Lost Ark classes tier list: Best classes in the game

What is the best character class to play as in Lost Ark? When creating a character in Lost Ark, you must select from a list of seven classes. Warriors, for example, are always male, while Assassins and Mages are always female. Martial Arts and Gunners include both male and female versions, yet they’ve been divided into two categories because all sub-subcategories in the game are only accessible to one gender.

Lost Ark features 15 subclasses divided among seven male selections and eight female options, each with its own set of skills. You’ll be able to choose a subclass for them to specialize in during the short tutorial, regardless of their base class. Let’s take a look at what the strongest classes are in Lost Ark and their best sub-class.

Lost Ark classes tier list

• S Tier: Bard, Berserker, Gunlancer, Gunslinger, Paladin
• A Tier: Artillerist, Deathblade, Sorceress, Striker
• B Tier: Scrapper, Shadowhunter, Sharpshooter, Soulfist
• C Tier: Deadeye, Wardancer

S Tier

Bard (Mage)

There are only two support classes available in Lost Ark at the moment of writing, but while they don’t appear to be particularly appealing when you’re just getting started, you’ll quickly realize how essential it is to have at least one on your team as you approach the endgame. If you want to team up with other players, a high-level Bard is essential because she’s the most-requested class when forming parties due to her having the best healing and shields in the game. Her main disadvantage is that she isn’t great at actively taking part in battle, limiting her usefulness if you’re just fooling around in Arkesia solo; though her harp provides a slew of buffs and drawbacks that benefit her team during combat.

Berserker (Warrior)

The Berserker isn’t the most unique option, since he’s Lost Ark’s answer to every RPG combatant ever. However, that is a tried-and-true build for a reason; while the Berserker may be the safer pick for those who aren’t yet sure of their survival abilities, he truly shines when it comes to difficult situations in the long term play. He’s a good choice for novices, but if you want to main him until the end, he won’t let you down.

Gunlancer (Warrior)

A Gunlancer is a tank class for those players who want to enjoy the traditional fighter experience. Without a doubt, this is Lost Ark’s tank character, with high HP and defense stats making him an excellent damage sponge; and the ability to shield other characters while drawing enemy attention to himself, as well as a unique power that allows him to interrupt attacks or sometimes outright ignore boss mechanics.

Gunslinger (Gunner – Female)

The Gunslinger is one of the greatest options for a PvE DPS in the game. She’s a great choice if you’re playing solo because of her extremely quick movement speed and 10% increased crit buff. And, if you’re playing with friends, things are looking up! Her crit buff benefits the whole party. The Gunslinger’s main drawback is that she may be difficult to master in the early stages, but once you’ve learned how to use her effectively, you’ll feel the benefits.

Paladin (Warrior)

In Lost Ark, the Paladin and the Bard are in high demand and become increasingly essential as you approach the final stages of the game; but it’s really a toss-up which is better. For the Paladin’s part, he isn’t anywhere near as effective at healing and shielding his allies as the Bard, but he is more capable of taking an active role in battle because to his Warrior base class, which gives him better attack and defense stats. To put it another way, if you want to play a mixed sub-DPS/support role, he’s a fantastic choice.

A Tier

Artillerist (Gunner – Male)

The Artillerist is a superior tank, the Bard offers better shield support, and there are other high-damage attackers in the game that aren’t as hindered when moving. But if you’re wanting to low-key multiclass as a character who can switch between DPS and support as needed, the Artillerist is an excellent choice.

Deathblade (Assassin)

Deathblade is a sight to behold with three blades in her hands. However, as you go through the game and your roster and challenges improve, it’s a reality that the Deathblade can’t keep up. Her overall damage output at higher levels is significantly lower than you’d assume, and other classes begin to make more sense if you’re trying to get through Lost Ark’s grindy parts as rapidly as possible.

Sorceress (Mage)

The extremely powerful, glass-cannon type of character known as a Sorcerer is an excellent addition to a combat-oriented team thanks to her substantial damage boost (6%) and her very large burst radius. She’s a good example of the notorious squishy wizard, with low defenses and HP meaning she’s not always the simplest character to manage in battle, and it’ll take a more experienced player to get the most out of her.

Striker (Martial Artist – Male)

The Striker has the ability to attack opponents from almost any position, making him look really cool while doing it. He’s one of the more challenging classes to control owing to his importance in landing a successful assault. But he has a high damage output and increased critical hit chance, so there’s room for forgiveness while you’re learning the ropes, especially when his crit chance and attack speed bonuses benefit his teammates as well.

B Tier

Scrapper (Martial Artist – Female)

The Scrapper is a very beginner-friendly subclass in Lost Ark if you want to try out melee combat. She has a powerful defence, but mediocre damage (including a 6% extra damage boost), so while you may have to chisel away at the enemy for a time, you’re unlikely to perish before long.

Shadowhunter (Assassin)

Shadowhunter’s greatest benefit is her 12% extra damage boost, which rivals the Berserker’s and may be compared to him in many ways since she’s also a straightforward introductory character. Her most unique feature is her potential to turn into a demon for a short period of time, increasing her HP and speed. Even if she does so, the dropdown may leave you wishing you had chosen a class with greater baseline stats in those categories.

Sharpshooter (Gunner – Male)

Sharpshooter is the only purely long-ranged character class in Lost Ark, with a high damage output and a 6% damage buff to the whole team. On the whole, he’d probably be on our A list if it weren’t for the fact that his entire kit is geared towards keeping you out of harm’s way. This means you won’t have access to many of Lost Ark’s core combat features, since there isn’t much he can do in close combat; so unless this is specifically what interests you, a Gunner with more versatility, such as the Gunslinger or Artillerist, would be a better alternative.

Soulfist (Martial Artist – Female)

The Soulfist’s ultimate, Awakening, is a burst attack with tremendous potential to inflict damage. However, when none of her other skills can compare, it’s hard to rank her above B. Furthermore, Awakening has a degree of unpredictability since it takes several seconds to charge and its full potential is contingent on successfully landing criticals while it’s active. Soulfist is an entertaining character to play, however, and if you want to roleplay a fast Martial Artist with no encumbrance in heavy armor the way it was intended, she’s an unrivaled choice.

C Tier

Deadeye (Gunner – Male)

To be absolutely honest, the Deadeye performs everything that the Gunslinger does — except with three different weapons for a variety of situations, all sporting a 10% crit boost. While her damage, HP, and defense aren’t as high as those of her nominal male counterpart, it’s still a little challenging to get to grips with mechanically. Even after you’ve developed an expert eye for his required range and position, his damage, HP, and resistance fall short of those of his named female counterpart.

Wardancer (Martial Artist – Female)

The Wardancer is a viable hero, but she finds herself in an uncomfortable spot when placed on a team: she is neither ideal for backup nor DPS roles. Her buffs are fantastic, increasing the attack speed and crit chance of her teammates, but there isn’t much she can do in a battle that isn’t better handled by another class.