Paladins is a hero shooter by Hi-Rez Studios and developed by its internal studio Evil Mojo. Matches in Paladins pit two teams of five champions against each other in various game modes, such as team deathmatch and siege. There are four roles to choose from in Paladins: damage, flank, frontline, and support. The damage role is fairly self-explanatory, they focus on dealing as much damage as possible and racking up eliminations.

RELATED: Paladins: Pro Tips To Score Kills Quickly

Damage champions in Paladins receive 100% more credits for the damage they deal to the enemy team. There are 18 damage champions currently in the game, each with their own unique design, weapon, and skill set. Some champions in Paladins shine brighter than others, either due to weapon damage or enhanced powers and movement.

10 Viktor

Viktor the Lone Wolf

Viktor is likely the first character all Paladins players come into contact with, as he's the tutorial champion. Viktor is armed with an Assault Rifle that can put out 135 damage every tenth of a second and a frag grenade that blows up for 750 damage on all surrounding enemies.

Viktor's main shortcoming is his lack of protection, and to compensate, he relies on his hustle ability to help him escape tight spots. His frag grenade is great for hitting grouped-up enemies hard, but other champions can simply outclass his overall firepower.

9 Imani

Imani the Last Warder

Imani is a fairly complex character, and it can take a few games before players get her full kit memorized. She uses a stance change that can swap her abilities between ice and fire, with each element having its own skills. Imani can be a unique force for the enemy to deal with, and her ultimate attack is where things get really crazy.

While Imani can devastate foes if mastered, her skill ceiling is pretty high for new players, and it's pretty easy to get her attacks confused between the two stances. Still, sweeping across the battlefield with a giant dragon doesn't get old.

8 Drogoz

Drogoz the Greedy

Drogoz is a fantastic pick for Pharah mains in Overwatch, as this big fella also flies around the map with a rocket launcher. Drogoz is all about vertical movement and area of effect damage. His fire spit can deal an epic amount of damage, and Drogoz can shoot the orb to make it explode early. RELATED: Things Paladins Does Better Than Overwatch

The downside of Drogoz is his long ability cooldowns, and his ultimate can leave him extremely vulnerable. Drogoz excels at staying in flight and wreaking havoc with rocket salvos, and any time spent on the ground is usually fairly panicked.

7 Octavia

Octavia the Indomitable

Octavia wields a powerful Marksman Rifle and can deal 425 damage every 0.3 seconds. Her commanding leap gives her some decent mobility, and her distortion field ability is great for disrupting the enemy during team fights.

Octavia's ultimate is fairly easy to avoid, though anyone caught in it will be dealt a devastating blow. This ability is mostly for zoning enemies away from a choke point, though any eliminations acquired are a bonus. Octavia is a solid pick, but lacks anything to make her truly stand out.

6 Bomb King

Bomb King with bombs

Bomb King is a fairly popular pick for Paladins players due to his stellar AOE damage output. Bomb King has immense crowd-control potential, as each of his abilities can blast away multiple enemies at once. His stun is also a great set up for other damage characters or flanks to finish foes off. RELATED: Reason Why Overwatch Dominates The MOBA Scene (& Why Smite Is Better)

Bomb King struggles in duels with other champions, as he can't hope for much when an enemy closes the gap on him. Flanks love unsuspecting Bomb Kings, since he's often far behind the rest of his team, launching his various explosive projectiles.

5 Saati

Saati the Trickshot

Saati is a fantastic damage champion and can be a real problem for the enemy team if played well. Saati has an interesting toolkit, equipped with a decoy and a high-range knock back that increases the damage an enemy takes from Saati for 1.5 seconds. Honestly, it can be hard to switch off Saati once her skill set starts clicking.

Her pistol deals a whopping 530 damage every half second, and she can hit enemies behind cover with shots thanks to her coin toss ability. Her passive can even increase the fire rate of her Hand Cannon by 10%. Saati is extremely versatile, and unless players find an angle on her, she can leave whole teams lying at her feet.

4 Tiberius

Tiberius The Weapon Master

Another champion that can harass enemies behind cover, Tiberius arguably has the most fun kit among the damage champions. His combat trance ability gives him an increased fire rate, and he has an escape ability that lets him leap out of harm's way.

Tiberius can throw bladed weapons that ricochet around the battlefield and has a heavier blade he can throw and recall through enemies. His ultimate lets him dash through the enemy team with a series of sword strikes, adding to his incredible damage output. Tiberius is dependent on team support, so running off alone is not highly recommended.

3 Tyra

Tyra shooting rifle

Tyra has a simple kit that can pack a fiery punch. Her gun is a fast-shooting auto rifle with a deep magazine, and her ultimate increases its fire rate and gives her infinite ammo for a short period. Her other abilities include a firebomb for map control and a grenade launcher that really hurts from any distance. RELATED: MOBAs That Have Great World Building

A well-placed firebomb can easily rack up eliminations, even from beyond the grave. Tyra only needs some form of protection to make her a beast on the battlefield. If she had some movement added to her kit, she could easily be the best damage champion in the game.

2 Lian

Lian with Heirloom Rifle

Lian can humiliate opposing teams from a medium to long-distance thanks to her Heirloom Rifle. Her abilities let her fire huge AOE shots, long-range shots that pierce through enemies for high damage, and she has a dodge ability that ends in her firing a shot to her nearest enemy.

Lian's ultimate fires a massive shot that pierces through enemies for 1600 damage, and reduces her damage taken by 50%. Lian can clear through enemies in a matter of seconds, and her kit is stacked with damage-dealing options and escape plans.

1 Cassie

Paladins Cassie Skin

Cassie is still a supreme option for damage players in Paladins, and it's largely due to her movement and field vision. Her dodge roll is one of the best escapes in the game, and her ultimate reveals the entire team to her allies, while also buffing her movement speed by 30%.

Cassie uses a Crossbow that deals 680 damage every 0.75 seconds, and it can be tricky to hit shots with at first for new players. Though after a few games, players will find the crossbow can shred through enemies at nearly any distance. Cassie's other abilities include a Blast Shot that deals 450 damage in an area, and a disengage that knocks back enemies a great distance. Once mastered, Cassie is the first pick of many players in Paladins, and has been for a long time.

MORE: Best Arena Shooters, Ranked