Choosing which class to play in Lost Ark is a big decision, and one you’ll have to figure out almost immediately upon starting the game. While you’ll pick your base class on the character creation screen, it’s just a few minutes later that you’ll be asked what advanced class you want to play before you’re locked into your choice. With five base classes and a total of 15 advanced classes to choose from for the game’s North American and European launch, it can be hard to narrow down your options. You may want to play a warrior, but which kind? Or maybe you’re more into ranged character and want to go with the gunner class, but are unsure which advanced class is right for you? That’s what this guide is for.

Depending on your playstyle and what kind of role you want to fill, this guide will outline some of the best class options to choose from. The classes included in this guide are based on a few different criteria, namely how easy the class is to play effectively, how powerful it can be when played in the endgame, what kind of utility the class brings to the table, and how in-demand the class will be in various types of content. This is also a PvE-focused list, so those wishing to focus on PvP may want to make different decisions. Keep in mind that “best” is fairly subjective as well. All the classes in Lost Ark are viable, and a skilled player can definitely still excel with a class not featured on this list, though doing so might just be a tad more difficult.