Dark and Darker class tier list and best builds
Build me up, Scotty
Picking the best Dark and Darker class is only half the battle, since you need the right build for your chosen path as well.
You can technically make any build work, but in an RPG as grueling as this one, the ideal combination makes life much easier and the game more fun.
It's a bit different if you're playing alone. Check out or solo play guide and tips for more help with that side of Dark and Darker.
Dark and Darker class tier list
You can make any class work in Dark and Darker, but some make life easier than others. A few work more effectively in team play than solo play as well, so give a thought to how you plan on playing the game before deciding which class to spend most of your time with.
S-rank classes
These are the best of the best, warriors who can survive most threats with comparatively little trouble.
Fighter
Fighters are the most versatile class in the game. They’re the only one that can wear heavy armor, and that combined with shield skills make them powerful tanks capable of holding off most foes. You can specialize in offense as well and take advantage of a self-heal skill to cut through monsters and other players alike, or do a bit of both for the ultimate all-rounder.
Ranger
The Ranger is squishier than the Fighter, but they’re meant to stay out of the way, using powerful ranged attacks to down foes and traps to keep them occupied while you get away. The Ranger can make short work of most foes with a well-aimed headshot. Hide in the shadows and take aim as your enemies approach.
A-rank classes
Wizard
The Wizard is a powerful class, but it takes practice to get the timing and loadout right. Spell cast times are long, and without the right team combination or backup, it’s easy for the Wizard to get overwhelmed, especially at low levels.
Rogue
Your Rogue placement might be lower or higher depending on how good you are at being sneaky. They’re one of the weaker classes, but the right combination of stealth skills, poison attacks, and good timing make them a strong choice once you feel more confident with map layouts and using the environment to your advantage
B-rank classes
Cleric
The Cleric is an odd class that’s not fully a support class, but also not strong enough to work well as a DPS class. Instead, you get a bit of both, with a few handy spells that buff you or your party, some healing, and a decent – if not particularly useful – mix of magic offense and physical attacks.
Barbarian
Barbarian is a tough class to rank since its usefulness varies depending on how you play them and what level they’re at. As a starter class, the Barbarian is atrocious. Slow speed in everything from movement to attack means it’s far too easy to get overwhelmed unless you have a Cleric supporting you. The only speed ability they get reduces their defense, so it’s not the most intuitive class, even if it can smash everything in sight.
The best Dark and Darker builds
While the number of skills and abilities you can equip is initially limited for each class, you eventually get access to a small buffet of options to choose from. Not every skill or perk is worth using, though, and some builds make life easier as you try working your way back home from the dungeon’s depths. These are the ones we’ve had the best luck with so far for each class.
Best Fighter build
This build gives the fighter a defense boost, self-healing, and some general improvements in attack and movement speed. Second Wind is essential, and sprint or victory strike depends on your style. More aggressive players would benefit from victory strike, since it raises damage and restores HP if the next hit defeats an enemy.
Perks:
- Swift
- Defense Expert
- Combo Attack
- Shield Expert
Abilities:
- Second Wind
- Sprint OR Victory Strike
Best Ranger build
The best Ranger build is similar to the solo build we recommended, where the goal is keeping your distance, maximizing headshot damage, and using traps to keep foes on their toes. We opted for Trapping Expert to help get traps set up faster, so there’s less danger for you. If you’ve got cover, though, you may want to swap it out with Sharpshooter to increase headshot damage.
Perks:
- Nimble Hands
- Ranged Weapons Expert
- Trapping Expert
- Tracking
Abilities:
- Field Ration
- Quick Fire
Best Wizard build
The Wizard has an impressive array of powerful spells at their disposal and more viable builds than any other class in the game. We’ve opted for a split between offense and support, but if you don’t want to focus on buffs, you can swap slow or haste for lightning strike.
The Wizard has several perks to choose from, but Quick Chant is by far the best choice. It reduces cast time by 20 percent.
Spells:
- Magic Missile
- Fireball
- Haste
- Slow
Abilities:
- Spell Memory
- Intense Focus
Best Cleric build
The Cleric occupies a space between support class and offense, and their range of skills makes either build option work effectively. Unlike the Wizard, there’s also a selection of much less useful spells that you’re better off ignoring.
Spells:
- Divine Strike
- Lesser Heal
- Holy Light
- Protection
Abilities:
- Spell Memory
- Judgement OR Smite
Smite is the better ability for dealing damage, but Judgment has the added bonus of reducing enemy movement speed.
Best Rogue build
The Rogue is a squishy class that excels at ambushing foes and weakening them. Our build for team play is similar to what we recommend in solo play, one that prioritizes stealth and debilitating attacks that can wear foes down while you escape to a safe place.
Perks:
- Backstab
- Poisoned Weapon
- Stealth
- Ambush
Abilities:
- Hide
- Rupture
Best Barbarian build
The Barbarian is going to take a lot of damage, so the best thing you can do is make fights shorter and restore HP as much as possible. That’s what this build is designed to do.
Perks
- Smash
- Carnage
- Morale Boost
- Toughness
Abilities:
- Savage Roar
- War Cry
Rage is a popular choice, but we only recommend it if you have a way to restore health, slow enemies, or buff your defense after using it.
If you're lookig for more help in Dark and Darker, check out our tips for how to extract safely, how to heal and revive, and how to cast spells if you've got a hankering for some fireballs.