Every profession has their strengths and reigns atop the feild in their certain area of expertise. The soldier's specialty is his mastery of assault rifles. This combined with the newer versions of the Hellspinner and Hellfury have made assault rifle soldiers one of the more powerful types of characters on Rubi-Ka and certainly one of the best types of soldiers around.

This guide focuses on the well beaten path of a soldier wanting to end up using a 100% assault rifle weapon, most probably the Hellspinner/Hellfury weapons. This is mearly the authors opinion and quick guide. For a very in depth look at soldiers in general it is recommended you also read Poweredge's Soldier Guide


Breed Choices
Even before you can pick a Soldier as a profession, you have to pick a breed first. While all breeds can make potentially good soldiers in the end, it is important to give a little thought before you choose. Atrox and Solitus soldiers are by far the most popular breed choices. However just because there are fewer Opifex/Nanomage soldiers (only one level 200 Nanomage soldier exists, Letah's Firerose) does not mean they are necessarily bad choices.


-Atrox-

If maximum health is all that really matters to you, Atrox if the best choice by far. You'll have about 1k more health then the next nearest breed. In addition to the health you'll have a good deal more Str/Stamina more. The extra Str/Stamina might not seem like much but some of the higher quality armor such as Azure Reveries, Charred Abaddon Chassis, and Omni-AF/Superior Sentinels requires a good deal of stamina to equip. By picking Atrox you'll have a much easier time equipping these and won't have to implant stamina to keep it non-OE.

Unfortunately most breeds have their downs, and the big burly atrox has a little intelligence and nano problem. Atrox soldiers will lack about 80pts in intelligence which will lower his final nano skills substantially. While he'll still be able to eventually cast all his nanos, he'll need expertises and he'll have to wait until Tl6 to get cast the top of the line buffs. Atrox also lacks a large nanopool which can be annoying when trying to buff, or if you choose to use OMHH that will put a good limit on how long you can keep healing.


-Solitus-

Solitus is the game's all around breed and my personal choice. While a solitus soldier won't really excel at anything, they have a good solid backing in all areas. Their total health and nano pools will be second highest of all the other breeds. Their final nanoskill values will mean they can cast almost all the buffs pre-tl6 and by the time they are level 200 they will only need Shining MC and Faded PM/SI implants for their nanos.

The only real disadvantage of a solitus soldier is that they have no outstanding advantage.


-Opifex-

Opifex is kind of like a Solitus Jr. breed. His skills/stats will fall only slightly behind that of the solitus and for the most part will play like one. The only exception to this is the opifex's Agil/Sence and attack skills are slightly higher. If you want to twink to the absolute highest attack rating or just be a little different pick opifex.


-Nanomage-

High level nanomage soldiers are far and few between. To the date this guide was written there is only one level 200 nanomage soldier and only two more active level 140+. I would personally say that a Nanomage soldier is best played by those who have the money and resources to get all the special equipment and the experience to play a character who plays a bit harder in the early levels. The main advantage to a nanomage soldier is that they can use special equipment like Shades of Lucubration and Prof. Jones Vests to get their nanoskills to sky rocket to the point where they are casting every nano way before everyone else. Nanomage soldiers are also the only breed for a soldier to self-cast Art of Peace without having to be in a huge high level guild with high level towers. ( or those people without the Booster pack upgrade).

The main thing about cute and cuddly nanomages is that they break easy ^_^ While their lower maximum health numbers can be made up with the bounds of hp equipment out there, everyone else can wear that equipment as well so in the end they still fall far behind in that area.



Skills

These are some of the main skills you'll want throughout your life as a soldier. How you go around maxing them is up to you, obviously with the important ones first, but in the end you should have all these skills maxed as much as you can through most of your levels.

-Body Development-
The more health you have the longer you'll live.

-NanoPool-
While most soldier nanos are only used to buff, you'll want to keep this reasonably high and eventually maxed. Soldiers have a lot to buff and when it comes to handing out shields in teams, you'll wish you had 10k more nanopool no matter what level you are. If you choose to use OMHH you'll need to keep this as high as possible.

-Ranged Init-
The faster you shoot, the more damage you'll be doing. The more ranged init you can get (especially once you use a Division 9) the better. Later once you finally get to the uberness of using a Hellspinner you'll be able to lower your agro bar down

-Nano Init-
You'll want at least 340 in this skill to instacast OMHH is you choose to use it. Otherwise ignore it

-Evade Cls-
Needed to avoid shots from melee mobs and players.

-Dodge Rng-
Needed to avoid shots from ranged mobs and players. A good 75% of indoor mobs are ranged users.

-Duck Exp-
Another evade skill, not as important as the rest unless you pvp, but important none the less

-Runspeed-
Max as needed, but in the end its nice to have fully maxed.

-Computer Lit-
Soldiers almost more then any profession eat through ncu like it was cheap candy. High enough computer lit to get in the most NCU is highly recommended. Also used in Notum Wars to place towers.

-Psychology-
Needed later on for taunters and Decranum's MK2 armor if you choose to wear that. Used in Notum Wars as a requirement for some towers.

-Assault Rifle-
In the end this will be your main attack skill, which is enough reason alone to keep it maxed.

-Ranged Energy Weapons-
You'll most likely need this until level 175 and to keep up the damage and high level weaponry you'll have to keep this maxed. Once you switch to a Hellspinner/Hellfury you can IPR it.

-Flingshot-
Raise it as much as you need to put those weapons on. No point in really raising it more then that because you'll be IPRing it along with.

-Burst-
Since burst is usually the limiting stat when trying to equip a weapon at lower level and a high burst skill makes a big difference when using a Hellfury and Division 9 you should keep this maxed

-Full Auto-
Ignore it until you have your Hellspinner at level 175+, then max it. With maxed skill and a medium FA buff you should hit with 13 bullets max on a Hellspinner's full auto.

-Matter Met-
Used for AC buffs. Not important until later on, but helpful once you have the spare IP to max

-Bio Met-
Used for OMHH which is very helpful for healing yourself, especially once you start fighting at lower agro settings.

-Psycho Mod. / Sensory Imp.-
Needed to cast your buffs, most importantly your weapon masteries. To save IP for other skills, its recommended you raise only as much as you need to to cast AR/RE masteries then ignore it until tl5 caps when you have the spare IP to bring them up to 635 pts each to cast TF. This will save your IP so you can keep other skills like evades and weapon skills maxed all the time.

-Time & Space / Matter Creation-
Shields are the bread and butter of any soldier's nanoskills and in the end should definitially be maxed so that you can cast RRFE and TMS MK10 but early on they won't make that much of a difference. Don't get me wrong, they arn't something you should ignore, but if you get up to TMS MK 3-4 that should be enough to save yourself in an emergency. If you start to slack off a bit that isn't a big problem.

-First Aid-
Stims will definitially help you along the way, but until making your own ql125+ stims,raising it above what is needed for shop bought stims is almost useless..

-Treatment-
Need it maxed to get in those best implants.



Weapons
Obviously since they are some of the best ranged weapons currently in the game, an AR soldier will be working towards using Augmented Hellspinner and Hellfury guns. On the way there most people will use a few weapons such as E-beamers, Novaflows, Division 9s until such a time they can switch fully to a good 100% AR weapon. How they use those weapons vary, but those are the best and most commonly used items on the way. Most people follow a general layout though.

Weapons	Levels
E-Beamer	1-25
Nova Flow - Mk IV	1-75
Division 9 Plasmaprojector	75-175
Nophex Plasma Destroyer	100-175**
Augmented/Boosted Hellspinner Shock Cannon	175+
Augmented/Boosted Hellfury Assault Cannon	175+

Early on it may be hard to find low level novaflows. You can buy a few at the backyard peddler but they won't last long. A common alternative until yu can find/afford some novaflows is to use E-Beamers which are common shop guns. After that Novaflows are the popular choice. Some people like to jump quick to Division 9s but until you can get a higher level of Ranged Init. you'll get more damage out of a Novaflow. With good implants and buffs,you should be able to get a ql200 Division9on by level110-115. Once you've acquired and switched to Division 9s, force yourself to like them, because for now you'll be using them until your level 175. thats a long time for people to use a single gun, but it really is the best out there until your 175+. Once you can use Hellspinners/Hellfurys you've reached the end. They are the bests weapons out there atm for soldiers. The Hellspinners are more suited for PvM and Hellfury's PvP, but both can be effective in either area. The augmented Hellspinner part has a very low drop rate and is hard to get, but with some good friends and some effort, the other parts are not all that impossible to get.

** Note Nophex's are very hard to obtain for your average joe-soldier. If you can however get one, it is a far superior gun for levels 100-175. With some twinking you should be able to equip one around level 100 no problem.

Keep in mind that soldiers are good with the majority of guns, this route is mainly a suggestion based on what others most commonly do. See the Gun Rack for a wider selection of possible weapons and stats.



Equipment

Again there is a whole section in this site devoted to showing you the various useful pieces of equipment. They are good for all soldiers. You should stick to a good solid set of armor like Omni Elite, Flowers, or Carbonum. After you hit the high levels your ultimate goal should be Azure Reveries or Omni-AF/Superior Sentinels.

As far as other equipment goes, definitially get a T.I.M. Hud for extra Ranged Init and a couple Virral Eggs for extra health/nano and +6 nanoskills. Modified Aggression Multipliers, Range Extenders are also quite useful later on.



Implants

Your implants early on should focus mainly on your weapon skills and abilities for your armor. At the lower levels these are the most important in making your life easier. As your level progresses and your skills get higher, you should slowly switch focus towards nanos while keeping your attack rating high as possible. Your ultimate goal for implants should contain as many of the 'special' refined clusters such as Add Off and Def, but some of those are hard to get and in some cases unmakable. Here is a good AR setup for higher level soldiers with all the core 'normal' clusters. Anything that is left blank is really up to the individual person to decide what to stick in. If you are lower in level you'll probably have to put in some MC/TS clusters or if your level 175+ you can ignore the Ranged Energy clusters since you should be using a Hellspinner or Hellfury by then.

Implants:	Clusters:	Suggestions:
Eye	Shining: Bright: Rng. Energy Weapon Faded: Assault Rifle	S: EE for range extenders. S: Vehicle Air B: Intel for extra nanoskills. F: T&S for shields
Head	Shining: Matter Creation Bright: Ranged Init. Faded:	F: Sence for dribble down. F: Perception.
Ear	Shining: Bright: Faded: Psycho Mod.	S: Perception B: Concealment B: Psychology for agro enhancers or MK2 armor
L-Arm	Shining: Bright: Strength Faded: Matter Metamorph	F: Chemical AC
Chest	Shining: Max Health Bright: Matter Metamorph. Faded: Sensory Imp.	B: Bio Metamorph. B: Projectile AC
R-Arm	Shining: Assault Rifle Bright: Faded:	B: Chemical AC F: Radiation AC
L-Wrist	Shining: Bright: Run Speed Faded: Nano Resist
Waist	Shining: Bright: Max Health Faded: Dodge Rng Attacks	S: Chemical AC F: Evade Cls Combat
R-Wrist	Shining: Ranged Init. Bright: Burst Faded: Fling Shot	B: Nano Resist
L-Hand	Shining: Bright: Faded: Rng. Energy Weapon	F: First Aid
Legs	Shining: Dodge Rng Attacks Bright: Evade Cls Combat Faded: Max Health
R-Hand	Shining: Bright: Assault Rifle Faded: Ranged Init.	B: T&S or MC for shields. F: Treatment for getting in ql200 implants.
Feet	Shining: Evade Cls Combat Bright: Dodge Rng Attacks Faded: Duck Explosions

Levels

- 1 to 15 -
The beginning life to an AR soldier should be spent like all other professions. For the most part you can level very quickly by yourself in the backyards then moving out to small in-town missions or in close by areas where monsters spawn in town. Skill wise you'll want to raise all your abilities, weapons skills like AR, RE, Fling shot, Burst. Ranged Init and Runspeed should be maxed for obvious reasons. As far as nanoskills go raise MC / T&S until you can use TMS MK1 and PM / SI until you can self cast the expertise nanos. Treatment will always be a must and First Aid is a real helper. Computer literacy should be raised as you need it. If you can get it to 251 by level 100ish that is great because no doubt you'll be doing lots of Broken Shore missions by then and you'll need the use of the grid for that.

Now for weaponry. As soon as you can get there, visit the secondhand peddler and buy yourself a couple low level nova flows and use those to level yourself until your ready to leave the backyards. Your next choice comes in if you have some startup equipment. If you happen to be able to afford ( or have ) an assortment of low level novaflows you should use them. If you are unable to obtain some and are looking for a good substitute you can pick up E-beamers from the shops. Unlike the novaflows they are fairly common shop guns and it should be easy to obtain. I recommend using them until no later then level 30ish. After that they arn't all that good.

Another nice trick to save yourself time/money. Rather then wear armor, get yourself a set of Omni-med treatment clothes. With the large boosts to First Aid and Treatment that those give you'll be able to use first aid stims and treatment kits of such a level that you'll be healing the vast majority of your health bar instantly. This can probably be kept up until your around level 20 or so. After that the returns become to low to be worth using. Then you'll be wanting to get some real armor then.

Don't concern yourself too much with implants at this level, you'll outgrow them too quick and its hardly worth the time/effort/cost. You'll also want to pretty much avoid putting VERY little or any IP into Bio Metamorph or Matter Metamorph until you are level 160+. Health and AC buffs are not useful enough to be spending your IP on until then.

- 15 to 50 -
Probably more then any other levels, here is where you'll be feeling the biggest IP crunch. Ease off your ability skills (you'll want to keep stamina, strength high for armor and agility for implants). You could almost not raise Intel/Psychic/Sence if you wanted to. Treatment for implants and body development for health is always a must, so are your core weapon skills. If you havn't been raising evades by now you should really think about it. Evades will both help you cut down on how often you get critted and how many times you evade attacks all together. If your doing just missions like everyone else to get your exp, you can probably keep off the duck explosions as the only NPC mob that uses that are traders.

Obviously just by now your probably already short on IP and you havn't even touched nanoskills yet. To make it easier on themselves, some soldiers forgot getting better shield nanos until later and only put in enough PM/SI to cast weapon buffs if any at all. If you do feel the need for weapon buffs, just go until you can cast "A Sergeant's Knowledge" and "Laser Surgery"

You should be thinking about getting a good set of implants. They don't have to be perfect, but should at least focus on your Health, Weapon skills, Evades and perhaps abilities for armor. With some planning you can get your entire set to work off Agility and Stamina. With good weapon skills in your implants (especially AR and Burst) you can easily continue to use weapons 2x ql then what you are.

- 51 to 100 -
Now that your at a new title level you'll have a little morel leniency towards IP spending. Start to catch up on skills that are by now no doubt falling behind. Get yourself some better shields and raise PM/SI enough to cast masteries. You could keep raising PM/SI but your next big buffs "Total Focus" and you won't be casting that until level 160ish. There is "Automatic Targeting" but to lock up all that IP when it could be used elsewhere just for +23 attack rating would be a waste.

Continue to upgrade your weapons and armor as you deem necessary and can afford to. Think about buying a set of secondhand armor of someone if you have the spare credits. Anything that is solid in the three primary ACs is good.

- 101 to 175 -
Now is the time to switch weapons. If you have the fortune to have some how obtained a Nophex then put that on. With some twinking, wrangle and implant it should be too much of a problem. If not then get your hands on a Division 9. Either way you'll be much much better of then a normal Nova Flow. Until you get to level 175+, these are the weapons of choice.

You should be able to get ql200 equipment, weapons and implants (with a faded treatment cluster) on by level 125 easily. Ql200 armor will come later though. If you have the time and love HP, consider camping the Smuggler's Den for some Decranum's Mk2 armor.

IP will become more abundant, start raising PM/SI again when you can afford it. By the time you hit level 160 all of the skills including your main nanoskills should be getting near maxed. Now, if you so desire, you should have the IP to raise the extra skills like MM and BM for shields and HP buffs, Perception, etc.

- 175+ -
Wewt!! Rejoice now that your finally here. These levels are the best as a soldier. You have all your skills maxed and will soon be looking for places to spend IP. Your equipment will be of the best ql and the best part is. Your finally of high enough level to use a Hellspinner or Hellfury. So if you havn't gotten either by now, go get one! They are far superior then anything else. Don't forget to dump the Ranged Energy Weapon clusters in your implants.

Since you should be using a Hellspinner and your ranged init is 1k+, lower your agro bar down whenever you can. As far as which weapons to use damage wise, a Boosted Hellfury > Boosted Hellspinner > Augmented Hellfury >= Augmented Hellspinner. Hellspinners are better suited for situations where having a low agro bar is of benefit (Such as unique raids, or PvM). Hellfurys are better in PvP because of their quick burst recharge and special abilities. If you are going to be PvPing definitially use an Augmented Hellfury. If you have only a boosted one, consider using a Boosted Hellspinner at lower agro instead. The damage of a boosted Hellfury just isn't that good.

You'll want to think about picking up an additional weapon with good specials on it for PvP. Flashpoints, Caterwauls and Omni-Flamers work well as switching weapons. [*edited* April 18th, AS will eventually be changed in PvP so that you have to sneak. Although this nerf is likely a while off, possibly Shadowlands, it should be something you take into consideration]

Most of your time from here on in will probably be spent PvPing, Running BS missions for xp, Having fun with friends and obtaining the high high end equipment. I suggest doing whatever is fun. However you will definitialy benefit largely from a full or even partial set of Azure / Omni-AF / Superior Sentinels armor. If you are a Clan member, then definitially go out and get some "Kaehler Uniform Sleeves" if you havn't already.

Whatever it is you end up doing, you should be a very useful part of that and having fun. Soldiers are definitally their most versatile and most enjoyable at the higher levels as by now you should already know since you've been crazy enough to stick with them ^_^  By sticking with AR you'll get the most bang for your buck as a soldier but still be able to afford the IP to customize yourself from the cookie-cutter could to make your soldier more suited to your play style.