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Heavy Bolt PistolWarhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2has six playable classes to choose from. Fans of multiplayer PvE and PvP content will need to choose a class that best suits their playstyle. You aren’t locked into the class you pick, but investing your time into a single class will make early-game progression much easier.
From the versatile Tactical Marines to frontline Bulwarks, each class in Space Marine 2 has its own unique playstyle and quirks. Finding a class that suits you will make the earlier PvE Operations much easier. Let’s dig into how each class works in Space Marine 2 and give our recommendations for both PvE and PvP.
How Classes Work In Space Marine 2
Players can choose betweenone of six classes for Space Marine 2’s multiplayer content, which includes PvE Operations and PvP Eternal War.you may switch between each of the six classes at any timewhile in the Battle Barge, Space Marine 2’s main hub area. Each class has its own XP track, gear unlocks, and ultimate ability.
The campaign doesnotuse player classes; you control preset characters instead.
You can access your class customization at theArmouring Hallin the Battle Barge, but you’ll need to be in an Operation or Eternal War lobby first. From the Battle Barge, head to the terminal in the Launching Bay and select any Operation or Eternal War playlist. Exit the matchmaking queue, then head to the Armouring Hall to customize your character.
Class Differences
Each class differs in the following areas:
Every class has access to a melee weapon and the same combat fundamentals—parrying, dodging, sprinting, etc. With that said,each class is balanced differently between PvE and PvP.PvE grants access to a large skill tree, allowing you to modify your Space Marine with potent boons and useful ability augments. This skill tree isnotavailable in PvP to keep matches balanced.Astartes also have more armor in Eternal War content.
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Most primaries and secondaries
Auspex Scan
Highlights enemy targets, increasing all damage they receive.
Tactical Marines are the backbone of the Adeptus Astartes, and it’s no different in Space Marine 2.The Tactical class is a jack-of-all-tradeswho can use most non-heavy weapons with mastery. They perform well in melee and ranged combat thanks to their high AC rating of three (four in PvP). Tactical Marines also haveaccess to most non-heavy weapon archetypes, including all Bolt and Plasma weapon variants.
In the thick of combat, Tactical Marines can deploy theAuspex Scannerto mark enemy targets in a wide area, increasing all damage they receive from all sources. PvE players can further augment the scanner to significantly increase their team’s damage output at the cost of the ability’s duration.
Most melee weapons, pistols
Ability
Jump Pack
Fly into the air and perform a slam attack, or dash a great distance in any direction.
Assault Marines arefrontline fighters who leap into combat with their signature Jump Pack.Holding the ability key will launch your character into the air, allowing you to hover temporarily. If you hold the melee key while looking downward, you’ll perform a meteoric slam attack that deals massive damage to targets. Assault Marines can also use their Jump Pack to dash in any direction. You havetwo Jump Pack chargesby default. PvE upgrades allow you to use the Jump Pack more often.
Compared to the campaign, the Jump Pack in Multiplayer has a lower launch velocity and a much longer cooldown. Use it sparingly.
Since this class has a ton of maneuverability,Assault Marines forgo a primary weapon entirely.Your choice of pistols is also rather limited, restricted to the Plasma Pistol andHeavy Bolt Pistol. The good news is that you have some fantastic melee weapons to pick from, notably theThunder HammerandPower Fist. You also have a high AC rating of three (four in PvP) as an Assault Marine, so don’t be afraid to throw yourself into hordes of enemies.
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Grapnel Launcher
Fire a grappling hook into a target and rappel towards them, damaging them with a dropkick attack.
If you love the aggressive gameplay of the Assault Marine but miss wielding a primary, the Vanguard class might be for you.The Vanguard is a hybrid between the Tactical and Assault classes, wielding powerful close-range weapons and a grappling hook to fight up close. Their selection of melee weapons is somewhat lacking, but they can wield powerful weapons like the Melta Gun andBolt Carbine.
Their lower AC allows the Vanguard to install aGrapnel Launcherinto their armor, launching the Space Marine directly into the grappled target. You can follow up with a midair kick to deal immense damage. It’s a high-risk, high-reward spec that’s particularly strong in PvP. You can even upgrade the grappling hook in PvE to reduce its cooldown while buffing your dive kick attack.
Rally Flag
Plant a flag that passively restores your team’s armor.
The Bulwark is a tank class,wielding a powerful shield to nullify enemy attacks. This isn’t their signature ability, so you have unlimited access to this combat shield.Holding the parry button will block incoming attacks with your shield. You can’t block unblockable attacks, although you can still dodge those like usual.
When a physical shield isn’t enough, the Bulwark can deploy aRally Flag, empowering your allies with passive armor regeneration.This regeneration is quick and allows you to tank multiple melee units with little issue. However, you must stand near the flag to receive the benefits, so plant it in an advantageous location. you may also upgrade the banner in PvE content to enhance your team’s damage or survivability.
Long-range weapons, combat knife
Active Camo
Cloak yourself for a short duration. Attack to break invisibility and deal increased damage.
Snipers double aslong-range DPS and team medics.That’s mostly due to the utility of their signature ability,Active Camo.Enemies will not target your character while you’re cloaked, allowing you to reposition and revive downed teammates. If you attack while cloaked, you’ll trade invisibility for a massive damage boost with that attack.
Bonus damage pairs nicely with the Sniper class’long-range bolter weapons, notably theBolt Sniper Rifle. Cloak, line up a headshot, and fire to one-tap a Majoris-class foe. Upgrades for this class allow you to cloak off perfect dodges, ideal for players who prefer a hit-and-run playstyle.
Heavy primary weapons and pistols.
Iron Halo
Deploy an energy shield around your character, mitigating all incoming damage.
Heavy is the only class that can use heavy two-handed weapons. They bring massive weapons to the battlefield that melt through enemies like a hot knife through butter, although this comes at the cost of no melee weapon. If you’re caught in the thick of combat, it’s difficult to recover.
Fortunately, Heavy Marines can use theIron Haloskill to empower themselves with a durable energy shield, absorbing all incoming damage for a short duration. Upgrades for this skill increase its effectiveness and general uptime.
Which Class Should You Play?
For PvE gameplay, we highly recommend youstart as a Bulwark.This class has a high AC rating, a block mechanic that mitigates all incoming damage, and a powerful armor regeneration skill. They can also dish out some great melee damage with their selection of melee weapons. If you prefer more ranged gameplay, give theTactical Marinea try. It’s a jack-of-all-trades that can do a little bit of everything.
As for PvP, your best pick is theVanguard.They have absurdly strong close-quarters weapons and a strong gap closer. Use the Grapnel Launcher against weak players for easy cleanups. For a less aggressive playstyle, try theTacticalorHeavyclasses.
