Remnant II's Class system is a massive departure from how it worked in the original game, Remnant: From The Ashes. In this sequel, the Starting Class that players pick has a lot more impact than it did previously, as it's a Class they'll be stuck with for quite awhile once they start their adventures across all the Realms the Worldstones are connected to.
Additionally, outside of the 5 Starting Classes, there are apparently many more to find hidden throughout the deep well of content that this game offers. So with that in mind, let's go over what Class players should start out with first in Remnant II, both from a playstyle and mechanical standpoint.
Archetype & Multiclassing Explanation
Before getting into anything else, players should know that there are more Archetypes in Remnant II than just the starting ones, far more in fact, given how much loot the first game offers. And, this matters because players will be able to un-equip and equip different Archetype items into their Engram slots after a certain amount of progress is made. They'll have two Engram Slots overall, one for their 'Prime' Archetype (AKA their 'main' class) and one for their Secondary Archetype. There's one key difference between these Engram Slots, though it may not seem like it at first. Basically, when the second Archetype is equipped, players will receive all the Skills, Perks, and even the Trait of that second Archetype, but they won't receive its Prime Perk, as that is exclusive to their Prime Archetype.
As an example of how Multiclassing works: If a player has Medic as their Primary and Hunter as their Secondary, they'll have access to the Archetype Traits, Perks, and Skills of both Classes, but the only Prime Perk they'll have active is Medic's.
How this relates to which Class they start with is that it means the Class that players start with is the one they'll have set as their Prime Archetype first, and the one they'll have the Archetype Trait maxed out on as they unlock the ability to equip their Secondary Archetype.
Which Class Should I Pick?
Next up let's go over each Class individually, what choosing them as the Starting Class grants the player, and what type of players/people would likely gravitate towards that class. However, before that, let's just give a general stereotypical Class comparison to each Remnant II Class for people who just want the simplest of simple answers:
Class Name | Stereotypical Class Comparison |
|---|---|
Gunslinger | Ranged DPS, Burst-Damage DPS, Self-Buffing DPS |
Hunter | Sniper, Assassin, Thief, Sharpshooter |
Challenger | Tank, Melee DPS, Bruiser, Berserker |
Handler | Summoner, Buffer, Summon-Based DPS, Offtank |
Medic | Healer, Support, Dual-Type Support/DPS |
Gunslinger
Let's start things off with Gunslinger, the Class that any player who pre-ordered Remnant II will have access to as a starting Class (and one that the Ultimate Edition players got even earlier access to). The Gunslinger is a Class built around the classic idea of a 'Western Cowboy', as it starts with:
The tables for each Class's starting Traits and Perks either use a non-descript X for aspects that change when that Class levels up, or use the numbers that Perk/Trait would have at Class Level 10. Basically, assume that any bolded text in the Descriptions below are aspects of the Perk/Trait that may change based on Archetype Level.
Name | Type | Description |
|---|---|---|
Loaded | Prime Perk | When Activating any Gunslinger Skill, both weapons are instantly reloaded and gain infinite reserve ammo on all weapons for 8s. |
Ammo Reserves | Archetype Trait | Increases Ammo Reserves by 50 Percent (5 percent at Level 1) |
Swift Shot | Damage Perk | Gain 15 percent Fire Rate, 25 percent Ranged Damage, and 5 percent Crit Chance for all Fire Arms. Damage increases with Gunslinger level. |
Posse Up | Team Perk | Ammo Pickups award 30 percent additional ammo per player with the bonus split equally among teammates, also causes Ammo Box to drop additional ammo on the ground. |
Quick Hands | Utility Perk | Firearms gain 10 percent Reload Speed. The bonus is doubled if the magazine is empty. |
Slight of Hand | Relic Perk | Using a Relic reloads equipped Firearm and increases Ranged Damage by 15 percent for 10 seconds. |
Wrangler 1860 | Long Gun | A lever-action Hunting Rifle. |
Western Classic | Handgun | A single-action classic Revolver. |
Scrap Hatchet | Melee Weapon | A Hatchet Melee Weapon made from scrap. |
The Gunslinger is basically a DPS class that tears through Ammo reserves in exchange for that high DPS. Thankfully, the Ammo Reserves Trait is built to counteract this while the Prime Perk also helps with Ammo Capacity while functioning as a supporting Perk that lets teammates burn through their ammo without much of a care in the world. Overall, the Gunslinger Class is the one players should pick if they're fans of Westerns or Cowboys in general, prefer faster play styles that prioritize high attack speed with lower damage per hit, or players who like the gunplay side of Remnant: From the Ashes more than the Weapon Mods side.
Hunter
Next up is the Hunter, which appears to be 'designed' to be the game's 'Sniper' class, based on the promotional material of the game shown so far. All of the promotional material has shown this class taking out unaware enemies from afar or using invisibility to dip in and out of gunfights. And, while that may be the 'intended playstyle' of this Starting Class, the passive Perks and Prime Perk are a bit more open to all playstyles. Hunter starts with:
Name | Type | Description |
|---|---|---|
Dead to Rights | Prime Perk | Dealing 55 Base Ranged Weakspot Damage extends the duration of active Hunter Skills by 3.5s. This can extend Skill timers beyond their initial duration. |
Longshot | Archetype Trait | Increases the ideal range of weapons by 6m, with the Weapon Range Bonus being +600 at Level 10 (+60 at Level 1) |
Deadeye | Damage Perk | Gain 40 percent Ranged Damage, 15 percent Weakspot Damage, and 5 percent Ranged Critical Change. Damage increases with Hunter Level. |
Return to Sender | Team Perk | Kills due to Weakspot and Critical Hits increase Ammo drops by 50 percent and double the chance of Ammo drops. |
Urgency | Utility Perk | Firearms gain 15 percent Reload Speed and 15 percent increased Movement Speed after a Kill. Lasts 5s. |
Intuition | Relic Perk | Using a Relic extends the duration of any active Hunter Skill by 10s. Effect degrades with each subsequent use. Weakspot Kills against Marked enemies increase the speed of the next Relic Use within 15s by 5 percent. Stacks up to 10 times. |
Huntmaster M1 | Long Gun | A high-powered bolt-action Hunting Rifle. |
Repeater Pistol | Handgun | A high fire-rate Semi-Automatic Pistol. |
Steel Sword | Melee Weapon | A long sharp bladed Melee Weapon made from car leaf springs. |
The Ideal Weapon Range increase is a big part of why this Class is a lot more flexible than players might have initially expected and is a great reason to start with this Class. After 10 levels, players can then switch to a different Primary Archetype and make Hunter their Secondary if they're not fans of the playstyle, but this way they'll get the maximum Ideal Range bonus either way which will make every weapon in the game feel a lot better to use by default. The Hunter Class is the best option for FPS Veterans (AKA Counter-Strike and Valorant pros), players who love 'sniper'-type Classes, or players who have bad situational awareness (or have friends with bad awareness) due to the Hunter's Mark ability.
Challenger
Moving on to the closest thing to a 'tank' starting Class in Remnant II, the Challenger Class. The Challenger is pretty much the classic example people think of when they imagine a Dark Souls veteran trying to play Remnant. It's a Class that starts with armor following a very medieval-esque aesthetic, has an emphasis on melee combat, and Skill/Perks focused around close combat. Specifically, it starts with:
Name | Type | Description |
|---|---|---|
Die Hard | Prime Perk | When receiving fatal damage, the Challenger becomes invulnerable for 3s and regenerates 100 percent of Max Health. Can only happen once every 10 minutes. Resets at Worldstone or on death. |
Strong Back | Archetype Trait | Reduces Encumbrance by 10 at Level 10 (Reduces by 1 at Level 1). |
Close Quarters | Damage Perk | Grants a 35 percent increase to All Damage to enemies within 10m. Damage bonus tapers off until 20m. Critical Chance is increased by up to 10 percent. Damage increases with Challenger level. |
Intimidating Presence | Team Perk | After activating a Challenger Skill, enemies within 10m deal 10 percent less damage for 15s with an additional 2.5 percent damage reduction per enemy affected. (Max 10 percent). |
Powerlifter | Utility Perk | Both the Stamina cost increase for each weight bracket and Stamina Regen Delay are reduced by 50 percent. |
Fear of Danger | Relic Perk | Using a Relic within 10m of an enemy grants 2 stacks of Bulwark and 10 percent Increased Damage for 10s. |
AS-10 'Bulldog' | Long Gun | A fully-automatic Drum-Fed Shotgun. |
Silverback Model 500 | Handgun | A short-barreled six-shooter Handgun. |
Iron Greatsword | Melee Weapon | A giant broadsword Melee Weapon made from railroad tracks. |
Anyone who tried a full melee build in Remnant: From the Ashes or likes the world of Remnant, but has less love for the gunplay, should try out Challenger since the dev team at Gunfire Games was exceedingly ambitious with fixing the issues around melee combat. It's both the best close-range option and the go-to tank option for any co-op party. In general, the Challenger Class is the best choice for Melee Combat lovers, Tank/Bruiser Class veterans in RPGs and MMOs, or players who love close-combat Guns and/or Heavy Armor.
Handler
Not only is the Handler Class likely going to be the most popular option (at least around the time of the game's launch) overall because it comes with a Dog, but it's also the starting Class that has a little bit of everything in it. Not only can the dog companion function as a pure attack dog, an aggro-pulling tank, or a healer, but the players themselves can build the Handler in vastly different ways based on their play style. It's a Class that starts with:
Name | Type | Description |
|---|---|---|
Bonded | Prime Perk | When Handler is downed, Companion will attempt to revive them at 50 percent Max Health. Can be used to revive allies with Command. Downed ally must have a Relic Charge. |
Kinship | Archetype Trait | Reduces Friendly Fire Damage Dealt and Received by 80 percent at Level 10 (reduces by 8 percent at Level 1). |
Pack Hunter | Damage Perk | Gain 30 percent Ranged and Skill Damage, and 5 percent Ranged and Skill Critical Chance while Companion is active and within 25m of the player. Damage increases with Handler level. |
Spirit of the Wolf | Team Perk | Increases Movement Speed by 10 percent. All allies with 10m of the Handler gain the Handler's Movement Speed (if faster). Reduces the Stamina cost of actions for allies by 15 percent. |
Teamwork | Utility Perk | Handler and Companion gain 30 percent increased Revive Speed. While Handler or Companion are reviving, they receive 50 percent less damage. |
Best Friend | Relic Perk | Using a Relic fully restores Companion health and grants them 25 percent Damage and 35 percent Damage Resistance for 15s. |
Blackmaw AR-47 | Long Gun | A medium capacity fully automatic Rifle. |
Tech 22 | Handgun | A small-caliber, medium-capacity Automatic Pistol with a suppressor attached. |
Rusted Claws | Melee Weapon | Old canine training braces converted into claw Melee Weapons. |
In general, the Handler is meant to be a Support-type Class alongside the Medic, but with more of a focus on team buffs and general utility than healing. The Handler Class is a perfect choice for players who love dogs or animals in general, enjoy playing summoner-type Classes in games (AKA Mechromancer in Borderlands 2 or Corsair in Maplestory), and just overall newer players to the Remnant series.
Medic
And for the last of the selectable starting Classes in Remnant II, let's go over the Medic. Like Healers in most other games, the Medic is primarily a class built around healing allies whenever needed. But, where Remnant II separates its Medic Class from other Healers is that it also innately buffs an ally's ability to heal themselves, as well as rewards the Healer for doing their job thanks to the Prime Perk. It starts with:
Name | Type | Description |
|---|---|---|
Regenerator | Prime Perk | After restoring 250 Total Health to allies, regain a spent Relic charge. Resting or Respawning at a Worldstone resets healing accumulation. Each additional player increases this healing requirement by 50 percent. |
Triage | Archetype Trait | Increases Healing by 50 Percent at Level 10 (5 percent at Level 1). |
Invigorated | Damage Perk | Grants a 25 percent increase to All Damage and 5 percent Critical Chance. Damage increases with Medic Level. |
Benevolence | Team Perk | Increases Relic Efficacy by 15 percent and heals nearby allies for 30 percent of the total healing value, increasing to 60 percent for any ally below 35 percent Max Health. |
Backbone | Utility Perk | Increases the hits Medic can take before losing Grey Health by 2. |
Benefactor | Relic Perk | Increases Relic Use Speed by 20 percent. Relic Use gains -1 Stagger. |
XMG57 'Bonesaw' | Long Gun | An experimental creation made by welding together two different guns, a Heavy Machine Gun with long reload time and a high capacity, but can also overheat. |
Service Pistol | Handgun | A standard-issue sidearm pistol that's designed to be the most 'basic' of basic weapons. |
Steel Flail | Melee Weapon | Unorthodox Melee Weapon that converts momentum into destruction. Has a unique Charge Attack. |
After reading all of this Class' Perks, Traits, and starting Weapons, it might seem a bit different than one might expect for a 'healer class'. And it's true, the Medic does have some emphasis on general survivability and a few damage buffs, and this is primarily so it can still be a worthwhile choice in a purely solo playthrough. That said, this Class is still not recommended for any players who don't plan to use the online aspects of Remnant II much. Players who love to support, play Healers in MMORPGs, or want to play a Class that will make a co-op playthrough fun for everyone, check out the Medic.
Remnant 2 releases on July 25 for PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X/S.