Lost Ark classes – tier list, best PvP and PvE classes

Looking for the best Lost Ark classes? Classes are designed to be viable and the game frequently receives balance patches, so the meta is constantly evolving. Fortunately, creating alts is easy, so you’re able to try multiple classes before committing to one; you don’t have to pick a ‘main’ until you reach T3 (third expansion) content. It’s also important to note that Lost Ark advanced classes are gender locked, so if your avatar gender is important to you, that influences your choice of class.

The question of which is the best Lost Ark class is a tricky one especially as there are new Lost Ark classes to consider, so we’ve put together a Lost Ark tier list for your consideration. Join us as we explore the best Lost Ark classes in one of the best free PC games.

The best Lost Ark classes for PvE are:

The best Lost Ark classes for PvP are:

Here’s a complete breakdown of all of the Lost Ark classes, the advanced classes, and their relative strengths and weaknesses across PvP and PvE in one of the best MMOs.

Warrior

Warriors are sturdy melee fighters with elaborate armour and huge swords. The Warrior advanced classes are:

Berserker

The Berserker is a relatively simple melee DPS class based around building up your Runaway gauge – once activated, you’re much stronger and faster.

Paladin

The Paladin is a support class focusing on increasing your team’s damage. Having at least one support in each PvE party is recommended. Though they output less healing overall than the other support class – the Bard – the Paladin has more health and defence, and a higher focus on damage buffs.

Gunlancer

A DPS class with two types of attacks, blue and red. Blue generates shields, whereas red does burst damage. The Gunslinger is tanky and offers a lot of utility in PvE; you can interrupt boss channels and synergises well with DPS teammates. However, he isn’t the best solo PvP class, as you’ll struggle against ranged enemies.

Destroyer

A defensive, powerful class, but quite slow – if you can get going with the Destroyer, you can inflict a lot of damage and mitigate damage with armour skills and knockdown abilities.

Martial Artist

Martial Artists are swift and nimble melee DPS characters with powerful combos. The Martial Artist advanced classes are:

Wardancer

A melee DPS class that builds up Ki orbs by auto attacking; these orbs are then spent on devastating skills. The Wardancer is an agile class and a solid DPS option for PvE parties and can perform particularly well in PvP when played expertly.

Striker

The Striker uses aerial combos and elemental skills and is the male version of the Wardancer, so shares many skills with her, but plays a little differently with more focus on big abilities and less on auto attacking. He’s a little less versatile than Wardancer in PvP but is still a strong option.

Scrapper

A powerful melee DPS class that uses a huge gauntlet and two opposite forms of energy to attack. As you use one type of energy, you accumulate the other. Scrappers are very well balanced and always perform well in PvE and PvE.

Soulfist

The Soulfist is a highly complex DPS class that consumes energy to use skills. If your energy runs out completely, you are unable to use any skills until it regenerates. The Soulfist has three stages of empowerment you can move through, and each stage makes you stronger but lasts for less time. It’s tricky to manage these variables in combat, but if you can master them, the Soulfist is extremely strong in PvP.

Glavier

A melee damage class that wields two weapons: the glaive and spear. The Glaiver is an agile, speedy class that strikes the balance between both her stances if used effectively. She’s useful in both long range and short range battles and can inflict quick attacks, or sweeping blows. A versatile class and our top pick of Martial Artist characters.

Gunner

The Gunner is a ranged DPS class that uses immense firepower or hyper-precise skill shots to devastate enemies. All Gunner classes are male, with the exception of the female Gunslinger. The Gunner advanced classes are:

Artillerist

Using magnificently absurd mechanical artillery, the Artillerist deals significant damage – but your artillery detonates quite a few seconds after you cast your skill, which means landing hits can be tricky. The Artillerist is notoriously troublesome in PvP if you can execute their combos effectively, able to stun and damage foes that get caught in the explosion.

Deadeye

Deadeye is one of the most difficult classes to play, using pistols, shotguns, and sniper rifles to take down foes. In PvE, you’ll spend most of your time in shotgun (melee) range of the boss, making positioning difficult. Once you’ve mastered all your skills and stances, you can obliterate enemies in PvP.

Gunslinger

The Gunslinger is the female version of Deadeye; like Deadeye, it’s a difficult class to play, with multiple guns to swap between, and isn’t particularly powerful unless you master it. However, instead of the shotgun, the Gunslinger primarily uses a sniper rifle, which is an easier and more flexible weapon to use, although not quite as strong. If you can master her, the Gunslinger is a PvP menace.

Sharpshooter

The Sharpshooter is an agile, high-damage ranged class, capable of summoning a bird to buff your attacks. It’s easy to dodge enemies and hit your abilities in PvE and while the class isn’t massively powerful in PvP, you can easily punish low skilled enemies with your most impactful skills.

Machinist

Using cutting-edge technology, The Machinist utilises drone attacks and can switch to a Hypersync suit which can be charged by successfully landing attacks.

Mage

Mage characters, unsurprisingly, use magic to heal or damage from afar. The Mage advanced classes are:

Bard

The Bard is the other main support class aside from the Paladin and so is always in high demand in both PvE and group PvP. She can buff damage and burst heal and isn’t an easy target to kill as her Super Armour gives her protection from crowd control abilities, making her a strong choice in PvP.

Arcanist

This mage uses a magic card deck to summon attacks and slice enemies, while not the easiest class to master, it can be a lot of fun. You just have to last in the fight to inflict a large amount of damage.

Sorceress

If you like causing big explosions, the Sorceress is for you. Depending on how you build her, the Sorceress is either an extremely straightforward steady damage dealer or a fine-tuned source of burst damage; the latter build can be tricky in PvE until you learn where to stand as she’s not particularly mobile.

Assassin

Assassins are fighters that savage their foes with demonic energy. The Assassin advanced classes are:

Shadowhunter

The Shadowhunter is a melee and ranged assassin, who can unleash their inner demon and deal additional crit damage – or alternatively, can choose a build that suppresses the demon inside them. The class is simple to learn, and is a reliable source of high damage in PvE; you can also perform well in PvP if you can evade the enemy and stay out of the fray.

Deathblade

The Deathblade uses fast melee combos to slice enemies with their three swords. It’s a very popular class in PvP and is relatively simple to learn, as you build up Death Orbs to transform into Art form and deal significant damage. However, positioning is important, as you deal the most damage when behind the enemy.

Reaper

With quick blade attacks and the ability to turn invisible, the Reaper is a great rogue in right hands, she is however, very hard to master, requiring accuracy and precision to land deadly blows.

That’s everything you need to know about Lost Ark classes – time to step into Arkasia and try them out for yourself. For more tips check out our guide on how to level up quickly in Lost Ark, what the best Lost Ark engravings are, and make sure you’re up to date with the latest on your chosen Lost Ark server.