Aion 2 · Guides
Which Aion 2 class should you play?
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TL;DR
- Want to be invited everywhere? Play a Cleric or Chanter. Every raid group wants them.
- Want something easy that still feels strong? Creators point to Gladiator and Ranger.
- Want to tank? Templar is the dedicated tank. Gladiator can off-tank and deals more damage.
- Want the highest damage ceiling? Sorcerer and Assassin, but both take gear and fight knowledge to reach it.
- On high ping, avoid Assassin. Spiritmaster is the damage class creators suggest instead.
The eight classes at a glance
| Class | Role | Weapon | Range |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gladiator | Damage and off-tank | Greatsword | Melee |
| Templar | Tank | Sword | Melee |
| Assassin | Damage | Daggers | Melee |
| Ranger | Damage | Bow | Ranged |
| Sorcerer | Damage | Magicbook | Ranged |
| Spiritmaster | Damage with spirits | Orb | Ranged |
| Cleric | Healer | Mace | Ranged |
| Chanter | Support and damage | Staff | Melee and ranged |
Weapons come from each class's skill requirements in the game data.
Supports: Cleric and Chanter
Clerics heal, and they bring Summon Resurrection, which revives a fallen party member within 40m. Anders and SywoGG both say a Cleric that only heals will be bored: most of a Cleric's buttons in a boss fight are damage skills.
Chanters trade some healing for buffs and personal damage. Power of the Storm gives party members within 40m 20% Combat Speed and 10% shorter cooldowns. Anders calls it close to mandatory for Assassin and Sorcerer in raids.
The two classes carry a shared limit. Chanter's Undefeated Mantra and Cleric's Light of Protection do not stack their damage boost, so a group gets the higher-level one.
Creator tip
Cleric is the best healing support in the game. You always need a cleric in your party for raids.
Support skills groups want
Summon ResurrectionCleric: revives a fallen party member within 40m
Power of the StormChanter: 20% Combat Speed and 10% shorter cooldowns for the party
Undefeated MantraChanter: damage boost that does not stack with Light of Protection
Light of ProtectionCleric: damage boost that does not stack with Undefeated Mantra
Tanks: Templar and Gladiator
Templar is the dedicated tank. Its kit protects the party: Comrade in Arms moves part of an ally's incoming damage to the Templar, and Nezekan's Shield shields nearby party members. SywoGG rates tanking raids at two out of five difficulty and everything else at one.
Gladiator is the class Anders calls a jack-of-all-trades. It hits harder than a Templar and can tank in a pinch, which makes it an easy invite for five-player Expeditions. Anders says choosing Gladiator over Templar works for dungeons but less well for raids.
Templar party protection
Damage: Ranger, Assassin, Sorcerer and Spiritmaster
Ranger is the comfortable choice. It shoots from range with no positional requirement, so it keeps attacking while melee classes dodge mechanics. The Ranger guide has the full picture.
Assassin and Sorcerer have the highest ceilings and the most demands. Assassin has to stay behind the boss, and its damage centres on the Illusive Clone window. Sorcerer is a glass cannon that relies on Combat Speed and cooldown reduction. SywoGG puts Sorcerer among the two hardest classes to play well. He also warns that groups judge Assassins and Sorcerers by their damage numbers more than other classes.
Spiritmaster fights alongside its spirits. Its biggest window is Summon: Ancient Spirit, which lasts 30 seconds. It is sturdier than Sorcerer: Command: Proxy shares damage with a spirit and Siphon absorbs HP.
Damage windows and Spiritmaster defenses
Recommendations by situation
Creator tip
What are the easiest classes to play? Gladi, Ranger, Spiritmaster, Templar, Chanter, in that order. What are the best classes for casual, no-sweat players? Cleric, Gladi, Chanter.
| Situation | Creator advice |
|---|---|
| Safe picks for PvE and PvP | Anders: Gladiator, Templar, Cleric and Chanter, because groups always want them |
| High ping | Anders does not recommend Assassin, whose burst window is tight. SywoGG suggests Cleric and Chanter, or Spiritmaster for damage, since most of its damage comes from spirits |
| Solo play | SywoGG argues against Spiritmaster. Leveling, daily dungeons and the Ascension Trial are doable on every class, and other classes do better in harder solo content |
| Open-world farming while leveling | Grobs calls Ranger the strongest early on |
Creator tip
Pick the class you actually enjoy playing, not the one you think will be good in 6 months or a year, because I guarantee you no one knows how classes will play that far into the future.
Not sure between two?
SywoGG's advice is to level your second choice as an active alt from the start. Gear and most progression are bound to the character, so a late switch means starting much of it again.
Compare the classes' skills on the Corpus skill pages, or answer a few questions in the class finder.
Explore the encyclopedia
Sources
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