The Dune Awakening Swordmaster class is for players who want to get up close, hit hard, and never stop moving.
If you like melee combat, stamina-based movement, and closing gaps fast, the Swordmaster class in Dune Awakening will suit you. It’s a high-skill class with strong pressure tools. While it takes practice to get good at it, it’s one of the most satisfying when played well. The Swordmaster will excel across all gameplay groups if paired with the right subclass.
In this guide, we’ll cover what the Swordmaster does well, what makes it tricky to use, and how to build a setup that lets you dominate in close combat.
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Swordmaster Class Overview
Swordmaster is one of the more advanced classes in Dune Awakening. While it's less beginner-friendly than the Trooper, it’s deadly in the right hands and worth the investment. You’ll be building around melee combat, stamina use, and speed. There’s a learning curve here, but once you understand how to chain abilities and use terrain to your advantage, you’ll start winning more fights.
Swordmaster works best as a primary class. You’ll need to lean fully into the melee play style to get the most from it. And while you can pair it with some ranged or utility classes, such as Trooper, the core of the Swordmaster kit is about pressure and outplaying your opponent up close.
Playstyle
Swordmaster’s gameplay is all about movement and control. You get in fast, do your damage, and get out if needed. Every fight is about timing, stamina, and managing your skills. You'll rely on dodges, gap closers, and parries, not cover or ranged fire.
If you're the type of player who likes to stay on the move and push the tempo of fights, Swordmaster is a strong pick. You won't be tanky like a Trooper, and you won't sneak around like a Fremen but you'll win fights through speed and skill.
Solo players will enjoy the duelling focus. In teams, Swordmasters are great at finishing off targets and forcing enemies to reposition.
Strengths and Weaknesses of the Swordmaster
Swordmaster is fast, hard-hitting, and hard to catch. But the class has limits. Here’s where it’s strong, and where it falls short:
Good
- Fast movement
- Strong melee damage
- Stamina-based combat
- High skill ceiling
- Pressure tools
Bad
- Weak at range
- Gear reliant
- Low durability
- Hard to master
Swordmaster Strengths
Speed and Pressure
Swordmasters move fast, moving around combat with ease. Utilise your stamina tools to let you close gaps and reposition mid-fight. Once you’re in range, you can force enemies to deal with you or die quickly.
Powerful Melee
Your core damage is close-range, and it hits hard. If you can chain abilities or catch someone off guard, you can end fights fast.
Stamina Combat
Stamina is key to how you fight; working within the stamina bar is crucial for your combat. With the right setup, you can keep moving, dodging, and attacking while others run out of steam.
High Skill Expression
Swordmaster rewards good players; you can make the best use of the skill set on offer. You can outplay slower or clumsier enemies with dodges, blocks, and perfectly timed attacks.
Zone Breaker
You don’t rely on cover or camping, you break up set positions and force movement. This makes Swordmaster great in PvP or when dealing with fortified groups. When playing solo, this is great for attacking outposts as you can move around the levels quickly and disrupt enemy positions.
Swordmaster Weaknesses
Bad at Range
You’ll struggle against snipers or flying enemies if you can’t close the gap. Swordmaster doesn’t get many ranged options. You can counter this with a subclass.
Not a Tank
You don’t have Trooper-level defence. If you dive in without a plan, you’ll get punished. You need good gear and better timing to excel, with high health not being able to hold your hand.
Gear Dependent
You need melee gear to perform well. If you’re not specced properly, or if your melee weapon isn’t up to par, you’ll feel weak fast.
Hard to Learn
It takes time to master stamina management and ability chains. You’ll need to practice your skills in the early levels, and go into PvP and hard encounters with a plan.
Swordmaster Specialisations Explained – Class Skills and Abilities
Swordmaster has three specialisations. Each one supports a different angle of your melee playstyle. Here's a look at the three:
- The Blade
- The Will
- The Way
The Blade is the straight-up damage tree. It boosts your core melee attacks, unlocks charged strikes, and helps you hit harder with less effort. If you want to cut through enemies fast, start here before looking into The Will and The Way.
The Will is all about survivability and defensive talents. This is how you make sure you can tank combat more efficiently, and not get taken down in seconds. Many talents here are great for PvP, giving you the edge and making you more durable.
The Way is all about stamina, how to manage it, and combat utilities. If you want to be as effective as possible, you’ll need to invest points here eventually if you want to master the Swordmaster.
Second class/subclass
Trooper – Best for Hybrid Combat
Why it’s good for Swordmaster:
Gives you ranged weapons, grenades, and survivability. If you want a backup plan when you can’t get in close, Trooper covers you.
Why it might not be:
The Trooper slows your tempo. You’ll lose some of your melee edge if you start relying on guns too much. The Trooper and Swordmaster are really the two “main” base classes, so they don’t mix that well.
Bene Gesserit – Best for Control and Lockdown
Why it’s good for Swordmaster:
Mind games, stuns, and silences let you pick and win fights. With melee pressure and mental control, it’s a nasty mix. The kits work well together, with the Bene Gesserit sort of acting as a melee class as well.
Why it might not be:
It adds cast time and planning. If you want a fast-paced melee loop, it could break your rhythm.
Planetologist – Best for Exploration and Utility
Why it’s good for Swordmaster:
Planetologist is great if you’re focused on survival, resource gathering, and team support. You’ll get better water recovery, improved mining, and solid vehicle perks. Perfect for long trips across the desert. Skills like Suspensor Pad and Mountaineer also give you extra movement options.
Why it might not be Swordmaster:
It’s not a combat subclass. You won’t get damage boosts or strong crowd control. In PvP, you’ll feel underpowered unless you rely fully on your Trooper side.
Mentat – Best for Tactics and Buffs
Why it’s good for Swordmaster:
Cooldown reduction, debuffs, and better vision of the fight. It adds utility to your melee build. Being a support-focused class, Mentat works well in group play.
Why it might not be:
You’ll lose some aggression. Mentat is support-focused and doesn’t give you raw combat tools. Not good if you want to play solo.
Best Secondary Class for Swordmaster
Worth remembering that you can use bits of all other classes once you unlock them, but this is how we would prioritise unlocking classes.
Planetologist - Mentat - Bene Gesserit - Trooper
The Planetologist is easy to unlock right away, making it a great starting point for anyone playing a Swordmaster, as in our Trooper guide, we don't recommend pairing Trooper and Swordmaster early. Other class trainer locations are more spread out; however, they are fairly easy to get to in the early hours of the game if you want to.
Best Swordmaster Talents
We’ll update this when the full game is out. For now, pick talents that help you stay moving, hit harder, and recover stamina faster. Try different setups and reset often.
FAQ
Is Swordmaster a good first class?
It’s okay, but the Trooper is the easiest of the two obvious picks. Swordmaster has a higher ceiling, however, so it might be worth it for that.
Can Swordmaster use ranged weapons?
Yes, but it’s not the focus. You'll need a second class to get a good range of options, but it will disrupt your flow.
Is Swordmaster good in PvP?
Yes. It’s one of the best for duels and chasing down weak targets, as long as you manage stamina well.
Can Swordmaster be a secondary class?
It can work, but it’s not ideal. You’ll miss the full kit that makes the class shine. Keep it as your main if you want to play it properly.
