Since its launch in 2016, Riders of Icarus has enamored itself to a wide range of players with its unique emphasis on mount and pet mechanics. The game offers players the freedom to tame various mounts both common and legendary (a similar concept to that seen in titles like World of Warcraft), which serve as a means of traversing the various landscapes throughout the world and as loyal comrades in the heat of battle.
However, while mount-specific gameplay is quite detailed within the fabled realm of Midellas, there is an equal emphasis on player character, class and progression. Every class in Riders of Icarus possesses its own strengths and weaknesses, although all of them offer the player a distinct experience.
8 Wizard: Packing Powerful But Slow And Rather Outclassed Magic
- Great crowd control
- PvP-focused
A master of the elements, the Wizard does well in ranged combat and is able to land devastating attacks across large areas. Due to the nature of the Wizard's magic, they possess an affinity for manipulating mobs and turning the tide in exchanges with many enemies.
Although the Wizard possesses abilities that allow them to heal themselves, their defense remains quite low (though they are able to teleport away from danger in a pinch). The Wizard is further hindered by their slow ability casting times, as well as the unfortunate fact that another class introduced after the game's launch makes some of the primary aspects of the Wizard redundant. Either way, the Wizard class scratches that Avatar: The Last Airbender itch nicely.
7 Guardian: Durable Defense At The Cost Of Damage And Power
- Tank class
- PvE-focused
The Guardian is the bulwark of any well-rounded party. They offer great defensive capabilities to the player and also have abilities that offer self-healing, along with a stat combination that is incredibly well-balanced. In particular, the Guardian's Binding Summons skill allows the player to lock down a specific enemy and pull them closer, keeping allies out of harm's way and soaking up damage like a true moving fortress.
Facing other players can be a bit difficult when utilizing the Guardian's skill set, though, due to the fact that most of the abilities in this class are catered towards mob fights and not individual player-on-player skirmishes. Their slow and defensive nature makes them rather niche too.
6 Trickster: Great Support While Lacking Individual Superiority
- Buffs allies
- PvE-focused
With a wand in one hand, a teddy bear in the other and bearing a design reminiscent of League of Legends little pyromaniac Annie, Tricksters are easily one of the most visually distinct classes in Riders of Icarus. This distinction extends somewhat into its class dynamics as well. Tricksters dominate the battlefield with abilities that enhance allies and their skills, going so far as to even bestow temporary invincibility upon them.
The Trickster is an invaluable ally when tackling raids or world bosses. The class boasts incredible area of effect skills that grant a mass heal to the player and their party members, deal damage to all enemies in an area and buff allies simultaneously, or simply focus down a single enemy with a significant amount of damage. Unfortunately, Tricksters are much more adept at sustaining their allies than holding their own in a fight without any other support. Masters of DPS they are not, which again limits their appeal for many players.
5 Assassin: High Focus Damage Without Crowd Control
- High DPS
- PvE-focused
With pinpoint accuracy and brutal amounts of single-target damage, Assassins dart between their foes, dispatching them one at a time with ruthless efficiency. Boasting the highest damage per second in the entire game, the Assassin class has a tremendous amount of potential in singling out stronger enemies and removing them from the larger fight. They can also dodge nearly any attack and deal bonus damage when attacking from behind.
Unfortunately, due to the nature of PvP battles, the Assassin is ill-equipped to maximize their bonus damage when facing other players. It can be incredibly difficult to get in position to execute backstabs, even though certain skills within the Assassin's arsenal cater towards compensating for movement and agility in this regard.
4 Berserker: Melee Devastation With A High Skill Ceiling
- Heavy melee emphasis
- PvP-focused
The feral nature of the Berserker can be very appealing for those looking to get up close and personal with their enemies, opting to clash steel against steel rather than attack from a distance. Skills such as Leaping Slash and Mortal Blow make full use of the Berserker's play style and deal more damage when the player's health is lower.
With little regard for anything other than the total obliteration of their opponent (akin to the famed Black Swordsman Guts of Berserk renown), the Berserker excels in single combat. They can become a terrifying threat due to the bleed they're able to stack on enemies. Although the Berserker is a force to be reckoned with, mastering the specific combos that come with the class and optimizing their potential in combat can take some time to master. However, once players get the hang of the Berserker, they can become a feared force to be reckoned with across the PvP realm (like many World of Warcraft experts).
3 Priest: Ideal Support Able To Stay In The Fight
- Healer class
- PvE/PvP viable
Protectors who have the power to effectively heal themselves and their allies, Priests are a magnificent benefit to any adventuring party. Furthermore, the Priest also possesses the ability to resurrect not only allies but themselves in the midst of battle, though the latter does come with an understandably lengthy cooldown.
The Priest is a great all-round powerhouse, echoing the stalwart and faithful Clerics of Dungeons & Dragons. The class is able to sustain itself and allies in raids and dungeons or PvP duels. They can be tricky to master, though, as micromanaging heals, buffs, and crowd control abilities can be a very tall order.
2 Magician: Adaptable Fighter Capable Of Devastating Attacks
- Versatile
- PvE/PvP viable
Though their stature may be small, Magicians offer players tremendous power and the capacity to unleash devastating attacks on their opponents. Magicians wield the power of chaos magic, and have an incredibly high damage-per-second potential. They're probably up there with some of the strongest mages in gaming. Although the Magician lacks in defense as the Wizard does, this is more than made up for by their ability to be able to cast shields, as well as teleport and fly. As such, they're far hardier and more difficult to pin down.
The Magician is one of the few classes that can viably solo dungeons and world bosses, due to these fantastic offensive and defensive capabilities. The only major drawback of this class is that the items and gear for Magicians can be incredibly expensive to acquire, which can result in some instances of heavy grinding and slow progress.
1 Ranger: Jack Of All Trades And A Master Of Some
- All-rounder
- PvE/PvP viable
With bow and arrow in hand, the Ranger stands tall as a force to be reckoned with, no matter the circumstances. As with Magicians, Rangers also possess the ability to wield the power of chaos in their ranged attacks, while using their health to execute melee attacks. The Ranger is therefore effective at both short and long distances, adaptable to any situation they find themselves in (much like its class counterpart in Guild Wars 2).
Rangers are also able to refresh their own mana pools and heal themselves as well as other party members, making the class entirely self-sufficient. They're able to tackle dungeons and world bosses in a solo capacity as well. Rangers hold up as formidable fighters in the PvP arena to boot, outputting significant damage while being able to sustain themselves easily. The Ranger is truly the epitome of what it means to be a Rider of Icarus.