Lost Ark is a huge game that’s only set to become far bigger in upcoming updates. There’s a lot to take in before you get to the level cap and start grinding endgame content, but once you finally get there, you’ll start working on high difficulty raids and bosses, in addition to a bit of PVP play to keep things interesting in between.
You can absolutely tackle both PVP and PVE in Lost Ark with whatever class you have chosen thanks to the fact that Lost Ark is shockingly well balanced. Some characters are stronger than others, but regular patches and balance updates mean that things are always in flux, and what separates the range of classes is usually very minute.
Each and every class is perfectly capable of both PVE and PVP play, and doing well at it, but in this guide we’re ranked every class into two separate tier lists, one for PVE, and another for PVP. If you want to focus exclusively on one game style or the other, you can use our ranking below. Though, once again, keep in mind things can change rapidly.
Lost Ark PVP class tier list
These are the classes you need to use if you want to excel in Lost Ark’s PVP battles.
S tier-
- Bard.
- Paladin.
- Deathblade.
Let’s get this out of the way now: the Bard and the Paladin classes are excellent at pretty much everything right now. The Bard boasts powerful buffs and shields that can be essential in winning a battle. Meanwhile, the Paladin is always a highly sought-after teammate. Deathblade is also great in PVP thanks to speedy attacks that can pick out and focus on a single foe.
A tier-
- Soulfist.
- Sorceress.
- Gunslinger.
- Gunlancer.
- Wardancer.
There are a few classes here that perform great in both PVP arenas and PVE challenges, but some just do things better than others. Sorceress, Gunslinger, and Wardancer all have abilities that put them up at the top of the list in both categories, while Soulfist is uniquely built for rapid PVP duels, and can be a lot of fun to master. If you want a unique PVP experience, Soulfist is a great bet, while Gunlancer is another well-rounded fighter.
B tier-
- Shadowhunter.
- Deadeye.
- Artillerist.
- Berserker.
As mentioned previously, there really are no bad classes in Lost Ark thanks to excellent game balance and regular updates, but now we’re getting to the PVP classes you might want to think twice about. A skilled player can absolutely see PVP victories with these classes, but the toolsets for them are, at present, not suited for going up against other players.
C tier-
- Scrapper.
- Sharpshooter.
- Striker.
Finally, we get to the bottom of our perceived PVP barrel. The fact is, any of these classes played by a skilled player with good gear is still going to be invited to fights, but if PVP victories are really important to you, these are the classes you should avoid using for now.
Lost Ark PVE class tier list
If your aim in Lost Ark is to simply play the game content as its delivered to you and not bother with fighting against other players, then you should aim to use a PVE-focused character. All of these are great picks.
S tier-
- Bard.
- Paladin.
- Gunlancer.
The Paladin and Bard currently stand as the classes that everyone wants to have in their party. The Bard’s array of buffs are excellent, while a Paladin with the right setup can easily be one of the best tank choices in the game. Gunlancer also fares incredibly well in PVE battles, and is worth trying out.
A tier-
- Gunslinger.
- Sorceress.
- Artillerist.
- Berseker.
- Wardancer.
We see a few ranged classes like Gunslinger, Sorceress, and Artillerist in the A tier, alongside melee fighters Wardancer and Berserker. For the most part the fighters in this tier are excellent at dealing damage to enemies, either singular bosses or an array of mobs coming your way. Skilled DPS classes are going to make PVE raids much easier.
B tier-
- Sharpshooter.
- Scrapper.
- Shadowhunter.
- Striker.
It hurts to place Shadowhunter low on any list, simply because summoning demons is very, very cool. But unfortunately, Shadowhunter fills a role that is better filled with another class. That basically goes as a general rule for the rest of the B tier. Plenty of potential with each of these classes, but no one’s first choice for a PVE specific build.
C tier-
- Deathblade.
- Soulfist.
- Deadeye.
Finally, these are the bottom of the pile for PVE classes. One last time: all classes in Lost Ark are viable in all situations when geared up correctly and played by a skilled player, but if you’re aiming to focus on PVE gameplay specifically, these are the classes to skip over. Sorry, Soulfist.
Written by Dave Aubrey on behalf of GLHF.
