Ragnarok M: Classic Class Guide and Recommendations

Ragnarok M: Classic doesn’t just bring back the nostalgia, it brings back real strategy. With dozens of unique job classes to choose from, picking the right one can make or break your grind. Whether you’re chasing MVPs, farming zeni, or dominating PvP, this class guide breaks down everything you need to know to find your perfect match. And if you're serious about leveling faster and farming smarter, playing ROM Classic with OSLink will take your grind to the next level.

 

Ragnarok M: Classic Class Tier List

Before diving into detailed class breakdowns, let’s take a quick look at how each job ranks in terms of overall performance, versatility, and ease of use, from early to late game. Whether you're focused on PvE, PvP, or farming, this tier list gives you a snapshot of what each class brings to the table.

 

Deep Dive into Ragnarok M: Classic's Best Class

From here onward we’re taking a closer look at each class in Ragnarok M: Classic one by one, breaking down their pros, cons, and everything else you need to know to help you pick the one that suits your playstyle best.

 

Shadow Chaser

If you're looking for a class that can farm zeni, deal solid damage, and ruin someone’s day in PvP—all while staying mobile and flashy, Shadow Chaser might be your thing. Let’s take a quick look at what makes it so good (and where it needs some help).

Pros:

• Strong single-target burst with Triangle Shot
• Has zeni farming skills (rare and super useful!)
• Great in both PvE and PvP, especially mid to late game
• Strip abilities give it a huge edge in PvP fights
• Fast movement, great for sneaky plays and backline dives

Cons:

• Weak early game, takes time to ramp up
• AOE skills can clash with Sorcerer’s Land Protector
• Needs some gear investment to shine in PvE instances

F2P Friendliness:

• Mid-tier friendly – early struggle, but good long-term return once skills and passives unlock.

Best For:

Players who want a flexible class that’s great for solo farming and excels in PvP disruption. Also a strong pick for zeni-focused grinding with good late-game payoff.

 

Archbishop

If you prefer keeping your team alive, boosting damage, and having a permanent spot in every party setup, Archbishop is the support class to go for. It’s beginner-friendly, easy to gear, and always in demand across all stages of the game.

Pros:

• Best support in the game, hands down
• Extremely F2P-friendly – low-cost, easy to build
• Needed for all high-end instances, War of Emperium, and guild content
• Buffs, heals, revives, and solid holy light damage for early grinding
• Easy to gear: just focus on magic attack, defenses, and movement speed

Cons:

• Less exciting solo–struggles in single-player PvE
• No real DPS build – limited offensive options
• Can be pressure-heavy in tough content (you will get blamed if someone dies)
• Slightly slower progression if you don’t team up early

F2P Friendliness:

• Very high – one of the most accessible and low-investment classes out there

Best For:

Support mains, team players, and anyone who wants an easier time finding parties and progressing smoothly. If you love being the backbone of your squad, this one’s for you.

 

Sorcerer

Want to play a mage who doesn’t just nuke from a distance but also disables enemies and supports your team in clever ways? Sorcerer is a great pick for both solo and party play, with a surprisingly smooth gear path and PvP tricks.

Pros:

• Strong single-target auto-attack DPS
• Can change enemy armor to water – deadly with lightning bolt spam
• Counters AoE classes in both PvE and PvP
• Excellent PvP utility: disables, armor swap, anti-buff plays
• F2P-friendly gearing, fast setup time (especially compared to Warlock)

Cons:

• Not super flashy early game, needs a few skill levels to feel good
• Late-game high DPS builds can get expensive
• Takes some awareness in PvP to time disables and armor swaps
• Requires commitment if you want to be main DPS rather than utility

F2P Friendliness:

• High – easy set gear access and less Acer reliance make it a smart choice for budget players

Best For:

Strategic players who want to disrupt enemies, control the battlefield, and still put out solid damage. Great if you want to support without playing a pure healer, or if you’re looking for an F2P-friendly mage main.

 

Genetici

This class is all about flexibility and raw power. Genetici combines strong AoE burst damage with support tools that can absolutely shred enemies and their gear in team fights. It’s a great all-rounder once it’s fully built, but it definitely takes some setup to get there.

Pros:

• High burst AoE and single-target DPS potential
• Can destroy enemy gear in PvP and protect your team’s
• Hybrid scaling: uses both physical and magical attack stats
• Versatile builds: Acid Demo, Fire Expansion, Homunculus routes
• Has zeni farming passives (like Mechanic!)
• Amazing in both solo and team instances late game

Cons:

• Mostly locked to fire damage – easily countered by resist gear
• Tough early and mid game as Alchemist
• Not very F2P-friendly – needs expensive sets and late-game investment
• Can be risky in grind parties due to AoE burst triggering MVPs

F2P Friendliness:

• Low – requires serious gear and stat investment to unlock full potential

Best For:

Players who want a powerful late-game class with PvP utility and flexible damage options. If you don’t mind a tougher early game and love chaotic burst builds, Genetic is your jam. 

 

Ranger

Looking for a smooth start with strong PvE damage and auto-attack builds that just work? Ranger makes early to mid game progression feel easy. It’s a popular choice for beginners thanks to its simplicity and damage output, even without crazy gear.

Pros:

• Consistent burst from auto-attack + Falcon procs
• Easy to use, strong early-to-mid game performance
• Clean grinding experience, especially for instances
• Strong MVP killer and top pick for early War of Crystals
• Freely switch builds or classes with saved progress via Emper Notebook

Cons:

• Falls off late game, especially in PvP due to crit resist scaling
• Lacks dedicated Zeni farming skills
• Trap build exists but isn’t very popular or consistent
• Needs crit-focused gear to stay relevant in higher-tier PvP

F2P Friendliness:

• High for early to mid game – very forgiving and easy to build
• Mid for late game – needs gear upgrades to stay effective

Best For:

Players who want a fast, effective start with minimal complexity. Ideal for farming, grinding instances, and helping out in MVP hunts. If you enjoy auto-attack builds and smooth early progression, Ranger won’t let you down.

 

Rune Knight

Runeknight takes everything cool about being a Knight and cranks it up, with explosive skills that scale off both physical and magical stats. It’s a strong pick for players who want a mix of damage and survivability, especially in late-game PvE and PvP.

Pros:

• OP damage scaling in late game (physical and magical!)
• Fast movement speed for smooth rotations
• Can double as a secondary tank if needed
• Handbook stat deposits benefit it massively
• Less reliant on Acer Monument grinding than other DPS classes

Cons:

• Big transition needed when shifting from Lord Knight to Runeknight
• Late-game build is more expensive—requires investment in multiple stats (P.ATK, M.ATK, defenses)
• Often fighting in mid-range zones, which needs higher survivability
• Mid-game can feel a little clunky until the build settles

F2P Friendliness:

• Mid-tier – easier to gear than some hybrids, but full potential still needs a decent budget

Best For:

Players who want a flashy, hard-hitting warrior with solid late-game scaling and good PvE tankiness. Ideal if you’re ready to commit to a main and ride the late-game power wave.

 

Guillotine Cross

Fast, lethal, and built for crit-heavy burst damage, Guillotine Cross is a PvP assassin that thrives on chaos. It’s a great imperium destroyer in guild war and a nightmare for mages, but you’ll need to put in work to survive the early grind.

Pros:

• High burst damage with crit-focused builds
• Fast movement speed for hit-and-run plays
• Strong against mages and squishy backliners in PvP
• Great imperium breaker in Guild vs Guild
• Both Dagger and Katar builds are viable, with Katar now more effective than in previous Ragnarok versions

Cons:

• Rough early game if you’re F2P – needs good gear to be efficient
• Easily countered by Sorcerers (Poison Cloud is AoE and gets wrecked by Land Protector)
• Hybrid flee + DPS builds can get expensive
• Needs setup time and stat investment to feel rewarding

F2P Friendliness:

• Low – early struggle and expensive optimization for crit builds

Best For:

Assassin-style players who love critical hits, sneaky plays, and dominating PvP with burst damage. It’s a solid pick if you want to be fast, flashy, and deadly in team fights once you’re geared.

 

Royal Guard

This underrated class brings top-tier tanking and unmatched team protection, especially in harder instance content. With devotion skills and strong support potential, Royal Guard turns into an anchor your party can fully rely on. You might not top the DPS chart, but you will be the reason your DPS survives.

Pros:

• Best tank in the game—huge value in team content
• Can protect key DPS with Devotion and Earth Drive
• Must-have for tough instances and Guild vs Guild content
• Can deal decent DPS while protecting teammates
• Feared in PvP when built right—hard to kill, disruptive, and supportive

Cons:

• Not F2P-friendly – needs high HP and solid defensive gear
• Low solo DPS, weak in early PvE unless you team up
• Can be countered in PvP by Genetic, Mechanic, Sorcerer, and Stalker (gear strip/disables)
• Has a slow build-up phase and doesn’t shine until mid-late game

F2P Friendliness:

• Low–defensive builds are expensive and require proper gear to truly tank effectively

Best For:

Players who love being the backbone of the team. If you enjoy surviving ridiculous hits, protecting allies, and being essential in high-difficulty runs, Royal Guard will carry your squad on its armored shoulders.

 

Minstrel

Part buffer, part support DPS, and all-around team booster—Minstrel (♂) and Wanderer (♀) are built for synergy. They bring ensemble skills, bonus zeni buffs, and flexible setups that make them a perfect addition to party grinding and guild events.

Pros:

• Flexible toolkit: buffs, revives, support DPS, even a little healing
• Mr. Gold Rich skill = bonus zeni for the whole party!
• Ensemble skills are game-changing in Thanatos and other instance content
• Great in team dungeons and mid-to-late game PvE
• Buffs scale well and are always useful in group content

Cons:

• Weak solo – hard to clear content alone
• Support skills weaker compared to Archbishop
• Expensive set gear and not easy to build early on
• Less effective in PvP due to lower impact support compared to other roles

F2P Friendliness:

• Low to mid – functional without max gear, but full potential requires investment

Best For:

Team players who want to buff their squad, farm smarter with bonus zeni, and provide clutch revives and utility. Great pick if you always party up and want to feel essential without being a main healer or frontliner.

 

Warlock

This class is all about devastating AoE damage and flashy spells. Warlock used to be king of the grind, and while the meta has shifted, it’s still a strong contender in mob-heavy instances and PvP clashes. Think Meteor Storm, Tetra Vortex, and massive screen-clearing chaos.

Pros:

• Massive AoE damage – great in mob-based instances (ET, Thanatos, Rifts)
• One-shot potential in PvP with Tetra Vortex
• Strong fire-based nukes like Meteor Storm can melt teams
• Still powerful in late-game guild wars and War of Crystals
• Ideal for high-volume farming when geared

Cons:

• Rough early and mid game – lacks strong single-target options
• Needs lots of gear, stats, and Acer support to shine
• Easily countered by Sorcerer’s Land Protector
• Requires party support or class switching to grind effectively
• Not F2P-friendly due to gear and stat demands

F2P Friendliness:

• Low – tough to build without solid investments

Best For:

Players who love explosive magic, don’t mind investing time and zeni into gear, and want to melt mobs or cause chaos in PvP. Best used as a main class for guilds focused on large-scale content.

 

Shura

Shura thrives on powerful burst damage and tanky presence during early to mid-game. It’s your go-to for blowing up MVPs and handling solo instances, especially when others still need a party. Asura Strike slaps, but you’ll need to plan ahead with gear and Acer support to keep it deadly.

 

Pros:

• Massive single-target burst with Asura Strike
• One of the best early/mid game PvE tanks
• MVP killer – ideal for boss-hunting and burst-based content
• Great in team instances where high burst is needed
• Smooth solo progression in early stages

Cons:

• Highly Acer dependent for late-game scaling
• Not F2P-friendly – needs stacked stats to stay relevant
• Limited Zeni farming tools
• Asura can be countered hard by the Safety Wall in PvP
• Less useful in AoE-based or mob-heavy PvE scenarios

F2P Friendliness:

• Low – you’ll need good gear and a lot of stat investment to unlock its full burst potential

Best For:

Players who enjoy heavy-hitting martial arts style gameplay and want to feel powerful early. A solid pick for MVP hunters and anyone who loves big numbers, even if it means working harder for them. 

 

Mechanic

Mechanic is the top zeni farming class with strong passives, late-game DPS, and useful party buffs. It scales well with the right build and is great for players focused on farming and long-term power. Early game is clunky and gear-heavy, and DPS builds aren’t very F2P-friendly—but the late-game payoff is worth it.

 

Alchemist

Alchemist is a solid starting class for those aiming to become a powerful Genetic. It offers decent ranged farming with Zeni passives similar to Mechanic and brings useful support in parties. However, it has a rough early game, relies heavily on fire-based skills, and isn’t very F2P-friendly without good gear. Best suited for long-term players looking to transition into a strong endgame class.

 

Smarter Ragnarok M: Classic Grinding with OSLink

Throughout this ROMC class guide you’ve seen, mastering Ragnarok M: Classic is all about picking the right class, understanding its strengths, and grinding smart, not just hard.  But even with solid class choices, the grind is real. You’ll need to farm zeni, track MVPs, run endless dungeons, and stay ready when those boss timers reset. That’s where OSLink comes in, giving you powerful tools to stay ahead without burning out. With OSLink, you can:

• Run Ragnarok M: Classic on your home PC while controlling it remotely
• Use auto-click scripts to keep dungeon farming going, even while AFK

Automate complex routines like dungeon queueing, MVP scouting, or party finding. All you have to do is record once, set intervals, and let your script handle the grind while you focus on strategy.  

Whether you’re prepping your Shadow Chaser for zeni runs or keeping your Warlock on a farming loop, OSLink helps you optimize your time and your progress.

 

Conclusion

From sneaky Shadow Chasers to powerhouse Runeknights, every class in Ragnarok M: Classic brings something unique to your adventure. But no matter which class you pick, grinding smart beats grinding hard. Ready to make the most of your time? Download ROM Classic and connect it with OSLink to auto-farm smarter, hunt MVPs effortlessly, and stay ahead, even when you're not at your screen.