In short: The Hatamoto is a melee warrior of the Samurai race who trades blows up close with brute strength and speed. It is the ideal class for anyone who wants to jump into the action, hit hard, and not bother with magic.

Picture a lacquered-armor fighter who charges in fearlessly, closes the gap in the blink of an eye, and pours out hit after hit. That is how it feels to play a Hatamoto: you are always at the center of the fight, right in the enemy's face.

It is a direct and enjoyable class to play. You don't need to memorize dozens of complicated combos — you turn on your buffs (temporary boosts), charge the monster, and let strength and speed do the work. That is exactly why it suits beginners so well.

Overview

Profile
Race	Samurai
Archetype	Melee combat
Playstyle	Aggressive
Difficulty	Easy
Main weapon	Fists / blades
Position in the line	1st Class

The Hatamoto is the first big step of the samurai line. The progression goes: Ashigaru (Starter) → Hatamoto (1st Class). In other words, you begin as a basic recruit and become this complete warrior, ready to face more dangerous zones.

Strengths

Crushing strength (STR at the top) — with STR at the maximum of the comparison, your physical hits really hurt. In practice, monsters fall fast and your farming gets quicker.
Very high speed — it is among the fastest in the game. That means reaching the enemy before they flee, chasing targets, and repositioning easily in fights.
Lots of toughness (high CON) — high CON translates into more resistance to take a beating. You hold the front line without dying easily.
Solid physical defense — the base physical defense is high, so hits from melee monsters hurt less. Great for staying surrounded and keeping on swinging.
Simple and efficient routine — the kit is easy to use: turn on the right buffs and attack. Less micromanagement means fewer mistakes while you learn the game.

Weaknesses

Very low mana — your mana pool is the smallest in the comparison. Use mana skills sparingly and rely on basic attacks; the Recover MP skill helps you avoid hitting zero.
Low dexterity (DEX) — with low DEX, your critical rate and accuracy suffer a bit. Make up for it by choosing gems/attributes that boost crit as you progress.
Below-average health — despite the high CON, your total HP is modest compared to other tank classes. Always keep healing potions handy and don't take on large groups alone too early.
Very short range — since you fight up close, you need to stick to the enemy. Against archers and mages, close the gap fast by using your speed to your advantage.

Class-defining skills

Single Flash — a strong single-tap physical strike. It is your basic special attack to open a fight or finish off a wounded enemy.
Pursuit — another physical strike, great for chasing and punishing targets trying to flee. It pairs perfectly with your high speed.
Wind — a buff that increases your critical hit chance. Turn it on before farming so more hits deal extra damage.
Forest — a buff that improves your HP and MP. Use it to face longer fights with more endurance and mana reserve.
Fire — a buff that increases your movement speed. Perfect for chasing monsters and crossing zones faster.
Mountain — a buff that boosts your physical and magic defense. Switch it on when facing stronger enemies or when you're surrounded.
Recover HP — a heal over time (it gradually restores your health). Great for staying healthy between fights.
Recover MP — restores mana over time. Since your mana is short, this skill is essential to keep using your special strikes.
Heart of Sword / Will to Victory — passives that reinforce your combat performance all the time, with nothing for you to activate.

Attributes: what to prioritize

The Hatamoto is a pure physical warrior, so everything revolves around hitting hard and taking a beating. Focus on what raises your damage and survivability, and leave the magic attributes aside.

STR (Strength) — your number one priority: it directly increases the physical damage of your strikes.
CON (Constitution) — second place: it gives more health and resistance to hold the front line.
DEX (Dexterity) — worth reinforcing: it improves your crit and accuracy, which are naturally weak.
MEN (Mentality) — a little helps: it gives more mana, something you'll miss in this class.

Recommended gear

Since your attack type is fists and blades, look for weapons of that style, focused on high physical damage. Use heavy armor, which fits your front-line role and boosts your physical defense.

Early on, prioritize improving your weapon — it is what increases your damage the most and speeds up farming. Then take care of the armor to survive in tougher zones. Always keep both updated as you level up.

Step by step for beginners

Create the character — choose the Samurai race and start as Ashigaru. It is the starting point of the line that becomes the Hatamoto.
Do the first quests in the starting area — they teach the basics and give you gear and rewards to start off on the right foot.
Turn on auto-hunt — the character farms by itself, attacking monsters in zones of your level. It is the main way to level up in Essence; let it run while you learn the rest.
Follow the professions: base → 1st → 2nd → 3rd — each class change unlocks new skills and more power. Your first big evolution is becoming a Hatamoto; keep advancing to unlock the full samurai potential.
Prioritize your stances (buffs) — turn on Wind (crit), Forest (HP/MP), Fire (speed), and Mountain (defense) depending on the situation. They make a huge difference in your performance.
Use Single Flash and Pursuit — work these strikes into your routine to drop monsters faster and chase the ones that flee.
Get Adena and L-Coin — by farming and selling items you gather Adena (the game's currency) for potions and upgrades; L-Coin unlocks access to special store items.
Keep weapon and armor updated — whenever possible, swap or enhance your gear. Old equipment stalls your progression.

Where to farm

Auto-hunt on monsters of your level — always start in zones suited to your level for safe, steady farming.
Move up to tougher zones as you grow — when you gain levels and better gear, switch to stronger areas that give more experience and rewards.
Join a party for raids and bosses — in a group you can take on large enemies that would be impossible solo, and share the rewards.
Take advantage of the Season Pass and daily missions — extra sources of experience, items, and currency that greatly speed up your progression.

Common beginner mistakes

Wasting mana — your pool is small; save mana skills for the right moments and trust your basic attacks.
Forgetting to reactivate buffs — Wind, Forest, Fire, and Mountain expire; playing without them wastes a big chunk of your strength.
Letting your gear fall behind — sticking with weak weapon and armor stalls your damage and survivability. Always upgrade.
Trying to fight archers and mages from afar — you have no range; use your speed to stick to the enemy as soon as possible.

This is for you if…

You like being in the thick of the action, hitting up close and feeling the impact of every blow.
You prefer a simple, direct routine over juggling magic and mana.
You enjoy a fast, aggressive character that chases down and dominates the battlefield.

Quick summary

Attribute	Value
Archetype	Melee combat
HP at level 85	3431
MP at level 85	1023
Base physical attack	4
Base magic attack	6
Attack type	FIST

Hatamoto class guide (Samurai) — strengths, skills, and step by step