Dune Awakening Mentat Class Guide and Best Skills

The Dune Awakening Mentat class is the most tactical and tech-heavy class in the game. But don’t let the slower pace fool you, the Mentat is a strong pick if you want full control of the fight.

If you like planning ahead, using gadgets, and turning the enemy’s strengths against them, Mentat might be your class. This one’s not about brute force, it’s about precision. You’ll outthink and outplay your enemies rather than outgun them. You’ll also bring tools to your team that no other class can match.

In this guide, we’ll break down what makes the Mentat tick, which tools are worth your time, and how to build a setup that lets you control the flow of battle on Arrakis.

Content

• Overview
• Strengths and Weaknesses
• Specialisations
• Second class
• Talents
• FAQ

Mentat Class Overview

Mentat is the most support-focused of the five classes, if we ignore the fact that Planetologist is not a combat class, period. That doesn’t mean weak. It means strategic. Mentats are all about knowing more, doing more, and shutting enemies down before they become a problem. You’ll be scanning, countering, buffing, and debuffing your way through every fight.

Mentats aren’t for everyone; If you like fast action and heavy weapons, this isn’t it. But if you like being the brain of the operation, Mentat rewards smart play. As the game moves into the later stages of life and into the end-game, we can see that Mentat really takes on a new life. While Dune Awakening has no "healer" class, the Mentat is the closest to a support role.

You can also pair it with any second class to round out its weaknesses. Many of the best builds use Mentat as a support base, however, which might be the better option to look at.

Playstyle

Mentat plays like a battlefield tactician. You’ll scout ahead, deploy tools to control space, and use skills to weaken enemies or boost allies. Expect to manage cooldowns, time your abilities, and punish mistakes.

This class shines in team play. But with the right setup, Mentat can also handle itself solo. It just takes more patience. You’re not jumping into fights, you’re setting them up.

In PvP, Mentat can be frustrating to fight against. You’ll deny vision, track enemy movement, and disable their abilities at key moments. It’s a great class if you enjoy staying two steps ahead.

Strengths and Weaknesses of the Mentat

Mentat might not win every 1v1, but it changes the pace of any battle it’s in. Here’s where it excels, and where it doesn’t.

Mentat Strengths

Full Awareness

You’ll often know where enemies are before they know you’re there. Vision tools and tracking skills let you plan the fight on your terms. This helps Mentat pair well with the Trooper.

Tactical Support

You’re not just helping your team, you’re disabling the other one. Cooldown blockers, silences, and debuffs make Mentat ideal for breaking up enemy plans.

Team Utility

Mentats bring buffs to reduce cooldowns, resist damage, or improve ally accuracy. You can shift the outcome of a fight without firing a shot.

Strong PvP Presence

In a group fight, Mentat can swing things quickly. You’re the setup player, the scout, and the disrupter all in one. PvP teams benefit hugely from a well-played Mentat.

Mentat Weaknesses

Low Personal Damage

You won’t kill many enemies on your own. You rely on setup and timing, not raw output. That said, if you debuff a foe, have some help from friends, then you can hold your own.

Gear Dependent

Without the right tools, scanners, gadgets, and cooldown mods, you’ll feel underpowered. Mentat isn’t forgiving if your gear is behind, but playing well will help.

Tricky to Learn

It’s not obvious how to play Mentat well; you’ll need time to learn skill timings and positioning. With no access to end-game in the beta, we also don't know how raid/group content will even work. So for now, this is a huge risk for Mentat.

Weak in 1v1s

If you get caught alone without setup, you’re easy to take down. You need space and support to play your game.

Mentat Specialisations Explained - Class Skills and Abilities

Mentat has three specialisations, each shaping how you play. These trees matter a lot since Mentat has very little direct damage.

• Mental Calculus
• Assassination
• Tactician

Mental Calculus is your damage tree, and where you will want to focus a lot of your early game points. The focus here is on weak point exploitation and enhancing your ranged abilities. Picking up a strong secondary early, like Trooper, is a big plus.

Assassination is basically exactly what it sounds like. You will invest points into single-target elimination, but also into stuns and poisons. See this as a utility tree that also adds damage to your kit.

Tactician is last, and acts as the main support build. The spec also has a number of crowd control options alongside battlefield manipulations. This is probably where you will find most of your PvP abilities.

Second class/subclass

Trooper – Best for Survivability and Mid-Game Fights

Why it’s good for Mentat:

Trooper gives you a bit more punch, you’ll get better armour, grenades, and defensive skills, perfect for staying alive while you set things up. It covers Mentat’s weakest spots. Troopers work well to round out your kit, given that both work in ranged classes.

Why it might not be:

Really, the issue here is purely that Trooper should be your main class, with Mentat the secondary. The two work great together.

Bene Gesserit – Best for Full Control and Disruption

Why it’s good for Mentat:

This is the best pairing if you want to go all in as a support damage dealer. You gain layered debuffs, movement denial, and mind tricks. It lets you disable enemies completely while you play from the edge of the fight.

Why it might not be:

It’s low damage and tricky to use. If you misplay, you’ll be caught out fast. This combo needs practice.

Swordmaster – Best for Surprise Pressure

Why it’s good for Mentat:

If you want to catch people off guard, Swordmaster lets you suddenly switch from support to full-on aggression. In short bursts, it can make a Mentat dangerous.

Why it might not be:

Your core tools don’t help melee, you’ll need gear that fits both styles, which is hard to balance.

Planetologist – Best for Exploration and Escape

Why it’s good for Mentat:

This gives you mobility, water efficiency, and travel tools. It makes solo Mentat more viable, especially if you want to avoid fights and scout from afar.

Why it might not be:

You lose combat tools. There’s very little here for actual fighting, so you’ll need to rely fully on gadgets and second-class skills.

Best Mentat Talents

This section will be updated once late-game data is live. For now, pick talents that support your gadget use, cooldown reduction, and enemy disruption. You can reset them later without penalty.

FAQ

Is Mentat a good first class?

It’s better for players who like support roles or have some experience. It’s slower to learn and needs gear; it’s ideal as a subclass. Given how little we know about the Dune endgame, it's hard to recommend it.

Can Mentat do damage?

Yes, but not easily. You’ll need your second class or good gear to finish fights. Most of your value comes from control, not kills.

Is Mentat a good secondary class?

Yes, Mentat adds a lot of utility to damage-focused builds. If your main class lacks scouting or cooldown tools, Mentat fills that gap well. We think it pairs perfectly with the Trooper if you want a good pairing.