Lost Ark PvP & PvE Classes: The Complete Tier List Guide (2023)

With every fascinating fantasy-based MMORPG comes a range of unique classes, each of which has varying benefits and disadvantages. While many gamers quickly search to find out which class is best, the answer is never that simple. We’ve gathered everything you need to know about Lost Ark‘s epic characters to help you decide which class to go for.

Lost Ark Classes: Complete Guide

Lost Ark features a class for every kind of gamer, whether you’re going for a strong, tough, and tanky hero, or you’re hoping to level up a character flaunting some killer magic abilities.

Warrior (Melee)

Warriors or considered to be the powerhouse of Arkesia. While they may not be as swift or agile as other classes, they are great for instances where you need high damage and high defense.

Berserker

The Berserker wields an iconic greatsword, dealing powerful strikes to enemies. He has high defense and becomes an unstoppable beast when entering ‘burst mode’. In this state, he gains increased speed and attack, unlocking a special skill that will absolutely destroy opponents.

Berserker Abilities:

• Berserk Fury
• Strike Wave
• Whirlwind
• Crime Hazard

Advantages vs. Disadvantages

Advantages: This class flaunts brutal strength and its difficulty level is very easy, making it a great choice for new players.

Disadvantages: It can be challenging to rank high in PvP.

Paladin

The Paladin is gifted with a very special link to the powers of the gods, granting him the ability to channel this ancient energy into combat stances. He can use this energy throughout offensive or defensive moves, apply holy buffs and skills that can act as support in teams, or stand the frontline wielding his mighty swords.

Paladin Abilities:

• Alithanes’s Judgment
• Wrath of God
• Execution of Justice
• law of God

Advantages vs. Disadvantages

Advantages: This class is a hybrid between support and damage, making it well-suited to a range of instances including PvP and PvE, and its difficulty level is easy. The class also increases outgoing damage while decreasing incoming damage for all party members.

Disadvantages: While he does deal damage, his DPS is not as effective as its support skills.

Gunlancer

The Gunlancer can take a punch with a smile, as he is the first line of defense equipped with an extremely durable battle shield. He is an incredibly effective protector and is great at keeping teams safe by absorbing damage. But, he can switch to attack mode using his gun lance when necessary.

Gunlancer Abilities:

• Charged Stinger
• Leap Attack
• Hook Chain
• Guardian’s Protection

Advantages vs. Disadvantages

Advantages: This tanky class can divert enemy attacks, absorb damage, and its difficulty level is easy.

Disadvantages: This class lacks mobility and speed.

Martial Artist (Melee)

Martial Artists are swift, nimble, and agile in each of their modes, dealing high DPS with quick and hard hits. This class is great for rush attacks, as they pounce their enemies with lethal combo attacks at breakneck speeds.

Striker

The Striker is equipped with a wide range of incredible physical skills, topped with agility and high speed. This class’s attacks can only be described as a whirlwind of force, using epic combos paired with powerful elemental moves throughout each battle.

Striker Abilities:

• Tiger Emerges
• True Heavenly Awakening
• Storm Dragon Awakening
• Moon Flash Kick

Advantages vs. Disadvantages

Advantages: This class is agile and powerful, using combo attacks and aerial assaults, and its difficulty level is easy.

Disadvantages: Although it’s more ‘something to bear in mind’ than a disadvantage, players need to pay attention to the Specialty stat, and the class ability should ideally be used whenever all four orbs are charged.

Wardancer

The Wardancer flaunts a blend between badass fighting techniques and epic magical skills. She is a master of martial arts, enhanced by augmented elemental power. She can harness elemental energy and unleash catastrophic attacks, complimented by some epic physics-defying stunts.

Wardancer Abilities:

• Fist of Dominance
• Advent of the Phoenix
• Flash Heat Fang
• Lightning Kick

Advantages vs. Disadvantages

Advantages: This class has high mobility and a mixture of melee attacks and elemental abilities.

Disadvantages: The variant without the three balls is typically weaker, and its difficulty level is medium.

Scrapper

The Scrapper utilizes two adverse energy forms, which feed off of each other resulting in consistent and seemingly eternal force. She is equipped with heavy gauntlets and exhibits a beautiful balance between defense, mobility, and attack throughout each battle.

Scrapper Abilities:

• Mysterious Art: Blast of Ruination
• Crushing Smite
• Undefeated Dragon King
• Chain Destruction Fist

Advantages vs. Disadvantages

Advantages: This class has high damage and can knock back enemies or stagger bosses.

Disadvantages: This class’s attacks are slower than others, and its difficulty level is medium.

Soulfist

The Soulfist can switch between ranged and melee fighting styles or combine the two for cataclysmic combo moves. This class uses unique energy, known as Adamance, which she uses to sustain herself or imbue her abilities.

Soulfist Abilities:

• Annihilating Ray
• Heavenly Squash
• Magnetic Palm
• Pulverizing Palm

Advantages vs. Disadvantages

Advantages: This class is a great all-rounder flaunting lower cooldowns, and its difficulty level is easy.

Disadvantages: This class has lower defenses compared to many others, but its versatility makes up for it.

Gunner (Range)

The Gunner class is an excellent choice for any gamers who love modern weaponry and technical styles. They deal high damage with hard and fast-hitting range attacks, whether they yield classic arrows or high-tech weapons.

Gunslinger

The Gunslinger has a selection of guns, hence the name. She switches between different guns swiftly, depending on the context or target, and can unload a barrage of deadly shots upon unassuming victims. Topped with exceptional agility thanks to feline-like reflexes, this class is hard to pin down.

Gunslinger Abilities:

• Eye of Twilight
• Last Request
• Plasma Bullet
• Peacekeeper

Advantages vs. Disadvantages

Advantages: This class deals high damage and can achieve maximum damage at a medium range.

Disadvantages: It can be tricky to switch between weapons, making the difficulty level medium to hard, and this class’s defenses are fairly low.

Artillerist

The Artillerist uses powerful blasts to take down targets, with a solid belief in ample firepower. He uses some hefty mechanical guns and launchers that deal high damage to opponents. This destructive class lacks agility and mobility but flaunts high-defense thanks to his heavy armor.

Artillerist Abilities:

• Missile Barrage
• Buckshot
• Flamethrower
• Gatling Gun

Advantages vs. Disadvantages

Advantages: This class deals high damage with fast-hitting rounds, has high defense, can take more damage from enemies, and its difficulty level is easy.

Disadvantages: This class can be quite slow, and lacks mobility. Accuracy can be an issue as you may need to know the bosses to land solid hits.

Deadeye

Deadeye boasts a range of admirable qualities, including a unique triple-wielding playstyle. This class is rough and rogue, with the choice between weapons comprised within a double handgun, shotgun, and rifle-wielding arsenal.

Deadeye Abilities:

• Bursting Flare
• Meteor Storm
• Spiral Flame
• Shotgun Rapid Fire

Advantages vs. Disadvantages

Advantages: This class deals high damage, and the use of three weapon styles can be useful in many instances.

Disadvantages: The difficulty level is hard to very hard, and it can be challenging to get the hang of this class.

Sharpshooter

The Sharpshooter is an epic attacker, equipped with a unique mechanical bow that unloads arrows topped with custom effects. This class is incredibly stealthy – great for exploiting your opponent’s weaknesses. With such a useful range of skills and traits, enhanced by high agility and survivability, he’s a great choice for the long run.

Sharpshooter Abilities:

• Golden Eye
• Arrow Shower
• Arrow Wave
• Blade Storm

Advantages vs. Disadvantages

Advantages: This class is agile and quick, and can keep enemies at a distance thanks to jump or range attacks.

Disadvantages: The difficulty level is medium to hard, as it can be tricky to cast abilities. This class also has fairly low defenses, but taking damage can be avoided with other abilities.

Mage (Range)

Mages have been adored by countless MMORPG fans for countless years, boasting a seemingly endless list of skills and special abilities. Lost Ark hasn’t failed to disappoint with their interesting take on the Mage class, as these heroes can tap into the magic of Arkesia to support allies, heal fallen teammates, or even cast lethal spells upon evil forces.

Bard

Bard wields the legendary Lione harp, capable of eliciting soothing serenades that can heal allies in battle. However, she is not to be messed with, as this class can switch to attack mode and unleash a chaotic chorus upon enemies. While her attack and damage are fairly low, she’s great for empowering any team.

Bard Abilities:

• Oratorio
• Stigma
• Rhythm Buckshot
• Heavenly Tune

Advantages vs. Disadvantages

Advantages: This class is great for support positions, has lower cooldowns, can enhance the effectiveness of any team, and its difficulty level is easy making it a good choice for new players.

Disadvantages: The attack and damage are quite low, and this class can be fairly weak in a battle.

Sorceress

If you’re looking for a mage that’s tough and vicious, the Sorceress class may be for you! This class is incredibly powerful, with the ability to cast various lethal spells using three elements. She is incredibly versatile and can easily take on more than one enemy, completely owning the battlefield.

Sorceress Abilities:

• Incinerate
• Frost Explosion
• Ice Arrow
• Lightning Burst

Advantages vs. Disadvantages

Advantages: This class deals high damage with a range of attacks, and has the ability to take on multiple enemies.

Disadvantages: The difficulty level is medium, meaning it may not be a simple choice for new players.

Assassin (Melee)

Assassin classes have been at the top of fellow fans’ favorites for ages, boasting a range of incredible skills and unique attributes. They are hard to defeat, as they can quickly manipulate any chance they get and turn the tides completely. Lost Ark‘s Assassins use their demonic energy and dark powers for good, unleashing flurries of colorful yet deadly attacks.

Shadowhunter

The Shadowhunter uses classic dark energy to outsmart unaware demons, as she can shapeshift into powerful demonic forms at will. This class can hand out catastrophic damage when her inner demon is released, enhanced by the ability to gain movement speed and health.

Shadowhunter Abilities:

• Demon Vision
• Sharpened Cut
• Fallen Ruin
• Demonic Clone

Advantages vs. Disadvantages

Advantages: This class can gain increased health and speed when she’s in demon form, and the difficulty level is easy to medium.

Disadvantages: This class has weaker armor and cannot take too much damage.

Deathblade

If you’re desperate for a classic assassin that puts all of their faith into the speed of their blades, the Deathblade class would be a perfect choice. This class wields two lightweight dual swords and a longsword, alongside chaotic power. She is incredibly fast, dealing fatal slashes to her enemies with overpowered accuracy.

Deathblade Abilities:

• Flash Blink
• Spincutter
• Soul Absorber
• Blitz Rush

Advantages vs. Disadvantages

Advantages: This class casts extremely powerful, fast, and effective attacks, and it has a medium difficulty level.

Disadvantages: There is a low armor value, and this class cannot take too many hits.

Lost Ark Classes: Full Tier List

Every single class has been mostly well-received by avid fans, with unique backgrounds, fighting styles, and stunning visuals to match. Regardless of which class you choose, there will be key elements that you’ll need to bear in mind throughout your Lost Ark journey.

If you’re unsure about which class to choose, even after reviewing their skills, abilities, playstyles, and pros vs. cons, we’ve gathered a full tier list based on the opinions of current players. This tier list considers each class overall (not specific to individual instances), and since it’s been based on the existing opinions of the community, its validity is always up for debate.

S-Tier

Bard (Mage)

Making it to the number one spot is Bard, flaunting a ton of helpful abilities and special skills. While choosing one of two support classes in Lost Ark may not be the most exhilarating option, it can go a long way.

The Bard class has been a saving grace for just about every Lost Ark player that’s currently active, and you’ll definitely appreciate this musical beauty as you progress through the game and take on more challenging tasks. Her powerful harp affords a range of benefits to her allies, including damage buffs, debuffs, and classic restoration abilities.

Having a high-level Bard is absolutely essential if you’re hoping to team up with other devoted Lost Ark players, as she has the best healing and shielding abilities in the game. While she is limited concerning her utility when in an active combat role, her clutch support skills make her simply too irresistible for most players to skip out on!

Berserker (Warrior)

Coming in as the runner-up is the Berseker class, a classic favorite for many MMORPG fans. Yes, it may seem like a stale choice, as you may have chosen the Berserker class in just about every other RPG you’ve ever played. But, Lost Ark’s Berserker class is just too chaotically destructive to pass up.

This hulky class can buff himself or allies with a 12% damage increase, making him an insane addition to just about any team. He’s also really straightforward to handle, as his playstyle is pretty simple, and it doesn’t take too much grind to see a jump in his power stats.

The Berserker class is a mean – and not so lean – fighting machine, that can evolve into an unstoppable force of sheer brutality at will. He may be the safe choice for many players, but having a high-level Berserker on the team will undoubtedly give everyone a boost of confidence.

Gunlancer (Warrior)

The Gunlancer offers quite a few amazing benefits to those who choose this class, and he may be a great choice for those who desperately want to try something other than Berserker. He’s loaded with the classic fighter spirit and would definitely stand as a solid tank against a range of foes.

This class’s jacked HP stats and tough defenses make him a solid addition to any group of players, and he compliments just about every other class. He’s essentially a damage sponge, with the ability to absorb hits and defend the team.

Ever just wished you could skip out on an enemy’s incoming barrage? Well, what makes the Gunlancer class so amazing is the special ability to interrupt attacks – sometimes even just ignore boss mechanics! This insane skill can be useful in pretty much every battle, enabling you to power your way through all of the challenges that Lost Ark has in store.

Gunslinger (Gunner)

The Gunslinger has become a personal favorite for many devoted players, flaunting a range of powerful weapons and a sassy attitude to match. She is ridiculously fast, topped with a 10% crit buff, making her a pretty solid option for many players prioritizing high DPS.

While she can handle as a lone-wolf, she also performs extremely well within groups since her crit buff actually benefits the entire team. Although, it’s important to point out that it can be tricky to get the hang of her.

The complexity of her handling and switching between weapons has given some players a false interpretation of her skills. But, she’ll be sure to own the battlefield right through till the game’s future sections if you’re willing to immerse yourself in her character.

Paladin

Last on the S-Tier list is the Paladin class, the only other support class in the game alongside Bard. This class’s healing and shielding abilities are what ultimately lands him on the top classes list, as his skills will become increasingly crucial as you progress through more challenging missions.

Since the Paladin is classified as a blend, his support skills are no match for Bard. But, he has the benefit of having fairly decent usability in active combat roles.

This class is probably going to be the best choice if you want to have a mixture of support and DPS roles. He’s incredibly versatile, enhanced by having access to higher attack and defense stats.

A-Tier

Artillerist (Gunner)

This class is truly a Jack-of-all-Trades, and while he may not be the most overpowered, he is undeniably skilled in all of his playstyles. He can switch up between tank, support, and DPS roles, although he is no master in either of these areas.

But, the versatility of this class (almost multi-class) is ultimately his greatest strength. If you’re a gamer that can’t quite help but have a finger in every pie, then the Artillerist is the one for you!

Deathblade (Assassin)

It’s hard to find a Lost Ark player that hasn’t completely fallen in love with Deathblade, even if she wasn’t chosen. Deathblade is an absolute savage when it comes to lethal attacks and high-speed rushes, wielding a total of three badass swords to switch between.

Her series of fast slashes can only be described as dizzying, granting her victims death by a thousand painful cuts. She is a great option to start off with, as she performs really well throughout the initial sections and she’s super fun to play with!

But, unfortunately, her performance may take a dip towards the later sections, and she may struggle to keep up without full-on grinding and upgrading just about all of her aspects. So, while you may end up using other characters as you progress, you might else well enjoy this incredible class while she’s still worthwhile.

Sorceress (Mage)

The Sorceress was added more recently, so she may still receive a few tweaks (whether she may be nerfed, who knows). But, for now, she’s amazingly powerful – to the point where she could wipe out a few enemies in one go in some cases.

She has a decent damage buff of 6%, a high burst radius during attacks, and she’s surprisingly easy to manage based on her abilities. However, she does have low HP, so it will still require some skill to ensure she survives a fight.

Striker

The Striker is a unique and fascinating class, with impressive aerial stunts and almost acrobatic-like combat moves. He can attack enemies from almost any angle, and his attack and speed boosts apply to the whole team which makes him super useful in just about any situation.

But, his cool moves do come with an understandable downfall – accuracy, as his positioning is crucial in landing a solid shot. This aspect can be learned through some practice, but his handling can be quite frustrating while you’re still learning the ropes.

B-Tier

Scrapper (Martial Artist)

The Scrapper class has a solid defense, decent damage, and is fairly beginner-friendly. But, players who enjoy her style typically end up switching to Striker later down the line.

Shadowhunter (Assassin)

The Shadowhunter has quite a few epic traits, but her most enjoyable skills seem to be switching to demon form and her 12% additional damage buff. Players have found that she may be somewhat comparable to the Berserker, although her natural stats may leave one feeling slightly underwhelmed.

Sharpshooter

The Sharpshooter is the only long-ranged character in Lost Ark, with high damage output, an epic staggering ability, and the benefit of adding a 6% damage buff to the entire team. However, he can’t do much at close range, often leading to players choosing Gunslinger or Artillerist later down the line.

Soulfist (Martial Artist)

The Soulfist class can hand out some impressive damage when she uses her miraculous ultimate, an absolutely lethal burst attack, but her other abilities seem to be on a completely different scale. Her ultimate is the main advantage, and even then, it takes several seconds to charge up, and its effectiveness depends on crit damage while it’s active. Still, she’s really fun to play with and would be great for players seeking a classic martial artist character.

C-Tier

Deadeye (Gunner)

Deadeye is tough as nails, wielding some insane weaponry and a cataclysmic attitude. He is definitely a force to be reckoned with when you know how to handle him. But, that’s the main issue players have had – it’s really challenging to get the hang of this class, and players often end up switching to Gunslinger as a result.

Wardancer (Martial Artist)

The Wardancer is the class that most Lost Ark players have had some concerns about. It’s not that she’s a bad class – in fact, she can be incredible in quite a few instances and she does have some useful buffs. But, she seems to be stuck in limbo, neither classified as support nor a DPS class, and there isn’t much she can do in many active combat roles – especially in fast-paced encounters.

Which Lost Ark Class Is Best For PvE?

When taking on brutish and vicious enemies that are ridiculously overpowered, you need to choose classes that can really handle the heat. Any class would have certain benefits, but the most important factors concern survivability and sustainable DPS.

Tier List: The Best Classes for PvE

(S-Tier) Gunlancer, Paladin, Bard, Gunslinger

(A-Tier) Berserker, Artillerist, Sorceress, Wardancer, Sharpshooter

(B-Tier) Shadowhunter, Striker, Scrapper, Deathblade

(C-Tier) Deadeye, Soulfist

Rather than other classes that deal crazy damage, PvE demands classes that have a blend of characteristics including heavy defense and some solid support skills. This makes hybrid classes like Gunlancer, Paladin, and Bard fantastic choices for PvE overall.

But, the Shadowhunter class can hand out some lethal strikes, which can provide a great balance between survivability and damage in both group and solo play. If you’re up for using a technical approach equipped with more modern weaponry such as guns, opt for the Sharpshooter class as he deals great damage as well.

Which Lost Ark Class Is Best For PvP?

When it comes to PvP encounters, things can become a little more complicated, as there’s always a perfect match for each class. But, it’s best to choose a class that can withstand most conditions to survive in solo play and pair well with other classes for group play.

Tier List: The Best Classes for PvP

(S-Tier) Paladin, Deathblade, Bard

(A-Tier) Deadeye, Gunslinger, Sorceress, Gunlancer

(B-Tier) Sharpshooter, Artillerist, Soulfist

(C-Tier) Scrapper, Striker

The best class for PvP has to be Paladin, as this class has naturally high defenses and can team up well with just about anyone. He also has the ability to spend his gauge on himself or allies in PvP, making it an epic class for both 1v1 and 3v3 duels.

Bard is another great option for those who want to choose a support class, as she can subdue enemy teams really well. However, she doesn’t have the defenses necessary to survive against classes like Assassins, and she can easily get wiped out quite early in the duel. Still, she would be a great choice if you put in a little effort to ensure she survives.

If you’re hoping to be an in-your-face attacker during PvP duels, attacker classes like Deathblade would be a great choice. This class has the ability to dodge while hitting hard and fast, often landing some shots dealing critical damage. Deathblade is a classic assassin type, dealing some crazy DPS.

Which Lost Ark Class Should You Choose?

Of course, it’s important to remember that any class will only be as OP as you make it. It will still take a ton of dedication and solid grinding to bring out the best in each of these Lost Ark classes.

One of the best things about Lost Ark is that you can choose anyone you find an interest in and change your mind later. In the experience of some players, switching between classes is actually inevitable.

But, why fret about it? Just choose the class that seems like a solid choice for you. What matters most is that you have fun – that’s ultimately what the Lost Ark game devs wanted!

Although it can be tricky to choose between all of these amazing characters, you’ll be happy to know that you’ll have a great experience with any of the Lost Ark classes. From technical shooters to speedy assassins, and everything in between, you’re sure to find a Lost Ark class that feels just right!