Anarchy Online: A Call To Forms!

The Bureaucrat is the least-played profession, according to just about anyone you ask. In the eight months that I've been playing Anarchy Online, I've met dozens of people who had never even seen a Bureaucrat before teaming with me. After these missions, a common reaction was, "wow! I didn't know Crats could do all that!" Yet, our numbers remain low.

Bureaucrats are considered by some to be the best profession in the game for solo play. Like Engineers, we can summon a robot to fight the bad guys for us. Like Nanotechnicians, we can use our direct damage nanoformulas to attack. Like Traders, we can use nanoformulas to mesmerize ("mezz" for short) monsters into standing still and not attacking. The Bureaucrat takes all of these abilities and combines them in one profession. Topping it all off is our ability to "charm" many of the enemies standing in our way.

When you "charm" an enemy, he immediately becomes your pet, and will aid you in attacking the bad guys. There's almost no end to the variety of monsters that you can charm, from the lowliest level 1 thug to some of the most dangerous creatures on Rubi-Ka. As if this wasn't enough of a bonus, you can actually have TWO charmed monsters working for you simultaneously. With two charms and your robot, your six-man team is now a nine-man team. Sure makes hunting at the Virus Builder camp a lot more fun! This ability to charm has led to the saying "Bureaucrats never solo". It's true! We always have our minions working for us.

Fixers talk big about their ability to "blitz" missions to make big money. Bureaucrats can do it even better. By "mezzing" every monster in a mission, not only can you get the reward but you also get to loot every chest! Let's see a Fixer do THAT.

Bureaucrats also get access to some nifty hardware, if they're willing to do a little work to earn them. We can acquire the Bureaucrat Briefcase, which gives us access to our Bank from anywhere in the world. No running home to sell all of that loot because you're out of space in your inventory. What's that? Teammate needs those cool boots you found yesterday? No problem! Just open up the Briefcase and grab them for him. We also have the Coffee Machine. Coffee Machines make Crat Coffee, a beverage that gives bonuses to several skills including run speed and combat initiatives. Brew it for yourself, or sell it to other players and use the profits to buy that next nanoformula you've got your eyes on.

My Bureaucrat, "Wormfoot", is currently level 160. I've spent more time playing him than any of my other characters. I've played a Martial Artist, an Agent, a Fixer, a Trader, a Nanotechnician, a Doctor, and even an Engineer. I keep coming back to my Bureaucrat. What's more, the Shadowlands expansion pack promises to take the Crat to new heights with all sorts of new goodies.

Answer the call to forms and start your Bureaucrat today!