Lost Ark is an MMO ARPG (massively-multiplayer online action role-playing game) ready to indulge you in the world of Arkesia.
This game has a variety of classes and respectable specializations, which are also called subclasses. Here’s a quick overview.
| Class | Warrior | Martial Artist | Gunner | Mage | Assassin |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Subclass | Berserker | Striker | Gunslinger | Bard | Shadowhunter |
| Paladin | Wardancer | Artillerist | Sorceress | Deathblade | |
| Gunlancer | Scrapper | Deadeye | |||
| Soulfist | Sharpshooter |
Picking a class to start with can be a little daunting nonetheless. There is a lot to choose from, and each class has its perks and downsides.
This tier list will help you choose the best class and subclass for your type of playstyle. The list is divided into PvP (Player versus Player) and PvE (Player versus Environment) to further help you make the best character for the content you’d like to focus on.
Without any ado, let’s hop right into the tier lists!
Table of ContentsShow
Lost Ark PvE Tier List
These are ranked by their ability to make the PvE content easier for the player. This can simply happen by some classes being overpowered with their damage, tanking it, or them being helpful in a group setting by healing or buffing the allies.
S-Tier
The most overpowered classes in the game for the PvE content.
| Subclass | Description |
|---|---|
| Paladin | Paladins are great at both dealing damage and supporting their allies. They can use the one-handed sword to deal great amounts of damage or activate their book to heal and buff the allies. A perfect subclass to pick since it covers two of the most important aspects of PvE content. |
| Bard | Next to Paladins, Bards also focus on supporting the allies with their defensive skills. Bards still manage to deal high amounts of damage due to it scaling with the amount of Intelligence they have. Highly recommended class to play because healers are always required. |
| Gunlancer | Gunlancers are the best at tanking high amounts of damage and helping their allies survive by using their aggro. They can block high amounts of damage while still dealing a solid amount of damage. This is your go-to tank class with the highest Health Pool and Armor in the game. If you’re up for this type of playstyle, look no further. |
A-Tier
These can go on par with S-Tier when played correctly.
| Subclass | Description |
|---|---|
| Sharpshooter | Sharpshooters use Bows to deal damage from a distance. They also have a pet that can be used to deal more damage in a fight. Sharpshooters have a lot of damage, and for them, it is crucial to stay far away from the enemies. If the situation needs it, they have some skills to deal with enemies when stuck at mid-range. They are great for new players and for those that can manage good rotations and keep the distance. |
| Sorceress (Summoner) | Sorceress deals massive amounts of DPS. They are very mobile and don’t need a lot of micromanagement in terms of defensive movement. To further help the players with mobility, the Sorceress has a Blink ability. This subclass can be a bit daunting to the new players, but the damage numbers and not being a glass cannon is always worth it. |
| Wardancer | Very fast and very mobile, Wardancer hits hard but can also get hit harder. This is why Wardancer stays at A-Tier. This class has so much to offer, but the problem is that the learning curve is high. Wardancer is exceptional when used by an experienced player. |
| Artillerist | On the contrary to the previously mentioned Wardancer, Artillerist is a very slow class that compensates with being able to take a lot of damage. As all classes have their specializations, this one has it too. It’s their Machine gun that can transform into other weapons and further change how you play this class. For the players that like slow but meaningful plays, this is a great pick. |
B-Tier
Above-average subclasses to pick. These can be good, they have some downsides, but they are still not a bad pick.
| Subclass | Description |
|---|---|
| Striker | If you want to be mobile while dishing out a lot of damage, Striker is a perfect sub class for you. Striker uses Elemental Gauntlets to deal great amounts of damage in a fast manner. Striker’s skills have a low cooldown. This makes it easy for the player to get in and get out while still dealing immense portions of damage. Therefore this is a great pick for people that prefer flashy gameplay with a lot of air to breathe due to the mobility. |
| Scrapper | Scrapper isn’t as mobile as previously mentioned Striker. Their power comes from their large amounts of damage and unique Chi gauge. Scrappers are best used for raids where their abilities shine. They can knock down the bosses and open them up for some free damage. Scrapper is a great class to begin with since they are not that difficult to learn. |
| Shadowhunter | Shadowhunter is a great option for players that want diversity in their gameplay. They can change into a demon form which opens up a lot of new skills and boost to their already great damage. They also bring out the flashy gameplay while being able to go on a distance with their ranged attacks. |
| Berserker | Berserkers are all about the huge damage numbers. They are your typical melee DPS character. This comes from their Rage/Fury meters which open up a lot of boosts when filled up. When we say huge amounts of damage, we also mean AoE damage too. Berserkers also excel at it. If you’re a player that loves dealing high amounts of damage while still being at a safe distance, this one’s for you. |
| Gunslinger | Gunslingers are your typical glass cannons. They can be somewhat tricky to play because of the weapon swap mechanic, but once learned, it becomes a great tool to use in fights. Each subclass has its specializations. These use the Sniper and are deadly with it from afar. Since they are squishy, you should deal great amounts of damage while maintaining the distance from the enemy at all costs. How well you do with this class depends on how well you can aim and keep yourself alive. |
C-Tier
Not much going on in terms of damage or being a good support for the whole group. Pretty average subclasses.
| Subclass | Description |
|---|---|
| Deathblade | A very versatile class that can deal a lot of damage when focused on it. Deathblade is a pretty unique class with its Death Orbs that can be used for dealing enormous amounts of damage or buffing themselves. This all sounds great, but Deathblade is so squishy that it’s practically not worth it for this type of content. You’re just better off playing another class or taking up the challenge. |
| Soulfist | Soulfist is a great class for players that enjoy versatile classes. Their main problem is that they focus on everything without specializing in one thing. This can be hard to learn, and it is even questionable whether it’s worth it. |
| Deadeye | Gunslingers without the cool stuff. Deadeye is a class that prefers to stay in a melee range because of its usage of shotguns. They can be hard to manage because of that, so this learning curve takes them down a bit in terms of tiers. Gunslingers are just a far better option to pick without the difficulties that Deadeye has. |
Lost Ark PvP Tier List
These are ranked by how well they do in player versus player (PvP) content. To do good in PvP, the class should either have exceptional damage, be tanky enough, or have the ability to keep the other players alive.
Due to PvP’s nature, no class is bad. There are only slight advantages that can change the turn of the fight.
S-Tier
Best classes in the game for the PvP content. These will get you everything you need to dominate other players.
| Subclass | Description |
|---|---|
| Deathblade | Deathblade is a squishy class, but mentioning that it’s the best DPS class in the game will intrigue a lot of people. Yes, this class easily manages to out damage every other class in the game. If one-shotting enemies is what you’re for, this one is great for you. |
| Paladin | Paladins are the pinnacle of PvP content. The heals and the damage is just too good not to pick. They can deal great amounts of damage and heal or buff the allies when they need it. Great overall class to play in any condition. |
| Bard | Very good supporting class with a lot of defensive skills. Bards deal a lot of damage and keep their DPS classes alive. Pretty much everything you’d need. Like Paladin, Bard stays on S-Tier for both types of content. They’re just too good to not have in a party. |
| Berserker | Nothing much in terms of fun gameplay, but for those who want to destroy the enemies with ease, this class is great. Huge AoE damage combined with immense damage will always catch your opponents off-guard. They can be somewhat predictable, but as long as you maintain high DPS, nothing else matters. |
A-Tier
Classes that can pair S-Tier with enough practice. They lack in some aspects that can make it a bit harder to manage than the higher tier, but they are as good.
| Subclass | Description |
|---|---|
| Sorceress (Summoner) | Great overall damage paired up with great mobility. This mage class can nuke enemies and still be at a safe spot easily. Sorceress is a great pick for those who can manage their Arcane Meter. Once you master this mechanic, you’re in for a great ride. |
| Gunslinger | Same as Sorceress, Gunslingers can maneuver the fight with great ease. Both classes have super armors that practically make it so that you can’t be knocked down. This ability is great for keeping you on the move at all times. Other than that, Gunslinger can be somewhat hard to use due to its versatile loadout. The only problem you’d have when playing them (next to the learning curve) is their squishiness. |
| Gunlancer | A great class to help out tank those pesty classes that burst your main DPS. They can efficiently peel for the entire backline of the team with their super armors and counters. The only problem you might run into is their movement speed. This class is easily kited by ranged classes if they’re not dealt with fast. |
| Deadeye | Deadeye has seen a great climb in terms of tiers when changing the type of content they’re used for. This class dominates both long-range and melee range due to their use of different weapons and their specialized shotgun. Great mobility and super armors are what you’re mostly looking at combined with a lot of damage. |
B-Tier
Solid classes to pick for this type of content. These will not bring as much to the fight but can be great if picked by an experienced player.
| Subclass | Description |
|---|---|
| Artillerist | Where Artillerist lacks mobility, they shine in dealing a lot of damage while being tanky. This class can transform their weapon depending on the situation, which can lead to a lot of variety. Their only problem is mobility combined with the fact that they’re easy to read and can be outplayed easily. |
| Sharpshooter | Sharpshooter is an annoying type of class. Your job is to swap between dealing a lot of damage and going into stealth to confuse the enemy. They have solid mobility combined with a lot of range. This can be deadly at times, but once caught, Sharpshooters can rarely get out alive. |
| Soulfist | As mentioned in the PvE Tier list, Soulfist does everything while mastering nothing. These can be good for people who like to stay unpredictable. Soulfist has a lot of damage, buffs, and the ability to throw disables at enemies. |
C-Tier
Not so great picks that might need more than experience to be in pair with other classes. They are purely situational.
| Subclass | Description |
|---|---|
| Scrapper | Scrappers have a lot of damage, and a big portion of it comes as AoE. This is great since you don’t have to focus on the chaos in front of you and just instead dish out huge portions of damage that will hit multiple enemies. A lot of disables are what Scrappers also come with. This can be great for holding down those damage dealers in the back (if you’re able to reach them in time). |
| Striker | More mobile version of Scrapper, Striker brings out low cooldowns and massive burst. They are focused on in-and-out situations where you’re mostly hoping to deal as much damage and get out as fast as possible. If players can’t follow this playstyle, they might see some issues with how squishy Strikers are. |
D-Tier
Picks for those who just want to challenge themselves. Nothing much going on for them, but due to PvP content’s nature, every class can do well in certain situations.
| Subclass | Description |
|---|---|
| Wardancer | Wardancers are your go-to for engaging and disabling enemies. They excel at that type of combat where you want to draw all the aggro to yourself and deal as much damage as possible at the same time. Wardancers can also be considered as supports because of that. The hard learning curve takes them down in the tier list from other classes that focus on a similar type of combat. |
| Shadowhunter | Shadowhunters are your beginner-friendly Assassin class. They are good for getting you into the basics of combat with a lot of ranged damage and disables. Shadowhunters are fairly mobile, which also helps out with survival. The downside of this is that they don’t have super armors and can be easy to take down. |
