Which Class Should I Play?

 

Hello! In our previous page, we discussed why one might still want to play Guild Wars 2 in 2025.
Although I don’t want to rehash why you should play it again, imagine a game that welcomes you back as if you never left—even if you haven't logged in for months or even years. After this nice reminder, let’s move on to our next topic: you’ve decided to play the game. So, what’s the next question?

Which Class Should I Play?

This is the part where we spend a lot of time thinking in the character creation menu that appears every time we start a new game.
First of all, I recommend not choosing your character just like you do in other MMORPGs. Why? There are several reasons for this.

One of them is that the game currently has 9 different classes, and with the upcoming DLC at the end of October, each will have 4 specializations. For example, if you choose the Necromancer class, you play it as a core Necro until level 80. After reaching level 80, you will be presented with three options: Scourge, Reaper, and Harbinger. You unlock and fully develop each of these specializations over time. Each of these plays very differently with distinct roles.

  • Scourge: Can be played as a healer, tank, support, or even high damage dealer.
  • Reaper: Primarily played for high damage, available as both Power and Condition builds. (I will explain damage types on a separate page.)
  • Harbinger: Can be played both for high damage and support roles.

Since each class branches into three distinct characters, I will try to explain these in detail.

Beginner-Friendly Classes

We can list a few beginner-friendly classes for new players, and Necromancer is definitely at the top. Thanks to its survivability, damage, and the minions it summons, you can comfortably roam open world maps and complete story missions without much trouble, moving swiftly and avoiding danger.

When you enter Shroud mode, your health bar doubles, providing great durability. It’s a fact that Necro players find the class extremely comfortable to play, but one downside is that if you later want to main a different character, it will be quite difficult to adapt. You’ll miss the ease and safety Necro provides.


Another Beginner-Friendly Class: Engineer

Our second beginner-friendly class is the Engineer, which offers a unique playstyle thanks to its technological skill bar. Particularly, when you reach level 80 and access the specializations, the Mechanist specialization stands out by making gameplay extremely comfortable. You get a large robot pet that handles all your tasks while you sit back and relax.

Of course, the Engineer's other two elite specializations—Scrapper and Holosmith—are classes that require a certain level of mastery.

While Scrapper can be played both as a high damage dealer and in a support role, Holosmith is a true beast in the hands of a skilled player, capable of delivering exceptional burst damage. Its gameplay mechanics are difficult: there’s a heavy key rotation and intense button traffic. On top of that, you also need to constantly monitor the heat level (thermometer), making it a truly complex specialization. It takes time to learn, but that doesn’t mean it’s unplayable.

I personally recommend the two elite specializations mentioned above—Scrapper and Holosmith—to new players.
In addition to those, there are three more classes I can confidently suggest for beginners. In order:

·         Warrior – I played Warrior as my main character for a year; it was an excellent experience.

·         Guardian – I also played Guardian for an entire year. It’s a fantastic class, especially if you're interested in support roles.

·         Ranger – This is actually the only one I haven’t personally played, but based on what I’ve seen, it’s a beginner-friendly class that can take on support, tank, and even high damage roles with ease.

Now, you may be asking: "But what about the other classes?"
After all, there are 9 professions in the game, and each one has 3 elite specializations.
So why are some of them less beginner-friendly?

Let me share my personal opinion based on my own experience:

·         Elementalist is one of the hardest professions in the game.

·         Mesmer, especially the Condition Mirage specialization, looks very cool and flashy, but it’s extremely rare to see one being played well—because the key combinations are seriously complex.

·         Thief has a couple of decent elite specs for damage, but overall, the profession is tricky to master.

·         Revenant has a completely unique mechanic compared to other classes, and for that reason, I wouldn't recommend it to beginners.

So, if I were to summarize a beginner-friendly class ranking based on ease of play and user-friendliness, I’d list them as follows:

1. Necromancer or Engineer
2. Engineer or Necromancer
3. Warrior / Guardian or Ranger
4. Revenant / Thief
5. Mesmer / Elementalist

(Of course, this is all based on my personal opinion and 5 years of experience, as well as observing many other players’ gameplay. You’re free to disagree and form your own ideas!)

At the end of the day, just play what you enjoy.

Try out each class by creating a character and leveling a bit, or watch some short class previews on YouTube or other platforms.
Whichever class you like best, go out and enjoy your adventure across the world of Tyria!

 

 

 

 

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