Introduction to PVP Tier List
Welcome to the first installment of the Lost Ark PvP Tier List for NA/EU Region. Here we will cover Season 1 of Lost Ark, and rank the classes in the traditional tier list format so many of you are familiar with. If you are looking for a Lost Ark PvE Tier List as well, check out this link.
Players should take note that most tier lists in Lost Ark are fairly subjective. All classes have the potential to perform well under the right hands. A lower tier class in the hands of a skilled and determined player can dominate a beginner playing a top tier class. It also greatly depends on the team as well. If your team doesn’t know how to use their class composition wisely and who they’re up against, everything will end up horribly.
PvP differs from PvE in that you really need to know the basic toolkit of every class before you can truly shine. Getting caught off guard by an ability, or string of abilities you didn’t even know existed will really hinder your performance. We strongly suggest learning a bit about each class or if you have the time, test them out by getting them to level 26 (Which should only take a few short hours per character. The game also greatly encourages playing multiple characters at high end PvE)
This list can be useful for new players for what they should expect to see in the arena. An S-tier class will be seen in virtually all compositions. Not only are they going to ubiquitous in PvE, they will perform well in PvP given that their toolkits work very well for team based encounters.
Classes are constantly being balanced with each major patch and season, or “tier”. This list will be updated along with all Tier Lists for Lost Ark NA/EU as new patches get released.
Basis of Rankings
This tier list weighs each class by the following metrics:
- Difficulty (How hard is it for a new player to pick up and how hard is it to master)
- Teamplay (Synergy with party, buffs, ability to aid in fights and peel enemies off team)
- Survivability (Based on health, defense, mobility, and super armor)
- Damage
Also note that we’ve arranged them within each tier according to who may perform better. The race is very tight in PvP, and as we’ve mentioned, a good player can outclass anyone if they know the ins and outs of the game really well. Playing the class you enjoy the most based on its flavor playstyle is always the best choice, because no class will forever remain at the top.
S-Tier Classes
Paladin
The Paladin is one of the strongest choices for PvP as they can provide shields and damage reduction buffs for the party. They also have a self shield buff too making them harder to kill. Their DPS is very nearly on par to a pure DPS class as well. The Paladin will be an excellent choice for new players as they are so versatile and have easy access to counter play all classes. See our In-Depth Lost Ark Paladin Guide here.
Bard
The Bard has some of the best team synergy in PvP. They provide shields and damage reduction for the party. They have great offensive synergy with their abilities. They have super armor protection to prevent being CC’d and also provide protection for the part from being CC’d. The Bard is a great choice for new players to learn the teamplay in PvP, when to use certain skills to help out and how to best use their skills to aid in any fight. See our In-Depth Lost Ark Bard Guide here.
Gunlancer
The Gunlancer is a good pick in PvP due to the ability to provide shields and damage reduction buffs for the party. They are great at countering most melee in 1v1, however they are not very good against ranged classes. Another advantage is the fact that their dash ability has the shortest cooldown (5 seconds). Also note that they have the highest base stats of any class in the game. The Gunlancer is a good pick for new players for the reasons stated and they are a very forgiving class in case someone makes a mistake. See our In-Depth Lost Ark Gunlancer Guide here.
Deathblade
The Deathblade provides the highest attack speed and movement speed buff for the party. This leads them to be the ideal teammate to aggressively push as a team. They have a lot of Superarmors to prevent being CC’d. Their abilities are very quick and difficult for enemies to dodge. They are strong against other melee classes, however they are not as strong against ranged classes. For new players this will be an easier class to pick up and play effectively, it’s straightforward and provides high damage. See our In-Depth Lost Ark Deathblade Guide here.
WE HIGHLY RECOMMEND YOU CHECK OUT THIS GUIDE DIRECTORY PAGE FOR ADDITIONAL USEFUL GUIDES
A-Tier Classes
Sorceress
Lost Ark’s newest class, the Sorceress, is best at ranged poking. Catching enemies off guard to set up the team attacks and also peeling enemies off of teammates. They can make safe plays from a distance allowing the teammates to make effective combos on the enemies. They have incredible mobility, however if they are cut off from teammates they will be very vulnerable in a 1v1 scenario. New players can sit back and learn the plays from a safe distance and create opportunities for more aggressive plays once mastered. See our In-Depth Lost Ark Sorceress Guide here.
Shadowhunter
The Shadowhunter has great ranged abilities to surprise enemies. They have good mobility and can position themselves well to support teammates. They mainly perform the “Poke” role to engage into and out of combat quickly to harass and peel enemies off of teammates. They fare moderately well in most 1v1 scenarios. However, they can struggle a bit when they are caught off guard and without the support of their team. New Players will need to learn to use their Identity Skill at the right opportunity in order to make this class strong. See our In-Depth Lost Ark Shadowhunter Guide here.
Sharpshooter
The Sharpshooter is a strong lone wolf class. They don’t need to rely on their teammates to deal damage effectively. They can dish out high damage, often out of range and off the screen far away from the enemy. They have strong AoE CC, paralysing stun, an invisibility skill, and a good amount of super armors. New Players will have a huge advantage with the stealth ability, giving them time to land their plays very easily. See our In-Depth Lost Ark Sharpshooter Guide here.
Soulfist
The Soulfist is a good team player and is great at backing up teammates in PvP. They provide a good damage reduction party buff and a solid ranged stun. If they are able to maintain good damage using their Identity Gauge, they are a solid damage dealing class. If they are not at the maximum power in the Identity Gauge it becomes a game of survival. They also don’t have good super armor. See our In-Depth Lost Ark Soulfist Guide here.
Artillerist
The Artillerist is one of the hardest hitting dps of all the classes IF their abilities hit. They can do huge burst damage within one stun duration in PvP. They fare well against melee but are weak to other ranged classes. They’re best paired with a Bard where they can be played very effectively as a defensive playstyle. You don’t want to be an overly aggressive Artillerist; the abilities are just too slow to land against quicker classes. New players should watch out for this class and make sure to avoid their stun/burst rotation. See our In-Depth Lost Ark Artillerist Guide here
B-Tier Classes
Berserker
In PvP the Berserker can provide some really good burst damage and pairs nicely with a Bard. However, due to the long cooldowns on the Berserkers skills it forces the team to wait to make those big coordinated plays. Also lacking is the Berserkers ability to hard CC, that is they don’t provide many stuns. New Players will have an easy time learning the class, but so will the enemy players; that will make them become less of a threat as the game progresses. See our In-Depth Lost Ark Berserker Guide here.
Wardancer
The Wardancer is a good team pick due to their damage reduction party buff. They can take a lot of damage due to their high HP, high defensive stats, and self damage reduction skills. They can deal good damage with combos, however they lack hard CC’s such as stuns and paralysis. They also lack super armor and mana issues can be a pain to manage. See our In-Depth Lost Ark Wardancer Guide here.
Deadeye
The Deadeye has high damage and is strong against melee classes. They have a lot of super armor to counter being CC’d. They are strong on their own and don’t need to rely on their team, but also don’t provide any synergy to the team. They do tend to require a higher skill level to play effectively. They need to be in closer range to deal the majority of their damage making them weak to ranged classes. See our In-Depth Lost Ark Deadeye Guide here.
C-Tier Classes
Gunslinger
The Gunslinger is very similar to the Deadeye; they are strong against melee, have super armor, do well on their own, and can be difficult to play. The difference between these two classes is that they are weaker against melee but stronger against ranged. See our In-Depth Lost Ark Gunslinger Guide here.
Striker
The Striker is very similar to the Wardancer but they have better Knock Down/Up CC. They are a more offensive class than the Wardancer as they have the capability to have super armor which allows them to deal more damage. However, they are far more susceptible to taking more damage as they lack the damage reduction buffs that the Wardancer has. See our In-Depth Lost Ark Striker Guide here.
Scrapper
The Scrapper is a unique case as they can deal good damage, have high base stats, and a long duration stun. Also, their unique dash gives them more opportunity to be utilized well. They have a decent amount of super armors, however due to being vulnerable to hard CC’s it can be hard to get that good damage out against a coordinated team. And their identity skill can be hit or miss. See our In-Depth Lost Ark Scrapper Guide here.