Every class combines powerful elemental attacks with elegant strikes that can be strung together in combos against the monsters that fill the massive open world. Because Black Desert has a split focus between its PVP and PVE content, some classes perform better against the NPCs within the game. Here are some of the best classes to use in Black Desert for PVE.
Updated January 24, 2023, by C.M Edwards: Black Desert is still one of the best MMOs around and has an enormous open world for players to explore and a multitude of classes to enjoy. Pear Abyssdoes not seem to be slowing down with additions to the game, even while polishing their new game Crimson Desert, which is a more RPG-like game set to release in the latter half of 2023. Black Desert continues to have a healthy player base that enjoys the game’s content and the new classes introduced into the game. With each new addition to the game comes changes to the best classes for PVE in Black Desert. Recently, there have been three new classes added, each of which brings its own flare to the game.
10 Valkyrie
The Valkyrie class is a class locked to the female gender within in Black Desert. In its base form, the Valkyrie wields a shield and sword with powerful striking combos. In its base form, the Valkyrie inflicts wide arcing slashing attacks with her blade and powerful bashes and throws with her shield that also cast out waves of force to extend the range of attacks.
Like all classes in Black Desert, players can awaken the Valkyrie and gain access to her Lancia weapon, which equips the Valkyrie with a tower shield and massive lance that has wide sweeping attacks and can call down powerful light-based attacks that hit wide areas. Players can also decide to follow the Valkyrie’s succession tree and further enhance the power of her base weapon.
9 Striker
The Striker is a visceral and aggressive class in Black Desert that focuses on hand-to-hand combat. In its base form, the Striker utilizes powerful strikes and kicks with bracers. At the same time, it takes advantage of the battlefield with high mobility.
The awakening of the Striker equips the class with Cestus, which unlocks extremely powerful claw-like strikes that weave intense flames for an increased range. The Striker excels with fast attack speeds and the ability to hinder enemy movements with knockdowns and stuns. In addition, the Striker is capable of dishing out extremely high damage and works well when directly in the mix, surrounded by many enemies.
8 Archer
The Archer class is a master of ranged combat wielding an arm-mounted crossbow that can hit enemies from great distances with a string of damaging projectiles. The Archer is able to zip around the battlefield and fire off multiple volleys of bolts that can rain down heavy damage to unsuspecting enemies and keep him mobile.
The awakening of the Archer unlocks the use of the greatbow, a composite weapon that fires hard light projectiles and can summon phantom bolts to increase damage. The Archer shines for his movement and nearly endless range that always keeps him safe while peppering enemies with attacks.
7 Nova
The Nova is an extremely powerful class when taking on the challenging content in Black Desert. The base form of the Nova is equipped with a tower shield and a mace. Paired together, the Nova can be incredibly aggressive but still retain high defensive options. In addition, the Nova utilizes the ice element in tandem with her weapon combos that can knock enemies down and hit a large area with AOE attacks.
Finally, the awakening of the Nova completely changes the capabilities of the class, changing the weapon used to a rapier-like weapon and allowing the Nova the ability to summon spectral blades to skewer enemies. The versatility of the Nova makes it an excellent pick for PVE content and new players in Black Desert.
6 Sage
The Sage is a mage, quite like the Wizard, and excels at long-range combat. Unlike the Wizard, the Sage wields a special type of magic similar to space or gravity. The special magic of the Sage allows him unique movement and crowd control abilities. The Sage can use his magic to force enemies back, create a barrier to fend off attacks, or even create a singularity that traps enemies and causes heavy damage over time effects.
The awakening of the Sage changes his moveset altogether, equipping him with a lighting spear and turning him into a god of thunder. The Sage calls down magical spears of energy to impale enemies and chain lighting damage among large groups.
5 Lahn
The Lahn is a fantastic class that seemed to have been snatched out of a martial arts movie. The Lahn wields a bladed scarf and whips around the battlefield with swift, powerful circular attacks that are great for hitting large groups. The Lahn also excels in movement, having a glide and an aerial dash unique to her class specifically.
The Awakening of the Lahn places dual crescent blades in her hand and unleashes her onto the battlefield with spinning attacks that leave enemies in pieces, greatly inspired by God Of War or Heavenly Blade. The Lahn has exceptional damage and an extremely high attack speed with impressive range making her an extremely solid pick for PVE content.
4 Wizard/Witch
The Wizard and Witch classes share very similar movesets, but both are highly suited for PVE content thanks to their large area attacks with powerful elemental spells. Fire, Ice, and Earth are all at the disposal of the Spellcasters of Black Desert and can cause great damage while knocking down enemies at the same time.
Where the classes differ is in their awakening forms. While the Wizard’s awakening amplifies his already powerful elemental magic, the Witch gains the ability to summon elementals combined with her elemental spells to increase the damage exponentially. The amount of ground that both the Wizard and the Witch can affect makes both classes great for PVE content.
3 Hashashin
The Hashashin is a blazing sand storm in Black Desert which excels at quick attacks and maneuverability, getting in and out with ease when slashing through mobs of enemies. The base class of the Hashashin wields a deadly Arabian sword and double-bladed dagger, adopting a fighting style that fans of the Prince of Persian games will enjoy.
While weaving through combat, the Hashashin mixes in sand attacks with its melee to shred enemies apart. Once players gain access to the class’s awakening, the Hashashin will trade in his saber for a double-bladed sword and incorporate sand tornados and sand serpents into its combat, significantly boosting its damage capabilities.
2 Woosa
The Woosa is one of the most recent additions to Black Desert and is well on the way to becoming one of the best classes in the game. The Woosa is a fresh take on the Elementalist style of combat similar to the Sage and the Maewha. The Woosa is a storm bringer, able to mix the powers of water, lighting, and wind to decimate enemies in her path.
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The primary weapon of the Woosa is an embroidered fan that she can use to send powerful wind shockwaves from a distance or summon downpouring lighting to grind powerful foes into dust. The Woosa also excels at movement, having unique skills to get her to a safe distance and back into a comfortable range for her abilities.
1 Drakania
The Drakania is arguably one of the best classes in Black Desert and received monumental praise from the fan base for being such a fresh and unique class. The Drakania embodies the poise and power of the dragon and is able to channel electricity through her Slayer broadsword. The Drakania cleaves through foes with vicious brutality and leaves charred remains in their wake.
The Drakania’s awakening boosts the class’s power even further, allowing her to become one with the dragon, elevating her elemental attacks with wind and fire. In addition, the Drakania gains a massive movement ability to glide along the surface like a blade of grass.
Black Desert Online is available now on PC, PS4, Xbox One, and mobile devices.
More: Black Desert Online Review
