Lost Ark Class Guide – Which Class Is the Best in 2023

Navigating Lost Ark’s diverse class roster can be challenging for both new and experienced players. This comprehensive guide provides detailed analysis of each class’s strengths, weaknesses, and optimal playstyles for both PvE and PvP content. Understanding class mechanics is crucial for maximizing your performance in raids, dungeons, and competitive matches.

Classes are broadly categorized into support, martial arts, ranged damage, and specialized hybrid roles. Each offers distinct gameplay experiences that cater to different preferences and skill levels.

Artist

Introduced in 2023, the Artist represents the newest addition to Lost Ark’s support roster. Her primary strength lies in single-target healing capabilities, making her exceptionally valuable during challenging boss encounters where precise healing is required. In PvP scenarios, she transitions to an offensive support role with extensive area-of-effect abilities that can control battlefield flow while maintaining healing support for teammates. Her skill set includes ranged AoE control options that can dictate engagement pacing.

Common mistake: Overusing AoE skills in PvE when single-target focus is needed. Pro tip: Master the timing of your healing abilities to maximize their effectiveness during critical boss mechanics.

Bard

As one of Lost Ark’s primary healing specialists, the Bard excels in raid and dungeon environments. Her toolkit includes protective shields, offensive buffs, and healing capabilities that significantly enhance team survivability. However, her limited mobility demands strategic positioning and precise skill timing to maximize effectiveness.

Positioning is critical – Bards must anticipate damage patterns to preemptively shield allies. This class represents the closest approximation to traditional MMORPG healers, focusing entirely on support rather than damage contribution.

Paladin

The Paladin utilizes a dual-skill system with yellow abilities activating support functions and blue skills providing damage options. They are indispensable in endgame content, offering the game’s most potent damage-boosting support capabilities.

Advanced technique: Learn to quickly alternate between damage and support skills based on encounter requirements. Their supportive abilities require rapid deployment and accurate placement to achieve maximum team benefit.

Scrapper

Scrappers offer two distinct playstyles through their specialization engravings. The Shock build delivers high-impact burst damage with slower execution, while the Taijutsu build provides consistent damage output with enhanced mobility. Both approaches achieve comparable damage over extended encounters, making this an accessible class for newcomers.

The unique stamina system may feel unfamiliar initially but becomes intuitive with practice. Optimal play involves managing your resource gauge effectively regardless of chosen build path.

Striker

As a fast-paced brawler, the Striker combines rapid attacks with respectable sustained damage. While similar to the Wardancer, he operates at a slightly slower pace while providing valuable attack speed buffs for the entire team.

His playstyle delivers consistent performance across both PvE and PvP content, with team utility enhancing overall group effectiveness.

Wardancer

Wardancers excel as agile combat specialists who must charge orbs to unleash their maximum damage potential. Many players opt for the no-orb Engraving for simplified gameplay, though both options remain viable. The class provides substantial team-wide attack speed improvements and other beneficial buffs.

While mastering the Wardancer requires significant practice, the class remains approachable for beginners seeking to develop advanced combat skills.

Deathblade

Functioning as the archetypal rogue/assassin hybrid, the Deathblade delivers exceptional damage output combined with valuable debuff applications. Their high mobility makes them particularly accessible for players transitioning from other action RPGs.

Key advantage: Excellent mobility combined with high burst damage potential makes them formidable in both PvE and PvP scenarios when properly built.

Sorceress

Specializing in spellcasting, the Sorceress offers two primary PvE builds: one emphasizing sustained damage with mobility, and another focusing on massive burst potential at the cost of movement capabilities. Her short-cast skills demand careful positioning to avoid enemy focus since she lacks extensive defensive tools.

Strategic positioning becomes the most critical skill for Sorceress players due to inherent mobility limitations. Once mastered, however, she becomes one of the game’s highest damage-dealing classes.

Artillerist

The Artillerist delivers extraordinary damage output supplemented by deployable turrets that further enhance DPS. His tanky nature comes at the cost of mobility, creating a slower-paced gameplay experience that may not appeal to all players.

This class is generally not recommended for new players due to its deliberate pacing, though experienced gamers may appreciate its methodical combat style.

Gunslinger

Considered among Lost Ark’s most challenging classes to master, the Gunslinger primarily utilizes rifle-based attacks for damage dealing. He offers more accessibility than the Deadeye while achieving full damage potential more rapidly.

Extensive utility and mobility options make this class exceptionally powerful when played correctly.

Sharpshooter

As a dedicated bow specialist, the Sharpshooter focuses exclusively on raw damage output without providing team utility benefits.

Primary limitation: This class contributes pure damage without additional supportive capabilities for team members.

Shadowhunter

This demonic transformation class offers versatile skill sets and substantial damage potential. In PvE, she operates more as a fighter than a traditional assassin. Players can choose between two distinct builds: the demonic form emphasizing utility with slightly reduced damage, or the human form focusing purely on maximum damage output.

The demonic build provides enhanced survivability through additional defensive options, while the human form maximizes offensive capabilities.

Summoner

Specializing in summoning abilities, this class utilizes creatures to deliver significant damage. In raid environments, she proves exceptionally valuable for learning mechanics while providing strong backup support in PvP compositions.

Her limited mobility makes her straightforward to learn while performing effectively for both novice and veteran players.

Reaper

As Lost Ark’s quintessential assassin class, the Reaper employs stealth mechanics, teleportation abilities, and poison-based attacks. Ideal for players who enjoy rogue-style gameplay with high mobility and strategic positioning requirements.

Two distinct playstyles are available: the burst-oriented Moon engraving and the sustained damage-focused Thirst engraving.

Destroyer

Characterized by deliberate movement but devastating impact, the Destroyer combines substantial damage mitigation through shielding with extraordinary damage potential.

His knock-down super armor skills enable persistent engagement with enemies, making him particularly effective at disruption and target sticking.

Berserker

Though operating at a measured pace, the Berserker delivers colossal damage output, ranking among the top-performing classes for both solo and group content scenarios.

Soulfist

Featuring an unconventional identity system, the Soulfist progresses through three power phases that progressively enhance her capabilities. Her Awakening skill stands as the most powerful in the game, with damage metrics placing her among Lost Ark’s strongest classes when properly executed.

Arcanist

This mage class employs dark magic cards with RNG mechanics that can cause damage fluctuation in specific encounters.

Her core gameplay revolves around stack accumulation followed by massive damage execution through red skills.

Machinist

The Machinist offers a unique gameplay experience where you effectively control two characters simultaneously. You can utilize Joint skills or standard Gunner abilities, though not simultaneously.

Two primary builds are available: the transformation-focused Legacy engraving and the drone-centric skill approach.

Glaivier

As an agile spear-wielding specialist, the Glaivier dynamically switches between two distinct weapons. She offers more manageable complexity compared to the Deadeye while providing valuable counter-skills beneficial in raid environments.

Deadeye

In PvE content, the Deadeye demonstrates formidable power utilizing three different weapons, with the shotgun serving as the primary damage-dealing tool.

Despite his strength potential, the Deadeye suffers from extreme fragility. Employing shotgun skills positions him dangerously close to enemies, increasing vulnerability to fatal damage.

When selecting your class, consider both immediate enjoyment and long-term progression goals. Support classes remain in high demand for endgame content, while damage dealers offer varied complexity levels suitable for different player preferences.

Advanced strategy: Match class selection to your available playtime – complex classes require substantial practice to master effectively.

Common selection mistake: Choosing based solely on damage potential without considering required skill investment and playstyle compatibility.

Progression tip: Start with moderately challenging classes to develop fundamental skills before advancing to more complex options.

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