Role-playing games have always been about character progression and deep immersion in the worlds carefully crafted by the developers. In some of the older RPGs, going down a certain path with a character carried much more weight than it does nowadays. Respeccing and easily-created jack-of-all-trades builds allow gamers to be much more careless with their choices.

Classes and guild allegiances in RPGs used to matter a lot more in older games than they do now, but that doesn't mean that all modern titles discard their importance. Whether it's a 20-year-old cult classic or a modern AAA blockbuster, video games where class systems are fleshed out and have more impact on storylines and gameplay usually have a higher replay value than their more straightforward counterparts.

Updated on November 10, 2023, by Ritwik Mitra: Role-playing games have become all the rage in modern times. Players love the idea of stepping into the shoes of a character they resonate with, molding them in their image to take out enemies in whatever manner they see fit. There is a wealth of quality titles players can check out if they want to enjoy a fun RPG experience that doesn't stand in anyone's way of developing a class and adhering to it as they see fit. These games are developed with a ton of thought and effort put into the development, so that every class that players can choose is viable in its own way.

21 Divinity: Original Sin

Metascore: 88 (Divinity: Original Sin Enhanced Edition)

Years before Larian Studios blew everyone's minds with Baldur's Gate 3, they were hard at work making modern CRPGs that broke new ground even then. To this day, the sheer level of interactivity in Divinity: Original Sin's world still blows most people's minds, finding elements of an immersive sim in both this title and its sequel. The addition of seamless co-op also goes a long way in making this title engaging.

The best thing about Divinity: Original Sin is how important of a role classes play in this masterful RPG experience. Players must be smart about the points they invest, to ensure that their character isn't limited by trying to multiclass too much. By investing points and putting a lot of thought into the builds of the two Source Hunters, players can decimate enemies with a suite of powerful techniques.

20 Tyranny

Metascore: 80

It's a shame that Tyranny didn't achieve its full potential. A sudden ending was the only sour experience in an otherwise perfect CRPG. Tyranny's exploration of evil is unlike anything ever seen in an RPG before, making it well worth the price of admission.

Players can become outright warriors, dabble in magic, or combine both facets of the gameplay to make for a highly personalized style. While casting magic is more involved, sigils make spells fun to create, and mages level up at a faster rate. This shouldn't deter anyone from pursuing the build they like without any restrictions standing in the way.

19 Pillars Of Eternity

Metascore: 89

There was a time when Obsidian Entertainment was on the verge of bankruptcy, only for crowdfunding to save the day. Pillars of Eternity is one of the most successful Kickstarter projects around, letting players enjoy a new D&D campaign from the people behind Fallout: New Vegas.

The story of this title is engaging, even if players won't remember the antagonist or most of the side characters. Still, the great worldbuilding and fun set pieces more than make up for some weaknesses in the game's writing.

18 Octopath Traveler 2

Metascore: 84

The first Octopath Traveler game was great, even if it had some issues of its own. The stories felt a bit disconnected, and party members didn't really interact naturally during the course of the game, which hurt immersion.

Not only did Octopath Traveler 2 fix these issues, but it also refined the gameplay to let players enjoy one of the best modern JRPGs of all time. Multiple characters could take the same second job, allowing for more robust combinations as players formed the best party around to deal with the many threats standing in their way.

17 Stranger Of Paradise: Final Fantasy Origin

Metascore: 72

Stranger of Paradise: Final Fantasy Origin is certainly one of the oddest games that fans can try out. It may not be polished in some aspects, but even its loudest critics will have to admit that the title is anything but boring.

One of the best parts of the game is unlocking numerous jobs to completely change Jack's movesets and the equipment he can wear in battle. Switching around jobs does a great job of keeping combat fresh and tactical, forcing players to adapt to certain situations instead of banging their heads against a brick wall over and over again.

16 Final Fantasy 3

Metascore: 79

The third Final Fantasy 3 was never released on Western shores until the 3D remake came out. Now, with the Pixel Remaster, players can enjoy the original experience with modern visuals and enhancements, letting fans enjoy a title that is one of the more forgotten entries in the Final Fantasy series.

The job system in this game was a blast to engage with, and players loved mixing and matching jobs to deal with certain bosses and dungeons. While the idea of treating jobs like puzzles in some instances didn't really resonate with fans, Final Fantasy 3 is still a unique chapter in this legendary series that fans can appreciate, if not admire.

15 Vampire: The Masquerade - Bloodlines

Metascore: 80

It's a shame that Vampire: The Masquerade - Bloodlines was released on the same day as Half-Life 2, pretty much dooming the game's sales for good. The fact that the game was pretty broken on launch didn't help things either. A slew of bugs and glitches bogged down the experience.

However, over time, Vampire: The Masquerade - Bloodlines has accrued a reputation in the industry as one of the best-written RPGs in the genre. There are different kinds of vampires to choose from, and each class is wildly different in its own way. The Malkavian and Nosferatu vampire classes serve as great examples of how brilliant this game is. An entire playthrough can change based on the restrictions and unique eccentricities these classes possess.

14 Golden Sun

Metascore: 91

Nintendo has several great franchises that have unfortunately been lost to the sands of time, and Golden Sun is no different. This unique JRPG series allowed players to mix and match Djinns to form different classes that sported unique powers of their own. Not only did this help out in combat, but players could interact with the overworld in new and meaningful ways as well.

The magic of Golden Sun was accumulating numerous Djinns and figuring out the best possible permutations and combinations that could benefit the player both in and out of combat. It was a unique spin on the class system and made for a great and unique way to play through a JRPG that combined the age-old job systems of the series along with a unique mix-and-match system that made players feel smart when they finally figured out some innovative Djinn combinations.

13 Final Fantasy 5

Metascore: 82

Final Fantasy 5 is one of the most underrated games in the series. Many players lament the lack of a serious story, which the previous title in the series employed to great effect. However, while this criticism may be valid in certain instances, most people who go all-in on the negative points of this title fail to appreciate how amazing the gameplay of this title is.

The fact that many Final Fantasy veterans feel like this title has the best implementation of the Job System in the series is hefty praise that goes to show how fun the moment-to-moment gameplay is. Mastering jobs and acquiring new ones before using the Freelancer job to utilize every skill the player has learned makes for an amazing time.

12 Grim Dawn

Metascore: 83

Grim Dawn is a fantastic ARPG that did not get enough hype back when it was released in 2016. With smooth combat and a unique, interesting world, no role-playing enthusiast should sleep on this game. One of the better aspects of Grim Dawn is its class system.

Straight-forward and easily understandable even at first glance, the class mechanics allow for some surprisingly in-depth character customization, significantly altering the experience every time an upgrade is made. With six base classes to choose from (players can attach their characters to a second class later on in the game) and complex yet concise skill trees, the class system in Grim Dawn is truly something players can sink their teeth into.

11 Outriders

Metascore: 73

Developed by People Can Fly, the same studio that created Bulletstorm, and laid down the foundations for Fortnite during their brief stint as part of Epic Games, Outriders is a class-based looter-shooter that players have been yearning for ever since many have grown tired of the Destiny formula.

With four playable classes to choose from, each one of them comes with its own benefits and drawbacks. Every class drastically alters the gameplay, forcing the players to re-learn the combat mechanics every time they create a new character. Combining each class's power in co-op multiplayer is incredibly satisfying and truly brings the brilliance of this class-based game.

10 Path Of Exile

Metascore: 86

It won't be an exaggeration to say that Path of Exile has the most complex class and leveling system found in ARPGs to this date, which is all the more impressive considering that it's a free-to-play title. With seven primary classes to choose from and 19 more "ascendancy" classes that players can reach once they progress far enough into the game, it is clear that classes in Path of Exile are a core element of the title's gameplay loop.

A character's class also determines which skills they can use from the game's whopping 454 abilities. 276 of which these active skills, while the remaining 178 are support skills. As opposed to other RPGs, where skills are obtained via leveling up, in Path of Exile, players obtain skill gems they can receive as rewards for completing quests, purchasing from merchants, or looting enemies and chests scattered across the world.

9 Genshin Impact

Metascore: 81

The elemental powers of Genshin Impact characters may not fit the traditional definition of a class, but they sure do matter in terms of gameplay and combat effectiveness. With a total of seven possible elements, players have a lot of agency when it comes to finding their own unique playstyle.

Switching between characters and combining the right elemental powers to unleash the most destructive combos takes a lot of strategizing and knowledge of the game's systems to get right, but it's more than worth it.

8 Titan Quest

Metascore: 77

To many gamers, Titan Quest is nothing more than a Diablo clone. While there is some truth to that statement, the game itself is so much more than what it initially looks like. One of the areas it truly shines in is the leveling mechanics and class system.

Titan Quest does not pigeonhole players into specific class categories but rather allows them to mold their destinies by implementing a complex system of skill trees that can be modified to one's heart's content. It may get confusing at times, but action role-playing games that put this much effort into leveling up and skill customization are hard to find nowadays.

7 Baldur's Gate 3

Metascore: 96

Released in the heyday of RPGs set in the world of Dungeons & Dragons, Baldur's Gate and its sequel are two of the best games of their kind. So, it's only a given that expectations are through the roof when it comes to the third game in the studios, and many fans are happy to see that Larian Studios has done justice to this much-awaited sequel.

The developer has proven their mettle with the Divinity: Original Sin duology, and Baldur's Gate 3 has continued this trend of excellence. With a number of classes that all prioritize different and unique approaches to both combat and other pillars of gameplay, this CRPG is bound to keep players occupied for hours on end when they boot up this title.

6 The Diablo Series

Metascore: 86 (Diablo 4)

Many games on this list entail having to go through an opening sequence in order to fit into one of the classes. Diablo does away with all that. Players get to pick a character class before starting the first act.

In the Diablo games, class matters because it determines the entire playthrough, from the upgradeable skills to the items players can use. Once the choice is made, there is no going back.

5 Planescape Torment

Metascore: 91

Role-playing games set in the Dungeons & Dragons universe are known for their complexity when it comes to world-building and storylines but also the character progression mechanics. There are three primary classes to choose from in Planescape Torment: Fighter, Mage, and Thief. Each one comes with a different set of starting attributes, and they're all suited for a variety of different playstyles.

Players don't necessarily have to lock themselves into the class chosen at the start of the game. One can switch classes later in the game upon using the services of various practitioners and trainers found in the city of Sigil. Choosing a class in Planescape Torment is an impactful decision, as each class comes with restrictions regarding the types of equipment they can use and how they interact with the world. For example, only Thieves can pick locks and disarm traps, whereas Mages don't stand a chance against most enemies in close-quarters combat.

4 Divinity: Original Sin 2

Metascore: 93

The Divinity: Original Sin series scratches the classic RPG itch that many seasoned veterans of gaming have. Coated in modern graphics, Divinity: Original Sin 2 is the perfect example of how the seemingly dated mechanics still have a place in modern games, but only if they're implemented in the right way.

With a whopping 14 classes to choose from and countless ways to customize them to one's heart's content, Divinity: Original Sin 2 is one of the best games with classes that came out in the PS4/XB1 era. It may not have introduced any revolutionary mechanics, but it executed the class system to perfection and brought back classic tropes from some of the best class-based games released in the heyday of isometric RPGs, and it deserves all the credit for doing so.

3 The Gothic Series

Metascore: 81 (Gothic)

The majority of gamers may not be familiar with the Gothic series. After all, the first entry was released over 20 years ago, and they did not really generate the hype they deserved in North America. They do, however, hold a cult classic status in Germany and parts of Eastern Europe for a good reason.

Classes in Gothic (especially 1 and 2) didn't just affect the gameplay. They were a reflection of the character's place in the game's world and had a profound impact on his relationships with NPCs. Even the ability to associate oneself with a certain class/guild has to be backed up by hours of playtime, and following a certain path may lock players out of entire questlines until the next playthrough.

2 Elden Ring

Metascore: 96

As opposed to many of the other games on this list, the class players choose in Elden Ring doesn't necessarily affect the game's storyline or choices, but FromSoftware's magnum opus definitely exceeds at making each playthrough feel like a radically different game depending on which path one chooses to pursue at the start of their adventure. Elden Ring also doesn't lock gamers into a specific class, instead allowing them to mold their own unique adventurer by carefully distributing the limited skill points to the main eight stats.

For instance, a strong focus on magic can result in some very overpowered builds, granting players access to some incredibly powerful spells that make the entire experience feel like they're playing in easy mode. On the other hand, a character built solely around Dexterity and Strength will demand a lot more manual skills from gamers, as it is well-suited to those wanting maximum challenge. Furthermore, careless distribution of skill points can quickly result in a "broken" build that makes some of the mid-to-late stages of the game nearly impossible to get through, which encourages players to pay particular attention to their leveling decisions.