Lost Ark is Amazon Games’ next big publishing success, becoming the second most-played game on Steam in less than twenty-four hours and leaving some players wondering how to start - and which class to choose. Like most MMOs, Lost Ark embraces a class system that suits various playstyles and encourages players to customize their experience. Each class has several subclasses that players can choose when booting up the game and creating their first character, but each occupies a unique role in combat. There are five base classes and fifteen subclasses to choose from in Lost Ark, but players should be wary when deciding which to use.
Lost Ark became one of Steam’s most popular MMO games within a week of its release in Europe and North America. Published by Amazon Games but initially developed by Tripod Studio and Smilegate, Lost Ark released back in 2019 exclusively for Korea. Thankfully, its expansion to western regions allows the developers to grow the product with a new audience. Millions of new players searching for their perfect fantasy experience can choose from several new characters and embark on a heart-pounding fantasy adventure.
Like most MMOs, Tripod Studio, Smilegate, and Amazon Games’ Lost Ark provides several basic classes with different focuses. While the provided subclasses can manipulate a class’s base characteristics, each class still defaults to different categorized roles in combat. As a popular multiplayer online game, Lost Ark can be played with friends to tackle endgame dungeons and raids for powerful loot. If players intend to reach these goals, it’s essential to start working towards new, effective player builds as early as possible. Thankfully, there are several best classes for new players to choose from to experience and enjoy their preferred playstyle.
Lost Ark’s Warrior Class Is Great For Beginners
Lost Ark’s Warrior class focuses on melee combat and dealing devastating damage to enemies. Unfortunately, players who choose the Warrior class shouldn’t expect to be swift in combat, as heavy armor and weaponry weigh the character down. However, close-quarters combat encompasses most of the Warrior’s abilities, meaning players should be ready to place themselves at the center of battle during most confrontations.
Lost Ark’s Warriors have the choice between three sub-classes: Berserker, Paladin, and Gunlancer. Berserker fulfills an offensive role in battle with greatswords and abilities that boost personal defense, speed, and movement. The Paladin subclass features a more support-oriented function with its holy book providing buffs to allies, but at the cost of damage with one-handed swords. The Gunlancer is the best tank character class option for the Lost Ark MMO, utilizing a gunlance and shield for devastating damage counteracted by its bulky armor and defense stats decreasing its speed.
Lost Ark’s Martial Artist Class Is A Straightforward Glass Cannon
Lost Ark’s Martial Artist Class is a traditional DPS class focused on dealing damage swiftly and making a clean getaway. Players that choose Martial Artist should be prepared to fulfill the “glass cannon” role in their party, as its defensive stats aren’t as impressive as other selections. The Martial Artist isn’t as restricted to close-quarters combat as the Warriors, with its four subclasses providing unique twists on its damage types, attack combos, and attack range.
For unique combinations in Steam's Lost Ark game at launch, Martial Artist characters can choose between the Striker, Wardancer, Scrapper, and Soulfist. The Striker utilizes elemental damage, emphasizing aerial abilities and speed, making it perfect for players willing to risk it all in combat. Wardancers exchange steady damage numbers for damage bursts brought on by powers that store elemental energy and unleash them at timed intervals. Scrappers are a unique build of defense and damage, using heavy gauntlets to stagger foes and provide teammates with more openings to attack. Soulfist provides the most drastic change for Lost Ark’s DPS class by embracing ranged combat over close-quarters melee attacks and allowing players to avoid attacks that might knock them out.
Lost Ark’s Gunner Class Is A Single-Target Ranged DPS
Accompanying the Martial Artist class in DPS builds is Lost Ark’s Gunner class, which focuses more on ranged attacks with various guns and bows. Like the Martial Artist, players who choose the Gunner should be prepared to spend most of their time gaining distance from enemies before unleashing deadly attacks. While this may be the best (or easiest) class choice for new players, Gunners should embrace surprise attacks and plan their encounters out carefully. Gunners have four Lost Ark subclasses available to them: Gunslinger, Artillerist, Deadeye, and Sharpshooter.
The Gunslinger is a traditional, ranged DPS class with the most versatile skillset out of the available Gunner subclasses. Gunslingers can swap weapons out freely to adapt to different enemy types and encounters, allowing them to enter any engagement safely. Artillerists are the most challenging subclass to utilize, as their massive weapons and damage slows them down to a dangerous degree and leaves players vulnerable to bosses. Deadeyes are dual-wielding DPS Lost Ark characters, using anything from shotguns to sniper rifles to attack their enemies’ weak spots.
The Deadeye subclass is especially helpful in boss encounters, where players can shoot from various ranges on bosses while depending on Warriors defending them from powerful blows. Sharpshooters act as a DPS and Support subclass for their party, inflicting damaging status effects on enemies using bows and arrows. While the Sharpshooter isn’t as flexible as the Gunslinger, the Gunner has many powerful attacks to choose from.
Lost Ark’s Mage Class Is A Better Crowd-Control DPS
While the Mage class in Lost Ark provides players with another ranged DPS option, its two unique subclasses and abilities offer more crowd control than the single-target Gunner. Mages deal impressive damage at the expense of their defenses, making distance a critical factor in their survival. Unlike Gunners, Mages only have two options for subclasses: the Sorceress and Bard. The Sorceress uses magical staffs to deal elemental area-of-effect (AOE) damage to hordes of enemies, making it a valuable subclass for teams facing lots of mobs. Alternatively, the Bard subclass is a support-based class that heals players with magical instruments but still features offensive abilities to defend themselves.
Lost Ark’s Assassin Class
Lost Ark’s Assassin characters utilize a traditional stealth Rogue build from other MMOs and RPGs. Given this class’ low defense stats, players must become familiar with its abilities and attack combos to survive endgame combat. Assassin characters can choose between two different subclasses: Shadowhunter and Deathblade, which each alters stealth and offensive gameplay in unique ways. Shadowhunters receive the shapeshifting ability and use their demonic forms to attack freely with increased health, movement speed, and damage. Deathblade uses three blades and swift attack combos to deal immense damage to foes of all kinds.
While each Lost Ark class provides unique abilities in battle and allows every player to occupy an essential role in battle, most players will likely endure a strict learning curve. The removal of player character origins throws players into the deep end of Lost Ark’s encounters and levels, forcing them to adapt to a handful of new abilities from the moment they load in. Therefore, it’s essential to understand the role of each Lost Ark character in solo and teamplay. The best character class should provide equal levels of comfort and enjoyment, without the stress of constant death. Lost Ark is available for download on PC systems and is purchasable on Steam.