Classes

1:26 ArcheAge Chronicles has four classes, the Warrior, Ranger, Berserker and Mage, and each one fights with two weapons at Early Access, eight weapons in all, with a third weapon per class planned before full release. XL Games' Early Access FAQ on Steam lists "four classes with two weapons each" for Early Access and "a third weapon for each class" among the things still to come. You carry both of your class's weapons, swap between them in a fight, and spend trait points in a separate tree for each one. In his class guide of Oct 5, 2026, the creator Azrial explains that the Network Test's character screen showed three weapons per class, but only two could be played; the third were visible and locked. The weapon system is the heart of Combat in ArcheAge Chronicles.

Quick facts

How classes and weapons work

1:58 Executive Producer Yongjin Ham said in XL Games' video of Oct 7, 2026 that the build being prepared has four classes, that each class has three weapons, that two are shown first while the rest are still in development, and that even within one class the weapon changes how you fight, light or heavy. He speaks Korean; the video carries English subtitles. The choice of class is made at character creation, and the weapon is the second choice inside it.

0:12 The two weapons are swapped on the spot, each with its own move set. FrozenCloud, reviewing the Network Test on Sep 14, 2026, reported that trait points were scarce in that test, so he could really only invest in one weapon's tree, and he called weapon switching clunky. MeinMMO swapped with the Q key in the demo. There is no hotbar of dozens of skills: skills come out of light and heavy attack combos, and a weapon's tree unlocks new skills and changes old ones.

XL Games' Global Project Manager Don explained the trees on Oct 15, 2026: "Every weapon type has its own trait tree", and "your longsword tree and your greatsword tree are completely separate". Trait points do not come from levels; they come from Raeven's Coilstones, each guarded by a boss, so two players with the same weapon can end up fighting very differently. The page Progression and Traits covers stats and traits.

The four classes

The Warrior fights with a Longsword or a Greatsword under the motto "Hold the Line. Break the Enemy." The Longsword rewards timing, parries and counters (Closing Clash, Bladeburst), or a "path of blood" that spends your own HP for damage and drains it back; the Greatsword builds Resolve for heavy blows such as Final Cleave, Rampage and Warrior's Cry. Its lore hero is Kyrios, "the God of Destruction".

The Ranger is not only an archer. Its Hatchet fights up close wreathed in lightning (Stormsplitter, Overcharge, Shocking Kick, Wind Blade, Storm Chaser), and its Longbow fights at range (Rapid Fire, Fire Arrow, Aimed Shot, Ice Arrow, Crescent Kick). Its motto is "Hunt Without Limits", and its hero is Tahyang Kahlzit.

The Berserker is the heavy class. Its Axe comes with a shield, builds Bleed and has a chain (Reckless Destroyer, Shield Slam, Brutal Crash, Reel In); its Warhammer builds Burn and stored Thunder toward Meteor Hammer and Galactic Impact. Its hero is Shyagon, founder of the divine kingdom of Gon.

The Mage casts fire and lightning at range with the Elemental Staff, whose Retain mechanic stores spells to recast without incantation and builds Energy Core toward Shooting Star, or fights in melee with frost through the Wavesword (Tidal Rend, Thundersnow). Its hero is Aranzeb, "the last king of the elves".

3:04 All four classes are playable in the free Demo on Steam (Oct 19 to 26, 2026), each with two weapons. Azrial's advice in his demo guide of Oct 12, 2026 is to try the second weapon properly before deciding a class is not for you. XL Games wrote on Oct 19, 2026 that this leaves "room to try a few different setups against other players" in PvP channels.

Third weapons

XL Games has promised "a third weapon for each class" before full release but has not named them or given a date, as of Oct 20, 2026. Creators saw a third weapon on the Network Test character screen for every class, locked: Azrial read them as a Gladius for the Warrior, a Crossbow for the Ranger, a Greatshield for the Berserker and a Vitality Staff for the Mage. Those names are what creators read in a test build in Sep 2026, not an announcement, and Azrial reported that XL Games confirmed the third weapons are not in the October demo.

Gender lock

6:17 Every class in ArcheAge Chronicles is locked to one gender, and that stays at Early Access. Ham wrote on Sep 15, 2026 that "at the time of Early Access, the current gender-locked class system will remain in place", and on Oct 18, 2026 that additional gender options will come "gradually, starting with select classes", not in the demo. XL Games has not said in writing which gender each class is. Ser Medieval reported from the Network Test (Sep 14, 2026) that the Warrior and Berserker are male only and the Ranger and Mage female only. More is on Character Creation and Gender Lock.

How it differs from the original ArcheAge

The original ArcheAge let you combine three of ten skillsets into one of 120 classes. XL Games has announced nothing like that for Chronicles, as of Oct 20, 2026: it has four fixed classes whose variety comes from the weapon and its trait tree, with action combat instead of tab targeting. XL Games' Korean names for the classes reuse the Korean names of four of the original's skillsets, but XL Games has not said which Korean name belongs to which English class, so this wiki uses only the English names. See Differences From ArcheAge.

Which class should you pick?

12:20 There is no tier list for ArcheAge Chronicles, and no official "best class": the game is not out, the demo build is early, and XL Games is still balancing combat. Azrial's suggestion is the Warrior for versatile melee with parries and counters, the Ranger for mobility (aggressive Hatchet melee or traditional Longbow range), the Berserker for slower, heavier fights in the middle of everything, and the Mage for the biggest difference between its two weapons, from ranged caster to melee spellblade. In his Network Test review, Ser Medieval ranked the Ranger's Hatchet and the Warrior's Longsword level for first, the Berserker second and the Mage last for himself, while saying all the classes felt good. Groups of up to four take on Dungeons, so any class can party with any other.

Frequently asked questions

How many classes are in ArcheAge Chronicles? ArcheAge Chronicles has four classes: Warrior, Ranger, Berserker and Mage. Each has two weapons at Early Access, eight in all, with a third weapon per class planned before full release.

What is the best class in ArcheAge Chronicles? ArcheAge Chronicles has no official best class or tier list, as of Oct 20, 2026, because the game is still in development and its balance is changing. Creators suggest picking by playstyle: the Warrior for parries, the Ranger for mobility, the Berserker for heavy hits and the Mage for magic at range or in melee.

Can you switch weapons in ArcheAge Chronicles? Yes: in ArcheAge Chronicles you carry both of your class's weapons and swap between them in combat. Each weapon has its own skills and its own trait tree.

Is there a healer in ArcheAge Chronicles? ArcheAge Chronicles has no healing weapon at Early Access, as of Oct 20, 2026. Creators saw a locked Vitality Staff for the Mage on the Network Test screen and describe it as a healing weapon, but XL Games has not announced it.

Are classes gender locked in ArcheAge Chronicles? Yes, every ArcheAge Chronicles class is locked to one gender, and XL Games says that stays at Early Access. More gender options are planned later, starting with select classes; a creator reports the Warrior and Berserker are male and the Ranger and Mage female.

Can you change class in ArcheAge Chronicles? Your ArcheAge Chronicles class is chosen when you create the character, and only its two weapons can be swapped. Trying another class means making another character; XL Games has not announced a class change, as of Oct 20, 2026.

Sources

• Steam store page and Early Access FAQ, XL Games on Steam, read Oct 20, 2026
• A Letter from Producer Ham: Network Test & Publishing Update, XL Games, Sep 15, 2026
• How Progression Works in ArcheAge Chronicles, XL Games, Oct 15, 2026
• A Letter from Producer Ham: Steam Next Fest Demo Details, XL Games, Oct 18, 2026
• Steam Next Fest Demo Is Now Live!, XL Games, Oct 19, 2026
• ArcheAge Chronicles Introduces the Warrior Class and the Paths You Can Choose to Play, MMORPG.com, Jul 10, 2026
• GameVu report on the Ranger class, GameVu, Jul 31, 2026
• ArcheAge Chronicles Reveals the Mage and Elemental Staff and Thundersword Weapons and Playstyle Options, MMORPG.com, Sep 17, 2026
• ArcheAge Chronicles Reveals the Berserker, With Axe or Warhammer Weapon and Skill Choices, MMORPG.com, Sep 28, 2026
• After the demo of ArcheAge Chronicles, I wish New World back, MeinMMO, Oct 20, 2026
• Inven report on the four classes, Inven, Oct 8, 2026
• Which class should you pick in the ArcheAge Chronicles Demo?, Azrial, Oct 5, 2026 (video)
• [ArcheAge Chronicles] The Direction the Devs Are Taking, ArcheAge Chronicles, Oct 7, 2026 (video)
• ArcheAge Chronicles Combat & Classes: Everything You Need to Know, FrozenCloud, Sep 14, 2026 (video)
• ArcheAge Chronicles: Everything You Need to Know About the FREE Demo, Azrial, Oct 12, 2026 (video)
• Archeage Chronicles Is My New Favorite MMO | 2026 Playtest Review, Ser Medieval, Sep 14, 2026 (video)