Welcome to the Downside, exile! Pyre is Supergiant Games' unique party-based RPG where you lead a band of outcasts on a quest for freedom. You'll navigate vibrant, dangerous lands and compete in intense, three-on-three 'Rites' – magical duels where the goal is to extinguish the opposing team's Pyre. Even if you lose a Rite, the story continues, branching based on your choices and outcomes, making every playthrough a distinct journey.
This guide is here to help you master the Rites and make the best decisions for your exiles. We'll cover everything from understanding the core combat stats like Hope and Glory, to effective tactics like passing the Orb to regain Stamina, and strategies for managing your team to avoid banishment sickness. Whether you're aiming for a specific ending or just trying to survive the treacherous path to freedom, we've got you covered.
The Nomad: Hedwyn
Explore Hedwyn's strengths, weaknesses, and unique masteries in Pyre. Learn how to best utilize The Nomad class for team support and balanced gameplay.
Alright, let's talk about Hedwyn, also known as The Nomad. He's a pretty solid all-around character in Pyre, not really specializing in one thing but not having any glaring weaknesses either. Think of him as the reliable friend who can handle most tasks thrown their way, even if they aren't the absolute best at any single one. His real magic comes from the passive boosts he can give your whole team, which is super handy!
Before we dive into his specific abilities, here are the basic controls you'll be using with Hedwyn:
- Cast: This is your basic aura attack, firing in a straight line.
- Jump: A standard high jump to get around.
- Sprint: Just hold the button down to move faster.
Hedwyn doesn't have any specific strengths or weaknesses listed, which really reinforces that balanced playstyle we talked about.
Masteries
Hedwyn has two main paths for his masteries: Marks of the Master General and Bonds of the Sahrian Legion. You'll want to pick the path that best suits your playstyle or team composition.
Marks of the Master General
- Tier 1 - Martial Training: This is great for keeping up the pressure. Hedwyn gets a whopping +50% more Stamina, meaning he can jump and sprint way more often. More mobility means more opportunities!
- Tier 2 - Critical Strike: If you like to play aggressively, this is for you. When you Power-Cast, Hedwyn's Aura gets a significant boost, traveling in a wider and longer line. This can help clear out multiple enemies or hit targets from further away.
- Tier 2 - Shoulder Smash: This is a neat trick for controlling airborne enemies. If Hedwyn jumps into an enemy that's in the air, he'll banish them. It's a good way to disrupt their offense.
- Tier 3 - Burning Resolve: This mastery is fantastic for finishing strong. After Hedwyn successfully douses the adversary's Pyre, his own Pyre gets a health recovery. It can recover up to 50% of the damage he dealt, which can be a lifesaver in close matches.
Bonds of the Sahrian Legion
- Tier 1 - Shared Tenacity: This is a pure team buff. Hedwyn and his allies will regenerate Stamina twice as fast. More Stamina means everyone on your team can move and jump more freely.
- Tier 2 - Moon Formation: If Hedwyn is carrying the Orb, this mastery makes him and his allies move faster, and they can pass the Orb more quickly too. This is huge for fast-paced orb running strategies.
- Tier 2 - Sacred Bond: This is a great recovery ability. Hedwyn and his allies can instantly bring back any banished teammates just by moving to where they fell. It drastically reduces downtime for your team.
- Tier 3 - Divine Retribution: This mastery really punishes the enemy. Hedwyn and his allies will cause banished adversaries to stay banished for an extra 2 seconds. This can really disrupt the enemy's momentum and give your team an advantage.
Summary:
Overall, Hedwyn is a very balanced character. He's not going to outshine specialists in their specific roles, but he's incredibly versatile. His real value comes from the passive team buffs he provides, especially with the Bonds of the Sahrian Legion masteries. While you might be tempted to swap him out for more specialized characters later on, he's a solid choice for learning the game and providing consistent support.
Characters
Learn the core abilities of every character in Pyre, including their jump, dash, and aura cast. Discover how masteries work and how to unlock powerful new skills for your team.
Hey there! So, you're diving into Pyre and want to get a handle on the characters? Awesome. Let's break down what makes each one tick, starting with their core moves.
Every character you'll play as has three fundamental abilities: a jump, a dash, and an aura cast. The aura cast is basically a ranged attack that shoots their aura out in a line. Now, here's a key thing: when a character is holding the orb, they can't use their aura cast. Instead, that ability transforms into a powerful throw, letting them launch the orb. Plus, they get a new pass the orb option, which is a guaranteed quick and accurate throw to a teammate. Super handy for setting up plays!
Keep in mind, some characters might play a little differently. They might not have standard jumps, dashes, or aura casts, and those quirks will be explained in their specific controls. But no matter who you're using, they'll always be able to throw and pass the orb when they're carrying it.
Oh, and one more cool detail: many characters have a special mastery skill that unlocks a unique salute command. These salutes are wild and totally change depending on the character, so you'll find the specific effects detailed in their mastery sections. We're focusing on the basic abilities here.
About Masteries
Each character has two different mastery trees, and each tree has four abilities. As you progress through the game and participate in the Rites, your characters will earn up to 4 mastery points. Unlocking a mastery costs just one point, but you can't just grab any skill you want. You have to unlock them in order: you need to put a point into a tier one skill before you can access the tier two skills, and you need at least one point in tier two to even think about purchasing a tier three skill. This setup means you'll probably end up specializing in one tree for a given character. However, if you max out one tree, you could potentially grab three skills from that tree and then the first skill from the other. It's all about how you want to build your team!
What if you make a mistake or just want to try something new? Don't sweat it. The slug market sells an item called Scribe Snuff. It's pretty cheap and will refund one character's mastery points. So, while it's always best to plan ahead and save your money, you do have the option to reset and pick different skills if you're not happy with your current build.
Characters (2)
Learn about Pyre character abilities, including jumps, dashes, aura casts, and orb passing. Understand Pyre mastery trees and how to unlock skills.
All characters in Pyre possess three fundamental abilities: a jump, a dash, and an aura cast that projects their aura in a straight line. When a character is holding the orb, their aura cast ability transforms into the ability to throw the orb. They also gain a new option to pass the orb, ensuring a swift and accurate throw to a teammate. Some characters may deviate from these standard controls, with any differences noted in their individual control descriptions. All characters can throw and pass the orb while in possession of it.
Additionally, many characters feature a mastery skill that unlocks a unique salute command. The effect of this command varies significantly depending on the character using it, and these specific effects are detailed within their respective mastery descriptions rather than in the basic abilities section.
About Masteries
Each character in Pyre has two distinct mastery trees, with each tree containing four abilities. Throughout the game, characters can accumulate a maximum of 4 mastery points by participating in the Rites. Unlocking each mastery costs a single point, but they must be unlocked sequentially. You must invest a point into a tier one skill before you can access the tier two skills, and at least one point in tier two is required to purchase a tier three skill. This structure generally encourages specialization in one tree, though a fully developed character could acquire three skills from one tree and the initial skill from the other.
If you unlock a mastery and decide it's not suitable or you don't use it, the slug market offers Scribe Snuff, an inexpensive consumable item that refunds one character's mastery points. While it's advisable to research your desired unlocks to conserve currency, the option to reset and select new skills is always available.
The Cur: Rukey Greentail
Learn how to maximize Rukey Greentail's speed and scoring potential in Pyre with this guide to his abilities, masteries, and playstyle.
Alright, let's talk about Rukey Greentail, the Cur! He's your starter speedster, and honestly, he's going to be your go-to scorer for a good chunk of the early game. His whole deal is speed – he sprints and jumps like nobody's business, and it doesn't even chew through his stamina much. In those early Rites, you can totally outmaneuver the AI, just zipping around them with the orb and diving straight for their Pyre. It's super effective!
However, as you get further into Pyre and the teams get more complex, or especially when you start facing other players, Rukey can feel a bit less impactful. His offensive power isn't the highest because his aura is pretty narrow and doesn't cover a huge area, making it tough to rely on just ramming enemies. Plus, that long, thin aura needs some precise aiming, and it's pretty easy for opponents to dodge or jump over it. Both of his mastery trees are all about scoring more efficiently, so pick the one that feels right for your playstyle. Just a heads-up, though: you might not end up sticking with him forever. Once other characters start getting their own speed boosts or cool scoring tricks from abilities and talismans, Rukey can start to feel a little too simple as your main orb runner.
Basic Controls
- Cast: Rukey throws his aura in a longer, thinner line than most characters.
- Jump: A quick, straightforward jump.
- Sprint: Basic sprint with a high top speed, as long as you hold the button.
Strengths:
- Fast, fast, fast!
Weaknesses:
- Limited offensive power due to a small and narrow aura.
- Lower Pyre damage compared to some others.
Masteries
Maneuvers of Many-Mane
- Tier 1: Cloud Jump — Rukey can perform a second jump while in the air.
- Tier 2: Lightning Run — While sprinting, Rukey accelerates faster to an even higher top speed.
- Tier 2: Lucky Break — If an adversary banishes Rukey, there's a 50% chance he'll return in just 1 second.
- Tier 3: Moon Sault — Rukey can perform a second or even a third jump while in the air.
Traits of the Alpha-Chief
- Tier 1: Glory Dive — Rukey deals an extra 5 damage when he plunges into the adversary’s Pyre.
- Tier 2: Keen Eye — Rukey casts his Aura 50% farther than usual.
- Tier 2: Explosive Temper — When Rukey banishes adversaries with his Aura, the resulting blast can banish nearby enemies too.
- Tier 3: Guiding Light — After plunging into the adversary's Pyre, Rukey returns quickly, instead of staying banished.
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