Remnant 2: The Best Archetypes For Solo Players, Ranked

Highlights

• Remnant 2 by Gunfire Games is dominating the gaming world with its Soulslike gameplay, diverse worlds, and engaging classes.
• Solo players can excel by choosing the right character class, like the powerful Invoker, secretive Explorer, or elusive Invader.
• The innovative Archetype system in Remnant 2 offers unique gameplay experiences, with solo runs proving just as fun as co-op play.

Gunfire Games’ latest release Remnant 2 has rocketed to the tops of Steam charts and is taking over consoles around the world, as it looks to bring forth a new era of Soulslike gaming. With an expansive and ever-changing assortment of worlds, enemies, and dungeons for players to explore as any of the many character classes, the game promises to offer a plethora of experiences in one enormous, highly-replayable title.

Despite being optimized for co-op play, Remnant 2 still stands as a very user-friendly title for solo players, however different considerations need to be made about character selection to suit independent gamers. Without the support of a companion, the strengths and weaknesses of the game’s classes must be considered in a whole new light. Here are the best options for players looking to rid the world of the Root Infection alone.

Updated July 30th, 2024 by Jacob Buchalter: Remnant 2’s Archetype system was an incredibly interesting and inventive way to spice up the core gameplay loop that was seen in Remnant: From the Ashes. It’s a shame that the Armor Set effects had to go, but Archetypes, Archetype combinations, and builds centered around particular Archetypes feel a lot more unique and individual than Armor Set builds ever did in the first Remnant game. And, a lot of these Archetype combinations can be especially powerful when used alongside each other in multiplayer, but that doesn’t mean that players ‘need’ to experience Remnant 2 as a multiplayer experience. In all honesty, a solo run of this game is equal to if not more fun than a co-op run, provided the player relies on some of the strongest solo Archetypes mentioned below.

13 Invoker

The Closest Thing to a ‘Mage’ in Remnant 2

First up is Invoker, the newest class (at the time of writing this, at least) added to Remnant 2. This Archetype is one that players will only find in the Forgotten Kingdom DLC and it is one that is entirely based around the concept of Skill Damage, Skill Duration, and Mod Duration. Essentially, for those who want to play a ‘caster’ in this Soulslike with guns, the Invoker or the Archon are absolutely going to be their best option. Not only does the Invoker have some very powerful Skills on its own such as Way of Kaeula, Meidra, or Lydusa but it also has great Perks for a solo player like Entranced, Soothsayer, or especially Visionary (its Prime Perk)

Granted, the Invoker was also designed to work well as a co-op support as can be seen with its Team Perk, but these have a very small impact for a solo player compared to the massive impact the Archetype as a whole will have on any Weapon Mod or Skill Damage build.

12 Explorer

For Finding Secrets & Moving Fast

The Explorer is one of the better solo Archetypes in some ways, and one of the worst in some other ways, which can put players in an awkward spot. To elaborate, if players are looking for a class that helps them get around quicker, find more items, and figure out secrets easier, the Explorer is incredible. However, if they’re looking for an Archetype that excels in survivability, damage, or support skills, the Explorer falls short in a lot of ways.

Given that players can’t actually unlock this Archetype until they defeat Annihilation, this next point makes sense, but the Explorer really is best for when players are already powerful and just want to find secret items easily. But, in regard to how good this class is for solo play, the answer is unfortunately that it’s only decent at best.

11 Alchemist

Meant To Be A Support, But Ends Up Being A Concoction Stacking Archetype

A master of magical brews and concoctions, the Alchemist is a hidden Archetype in Remnant 2 whose abilities are centered around giving themselves (and their allies) all sorts of puffs using different brewed tonics and potions. It’s obvious by looking at the gameplay design of this Archetype that the Alchemist is meant to be a support class, making the multiplayer team as a whole stronger when they’re there.

This naturally leads people to assume that The Alchemist is bad in solo play, but that’s not entirely true. Because of their Prime Perk, Spirited, a Primary Alchemist Archetype player will be able to have 4 additional Concoction Buffs active once the Alchemist reaches level 10. And, considering how substantial the buffs from Concoctions are, this is a pretty absurd benefit. Still, every other aspect of the Archetype is much better in multiplayer than in solo, so it ends up here near the bottom.

10 Invader

The Distraction Archetype

The next Archetype, the Invader is not only hard to find at all, once players use it they’ll find that enemies have a hard time hitting them. This is an Archetype designed around the idea of being elusive, tricking enemies, and using decoys.

The Prime Perk alone already does so much to confuse enemies, since it’ll have players creating these ‘Shadow Decoys’ every time they use an Invader Skill. And, to make things even better, the enemies that fall for this trick and attack the Decoy actually take more damage while they’re attacking it. Then, there’s the Invader’s first Skill, Void Cloak. This Skill literally enables auto-dodge for the player, with each automatic dodge roll using a chunk of the Skill’s meter. Both the level 5 and level 10 Skills for the Invader, AKA Worm Hole, and Reboot, are also fantastic, but they’re a lot more complex to use well. Regardless, the Invader is a very useful Solo class since it excels in taking enemy aggro off of the player, something that multiplayer allies would usually be in charge of.

9 Medic

A Healer That Still Dishes Out Quite A Lot Of Damage

Given that Remnant 2 is a Soulslike, it’s only natural to assume that the game is difficult and brutal. And, this assumption is absolutely correct, especially if players choose one of the harder starting difficulties such as Nightmare or Apocalypse. So, along that same train of thought, an Archetype based around healing and keeping the player alive should work well to counteract the difficulty, right?

Well, yes and no. The Medic is an example of this Archetype, and while it does have a lot of Perks, Skills, and even a Trait that’s based around healing, it’s still not the best solo class to use.

Using it players will absolutely be able to keep themselves alive more, but that’s only if they make it out of the confrontation that’s hurting them (or they find a window to heal during said confrontation). Because the Medic doesn’t really have a lot of innate ways to buff its damage, it’s not a class that’ll help solo players get through boss fights faster, they’re just more likely to last longer as a whole.

8 Archon

Lightning & Mod Power Unchained

As far as hidden Archetypes go in Remnant 2, the Archon is by far the most hidden. This class needed a skilled team of data miners to even figure out how to unlock it, after all. But, once players get it, they’ll be able to select the Archon as their starting Archetype in every subsequent playthrough.

And, as a solo starting Archetype in particular, the Archon is actually pretty amazing. To sum up this class in as few words as possible, it’s all about Mod Power. Almost all of its Perks are based around Mod Power, and even some of its Skills are about buffing Mod Power. So, as long as players like to use Weapon Mods (which, given certain mods such as Firestorm, it makes sense) they’ll find that the Archon will serve them well in a single-player Remnant 2 run.

7 Summoner

A More Complex Handler, For Better Or For Worse

The first companion Archetype on here, the Summoner is very different from the default Handler Archetype in that it raises its own minions instead of having one active at all times. Throughout the leveling process, the Summoner has access to three different types of Root Creature summons, with each one being tailored towards something different (basic melee, flying ranged, and single-target burst).

Again, the HP cost of summoning minions might cause people to think that this is a risky class for playing solo, but that HP cost is very easily mitigated just by using a specific Ring or two, or even a Concoction if needed. After it’s been mitigated, the Summoner quickly becomes one of the better solo classes since it gives the player a way to get enemy aggro off them, have allies that’ll cover their back, and gain bonus stats from other gear related to Summons.

6 Hunter

Great For Sniping & Also For Recon

While the Gunslinger is the most iconic example of a ‘basic’ DPS Archetype, the Hunter is a close second. Yes, this Archetype is a bit more about stealth and long-ranged combat than it is about pure DPS, but it’s still almost entirely built around the idea of pointing a gun, be it a Hand Gun or Long Gun, at the enemy and firing.

However, an aspect of the Hunter class that a lot of people sleep on is the fact that it’s great for recon or even getting through areas without really fighting enemies at all. Whether this is by using Hunter’s Mark to see all nearby enemies at once or by using Hunter’s Shroud to walk past enemies unnoticed, the Hunter just has a lot of options. And, at a baseline level, this class also just has a lot of Ranged Damage and Weakspot Damage buffs as a part of its Perks, which go a long way toward making boss fights a whole lot shorter.

5 Gunslinger

The Weapons Expert

Technically the Gunslinger is another ‘hidden’ Archetype in Remnant 2, but given that it literally came with the Deluxe Edition of the game, it never felt all that hidden. In any case, the Gunslinger is about the most ‘default’ DPS class there is in the game, as it’s an Archetype designed around using both Long Guns and Hand Guns efficiently and quickly.

On top of that, the Gunslinger is also very helpful for managing Ammo Reserves, since that’s the Trait the Archetype comes with, and a good number of its Skills and Perks are focused on gaining more ammo or more efficiently conserving it. While these effects are incredibly helpful in multiplayer, they’re still pretty useful in single-player, making this an all-around good or even great choice of starting Archetype for a solo playthrough.

4 Ritualist

The Ailment Afficianado

The Ritualist is the most recent Archetype added to Remnant 2, as it was the only Archetype added with the Awakened King DLC. And, this Archetype is something that players have been asking to get for quite a long time, as it’s based entirely on Status Ailments and Elemental Damage. There are so many different Ailments in Remnant 2, and while players could tailor their build around them such as a Bleed, Toxin, Overload, or even Debug build, these builds would always be noticeably weaker than most other builds.

But now, with the Ritualist, it’s the exact opposite. When players aren’t using an Ailment or Elemental Damage build in some capacity, they’ll notice they’re doing a lot less AoE damage and damage overall than they were on their Ritualist Loadout. The Ritualist isn’t the most ‘obvious’ solo playthrough pick, but once players understand the AoE potential, figure out ways to heal using Ailments when paired with certain Rings or Amulets, and see how much damage this Archetype puts out, they’ll almost assuredly want to at least try a Ritualist build.

3 Engineer

A Heavy Class With A Heavy Gun

The Engineer comes in just behind the Challenger in terms of durability, but both classes absolutely excel at tanking damage. Granted, the Engineer sort of has to be holding their trademark Heavy Weapon to get a lot of the durability buffs and bonuses, but considering how strong this Heavy Weapon is, that’s not really a ‘big ask’.

The Engineer is similar to both the Handler and the Summoner in that it’s a way for Solo players to still have an ally that’ll help them out without playing with other people. Sure, the Heavy Weapon turret is a bit awkward to get used to at first, but once players get into the flow of summoning it, picking it up, and un-summoning it, they’ll find that they’ve become a roaming weapon of mass destruction without even realizing it. Basically, the Engineer just has a bit of everything, whether it’s DPS, durability, or Skill Damage.

2 Challenger

The Tankiest Tank In The Game

The Challenger, the next Archetype on the list, is the close-quarters specialist. They’re essentially the ‘Tank’ class of Remnant 2, and they’re designed around getting into the thick of things and making the best of it. This is by far one of the best Archetypes in the game for a solo player, as it’s one of the most durable, has an innate ‘revive’ ability, and is incredibly easy for beginners to adjust to.

In fact, Challenger is also one of the better Archetypes for a Hardcore Mode run as well, given that its Die Hard Prime Perk still works. Sure, its abilities are pretty boring and it’s not the most ‘unique’ Archetype in the game, but the Challenger doesn’t need all those bells and whistles, because it gets the job done well.

1 Handler

Quite Literally The All-In-One Companion Class

Regardless of the question when it comes to Remnant 2, the Handler Archetype is likely going to be among the suggestions for the Archetype to use. This class is just so useful. Not only is the dog companion amazing since it can tank, heal, attack, and even revive the player, but the Skills and Perks can also buff the player’s damage, speed, or damage reduction.

That said, a good portion of the Perks are based around passively buffing allies as well, so that’s a bit useless in solo, but the effects themselves are still handy. And, to top it all off, the dog counts as a ‘Summon’ too, meaning that all of the gear that mentions the word Summon in it will also apply to this Archetype. And, this isn’t even going into the fact that the Bonded Prime Perk basically gives players a second chance every 90-120 seconds as long as they have Relics for their dog to use in reviving them.