelin available. It’s slow, bulky, and it packs a massive punch equal to the amount of damage much damage it can take. For those who want to play as the tank, you’re going to love this choice. Unlike the other Javelins, it does not have an escape. Instead, it pulls out a shield it can use to enhance its melee attacks.
The interceptor is the quickest and most agile of the Javelin. It can run across the battlefield with a great deal of speed and deal close-range damage. However, because of this, it can easily take damage. Luckily, you can perform three escapes in a row to successfully evade the enemy. The unique thing about this Javelin is that its melee attacks have an extremely low cooldown, allowing players to hit close-range attacks frequently.
The storm class is capable of setting up an array of elemental combos, as it hovers over the battlefield raining down spells. The hover jets on this Javelin don’t heat up as quickly, giving players more time to remain in the air while they fight. Unfortunately, this makes it essential for players to know where the nearest piece of cover is to ensure they can dive behind it when their shields go down.
The ranger class is the jack-of-all-trades Javelin. It can sit in the front lines to deal damage, sit behind cover to deliver large amounts of damage or it can remain on the move taking on small groups of enemies with their grenades. Because it’s a jack-of-all-trades, this Javelin doesn’t specialize in anything, except for focused firing. It’s an excellent starter Javelin for players who want to learn how to play Anthem, though.
Javelin Ability Differences
Not every ability in Anthem inflicts the same effect. Some of them dish out different forms of damage types, and not every Javelin has access to all of them. Here’s a chart displaying those differences. This chart was created by Reddit user u/FireDragon04.
For those taking a quick glance at the chart, the storm Javelin comes with the most varied elemental attacks. However, it cannot inflict acid damage, whereas the other three can. The interceptor class can only do two elemental attacks, the Cryo Claive, and the Spark Dash, and the Ranger’s only electrical attack is its melee attack.
The Javelins Ranked
The Storm Javelin – 1
Hands down the best Javelin for skilled players to use is the storm. While it performs the best at the medium to long range, you can create a suitable close-range storm Javelin and have it destroy enemies on the battlefield. Because of how many elemental attacks it can wield, players can vary what their Javelin does on the battlefield and how they help their allies. The one downside to the Javelin is it likely doesn’t perform too well as the group’s tank.
Without a doubt, the storm Javelin is the best choice in Anthem for a player at any experience level.
The Colossus Javelin – 2
The beefiest Javelin among them all, the colossus is a force to be reckoned with, and it’s extremely dangerous up-close. Despite it being the best tank for any squad, a player can put an incredible amount of damage, even if a player builds their Javelin as a tank. While the Javelin’s attacks may not do nearly as much as to the others, it can still stand on its own as a worthy opponent.
The colossus proves its worth by being an ideal tank, and by having a wide variety of area of effect weapons and attacks.
The Interceptor Javelin – 3
The quick and agile interceptor Javelin is a blur in a fight. It deals massive amounts of damage up close and can make plenty of long-range attacks for those who enjoy using a sniper rifle. This class doesn’t have too many different attacks, though. Many of its essential Strike Systems are kinetic types, and it relies quite a bit on its melee for a lot of its damage. It’s excellent for anyone who prefers using a shotgun, machine pistol, or heavy pistols.
Because of its low-damage threshold, players will find using this Javelin effectively comes with a high learning curve, especially in Anthem’s late-game.
The Ranger Javelin – 4
You can make the ranger class do almost anything in Anthem. If you want it to serve in the front lines with the colossus and help soak up damage, it can. It can also deal damage from afar with a storm, or watch the interceptor’s back as they cut through enemy’s with their blades. Unfortunately, there’s not too much to do with this Javelin. The ranger is too unfocused for it to sit among the best of the best.
For those who like to fill the squad’s missing role, this is the ideal Javelin for you.
