Players coming from Chivalry will find that the core melee combat is essentially identical. There are still three melee attacks: the wide horizontal slash, the reaching thrust, and the damaging overhead. All characters may parry, including the ability to parry and reflect incoming ranged attacks. Weapons still have a variety of reach, speed, and damage, although there is no longer any distinction of armor types.
New to Mirage, each of the six character types may select three additional skills which run the gamut of offense, defense, and mobility. The skills tend to be useful but have cooldowns up to 30 seconds, reminiscent of a MOBA game. Characters are quite mobile, able to move vertically by wall jumping or using a flying skill.
Examples of Tropes in Mirage: Arcane Warfare
- Amazing Technicolor Population: The Azar Cabal's combatants have some very interesting pale blue skin tones.
- "Arabian Nights" Days: The game has a fantasy setting with ancient Persian and Arabic influences, and a civil war over use of magic.
- Battle Cry: The excessive battlecries make a triumphant return.
- Fragile Speedster: The Vypress has good weapons and some devastating attack skills, but she can't take too much damage in return. The game recommends that she be used for flanking and hit-and-run attacks.
- Half the Man He Used to Be: The Ludicrous Gibs of Chivalry are now upgraded into possible bisection.
- Jack of All Trades: The Entropist is the most well-rounded character, having skills for offense, healing, and mobility.
- Lightning Bruiser: The Taurant is a hulking brute with dash attacks and a giant boulder throw. He's at his best charging into a group of enemies, swinging his axe, hammer or greatsword.
- Long-Range Fighter: Like the Archer of Chivalry, the Alchemancer prefers to fight at long range, but is still able to defend himself in a pinch.
- Magic Knight: Although all the characters have magic skills and are capable of melee attacks, the Vigilist has a classic balance. She is heavily armored, has a decent weapon, and has various conjurations to extend her reach a little beyond her spear.
- Regenerating Health: Not taking damage or jumping allows you to slowly heal, and standing still will make you heal faster.
- Separate, but Identical: The Azar Cabal and Bashrahni Emirate have opposite views on the use of magic. The Emirate, wary of corruption, limit themselves to practical purposes like power and industry. The Cabal have a spiritual connection with magic, and resent the Emirate restricting its usage. This doesn't extend to their battle tactics, as they have access to the same character classes and skills.
- Snake Talk: The Bashrahni Vypress tends to hang onto her "S" sounds a bit long.
- Wall Jump: Downplayed. All characters can bounce off a wall or scale short walls without using their hands, but nothing too crazy.
