In our latest in-depth TERA class reveal with En Masse Entertainment, we shed some light on the sorcerer, a class that virtually defines the concept of a glass cannon.

Ever since RPGs and, by extension, MMORPGs found their place in the gaming market, the classic mage archetype has always managed to make its way into the ranks of selectable classes. Well, TERA is no different in this regard. In our latest exclusive in-depth class preview, we're looking at TERA's powerful sorcerer!

Keep reading after the jump for all sorts of details on the sorcerer, including 10 tactics tips and a video of the class in action! Also, be sure to check out all of the brand new sorcerer screenshots in our image gallery.

It seems that there will be very few who can compete with this explosive class in terms of up-front DPS and overall AoE potential. Not only does the sorcerer have access to a wide array of spells and abilities, but each of these spells, like the powerful Magma Bomb, are finely tuned in order to give the sorcerer a powerful spell option, regardless of the situation at hand.

It is this powerful array of spells that really allows the sorcerer to pick and choose when to engage in the fight. This has drawn comparisons at En Masse Entertainment to other "modern" gaming roles, like that of the sniper or the artillery unit. In other words, the sorcerer is all about timing your abilities and coming in when the moment is right to blow everything up. Ice Needle is a great example of this, as the sorcerer cannot mindlessly throw this spell around without being extremely inefficient. Since the Ice Needle spell deals damage as it passes through all enemies (and it is directional based, as opposed to targeting based), it's best to wait until you have many targets lined up before you fire off one of these icy projectiles. In other words, good sorcerers will be constantly monitoring the battle to decide when to cast what spell, while rookie casters will probably be trying to rain fireballs on everything and everyone.

Other options available to the sorcerer included surprise spells like Flame Pillar, which is a close-range fire-based spell that damages all enemies directly in front of the caster. While it's probably not best to run into the fight in order to get this spell off, Flame Pillar does offer sorcerers a very valuable close-quarters spell for those situations when you just can't get that melee unit out of your personal space. Of course, this is assuming that you've already exhausted your other escape options, like Backstep and Glacial Retreat, both of which are evasive maneuvers that allow the sorcerer to quickly create some space between him and his opponent.

Finally, for those wondering about the equipment of these powerful casters, sorcerers will be limited to some very basic armor sets in TERA. With only a thin set of robes standing between the defensively weak sorcerer and the blades of her enemies, sorcerers will need to rely heavily on their lancer companions to get the cover they need to get the big spells rolling. With regard to weaponry, all sorcerers will utilize an arcane disc, which is a spinning disc of energy through which a sorcerer can channel her spells.

Ten Tactics Tips for Sorcerers

1. Skills like Ice Needle damage all enemies they pass through. Never waste them on a single target when you can line up two or more.
2. When you're soloing, make your first shots count. Stagger your foes with area-of-effect attacks like Magma Bomb and then use Ice Needle or another spell that slows their movement. This way, you spend less time scooting and more time shooting.
3. Learn to eyeball your spells' maximum ranges. Striking at maximum range buys you time free from counterattacks, especially against melee fighters.
4. Mana points are life. Your spells are your sword and your shield. When you're out of mana, your sword is blunted and your shield is gone. Mana Infusion will restore you, but it's not a good combat spell. Absorb Mana is good in combat but won't fill you up. In a party, stay close to your mystic. When alone, watch that blue bar.
5. Melee classes need to stay in fights to keep their mana up, but you need occasional breaks, especially when solo. Avoid drawing more than one group of foes with a misdirected spell, and keep an eye out for spots where you can hide out long enough to use Mana Infusion to recover.
6. Run. Let the sword-and-boards handle melee and get yourself out of reach. Backstep away or use Time Gyre to open some distance. At higher levels, Glacial Retreat will move you back, damage your pursuers, and often slow them down as well.
7. Stock up on campfires, bandages, and runes that restore health. You can't heal yourself.
8. Learn the movement patterns of your enemies, just like the melee classes do. You won't have to block that big, slow attack, but you can fire a slow-charging spell like Fireblast without worrying that your target will just walk out of the way.
9. You won't learn a shield spell for quite a while. If you're adventuring solo, remember dodging and first strikes. In a party, get behind the lancer. His shield will protect you, too, and you'll still be able to fire over it at the target.
10. If you're being chased by a horde of rabid little kobolds or other small mobs, use your radar and maneuver in a rectangle or oval around them until they clump up. Smart mobs won't do this, but you can take down a squad of followers with a single Ice Needle if you catch them at the right moment.