Which class to choose in Lost Ark

Wondering which class to play in Lost Ark? You might think there isn't much to choose from at first glance, but each main class has multiple sub-classes. While each of these is based on that class's specific fighting style, they offer enough variety to really make them classes in their own right. 

As with any MMO, picking a class can be overwhelming when you're presented with so much choice. Hopefully, we can make things a little easier by breaking down the classes to help you find the one you'll enjoy most. Subclasses are gender-locked too, so that's something else to be aware of. 

You get the chance to try out each of the subclasses before you need to make your decision, so this guide aims to help you narrow things down. Here are the Lost Ark classes, along with the playstyles of each subclass.

Warrior (melee)

Warriors in Lost Ark are exactly what you'd expect them to be. They're generally tanky hard-hitters without much in the way of mobility.

Berserker (male)
Despite using a greatsword as a weapon, the Berserker has relatively quick attack animations and decent defence. He can buff himself and a party for big damage and gain increased movement speed during these burst windows.

Paladin (male)
A Paladin is primarily a support class with the ability to shield and buff himself and party members. This doesn't mean he can't dish out the damage, though, and he has decent defence to help him stay alive.

Gunlancer (male)
A true tank, the Gunlancer absorbs damage and protects party members. He can shield himself and allies and can pull enemies towards him—think WoW's death knight ability—making up for his lack of mobility.

Destroyer (male)
The slow and tanky Destroyer wields a hammer and can control gravity. He specializes in burst damage, building it up with Concentration skills and then dishing it out with Gravity Release skills.

Martial Artist (melee)

Martial artists generally use varying types of fist weapons to damage enemies. They are quick on the battlefield, with both attack speed and mobility working in their favour.

Striker (male)
The Striker excels at fast attacks and aerial combos. Some skills knock enemies high into the air or launch themselves up, to bring the pain to foes from above. The Striker is a solid choice if you enjoy lightning-fast, close-quarters combat.

Wardancer (female)
The Wardancer is similar to the Striker. She relies on quick skills and high mobility, and can charge up attacks or store up elemental power to blast her enemies for significant damage. 

Scrapper (female)
The Scrapper has a similar playstyle to the Striker and Wardancer, but relies on two opposing resources that you'll need to balance to make use of this subclass. You'll need to weave between the two types of attacks, so you don't run out of one resource at a critical moment.

Soulfist (female)
The Soulfist uses a mixture of melee and ranged attacks, making her slightly different from the other Martial Artist subclasses. She can combine her skills to create powerful combos and channel special energy to help empower her abilities further or help them in the heat of battle.

Glaivier (female)
The Glaivier's unique playstyle has you switching between stances—and weapons—to earn powerful buffs. The glaive offers plenty of crowd control by launching enemies into the air or slamming them to the ground, where the spear offers an array of damage-focused attacks to finish them off. 

Gunner (ranged)

Gunners rely on guns or bows to take down enemies at range. Each subclass specialises in a particular ranged playstyle.

Gunslinger (female)
The Gunslinger is a mobile class that can switch quickly between weapons to suit the combat range and situation. Her three gun types offer different degrees of damage and utility, so knowing when to switch between them is vital for success.

Artillerist (male)
The Artillerist is the least mobile of the Gunner subclasses, but he makes up for that with resilience. His huge gun deals considerable damage to large groups of enemies, and certain skills will make short work of foes by launching them into the air or calling down barrages.

Deadeye (male)
The Deadeye subclass has a similar playstyle to the Gunslinger. They rely on switching between three different weapon types to adapt to different situations, and the high mobility and fast playstyle makes them look and feel flashy on the battlefield.

Sharpshooter (male)
The Sharpshooter excels at damage from a distance and is the most long-range of the Gunner subclasses. Some skills offer a stealth effect, and you can knock enemies away if they get too close for comfort. The range of most Sharpshooter skills means the immediate threats won't impair you like they do melee fighters.

Machinist (male)
Want to be Iron Man? The Machinist is for you. His specialty is sustain damage, using a drone, a submachine gun, and particle accelerators to lay down the DPS, then activating Hypersync mode to suit up for protection and even more damage.

Mage (ranged)

Mages are the primary spell-slingers of Arkesia. Depending on the subclass you choose, they can use their magical abilities to deal damage or heal allies.

Bard (female)
The Bard is the real support class of Lost Ark. Her lack of defence and mobility is redeemed by the healing, shields, and buffs she brings. That's not to say she can't deal damage either—but her low attack power can't compare to other, more focused damage classes.

Sorceress (female)
The Sorceress has a classic Mage playstyle. Three different elements are used predominantly to deal area-of-effect damage, either in a big burst or as damage over time. Icy attacks slow the movement speed of enemies, allowing you to line up bigger hits with more powerful spells.

Arcanist (female)
Mobile and fragile, the Arcanist is a glass cannon. Her deck of magical playing cards can be drawn from for random effects, or you can rely on Ruin skills that cause extra damage. If the Machinist is Iron Man, the Arcanist is another Marvel hero: Gambit.

Assassin (melee)

The Assassin subclasses are both melee fighters, using dark forces to transform themselves or eliminate enemies with quick sword attacks.

Shadowhunter (female)
The Shadowhunter uses twin glaives to damage enemies and can transform into a powerful demonic form, giving higher health and movement speed for the duration. Though they may look similar to WoW's Demon Hunter on paper, their playstyle is pretty different.

Deathblade (female)
The Deathblade uses several blades to perform quick combo attacks and works best when positioned behind enemies. Thanks to high mobility, it's easy to get around the battlefield and line yourself up for back attacks, but she's a subclass harder to master than it might seem.