Every Class In Torchlight 2 Ranked From Worst To Best

Key Takeaways

Berserker Class is a melee bruiser with low health; best suited for rapid melee fighting and critical hits.
Embermage Class excels in ranged combat with high damage spells; easy to play but mana-dependent.
Outlander Class is a ranged and melee expert with crowd control abilities; best builds focus on pistols or bows.

As a seasoned veteran of countless battles and quests in this fantastical realm, I must say that the Engineer class has always piqued my interest. Having dabbled in various playstyles over the years, from the swift and agile Outlander to the mystic and enigmatic Mage, the Engineer offers a unique blend of melee combat and mechanical ingenuity that resonates with my practical nature.

Torchlight 2 is an exceptional game that mimics the style of Diablo, emphasizing simplicity and straightforward combat, all while maintaining a touch of humor. In this magical realm, players are tasked with tracking down a previous hero known as the Alchemist, who has become dangerously fixated on a strange substance called Ember.

In Torchlight 2, you’ll encounter four distinct character classes: Outlander, Embermage, Berserker, and Engineer. Each offers a unique gameplay experience and significant benefits for excelling in battles. Although every class has its strengths and weaknesses, one is often regarded as the most powerful and another can present challenges to players.

4 The Berserker Class

Every Class In Torchlight 2 Ranked From Worst To Best

Playstyle: Melee bruiser that likes to get into no-holds-barred brawls
Group Role: Damage
Difficulty: Difficult, thanks to the low health pool

In the game Torchlight 2, the Berserker character class can be likened to barbarians, fighters, and other close-combat characters in traditional RPG roles. Unlike other classes, they have fewer stories associated with them, being generally portrayed as roaming warriors who crave treasure, battles, and fame worldwide.

They’re not only proficient in close-combat attacks, but they can also conjure animal spirits for assistance. This aid is particularly beneficial in offsetting the class’s primary drawback: its limited capacity to face multiple adversaries simultaneously.

Strengths of the Berserker Class

It’s quite a shame, really, that the Berserker class seems to be the least powerful in the game, given how exhilarating it is to play as one. These fierce barbarians are known for their intense physical assaults and love of performing high-risk, high-reward acrobatics designed to overwhelm their adversaries. It’s not unusual to witness Barbarians charging headlong into battle with reckless abandon.

Additionally, they have several useful abilities and passive traits that enable them to drain health from adversaries, whirl among groups of enemies, and unleash chaos by tapping into their inner ferocity against their opposition.

Downsides of the Berserker Class

The downside to the Berserker is that they’re one-track-minded fighters. They have very few skills to deal area of attack damage and rely on single target attacks. This means that while your Berserker packs a punch, they’ll largely only deal it to one opponent at a time. The downside to this method of fighting is that they lack the Vitality to take the punches.

Draining their health may prove beneficial, however, their battle approach primarily involves dealing more damage than their adversary. This strategy can become intricate when facing numerous enemies or bosses, which will likely be the majority of your encounters. Despite being enjoyable, you’ll frequently find yourself losing health if you’re not careful about both attacking your foes and monitoring your rapidly decreasing health meter.

Best Berserker Build: Dual Wield

Akin to the Barbarian in the game Diablo, the Berserker adopts a formidable appearance with the Dual Wield playstyle. This configuration empowers the Berserker to seek Equipment that enhances Critical Hit Probability and Damage, Attack Speed, and Life Drain, leveraging swift attacks for optimal results.

This character harmonizes effectively with buffs like Blood Hunger, which restores health upon scoring a critical hit, Executioner (Passive) for increased damage while dual-wielding and gaining charges swiftly during executions, Shred Armor (Passive) that essentially steals armor, and Cold Steel Mastery (Passive) to amplify melee and frost damage. In terms of attacks, the Dual Wield Berserker primarily uses rapid strikes to accumulate damage, especially after using Howl to lower enemy defense.

Build Playstyle: Rapid melee fighter that takes advantage of critical hits to increase otherwise relatively low damage output
Important Skills: Howl, Blood Hunger, Executioner, Shred Armor, Cold Steel Mastery
Gear Stat Priorities: Focus on Critical Hit Chance and Damage, Attack Speed, and Life Steal to make the most out of fast-paced melee attacks

Best Berserker Build: Frost Damage

Even though the Berserker is primarily built for close-quarters fighting, it doesn’t preclude it from inflicting damage at a moderate distance. By focusing on the Tundra skill tree, the Frost Damage build enables the Berserker to dish out harm. The secret lies in procuring Equipment that boosts Casting Speed and Critical Hit Chance to optimize buffs like Shatter Storm (Passive), which unleashes a Frost Area of Effect blast upon slaying Frozen foes, and Rage Retaliation (Passive), which can return up to 120% of the Weapon’s Damage Per Second as damage.

For offensive actions, the Frost Damage Berserker has the ability Permafrost which causes continuous damage, Glacial Shatter for temporary blindness and increased frost damage, and Wolf Shade for a helpful companion every minute. The rest of the skills can be adjusted to maximize chances for the Barbarian to activate the Frost enhancements.

Build Playstyle: Uses a combination of Permafrost and other abilities to turn the Berserker into a mid-range caster
Important Skills: Permafrost, Glacial Shatter, Shatter Storm, Wolf Shade, Rage Retaliation
Gear Stat Priorities: Focus on bonuses to Damage, Critical Hit Chance, and Casting Speed to maximize Frost Damage windows

3 The Embermage Class

Playstyle: Stay at a range to deal massive damage with a reliance on mana
Group Role: DPS and Crowd Control
Difficulty: Beginner-Friendly

In the game Torchlight 2, the Embermage character represents a sorcerer-like figure, infused with distinctive elements that set it apart and contribute to the game’s individuality. Wielding powers over fire, frost, and lightning, they have the ability to control the battlefield effectively, whether casting spells for area of effect or targeting individuals specifically.

In the game, Embermages are an uncommon group, so to speak, as not many can wield the destructive power of their skillset proficiently. They begin with relatively low health and aren’t particularly strong in melee combat, but they compensate by being among the most powerful classes, dealing significant damage.

Strengths of the Embermage Class

Embermages are long-range powerhouses who unleash massive elemental assaults to burn, freeze, and electrify opponents. They excel at dealing damage (DPS) without needing to be in close combat like the Berserker. Embermages also possess potent spells capable of inflicting devastating harm on groups or single targets, including formidable bosses.

This class is often seen as the simplest to master, as players primarily concentrate on dealing damage and dodging attacks. The weapon they carry doesn’t make much of a difference and mainly enhances their spells by having a high attack stat. One of the game’s most enjoyable aspects is using Shocking Burst at full capacity, where enemies are sent flying apart when electric bolts hit them.

Downsides of the Embermage Class

The Embermage is straightforward to handle due to its simplicity. Master a strong spell and continuously use it until your mana reserves deplete, as there’s not much complexity involved. Consequently, this playstyle may become monotonous rather swiftly. While Shocking Burst can be thrilling at the initial enemy level, it might lose its appeal once you delve deeper into the gameplay layers.

The Embermage doesn’t rank as highly due to the fact that the magic user transforms into a powerful beast as long as they have mana. However, once their blue orb (mana source) is depleted, they become similar to a well-trained peasant, dodging attacks and using whatever weak weapon they have left until their mana regenerates, allowing them to cast spells again.

Best Embermage Build: Inferno Focus

The epitome of any spellcaster is casting the “big stuff” – which in the case of the Inferno Embermage is anything that inflicts massive damage. Its core focus is dealing damage over time via Burn to weaken enemies, priming them for easy pickings. In that regard, Charge Mastery (Passive) for longer-lasting and faster-gained Charges is a must-have. Gear-wise, the Inferno Embermage should get bonuses to all Damage sources and Casting Speed.

With the Inferno skill set at hand, the Embermage’s abilities transform destruction into a masterpiece. They can wield Magma Spear to direct flames towards enemies, Blazing Pillar to construct four fiery pillars that burn groups of adversaries concurrently, build Charge and Firestorm to incinerate an area and reduce the resistance to Fire Damage. Additionally, Elemental Boon bestows upon the spellcaster and their companions enhanced Elemental Damage and Resistances.

Build Playstyle: Uses damage-over-time caused by Burn damage to wear down targets, while hurling other Fire-type spells at engulfed enemies
Important Skills: Blazing Pillar, Firestorm, Elemental Boon, Magma Spear, Charge Mastery
Gear Stat Priorities: Focus on bonuses to elemental damage (in this case, Fire) as well as faster casting speed and bonuses to All Damage

Best Embermage Build: Storm Focus

In the same vein as the Sorceress in Diablo leverages the Shock skill set for managing crowds, the Embermage’s Storm build depends on the eponymous skill tree to deliver area-of-effect damage and control the battlefield effectively. Key passives like Charge Mastery (for faster, longer Charge access) and Lightning Brand (to amplify damage against shocked foes) are indispensable. Lastly, prioritize gear that enhances Casting Speed and Electric Damage for optimal performance.

In terms of abilities, the Storm Embermage should prioritize mastering Thunder Locus to establish a continuous thunderstorm that inflicts damage on specific areas, Shocking Orb for launching a mobile attack that deals damage to groups of enemies, and Elemental Boon to empower both the caster and nearby allies with enhanced Elemental Damage and Resistances. Given this area-of-effect (AOE) oriented configuration, the Embermage will move more slowly, so players should be aware of movement tactics to dodge incoming attacks or face potential early defeats by failing to evade enemy strikes.

Build Playstyle: While the Fire build focuses on burning small groups down, the Electricity Embermage is better at AoE thanks to its Shock damage
Important Skills: Thunder Locus, Shocking Orb, Lightning Brand, Elemental Boon, Charge Mastery
Gear Stat Priorities: Like the Fire build, focus on gaining bonuses to Lightning Damage, All Damage, and casting speed

2 The Outlander Class

Playstyle: Ranged and Melee prowess with a little magic thrown in there too
Group Role: Damage and Crowd Control
Difficulty: Intermediate

In the game Torchlight 2, the Outlander character class is similar to the rogue or thief characters in most role-playing games, but it offers a more complex and intricate playstyle beyond just stealth and hidden blades. The Outlanders are equipped with the distinctive Glaive weapon that is incorporated into many of their abilities across the Warfare, Lore, and Sigil skill trees. They are also characterized as outlaws who seek out ancient knowledge and long-forgotten relics.

Outlanders could be likened to Corvo, the assassin from the Dishonored series, who employs a blend of dark magic and physical weaponry to defeat enemies through stealth and direct confrontation. However, it’s important to note that the Outlander class in Torchlight 2 has the least amount of health among all classes.

Strengths of the Outlander Class

In this gathering, the Outlander stands out as the one who handles weapons like guns or bows. Unlike the Embermage, their threat level doesn’t diminish whether they have mana or not. Outlanders are adept at managing crowds, using various abilities to immobilize, slow down, or even stun their enemies.

In this game, the strategy is all about inflicting status effects, and the Outlanders are particularly skilled at it. Your adversaries will find it tough to catch up and land a hit on you when you can slow their pace, immobilize them, and lay down spells that function like traps if they follow your path. Rest assured, it’s fortunate for your opponents they never encounter an Outlander in this game; instead, enjoy the satisfaction of dealing the damage.

Downsides Of the Outlander Class

It’s unfortunate but understandable that Outlanders excel at manipulation due to their circumstances. They can be likened to fragile, yet powerful weapons, a term often used for glass cannons. Compared to Berserkers, their health reserves and defensive abilities are inferior. To ensure their survival, they must remain mobile, direct the actions of opponents, and dodge boss attacks as much as possible.

Playing Outlander classes can be extremely challenging due to their need for near-continuous supervision. Even a brief moment of distraction could lead to your character’s demise. If you thrive on the intense gameplay style favored by a top Starcraft player, then these characters might appeal to you. However, if you prefer a more relaxed playstyle and don’t enjoy the constant vigilance and potion consumption required by these classes, it may be wiser to explore other options.

Best Outlander Build: Dual-Wield Pistols

Given the steampunk atmosphere of Torchlight, it’s not surprising that the Outlander can wield a pair of pistols – rapid-fire guns that, in a character build, tend to excel at single-target damage but fall short on area-of-effect (AOE) and overall range. To compensate for this, players often rely on Long Range Mastery (a passive ability) for increased distance and extra damage, Akimbo (another passive ability) for additional damage when dual-wielding, and Master of the Elements (a third passive ability) to deal double damage with poisons.

In a real fight scenario, it’s advantageous to use Venomous Hail since it showers the target with poison damage. Yet, this strategy underscores the significance of poisons in your equipment setup. Instead, this build primarily concentrates on enhancing Critical Hit Chance, Damage, and Life Steal for a more reliable fighting performance.

Build Playstyle: Great single-target damage using two pistols at midrange, but relatively lacking in AoE output
Important Skills: Venomous Hail, Long Range Mastery, Akimbo, Master of the Elements
Gear Stat Priorities: Focus on Critical Hit Chance & Damage, as well as Life Steal. Gear that grants Poison damage can also be useful for this build.

Best Outlander Build: Bow or Crossbow

At a distance, Outlanders should steer clear of enemies to avoid getting dismembered. This is where the strategy using a Bow or Crossbow comes into play. By employing these long-range weapons, they can maximize their potential for high damage from afar, although this approach may result in slower attack speeds compared to melee characters.

To successfully carry out this Outlander setup, it relies heavily on the Long Range Master passive ability for increased shooting range and damage output. By acquiring gear that enhances Critical Hit Chance, Life Steal, and Poison, this Outlander can become a formidable force from afar. Key skills like Rapid Fire, which generates Charge with knockback, Venomous Hail, which can poison enemies within its area of effect, and Shadowling Brute, which summons a fierce creature to engage in combat against enemies, significantly boost the Outlander’s effectiveness at long range.

Build Playstyle: Very long range damage dealer that sacrifices attack speed for raw damage output. Works equally well with both bows and crossbows.
Important Skills: Rapid Fire, Long Range Mastery, Shadowling Brute, Venomous Hail
Gear Stat Priorities: Just like the Dual Wield pistols build, pick up gear that grants Crit Chance and Damage, Life Steal, and Poison-type damage.

1 The Engineer Class

Playstyle: Varies – can be Ranged, Melee, or Summon-oriented
Group Role: Tank and Damage
Difficulty: Intermediate

In the gaming community, it’s commonly believed that the Engineer class in Torchlight 2 is top-notch, despite having certain drawbacks. Engineers are portrayed as highly skilled technicians loyal to the Empire, dispatched to the world of Torchlight 2 to explore and develop new territories, earning them a rich and solid backstory.

This character functions by blending attributes of an artificer and a templar, boasting numerous technical skills in the Blitz and Construction skill trees, as well as defensive abilities in the Aegis tree. Its high survivability makes it not only the top-rated class, but also an excellent solo choice for newcomers to Torchlight 2.

Strengths of the Engineer Class

In this game, Engineers are widely recognized as the most powerful class due to several compelling reasons. These robust characters are essentially the heavyweights, capable of dishing out significant damage and absorbing a considerable amount of it. They embody the tank role in every aspect, boasting sturdy armor, ample health reserves, and a sizable weapon for delivering crushing blows to their adversaries.

This class offers flexibility in combat strategies. You can opt for melee with magic enhancing attacks, ranged combat using area of effect skills, or a necromancer approach with mechanical minions and explosive spider abilities, essentially functioning as a powerful solo unit. It’s an effortless and versatile choice for players to master.

Downsides of the Engineer Class

The Engineer has a significant disadvantage – it moves and acts quite gradually due to its heavy armor, making both its movement speed and attack pace relatively sluggish. If you’ve previously played fast-paced classes like the Outlander and then switch to the Engineer, you might initially feel frustrated as you adapt to their slower pace.

It’s beneficial that they have high durability since they can endure a lot of damage before retaliating with a powerful strike using their wrench. They excel against bosses, but if not handled properly, groups of them could become quite bothersome without an effective area-of-effect attack in place.

Best Engineer Build: Summon

As a melee fighter by nature, the Engineer can transform into efficient support characters in battles, thanks to their ability to summon reinforcements that boost their combat strength. This is particularly evident when using the Summon build, which leverages the Construction tree to have as many as three (3) robots assisting them simultaneously.

As a gamer, having a Healing Drone that keeps me in top shape, a Gunner for extra firepower when needed, and a TankBot to soak up some serious damage really enhances my character’s durability. I can even throw a few enemy-hunting Spider Mines into the mix for crowd control. Plus, my Fire and Spark passive abilities constantly ramp up my overall damage output.

Summon-Focused Engineer Build
Build Playstyle: Relies on the Construction tree to have three (3) summoned bots available at all times, while lightly empowering the player
Important Skills: Healing Bot, Gun Bot, Sledge Bot, Spider Mine, Fire and Spark
Gear Stat Priorities: Look for gear that increases the damage and armor of pets and minions, as well as Mana Recovery improvements

Best Engineer Build: Defense

In terms of the Construction tree acting as an engineer’s arsenal for support-focused tasks, the Defense build primarily leverages the Aegis skill set for robust defense. Users can expect increased survivability with a potential reduction in damage output. This build is heavily geared towards Aegis of Fate (Passive), which reflects up to twice the engineer’s armor value as damage, along with 50% resistance to being knocked back.

To make up for the absence of innovative offensive strategies, the Engineer primarily utilizes a set of standard melee techniques: Seismic Slam serves to stun enemies, Onslaught slows down gaps and approaches, Sword and Board (Passive) enhances defensive aspects within physical melee damage, and Supercharge (Passive) amplifies the power of all attacks, especially against opponents with additional charge.

Build Playstyle: Plays like a tank, taking little damage, but dealing less damage than many DPS-oriented builds out there – survivability over offensive potential
Important Skills: Supercharge, Seismic Slam, Onslaught, Sword and Board, Aegis of Fate
Gear Stat Priorities: Focus on acquiring gear that grants chance to reflect Missiles, improves resistances, or otherwise increases the Engineer’s Health and defensives

2024-10-31 04:54