Phantasy Star Online 2: New Genesis - All Classes and Max Class Level (Updated)

Phantasy Star Online 2: New Genesis doesn't quite have the full range of classes that its predecessor did, but that doesn't mean it's easy to pick which class to play as. There are six base classes to choose from in New Genesis, and in general, there are 2 martial-type classes, two that use firearms, and two spell casters. Within each pair of classes, one of them is typically focused on damage, while the other is more support-oriented -- though still plenty capable of dishing out when they need to.

Four classes have also been added since launch, the Braver, Bouncer, Waker, and Slayer. These are more specialized classes that equip signature weapons that only they can wield.

During character creation, you'll be asked to pick a class but this is not permanent. Upon completing some of the main story quests, you'll be able to change classes at the Class Counter, on top of being able to choose a Class and Sub-Class. The maximum level is currently capped at Level 85, as of shortly after the February 2024 update. Sub-Classes can only be leveled to 5-under the max level of your main class and only receive a fraction of the total experiance.

A note on Sub-Classes: Sub-Classes allow you to use any weapon of that class! For instance, a Force/Ranger can use Launchers (a Ranger weapon) as well as Rods!

A note on Races: In New Genesis, Race selection has no bearing on abilities or stats, and you can even mix and match body types and CAST parts, so pick whatever you like!

• Hunter
• Fighter
• Ranger
• Gunner
• Force
• Techter
• Braver
• Bouncer

Phantasy Star Online 2: New Genesis - All Classes

Hunter - the close-range tank

Hunters are effectively the 'tanks' of New Genesis, though that's typically more in terms of having high HP and Defense and lots of ways to mitigate damage more than taking threat or aggro from enemy mobs (though War Cry will allow them to do this to some extent). Most of their abilities are centered around this philosophy, strengthening their defenses and making them tougher to defeat. As such, Hunters are a good beginner class for new players. There is still some space for those who want to play skillfully though through timing-based Class Skill such as Avenger and Perfect Parry. 

Notable Class Skills:

• War Cry - This is the typical threat move of PSO2, casting this will provoke enemies into being more likely to target the Hunter.
• Hunter Physique - Reduces damage taken and makes the Hunter impervious to knockback or knockdown.
• Hunter Arts Avenger - Photon Arts deal more damage if you cast them right upon taking damage.
• Hunter Arts Perfect Parry - Paired with the above, this skill will negate damage taken if a Photon Art is cast upon the moment you would normally take damage. Hunter Arts Parry Advanced will add an additional invulnerability period as well.
• Sword Arts Charge Avenger - Allows charged arts to also deal additional damage if the player is hit during the charge.

Equippable Weapons:

• Swords - Easy to use short-range weapons, generally suited for one-on-one fights. Weapon Action: A guarding action that reduces damage taken.
• Partisans - A medium-range weapon that focuses on rapid strikes. Weapon Action: A parry that can guard on perfect timing and be used between attacks.
• Wired Lances - A medium-range weapon that focuses on using wide-arcing strikes all around the Hunter. Weapon Action: A grapple that pulls you towards the enemy and deals some damage.

Note: If equipped as a Sub-Class or part of a multi-weapon, the Wired Lance's Weapon Action can be useful as a good gap closer for pretty much any class, even if not used as a primary weapon.

Fighter - all-out damage

Fighters have one major goal in life: to do as much damage they can as fast as possible. They have a higher skill ceiling than Hunters, but are capable of dealing high damage once mastered. Many of their abilities will change the timing of their Photon Arts and increase their damage output at the cost of having lowered defenses. For those wanting a class with a bit more finesse, Fighters are a great choice. Most of the Fighter's Class Skills make them more adept at using a specific weapon type, so it's probably best to specialize based on which type you'd want to use. 

Notable Class Skills:

• Overload - A simple but reckless ability that increases the damage the Fighter deals while making him take more damage in return.
• FIghter: Skip Arts - A series of Class Skill which will affect how the Fighter's Arts work, either by skipping to the final hit of the art or changing normal attacks when used in between.
• Dagger Spin Axle - Allows the fighter to have a powerful attack out of a Weapon Action.
• Saber Glaze - The Fighter will earn PP with stage 2 Whirlwind.
• Knuckle Arts Combo PP Save - Reduces PP cost with longer photon art chains.

Equippable Weapons:

• Double Sabers - A double-bladed weapon that deals damage all around the fighter. Weapon Action: A parry that can nullify damage with good timing.
• Twin Daggers - A close-range weapon suited for aerial combat and high mobility. Weapon Action: A damaging attack that can nullify damage with good timing.
• Knuckles - A very close-range weapon that deals high damage. Weapon Action: A swaying counter that deals damage and can dodge attacks.

Ranger - the all-rounder

Rangers are a long-range class, capable of downing enemies from a distance. Instead of being tanky like Hunters, they instead have an increased reduction to conditions. They can support allies through skills such as Blight Rounds, which increases the amount of damage all allies do to specific weak points. Rangers are another good beginner class because they can still be very effective when out of harm's way. However, Ranger is a very poor choice for a Sub-Class, due to most of their class skills being limited to Main Class only or only affecting incoming conditions, which isn't very useful. Every major boss encounter can be significantly quicker if a Ranger is present to support the group with Blight Rounds.

Notable Class Skills:

• Blight Rounds - An ability that will mark an enemy to make it take more damage from attacks, including from your allies.
• Bad Condition Ward/Reduction - Reduces the effectiveness and duration of status ailments.
• Slow Landing - Slows your fall speed tremendously when attacking with either normal attacks or Photon Arts.
• Spread Shot Wide Range - Changes Spread Shot to a frontal area-of-effect attack.

Equippable Weapons:

• Assault Rifles: A standard ranged weapon that deals damage from a distance. Weapon Action: A sidestep counter that can avoid damage with good timing.
• Launchers: A high-powered and long-distance weapon that can charge normal attacks and deal damage to an area. Weapon Action: A sticky bomb that deals damage to enemies when attacked.

Gunner - the point-blank specialist

Gunners are another high skill-ceiling class, and despite using Rifles and Machine Guns, they are most effective at close range. Basically, they are like a Fighter that use firearms and rely on being evasive to avoid damage. As such, they are another class that can be tricky to learn but rewarding to master. The Gunner's Class Skills reward switching up between normal attacks and Photon Arts as well as good use of their Weapon Action, especially if using Twin Machine Guns.

Notable Class Skills:

• Chain Trigger - Allows the gunner to build up a chain between charged Photon Arts, leading to Chain Finishers and other buffs.
• Stylish Roll - Changes the Gunner's dodging Weapon Action in various ways, either by dealing a damaging attack alongside or increasing the strength of the next used Art.
• Slow Landing - Similar to Rangers, Gunner can also take the Slow Landing Class Skills to stay airborne while attacking.
• Rising Drive - Attacking after performing a weapon action will cause the Gunner to rise while attacking with Twin Machine Guns. 
• Dodge PP Gain - A successful dodge with Sidestep or the Twin Machine Guns weapon action will recover PP.

Equippable Weapons:

• Assault Rifles: A standard ranged weapon that deals damage from a distance. Weapon Action: A sidestep counter that can avoid damage with good timing.
• Twin Machine Guns: A high-powered long-range weapon that can also be used in close quarters with good mobility. Weapon Action: An evasive dodge that can be heavily altered through Class Skills.

Force - the ranged spell caster

Out of all the damage-focused classes, Force is probably the most straightforward and easy to play. If you're looking for the typical mage specialization, Force is your go-to option here. Forces can use spell-like Techniques based on their weapon selections, which allow them to take advantage of elemental weaknesses of enemies.

Notable Class Skills:

• PP Conversion - Increases your PP recovery speed in exchange for a little bit of health, useful for spamming Techniques quickly.
• Slow Landing - Forces may cast Techniques instead of bullets, but they can also make use of staying airborne while casting.
• Photon Flare - Boosts maximum PP as well as increases damage.
• Technique Domination - Increases damage done to downed enemies. 

Equippable Weapons:

• Rods - A standard caster weapon that allows Forces to charge techniques and parry attacks from a long range. Weapon Action: A parry similar to Partisans that nullify damage with good timing.
• Talises -  An advanced caster weapon that alters Techniques based on the Photon Art used. Weapon Action: Deploys the Talis in the air which then attacks periodically. The weapon action will attack in an area if used while stationary, and will attack a target if used while holding down a movement input.

A note on Talises: The Talis is one of the more complicated weapons in New Genesis. A Talis can change how your Techniques work after you use a Talis Photon Art. 

• Convergence Shot: Techniques will fire forward as a single large bullet.
• Spread Shot (cancel halfway through cast): Techniques will fire forward in a spread of three small bullets.
• Spread Shot (full cast): Techniques will be cast as a point black area of effect around the player.

Techter - the support mage

Techter is the most support-oriented of all of the class options in New Genesis. Focused on buffing and healing allies, Techters are tricky to play solo but are invaluable in a group. And don't let the name 'Wand' fool you, Techters wield these weapons like magic-imbued maces. Techters are some of the rarest classes to see in the world or in Urgent Quest groups, but I know I appreciate having one around. It takes a bit of selflessness to be a Techter, but they can make any group significantly more effective. Note that unlike in PSO2, Techter's Skill options don't provide much as a Sub-Class.

Notable Class Skills:

• Shifta/Deband - The key ability of Techters, this buff both increases the amount of damage done and decreases the amount received.
• Weak Element Amplifier - A passive skill that increases your Photon Blast Gauge when you cast Techniques that match an enemy's weakness.
• Wand Element - Buffs the Wand usage by applying the element of the last charged Technique used.
• Overemphasis -  Restores PP and HP and increases max PP for your party by 50 for a limited time.

Equippable Weapons:

• Talises - An advanced caster weapon that alters Techniques based on the Photon Art used. Weapon Action: Deploys the Talis in the air which then attacks periodically. The weapon action will attack in an area if used while stationary, and will attack a target if used while holding down a movement input.
• Wands - More like a mace. A melee weapon when can be imbued with multiple elements. Weapon Action: A guard action that can nullify damage with good timing.

Braver - the versatile combatant

The Braver is a damage dealer similar to Fighter or Gunner, but can be effective at both short and long-range. It uses unique weapon types in Katana and Bow, along with Class Skills that augment their capabilities. The current Class Skill Tree does not require a large point investment to earn improved Bow abilities, meaning it's very viable to specialize in both weapon types simultaneously. Not well suited as a Sub-Class, as you'd lose the Main Class attack bonus for using Katana or Bow and only earn some niche passive skills in return such as earning health when you Breakfall (recover) after being launched.

Notable Class Skills:

• Brave Combat - Reduces PP consumption white increasing PP recovered from attacks. Using it a second time will turn it into an attack, and it can be augmented with Class Skills.
• Brave Spirit - Increases PP recovery and potency after a perfect guard with a Weapon Action.
• Katana Guard Counter / Advanced - Adds a counter and then shockwave with successful uses of the Katana's weapon action Perfect Guard.
• Bow Elusion Counter / Plus - Adds an evasive slide and counter-attack when using a Weapon Action after a Perfect Guard or charged Photon Art.
• Fearless Attitude - Neutralizes and counters enemy attacks shortly after using a Photon Art with a Katana.
• Final Bonus Surprise - Doubles the number of Final Bonus when attacking a boss enemy during Brave Combat

Equippable Weapons:

• Katana - An agile weapon that rewards skillful combinations of Photon Arts and Braver Class Skills like Katana Guard Counter and Brave Combat. Using Photon Arts multiple times changes their effect.
• Bow - A ranged weapon option that can be used while moving and also allows attacks to be charged. Charging its Photon Arts will cast a different effect.

Bouncer - the aerial specialist

The Bouncer is another specialized class, similar to the Braver in that it gets two weapon types exclusive to it -- Soaring Blades and Jet Boots. Several of the Bouncer's photon arts focus on nimble, aerial combos, and the class gets several Class Skill bonuses to inflicting down state with either type of weapon. Similar to the Braver, Bouncer does not make for a good Sub-Class due to a weak roster of usable Class Skills outside of its weapon-specific abilities. 

Notable Class Skills:

• Physical Decline / Elemental Decline - Hitting an enemy with successive Photon Arts will make it easier to inflict Physical/Elemental Down State.
• Jet Boots Element Set - Gain an additional attack with the element of the last used Technique when wielding Jet Boots.
• Photon Blade PP Recovery - Increases PP recovery when you inflict damage to an enemy struck by the Soaring Blades Weapon Art, Photon Blade.
• Blade Arts Parry - Enemy Attacks are nullified when a Weapon Action is performed during a Photon Art.

Equippable Weapons:

• Soaring Blades - A nimble close-range weapon that can unleash variants of its photon arts. The Photon Blades weapon ability can be used from long-range and will interplay with Class Skills suck as Photon Blade PP Recovery. 
• Jet Boots - A close-range aerial weapon that allows the wielder to also use Techniques. Using the Jet Boots Element Set Class Skill will transfer the element of the most recently used Technique to the weapon.

Loadouts and Other Class Counter Features

Loadouts

When swapping between classes, a key feature to remember is the Loadout feature found at the class counter. By saving a Loadout, you'll be able to pre-select from Class, Sub-Class, and Armor combinations. Each loadout saved will even include a listed Battle Power so you can know exactly where all of your class options compare to each other in terms of overall strength. While early on this might not be that useful since armor is class-agnostic, it can be used to swap to gear with specific Augments that best fit a given Class/Sub-Class combination.

Add/Move Skill Tree

Some Class Skills are better suited for use as a Sub-Class, mostly passive Skills such as the Techter's Weak Element Amplifier when used as a Force. Other times though, you'll want to make use of many of the Skills that are more potent or only available as a Main Class. So one thing you could do would be to add Skill Trees to be able to select from a set of different Skill Point allotments. This could also be used when specializing spent Skill Points for a particular Fighter weapon or the like. The only downside is that you have to spend ARKS Cash to add more skill trees.